Leading a healthy lifestyle and avoiding toxins is good for our bodies. No secret there. Did you know it can also improve mental and emotional health issues? Author Tara Mackey shares her journey from prescription drugs to good health in her book, “Cured by Nature”, and you are going to want to get your hands on a copy.

Mental and emotional health issues affect nearly 7% of adults and 3% of children in the U.S., according to Anxiety Disorders Association of America. The main treatment? Prescription medication. While, certainly, some people need prescription drugs to treat their health issues, many are being given antidepressants and anti-anxiety meds to address symptoms without knowing the cause of the imbalance.

Tara Mackey was one of many people suffering from physical, mental, and emotional illnesses from a young age. No surprise, she was prescribed a range of medications to treat the symptoms, while the cause of her maladies was left unchecked.

As an adult, Tara took her health into her own hands and found other, more natural, means to better health. In her book, “Cured by Nature”, Tara spells out in detail how she came to discover toxins were behind her health issues, and the changes she made to get and stay healthy.

Interview with Tara Mackey, Author of “Cured by Nature”

LT: So many people, especially women, are diagnosed with anxiety and depression these days, and subsequently prescribed antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications. Do you think these conditions can be treated other, more natural, ways?

TM: I believe that regardless of if we’re taking medication, we should be incorporating natural methods of healing into our everyday lives. I took pills for over 11 years, for any illness, pain and various diagnosis – emotional, mental and physical – that you can name. They may have masked the problem, or handed me some chemicals, but never, ever actually helped me on my way to being truly healed. The reason it’s important to have natural methods and tools for healing is because at the end of the day, you can’t rely on a pill. A pill won’t do the work. You need to do the work. You need to be able to rely on yourself, no matter what.

LT: Do you feel we are an overmedicated society?

TM: Without a doubt. Walgreens sold over 900 million – almost a BILLION – prescription drugs on 2015. That’s 3 times more drugs than there are people in this country! And that’s just one pharmacy!! 70% of Americans are on some kind of drug! That makes me a very, very small minority.

Some drugs are needed, of course. Even psychiatric drugs, in severe cases. But Walgreens alone sold enough drugs last year for everyone in this country to be on 3 meds at the same time! There is no DOUBT that we’re overmedicated. These companies have investors, stockholders, lobbyists, and CFO’s to satisfy. Their filled prescription drug numbers WILL go up, year by year. I have no doubt about that, and their books prove it. We need to know what we can do for ourselves to make sure we’re not one of the overmedicated ones.

LT: How does meditation factor into a healthy lifestyle?

TM: Meditation is the simplest form of mind-work. Sitting quietly gives us the time and tools to learn things about ourselves we’d NEVER figure out otherwise. One of the first things I learned in meditation was that my normal breathing was totally panicked. Well, no wonder I had anxiety! I didn’t need medication – I needed to figure out how to breathe!

Most of the things that hold us back from our dreams are learned behaviors that we may not even realize we have! It wasn’t until I started meditating that things really started falling into place for me. I was able to give up a lot of ego gratification, which left room for amazing things like new friendships, amazing opportunities and fearless action. Without mind-work, you won’t be able to find the strength needed to conquer learned helplessness, which becomes totally ingrained in us.

LT: You recommend a shower filter for healthier hair and skin. Can everyone benefit from this?

TM: Yes! Many domestic water users are concerned about clearing up the hardness of their water. Hard water requires more soap and synthetic detergents for home laundry and washing, and contributes to scaling in boilers and industrial equipment, skin disease, acne, dryness, hair thinning and more.

Everyone can and should be using a water filter in their shower and sink to make sure that they’re getting the best, most purified water for their bare skin while showering, drinking or taking a bath. When I moved to LA, hard water immediately started doing a number on my skin and hair, and it took me months to identify this as the culprit!

The very week I got a shower filter, a lot of the problems I had been faced with – cystic acne, dry hair, split ends, psoriasis – disappeared completely! I was so relieved & astonished! I’m so passionate about letting others know so they don’t have to suffer, also!

LT: You believe coffee is the skin’s worst enemy. This comes as very sad news to many of us;) What does caffeine do to skin and do you have any tips for eliminating from the diet?

TM: Haha. I know it’s sad, but unfortunately, it’s so, so very true.

Caffeine, the main ingredient in coffee, is the world’s most consumed psychoactive drug. It is also a diuretic, meaning it’s a dehydrating, appetite suppressant. It disrupts your gut flora, which is where good skin and health truly begins and ends. Caffeine also messes with your hormones, most notably, your stress hormones. NO thank you. If you already suffer from anxiety, coffee alone could be causing it!

I love Teeccino, which is a caffeine free tea that tastes JUST like coffee! You can buy bags of it or a roast to brew. Delicious! Oprah also makes a caffeine free chai tea (Oprah Chai!) that is my jam! If you make it with some almond milk and cacao, it tastes just like coffee! It’s really hard to find caffeine free chai, so hats off to Oprah! If you need a natural jolt, add a capsule of ginseng and stir before you drink up!

LT: Osmia Organics came to your skin’s rescue. Which products do you recommend for treating acne?

TM: I’m still addicted to Osmia’s Black Clay Facial Soap, which converted me to green beauty. I use it once a day and it’s super gentle and effective on my skin. I also adore Osmia’s Detox Mask, which is full of activated ingredients that pull out all the gunk from your pores, as well as nourishing ingredients that don’t dehydrate. Follow with Osmia’s Spot Treatment on the blemishes themselves and you’re on your way to naturally clear skin! I also recommend DIM plus from Nature’s Way for hormonal acne. This supplement truly saved my skin when everything else – including Accutane – failed completely!

LT: What is one thing anyone can do today to improve their health?

TM: Twenty minutes of concentrated movement. Find the time to exercise – seriously. It’s been one of the most incredible things I’ve ever done for my health. No matter how much mind work I’m doing, it never has as much of a positive effect on my health or mindset unless I am spending some time connecting with my body. I have designed two fitness plans specifically for people to be able to exercise easily at home. One is designed to transform your body in just two weeks! Getting just 20 minutes of cardiovascular exercise a day (you can do it during one of your favorite Netflix shows!) has been proven to help hundreds of health issues, as well as aid you in expanding your lifespan!

Purchase a copy of “Cured by Nature” for yourself and read more healthful tips on Tara’s blog, The Organic Life.

*Disclaimer: Help support EcoSalon! Our site is dedicated to helping people live a conscious lifestyle. We’ve provided some affiliate links above in case you wish to purchase any of these products.

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Images via Tara Mackey/The Organic Life

The post ‘Cured by Nature’: How One Author Ditched Prescriptions and Healed Herself [Interview] appeared first on EcoSalon.

 

Discover for yourself the incredible health benefits of lemon and you’ll be puckering with pleasure.

Fresh lemon juice bears some surprising benefits, and starting your day with it not only tastes good but also jump starts digestion, detoxifies, and keeps you free of sickness. Don’t miss out on the incredible health benefits of lemon–the best way to start is in the morning!

Lemons are associated with a sour cringe, but delicious recipes. The little citrus fruits offer some serious health benefits, the most important being alkalizing properties. Lemons may be acidic, but ones ingested, they are one of the most alkalizing foods for the body. A high alkaline diet helps to strike a better acid-base ratio in the body that, thanks to the standard American diet, is often teetering towards acidic.

Traditionally, the benefits of lemon juice has been used in Ayurvedic medicine to stimulate digestion and clear toxins that were accumulated in the digestive tract overnight. Citrus flavonols are what are responsible for this effect, as they act as a digestive tonic. Moreover, lemon juice is believed to improve the stomach’s hydrochloric acid strength, which contributes to a more effective breaking down of food. Lemons have also shown the ability to decrease the risk for peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer.

Lemons are also a great way to avoid the common cold and boost overall immunity. They are high in ascorbic acid (vitamin C), which plays an important role in immune defense. Their vitamin C content effectively helps to increase antibody activity and resist infection. In one study, lemon citrus extract was linked to the inhibition of human breast cancer cell proliferation.

Vitamin C is a panacea of sorts, helping with the development of bones, cartilage, teeth, and gums as well as contributing to wound healing, fat and protein metabolization, and tissue formation. Vitamin C is an effective healer and is found in abundance in lemons.

And while you can reap a lot of benefits in terms of illness prevention an overall health, there are some beauty takeaways from lemons as well. Lemons are packed with antioxidants, which combats free radical damage and thus signs of aging of the skin. Paired with its detoxifying capabilities and high alkalinity, lemons can do wonder for your skin, keeping it clear, young, and taut. Apply fresh lemon juice directly to the skin for a pore tightening and deep cleansing.

While you can sneak lemon juice into your salads, soups, and as a spritz over meat-based dishes, the most potent way to benefit is to squeeze the juice of half a lemon into a warm cup of water every morning. Sip it slowly as you prepare for the day. On an empty stomach, this ritual is most effective and will do your body only the best of deeds!

Image: Desegura89

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Got a Rash? These five common skin complaints have five natural solutions easily found in any health food market.

It goes like this: Somehow, you’re covered in an itchy, red rash and you’re racking your brain to remember which soap, lotion, medication, supplement or cosmetic you might be allergic to. A week later, it’s still there, so you take yourself off to the dermatologist who sends you home with a prescription for Western medicine’s skin cure-all, the topical corticosteroid – but you’re still trying to remember what it was that might have caused it.

Rashes come in all shapes and sizes, and most of us will experience one at some point during our lives. Much like the over-prescribed antibiotic, steroid creams may bring about rapid improvement, but they don’t actually cure the condition. Not to mention (and your dermatologist certainly won’t) that prolonged use of topical corticosteroids are thought to increase the risk of skin damage, most commonly, making skin thin and fragile.

You’re right to be wary. Its worthwhile spending a bit of extra time to consider your health and to go ahead and ask further questions before applying that prescribed cream. Have you been under stress recently? Eaten anything in excess? Stress can really take its toll on the skin, and dairy and wheat are notoriously inflammatory to the system. Adding anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids into your diet like flaxseeds and chia seeds are a great way to reduce oxidative stress. Taking a supplement high in Gama-linolenic acid (GLA) such as evening primrose oil, black currant oil and borage oil helps to nourish the skin from the inside out.

The good news is there are similarly natural topical solutions for those who want to skip the steroids, mineral oil and chemical-laden dermatologist creams. Here are five common skin complaints and five natural solutions that are easily found in any health market:

1. Keratosis Pilaris – Known not-so-flatteringly, as chicken skin, this condition tends to run in families and is characterized by red, bumpy skin mostly found on the back of arms and thighs. Moisturizing is key to treating it–most dermatologists will recommend heavy-duty creams and petroleum-based salves. One alternative that many help is Sea-buckthorn oil. It’s high in the beneficial fatty-oil, omega-7, which helps keep both the bumpiness down and helps fade the redness.

2. Schamberg’s disease – You may not have heard of Schamberg’s disease, most doctors are also unfamiliar with the relatively common rash. Completely benign, the little “cayenne pepper” shape discolorations, spreads slowly most often affecting the legs. No one knows what causes it and there is no known cure, however recent research indicates that taking 500mg of vitamin C twice a day, and 50mg twice a day of the powerful antioxidant, rutin, has therapeutic benefits.

3. Eczema – Methylsulfonylmethane or MSM is an organic source of sulfur, a mineral critical to the health of our skin and nails. Many have reported stubborn causes of eczema having cleared up after using MSM cream. Its ability to promote protective antioxidant activity within the skin means it soothes irritated skin and seems to promote healthier, more resistant new skin.

4. Acne Vulgaris – Treasured in India for its healthy skin benefits, neem oil is particularly effective as a treatment for acne prone skin. Studies have shown that neem contains anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory benefit, which help to remove bacteria from the surface of the skin, clearing up spots and reducing redness and scarring. We recommended you utilize neem oil for nighttime treatments only; this powerful natural dynamo is considerably pungent.

5. Aging – As far as most dermatologists are concerned, the vitamin A derivative, retinol is the best thing you can do to treat photo aging caused by sun exposure, and to prevent the formation of new wrinkles. While the heavy duty exfoliating effect does encourage the formation of fresher, better-looking skin cells, many cannot tolerate the harsh and drying effects of prescription strength formulas. A gentler, more natural alternative is rosehip seed oil. Widely studied, the oil beloved by the Andean Indians of Chile has been proven to keep skin youthful by encouraging skin turnover, fade sun spots and preventing fine lines in the same manner of retinol.

Image: Dermatology.com

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