Eating healthy foods will help you to boost your immune system, but what if it’s the foods themselves making you sick? Foodborn illness can cause food poisoning and a variety of other more dangerous diseases, so they are a real threat to our bodies. Luckily, there are a number of things you can do to prevent foodborne illnesses. Following safety tips when handling, preparing, and storing food is very important.

First and foremost, you should be concerned with the temperature of your foods. When cooking meat, make sure to use a thermometer in order to make sure that you meat is reaching to proper temperatures inside. Some meats, like beef, can be served rare safely, but proper temperatures are crucial. This kills any bacteria that may be growing on the meat. In the case of burger and other loaf meats that have been ground and formed into patties, you should not eat rare meals. The bacteria then easily is found inside the meat as well as on the outside, and you are at risk if you do not cook these meats for a long period of time to kill any bacteria.

After your food is cooked, you should continue to monitor temperature. Simply put, keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Hot foods should be kept at temperatures above 140 degrees Fahrenheit, while cold foods should be kept at temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The range between that is where bacteria can grow. When letting food cool for refrigeration, place in the refrigerator after no more than two hours, and when thawing meals, do so in a bowl or pan in the refrigerator, rather than at room temperature.

Cross contamination is a huge culprit when you are concerned with preventing illness and your food. Cross contamination is basically the moving of bacteria from one dish to another. This happens when you use dirty cutting boards, don’t wish your dishes properly, and use the same utensil for all of your foods. If you use, for example, a knife to cut raw chicken and then use that same knife to cut your food after it has been cooked, some of the bacteria from the raw chicken has probably remained on the knife, which can make you very ill. Make sure that you are using a clean work space and clean tools whenever you cook.

Along with using a clean environment, you should make sure that you are washing you hands regularly. Every time you touch raw foods, you should use disinfecting hand soap and hot water to make sure that no bacteria remains on your hands. Making sure that your food is safe is one of the most important parts of healthy eating, so don’t overlook this step the next time you prepare a meal.

No book on herbs would be complete without looking at some of the herbal remedies which are being used today.  Many people are finding traditional medicines less favorable to the Colloidal Silver remedies being offered.  There are fewer allergic reactions.  Herbal medicines have fewer, if any, side affects.  There are even some doctors who are prescribing herbal remedies when other medications just are not working.

There is a strong warning which goes with this information.  This information is for general reading and knowledge only.  This is in no way presented as medical fact.  Under no circumstances should any person add any of the herbal remedies described in this chapter into their diet without first consulting their physician. True Colloidal Silver Women who are pregnant or nursing and small children should never use any type of herbal remedies unless specifically prescribed by their doctor.

There are all types of old wives tales about herbs that cured coughs and colds.  Some people will talk about Grandma’s tonic that cured what ailed them.  Liquid Colloidal Silver These are the herbal remedies that many people still use today.  Things like jewel weed to help relieve poison ivy or rose hips to add vitamin C are simple remedies that have been used for years.

There are many herbs which have some powerful healing properties.  These herbs can help with allergies, rashes, and other ailments.  Some of the herbs you find growing in the ditches and even in your own back yard can be useful for treating common problems like coughs, bee stings, and sore muscles.

There is always the possibility of an allergic reaction to any form of medication, whether prescribed, over the counter, or even natural herbs.  This is why it is always important to speak with a medical professional before you decide to try any type of self medication with natural herbs.  Just as some people are allergic to things like milk and strawberries, someone could be just as allergic to valerian or burdock.

In defense of the natural herb remedies, some of them seem to work better than the prescribed medications.  Clove oil can relieve a toothache as well as any gel you can buy.  Chamomile tea works wonders as a sleep aid.  Peppermint can help with heart burn better than some anti-acids.  When you start researching herbal remedies you may be surprised what these little weeds can do for your health.

Talking only about pain from a benign and not a malignant source, the standard medical approach today expands beyond the use of a simple painkiller such as tramadol and includes a number of other options. The most common is the addition of an antidepressant both for musculoskeletal and neuropathic pain. In the choice of drug, the emphasis tends to be on the tricyclic antidepressants because of their sedative properties - which incidentally helps people to sleep even when the pain levels are quite high. For neuropathic pain, it may also be appropriate to add an anticonvulsant. Read the rest of this entry »