Jim Shaw's post, "trust your MD?" and midnightsun03's response, and Pika's post, "I hope I can get it back!" got me to thinking that it might be beneficial to discuss our personal health regimens here. We might all benefit from learning from each other.

Mine is pretty simple. I don't really do any type of physical training with weights or exercise machines. I do physical labor, hike, and swim to keep in shape.

I take two packets of "Emergen-C" every morning. And I try to take a tablespoon of raw honey every morning too. Since doing this my wife and I haven't had a serious cold or flu, but every year all of our neighbors have.

I watch what I eat now pretty close. I did learn that Nitrates were causing me some problems with waking up at night coughing. As soon as I read about a link between lung problems and nitrates I cut them out and the problem went away.

Last year I relearned here (from phat, I think) that it was a lack of salt in my diet that was contributing to my leg cramps at night. This happened during times of extreme heat. I really should have known that, but I never had them before a couple years ago and hadn't made the connection until it was brought up here.

I don't go to doctors for every little hiccup I experience. I've learned to give my body a rest when it needs it and, for the most part, it does pretty good to heal itself.

Finally, stretches and massages, I think, do a lot to maintain health too. I was feeling especially crappy earlier this year after working hard in the garden and yard for a few weeks. After getting a deep tissue massage from my wife one night I felt amazingly better the next morning, and still do (I might be about ready for another now though .

Knocking on wood, I'll say that my health is pretty good, but I am interested in what is working for others too, and how you've dealt with issues that have come up.