Let me tell you the story of “Doc,” a middle-aged messenger who believed in positive thinking. A little man without money, advanced schooling, influence or marketable skills, he used positive thinking to save lives. He was fascinated by positive sayings, and he wrote his inspirational mottoes on slips of paper and carried them in his [...]

Elbows to Knees: This is a good exercise for the upper- and lower-abdominal muscles, and it will help your back as well. Lie on your back. Clasp your hands behind your neck, elbows forward. Bend your knees, then lift them up and toward your chest, holding them over your belly. Your legs should be high [...]

NO-OIL SAUTE Many recipes call for sauteed foods. To saute without oil, get a frying pan large enough to hold whatever you’re going to cook, then add 1/4 cup water and put over a medium heat. When the water is boiling, place the food in the pan and quickly move it around, using a wooden [...]

The second medical fallacy is our habit of looking at symptoms and labeling them as diseases. This approach ignores the real disease altogether. Medical students aren’t trained to look beyond the immediate problem. If the patient has a cold, they are taught, deal with the cold. If the patient has cancer, provide the appropriate treatment. [...]

Placebos play an important part in scientific trials. After two weeks, the patients were split into two groups, one of which began an elimination diet. For the first week, this diet consisted of twelve rarely eaten foods. All milk products, eggs, cereals, beverages and additives were excluded, along with most meats and all commonly eaten [...]

Keep a detailed log of treatments, drugs, services and supplies so you can later compare it with your itemized bill to ensure you’re not being overcharged. If you’re unable to maintain the log, ask a friend or family member to do it. also: The log lets the staff know that you intend to keep informed [...]

CUT YOUR GROCERY BILL BY 75% People who eat at least five servings of vegetables a week cut in half their risk of suffering macular degeneration— the most common cause of blindness in older Americans. Researchers believe that antioxidants in vegetables tie up oxygen molecules known as “free radicals,” which otherwise damage the eyes over [...]

A diet that helps to prevent jet lag has been developed by the Argonne National Laboratory. Studies of military personnel found that those using the diet flying east were 7.5 times less likely to experience jet lag, those flying west, 16.2 times less likely. The diet is based on what cues the body to slow [...]

These bony growths protruding downward from the heel bones are typically caused by rapid weight gain.. .or from playing tennis or another sport that places pressure on the heels. Heel spurs are often confused with plantar fasciitis. This condition is usually caused by excessive stress or pressure on the plantar fascia, the protective tissue under [...]

These strokes—which generally produce no obvious symptoms—are typically caused by chronic high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol. So be sure your blood pressure and cholesterol are under control. While there’s no magic memory pill, the following supplements are safe…and beneficial for many people. They can be taken individually or in combination. For absolute safety, use [...]