My grandfather Roman was a Russian coal miner in NE Pennsylvania from 1913 until the 1960s. This man ate bacon and eggs each morning, white bread with butter each meal, had a shot of whiskey and a beer every evening while smoking just about anything that burned.
Read moreInsights on Processed Foods From a Formerly Toxic Individual
I got to enjoy a wonderful day on the golf course, 2 Sundays ago in February (I live in Florida.) Despite my tendency to lose balls to trees and ponds, it was a great time. I went to bed that night a happy man, but my happiness was quickly replaced Monday morning with misery: I had caught the cold.
In the last 5-10 years canola oil has practically taken over as the food processing industry’s oil of choice. One can hardly find granola in a health food store without Canola Oil as an ingredient. The same is true for salad dressings and snack foods. Why is this? Is it so superior in health qualities to say, extra virgin, cold pressed Olive Oil? Not on your life – all the natural health pundits will point to any number of alternatives but never praise Canola as health promoting.
Is the key keeping things out?
If I were a betting man, I’d be willing to bet that all Americans at one point in their lives have considered “going on a diet.” How could you not? We live in a world that loves beauty, embraces the idea of living longer, and craves the perfect body. Yet, in spite of all of the commercials, products, gimmicks, and advice, America is still a leader in obesity rates the world over. So, why is that?
I’ve loved sugar my whole life and thought it was normal to constantly eat sugar even though it threw my body off balance. A normal day for me growing up involved eating chocolate-covered croissants for breakfast, a soda and cookies for lunch and sugar-covered cereal for a snack before a dinner of frozen chicken nuggets and crinkle-cut french fries. Notice a trend? Every few hours, when I would feel weak, shaky, fuzzy headed and irritable, I thought I was hungry and needed to eat something. I was right, I did need to eat something that nourished my body, but that’s not what I ate or thought of as normal food.
Potent germ-killer, Oregano oil comes from the plant Origanum vulgare and has a long history as a natural antibiotic and antiseptic used to fight infection. People in the Middle Ages used oil of oregano to help preserve foods. Oregano oil contains the compound carvacrol which has impressive antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiparasitic properties.
The use of cayenne pepper to spice up a dish or boost circulation has a long history in many cultures around the world. There is sometimes confusion from the fact that a cayenne pepper is always a chili pepper, but a hot chili is not always a cayenne. So what is it?
An interesting article was in the New York Times recently on the controversy of a popular drug for adults being used to treat chronic constipation in children. According to the article, doctors have pointed parents to Miralax for years to help children who suffer from chronic constipation. The problem is the label itself says the product is not recommended for kids under 17.
Read moreNew York Times Brings Up Childhood Constipation Controversy
More fun outside in the summer can mean more risk of sunburns, insect bites, and scrapes. Next to cayenne pepper, tea tree oil is one of the best herbal remedies to have on hand during the summer for emergencies.
So many people walk around tired and exhausted. Everything from super-caffeine drinks to taking more vitamin B-12 are tried just so they can function. Even if you eat well, there are other factors that can keep you from getting the most nutrition from your food.
Read moreAre You Dumping Your Food Down the Toilet? Why You Need Good Bacteria for Healthy Digestion
According to recent studies, raw chocolate can help prevent heart disease and cancer. In their article Cocoa nutrient for ‘lethal ills’, Michelle Roberts points out that epicatechin, a flavonoid in chocolate, seems to lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes. This nutrient is believed to relax blood vessels and improve blood flow, making it heart healthy. It also has antioxidant properties which may help prevent cancers.
Lobelia inflata (also known as Indian Tobacco) is a well-known traditional remedy to help
open and clear the lungs while relaxing the nervous system. Historically Lobelia is called the “intelligent herb” because it goes to the area of the body that most needs the affects it gives. Originally used by Eastern United States tribes like the Penobscot Indians, Lobelia developed a reputation as a powerful herbal remedy from the famous herbalist Samuel Thompson in the 19th century.