Are you suffering from sinus infection?

My personal way of getting over sinus infections without any antibiotics :
Warm a couple of teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil in a microwave and on a cotton wool apply inside both nostrils. Lie down for about 10-15 min and try to gently breathe through the cotton wool soaked in olive oil. Do this procedure 2-3 times a day. While lying in bed, apply heating pad over the sinuses (make sure it's not really hot, rather comforably warm).
An ancient yoga method of nasal irrigation Jala Neti helps to clear the nasal passages and gives a great deal of relief. you don't even need a special jala neti pot, a small pitcher or a teapot will do. And mangosteen juice 2-3 oz a day for a stronger immune system, it helps to fight any inflammation and reduces pain.

Here are 3 Simple Sinus Soothers (an article from RealAge magazine):
Keep in mind that you’ll definitely want to make that appointment with your doc for chronic sinus problems. The self-care sinus soothers below will only mask them, not unearth their root cause. You should also stick with any prescription medication program you’re currently following until your doctor directs otherwise. But the following sinus soothers may be great add-ons to whatever you’re currently doing.

1 Master Your Environment
While you can’t control the world, hopefully you can control the space you occupy so that it’s kinder to inflamed sinuses. Try:
Making it warm and moist -- so your sinuses stay moist, which can aid drainage (Humidifiers, vaporizers, or a warm shower should do the trick.)
Cleaning it up -- by kicking your allergen-avoidance efforts into high gear, if you have allergies.

2 Put the Kibosh on Pain
A stuffy, runny nose is bad enough. Add pain to the mix and you’ll feel downright wretched. So kick pain to the curb right away. Try:
Applying ice and/or heat packs for relief of pain and pressure due to congestion and inflammation.
Gargling with a bit of salt water -- for relief of a sore throat brought on by postnasal drip
Taking over-the-counter (OTC) painkillers -- for sinus pain.

3 Baby Your Nose.
Whether you’re fighting off allergies, a sinus infection, or a cold, you’ve got lots of options for dealing with symptoms right away, from OTC meds to basic saline nasal sprays. Try:
Going over the counter -- for decongestants, antihistamines, and supplements that may help speed symptom control.
Limiting irritants -- like chlorinated pools, temperature changes, and secondhand smoke, to reduce nasal irritation
Getting wet -- with a saline nasal spray or a neti pot, which can provide quick nasal clearing.
Drinking plenty of water -- so you stay hydrated, which can help ease discomfort and thin your nasal secretions.
Of course, taking care of your body is a good call, too, which can help bolster your immune system. So eat right, exercise, reduce stress, and get plenty of sleep. If you do all of this, you’ve landed yourself in the driver’s seat when it comes to breathing easier.

Vitamin D and Breast Cancer

The Experts Speak: Vitamin D and Breast Cancer

This activated form of vitamin D causes "cellular differentiation" — essentially the opposite of cancer. The following evidence indicates that vitamin D might have a protective role against breast cancer:
• Synthetic vitamin D-like molecules have prevented the equivalent of breast cancer in animals.
• Activated vitamin D appears to have antiestrogenic activity. J
• Both sunlight and dietary exposure to vitamin D have correlated with a reduced risk of breast cancer.
- The Natural Pharmacy: Complete A-Z Reference to Natural Treatments for Common Health Conditions by Alan R. Gaby, M.D., Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., Forrest Batz, Pharm.D. Rick Chester, RPh., N.D., DipLAc. George Constantine, R.Ph., Ph.D. Linnea D. Thompson, Pharm.D., N.D.

Results of one small study suggested that body stores of vitamin D may be associated with survival chances in women with advanced breast cancer. "Thirteen women with normal or high levels of active vitamin D survived the 6-month test period but, sadly, in those with low levels, 5 out of 13 died within 6 months," said Professor Barbara Mawer of the Manchester Royal Infirmary in central England.
- The Natural Pharmacist: Your Complete Guide to Reducing Cancer Risk by Richard Harkness

Two equally effective sources of vitamin D in humans are derived from plant ergosterol, which is converted to ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) by the action of sunlight on the skin. The body uses vitamin D3 for normal immune system function, to control cellular growth, and to absorb calcium from the digestive tract. Vitamin D3 can inhibit the growth of malignant melanoma, breast cancer, leukemia, and mammary tumors in laboratory animals. Vitamin D3 can also inhibit angiogenesis, the growth of new blood vessels that permit the spread of cancer cells through the body.
- Permanent Remissions by Robert Hass, M.S.


Sun-starved females are at great risk for breast cancer, particularly women living in northern latitudes where wintertime sun exposure produces little vitamin D because of a decline in UV radiation in solar light. Dietary supplements are strongly recommended. Warnings that adults can overdose on vitamin D with daily oral doses exceeding 2,000 units are ill founded. Vitamin D's ability to inhibit breast cancer cell growth is enhanced by resveratrol, a red wine molecule. Resveratrol increases the vitamin D receptor sites on cells which sensitize the cells to vitamin D.
- You Don't Have to be Afraid of Cancer Anymore by Bill Sardi

Good-for-Your-Colon Hors d’Oeuvre

What’s the perfect party food for better colon health?
Easy -- a veggie platter with zesty bean dip. Why? Because beans, onions, celery, radishes, cucumbers, and peppers are great sources of flavonols -- a type of antioxidant that may help stop colon polyps from coming back in a more advanced state.
In a recent study, researchers tracked the diets of close to 2,000 adults who had been treated for colon polyps -- little benign tumors that have a chance of becoming cancerous. After 4 years of healthy living, the people whose diets were highest in flavonols were 76 percent less likely to have a recurrent polyp in an advanced stage than those with the lowest intake. Even if you’ve never had a colon polyp, onions and other flavonol-rich produce still do good things for your body -- because they’re often full of fiber and other vitamins and nutrients as well. Cheers to that! (Check out this video for tips on making your own raw-veggie basket.)
Want to give your party guests the gift of health? Serve up some of these quick and fancy appetizers:
Black Bean Dip
Feta and Herb Dip with Crudites
Caramelized Onion and Green Olive Pizzas
Radish Crispbread Find out which onions have the most antioxidant power.

Eat, Drink, and Make Your Blood Sugar Merry

All those holiday leftovers and New Year’s party plates can do a real number on your blood sugar. But here’s a drink that may help fix that: chamomile tea. There just might be something in chamomile that not only helps keep blood sugar stable but also guards against the damage high blood sugar can do. It is known for many medicinal properties: easing anxiety, menstrual cramps, insomnia, and skin problems. The newest potential benefit of chamomile was uncovered during animal research. Extracts of chamomile helped steady blood sugar and also guarded against enzymes involved in diabetes complications. More studies are needed to see if chamomile tea does the same for blood sugar in humans. But we already know that drinking tea is one of the best health habits around -- so it won’t hurt if you’re drinking chamomile ahead of the curve.

Eat your way to pearly whites!

Can you trade in your teeth-whitening products for something green instead? Maybe. Getting more greens in your diet -- along with other veggies and fruit -- could help thwart staining, write RealAge experts Michael Roizen, MD, and Mehmet Oz, MD, in their new book, YOU: Being Beautiful.
Sure, cutting back on coffee may help, too. But why not make more trips to the produce aisle for extra insurance. Apples, celery, and carrots act as natural stain removers, Drs. Roizen and Oz note in their book, while greens such as spinach, broccoli, and lettuce create a film over the teeth that serves as a stain barrier. Here are a few more tricks and tips for keeping your choppers gleaming and healthy:
Swish and sip some water after eating a couple of bites of foods known to stain teeth (like red wine, tea, blueberries, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, tomato sauce, and grape and cranberry juice).
Skip the bubbly beverages, even if they are diet. Check out why fizzy drinks are so bad for your teeth.
Think "nature’s candies." Go for sweet, natural treats that teeth love like raisins, dry apricots ets.

Aerobic exercise (or just dance, it's fun!)

Good news! You don't have to kill yourself with crunches to get a sleek stomach. But it turns out that you do need to get your heart rate up. Aerobic exercise is key to banishing both the deep belly fat and the superficial doughy stuff that give you a pooch. How much aerobic exercise does it take to trim a tummy? In a recent study, overweight people who jogged, cycled, or hit the elliptical for about 3 hours a week had the best belly-busting outcome -- as long as they exercised at an up-tempo pace. Not ready to go that distance yet? Try walking briskly for just a couple of hours per week. That's enough to at least keep belly swelling in check.

Eat big breakfast, and you will lose weight!

Eat big breakfast, and you will lose weight!

Hard to believe, but there could be a benefit to loading up your breakfast plate. Besides helping you eat less later in the day, a big breakfast might also help you lose weight. But you have to be smart about it. Load Up to Slim Down?Okay, so you can’t completely overdo it at breakfast and hope to drop pounds. But when obese dieters ate a big 600-calorie breakfast of healthy protein and carbs (think scrambled eggs, diced turkey, whole-wheat toast, and a banana), they lost significantly more weight than dieters who ate only half that much. Why? Researchers speculate that eating a large balanced meal in the morning helps stymie carb cravings later in the day -- especially if you’re cutting carbs and calories in an effort to slim down.