John Arts Abundant Living www.johnarts.co.nz

Last week we looked at the importance of realistic time frames in recovering from health problems. I remember my GP saying to me many years ago that the concept of convalescence seems to have gone from our perception of healing.

I recently had some dental problems and I was very grateful for the instant relief of painkilling medicines, but we need to understand that many problems, even with the best possible nutrient intake, just take time.

I spoke to someone recently who had suffered from tired and aching legs for many years. We introduced a range of minerals, vitamins and antioxidants to her supplement programme and she now can go to bed without the thought of having broken sleep from aching legs. This of course has taken time. It took several months of intensive nutrient therapy to help her leg circulation. Now she is on a very light maintenance programme and free of the problem.

Our healing processes are incredibly complex and need time and optimum nutrient balance to be restored. Most sickness and disease involves some breakdown of defence systems. For example, most cancers can be linked to nutritional status. A study published in the AJCN June 2007 (Lappe et al) looked at the relationship between the nutrients vitamin D and calcium in cancer prevention. This double blind placebo controlled study observed more than 1000 post-menopausal women during four years and concluded: 'Improving calcium and vitamin D nutritional status substantially reduces all-cancer risk in post-menopausal women.”

If you are not well, you need to mobilise everything you can in your favour and understand that you are in control of the recovery process and that health professionals are there to provide you with support and guidance. This includes having a good diet, being active and of course you need to ensure your body has all the nutrients it needs on hand. If your body needs to make the antioxidant enzyme glutathione it needs selenium on tap. If it wants to add specialised antioxidants to protect LDL cholesterol from damaging arteries, it needs vitamin E and CoQ10 on tap. Finally, you need to give yourself the time your body needs to fight the disease process and encourage a return to normal health.

To contact John phone 0800 423559 or visit www.johnarts.co.nz
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