Dr. James Balch, a well-respected physician and author of alternative health books, shows us in his new book, that the most basic health advice is really the best. Just like your mother always told you, "eat your greens, drink lots of water, exercise and get plenty of rest!" Air, water and light are the essential elements that should be central to our plan for health. The book offers a great deal of helpful information on these three "ingredients," and details some enlightening vitamin therapies. I can tell you, that after reading this book, I went to the health food store with a new list!

Here's a portion of his "Pop Quiz:

Dr. Balch asks 25 questions, he says our doctors should be asking (and really, we should be asking ourselves). Following are a few:

1. Do you go outside for exercise of any sort, including a brisk walk for at least 20 minutes a day every day?

2. Do you eat fast foods, or fried foods, or foods with high sugar content three to five times a week?

3. Do you drink tap water?

4. Do you travel much by air?

5. Do you use a computer?

6. Do you take any sort of nutritional supplement?

7. Are you able to sleep through the night?

Unfortunately, most of us do not have doctors who ask those questions to help motivate us into healthy changes.

"The medical business does not profit from your being well. They want to mask your symptoms, to resist healing, to substitute drugs for wellness.

I ask you to return to the awareness of your body you had when you were a child," Dr. Balch.

Dr. Balch is concerned about the typical lifestyle that most Americans lead…

"We have one of the highest disposable per capita incomes in the world.

Even the lowest paid worker can plan on owning a car, so he doesn't have to walk anymore. Almost every adult owns a TV. We buy video games so that we can play virtual sports, instead of real ones.

"There's a dramatic increase in drug use. They've become another course in the family meal. Each night we consume an appropriate helping of meat, fish or fowl, fruit, whole grains, Prozac, Valium and for dessert, our favorite sleeping pill."

What about these "natural remedies?"

The first one is light. Dr. Balch claims that light and the hormone, melatonin, are the most powerful natural remedies for saving our lives.
He says that the sun is essential to our well being and we should be exposed to daylight every day. A 20-minute walk daily, even in inclement weather should be a priority in our routines.

Water - the good, the bad and the ugly (and the second natural remedy):

"In 1988, the U.S. dept. of Public Health first undertook the study of water contamination and found that 85 % of water in the U.S. is contaminated to some degree. The cause may be human and animal waste, chlorine, fluoride and toxic ammonia. It is doubtful that you can find any water supply entirely free of pollutants that contribute to cancer and other degenerative diseases.

"Even depression has been attributed to the water. In such cities as New York, where copper plumbing has been used for years - it was recorded that there was a much greater incidence of depression. "

Fluoride, long thought to be an important preventative of tooth decay, is according to Dr. Balch, a complete poison.

"No long term studies have linked fluoridated water with stronger bones and teeth. Instead there have been indications of links to damaged and mottled teeth, as well as to health problems like osteomalacia and osteoporosis. In fact, there is some evidence of a higher than normal incidence of Down syndrome and cancer in some communities with a higher than average amount of fluoridation.

Considering the invisible dangers of our water supply, Dr. Balch still wants us to drink water - and lots of it. We should just not trust our tap water. Bottled water is not above reproach either, he says. His recommendation? Save the tap water for bathing and laundry, use distilled water for drinking and cooking. (You can add lemon or flavoring to improve the taste). Some water filtration systems - usually the more expensive models - may do an adequate job of decreasing the hazards in your tap water, he says. What are the benefits of drinking water? Dr. Balch says that it helps with fatigue, colds, constipation, arthritis, kidney disease, circulatory diseases and even frontal headaches.

Air - the third natural remedy

The book outlines a variety of treatments, known as bio-oxidative therapies - which are still largely in experimental phases. These therapies utilize two products: ozone and hydrogen peroxide. One medical use is to enhance the oxygen reaching the heart of a heart attack patient.

Run -- don't walk to your nearest vitamin store…

You have probably heard of melatonin. It received quite a bit of press for its benefits in helping people who frequently cross time zones to adjust - and sleep. In fact, many people started to use it as a safer, natural sleeping pill. Dr. Balch definitely sings its praises for a variety of uses.

First, he favors it as an antioxidant; he says it slows or prevents some of the common illnesses that come about as we age…

"The older we get the less melatonin is manufactured by our pineal gland. This pineal gland begins to fail when we turn 40 to 50 years old. Supplementation reverses this process. When you start taking it, your quality of life will be improved and the dangers of serious illness will be decreased. Lack of melatonin contributes to the probability of Alzheimer's, the spread of cancers and other problems."

(I'm sold!) Dr. Balch recommends taking it an hour or two before bedtime. He reports that the benefits are heightened in conjunction with sleep. It seems to set your immune system into hyper-drive and sharpens your brain.

"Perhaps most important is the relation between melatonin and aging. Without it, your quality of life would be lower and there is the chance of premature death from illnesses that are preventable," states Dr. Balch.

How does it work?

Dr. Balch: "It stimulates the body's production of three key hormones: testosterone, estrogen, and adrenaline - all of them critical factors in your sex life. Thus, one pleasant side effect is the maintenance of a healthy sex drive."

The basic dose recommended for people age 40 - 60 is one to two milligrams. Older people will need more, but it's best to get your doctor's opinion.

Dr. Balch also recommends caution if you are nursing a baby, have fertility problems, or suffer from hormonal disorder, depression or allergies, as it may interfere with some of the other treatments you are using.

He says that people under 40 will not need regular supplements, unless they travel across time zones a lot. Airline pilots are good candidates, for example.

What about those greens?

In his book, Dr. Balch discusses some green foods I have never heard of.

He wants us to eat grass! Actually, cereal grasses, like wheat and barley. He reports that they help prevent breast and prostrate cancer, improve the circulatory system and strengthen the immune system. The form that is the most convenient to take is in a tablet or powder (to be mixed with water), which is made from the juice of this potent produce. It is sold as Green Magma and Green Barley Essence. (I'd suggest the powder - I bought the Green Magma tablets, and you have to take so many of them - it's a good way to get heartburn.)

Alfalfa tablets are suggested as excellent for arthritis, so you may want to add that to your green cocktail…

Garlic: keep the vampires…and disease away!

Dr. Balch can't say enough about the positive attributes of garlic. But in case you don't want to send your significant other running gagging from the other room, Kyolic is on the scene. Dr. Balch says it's easier to digest and does not cause the overpowering odor of garlic.

Dr. Balch: "Garlic and Kyolic contain germanium and selenium, which are powerful antioxidants that boost the immune system. They have also been found to be beneficial for hypoglycemics, people with low blood sugar levels. Kyolic does battle against the 'bad cholesterol.' New research is showing that garlic actually inhibits the growth of cancer cells in the lab…"

Gikgo bilboa - if you can pronounce it, you'll request it at your health food store!

This is another one of Dr. Balch's panaceas. He says it aids memory, enhances concentration and helps breathing. It removes toxins and free radicals from our tainted systems. It can even reduce reactions to allergies. He suggests taking it as an extract. The dose -- 80-150 mgs. a day. He says to look for a 24% flavoglycoside content.

Vitamins C and E - a happy couple

Dr. Balch: "Recent studies suggest that Vitamin C, along with zinc and large quantities of water, shortens the common cold to as little as two days. Vitamins C and E working together affect your sex drive, your eyesight and other functions. Now we know that C is a powerful antioxidant that neutralizes many of the free radicals to which we are exposed. Problems with sexual activity may be eased by Vitamin E. Vitamin E, has been shown to reduce deaths from heart disease!"

(He recommends 800-1200 IU daily and says we should look for the natural source d-alpha-tocopherol.)

Generations of toxins…

Dr. Balch makes an interesting study of the potential for health problems and free radical damage, based on our generation's environmental factors. He also laments today's reliance on computers.

"The greatest danger to the emotional health of Americans is their growing reliance on computers for entertainment and social interaction."

Like other writers, he extols the virtues of being connected. The ideal scenario is you have a loving significant other, preferably to whom you are married, you have many circles of friends, engage in social activities and belong to a religious organization. Dr. Balch states that the evidence completely supports the fact that these lifestyle choices reduce the chance for depression, enhance health, and prolong life.

Prescription for health

In closing, I share Dr. Balch's "prescription" for health, as it relates to a daily nutritional supplement regime:

* 1 multiple vitamin (with at least 50 micrograms of each of the B-complex vitamins)

* Kyolic garlic

* Green magma

* Vitamin C (2000-5000 mgs.)

* E (400 IU - 1200 IUs)

Optional:

* Add 200 micrograms of selenium to boost the C and E.

* Melatonin if you're over 40 (1-2 mgs.)

* Lycopene for men over 40 (this is found in the red pigment of tomatoes and is said to help prevent prostrate cancer.

I would recommend this book as an easy-to-read and helpful reference for healthy living.

Dr. James Balch is co-author of the bestseller Prescription for Nutritional Healing (see review on www.shesgotitogether.com) and authored The Super Antioxidants. He has been a doctor and surgeon for 35 years. He now has a website: www.jamesbalchmd.com. Doubleday, 1999, 248 pages, hardcover