Happy New Year My Friends!

I want to wish everyone a fabulous, exciting, prosperous 2013!  May you find just enough faith to bring all your dreams into reality.  Have fun tonight celebrating the New Year with your family and friends, but please be safe.  Remember, if you're going to be driving home tonight you are definitely NOT going to be the only one on the road after midnight.

With that in mind, I hope tonight you all party like we all did back in 1999!  Happy New Year to all!



Prince - 1999 by djarnaldo

World Food Day (Two Months Ago)

Obviously (and sadly) I missed this, however, I still felt that it was important to post.  As Vandana Shiva announces an event during non-GMO month, she gives good information about what the creation of GMOs are all about.

As many foodies and health freedom activists know, October is non-GMO month and October 16th is World Food Day.  During this time activists acknowledge and teach about what has been taken from us.

Vandana Shiva is one of my favorite people.  I love everything that I've ever heard her say.  As you will observe by watching this video, she not only makes her point vividly, and with passion and sophistication.  I posted this video mostly because of what she had to say about corporatism.  We should all be educated on the very fact that corporatism steals from all of us.  Corporatism steals especially from those who are not aware, because a thief will take more from those who don't realize that he is there.  Become aware, become educated, become knowledgeable, even allow yourself to be an expert if your time and energy allows and join the fight to win our food back.

Addictions

America has become a nation of addicts.  Most people that I can think of are addicted to something.  If it isn't alcohol or drugs, it's aspartame, cigarettes or food.

For most substances and addictive habits, the numbers are (thankfully) low.  About 9% of the US population uses illegal drugs.  2.7% are addicted to prescription medication.  Close to 25% of Americans are addicted to cigarettes.  3.5% are addicted to gambling.  10% adults (28% of those adults are women) admitted a sex addiction; but 70% of men visit pornographic sites on the internet.  With these numbers I can't really say that most Americans are addicted to something, but with food addictions, I can.  60% Americans are overweight and there are several researchers, doctors and nutritionists who attribute that to sugar/food addictions.  This brings the majority of Americans into the addict's circle.

Is it any wonder that the number is so high?  Consider the amount of sugar and/or artificial sweeteners (also addicting) in our food.  Also consider the fact that marijuana is now legal for recreational use in two states and that people accept the denial that it is an addictive substance.  So many of us are so used to the things that we're addicted to that we don't even realize that we are addicts.

The next time you have uncontrollable cravings for diet soda or sugary foods, consider what you feel physically and emotionally if you were to go a day without this food.  How about a week?  How about a month?  If you are starting to feel out of control without this food, you just may have a problem.  If you think that you have a problem, then it's time to go seek some help because if you have an addiction, chances are it's poisoning you in some way shape or form.

Label It!!!

One of two things happened with prop 37; either the anti-37 campaigns REALLY managed to frighten low income families or there was some fraud involved.  It's hard to know what exactly is going on.  I can easily see how the media influenced people who are less educated into believing that they won't be able to afford food anymore with all of the lies and the nonsense that Monsanto handed out as fact.

Russia as well as many other countries were all smart enough to ban GMOs, I believe most Americans are just as intelligent.  Most who know about GMOs want labels on their food.  So how is it that Monsanto keeps winning these battles?  Corporations have kept us in the dark about so many things over the last several decades; why is it so hard to believe that they are keeping most in the dark about this?

Russia bans all GM corn imports; EU may also ban Monsanto GMO in wake of shocking cancer findings

Russia will ban GMO corn imports if it hasn't been done already.  So the rest of the world knows that GMOs are poisonous and they are banning GMOs because of this.  What is up with America?  Isn't anyone in the states questioning why with so many who are against Monsanto (and their nonsense) why have we not been able to pass bills like prop 37?

Obviously, it's because the law is no longer about what the people want.  This business that American government is "for the people, by the people" is pure rigmarole.  It may have been true once and it may have been true for a long, long time; but the corporations run this nation now and it's all about what is in their best interest.  We could take a lesson from countries like Russia and Poland who are two of many countries who were both strong and intelligent enough to see through the lies and ban what they knew wasn't good for them.

In any case, I still celebrate with Russia.  NY blow against Monsanto I will consider a victory for the world.  Thank you kindly Russia!  For the contribution that you've ma de to this cause even if a contribution was not your intention.

Russia bans all GM corn imports; EU may also ban Monsanto GMO in wake of shocking cancer findings

Kentner Farms Colorado Honey & Beekeeping supplies

I've been thinking about raising bees for honey.  I couldn't do it from my current home, but when we are ready to move I want to look for land that will allow me to do this.

I admit I'm deathly afraid of getting stung.  I've never been stung by a bee or wasp before and I'm not looking to start now; but with Monsanto killing off bees, and my learning how to raise food, I may as well learn how to produce my own honey too, right?  Who knows, it may turn out to be fun!  I may even learn to love the busy little critters.

Kentner Farms Colorado Honey & Beekeeping supplies

What They Don't Tell You About Naturopathy

My husband started coughing on Thursday the week before last.  Immediately, I prepared myself for the possibility that I may catch what he had.  He was in bed all of the following Saturday and Sunday; he even started to feel a little better on Monday, then last Tuesday, it was like his body just had a total collapse.  He came home early and was barely able to speak or breathe.  He tried to rely on sleep and N*ghtquil to get better, which evidently wasn't a good choice.

I actually felt like I was coming down with something by Saturday.  I took some goldenseal, put a few drops of garlic water in each nostril and gave myself what I call the "fake fever" treatment the whole night.  On Sunday I drank some more goldenseal and had no symptoms until the evening.  Not wanting to get ill, I drank more goldenseal, took more garlic water and this time I did a castor oil pack on top of the fake fever. Monday I had a little bit of a cough, some achy muscles (which was the worst symptom and yet it wasn't too bad) and I may have even had a fever.  These symptoms told me that whatever my husband had was really something quite nasty.  People don't experience achy muscles when they have a little cold.  I shouldn't have been surprised when he came home early from work last week.

I chose alternative treatments, my hubby took the mainstream route.  I'm getting over a small cough, his was so bad that for days he could hardly talk or breathe.  Obviously, naturopathy isn't the hocus-pocus nonsense that some people label it to be.  If one takes the advice of a naturopathic professional, I am confident that one would be well.  As many of you know, I defeated strep throat last year with goldenseal powder and strep was one of the few diseases that I thought wasn't treatable with naturopathy.

I am going to continue treating myself until I get over this completely, but my husband is taking mainstream prescription meds.  I want him to get well, but it's really up to him to make that choice.

Homeopathy: Healing Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Fighting illness or poor health conditions is difficult and frustrating enough, but when you're trying to fight it AND fatigue it could feel like a losing battle.  The fatigue alone just throws a spoon in everything.  It would be pretty cool if homeopathy could help me to get rid of fatigue and candida overgrowth.  It won't make my life perfect, but it would certainly make it easier to strive for a healthier me... even if the homeopathy only works temporarily.

I'll keep searching and keep posting about what I find and accomplish.

Homeopathy: Healing Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Influenza

I desperately miss the days when I could stand next to someone who is coughing and hacking and not feel even the slightest concern about getting sick.  Now, if my husband comes home coughing, I need to brace myself and hope for the best.  The "best" these days is usually that I don't get as sick as he gets; and this time ironically, I didn't.

Once I felt the scratchy throat hit; I drank some goldenseal powder, wrapped myself in warm clothes, blasted the heater directly on me and went to sleep.  Luckily, when I woke up my scratchy throat wasn't as scratchy; I was sniffling a little though. By the end of the week, I had a slight cough and now my voice is half gone.  Still, I wasn't nearly as sick as my husband was.  I didn't experience the pain that he was complaining about, nor did I cough as much as he.  Whatever it was that he had, it was nasty.  Thank goodness I only went through a fraction of what he did, but I just wish my body would go back to the disease fighting machine that it was not so long ago.

I urge all of you to take care of your thyroid.  I don't know if thyroid issues are the main culprit or it's just the fact that my body simply despises winter seasons as it always has but I'm sure neither issue is helpful in this matter. I need to go back to my old healthy condition.  I hope, hope, hope that my body finds its way back to that someday soon.

Homeopathy and Practitioners

Samuel Hahnemann created homeopathy long before we put the "new" in New Age.  In the late 18th century Hahnemann stumbled upon this system while observing the treatment for malaria.  He observed that cinchona bark will treat an individual with malaria, but it will create the symptoms of malaria in a healthy individual.

There are many different kinds of homeopathic treatments today for many different ailments.  I don't advise using homeopathy to treat anything unless under the guidance of a physician (or homeopathy specialist) with very little exception.

If you are looking for homeopathic treatment, click *here* to find a practitioner.

Understanding Candida II

Here is more information on candida, how it operates and becomes dangerous if unstable.  The following video just gives some basic information about candida.

I believe that the most important thing to understand is how to maintain sustainable levels.  If candida levels in the body are normal, then the body will remain healthy.  Somewhere along the way in my life, candida overgrowth became an issue.  Now it is a battle to keep levels normal.

This video gave me some further insight about candida overgrowth.  I also found that there may be some homeopathy treatments for candida which would be awesome!  I will post more later.  Enjoy the video!

Understanding Candida

Dr. Doug put a whole new light on my understanding of candida.  I never really thought of it as a "good" thing, but I suppose we have fungal and bacterial flora in our bodies for a reason.  I always thought that the bacterial cultures were the sugar eaters.  I didn't realize that candida helps with that.

Homeopathy Basics

I can promise you that homeopathy is different from any other tablet that you have and will ever take.  First of all, it is different because it is SO powerful.  Second, traditional medicine usually counter acts the illness, while homeopathy doesn't always do that.  Third, it is different because of the way you take it.

Homeopathy is very, very powerful; therefore with few exceptions I don't take it without the guidance of a physician.  I've taken some homeopathy without the instruction of a doctor such as Arnica.  I suffered a very small oral injury a few years ago that left a tiny bruise and slightly broken skin.  Somehow this minor injury turned into an inflamed canker sore that made my whole jaw stiff.  My doctor gave me some instructions (and herbs) to heal the sore and with it, he gave me some homeopathy for the pain.  I spoke to him again when I got home, and it turns out that the arnica that I had in my purse the whole time was even more potent treatment for the pain that what he gave me.  I've kept arnica around my house in case of pain ever since.

There are many different types of homeopathy, but only two that I've taken (usually under the advise of a physician).  The two kinds that I've taken are constitutional homeopathy and combination homeopathy.  The way I understand constitutional is it treats illness by introducing a very small amount of a natural toxic substance that creates similar symptoms.  As the body fights the toxin, it also fights off the illness with similar symptoms as well.  Two physicians suggested that most (if not all) constitutional treatments require no more than one dose.  It is actually that powerful.  I've taken constitutional homeopathy once (maybe twice) and I remember experiencing VERY immediate and profound results.  

Homeopathy can be described as unique because of the WAY that the tablets must be taken.  You NEVER touch a homeopathy tablet with your bare skin; if you do you may expect it not to work.  One must wait 15 to 30 minutes after the last time one put anything in one's mouth (the only exception is clean water) before taking it and one must wait 15 to 30 minutes after taking it before one can put anything in one's mouth.  Directions usually instruct to put the tablet under the tongue and just allow the tablet to dissolve.  It isn't an unpleasant taste either, it simply tastes like a sugar pill.

These are just some basics for those who are new to the world of homeopathy.  I'm sure that your physician gave instructions that are complete and more in depth even if I wasn't, but I thought that I'd share for those who are considering.  This way you are more informed and can ask your physician more specific questions about homeopathy.  

Liver Flush

Due to a doctor recommended detox, I've recently been feeling fatigued and achy.  I've been desperate for anything that would get me back on my feet again.  I tried a gentle but powerful liver flush last night followed by an all night castor oil pack and it worked.  It's amazing what your body can do when you take care of your liver.

The liver flush I chose was very simple and gentle; but it was also powerful. I mixed about a half a cup of olive oil with a half a cup of organic grapefruit juice together in a pint sized jar and drank that down last night.  Then I did a castor oil pack over my liver and abdomen.  The following day I made sure to drink like a fish.  I felt a little fatigued and crampy this morning (which was expected), but by mid-day I was back on my feet. Now I feel like I can take on the world!

I didn't do the massive flushes that I've read about and seen people do, for I didn't feel like my body could handle that right now.  I've heard about the flushes where people drink about a tablespoon of Epsom salt to a quart of water or the grapefruit juice (or lemon works too) with the oil in larger amounts (like about a quart of that mixture) and follow with a coffee enema in the morning.  You could really flush a lot of junk out of your liver that way, but I would imagine that you could also damage your liver if you don't know what you are doing.  The small amount that I used went a long way and helped tremendously.

Whether you chose to do a big or small flush make sure that you check with your naturopathic doctor first.  Always get plenty of guidance on your healthcare programs.

Embrace The Dark... No, Really!

Sleep is so, so important.  I never knew how important until recently when I started getting some sleep.  There is such a huge difference in my life when I get sleep.  When I have a good night sleep, I actually LIKE running, I want to accomplish things and I even feel happy and healthy.

What I didn't know was how important it was to sleep in total darkness at night.  I didn't realize that that was as important as getting light during the day!  How amazing that the way the world turns and the way our bodies function go together so beautifully.  This is why what is BEST for us is almost always that which was provided for us in nature.

I feel that this video is so important because we don't give sleep the regard that it deserves.  People sleep for five to six hours per night and believe that it's enough.  I didn't know that even a little light in the middle of the night can disrupt melatonin production and that this can create problems.

It's amazing how everything in nature really works together; how we need the light in the daytime as much as the dark at night.  I've learned so much from this video.  I hope you find it as enlightening.

Dr. Oz Flip Flops as High-Profile Attacks on Organic Food Intensify

My mother is the one who originally tried to get me into Dr. Oz's show.  I admit when I started watching, I really didn't like him; I mainly didn't trust him.  When I heard him give a talk on the dangers of sugar, THAT'S when I started to really listen.

I was so surprised that he was able to get away with so much on national television!  For example, he got away with warning people against GMOs, encouraging people to eat organic when possible and he even invites acupuncturists and NDs to his show to talk about another side of medicine.  NONE of this is stuff that Big Corporate likes.  I knew something eventually had to give, either he needed to take his show to PBS like all of the other brilliant doctors and scientists or he would crack under pressure and start professing the rigmarole that "they" want him to; like all the other puppets.  Sadly, it looks like he is starting to do the latter (see the article below).

Dr. Oz Flip Flops as High-Profile Attacks on Organic Food Intensify

Imagine a World Without Eyeglasses

I remember in high school when I realized how many kids at school wore glasses.  It was often more than half the kids that I saw walking down the hall and at times it was a majority of the kids in some of my classes.  I actually questioned this.  I've seen the sit-coms and the after school specials about the kid who didn't want to wear glasses for fear of being different.  So I wondered why that wasn't the case in MY school.  Getting glasses only made you more like everyone else.

So why were there so many kids who needed glasses?  Was it always like this throughout history?  Are there as many animals in the wild who need specticals to see where they are walking, flying, creeping, crawling, swiming or slithering?  Then why are we so different?

When I saw the following eye-opening video (so to speak), I remembered all of these questions.  I was astounded, but Dr. Mercola answered them in the way that Dr. Mercola always does; with research to back his every word!  Enjoy!

The War Against HPV

When I think of all of the women who died from the Gardasil vaccine, it makes me very sad and it frustrates me to no end.  A doctor scared one girl by telling her that she could catch it by doing her lab class.  The information the doctor gave was obviously a lie, but the poor 22 year old girl placed trust in him not knowing this.  I don't know if the doctor was the liar or if that was a lie passed on to him from Big Pharma, but it was a lie nonetheless and it ruined her life.  She is now so sick from Gardasil that she is confined to her house but in a way lucky to be alive.

I've had HPV.  They found it during my pregnancy.  I felt great concern because I wasn't sure what naturopathic doctors do about it.  Fortunately, at the time, two doctors told me that HPV is perfectly treatable.  There are antiviral protocols that can get rid of the virus.

Thanks to my current doctor the HPV has been gone for months.  It can be scary, confusing and lonesome when you find out that you have it, but this is why I felt that it is important to share.  About 80% of all sexually active women have HPV; but 90% of those who have it heal from it on their own.  The other 10% may carry it for longer or may even experience dysphasia (genital warts) which can be nerve wrecking if you know so little about it.  Even then, if you see your naturopathic doctor, they can help you get rid of it pretty easily.

So don't freak out if and when your doctor says that you have HPV; just go and see your naturopathic doctor.  They can quite easily treat it or they may not do much but help you change your diet to help your body get rid of it on its own.

December's Book "Homeopathy Cures: Where Allopathy Fails"

"Homeopathy Cures: Where Allopathy Fails" is the name of December's book.  Just the title alone sings to me; I love it!  Again, I believe that mainstream medicine has it's place in the world, but it isn't nearly as effective as its creators make it out to be.

I feel that it is tragic when mainstream is imposed upon people.  Worse still is when the ramifications are catastrophic; like in the case of the deaths and irreversible illnesses that are caused by vaccines.

I love treatments that are designed by people who know science and think outside the box.  I can name several who are all my heroes.  Books like this just give some additional insight that are usually helpful in ways that I never knew it could be.


Homeopathy Cures: Where Allopathy Fails

The Heat Wave II

I believe I saw my doctor about two days after I posted the Holly Lucille video.  By crazy coincidence, she was the second to instruct me to start using a castor oil pack.  The one thing that made me a little sad was that she suggested a heating pad because the hot water bottle wasn't going to deliver the sustained heat that was necessary.  I was way too frightened to use the electrical heating pad because of the amount of warnings that I've heard and read about heating pads, electric blankets, hair dryers and digital alarm clocks that sit by your head while you sleep.

I started doing some research on heating pads that aren't hazardous.  I asked my husband to help me research this as well so that I could find something soon and start applying the castor oil pack ASAP.  He found this Heat Wave II for twenty dollars.  You just click a silver button in the pack and VOILA! there is heat.  I actually did something wrong the first time that I used it, yet somehow it worked for my benefit.  I boiled the heat pack (which the instruction says to do to reset it), but then I used the pack right away instead of letting it cool to room temperature.  After an hour, it was the perfect temperature for use.  I wrapped it in a towel and put it over the castor oil soaked wool, and it stayed warm for hours.  This worked to my advantage because if it did get cool, I just had to flex the button which would make it warm again.

The one thing that I'm not crazy about is whatever chemical is used in this pack.  It's suppose to be sodium acetate and water (which can be made from stuff in your kitchen), but I still want to research more about it.  I'm using the heating pad anyway and I still recommend it as an alternative to those electric heating pads.  I guess there isn't such think as a perfect product, but I'm very, very happy with this one.

Building Blood

If you're like me, you may look at the title of this post and think "What the heck is THAT suppose to mean???"  I would've thought the same thing if it weren't for my prior training in Shiatsu.

It is a saying used in TCM (traditional Chinese medicine).  Symptoms like fatigue and fibroids are considered symptoms of "weak" blood.  Acupuncturists or TCM practitioners may do things to help you "bulid the blood" which will essentially create a balance that will end in vibrant health.  My acupuncturist encourages my "building blood" because of my symptoms of fatigue.  Since I've been doing as she says down to the letter, I've been experiencing more energy.  This past week, however, the fatigue came back quite forcefully.  I just found out yesterday that I'm fighting off a few pathogens (virus, bacteria, candida overgrowth AND a parasite).  When she told me this, I was surprised that fatigue was my only symptom.  In some weird way, that tells me that I AM healthier.  So I'm going to continue building blood, but I will also increase my vegetable intake.  I've been eating mostly cultured vegetables, but I am feeling the need for much more.

Building blood isn't easy, but it is very possible when you stick with the medical protocol.  I've experienced a difference in so many ways.  I just hope that the more I build, the less likely I am to experience these pathogen invasions.

Idiocracy (part II)

In the last post we discussed the chemical dumbing down of society and the decline of education.  In the following video, there is an example of how the entertainment that we choose is very close to common entertainment in idiocracy.

Neither my husband nor I watch television because it simply doesn't do one thing for either of us.  We don't like the crude nature of television shows nor the half truths that is imposed on us by the evening news.  We buy some television shows on DVD, but even some of those shows have some level of crudity in it because this is what people enjoy today.  It really is a bummer.  People are far more crude and sarcastic and this is what we see as entertainment; very, very sad.

Again we may not be too, too far from this reality as the video below demonstrates.  The good news is that we can stop this.  As we educate ourselves and heal we CAN rise above this kind of mentality.  I hope we do; I would hate for my future descendants to end up like what is presented.

Idiocracy

I saw the movie "Idiocracy" a few months ago.  It's not normally the kind of thing that I enjoy because it was so crude, however, I watched it because it made a few points that seem to be frighteningly accurate.  Idiocracy is set approximately 500 years in the future.  The sad reality is, we are heading very quickly toward an idiocracy even now.  At the rate that we are going, it can happen and one could make an argument that there are signs of it even now.

For starters, the foods that we eat (sugar, fluoride and arsenic) are contributing to the dumbing down of society.  Fluoride reduces IQ and murders the abilities of the thyroid which makes people seem lazy (and causes weight gain) because a common hypothyroid symptom is fatigue.  Sugar maintains learning disabilities and may even have a hand in causing them.  In one study, school age students did significantly better on the TOVA test (Test of Variables of Attention), when refined sugar was simply removed from their diet.  So if fluoride reduces IQ, if sugar reduces the ability to learn and if these two ingredients are in almost EVERYTHING that Americans consume; we would be foolish to believe that we aren't creating a generation of people who can not think clearly.  I'm sad to say that toxic food and water is just the beginning.  The thimerosal in vaccines LITERALLY destroys brain cells.  Remember an earlier post of mine about how mercury causes neuron degeneration?  Haven't we tripled the amount of vaccines in the schedule over the last 20 years?  That means we have way increased the amount of mercury that we are voluntarily injecting into our babies' systems.  In other words we are chemically disabling an entire generation.  Although some can handle these chemicals better than others, the increase in the schedule will cause a considerable decrease in the number of children who can handle it (which is why autism shot from 1 in 5000 children back in 1980 to 1 in 100 children today).  When young students have trouble in school, the answer most often seems to be medication; which is interesting since most of those psychotropic drugs are full of fluoride which only further depletes the IQ and further damages the thyroid.  On top of that, our education system is allowing functionally illiterate students graduate high school at alarming numbers which means that many of our education systems are failing.

I'm still not even scraping the surface yet, but let's put together the points that I've made so far:  There is the decline of IQ (sugar and fluoride) and brain power (vaccines) in conjunction with the decline in the education system.  Putting all of this together, how can we not expect near future generations to end up as an idiocracy?

Yes, the movie is a comedy.  I got a chuckle out of it, but for the most part I was horrified.  There were many parts of the movie that hit too close to home as it demonstrated a track that I see many are already on.

Uterine Fibroids

I've been struggling with uterine fibroids.  They are SUCH a major pain; I mean that both figuratively and there was a time when they were quite literally physically painful.

I've been searching for ways to shrink them.  I had a breast fibroid that a brilliant accupuncturist in San Diego shrunk very easily.  I never realized that uterine fibroids were so different and difficult to shrink; I simply believe that it is possible to shrink them.  I have found information that is encouraging.

Dr. Holly Lucille is awesome.  I didn't know about this video, but I've been doing most of what she said to do.  One suggestion that Lucille made was using a castor oil pack; my acupuncturist also suggested this very recently.  I will be making that a part of my program.

If you are fighting uterine fibroids, Dr. Lucille gives some wonderful information in the following video.  I hope you find it as enlightening and helpful as I did.

Biokleen Bio-mistake

There is more disappointing news for those of us who use natural products.  I loved my Biokleen products.  I believe I even did a post about them two years ago when this blog was still new.  I'm sorry to post that I can no longer use their products because of a change in formula.


I used their products because their ingredients were all natural.  Their clever use of oils and enzymes got my dishes and clothes clean without the use of harsh chemicals and synthetic ingredients.  They now put SLS (Sodium Laurel Sulfate) in their dish and laundry detergents.  The people who used to buy their products to avoid this nasty stuff will hopefully stop buying Biokleen products before they become ill from it.

I truly wish that Biokleen would honor the very thing that drove consumers to them.  When I called and asked why they would do this, they said they felt that in order to "keep up with modern technology" and to "make their product more effective" that it was time to "update" their formula since they haven't updated their formula in years.  I asked if there was any pressure or force to do this and I was told that there was not (not that they would tell me if there was).  It still makes little sense to me that while so many companies that sell to health food stores are taking SLS out of their products they decided that it was time to put it in.  I will truly miss what biokleen was.  

If you are a Biokleen customer, be sure to check your Biokleen products to make sure it is the old formula and not the new one; especially if you use it to avoid the junk that they now add to their products.

Hope on Turkey Day

To be clear, I'm calling it "turkey day" to be festive; but I do understand why we celebrate Thanksgiving day.  I also understand that America's liberty is currently being challenged (to say the least).  I still refuse to let go of hope.

All the good, bad and frustrating stuff that we are all going through right now is all for a purpose.  I believe that with all of my heart or I wouldn't still be living in America.  I've been given opportunities to leave the country and reluctantly turned it down.  Don't get me wrong, it was tempting to go and a part of me wonders if I should still look for another back door in case more liberties are challenged in this "Obama-nation" that is currently America, but I'm choosing to make peace with my choice to stay.  I just chose to place more faith in the God that I know and pray to.  I dare to believe that this country's situation will be healed and that we will ALL be free again; not just those of us who choose not to see our liberty under fire, but ALL Americans.  I want to declare my gratitude for everything and everyone who fed that hope and encouraged me to keep going.

I've been very sad about the recent battles that were lost to corporatism, but a few lost battles doesn't determine who won the war.  The number of enlightened and tired American citizens are increasing.  My hope is that soon those numbers will overwhelm the sick people who aren't looking out for global best interest but instead have selfish interest in money and power.  History tells me that no matter how many years it may take, such people always lose in the end and so I will dare to believe that it is so in this case as well.

Happy Birthday BWMF!

Yesterday was Be Well My Friends 2nd anniversary!  I've grown so much since I've started this project and I'm still learning so much about the good, the bad and the ugly about the world of health and health care.  It is  a burden that I'm grateful for and I hope to be a significant contribution to the world of health.

I know that I'm a day late celebrating the anniversary of BWMFs, but I chose to use that as an excuse to play my favorite Alvin and the Chipmunks Birthday song.  I know nothing of the original artists of this song, I hope that you all enjoy it whether you do or not.

Happy Thanksgiving

Hope everyone has a happy healthy Thanksgiving!  I'll be back after the weekend!

The Veggie and Meat Diet

As I've said in prior posts, I was told by health providers to cook my vegetables because of my digestive issues.  I'm trying to figure out ways around that so that I can eat them as close to their raw form as I can.  I find that fermented vegetables are very easy to digest so I tend to eat most of my veggies fermented.  I don't have as many issues with nausea or indigestion when my veggies are fermented.  Just so that I'm not eating the same veggies every night, I've been playing around with different combinations of veggies.  I now have some fresh cilantro and I'm looking forward to using that in a batch as well as in some other things as well.

When your diet consists of nothing but meat and vegetables, it can get boring... at least in the beginning.  I am figuring out some ways to add some variety to my menu, but it is still in progress.  I'm on the verge of some really nice recipes to share, but it may take a while before I get it just right.

Cilantro

I was reading about cilantro today and was surprised about what I found.  Because it is a lovely dark green herb, I knew it had to have some power in it's nutritional and medicinal value.  It turns out that I was correct about that.  What was shocking was that cilantro is also known as coriander which is another curry spice!

I've used fresh cilantro in homemade sauerkraut and to add flavor to many different dishes; but I've also used coriander in my curry all along never knowing that they are the same.  The difference may be that the herb is called cilantro, but the seed is where we get the coriander spice.  What is so amazing about this to me is that I've been talking about how healthy and wonderful curry is, but I was referring to the turmeric and the cardamom.  Now I'm learning that cilantro also plays a part.  Like the other two, it's also a digestive aid, high in antioxidants and it's also a detoxifying herb.

I thought of adding cilantro to my sprouted breads to add to the flavor.  I suppose that it is in fact a wonderful idea because it will also tremendously add to the nutrition in my breads.

Cardamom

Yet another curry spice that is as medicinal as it is delicious.  It's funny how I've been eating curry my entire life and never knew how wonderfully healthy it is!  I talked about turmeric in an earlier post; but the more I found out about turmeric, the more I found out about cardamom as well.

I found a variety of ways that people use cardamom medicinally.  Several Ayurveda and herbal medicine sources say that it helps digestion, circulation and halitosis.  There was at least one source that also said that it kills candida which is why I include it in my turmeric milk.  I admit I found it most interesting that several sources also say that it can actually fight cancer because turmeric was used for just that in the 20th century in the elixir Essiac.  I don't remember cardamom mentioned as a part of the recipe.  Then again, I found several recipes for Essiac (all of which included turmeric) and I'm not entirely sure which one was used by Rene Caisse; in other words, for all I know cardamom could have been an ingredient in the one that she used.

So cardamom is yet another spice that should be included in the diet.  Try it with your lentils, chick peas or if you are a carnivore like me, curry chicken and curry goat are also very yummy.  Apparently, on top of being yummy, they are also very, very healthy!

Stevia

I'm the first to admit that I didn't always like stevia.  It always kind of had a weird after taste that I couldn't tolerate.  At first I couldn't understand why everyone kept saying that this stuff was sweet because I found it to be so bitter.  I recently realized that stevia is SO sweet that when you apply too much it can have a flavor that's almost... well... bitter!  A few pinches of stevia is all that is needed to sweeten things.  When I did this, my food was sweet again.  I guess I truly am a product of a culture that likes to overdo things!

Liberty Is In ICU

I was fervently hoping for this man to become president.  I don't understand those who speak ill of him.  I don't understand who could possibly not want liberty which is all Dr. Paul fights for.  Liberty is so important right now for those of us who would like to live a healthy lifestyle; which is why it is very relevant to all that I post on this site.  Then again, liberty is so central to any part of life so it really doesn't exclude anyone that I can think of.  The only people liberty may exclude are those who don't really want to take care of themselves; in other words those who want the government to take care of everything for them.

Our liberty is seriously in ICU.  We can revive it IF we can learn to see through our leaders and stop accepting the undercurrent of tyranny that is imposed upon America.  This is a one hour presentation.  Ron Paul goes John Galt and says goodbye to congress.  I can't say that I blame him, but I am very sad for America.

Not Missing Bread

I noticed how I've lost my taste for bread recently.  This was fascinating to me because it wasn't very long ago that I stopped eating bread.  The only bread that I've been eating for the last four months is manna.  I just like how it tastes and my body prefers it to bread; my body prefers it even to sprouted breads.  Manna, as you know, is sprouted as well, but it is baked at a much lower temperature.  This one little thing makes all the difference.

I guess bread wasn't really something my body ever really needed.  I'm trying to figure out how to make all kinds of breads and pastries from sprouted grain so that I won't have a need for bread at all.  In the meantime, I just buy sunseed Manna.  Of course I won't buy as much once I perfect some of the recipes that I've been experimenting with.

DIY Mouthwash

Mouthwash, for some, isn't essential, but it can be very helpful.  Here is one of MANY recipes for mouthwash that I'm looking forward to trying.

Making my own toothpowder and mouthwash are two projects that are on my list, but I haven't even started trying them yet.  I'm still researching because I want to make one with ingredients that are best for my mouth because I happen to take meticulously good care of my teeth.  I brush, floss and use a bacterial fighting oil on my teeth daily and I do oil pulling once per week.  I was shocked when my hygienist was scraping during my last trip to the dentist.  She teased me a little for being so worried before she told me that I barely had any tartar on my teeth at all.  That told me that at least I'm on the right track.

I hope the following video is helpful on your journey toward creating your own oral hygiene products.  Enjoy!

How to Make a Non-Toxic Mouthwash -- powered by ehow

Second Month For Dobbins

I would like to feature Lee Anne Dobbins' book again in November for several reasons.  First, I've been unavailable for what seems like weeks (although I believe it was only a few days).  Second, there are so many other herbs that I'm aching to explore.  Third, I've had such a good response to the posts about healing herbs.  Fourth, in my research, I found herbs that are healing my poor sore back and several other ailments.

I look forward to digging more deeply into this subject.  I find it faci

Vacation

I apologize for the time that I took from this blog, but I needed some personal time away.  I took a break and started again realizing immediately that it was too soon.  I needed more time.  Between the disappointing results of the election, Monsanto's victory with prop 37, the hurricane on the east coast, plus other difficulties that I faced in my personal life all hitting me simultaneously, I needed to just take a break for a few days.  I think I had the time that I needed so desperately and I believe I really back now.  I say that with caution because you never know WHEN life will throw you another curve ball and I got hit a couple of times trying to catch a storm of them recently.

I'm truly grateful for your patience, interest and dedication.

Don't Worry Be Healthy

I've always felt that happiness is fickle.  One could be happy about something before little bad news can spoil an entire week and this can happen all within a short moment.  We all strive for happiness on some level, but I just don't feel that happiness is enough to strive for.

I've always found it to be more effective to strive for a healthy life than a happy life.  A healthy individual; or one who has a healthy body, thinks healthy thoughts, creates healthy relationships and makes many other healthy choices can't help but be happy.  The happiest times in my life is when I experienced vibrant health.

The nature of the "pursuit of happiness" trap set up by the pushers of corporatism is so powerful.  They illustrate what happiness looks like via television and magazines and then they convince you that it could be you!  Yes, you could be this beautiful, you could be this cool, you could be this sexy and you can live this life if you are willing to spend some money.  Most of us are so convinced that it's true, but we spend and spend and our happiness plummets because we can't seem to reach the goal.  Even when we do reach the goal, it isn't what "they" said it was going to be and we're still dissatisfied.  Diet soda is a great example.  "Drink all the diet cola that you want" they say, "there are ZERO calories!"  Meanwhile, they don't tell you that diet drinks are highly addictive and they actually contribute to weight gain; so this only puts people on a vicious cycle of purchasing with hope followed by disappointment.

When your goal is health, you strive to cope with the stressors in life that can make you unhappy.  You strive to take a moment to notice the laughing children like the ones in the video below.  You can take a moment to observe the sun when you are 10 minutes late for a class.  Believe me, strive for your health and happiness will follow!

From Scratch

There are so many things I'm trying to learn how to make from scratch.  On one hand, it's kind of a bummer that I can't just go out and buy something like make-up without having to worry about the ramifications.  On the other hand, when I can make something like toothpowder or bread using whole, clean ingredients, I feel so much safer using it.  I also have a great sense of satisfaction using it because I made something that I'm confident is wonderful.

Some of the items on my list of things to learn to make from scratch include bread, make-up and snacks that nourish and heal.  These aren't the only items on the list, but they happen to be some of the items on the top of my list.  I'm making progress figuring out the bread.  I'm still learning about making make-up and I'm actually just perfecting some of the healing snack recipes.

There are certain recipes that I am determined to have perfected by January.  I'm looking forward to spending a lot of time next year sharing these recipes with as many people as I can.

How Did Prop 37 Lose?

What is happening America?  How, how, how did prop 37 lose?  Why do we so blindly believe in EVERYTHING that these corporations tell us?  I'm very frightened about what is happening to this country. We had a chance; we HAD a chance to beat Monsanto and a majority of California decided to believe in their lies.  Hooooow???

Mourning The Loss Of Liberty

It's very frightening to see what is happening to the US.  I miss the days when I could care less who was elected.  This one year when it was so important to elect ANYONE but the one man who doesn't have this country's best interest at heart, the very man was elected.

Are we so addicted to the things that are anything but good for us that we are willing to sabotage the whole nation to get it?  Are we so desperate for Obamaphones and Obamacare that we don't care about the people who pay for it even thought they don't need it or use it?  I'm scared to death of what Obamacare could mean for the people who don't want to vaccinate their babies.  I'm scared for our school aged children, I'm scared for the financial state of this country and I'm scared that a majority of this country will blindly choose for corporatism to take over as it has been slowly.  I'm scared what that could mean for those of us who are fighting it with everything that we have only too see it come to fruition.

I truly hope that the next four years aren't as bad as I'm imagining, but I already know that it's going to be some ride and I'm not looking forward to it.

A friend of mine shared this quote on fb today:


"Do not blame Caesar, blame the people of Rome who have so enthusiastically acclaimed and adored him and rejoiced in their loss of freedom and danced in his path and given him triumphal processions.... Blame the people who hail him when he speaks in the Forum of the “new wonderful good society” which shall now be Rome’s--interpreted to mean 'more money, more ease, more security, and more living fatly at the expense of the industrious.'"

~Marcus Tullius Cicero

Election Day

I encourage everyone to vote today.  I know that the choice isn't easy for health freedom advocates.  I spent weeks wrestling with the pros and cons, made peace with my decision and voted.  It doesn't look like the man I so avidly support is going to win; therefore there is little hope for 2012.  However, because people are increasingly becoming desirous of liberty from the chains of corporatism I have hope for 2016. 

This gives me hope because more and more Americans are waking up from a world that isn't real.  Most of us live, like it or not, in a most repulsive world where we are so "cared for" that we are forbidden to cross the street unless we are holding the hand of our government.  Why do I need the governments hand when I have the sense and the skills to look both ways and cross by myself?  I hope for a president that lets go of the grasp on my liberty and allows me to take the risk and cross at my leisure; especially if I am confident enough to assume responsibility for myself if I get hit.

I still pray for a free America as oppose to an America that only lives with an illusion of liberty.  Until I see this America manifest, I will not give up that hope.  In the meantime, if a certain socialist politician wins office for the next four years I may feel the overwhelming inspiration to utter the words "Who is John Golt?"

No Paraben, No Propyls

No paraben, no propyl was on the top of the requirement list today when I ventured looking for make-up.  It's not as hard to find make-up without hydrogenated oils anymore (thank the Lord!), but I find it difficult to find make-up without propyls and paraben.

I don't wear make-up very often, but when I need to (for photos and such), it's reeeeally difficult to find.  If I had more time I may have purchased some clean make-up online to have handy in the event that I would need it.  I used to love Ecco Bella's products.  I purchased VERY clean make-up from them.  They admitted to putting paraben in their eyeliner, so I simply didn't purchase any of their eyeliner.  The problem is, I can't seem to find Ecco Bella anywhere anymore.  I left many of my favorite products in San Diego unfortunately.

I'm actually considering just making my own make-up.  A friend of mine gave me some tips on how to do it a few years ago and I have a few ideas of my own, but it's just a matter of finding colors that go well with my skin.  

Will FDA’s “Grandfathered” Ingredients Rule Mean No More Real Vitamin E?

It's news like the article below that makes many third world countries look like a far better place to live than here.  Here in "The Land Of The Free" we are suppose to obtain nutrients in any way that we see fit; however, if it is too "dangerous" for us to consume the government comes to our rescue.  I'm still trying to understand HOW this is suppose to make me feel safe.  I'm not 16 anymore, I don't need anyone telling me what to eat and what not to eat.  Just give me the 411 on different foods and let me make the choice for myself and my family.

The following article created one of those days where I just wanna scream.

Will FDA’s “Grandfathered” Ingredients Rule Mean No More Real Vitamin E?

Sorrel

I loooooove sorrel!  It's very popular in Jamaica.  My auntie used to make it at Christmas; if I remember correctly (I can't remember the last time I've had her sorrel).  I remember the first time I tried it, I was so afraid that I was going to finish the entire gallon that my auntie made (she didn't add rum to that batch, but I've tried sorrel both with and without rum and it was ALWAYS delicious!).  Thank goodness, she had another gallon stored away because I actually ended up finishing almost three pints of the one that was sitting before me!

I wanted to post a video that gives a sorrel recipe because it is such great stuff (it's both tasty and healthy).  What I liked about this video in particular was the ingredients that this couple added.  They added some of the herbs that we talked about last month that are nutritional, medicinal and aid disease prevention.  I like the presentation and I liked the presenters as well.  I've never come across any of this couple's other videos, but I think they are just too adorable!  They don't sound like they are from Jamaica; at least not in any part of Jamaica that I've been to, yet it wouldn't tremendously surprise me if they were Jamaican.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the video and the charming presenters!

 

Super-Cool Cloves

Cloves are often seen in those honey baked hams that I don't eat (since pork isn't my favorite thing).  They are wonderfully tasty and savory herbs, as we all know, but I admit I wasn't aware of their highly medicinal value.

Did you know that cloves were used to heal circulatory problems?  They are also antibacterial, anti-fungal and antiviral agents in cloves.  These herbs are very high in antioxidants, which is good for your EVERYTHING!  Several sources even spoke of how because it stimulates the circulatory system it also makes it an aphrodisiac.  My absolute favorite thing about cloves, however, which is why I'm going to make a point to eat more of them, is its healing properties for digestion.  I'll be including cloves in my next glass of turmeric milk!

Happy Halloween

Once again we purchased a dried fruit snack to give as treats to the kiddos.  There aren't many kids in this neighborhood so we don't need to purchase many; but it's good to know that there is a way that we can encourage others to enjoy this holiday without the junk.  At least dried fruit snacks can offer some sort of nutritional benefit.

I hope your Halloween is as safe and healthy!

Another ND on the Way!

I had to post this comment that I took as a GREAT compliment a few weeks back.  It was in reference to my post entitled Why Holistic: ND vs. MD.  I remembered willfully trying not to be harsh about MDs' practices especially since there are so many amazing MDs out there whom I wish the best.  At the same time, I was also very honest about my observation.

Here was the comment:

This convinced me to apply to Naturopathic Medical School. Thank you for this highly informative and encouraging post!

...and my response:

Yay! That makes me so happy! We need more good NDs in this world.

You may already know which school you would like to attend, but in case you are looking for more choices there are websites on my Wellness Avenues page  that list accredited schools in the country and I THINK one in Canada.

Good luck to you, my friend!

Royal Raymond Rife and His Healing Machine

Royal Raymond Rife postulated that at the heart of every cancer tumor, was a virus.  Of course, the medical community mocked him for it just like they mocked many other brilliant scientists; but that did not make his theory untrue.  For the very reasons he was mocked, today many praise and admire him for being decades ahead of his time.

Once he realized that this virus is necessary to keep the cancer cell alive, he started coming up with ways of defeating cancer without the use of toxic drugs or invasive surgery.  He created a machine that creates a frequency that kills unwanted microbes without harming healthy cells.  One would believe that if he came up with such an incredible find, he would have riches to boast about.  Royal Rife died a pauper, but he left behind his legacy that very few know about today.

Turmeric Milk Comments

I tried the turmeric milk and WOW was it good!  I'm a little too afraid to try my normal sweeteners in it right  now so I used stevia, but it was STILL good!

Turmeric is a candida killer as I've addressed in an earlier post.  So candida sufferers should be drinking this stuff daily.  Since it seems to be good for your everything, we should all be drinking it anyway!  I'm playing with ingredients to make a turmeric milk that I can't do without.  I'll be sure to share it when I figure out a great recipe.  I warn you, however, it could take weeks or months; but I'll keep trying anyway.

Question: How Do YOU Have a Healthy Halloween?

Halloween is on the way.  That holiday where kids go from door to door to get a bag full of that addictive, deadly, poison that we know as sugar.  This is actually the one part of Halloween that is genuinely scary for me.  There is a lot of pressure on people to "just have fun" and not worry about the sugar.  But what about parents who are concerned about their child's sugar intake?

For the last few Halloweens, I've given out dried fruit snacks (with no added sugar) as treats.  But what happens when it's YOUR child that shouldn't be eating sugar?  What kind of fun Halloween traditions can a family do to replace the "trick or treat" business?  Comments are deeply valued.

List of Fermented Foods & Vegetables that Can Heal Your Gut

If I haven't announced it yet, I've defeated candida again.  I'm hoping that this time it stays away and doesn't come back.  I've been really trying to build my system with probiotics of all kinds and with fermented vegetables.  Most candida sufferers know that fermented foods feed candida and should be avoided as long as the candida is overtaking the gut.  There are some exceptions to this rule, however.

Several sources suggest that some fermented foods grow cultures that can heal the intestinal tract.  Sauerkraut, when not riddled with sugar and vinegar, is one of the best things to eat when you have any disease from lacking gut flora or abnormal gut flora.  Below is an article from Dr. Mercola who interviewed Dr. Campell McBride.

List of Fermented Foods & Vegetables that Can Heal Your Gut

Fierce Phude

I've heard Dr. Rima Laibow and Mike Adams talk about how food can be used as a weapon.  It's scary to think about, but I'm done turning a blind eye to conspiracy theories.  I made a decision that I'm just going to listen, educate and do what I can to be a voice of truth.

Even if these people are all crazy, we still ought to listen.  There must be a reason WHY it is so difficult for We The People to get what we want; even if it is something as simple as putting a label on GMOs.

The Amazin' Peppermint

I first tasted the cool flavor of peppermint from the candy canes that I used to eat at Christmas.  Then one day my father picked some from the back yard and made me a cup of tea with it.  My mom was a nurse and would always give me peppermint in some form whenever I had an upset stomach.  It was also my favorite flavor of toothpaste or breath-mint when I was a kid.  As an adult, I've had many different digestive ailments and peppermint oil played a role in treating and soothing indigestion issues.  So as you can see, peppermint played many roles in my life. It's interesting to see how medicinal it is.

According to Harvard Medical School, peppermint can play many roles in healing.  They found that 75% of patients who took peppermint oil had great reductions in IBS symptoms (irritable bowel syndrome) than the placebo group.  They feel that menthol is the rockstar medicinal aspect of peppermint.  This is why you find menthol in lozenges and "cooling" pain relieving creams like Be*g*y or Tiger Balm.  It's also used to treat, sooth or relieve other ailments like fever, pain, nausea, flatulence, headache and many, many others.

How wonderful that an herb that has been in my life from as far back as I can remember is such a health booster!  It's not difficult to grow peppermint, it grows like a weed in fact.  I look forward to growing it in my own yard in the near future.

Turmeric Milk

I recently heard about turmeric milk which sounded pretty amazing, so I had to look into it more.  I feel like I hit gold in more ways than one when I found this video.

One area I disagree with Dr. Arjan is one of the milk options.  Silk brand soy milk, is NOT recommended by any doctor (whether ND or chiropractor) that has treated me.  Even if soy was a food that they felt was great, however, the Silk brand's integrity is in question now that they have contributed $253,000 in a "no to 37" campaign (in efforts to stop GMO labeling).

I would probably just make walnut milk (which is soooo easy to make) or stick with almond, hemp or oat milk if you want to keep things vegan.  If you insist on soy, however, there are TONS of other brands that are in the business for the sake of your health.  Let's make efforts to support them.

The Healer That Is Green Tea

I am temporarily supposed to stay away from green tea because of the caffeine, but there are so many wonderful things to say about green it.

For cold and flu, green tea could be an ally.  If you remember in an earlier post, Dr. Chris was telling us about how green tea was an important part of his cold/flu healing protocol.  Hot tea is great for any illness.  Virus and bacteria tend to weaken under the influence of heat and will even die if there is too much heat.  As an added bonus to the heat, green tea itself is antimicrobial.  It may not be as strong as goldenseal, but when fighting off an illness, every little bit helps.

I remember when I was first introduced to Japanese green tea.  I went out to eat sushi for the first time with my roommate.  She came to America from Japan to study English.   We discussed the benefits of drinking green tea over our meal.  She said that green tea is wonderful for the skin and felt that this is one reason why Asians have such great skin.  Well, according to my research, it looks as though she was right!  There are powerful antioxidants in green tea that is GREAT for the skin.  These antioxidants make green tea an avenue of prevention for cancer and heart disease as well.

In the world of warm beverages, it seems that green tea is a rock star!  So have that warm tea for breakfast or teatime, but try to make it green fairly often.

Turmeric Treats Candida Infection and Colorectal Cancers

I found this article on natural news.  This was soooo encouraging for me because I love curry.  I also found out that other curry ingredients like cardamom also fight candida.  This is an awesome discovery for those of us who are sick.  Curry is a wonderful, wonderful healing food!

I make curry from many different main courses, but the one I miss is curry goat.  Goat isn't sold as meat in the US as often as chicken and beef.  Now that my health providers are both telling me to eat more meat, I wish more than ever that I can find organic goat meat.  It would be nice to have something other than chicken and beef all the time.

If you are vegan, curry is wonderful in lentils, chickpeas and white beans.  In any case, give curry a try.  I repeat, curry is a wonderful healing food!

Turmeric Treats Candida Infection and Colorectal Cancers

Yes, I Said Starvation

I saw this image in Google and had to write a post about it.  It says so much about starvation.  The boy on television is starved (possibly to death) from lack of food; while the boy at McD****ds is starved from lack of nutrients.  We can be so blind when things aren't right in our faces sometimes.  The second boy has parents that are living under the illusion that they are feeding their child well.  Some may even feel like he is being fed "too well" when ironically neither the boy on the television or the boy at McD****ds is being nourished at all.  One isn't eating food while the other eats empty food.

Don't be fooled, both boys are starving.  The day we all see this is the day that we start pursuing the companies that produce real food instead of the ones that give us garbage.  The day we start pursuing this is the day that we will demand our health and health freedom.

Healing Frequencies

I know, I know what this sounds like.  Healing frequencies... huh???  Yeah, that's what I said too.  Until I tried it.  My doctor referred me to a man who assesses energy fields.  Once he assessed mine, he sent a full report to my doctor and sent me frequencies to listen to for 10 minutes per day.  It's a lot of beeping, ringing and buzzing that my husband describes as annoying.  To my utter surprise, it really, really works!

I really feel a difference within seconds of listening to it.  My doctor makes sure that I listen to it for 10 minutes a day every time I talk to her; so she must know of its importance.  I don't even need to know what she knows; I just know that I've been feeling really good lately.

Ol' Man Santo

This video gave me a laugh!  I posted this just for fun.  Be well my friends!

Naturalistic Health Care Providers

I still remember my old acupuncturist in San Diego.  She was amazing.  There were few times that she would have to refer me to a doctor because of something outside her scope.  I didn't need health insurance because of her.  We used to trade services, she would give acupuncture and I would give her a massage with reiki.

I honestly didn't think I would be able to find another acupuncturist who was as wonderful as she was; until now.  There are some things my former acupuncturist could do that my new one doesn't, but there are things that my new acupuncturist could do that my former acupuncturist did not.  It's hard to compare the two; in fact, it's impossible.  If I could have my way, they would work collaboratively within a few short miles from where I live.  Unfortunately, one is still in San Diego.

Despite how much I miss my former acupuncturist, I'm so happy I found the one that I have now.  My low back is almost completely healed thanks to her and my new chiropractor; I don't even remember the last time I had even a small migraine; I've finally been getting some sleep and I haven't been feeling as fatigued as I used to.

Health Freedom Please!

I can understand why people feel that Obamacare is a good thing.  I understand how it could seem like a good thing to stay in a hospital for $12 per night as opposed to the great expense that we must pay right now.  I understand that some people like it because everyone must pay for their own health insurance.  Please understand; I get this. What I feel that many people don't get is the bigger picture.

Clinics and small businesses have shut down because they couldn't be Obamacare compliant.  People don't have the option of not carrying health care even when they pay most of their health care out of pocket like I do.  How do people not understand that it is not freedom when we MUST buy insurance even when we don't need it?  Yes, I understand the argument about car insurance.  If I have a car then I MUST have insurance; but that's IF I own a car!  There is no opting out of health insurance as long as your body has lungs that are breathing.

I'm sorry, but Obamacare is a scary, scary story.  We shouldn't have to purchase anything, especially when unemployment rates are so high.

Healing Herbs

I was curious about candida fighting *herbs*  so I did a little research and boy was I surprised at what I found!  I almost ventured to look further but the article that I found (click the *herbs* link to find the article), it wasn't an eye opener as much as it was a reminder!

I used to take a yeast fighting herb a few years ago.  Most of the ingredients I've forgotten, but the one that I remember was goldenseal.  All along I had a yeast fighting herb in my fridge and I didn't even remember enough to know about it.  Garlic, at first, was another surprise until I remembered that a girlfriend of mine actually used garlic to fight a vaginal yeast infection.  Now, I don't recommend this if you've never tried this before.  She said that there was a certain way that you had to wrap the garlic in cotton.  She is apparently a very skilled woman, but I would have to be pretty desperate to give something like this a shot.  The bottom line is, she healed herself.  Garlic saved her skin... in more ways than one!  Black Walnut was another herb on the list.  One of my health providers gave me black walnut when I had an attack this past summer.  Tea tree oil was also suggested.  It is an antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal compound that I knew about already; but like the other mentioned herbs, I've forgotten about it until now.

I have a supplement called triguard that has goldenseal and tea tree oil.  I can also put more garlic in my foods (but I would suggest to balance it with parsley, milk, cardamom, fennel, lemon or cloves to tone down the smell of the garlic on your breath and skin).  There are so many ways to defeat candida.  So if you're infected, I understand you're frustration, but be encouraged, because you CAN get well!

Oil Of Oregano

You know that oregano stuff that you use to spice up your fish or soup?  Well, it's not just good for flavoring food. Oregano oil is so powerful! My aunt uses this stuff when she feels a cold coming on and as a result, she doesn't really get cold or flu.

It turns out that oil of oregano has more healing power than I thought.  It seems to be anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-fungal and more.

Meat And Veggies

My doctor instructed me not to eat eggs, nightshades, dairy, caffeine, corn, gluten, sugar or any yeast forming foods.  When I told a friend of mine this, she asked me what I eat exactly.  It was difficult to answer because I used to eat lots of eggs, nightshades and dairy.  

My doctor gave me a piece of advice that worked BEAUTIFULLY.  She told me to eat meat, veggies and very little (if any) fruit.  I ate this way for two short weeks and a few days ago, I had a burst of energy that I never thought I would find.  Both my doctor and my acupuncturist told me that I'm looking much better.  Now I understand why my old chiropractor calls this the healing diet. 

The candida is gone; hopefully this time for good.  Dairy and corn are back on the list of foods that I can eat.  I guess this means that I need to keep doing what I'm doing until I can eat normally again.  I intend to keep this up until my health is restored.  I'll keep you posted!

Cayenne Pepper

My hubby insists that his heritage has something to do with his ability to stay healthy, but I feel that it is something else.  He loves, loves, loves spicy foods.  The hotter the meal, the better.  Whenever the Whole Foods deli workers ask him how spicy he would like for his burritos to be, I usually tell them that when his sandwich burns a hole through the counter they are getting close.  It makes me happy that he enjoys it so much because it is SUCH a fabulous immune booster.

The article below gives some additional insight about the healing power of cayenne pepper.  I didn't realize how powerful it actually is.  Cancer cells hate it, it cleared up a bad ear infection that I had years ago and it also could have a hand in preventing heart disease.

I've always found myself sneezing constantly when I make my hubby's food because the spices that I put on it often include cayenne pepper.  I try to have some on occasion, but unfortunately my mouth doesn't really enjoy being on fire.  For those of you who do enjoy it, have seconds; it's good stuff!

The amazing healing powers of cayenne pepper (capsicum)

Healing Foods

"Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food" is one of my favorite Hippocrates quotes.  It's not a wonder why I feel far from illness when I eat real food and sick when I do otherwise.  Recently, my doctor and acupuncturist have both been working on my digestive issues and I've seen incredible improvement.  I take a few herbal supplements for some other things, but ultimately the medicine that I'm taking for my digestive tract is food.

I've temporarily eliminated foods that are more difficult to digest.  The one thing that has been a real blessing to me are all the cultured veggies that I've made and eaten.  I don't know what I would do without them.  I'm working on creating other snacks and treats that will sustain me until all of this is over.  I'm looking forward to sharing.

Cosmetic Stuff

Cosmetics; the one thing that many women can't live without.  From experience, I know how hard it was to give certain cosmetics up myself.  The thing that motivated me was the knowledge that I was putting some pretty toxic stuff on my skin and my body was absorbing it.  The problem with "all natural" products and "green" products is that you still have to read labels.  The "all natural" and "green" labels are often to target a group of people, NOT to make the world a better place.

As much as I enjoyed this video, there are some parts of it that I actually disagreed with.  I disagree that we should depend on government to fix this.  Government agencies and programs can be used as puppets for corporate monsters and they often are.  The FDA, for example, is doing more harm than good; for example, there is the the draft guidance programs, the laws against raw milk and there are farmers who were forced to slaughter their livestock for the silliest reasons.  The free market is really the way to go.  If there are companies that create a certification process, they will compete for business.  We need to stop depending on government for everything.

Winter

I apologize for being away from this blog for so long.  Winter hasn't exactly been my best friend, however, I have reason to hope that this will be the last winter that I will despise.  I've learned recently that it is my thyroid that causes the winter blues that I've experienced most of my life.  I expected the sluggishness this winter, however, I'm also expecting that my vibrant health will allow me the pleasure to enjoy the winter next year.  I look forward to that very much.

If you're like me and you become sluggish in the winter too, I suggest that you get thyroid testing before you start taking prescriptions.  Be warned that you may fall under the "normal" range.  My thyroid tested "normal" as well.  I still pursued more information on a hunch and it turns out that there are some people in the "normal" range who still experience symptoms.  If your water supply is fluoridated, that is all the more reason to get tested.

Healthy Winter Greens Recipes and Cooking Tips

I came across these recipes recently.  Most sound pretty wonderful, but I;m sad to admit that the gnocchi dish sparked my interest the most.  I've had gnocchi so few times in my life, but once I realized the horrible effect that white flour has on me, I haven't been able to eat it.  I've been searching for organic gnocchi that was made with whole grain ever since; I came close, but never actually found any that I would consider good to eat.

Healthy Winter Greens Recipes and Cooking Tips

October's Book

I believe that most who read this blog, flavor food using all kinds of herbs and spices everyday.  Well, this month's book talks about all of the benefits of those wonderful herbs and spices that you eat. 

My husband rarely ever gets ill; could that have anything to do with the crazy amount of cayenne pepper that he eats?  Can curry dishes be a great preventive step because of the turmeric?  Maybe there are other herbs that I should be eating regularly.  This book may have the answers to such questions.  I confess that I never read it, but I look forward to doing so

Not So Cooked

Not all of us can do the raw food diet.  Unfortunately, those of us with digestive issues may need to cook our food.  This doesn't mean that you need to destroy EVERYTHING in your veggie dishes.  I've written a post that gave cooking instructions that only impacted minimal damage to nutrients.  One suggestion that I don't believe I mentioned was keeping cooking below *200 degrees* Fahrenheit.

There are some things that I can put in the dehydrator, however, I now dehydrate at much higher temperatures to make sure the food is cooked.  Not able to eat raw and not wanting to eat completely denatured food, dehydrating food below 200 degrees has become a best friend to me.

Titanium

According to the Health Ranger, heavy metal poisoning is a possibility with most cookware.  I've used stainless steel for years.  I threw away all of my Teflon once I learned how toxic it is and used only stainless steel.  It is ONE of the better metals, however, the best happens to be titanium.  Titanium is the cleanest of the cookware and above that, it's a nonstick metal!  I actually didn't know this about titanium until VERY recently, but I'm really excited about this information.

Is your cookware killing you?

This article was very educational for me.  Certain types of cookware are known to be unwise choices for cooking because of heavy metal leeching.  I know few people who would use aluminum because of the link between aluminum and Alzheimer's.   Stainless steel is an example of a benign tool, but still has it's risks.  Glass and even stoneware have some risks.  Titanium, according to this article, also has risks and yet it happens to be the safest cookware material on the market.

I also learned that it's not just the type of cookware that you use.  Mike Adams encourages all to keep applied heat below 200 degrees Fahrenheit.  This will keep leaching to a minimum.  It is a prudent practice in any case, however, because low heat will also keep the destruction of nutrients low.  The more heat that is applied the more nutrients are destroyed and the more heavy metal leeching will happen.

Below is a link to Mike Adam's article for more info.

Is your cookware killing you?

Frankenapples

I've been so sad that apples are now on their way to extinction thanks to Monsanto. I used to really like corn and I'm really sorry to see it go.  I'll be loathed to see apples go too; but I must face the possibility.

Granny smith apples are the only ones that I can eat.  The sweet ones make me nauseous for some reason.  It's okay, I don't miss the other apples.  I love the tart flavor of Granny smith apples.  They are also wonderful pie apples, although it's been a long time since I've had apple pie.

I hope one day We The People of the United States see that WE are the ones with the power to tell Monsanto to back off. With over a million angry citizens trying to get rid of them, there is something dreadfully wrong if they are still around.

Nutritional Guidance for Hormone Health

Here is a video that gives information about natural ways to help balance hormones.  There is so much stuff in our food, water and air that upsets homeostasis.  We talked about different substances that could upset the balance such as fluoride (which upsets thyroid), paraben (a xenoestrogen that can upset hormonal balance), propyls (another xenoestrogen) and goitrogens (which are only hazardous to someone with hypothyroid issues) to name just a few.  Once hormones are imbalanced, it can be a monster of a journey to return them to balance; but don't lose hope because it can be done.  Nevertheless, I urge everyone to really watch it.  Propyls and parabens, for example, are in EVERY mainstream beauty product.  There are a handful of beauty products in health food stores that don't have these toxins, but it is important to check ingredients to be sure.

If you are on the journey back to health, the following video may give a few helpful tips.  I encourage anyone on this journey to stay focused and not to lose hope.  You will be healthy again if you are persistent.  Good luck!

Natural Treatment for Hormone Imbalance -- powered by ehow

America; Please Wake Up! (Part 2)

There are corporations who want us to believe that we will never survive without them and there are many who believe this lie.  It is said that in a few decades there will not be enough food for the world.  They are betting on the fact that many believe that food comes from boxes and cans at the grocery store.  People who know where food comes from, we all KNOW that this isn't true.  I'm not saying that it can't happen, I'm saying that there are people who will see that this dark picture of people starving DOES happen if we don't follow their lead.  Do we really want to submit to this?

Think about every holocaust that happened throughout history.  I'm not just talking about WWII either, I'm talking about ALL OF THEM.  They all started with psycho leaders who wanted to play God and decided on a New World Order.  They convinced their following that it was a good idea and then started slaughtering people that were seen as resistant.  I'm grateful that it never completely worked out for those sick leaders and I'm inclined to believe that it won't work out for them now either, but we really need to be more aware of what is going on.  We are begging for leaders who want to enslave us because we believe that they will give us more and we are blinded to the extraordinary price for their services to us.

America; Please Wake Up! (Part 1)

I keep getting disappointing information that leads me to believe that there is a large number of people out there who want what Augustus once called paradise.  He was made emperor because of all the "goodies" that he gave to the people.  Now don't get me wrong; there is absolutely nothing wrong with giving to people in need!  It's a noble and beautiful act to do so.  The problem is, there are many politicians who will USE that as an excuse to gain more power.

Think about it; what would you do to hold on to your financial lifeline?  Anything, right?  Let's face it, without your job or career, you are without income and without money your chances of survival will rapidly decrease with each passing hour.  If you are already struggling and the government starts giving you handouts, THAT is now your lifeline and you will hold on to it for as long as you need it.  Do you really believe that the benefactor in this case doesn't know this?  This is how Augustus created an empire, he was banking on the fact that once he became the lifeline of so many, they would yield to his command.

Clean Cast Iron

Cleaning and seasoning cast iron was a challenge for me.  You aren't suppose to use detergent, so what do you use?  I used to use detergent in a very small amount and rarely.  If you click on the "cast iron" link (in the first sentence) you will see yet another solution.

This individual used salt and a potato to clean their cast iron; this will even remove rust.  I'm very happy with this, because my waffle iron is cast iron (I don't like the machines because of the teflon ).  During the first few days of using it, it got rusty and I'm having a bear of a time getting the rust out.  I may need to get creative and cut the potato into wedges to clean the grooves; but I'm happy that at least there is a way to get it out.