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Many people wonder how they can stay well this winter, considering the onset of the flu season and the fear of a possible influenza epidemic. Fortunately, acupuncture and Oriental medicine provide proven steps toward preventing illness and maintaining good health in cold weather.

We hear about so many people catching the flu - but in reality it is only a portion of those exposed to a virus that get sick. Why? According to Oriental medicine's teachings, our bodies get sick when we are in a weakened state. It is only when our immune systems are weakened and our bodies are out of balance that we are vulnerable to sickness.

Acupuncture originated in China between 3,000 and 5,000 years ago. It corrects imbalances in the body's energy systems that cause illness. Practitioners of Oriental medicine identify Qi (pronounced "chee") as the life giving energy that needs to flow freely through the body for good health. Integrated with a wise lifestyle, Oriental medicine can help prevent illness.

Here are Five Tips for Avoiding Illness This Flu season:

1. exercise a little bit everyday. exercise moves the lymphatic system, thereby helping to detoxify the poisons in your body.

2. Keep warm. Make sure your neck and chest are protected from wind, drafts and cold. Use a scarf around your neck when going outside and wear turtle neck shirts or sweaters. The neck is an area where wind can invade the body and cause sickness. The Oriental medical perspective is that wind invasions make people more vulnerable to developing colds and flu. Always keep your feet warm and dry.

3. Get adequate sleep and relaxation. Your body is vulnerable to stress without enough rest. Think about doing some deep breathing exercises to help relax and unwind at the end of the day. Use stress-reduction methods like Qi Gong meditation or yoga.

4. Eat smart. Avoid refined sugars (processed food and baked goods, alcohol, etc.). A diet of refined or simple carbohydrates (white sugar, white bread) raises the body's Ph and allows bacteria, mold, yeast and fungi to thrive. Simple carbohydrates suck up the nutrition your body needs to detoxify, nourish and build new cells and antibodies. This makes you MORE susceptible to illness. Vitalize your nutrition by eating more fresh, organic foods and less processed food. This food has more "Qi" in it.

5. Get Acupuncture. When you get regular acupuncture treatments (as little as once per month) it actually boosts your immune system. Acupuncture strengthen the "Wei Qi" or the protective energy that safeguards us against colds and flu.

Use these Five Tips for Avoiding Illness to keep your body strong and healthy this winter. You can resist illness, the flu or the common cold.

For more than 19 years Steven Sonmore helped people transform their health problems into solutions for attaining better health. Steven is a licensed acupuncturist, Oriental bodywork therapist and herbalist. He offers complete health care with acupuncture, Chinese herbs, nutritional counseling, Oriental massage, and facial rejuvenation. He is licensed by the Minnesota Board of Medical practice and certified by the National certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental medicine. For more information visit http://www.orientalmedcare.com or write to info@orientalmedcare.com or call 612-866-4000. Copyright 2005 by Steven Sonmore. All rights reserved.

Global warming is an issue that affects everyone who calls anywhere on earth home. We should each make an effort to do what we can do in order to ensure that we are preventing global warming. Here, you will find an outline of tips that you should use in order to know your part in global warming. Apply the suggestions that are listed here, and send them to your friend, family, and coworkers. Pass it along to everyone you know so that we can all work together to save the world. 1) One of the first steps that you can take in order to prevent global warming is to make sure that you keep the tires on your vehicles properly inflated. If you allow your tires to be on the road and they are not properly inflated, you could produce hundreds of pounds of greenhouse gases each year. Greenhouse gases lead to the damage that global warming produces.

2) When shopping for groceries, do not allow yourself to walk away with plastic and paper bags. Take a cloth bag to the store in order to carry your merchandise. By doing so, you are reducing the need to throw away the plastic bags and contribute to the global warming crisis.

3) In each of our homes, we should try to find the lights that we use the most and then replace the bulbs with bulbs that are specifically designed to be energy efficient. This may cost more than a standard bulb, but it will prevent the damaging effects of global warming and reduce the amount that you pay on your electricity bill each month as well.

4) Many farms and farming equipment put harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere that lead to global warming. If you would like to prevent global warming, you should try to buy foods that are organic in nature. You may also consider growing your own food and buying the food that is grown in your area. This reduces the gases that are released into the atmosphere and the gasoline that is required to ship food to your area.

5) You may want to check the filter that your vehicle uses to circulate air every couple of months. If an air filter becomes congested and dirty, it will release nasty gases into the atmosphere that lead to global warming.

6) It is important that you try to use products that are recycled. If you do this, it will reduce the amount of waste in landfills and will also reduce the need to cut down more trees in the environment.

7) You can also prevent global warming by driving your vehicle less. You can carpool with others, or take a public transportation method. You may even consider buying a bicycle or walking to places that you wish to go. This is not only great for the environment, but great for your body as well!

www.tellmeaboutglobalwarming.com brings you thought provoking information about global warming. There's nothing to buy, just really helpful information. Be sure to check out all the pages and decide for yourself.