Natural Remedy: Herbs

"The fruit shall be for food and the leaves shall be for medicine." Ezekiel 47:12

"And the leaves of the trees are for the healing of the nations." Rev 22:2

Herbs are safer to use than drugs

I have had an interest in natural healing for a few years now.  It spawned from my interest in reversing cancer naturally and is still very much deep within my bones.  I have discovered that it is not hard to get healthy or to heal certain conditions.  I also discovered that natural methods are attainable by everyday people willing to take the time to research.  Natural remedies are also low risk and economical. I share my resources and their methodology with anyone who is willing to listen.  There is certainly an awakening in society towards natural methods of healing but I find more often than not that most people are wary of using herbs or natural methods.  Just a few decades ago the use of herbs was used by the fringe hippies of society and it seemed that only the free spirited willing to venture beyond box thinking would stumble across healing.  Mainstream society still eyes natural methods as dangerous.  After all, it is not regulated by the FDA.  Well then, let's just take a look at the FDA.  When you have former heads of Monsanto at the helm of the FDA with mainstream media as their mouthpiece, do you honestly think that they have your well being in mind?  The FDA says that genetically modified franken foods are safe.  Brain cell killing aspartame (sweetener in diet sodas), msg and other excitotoxins are also stamped with the seal of approval by the FDA.  Recently there was a world-wide march against Monsanto, the mainstream media did not report on it at all.  Did you hear about it on the evening news?  I didn't.  It seems to me that the entities we have long trusted to protect the public are not really about protecting the people but protecting their own interests.  Here's a look at what pharmaceutical medications can do.  Pharmaceutical medications are responsible for 290 deaths per day and a staggering 106,000 deaths per year.  Take a look at this article that discusses how there was a scant amount of deaths or none at all attributed to the use of herbs and supplements in 2008.  Yet, the fear of using herbs still exists which baffles me quite frankly.  Yet those who have successfully employed the use of natural remedies helping many to heal have been subject to raids and imprisonment.  There is currently legislation in the process right now that would limit our rights to supplements.  It tells me that big pharma has been incredibly successful at deflecting attention and pointing fingers at their competitors who dare share their affordable methods of healing.  As a business they have to protect their highly lucrative monopoly on healing.  Since they have friends in high places (the government), they can push their weight around.

The use of herbs is nothing new.  As seen from the texts at the beginning of this post, herbs have been used for thousands of years.  There's about 188 references in the Bible on the use of medicinal herbs and in my opinion, what God intended for healing.  Think about the side effects that you can find with any bottle of medication and research the possible outcomes, invariably death is listed in the fine print.  While herbs are readily recognized by the human body, they don't just mask symptoms like drugs do and they bring about true healing.

As a side note:  If you find me in a car wreck and I look beat up, please call 911.  I believe there are some very necessary drugs that are life saving.  I, however, believe that a disservice is done to ourselves when all we turn to are pharmaceutical medications.

My sources for quality herbs

I would like to share with you my sources for herbs and methods for healing.  I have mentioned Dr. Richard Schulze with you before.  He is in my opinion, the foremost authority on natural healing.  I suggest for you to sign up for his blog, get on his mailing list, buy his books, get his catalogue and use his herbs.  If there is one word I can use to describe his herbs it would be "quality".  I helped a man reverse his liver condition using Schulze's herbs and methodology.  He was waiting for a liver transplant and also had kidney problems.  I told him, "just try a cleanse since you are already waiting."  He listened to me and did the cleanse.  His liver cleared and the side effect he also experienced was that his kidneys cleared and healed as well.  The doctors scratched their heads in disbelief.  They ran the tests again and couldn't explain how he didn't have any liver or kidney issues anymore.  I have another tidbit of info to add.  Dr. Schulze' tinctures have a shelf life of about 5 to 10 years if unopened.  So they are excellent if you want to store some for emergency use.  His emergency herbs would be cayenne and lobelia. Cayenne can help to protect vital organs during a heart attack or stroke.  Lobelia is a bronchial dilator and antispasmodic herb.  Take the time to read up on these life saving herbs.

I also like another company called doTerra.  They formulate essential oils from medicinal herbs that are an excellent source to replace all the medications you may currently have in your medicine cabinet.   I really like On Guard which is their oil combo that has been shown to inhibit MRSA (antibiotic resistant staph bacteria).  On Guard is also good for killing airborne pathogens, colds and sore throats, all sorts of bacteria and viruses. Ask for their medicine cabinet makeover flyer.  You could also purchase their family physician kit or emergency preparedness kit.  Both these kits come with a CD that instructs in the use of each essential oil combination.  doTerra has a protocol for lyme's disease which thrills me because I love running my trails in the woods and I really don't care to stop doing that because of some nasty ticks.  (Oregano, clove, cassia, On Guard and Lifelong vitality are used for lyme in various quantities depending on when infected.)  My distributor demonstrated to me how one oil (it was an essential oil of lemon or orange- can't remember which) could eat through the bottom of a styrofoam cup.  Karen explained that it destroys toxins but it is healing and alkalizing to the body.   My distritubutor is Karen Vasecka who happens to be a regional health coach for Green Smoothie Girl Robyn Openshaw. Email her with any questions: karen.rob840@yahoo.com

I also like Danny Vierra's herbal formulations or Hope for Health.   I'm sure you can find more quality sources of herbs.  Do yourself a favor and do your homework.  Don't just buy any herb from some fly-by-night company.  There are many companies that take shortcuts and buy cheap, weak herbs which are irradiated and then people wonder why they're not effective.

Miracle herb

There a lots of excellent herbs that are amazing at healing but I want to showcase one that is spectacular.  While at the seminar at Andrews University, Don Miller, a Uchee Pines trained naturopath, told us many stories of healing.  He traveled the world to remote regions to teach the local people how to heal themselves since they didn't have hospitals or doctors and suffered terribly from various ailments.  One young boy had a gaping wound that would surely become infected and gangrenous without treatment.  Don treated him with Comfrey.  I was amazed by the ability of this herb to treat his wound.  Comfrey is used to help heal joints, ligaments, muscle and tissue.  The boy's leg was saved and healed well.  Comfrey grows like a wild weed and is incredibly easy to grow.  Check last link for more information on this herb and how to use it as medicine.

Controversial herb

I wanted to touch upon a controversial topic.  I am against using any kind of mind altering recreational drug.  That should be pretty clear from my blog.  I don't even drink alcohol because I like to keep my mind sharp and clear at all times. That said, I do think we should not throw out the use of medical marijuana without a second look.  It has incredible anti-cancer properties and excellent in treating seizures and epilepsy.    If you are worried about the "high", there are varieties that are non psychoactive that help to treat epilepsy.  There is also a way to use other varieties without inducing a high.  Read following article and link.  Keep it in mind if you are dealing with cancer or epilepsy.

Make your own herbal medicine

If you are a hands on person and would like to make your own herbal medicine these are the books I recommend. The Herbal Medicine Maker's Handbook by James Green,  Herbally Yours - by Penny C. Royal (this book is a reference guide to know what herb to use for what ailment) I also recommend  The Natural Remedies Encyclopedia by Vance, Ferrel, Archbold, M.D. and Cherne, M.D.  This book is excellent and lists about 700 medical conditions and what protocol to follow in reversing them.   When growing herbs be sure to purchase non-gmo heirloom seeds.  Horizonherbs.com is a good source for medicinal herbs.  I noticed that naturalnews.com sells non gmo seeds.  Institute for Responsible Technology has a non gmo seed finder on their site.

It's very satisfying to be able to reverse medical conditions naturally.  Healing shouldn't be expensive or unattainable.  Read, read, read through the sources I provided.  I'm sure you can find other natural remedy sources, especially on Amazon.  Here's to your health!

Enjoy the Journey!

Becoming Aquainted With Natural Remedies: Hydrotherapy

Updates

My heartfelt prayers go out to the victims in Oklahoma.  So much sad news!

I have a few more articles for you to see on the subject of mastectomies for the prevention of cancer.  The first is from celebrity nutritionist Kimberly Snyder.  The second is from Dr. John McDougall.  Lastly, there is another great article by Dr. Joel Fuhrman.  Please take the time to read them.  They have compelling information to share.

Natural Remedies

Hippocrates, The Father of Modern Medicine, uttered an incredibly profound and insightful statement that should have spoken loudly to people of all ages: "Let food be thy medicine."  Unfortunately, like so many other unsung heroes, and brilliant teachers birthed my mankind, his teachings have fallen to forgetfulness.  Robyn Openshaw states that a high raw plant based diet will reverse about 80% of conditions. Beyond that, if there are life threatening conditions like cancer, I would also consider a 100% raw diet including juice fasting, herbs, hydrotherapy and colonics. (This approach is by no means limited to reversing cancer, but helps the body regain wellness with various conditions.) There are instances, however, when ear aches, influenza and other conditions can weaken the best of us. Therefore, becoming acquainted with natural remedies can really be a help in such situations. I believe every household should build a collection of books on natural remedies. You only need a few.  Knowing what to do in certain situations that require medical attention when there is none to be found can make all the difference! Can it happen? As long as there are natural disasters, as long as hospitals can be overrun to overflowing - Yes, absolutely! Natural Remedies do not take the place of an Emergency Room, but they can help in many situations.  

History of Using Natural Remedies

Some of the methods I will be sharing with you were used to save many people from dying during the flu pandemic in the early part of last century.  These therapies have been used in the past successfully by our forefathers, but have long since been abandoned because of the highly successful marketing of pharmaceutical medications.

I have mentioned that last summer I attended a natural remedies seminar at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. It just so happened that after we were done with the workshop, my sister's mother-in -law who was visiting the area at the time had excruciating pain in her back, radiating down her leg.  Her son who is a physician (my sister's husband) gave her medication, but the pain continued.  She was in tears and couldn't sleep or even walk from her pain. My husband and I offered to do a hot fomentation to ease her pain. (Please check out the last link, it includes how-to videos produced by Agatha and Calvin Thrash.) It only took a short while from the time we started before she relaxed and was able to fall asleep. We continued with this treatment, coupled with massage, every evening and she continued to improve.

I have shared with you in a previous post a hydrotherapy technique useful for staving off the flu (and also in dealing with cancer.)  Near the end of this past winter, my son began to show symptoms of sickness. I prepared a hot bath for him and gave him a warm tea made of garlic and grapefruit. I kept him in the bath for at least 20 minutes and had him finish with a cool shower. He went straight to bed after his shower. The next morning he showed no signs of sickness and resumed his activities as normal.

Benefits of Hydrotherapy

Hydrotherapy can help with such conditions as arthritis and muscle, joint and nerve pain. It also can help with boosting the immune system and increasing white blood cells when dealing with the flu or cold. If there is a part of the body that is injured or has impaired circulation, that area should be treated using hydrotherapy.  Insomnia and stress can also be alleviated by using hydro.  Hydrotherapy can help to loosen tight muscles. It aids the process of detoxification by improving circulation. It also helps to hydrate cells, thereby improving skin tone. 

Because each type of hydrotherapy application has a list of contraindications, I will not give you detailed instructions for various treatments. Instead, I will direct you to books you can purchase inexpensively as references in case you need them.  These therapies are designed to be used at home.

I suggest trying to pick up one or two of the following books. Dr. Agatha Thrash has written a few and If you can get a hold of any of her books (Amazon) I would highly recommend them. These are some titles of her books: Home Remedies, Natural Remedies and Health Care For Your Child. You can also call Uchee Pines Institute for her books. Another book I recommend is Hydrotherapy - Simple Treatments For Common Ailments by Clarence Dail, M.D., and Charles Thomas, PhD. Amazon also has other hydrotherapy books you can consider. Be sure that they are designed for home use.

You can also go to NEWSTART(R) Lifestyle Club's site for a quick three minute how-to video for using hydrotherapy for arthritis or to natural-health-restored.com for more detailed instructions on how to use hot fomentations or other forms of hydrotherapy at home. I highly recommend this site!

Enjoy the Journey!

Monsanto, Needless Medical Procedures and the Sad Search for Integrity

When I was about 18 or 19 years old I picked up a copy of Victor Hugo's Les Miserables.  It was the unabridged version, all 1400 pages of masterful classic literature.  By the time I was done with this book, my emotions were reeling with the endless themes I came across.  So many of them!  Musicals can be an acquired taste for some, but I was no less impressed by Claude Michel Schonberg's exquisitely crafted musical rendition of this timeless tale.  He managed to encapsulate the story in three hours of memorable music that I found positively haunting.    I suppose the aspect I appreciate most in this story, and one of the character traits that I hold in the highest regard, is integrity.  Would this story have been as good if integrity were absent?  Without integrity society is left with nothing but heartless cut-throats clawing their way to the top.  It separates one who espouses it and sets him or her apart in such a marked way.  Maybe it stands out so much to me because when there is an absence of it, such dark ugliness can be the end result.

When I come across corporations like Monsanto I am just completely aghast at how evil they are.  Monsanto in particular parades around behind the guise of selfless humanitarianism. Rhetorically it sounds pretty good.  They supposedly exist to help eradicate hunger.  In actuality the truth about this corporation is far from that.  They have left devastation, human suffering and the failing health of millions in their wake.  What is frightening is how it seems that their end game is to control the world's food supply.  If you want to catch a glimpse of what Monsanto is about, I encourage you to watch this clip.  It is only about 10 minutes long. This clip pretty much sums it up. Another documentary that is very informative can be viewed here.  Monsanto has recently filled for immunity against litigation and has placed itself above the law.  Their representatives even wrote the legistlation!  Originally when I began this post, I was requesting that you send a message to Obama to veto this measure.  Unfortunately, I have since received an email that stated that Obama has already signed it into law.  Here is another article by Newsmax in regards to this story.  According to this article, it didn't even hit the congressional floor for discussion. Is this really the United States of America?  I thought this kind of thing only happened in dictatorial third world countries.

There is yet another facet to this problem that I find disturbing.  Apparently, we have recently lost the strongest voice of support for organic farming at the USDA.    It doesn't take a genius to be able to see problems down the pike. I personally plan to collect heirloom seeds for fruits, vegetables and medicinal herbs.  I don't ever want to come to the point where I cannot find the kinds of food I want to eat.  I like to see the glass half full, but there's nothing wrong with planning for the worst and hoping for the best.

I am suspicious of pharmaceuticals and conventional medicine.  There are times, such as with emergencies, that they are very necessary. But more often than not, people would do far better in seeking the root cause of their illness and searching for alternative methods for healing.  Above is a graphic for a documentary that you should watch titled Escape Fire.  Please watch the trailer.  Very interesting.

Lastly, there is a book that was recently published by Dr. Makary who is a surgeon at Johns Hopkins.  He candidly and openly discusses the fact that alarming medical mistakes occur in our hospitals. The name of the book is "Unaccountable".  Please take the time to watch his interview with Dr. Mercola here.

Sadly integrity has fast become a scarce commodity.  It is my opinion that everyday people like you and me are ultimately responsible for our own health. I appreciate guidance from those who are trained, but I don't like handing over my trust to someone else in helpless resignation expecting miracles - especially if they practice conventional medicine. When it comes to my health, the buck stops with me.  A trustworthy professional can help me find the root cause of my problem, but only I can make the necessary changes to my diet or lifestyle and put advice into action.  My challenge to you is to read, study and investigate.  Seek help, but know that you are the only one who ultimately can achieve the health you are looking for.

If you are currently looking for an alternative method for healing, here are some suggestions as to where you can begin your search.  Read Dr. Richard Schulze's books. Physician's Committee For Responsible Medicine has a list of practitioners they recommend.  The first site is holisticmedicine.org and the second is Dr. McDougall's list of physicians.  I also trust Michelle Ross, C.N.

Have a good day!

The Unexpected Benefits of Grounding

It's spring time in Maryland and I'm thrilled.  I love to see the snow drops and crocus flowers popping up out of the ground this time of year.   It is cold today but I don't care.  My favorite season is right around the corner and that's enough to send my spirits soaring.  I love the warmer weather, the fragrances, colors and sounds of the season.  One of my favorite things to do has always been to walk barefoot in grass.  As much as I was scolded by my mom for doing so, I never understood why I loved it so much, I just did.  As I have become acquainted with grounding, or earthing, I have a better understanding why I so love being outside soaking up rays and walking barefoot in the grass.

Earthing/grounding sounds like a concept that originated with some Eastern swami guru.  I can imagine an aging man sitting in lotus position and chanting "om." I can imagine him communicating the idea of connecting with your surroundings, the earth, the universe....  But the origins of earthing are far from what I just described.  As a matter of fact, there are many scientific studies that I find absolutely astounding.  It's no secret that I love alternative methods for healing.  There is a limit to what I will ascribe to, however.  Without naming therapies, I prefer therapies that are more tangible in nature.  I need to be able to wrap my brain around an idea and understand it.  I prefer to see studies and science.  Just my personal preference.

Just a Cable Guy

Clint Ober is just a cable guy (his term to describe himself, not mine).  He had been an extremely successful businessman "specializing in developing cable television systems, as well as broadcast television and microwave communication properties."  (Earthing - Ober, Sinatra and Zucker p27)  During a time of self reflection over his life accomplishments, he had a growing desire for purpose in his life.  It was during this time that he had a stroke of genius while watching tourists walk by.  He looked at their feet and understood that they were insulated from the electrical current that is available by walking barefoot.  Clint had a firm grasp on the properties of electromagnetic radiation.  He understood that for the picture quality to come through crisp and clear on a television, the lines had to be grounded and insulated from all the extraneous air waves that pollute our environment.  He wondered what would happen if people were to connect electrically to the ground.  He then proceeded to find out. He first started by grounding himself and then grounding his friends.  His experience was to sleep so soundly that he did not stir until the next morning.  His friends were beginning to feel really good as well.  They mentioned being able to get off medications because arthritis symptoms were beginning to disappear.  Clint Ober had just stumbled upon a very important concept unknown to the "civilized world."

Ober also had a recollection of a Native American family he knew growing up in Montana.   His friend's sister became very ill with scarlet fever.   Her grandfather proceeded to dig a pit, built a fire close by and set the girl in the pit while he watched over her.  She consequently recovered very quickly.  He remembers the adults telling the children.  Take your shoes off, they will make you sick.  The native people of this land are far better acquainted with nature than the rest of us "civilized" people are.  Our ignorance of the gifts found in nature has been much to our detriment.

What Are Negative Ions/Electrons?

So what is it that we receive when we walk barefoot on the ground?  They are called negative ions.  It's the reason why so many people love to walk barefoot on the beach, spend time in natural settings or, as in my case, run trails in the woods.  The air is replete with negative ions.  Compare that feeling to being cooped up stories high in an office building, perhaps in a cubicle behind a computer screen.  No sun or fresh air and no electrical connection to the ground, and nothing but endless electrical lines, computer cables, electronics cords, etc. emitting harmful electromagnetic radiation. On the contrary, naturally occurring negatively charged ions or electrons behave like antioxidants in the body, discharging unhealthful positive ions.  (When it comes to electrical charges in the body, "positive" is bad and "negative" is good.) Negative ions help to calm inflammation and enhance sleep.

Some Interesting Clips

Now this is the stuff that blows me away! If you've already seen this clip from Longevity Now conference, skip it - but I had to share it again.  You can read  this article from natural news or this one.  Watch this excellent video by Dr. Sinatra at heartmdinstitute.com.  Even the illustrious Dr. Oz chimed in on the practice of grounding.  So what is the take away point from this post?  As the weather gets warmer, get outside with your bare feet and enjoy the great outdoors!  Take time to do so everyday.  If you have trouble with sleep or inflammation, consider grounding yourself while you sleep. Grounding sheets can be costly but there are other less expensive options like just buying a grounding pad.  A friend of mine who is electronically inclined made his own for less than twenty dollars. 

As For the Scoffers...

I recognize that there are many scoffers in regards to this practice.  There are a lot of things I believe that people would laugh at.  I believe that cancer can be reversed naturally.  I believe that if the human body can heal, it is in spite of  the medications we subject it to.   I believe that there is an intelligence and purposeful support of life behind the healing properties of the natural world.  The food and herbs that grow from the earth imbue healing and strength to the human body by design and not by accident. Grounding or earthing is just another piece of the puzzle that fits in so well.  

Consider Also: 

Artificial lighting during the night shift triggers breast cancer in women - but moonlight is the exception.  Did you know that if our planet's orbit were shifted by even a slight margin, it would be unsuitable to sustain life?  Is it any wonder I have such a fascination with the natural world?  What also amazes me is how the ingredients for healing are so much more affordable than conventional medicine.  I mean, come on!  Dandelion greens have anti-cancer properties? Wow! The humble ingredients and methods have outperformed and confound the methods of the lofty and the learned!  With all the talk of nationalized healthcare, all we need to do is look to natural methods for a more economical and far more effective way to create health.  Then hospitals could serve a better purpose - treating emergencies.  How's that for some juicy skeptic fodder?

Enjoy the Journey!

The Effects of Nature on Your Brain

I thought this would be a fitting post after coming back from a vacation out in nature.  A few months back I was at my dentist's office for a cleaning when I saw a copy of the December, 2011, issue of Outdoors magazine.  I'm not particularly drawn to male publications.  I'm really not interested in seeing Grizzly Adams like men trekking the Arctic Tundra.  But there was a title that grabbed my interest, "This Is Your Brain On Nature."   I loved what I read and thought I would share it with you.

This information was compiled by Madison Kahn:

1. Increased attention span.  A 2008 study by University of Michigan psychologists found that walking outside or even just looking at pictures of natural settings improves directed attention, the ability to concentrate on a task.  Put another way: nature restores our ability to focus.

2. Better Memory.  The same study supported previous experiments showing that being in nature improves memory - by 20 percent when it came to recalling a series of numbers.

3. Reduced Stress.  Office workers with views of trees and flowers reported lower stress levels, higher job satisfaction, and fewer ailments than colleagues with views of buildings, according to a 1989 study by the University of Michigan.

4. Improved Mood. In a 1991 study by Texas A&M psychologists, subjects who viewed scenes of water or trees reported a much quicker return to a positive mood after a stressful event than those who viewed urban scenes.

5. Greater Creativity.  In a pilot study this March, psychologists found that students in an Outward Bound course showed a 40 percent boost in frontal lobe activity - after four days in the back country.

_______________________________________

I can't help but think about the book, The Secret Garden by Burnett, a story I have read to my children.  Colin Craven was a wealthy, sickly, paralytic boy raised by nannies and was locked up in his palatial bedroom with the curtains drawn closed.  He forgot that he was even sick or couldn't walk when he ventured to the great outdoors and spent time in a garden with his friends.  This fictional story illustrates that mood is intrinsically linked to the health of our bodies.  If we neglect the care of our emotional state of being our health will suffer.

Nothing improves my mood like running in the trails that are close to my home.  I hate running!  But just being out in the woods (I never run alone, by the way!)  turns what would be a drudgery into a pleasurable experience.  If you are fighting sickness, improve your diet and lifestyle - and spend time in natural settings! 

On another note:  The new cookbook by Forks Over Knives is out!  Check it out here.

Enjoy the Journey!

The Benefits of Drinking Green Smoothies

I started out my raw food journey with green smoothies.  It didn't take long before I started noticing changes.  The first unpleasant changes were the detoxification symptoms.  They lasted about three days for me, but after I got over that I began to feel very good.  People experience all kinds of different symptoms, mine were mainly headaches and lethargy.  If you are interested, here is a blog post on what you might feel.  These symptoms are brought on by toxins trying to leave the body, so that is a very good thing!  How long it lasts  depends primarily on how many toxins are trying to leave your body and how long you may have abused your body.  If you have sluggish bowels, you probably will have a more difficult time with the detox symptoms. (Toxins mainly leave the body through the colon.)  There are ways to curtail this.    For instance, if someone is highly toxic with cancer, The Gerson Institute has a method titled "detoxification" that is described at the bottom of the page on the prior link.  If you don't have cancer, but still would like to do what you can to help things along, look into Dr. Richard Schulze's Intestinal Formula #1 and #2.  It's unpleasant for me to talk about this, but it is a reality of life that must be dealt with especially if you are on the Standard American Diet.

Onto the benefits of smoothies!  Much more fun!

1. Green Smoothies are quick and easy to prepare.  Juicing is fantastic but it usually takes a very long time to prepare the greens, fruits and vegetables.  Then the juicer needs to be dismantled and cleaned.  On the other hand, using a blender to make smoothies is less labor intensive.  The blender carafe is all that needs to be cleaned when blending a smoothie.  A high powered blender like Vitamix or Blendtec is highly recommended.

2. Green smoothies are easily digested.  Because the greens and fruit are already broken down when blended, digestion and assimilation takes much less time. Green smoothies have fiber which also aids in digestion. Take time to"chew" your smoothie, however, by allowing to remain in your mouth for a few seconds before swallowing it.  Digestive enzymes begin their work in your mouth.

3. Green smoothies can taste like fruit smoothies.  Begin making green smoothies with 60% fruit and 40% greens.  Also, start by using spinach, which is very mild in flavor compared to many other types of greens.  If the color offends you, try adding blueberries. Once you get used to having green smoothies like that, try adding a leaf or two of kale, chard or collards.  Experiment with all different kinds of greens!

4. Green smoothies help to alkalize the body and provide many antioxidants and phytonutrients.  Greens are alkaline and provide such nutrients as calcium and amino acids, the building blocks of protein.  People think that meat is always a better source of protein.  Meat has to be liquified in the body before it is assimilated.  Imagine the effort the body has to go through to perform a task like that!  Greens are highly bioavailable, it takes hardly any effort to liquify greens and assimilate them.  If you are worried about getting complete protein, don't worry. If you are getting a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, your body knows how to gather and assemble the amino acids they provide in order to build complete protein.  (I have never heard of a protein deficient vegetarian -- or a protein deficient cow, horse or elephant for that matter!)

5. Greens contain chlorophyll.  Chlorophyll is almost identical to hemoglobin which is the part of the blood that transports oxygen to the cells.  An oxygen rich body is what we are aiming for!  Chlorophyll replenishes blood cells and  helps to bind up toxins to remove them from the body.

6. Dark leafy greens are among the most nutrient dense Foods.  Dr. Fuhrman ranks food according to nutrient density.  This list of foods is very telling!  View the list here.  Dark leafy greens are also far more affordable than all the exotic superfoods that are all the rage these days.  Don't get me wrong!  I love them all, but I can't afford them all, at least not at the same time.  Dark leafy greens are affordable and packed with nutrition! 

7. The physical benefits on the body are impressive.  I obtained the following information from The Green Smoothies Diet by Robyn Openshaw.  She polled 175 people who began using green smoothies.  These are some of the results: 85% experienced more energy; 79.5% experienced improved digestion; 65% experienced fewer cravings for sweets; 54% experienced a more positive, stable mood; 50% improved skin tone; (For simplicity in posting, I will omit the percentages in the rest of these results and just list them.) Here they are: increased desire to exercise, improved sleep, less stress, blood sugar stabilization, stronger finger nails, shinier hair, less PMS symptoms, improved sex drive, arthritis symptoms reduced or gone, reduced asthma symptoms, decreased blood pressure.  Wow!  I am impressed with this list and I haven't even mentioned everything reported!  I covered less than half of the list of benefits experienced.

When starting your green smoothie experience, begin with one eight ounce glass a day and work up to two or three glasses a day.  Once blended, I keep the unused portion in the fridge for no more than two days.  Green smoothie recipes to follow!

Enjoy the Journey!

How to Live a Long, Disease-Free Life

How do we begin to learn about living long, healthy, disease-free lives?  Well, naturally, we should look to those who are successful at it already.    There are several people groups in the world that have many healthy centenarians and rarely, if ever, suffer from the degenerative diseases we are so plagued with here in the U. S.  The Hunza people of the Himalayas are widely recognized for their longevity.  In his book The Blue Zone, Dan Beuttner examines the following groups also noted for their longevity: the Sardinians of Italy, the Okinawans of Japan, the Seventh-day Adventists of Loma Linda, CA, and the Nicoyans of Costa Rica.  I compiled a list of items that all these people groups have in common to some degree or another.  

1. Plant Based Diet: The above mentioned people groups all subsist on a plant based diet.  Their food is minimally processed, organic, and in as close to a natural state as possible.  Some of these societies do not have access to power and do not cook their food.  Therefore, their food has many live enzymes which aid in digestion and slow the process of aging.  If they eat meat at all, it comprises less than 5% of their diet.  They also eat a light dinner which means that their bodies do not have the heavy task of digesting food at night, which allows their physiological systems to focus on repairing the body during sleep hours.

2. Exercise:  People in these groups generally exercise regularly.  What surprised me is that their exercise isn't high in intensity whatsoever.  Their exercise is moderate.  They walk, garden, and get their heart rates up while busy with their daily activities.  So much for  busting my rear at the gym!

3. Strong Social Networks:  We all have a need to be connected with other people and feel that others care about us. (Reminds me of  the 80's show Cheers - "where everybody knows your name, and they're always glad you came.")  Long-lived people groups have strong family bonds and make family a primary focus in life.

4. A Positive Attitude: Longevity champions have a positive outlook on life and can laugh about situations to help deal with their stress.  Laughter is powerful.  Physiologically, it helps our bodies deal with hard situations.  Having a good sense of humor, learning to see the glass half full, and being grateful for the blessings we enjoy can go a long way toward promoting longevity.

5. A Sense of Purpose:  We all need to feel like we have a purpose - to know that our existence makes a difference during our sojourn on this planet.  This is another characteristic of the above mentioned groups. 

6. Sun Exposure:  The people groups known to live longest get vitamin D while taking their walks outside, working the fields, and gardening.  Sun exposure can help enhance sleep and ward off depression.  Despite the bad press it has gotten lately, sun exposure at the right time of day and of reasonable duration is healthful and can even help prevent cancer. Ironic, huh? (More on that in a later post). 

7. Meditation: A final quality of the groups known for  longevity is their habit of taking time to meditate.  Leaning on their faith helps them deal with the normal stresses of life.

Interested in reading more?  Pick up a copy of these excellent books: 

The Blue Zone by Dan Buettner 

50 Secrets of the World's Longest Living People by Sally Beare

Have  a great day!