Each moment of every day brings us closer to a better awareness of ourselves—body, mind and spirit.

And as we grow in wisdom through our own experiences, an expansion of our awareness takes place. If we keep an open mind, then all of life’s possibilities can be ours, from simple victories to miraculous healings.

It all boils down to the choices we make.

Dr. Tam Mateo, president of the Vegan Association of the Philippines (Vegan Haus & Naturopathic Center, tel. nos. 4705553/0921-5920908), has his detoxification and therapy center at the forefront of the true greening of the country from within.

Of course, it also means that in order to “green” the inside, we need to “green” the environment! According to this charismatic naturopathic expert and vegan—who supervised his wife’s dramatic healing from a debilitating disease—people tend to be ruled by their taste buds than by their health sense.

This sense is connected to a built-in radar we all have. Call it instinct or inner knowledge, but the human body has the ability to discern what is good and bad for the health. But because we are often swept away by the stirrings of our taste buds, we tend to ignore the “health first” attitude.

Through the years, when we start feeling the ill effects of our bad habits, we will rue the day when (after debating with ourselves) we release this dramatic statement: “I will die anyway, one day, so let me enjoy today.”

Question is, why are the seemingly tasty treats laced with toxins? And does it have to be this way?

Just a little

It is said that there is no such thing as bad food.

In a sense this is true. Many health experts and nutritionists believe that eating small portions is better than consuming few but generous-sized meals.

This cannot be overemphasized. And it bears repeating: moderation is key.

So, whether you suffer from obesity, diabetes, arthritis, allergies, look into your health choices. Chances are, you are making the wrong choices each time you are scanning a restaurant menu or buffet setup.

Try this for a change:

Learn to debate with yourself. Just before you make food choices, ask yourself one question: “Will this make me healthier/stronger?” Once you learn to ask yourself this question not just out of habit but of principle, then you will have mastered the art of true decision-making that may be life-changing.

Here are some natural approaches to ease several health challenges.

For fibrocystic breasts, there have been mixed results on the use of vitamin E to relieve symptoms caused by excessive estrogen levels. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, vitamin E improves this condition.

This, plus vitamin A and evening primrose oil are the first line of defense against the common pain that accompanies this condition, making for a perfect triple-action formula. Fibrocystic breasts are hormone-triggered, and the only way to control this is to decrease horestrogen levels in the body.

Our nails are extra-sensitive and they need care. Nail health, like bone health, is completely dependent upon good nutrition.

There is one star nutrient for healthy nails: biotin (a member of the B-complex family). Natural sources are egg yolks, soy, lentils, milk, cereal and peanut butter.

When one reaches 40, gallstones can be a problem to most women and men. Although women are more susceptible to this condition, men are not spared.

Stones are formed when a grain of calcium arrives in the gall bladder and refuses to leave. It is then covered by a waxy substance called cholesterol/bilirubin. Look into your diet and your genes as the possible culprits.

To do:

1) All cholesterol comes from dairy and animal meats, so cut down on these.

2) Lose weight.

3) Cut back on the sweets.

4) Eat more fish. The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine recommends fish oil as a healthy choice to reduce the formation of gallstones.

Today’s affirmation: “Today is magnificent.”

Love and light!