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Herb Helps Smokers Kick the Habit
A weed that you’ve probably trampled on more than a few times could help you butt out. The North American wild herb, plantain (Plantago major), helps reduce cravings for cigarettes. That could be one of the main reasons it is being used in many commercial smoking cessation products.
Growing on lawns, between sidewalk cracks, and in wild spaces alike, plantain is regularly killed by grass aficionados in search of lawn perfection. This is not the same plant that produces banana-like fruit also known as plantain found in tropical destinations.
Not only does plantain reduce cravings for cigarettes, it also reduces lung inflammation and helps to clean out the lungs. Available as a te…
Thanksgiving Herb Protects Genetic Material from Disease
Sage has a proven history at boosting memory
and balancing menopausal and PMS symptoms, but perhaps the most exciting benefit of sage is that it may actually protect genetic material from damage.
According to a study published in the Journal of Agricultrual and Food Chemistry scientists found that compounds in sage may protect cellular DNA from damage and may even stimulate DNA repair in already damaged cells. While the research is new and has not been tested on humans, this exciting advancement could help in the prevent and treatment of genetic diseases as well as diseases with a genetic component like cancer, heart disease, and others.
Subscribe to my free e-zine World’s Healthiest New…
The Healing Power of Alkaline Water
Would you believe that drinking water
is one of the most healing things you can do for your body? It’s true—as long as it is pure, filtered, alkaline water. Yet most water is acidic. Water that measures less than 7 on the pH scale is acidic; water that’s higher than 7 is alkaline. To support life, water needs to be on the alkaline side of the spectrum, much like our bodies.
Drinking pure, alkaline water is critical to great health. I believe that most of the diseases plaguing people in the Western world could not occur in a pH-balanced body. Here are some of the disorders that researchers are linking to acidity*:
| Allergies | Chronic fatigue syndrome | Immune deficienc… |
Horsetail for Stronger Bones, Hair, Nails, and Teeth
Horsetail is a good source 
of the mineral silica. No, this plant has nothing to do with actual horses, it is simply the name of an herb that grows in sandy soil in damp areas. It does the same for the plants near where it grows as it does for humans who use horsetail: it provides important nutrients, especially silica.
One mineral is essential to bone-building, immune system strengthening, the proper use of calcium in the body, and building strong nails, hair, and teeth, yet most people never give it a second thought. It is silica. Silica supports the body’s production of an enzyme called prolyhydroxylase that is involved in the formation of collagen in bones, cartilage, and c…
Make Your Own Natural Toothpaste
Most toothpaste contains sugar, fluoride,
artificial colors, and other harmful ingredients that are best avoided. Instead of using the toxic commercial varieties, why not make your own? It’s simple and quick. Once you have the essential oils needed you can use them to make the toothpaste or tooth powder, which more accurately describes it, for years to come. Here’s how:
Natural Tooth Powder Recipe
½ cup baking soda
10 drops pure peppermint essential oil (this is not the same as peppermint extract or fragrance oil. Also, it should be a high quality food grade essential oil, which is available from many health food stores)
5 drops pure myrrh essential oil (optional)
Mix all…
5 Natural Remedies that Minimize the Effects of Environmental Pollution
Over 80,000 synthetic chemicals are 
currently in use in industry and find their way into our air, water, food, cleaning products, personal care products, cosmetics, and other substances we regularly use, according to Dr. Patricia Fitzgerald, author of The Detox Solution. That’s not the worse part of the situation: according to the National Research Council, no toxicity data are available for 80 percent of the chemicals currently in commercial use while 95 percent have not been tested for their long-term effects on human health.
Chemicals used in everyday household products have been found to cause health problems such as asthma and other respiratory ailments, birth defects, heart dis…
Ginger Better than Drugs for Pain
A new study published in the journal Arthritis compared ginger extract to the common drugs betamethasone (cortisone) and ibuprofen for the treatment of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
While ibuprofen is
a popular pain remedy (such as Advil or Motrin), in this study it showed no effect on cytokine production. Cytokines are immune-regulating substances that can have inflammatory effects on the body, and are therefore linked to pain. In this study, both betamethasone and ginger extract reduced cytokines in comparable amounts. The authors of the study indicate that: “ginger extract was as effective an anti-inflammatory agent as betamethasone in this in vitro model.”
How to Grow Your Own Sprouts
There are many health and environmental reasons to grow your 
own sprouts: they are full of health-building nutrients and enzymes, can be done from anywhere, and keep food costs low, to name a few. While you can purchase them at your local grocery store or health food store, it is so easy to grow them at home. Growing your own is a great way to have a supply of high quality fresh foods year round if you live in a colder climate, or simply to become more aware and involved in the food you are eating.
I prefer the jar method which involves using a wide-mouth mason jar and either sprout lids from a health food store or cheesecloth and a rubber band.
You’ll need only a few basic supplies …
The Truth about Frankenfoods
If the thought of unleashing bacteria shells filled w
ith viruses that spread pesticides in your foods sounds like something out of a scary science fiction movie, think again. This is the stuff of reality.
Would you knowingly eat a potato that needs to be transported in hazardous waste containers since every cell contains pesticides? This isn’t food terrorism (at least not the kind we recognize as a crime); this is what passes as improvements to our food supply. Perhaps one day we will learn that we can’t improve on nature.
From Flavr Savr tomatoes to Roundup Ready Soybeans, genetically modified foods are being manufactured and unleashed on an unsuspecting public whether we are ready fo…
Make Your Own Dairy-Free Yogurt
Making your own dairy-free yogurt is easier
than you think. You don’t need any expensive equipment or yogurt makers either. Just use a ceramic crock or bowl (metal interferes with the natural culturing process). I use a 1-1/2 quart white ceramic crock with a lid that comes with a slow cooker. I don’t use the slow cooker as most of them create excessive heat that would kill the delicate probiotics used in yogurt-making. You’ll also need a high quality dairy-free probiotic powder.
The process works well with organic soy milk or coconut milk. Don’t use soy unless it’s certified organic since most soy is genetically-modified. Rice milk and almond milk are too thin. I’ve eve…
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