Monday, September 28, 2009

What Wears Me Out

I love my job but if one more person says "how can I just lose 5, 10 or 15 pounds?" I will go nuts. I mean I understand everybody wants quick weight loss but what about whole health? Does anyone understand that if they could strip down there diets to the best ingredients available that they could have this as a side effect?

The primary thing that gets me is the fact that we are made this way by our culture. We want it all fast, when it takes time, for most of you it could take a year for your body to reset to it's "perfect weight". It is possible and if you are eating the right food like the ones listed on this FREE site you will keep it off without exercise.

Doing exercise is great but you can survive without it as long as you are eating really well. Your exercise is just another way to speed up weight loss. You must focus on your health for the long run and quit subscribing to the "quick fixes" of our culture. This doesn't me that you can't go out to dinner, there are a few of my clients that have perfected this. It's not that hard but it does mean you will have to listen and apply all aspects of the diet to your everyday, every location life.

Throw away some crap!
Get rid of some things for good, like white flour, splenda, and skim or soy milk. These are just a few things that you can do but you must remember one thing "you can Always do more!"

Get educated!
You have the world at your finger tips, it's called the internet. Learn about your food and if you can't trace your food back to the soil, than don't eat it. Only believe half of what you read and listen to your body.

If you need help I am here but make sure you are in this for life and not till you fit into something that you used to wear. It's is about life and eating for it.

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Read And Study For The Weekend

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.


Hbr 11:2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.


Hbr 11:3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.


Hbr 11:4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.


Hbr 11:5 By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, "and was not found, because God had taken him"; [fn] for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.


Hbr 11:6 But without faith [it is] impossible to please [Him], for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and [that] He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.


Hbr 11:7 By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.


Hbr 11:8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.


Hbr 11:9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as [in] a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise;


Hbr 11:10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker [is] God.


Hbr 11:11 By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child [fn] when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.


Hbr 11:12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born [as many] as the stars of the sky in multitude--innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.


Hbr 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, [fn] embraced [them] and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.


Hbr 11:14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland.


Hbr 11:15 And truly if they had called to mind that [country] from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return.


Hbr 11:16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly [country]. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.


Hbr 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten [son],


Hbr 11:18 of whom it was said, "In Isaac your seed shall be called," [fn]


Hbr 11:19 concluding that God [was] able to raise [him] up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.


Hbr 11:20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.


Hbr 11:21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, [leaning] on the top of his staff.


Hbr 11:22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.


Hbr 11:23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw [he] [was] a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's command.


Hbr 11:24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,


Hbr 11:25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,


Hbr 11:26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in [fn] Egypt; for he looked to the reward.


Hbr 11:27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.


Hbr 11:28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.


Hbr 11:29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry [land], [whereas] the Egyptians, attempting [to do] so, were drowned.


Hbr 11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days.


Hbr 11:31 By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.


Hbr 11:32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also [of] David and Samuel and the prophets:


Hbr 11:33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,


Hbr 11:34 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.


Hbr 11:35 Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.


Hbr 11:36 Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment.


Hbr 11:37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, [fn] were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented--


Hbr 11:38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, [in] dens and caves of the earth.


Hbr 11:39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise,


Hbr 11:40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.

Friday, September 25, 2009

Vitamin D From The Sun

Most people should be able to get their vitamin D requirements met through calculated sunlight exposure. The truth is, however, that our world still has nearly one billion people who are vitamin D deficient, so we’re not getting enough of this sunshine vitamin.

There are various reasons for not getting enough vitamin D. A person’s occupation, age, sunscreen use, geographic location, the time of day, a person’s melanin content and even smog can directly affect vitamin D levels.

In fact, when those who are 70+ in age are exposed to the same amount of sunlight as a young adult, they produce 30% less vitamin D than a younger person. Similarly, those with dark skin need 5-10 times longer sun exposure to make the same amount of vitamin D as those with lighter skin do. Sunscreens may be one of the biggest culprits of all, however, because SPF 8 and above sunscreens can reduce vitamin D production by 95%.

Where you live can have a lot to do with how much vitamin D you can get from the sun, too. If you live north of an imaginary line that stretches from the northern border of California and Boston, then the ultraviolet (UV) energy is not enough for vitamin D synthesis from November through February. The more north you live, the worse it gets. Diminished UV energy can last for up to six months for those areas.

Here are some stats that seem to tell the tale of northern living and vitamin D deficiency:

48% of light-skinned girls aged 9-11 in Maine are vitamin D deficient at the close of winter, with 17% of them still vitamin D deficient at the close of the summer.
Boston has its fallout, too, as 42% of adolescents and 32% of young adults are vitamin D deficient.
Of the community-living elderly in Boston and Baltimore, 50% are vitamin D deficient throughout the entire year.
Hospitalized and institutionalized individuals fare even worse: 57% of them are deficient in vitamin D.
If, however, you live south of an imaginary line between Los Angeles and Columbia, South Carolina, then you are among those whose exposure to UV energy allows for vitamin D synthesis throughout the year. But that’s only if you go out in it and if there’s no cloud cover, smog, or any other factor that can inhibit vitamin D absorption.

The truth is that even cloud cover has a hand in how much vitamin D you can get from the sun. Complete cloud cover can reduce UV energy by 50%, while shade—and that includes manufactured shade from pollution, such as smog—slows down UV energy by 60%.

For those who love the sun and want to get their vitamin D levels from it, vitamin D researchers suggest about 5-30 minutes in the sun between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. at least two times a week to the face, arms, legs or back without sunscreen. This can usually supply sufficient vitamin D synthesis for most people.

Those who don’t get enough sunshine, however, are encouraged to get more dietary sources of vitamin D or to supplement with vitamin D—especially vitamin D3, a preferred form of vitamin D. Vitamin D, as a matter of fact, has two forms especially important to human health: vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol).

Be careful what foods you select, too. Some believe they can get adequate vitamin D intake from fortified milk, but milk samples indicate that vitamin D content in milk is highly variable. Less than 50% of sampled milk had at least 50% of the vitamin D content specified on the label, while less than 20% of skim milk had no detectable vitamin D.

And while fatty fish like salmon and mackerel provide natural sources of vitamin D, farmed salmon provides only 10% to 25% of the vitamin D content compared with wild salmon.

So how much vitamin D should we get? Kids from birth to their teen years and adults aged 51 to 70 should get at least 400IU daily, while those 71 and up should get at least 600IU daily. The Institute of Medicine, the government advisory group setting these dietary guidelines, may change recommendations due to emerging research indicating we could require much more—to the tune of 1,000 to 2,000IU daily.

What happens when someone has a vitamin D deficiency?

It often involves getting 50,000IU of vitamin D2 (less for vitamin D3) once a week for eight weeks, followed by 50,000IU of vitamin D2 (less for vitamin D3) twice a month, to compensate for the backlog. That translates into 10,000IU of vitamin D daily for six months to adequately restock the reserves.

The bad news is that many of us aren’t getting enough vitamin D from the sun and other sources.The good news is that we can still get this sunshine vitamin—even on a cloudy day.

Source:Garden Of Life

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Healthy Cookies?

What makes our cookies healthier?

Spelt flour- Spelt is highly water soluble and much easier to digest than wheat. Its vital substances are quickly absorbed by the body with a minimum of digestive work.Spelt is higher in just about any nutrient, Vitamins B1, B2, B3,B6, E, iron, potassium, calcium as well as amino acids.

Raw Cane Sugar-Buying unrefined sugar is better for your health as it retains trace vitamins and minerals like iron, calcium, vitamin B6, potassium and chromium, which helps balance blood sugar. Refined sugars do not retain theses vitamins and minerals. Also, real sugar is not white. Most people are just used to seeing and buying heavily processed and refined sugar. Really the major thing here is the insulin swings. As I just mentioned, having the minerals remain in the sugar (like chromium) greatly aid in the body’s ability to control and balance blood sugar. Some studies have shown that up to 98% of chromium is removed from refined sugars and flours.

Coconut oil-One of the healthiest fats that you can consume is unrefined extra virgin coconut oil. Coconut oil is a saturated fat that is stable even when cooked with high heat. It does not go rancid easily like so many vegetable oils and has an excellent shelf life. It also is burned very easily by the body due to its medium chain fatty acid makeup. It also contains lauric acid which is anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-microbial.

These are a few of the ingredients that separate us from the rest. We do sell these amazing pieces of goodness and can even ship them! If interested please contact us at nashvillepersonaltrainermeals@gmail.com

Monday, September 21, 2009

Protein Power For Weight Management

Proteins do a lot.

They are the major building blocks for muscles, blood, skin, hair, nails and the internal organs, including the heart and the brain. They’re needed for hormone formation and control bodily functions such as growth and metabolism rate. Proteins also help with the body’s acid/alkaline balance, help to regulate the body’s water balance and make up most of the body’s weight—after water.

When you eat protein, the body breaks it down into amino acids so it can be used by the body. There are many kinds of amino acids, but the body can’t make eight of those and must be obtained through food. Only animal proteins like meat, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy products contain all eight of the essential amino acids, making them the only complete proteins.

If one of these eight essential amino acids is missing, then the body’s ability to synthesize the protein it needs can be severely inhibited. Not receiving the amounts of amino acids and protein necessary can have adverse effects on the body. Proteins called immunoglobulins, for instance, are the substance of your immune system. Without these particular proteins, the immune system can feel the effects.

Then there’s protein and its possible effects on weight management. Protein-rich foods like chicken, beef, fish or beans can slow down digestion from the stomach to the intestines—and that translates into feeling fuller longer and getting hungrier later.

Protein also offers a gentle, yet steady effect on blood sugar levels which allows you to avoid the quick, steep rise in blood sugar that can accompany something like white bread or a baked potato. Additionally, the body is said to work harder to digest protein than it does to digest fat or carbohydrates, and that means the body uses more energy—another plus for protein and for burning off some calories.

You’ll want to balance your protein intake, though, with healthy fats and carbs—and remember that too much protein can even weaken your bones. Some tasty and nutritious protein sources include organically raised cattle, sheep, goats, buffalo or venison.

Grass-fed beef, for example, is leaner and lower in calories than grain-fed beef. Grass-fed beef is also higher in omega-3 fatty acids and important vitamins like B12 and E as well as conjugated linoleic acid or CLA. It’s way better than assembly-line cuts of flank steak from hormone-injected cattle eating pesticide-sprayed feed laced with antibiotics.

Fish with scales and fins caught from oceans and rivers offer lean sources of healthy protein, high amounts of healthy omega-3s, as well as the essential amino acids. You can find these healthy proteins in most supermarkets, natural food stores, fish markets and specialty stores.

So, stock up on these proteins. They’re nutritious and weight-friendly.

Source: Garden Of Life

Friday, September 18, 2009

H1N1 Have You Worried Or Confused?

Information abounds in the media and on the web about the H1N1 or "swine" flu. However, many of the voices we hear or the material we read either ratchet up the panic or dismiss the threat as hyped and overblown. What we know for certain is that the experimental H1N1 vaccine is imminent and it is urgent that you stay informed. Here are the some important questions that you may be asking:
Will you and your family need the vaccination?
Can it be mandated by the government and enforced on your children at schools nationwide?
Should pregnant women and the elderly take this vaccine?
What are the dangers of the vaccination? Is it really safe?
Never before has a vaccine been so quickly fast tracked through the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with pressure from the U.S. Congress, who along with a $1 billion grant to pharmaceutical companies, also insulated these companies from product liability claims when people are injured by their fast tracked vaccines. This combination of extreme haste to market without the legally mandated years of testing and regulatory hurdles, combined with no liability for vaccine injury by the makers of the vaccine, is a recipe for disaster.

My concern is for your safety. Could the risk of vaccine injury be greater than the risk of the swine flu itself? Those who fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat it. In fact, in the flu scare of 1976, more people died of the flu vaccination than from the flu itself (1).

Did You Know?

The Massachusetts state Senate has recently passed the "Pandemic Response Bill" that now awaits approval in the House. This bill includes frightening language that permits authorities to force vaccinations, forcibly quarantine those that choose to not be vaccinated and levy fines of up to $1,000 per day to those who refuse mandatory vaccinations and quarantines.

(2)Former Chief Vaccine Control Officer of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Dr. J. Anthony Morris, is quoted as saying, "There is a great deal of evidence to prove that immunization of children does more harm than good." Dr. Morris is also quoted as saying, "There is no evidence that any influenza vaccine thus far developed is effective in preventing or mitigating any attack of influenza. The producers of these vaccines know that they are worthless, but they go on selling them, anyway."
The World Health Organization (WHO) admits vaccines are not needed for healthy people and that obese people are at higher risk of contracting swine flu

(3). Yet, WHO is on the verge of mandating global mass vaccinations against swine flu, even though it states on its own website that such vaccines have never been proven safe.

(4) Many neurosurgeons have also expressed concern about the potential for increased Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), which they say could be triggered by the vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) admits that the flu vaccine given in 1976 was associated with people getting GBS, but believes the chance of that happening again with new vaccines should be much lower

I encourage you to do your own research and reach your own conclusions. Your health decisions are just that - YOURS and as such, should be decided by YOU not the government.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Hard To Control, The Content Of Your Calories?

I am constantly asked the question "what about calories?" this question can have some weight to it, no pun intended. The thought behind just counting calories much like you see in nearly every fitness related article or on the Tv show The Biggest Loser, is just one sided. Yes, it will work but it would be like saying "hey there are two ways to lose weight but here is the hardest one, now go do it". Counting calories is the conventional thought behind losing weight along with exercise of course, but what if I told you that you don't have to count calories?

I know it sounds crazy but this wasn't the case 50 years ago, people weren't counting calories as a matter of fact, fewer people were over weight at all. What I am purposing to you is looking at the content of the calorie and not just the calorie itself. I want you to know and understand the origins of where your food came from, was it from the ground or from the lab? Answering this question when you read your labels is imperative to your health but even more than that you will be able to maintain with diet alone.

That is crazy, right? Well it has worked every time it is tried. It is currently working in rural countries where they grow and eat their own food as well as hunt their own meat. Calories are not the issue, the issue is what is pure? Are you eating and counting chemicals or raw fresh foods? Changing your frame of mind will help you to lose weight a little faster than otherwise but the key is it will NOT come back if you continue to use the right ingredients in your favorite foods.

Exercise and diet go hand and hand, you can really cut the extra weight fast if you do these two together. What I am suggesting is that you work just as hard or harder on reforming your way of eating by choosing cleaner, whole and organic ingredients. If you can do this and make it a habit you will achieve results and will be able to maintain once you get to your goal weight with diet alone!

If you need help with this, well we can help! One of the many services we offer is meal preparation and delivery. We can teach you how to eat and how to shop while supplying you with the right meals to ensure your results too!
It's about changing your habits and refining your tastes, the rest, like exercise, we can work as well. If you would like more information on how this works or on shipping to your state please go here
www.nashvillepersonaltrainer.net
We will contact you shortly!

Monday, September 14, 2009

10 Reasons Why Exercise is Good for Your Weight

A recent Time magazine article, "Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin," is misleading at best. Exercise is critical to losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight, especially when paired with healthy eating habits.

Countless studies, numerous experts who study exercise, and the millions of people who have lost weight all attest to the fact that working out works.

Exercise zaps belly fat

Regular moderate to high intensity aerobic exercise has the greatest impact on reducing abdominal fat -- the dangerous fat that increases your risk of diabetes and heart disease.

Exercise controls calories

You need to burn more calories than you consume in order to lose weight. Regular exercise uses up excess calories that would otherwise be stored as fat.

Exercise keeps lost pounds MIA

Ninety percent of people who have successfully lost weight and kept it off for a year do about an hour of physical activity a day.

Exercise boosts metabolism

You'll lose fat when you diet without exercising, but you'll also lose muscle, which means you'll burn fewer calories. The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism and the more calories you'll burn.

Exercise does more than the scale shows

If you gain 3 pounds of lean muscle and lose 4 pounds of fat, you've actually experienced a 7-pound improvement in your body condition, despite the scale only showing 1 pound of weight loss.

Exercise curbs emotional eating

Working out has been proven time and time again to help regulate mood, which has a direct effect on people who eat when they're stressed or upset.

Exercise creates a healthy chain reaction

Healthy habits tend to cluster together. When people make positive changes, like getting more exercise, they tend to work on other health improvements as well, such as eating better.

Exercise brings on the fun

Rock-climbing is more exciting than eating a celery stick. That's why it's sometimes easier to be active to stay slim than to maintain a strict diet.

Exercise stops hunger

People who exercise and diet are actually less hungry than those who only diet, according to at least one study.

Exercise increases energy

Regular physical activity increases stamina by boosting your body's production of energy-promoting neurotransmitters. That gives you even more motivation to get moving and shed pounds.


Sources:

Fitness Magazine August 19, 2009

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Gut Tree

What? There is a tree in my gut?
Well yeah, a tree full of good and bad bacteria! The problem is, that the tree is holding more bad than good but you can fix this. If you are taking a probiotic supplement you can that is.

You see a lot of people out there are worried about their belly fat without understanding that there is an internal problem. Probiotics and prebiotics and trying to multiply in you gut to repair it but you keep choking down food that is sterile and killing it's progress. Much like detoxifying the body, when you need to get toxins out you could just eat clean toxin free foods. But we don't, we want a detox kit or a pill that will do it. There are pills that will do it, but you will have to do it again because you keep putting toxins back into the old bacterias place. So is the process of replacing good bacteria with bad, stop eating crap, sterile, and dead foods.

We are good at making foods that will kill all kinds of bacteria but, just think of what we could do if we were good at rebuilding or even thinking about our guts and the good bacteria. There are years of toxins in your system, and if I get another client that says that one day of eating bad isn't going to kill them I will scream! Of course it will, it will kill any progress that you have made to rebuild it. At the very least you won't gain weight after a day or two but you will have trouble getting that bad stuff out.

You didn't put all that weight on for no reason, take a look at the origins of your weight gain. It could take months if not years to get your gut back to running at optimal levels. But once it does it is a thing of beauty! This is when you can maintain with diet alone and not so much exercise.

Rebuild your gut, eat raw foods and take some primal defense and learn how powerful a clean, fast running immune system and gut can really be.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Why Do I Use These Products?

I like to recommend certain supplements for my clients and friends for that matter. As with anything I use I like to use the purest form of supplements as possible. That being said they must be whole food based as well as cost effective. Most of the time I have to trade the last one for quality, but not for bad quality. You see it's hard to find low cost alternatives to the best stuff out there, but I come pretty close with Garden Of Life products. There are three that I like to suggest for optimal nutrient delivery and increased energy for weight loss.

Oceans 3 cod liver oil is a great one, because it is nearly impossible for us to get the needed omega 3's from our food. But more than that Oceans 3 has two other helpful ingredients Fucoxanthin and Astaxanthin. These two are great at helping the body burn fat naturally, keep the core temp up all the time. All these ingredients plus ALA (essential fatty acid) for optimal assimilation into the body makes this a power product for anybody!

Primal Defense is a product that you can take for nearly any reason the least of which is to help lose weight. This probiotic blend is important for the body and especially your digestive system. Your bodies second brain, the digestive tract is responsible for many functions of the body. One of those is fighting disease and illness in general, which is a great thing to consider when trying to lose weight. The energy that your body uses to digest "bad" foods is amazing, but when you team primal defense up with a great diet your energy levels will go through the roof. This will make your boss, spouse and personal trainer very happy!

Lastly Greens, Greens and more Greens! You can never have enough of these and if you are a vegetarian you still cannot begin to scratch the surface of optimal vegetable delivery. Why? Because you are not tapping into the over 500,00 edible vegetables on this earth! On top of that you cannot assimilate your proteins with out the valuable antioxidants found in leafy greens. So you see Perfect Food-Greens Is one of my favorite things because it is so irreplaceable for all fitness levels and for the kids too!

Some secrets to my success are written here so partake of the wisdom given to you from this site and from your Bible because it's only through Christ that we have any power over our bodies at all! If you need any other help with these product please email me.
terrybarga@gmail.com

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Prevent Swine Flu Without Drugs!

Ayurveda, India’s traditional 'science of life,' has the remedy for swine flu in the form of the basil leaves commonly known as Tulsi.
Tulsi is well known in India for its remarkable healing properties. But the anti-flu property of Tulsi has been discovered by medical experts across the world quite recently. Tulsi improves your body's overall defense mechanism, including its ability to fight viral diseases.

Apart from acting as a preventive medicine, Tulsi can also help a patient recover faster.

Sources:

Yahoo News August 12, 2009

What the good doctor says!
It’s no coincidence that Tulsi is known by the names:

The Queen of Herbs

The Incomparable One

Elixir of Life

The Mother Medicine of Nature

Holy Basil

The stimulating powers of Tulsi have been recognized by ancient healers and sages, and Indians have long worshipped Tulsi as a sacred plant, using its branches, leaves and fragrance for purification purposes and to heighten spiritual awareness.

One of the reasons why I personally drink Tulsi tea, however, aside from the fragrant flavor, is that it is one of the most effective adaptogens (an agent that helps your body adapt more efficiently to stress) ever known.

But Tulsi also has another very beneficial “side effect,” and that is helping to prevent and treat swine flu.

According to the article linked above, Tulsi may:

Improve your body’s overall defense mechanisms, including its ability to fight viral diseases

Help speed up your recovery process if you do get the swine flu

Strengthen your immune system

These benefits may stem from Tulsi’s highly complex, unique chemistry. It contains beneficial compounds called phytochemicals -- naturally occurring compounds that plants produce to protect themselves against bacteria, viruses and fungi -- that interact and have strong antioxidant, anti-viral, anti-bacterial and immune-enhancing properties that promote general health and maintain your body's natural defense against germs, stress and disease.

If you are concerned about the swine flu, I would highly recommend trying Tulsi over any of the flu drugs or vaccines now being offered.

Putting Swine Flu into Perspective

Even though swine flu appears to be continuing to spread, you need to know that this is typically a MILD illness. Most cases resolve with no medical care needed whatsoever.

If you are still considering taking the swine flu vaccine, please take a few minutes to get informed on the reasons why I don’t recommend it by reading these important articles:

Swine Flu is NOT the Problem -- It is the Vaccine that May Harm or Kill You

Squalene: The Swine Flu Vaccine’s Dirty Little Secret Exposed

Swine Flu Vaccine Makers to Profit $50 Billion a Year!!

Next, stay calm and do not buy into the ensuing paranoia and hysteria. To put this into perspective, look into the past Swine flu epidemic that NEVER materialized … or the Bird Flu Pandemic that never was either.

At the same time, do take care of your health to reduce or eliminate your risk of contracting any strain of influenza.

I am currently consulting with some of the leading experts on a swine flu product that I hope to have by the end of the year that will use completely natural ingredients that build your immune system.

In the meantime, the following 10 steps will typically be all you need to stay healthy, even in the midst of a pandemic:

Optimize your vitamin D levels.

Optimizing your vitamin D levels is one of the absolute best strategies for avoiding infections of ALL kinds, and vitamin D deficiency is likely the TRUE culprit behind the seasonality of the flu -- not the flu virus itself.

This is probably the single most important and least expensive action you can take. I would STRONGLY urge you to have your vitamin D level monitored to confirm your levels are therapeutic at 50-70 ng/ml and done by a reliable vitamin D lab like Lab Corp.

For those of you in the US we hope to launch a vitamin D testing service through Lab Corp that allows you to have your vitamin D levels checked at your local blood drawing facility, and relatively inexpensively, soon. It the meantime, you can also take part in the D*Action Project to have your levels tested as part of a five-year study for public health.

If you are coming down with flu-like symptoms and have not been on vitamin D you can take doses of 50,000 units a day for three days to treat the acute infection. Some researchers like Dr. Cannell, believe the dose could even be as high as 1000 units per pound of body weight for three days.

However, most of Dr. Cannell's work was with seasonal and not pandemic flu. If your body has never been exposed to the antigens there is chance that the vitamin D might not work. The best bet is to maintain healthy levels of vitamin D around 60 ng/ml.

Avoid Sugar and Processed Foods.
Sugar decreases the function of your immune system almost immediately, and as you likely know, a strong immune system is key to fighting off viruses and other illness.

Get Enough Rest.
Just like it becomes harder for you to get your daily tasks done if you're tired, if your body is overly fatigued it will be harder for it to fight the flu. rest.

Use Effective Tools to Address Stress. We all face some stress every day, but if stress becomes overwhelming then your body will be less able to fight off the flu and other illness.

Exercise. When you exercise, you increase your circulation and your blood flow throughout your body.
The components of your immune system are also better circulated, which means your immune system has a better chance of finding an illness before it spreads.

Take a high-quality source of animal-based omega-3 fats like Krill Oil.
It is also vitally important to avoid damaged omega-6 oils that are in trans fats and processed foods as it will seriously damage your immune response.

Wash Your Hands.
Washing your hands will decrease your likelihood of spreading a virus to your nose, mouth or other people. Be sure you don't use antibacterial soap for this -- antibacterial soaps are completely unnecessary, and they cause far more harm than good. Also be careful not to over-wash your hands, which can damage your skin and allow an entryway for pathogens.

Eat Garlic Regularly.
Garlic works like a broad-spectrum antibiotic against bacteria, virus, and protozoa in the body. And unlike with antibiotics, no resistance can be built up so it is an absolutely safe product to use. However, if you are allergic or don't enjoy garlic it would be best to avoid as it will likely cause more harm than good.

Avoid Hospitals and Vaccines.
In the case of swine flu, I recommend you stay away from hospitals unless you're having an emergency, as hospitals are prime breeding grounds for infections of all kinds, and could be one of the likeliest places you could be exposed to this new bug. Vaccines, when available, will likely be ineffective and may lead to crippling paralysis like Guillain-BarrĂ© Syndrome just as it did in the ‘70s.

Take a High-Quality Probiotic or eat plenty of naturally fermented foods.
Eighty percent of your immune system is located in your digestive system, so enhancing your gut health with probiotics is a very effective method to ward off cold and flu viruses.