"Nature has four seasons and five elements. To grant long life, these seasons and elements must store up the power of creation in cold, heat, dryness, moisture, and wind.. transformed into joy, anger, sympathy, grief & fear.. joy and anger are injurious to the spirit just as cold and heat are injurious to the body. Violent anger depletes Yin; violent joy depletes Yang.. When Yang is the stronger, people can endure winter but not summer. When Yin is the stronger, the body is cold and covered with perspiration.. Their stomachs can no longer digest food.. When Yin is stronger, people can endure summer but not winter.. If one does not know how to use this knowledge, his life will be doomed to early decay.. the ancient sages did not rush into the affairs of the world. In their pleasures and joys they were dignified and tranquil.. and did not bend their will or ambition to the achievement of empty ends. Thus their allotted span of life was without limit, like that of heaven and earth." (Qi Bo & the Yellow Emperor)

Propolis

* Research proved that the presence of propolis increased the immune system of the bee hive as a whole. Therefore natural bee hives (having more propolis) had better immunity than man made hives in boxes. The bees don't eat propolis.

* If you have a sore throat you can sleep with some propolis on your mouth.

* To make Propolis tincture: 250g Propolis combined with 500ml of a 70% Alcohol are mixed together and shaken each day for a month. After a month the ingredients can be put into through coffee filter for straining.

The ancient cold shower (more than just hygiene)

In 1961, when Khrushchev met the Italian Prime Minister Fanfani, he threw in some well intended historical Roman references, "...I will follow the advice of the ancient Romans," he said, "who, they say, used to have a cold shower before taking an important decision. We do not want to precipitate things..." From ancient times alternating between warm and cold temperatures was used to temper the immune system (preparing it for season change). The practice causes a visible change in color and better blood circulation. However excessive exposure or if practiced with a weak immune system brings illness. In the Armenian-Christian scripture, the testament of the Patriarchs, "the spirit of fornication," is said to be "seated in the nature and in the senses," by implication overstimulation results (relaxed in cool water). In the eastern medical traditions, sprays of cold water, cold baths and cold drinking water are used to relive disorders of the fire element.

"The idea that the present economic situation has greatly increased the number of suicides and enlarged the lists of admissions to our public and private asylums has furnished frequent head lines and much newspaper... All of us confess to a mental an emotional strain which exceeds any we ever knew... A pathetic feature of all our trouble is the fact that the young and still younger generations must bear the consequences. We see daily retrenchment in the measures we have fought so long to have established toward safe-guarding life and health. There is even greater menace in the feeling of lowered morale and self respect. The "American Journal of Public Health" recently said editorially, "a sense of security, psychological and economic, is essential to the maintenance of good mental health." The increase in idleness is responsible, we know, for the growth in trifling habits, and in petty property trespasses... Satisfaction of soul goes a long way toward a sound mind." (Chrisman, 1933).