Increasing numbers of U.S. troops have left the military with damaged bodies and minds, an ever-larger pool of disabled veterans that will cost the nation billions for decades to come - even as the total population of America's vets shrinks.
Natural Medicine: Beating the blues with food
It may be more than coincidence that the decrease in the quality of Americans' diets has occurred simultaneously with increased reports of depression.
Transform Yourself From the Inside-Out and Look Your Best Naturally
(NaturalNews) At some point in our lives we have all suffered from physical insecurities, thanks to the unwitting comments of the people around us, our faulty habit of comparing ourselves to others, and mainstream media's rigid standards of beauty. Depending on our environment, upbringing, and self-image we have either acknowledged or denied our desire to look more attractive. The point is that physical appearance is a universal issue we all have dealt with, whether we have acted upon our desire to look better, have moved on peacefully through self-acceptance, or have scorned this wish as something shallow and embarrassing. Technological progress sought to address the beauty question by coming up with gadgets and machines that at best changed things only on the surface for a temporary period of time, and at their worst merely pandered to human vanity, obscuring from man the true causes of his cosmetic complaints. But advances in research now point to natural solutions that could help one look better without drugs and artificial procedures. According to this new research, one can tremendously improve his or her appearance through superior health by way of a powerful cleansing diet. If you want a radical improvement in your appearance without going under the knife, then this diet is the answer to your prayers. The health benefits of this diet will make you feel so great you'll start looking it too. Raw Food Magic While beauty is relative because it's in the eye of the beholder, there are certain outward manifestations of it regardless of heredity, sex, age, or ethnicity. Rosy cheeks and lips, clear, sparkling eyes, strong, healthy hair, fresh, glowing skin, strong bones and teeth, and a well-developed physique -- such are the physical markers of radiant health. Emerging research has revealed that one kind of diet can help you attain the best of health, and through it, your best face yet: the raw food diet. Aside from achieving excellent health, refined and enhanced physical features are just some of the wonderful perks one inevitably obtains through the raw diet. Long-time raw foodists even claim that the diet changed their eye color and helped them lose stubborn fat, warts, and cellulite for life. Some got cured of acne for good; others found their hair growing back and turning from gray back to its original color. But all have been told that they look younger than their real age. Fresh, organic, nutrient-dense, and enzyme-rich raw foods can really boost anyone's self-confidence due to the dramatic physical improvements they bring about. And it's a different kind of self-confidence too, the one that feels honest in your bones because you know you didn't cheat. You jacked up your score in the attractiveness meter with discipline, proper knowledge, diligence, perseverance, and natural, nutrient-rich food, not with toxic chemical injections or cosmetic incisions, the a-little-more-here and a-little-less-there kind of artificial procedures. But the mind-blowing thing about the raw diet is that you will look as if you had a face lift or a tummy tuck. Go search the internet for before and after raw transformations for proof. Draw your inspiration from these people who succeeded with the raw food regimen. If they did it, then so can you. The internet is also replete with information on raw food to educate and excite you, not to mention free raw recipes to make your raw journey more fun and enjoyable. The amazing bonus is that on raw food, a new inner self emerges too. Raw food will purify and transmute your old energy. You will feel lighter and it will be much easier for you to smile, and a smile makes any countenance more attractive. That is because raw food will not just heal you physically; it will also improve your mental, emotional, and spiritual states. People will sense that positive, ineffable 'something' that envelops your being. They won't be able to put a finger on it, but you'd know what that 'something' is: superior over-all health brought to you by the most nourishing foods on the planet. The rate and degree of your natural make-over will depend on your toxicity level. If you are immunocompromised then your metamorphosis may take longer. Your body will utilize all the nutrients from raw food to heal your disease before it starts taking care of your stretch marks. The process may take longer for others, depending on the person's previous diet and general state of health. The important thing is to persevere. Bear in mind that all successful raw foodists underwent unpleasant, and sometimes unglamorous, detox symptoms. Allow your body to unload itself of old, impacted garbage. Give it time to recover its "old youthfulness," the one that you lost early on in life due to stress, poor diet, faulty thinking, and lack of motion. Educate yourself that you may understand how the body functions to help you stick to the raw diet in spite of the brief cycles of cleansing reactions. But be assured that in between the short periods of detox symptoms you will feel fabulous like you never did on your old cooked and toxic diet, like you never did in your entire life. Why Raw? Numerous studies reveal that cooking causes a big drop in a food's nutritional profile. Heating food beyond 118 degrees Fahrenheit kills off all the enzymes and decreases the amount of vitamins and minerals originally present in the food. To look your best you have to get the maximum amount of nutrients you could possibly get from any kind of food. Eating raw food is the obvious best solution to this, as all the nutrients in the food are undiminished and uncorrupted. Raw food gives your body the "go" signal to do what it really has to. Eating cooked food will make the body use up its enzyme reserves. It takes three metabolic enzymes to produce one digestive enzyme. Those metabolic enzymes that were converted into digestive enzymes could have been used for detoxification, tissue growth and repair, and assimilation of nutrients, not to mention cell production, growth, and rejuvenation -- all the vital processes that would transform you inside out. Don't overtax your body with cooked food and toxic substances. Always carry enzyme supplements with you in case you have to eat cooked food. Just remember that to obtain impressive results, you'd have to be at least 70-80% raw. The path to natural beauty actually begins in the gut. Yes, your physical transformation is largely hinged on bowel health, not on what you apply topically on your skin. While slathering your face with a fresh, crushed tomato or with your concoction of mashed banana, papaya, and honey will give you smooth, bright-looking skin in 10-20 minutes, natural topical treatments are, at best, only adjuncts to ingested super-nutrients from raw and super foods. You cannot have a healthy digestive system without consuming raw food. Nutrients and fiber found in raw food will loosen and absorb the mucus, grease, and impacted fecal matter in your gut, preparing them for elimination. A dirty digestive tract will not assimilate nutrients well. Moreover, filthy intestines provide a breeding ground for parasites, viruses, and unfriendly bacteria, which rob you of precious nutrients and toxify your body further with their own wastes. There are other ways to kick out the bad guys from your system aside from following a high-raw and high-fiber diet. One is by taking an all-natural intestinal cleanse formula that would kill off the free-loading parasites squatting in your gut. Increasing the population of good bacteria through probiotic supplementation and consumption of unpasteurized fermented foods such as kimchi, sauerkraut, yogurt, fermented seed and nut cheeses, miso, and natto. Enemas and colonics would also help scrape off stubborn waste matter that have accumulated throughout years of unhealthy eating, washing off the unfriendly organisms as well. Eating foods such as cayenne, ginger, garlic, onion, pineapple, cold-pressed coconut oil, pumpkin seeds, fresh aloe vera gel, and sesame seeds will also antagonize parasites, bacteria, and viruses. Weight loss takes place when your body starts getting rid of old, un-expelled wastes. The digestive tract alone could be carrying around nine pounds of un-eliminated toxic matter! A lot of obese and overweight people have finally controlled their weight more easily without starvation and hang-ups through raw food. Unlike in other weight loss programs, the skin clings more closely to the bones, obviating the need to have loose flabby skin surgically removed. People who have weight problems also end up more satisfied on the raw food diet since it helps them lose weight more rapidly than any other program. It helps them overcome food cravings and addictions due to the detox process. They are also pleasantly surprised to find out that their favorite evil food actually has a healthy, all-raw version. They never have to count calories again because the enzymes enable the food to be properly metabolized and completely digested. While going raw will initially lead to weight loss, those who want to gain weight can do so with raw food. Yes, with a few modifications it is possible to gain weight and build huge muscles on the raw diet. Some underweight women actually achieved their more ideal weight through raw food. Some scrawny guys even put on enormous muscle mass through raw food. If you're apprehensive about raw bodybuilding you can check out raw vegan bodybuilders such as Storm Talifero, Charlie Abel, and Stephen Arlin. You can gain weight and do bodybuilding by increasing your intake of green vegetables, sprouts, raw fats such as those found in coconuts, durian, avocado, nuts, and seeds. A caveat, though: increasing your fat intake doesn't mean you should eat as much as you could. While raw fats can metabolize themselves, too much raw fats will slow down the blood flow and detox process. You can also gain weight by eating a combination of amazing superfoods every day such as raw cacao, unpasteurized honey, bee pollen, wheat grass, spirulina, chlorella, barley grass, blue-green algae, hemp seeds, goji berries, kelp, and acai. Super foods not only clean you up through their high antioxidant content; they also build you up with the best materials because they're great sources of high-quality amino acids. The thing with raw foods is that, with the right adjustments, you can make them work to achieve your desired result, be it weight loss or weight gain. The beauty of the raw diet is that whether you lose or gain weight, you end up as a healthier individual due to all the intact nutrients working together to give you the best clean-up and remodeling job. A List of Important Nutrients for a New Improved You One of the greatest enemies of the human body is a group of noxious substances called free radicals. These are produced in the body from environmental toxins, additives, pesticides, and foods cooked in high temperature. Free radical damage is systemic, and it works its way from the inside out. It accelerates aging at the cellular level, resulting in wrinkles and a host of other aesthetic complaints. Antioxidants are compounds that arrest and reverse free radical damage in the body, which, aside from faster aging, is a large contributing factor to serious diseases like cancer. Since oxidative damage takes place at the cellular level, the most commonsensical way to fight it is through super-nutrition via antioxidants found in raw food. Free radicals get inactivated through the abundant amounts of antioxidants present in raw fruits and vegetables. Think of the proverbial lemon juice sprinkled on browned, cut-up apples. Antioxidants do the same thing to us. They protect our cells from rapid oxidation. Antioxidants combat free radicals that eat up collagen and elastin, the fibrous materials that support skin structure, thus making the skin firmer, smoother, and softer, with a highly improved tone and texture. They are also powerful keys to longevity, no matter what recent studies have claimed. Phytochemicals are natural biologically active compounds found in plant foods. They work synergistically with other nutrients and fiber found in fruits and vegetables to fight deadly diseases and to slow down the aging process. So far, more than 900 phytochemicals have been identified, and more shall be added to this list in the future. Phytochemicals have a lot to do with plant pigment, so generally, the brighter the color of the fruit or vegetable, the more phytochemicals and nutrients it contains. Phytochemicals have been known to have antioxidant properties, protecting us from disease and rejuvenating us inside-out. Amino acids, otherwise known as the building blocks of protein, are greatly needed by the body to repair and form new cells, tissue, skin, hair, teeth, and bones. The following is a list of nutrients needed by the body to build a healthier, better-looking you: Glutathione is by far the most powerful antioxidant that can be produced by the human body. It detoxifies harmful substances so that they can be eliminated through the bile. This antioxidant has gotten so much popularity from its well-documented and scientifically-proven properties to reverse aging and promote a fairer complexion. Animal flesh contains the highest concentration of this very potent nutrient, but the rub is that you'd have to consume it raw since glutathione is an antioxidant enzyme. The other natural and more palatable raw sources of this amino acid are spinach, broccoli, walnuts, tomatoes, carrots, grapefruit, asparagus, garlic, avocado, purslane, squash, okra, walnuts, potatoes, and apples. Glutamine, cystine, glutamic acid, and glycine are also needed by the liver to manufacture optimum levels of glutathione. One can also opt to take glutathione supplements that are widely available in the market today. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is an anti-aging enzyme that scavenges for free radicals with revitalizing and protective properties. SOD can be found in broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and most green vegetables, as well as in superfoods such as barley grass and wheat grass. Catalase is another antioxidant enzyme that is needed by the body to put free radical activities in check. Leeks, onion, broccoli, bananas, parsnip, zucchini, spinach, carrots, radish, cucumbers, cherries, red cabbage, apricot, and cherries are good sources of catalase. Coenzyme Q10, a potent anti-aging nutrient, plays an important role in tissue oxygenation. Get your dose of this antioxidant from spinach, peanuts, and fish. Vitamin A is an antioxidant vitamin that regulates oil balance in the skin and helps prevent and treat acne, psoriasis, and eczema. It is necessary for growth of new cells and helps lessen the appearance of wrinkles. It can be obtained from carrots, egg yolks, dark leafy greens, parsley, arugula, mangoes, watermelon, nettle leaves, watercress, and sweet potatoes. Super foods such as chlorella, spirulina, wheat grass, barley grass, and kelp also have high concentrations of vitamin A. Vitamin B7, also known as biotin, forms the basis of healthy skin, hair, and nail cells. Biotin is abundant in nuts, soybeans, egg yolks, swiss chard, fish, tomatoes, romaine lettuce, cabbage, onion, almonds, cucumber, cauliflower, and carrots. Vitamin C is needed by the body to maintain healthy skin, bones, teeth, and gums. This vitamin is invaluable in the replacement and generation of tissue. Best food sources of this toxin-neutralizing antioxidant are citrus fruits, acerola berries, strawberries, rosehips, broccoli, parsley, nettles, and superfoods such as acai, goji berries, camu-camu, and raw cacao. Vitamin D promotes the use and assimilation of calcium and magnesium for healthy bones and teeth. Very few foods contain enough amounts of this vitamin so exposure to sunlight is needed to help the body create its own vitamin D. Mushrooms, salmon, cod, and certain types of milk fortified with vitamin D are some food sources of this vitamin. Vitamin E has been known to diminish the appearance of fine lines on the face, repair connective tissue, and, along with vitamin C, increase your skin's protection against sun damage. It also protects vitamins A and C from destruction. Food sources of this powerful antioxidant are goji berries, nuts, berries, green leafy vegetables, egg yolks, wheat germ, soy, and vegetable oils such as olive oil. Calcium is needed by the body to maintain healthy bones and teeth. Spinach, broccoli, kale, lima beans, apples, bananas, oranges, blackberries, kiwifruit, tomatoes, sardines, dairy, peas, soy products, salmon, seaweed, artichoke, kale, avocado, peanuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, cashew, pistachio, sunflower seeds, strawberries, lemons, and grapes all have ample amounts of calcium. Copper works in conjunction with zinc and vitamin C to produce elastin. Kiwifruit, apples, lima beans, artichoke, avocado, broccoli, bananas, carrots, cauliflower, cantaloupe, grapes, and cucumber all contain copper. Magnesium is necessary for the production of new cells and for healthy bones and teeth. Good sources of this mineral are raw cacao, kelp, kiwi, bananas, oranges, tomatoes, avocado, summer squash, artichoke, spinach, broccoli, sweet potato, Brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, almonds, corn, potatoes, peas, kale, and cashew. Phosphorous promotes healthy teeth and bones and is needed for the acid-alkaline balance in the body. Kiwi, tomatoes, blackberries, asparagus, mushrooms, lima beans, bananas, sunflower seeds, pine nuts, peanuts, walnuts, potatoes, kale, avocado, artichoke, lime, cantaloupe, strawberries, and oranges all contain phosphorus. Silicon increases bone, skin, hair, and nail strength. It improves wrinkles, skin thickness, skeletal health, and teeth formation. High-silicon content foods include bell pepper, cucumber (with skin), spinach, tomatoes, apples, strawberries, oranges, beets, carrots, radish, romaine lettuce, burdock root, marjoram, and horsetail, which is considered by natural health experts as a super herb. Sulfur is required by the body for collagen production and maintenance of healthy skin, hair, and nails. Sulfur can be found in broccoli, kale, pumpkin seeds, asparagus, hemp seeds, garlic, onion, watercress, and red peppers. If you feel hard-pressed to eat a lot of natural foods to keep your sulfur levels optimal, you might want to consider taking the supplement MSM or methylsulfonylmethane, which contains high amounts of sulfur per gram. Selenium enables the body to efficiently use oxygen. This mineral helps maintain healthy skin due to its high protein component. Brazil nuts, mushrooms, onion, garlic, asparagus, tomatoes, broccoli, whole grains, parsley, blackstrap molasses, wheat germ, sesame seeds, poultry, fish and eggs are especially high in selenium. Zinc maintains and builds healthy collagen, assists in wound and tissue healing, and prevents the formation of stretch marks. Good zinc sources include pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, nuts, parsley, wheat germ, oatmeal, and eggs. Essential fatty acids prevent skin dryness and inflammation as well as the formation of white heads and black heads. The body needs EFAs but cannot manufacture it; it is therefore important to get your omega fatty acids from food. Ample amounts of omega-3 fatty acids are found in flaxseed, flax oil, safflower oil, evening primrose oil, and cold-water fish such as mackerel, sardines, and salmon. Omega 6 fats on the other hand can be found in sunflower seeds and oil, olives and olive oil, safflower and soybean oil. Fats provide lubrication to the skin and joints, and having dry, flaky skin is a good tell-tale sign of EFA deficiency. Chlorophyll is an excellent blood builder and purifier. This phytochemical produces in the body an unfavorable environment for bad bacteria. It draws out toxins stored in cells and tissue, dumping them into the bloodstream for proper elimination. Chlorophyll is also highly alkalinizing. Get the benefits of this powerful cleanser by eating green leafy vegetables and seaweeds, and superfoods such as chlorella, wheat grass, spirulina, and barley grass. Carotenoids such as beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, are pigments responsible for the colors of many orange, yellow, red, and green fruits and vegetables. Carotenoids are known to slow down the aging process. Get your beta-carotene from orange and golden-colored fruits and vegetables such as mangoes, papaya, apricots, carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and the superfood goji berry. Green vegetables such as spinach, kale, and broccoli are also great sources of beta-carotene. Lutein can be obtained by eating green vegetables such as kale, collards, spinach, broccoli, romaine lettuce, swiss chard, and brussels sprouts. The highest amount of anti-aging and cancer-fighting lycopene can be found in raw sun-dried tomatoes, then in cooked tomato products such as tomato sauce and paste, followed by fresh, raw tomatoes. Watermelon, red peppers, and pink grapefruit also have significant amounts of lycopene. Bioflavonoids are known to have chelating properties, binding to toxins and eliminating them safely out of the body. Like other antioxidants they have the ability to neutralize highly unstable and reactive molecules that are responsible for premature aging. They also help treat varicose veins, bleeding gums, bruises, and hemorrhoids. Get your medley of primary bioflavonoids such as rutin, resveratrol, hesperidin, quercetin, and anthocyanins from buckwheat groats and leaves, rosehips, broccoli, citrus fruits (lemon, oranges, grapefruit, tangerines) berries (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries), papaya, cantaloupe, cucumber, garlic, onion, cherries, plums, apples, tomatoes, kiwifruit, grapes, red wine, and green tea. Pycnogenol is known to be fifty times more powerful than vitamin E and twenty times more effective than vitamin C. Pine bark and grape seeds are high in pycnogenol. Alpha-lipoic acid increases the power of other antioxidants such as vitamins C and E. This antioxidant is naturally present in peas, swiss chard, collards, broccoli, spinach, and tomatoes. Alanine is an amino acid that aids in the development of skin, hair, and scalp. Like zinc and sulfur alanine speeds up wound healing. Alanine is available in apples, avocado, almonds, olives, and cucumber. Arginine aids in the healing and repair of skin and connective tissue. It facilitates weight loss by helping your body increase muscle mass. Arginine is important in the formation of new bone and collagen. Dietary sources of this amino acid are cacao, carob, hemp seeds, celery, coconut, peanuts, wheat germ, soy, dairy, walnuts, almonds, cucumber, sunflower seeds, beets, and oats. Aspartic acid helps build healthy bones and teeth. Find it in almonds, grapefruit, hemp seeds, lemon, sprouts, cucumber, and apples. Cystine contains sulfur, a mineral that helps build strong nails, healthy skin and hair. It promotes skin elasticity and assists in the production of collagen. This amino acid is very important in detoxification because it destroys free radicals and binds to heavy metals so that they can be safely eliminated from the body. Poultry, egg yolks, red peppers, apples, yogurt, alfalfa, garlic, onion, hazel nuts, broccoli, brussels sprouts, oats, wheat germ, and cucumber all contain cystine. Glutamine plays the biggest role in the body's metabolic processes among all the other amino acids. It is therefore no coincidence that glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body. This amino acid is also a precursor of glutathione, one of the much-raved antioxidants in the world of both conventional medicine and natural health. Glutamine prevents muscle loss, making it a vital nutrient among bodybuilders. Glutamine food sources include spinach, beans, parsley, dairy products, and fish. Glycine is needed by the body to build proteins and other amino acids, repair damaged tissue, and accelerate healing processes. Glycine can be found in fish, dairy, almonds, okra, figs, raspberries, lemon, oranges, and beans. Lysine aids in building muscle mass, tissue repair, and collagen formation. Deficiency symptoms of lysine include hair loss, bloodshot eyes, and retarded growth. Increase your lysine intake by consuming lima beans, dairy products, fish, potatoes, yeast, soy products, and eggs. Methionine is an essential amino acid that contains a high amount of sulfur, the fourth most abundant mineral in the body. This amino acid is vital in collagen formation and in building strong hair. Like glutathione, methionine is also a powerful antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals and detoxifies the body from heavy metals. Get your dose of methionine by consuming more garlic, dairy, onions, fish, soybeans, lentils, and other seeds. Proline helps in the breakdown of fats. Coconut, avocado, almonds, olives, and cucumber are good sources of proline. Phenylalanine helps the body get rid of waste matter. Cacao, tomatoes, pineapple, cucumber, apples, carrots, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy, nuts, millet, sweet potatoes, avocado, spinach, corn, millet, green peas, chards, and potatoes are all phenylalanine-rich foods. Serine is needed for muscle growth and tissue detox. Eat pineapple, papaya, apples, cucumber, and radishes, which all contain serine. Tryptophan helps the body generate new cells and tissue. Get your tryptophan from peanuts, soy, dairy, celery, beets, fennel, carrots, spring beans, fish, eggs, and oats. Threonine is also an essential amino acid that plays a vital role in the formation of collagen, muscle tissue, and elastin. Soy, chickpeas, lentils, wheat germ, fish, egg yolks, flaxseed, and peanuts are all rich in threonine. Tyrosine affects hair color, tissue, and cell growth. Apricots, cucumbers, bananas, lima beans, pumpkin seeds, almonds, green pepper, strawberries, fish, oats, avocado, and sesame seeds all contain tyrosine. Valine, an essential amino acid, is needed by the body for proper muscle metabolism and tissue repair. Valine can be found in mushrooms, dairy, peanuts, soy, and grains. Additional Tips for a More Successful Natural Make-over 1. A certain step you can take to have a dramatic improvement in appearance in a matter of days is by fasting. When you fast your body re-allocates its energies from digestion to detoxification more than it does on a regular high-raw or all-raw diet. You may opt for a cleanse that is either milder or stronger, like the one that removes a lot of fiber from the food to further accelerate the body's cleansing rate. There are several kinds of fasting that you can do: water fast, lemonade fast (or the master cleanse), mono-meal fast, juice fast, and the juice feast. The difference between the juice fast and the juice feast is in the amount of juices you can consume. In the former you can only drink a limited number of servings, while the latter would require you to drink at least 2 gallons of juice everyday. Whichever fasting program you choose has to be 100% raw. It is good to do your own research and to consult an expert on fasting to help you decide the type and duration of the fast that is right for you. 2. Intensify your body's inside-out make-over by detoxifying your mind. Raw food and natural beauty guru David Wolfe put it so eloquently in an old but currently unavailable interview published online: "True beauty comes from the inside out. It emerges from proper thinking, as well as proper nutrition, and exercise. Thoughts -- positive or negative -- etch themselves in the face and record themselves in the character of the individual... The habitual presence of high and noble thoughts polishes the face, defines the stature, and builds the countenance. High purpose and genuine enthusiasm create an immaculate beauty. Thoughts alone can overwhelm the influence of clothing and cosmetics." Negative thoughts and emotions acidify the system. Unfired food will eventually alter your thought patterns and emotional make-up for the better, but you can also diffuse them with the help of exercise, acupressure, or any activity that you enjoy doing. Such activities will trigger the release of feel-good chemicals that would facilitate your mental make-over. 3. Opt for a low-sugar and low-sodium diet. Say no to highly-processed foods and refined sugars. Foods with high glycemic indices promote insulin secretion. High levels of this hormone in the body leads to premature aging, breaking down collagen along the way, the fibrous protein responsible for your skin's firmness and contour. A high-sodium diet on the other hand causes weight gain, cellulite, dark eye circles, and water retention. 4. Improve your circulation through regular exercise, massage, acupressure, and dry skin brushing prior to taking a bath. These will all improve both blood flow and lymphatic drainage. By stimulating the lymphatic system metabolic wastes and toxins trapped in the lymphatic fluid more easily move to the bloodstream, allowing them to be eliminated from the body. Also, daily dry skin brushing with a natural brush will help remove cellulite and reveal a softer, smoother skin. 5. Sweating is a good way to get rid of toxins through the skin, the body's largest organ of elimination. Work up a sweat by doing your favorite aerobic exercise or by going to a sauna for a pampering detox treatment. 6. Steer away from deep-fried food. Plant oils subjected to high temperature get oxidized. Oxidized fats inside the body cause free radicals to proliferate, so choose wisely when you eat outside, and be extra wary because some restaurants don't change their oil to cut down costs and keep using oxidized oil over and over again. Barbecued, charred, and broiled food will also result in increased free radical activity in the body. 7. Consider hiring a raw food coach to help you personalize your new healthy diet. He or she can guide you in making the right food choices by asking you questions about your family history, previous diet, and the goals that you want to achieve through the raw diet. A raw food coach can also give you the encouragement and support you'll need as you step on the marvelous but often-misunderstood world of raw food. He or she will help you plan strategies to maximize results and give you advice to overcome problems and issues that you might have on the raw diet. Attend raw food seminars and potlucks not just to immerse yourself in the world of raw food but also to meet people like you who want to improve all aspects of their life through superior nutrition. 8. Minimize your consumption of meat if you still feel that you must eat animal flesh. Raw or cooked, animal flesh is acidifying. Acidosis leads to accelerated aging. Raw animal flesh contains parasites, and cooked meat encourages the growth of worms through putrefaction in the intestines. Avoid unhealthy animal fat such as those found in red meat. That bacon or pancheta may look so tempting to you but if the human body stores its metabolic wastes and toxins in the fat cells then guess where the animal's poisons are found. 9. Quit smoking. Smoking will give you dark lips, crow's feet, wrinkles, a sallow complexion, and dark eye circles. Smoking will also exhaust your vitamin C supply due to increased oxidative stress. 10. Learn to relax and let go of tension. Physical stress and lack of sleep force the body to work much harder and disrupt hormonal activities. Weight gain, hair loss, wrinkles, gray hair, oily skin, dark eye circles, dandruff, murky skin tone, acne, dry skin, eye bags, and a haggard appearance are all side effects of having too much stress in your life. Fight stress through exercise, deep breathing, and a healthy diet. Try to connect with others and with that part of yourself that needs to be acknowledged, appreciated, and cared for. 11. Control your alcohol intake. Liquor burdens the liver and therefore interrupts the detox process. Red wine may be considered raw and may have a lot of antioxidants, but alcohol is alcohol and would still have to pass through the liver. 12. Drink plenty of water. Water not only helps flush out toxins and helps promote weigh loss; it is also needed by all the nutrients to do what they're supposed to. The body's metabolic processes rely on water to be carried out smoothly. Water hydrates tissue and cells. It fights off cellulite, dry skin, constipation, and edema brought about by a high-sodium diet. 13. Get yourself your own aloe vera plant. Aloe vera is a wonder plant that can heal wounds, burns, infections, and lacerations. It contains around 200 phytonutrients as well as vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, and essential fats. Aloe has properties that can restore tissue. It also boosts the potentiality of antioxidants. The quality of aloe tends to deteriorate upon exposure to air, so mix the gel last to your favorite raw smoothie or juice with a spoon and consume immediately. 14. Some foods have greater antioxidant power than the others, so you may want to include them in your diet on a more regular basis. This is determined by ORAC values, which stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. ORAC measures the in-vitro ability of foods to destroy free radicals. Studies reveal that antioxidants found in foods raise the antioxidant power of the blood. Raw cacao has the most phenomenal ORAC value. All other super foods, as well as prunes, raisins, blueberries, blackberries, kale, spinach, strawberries, raspberries, Brussels sprouts, plums, oranges, red grapes and alfalfa sprouts, fare very well in ORAC assays. Among the nuts, pecan, pistachio, and almonds have the highest ORAC ratings. 15. Coffee has been reported to cause wrinkles in spite of all its publicity as a high-antioxidant drink. Coffee beans are roasted even before you "cook" them in your cup with hot water, which goes to mean that coffee has a greatly-reduced antioxidant capacity. If you eat a mainly raw diet, which provides more octane than heat-treated caffeine, then you wouldn't need coffee. Super foods will also provide a lot more energy than your daily caffeine fix. 16. Go natural as often and as much as you can. Toxins from your creams, lotions, make-up, perfume, shampoo, soap, and additive-laden foods will convert into free radicals once they have entered the gut or bloodstream. Anything carcinogenic will lead to free radical damage. John Robert Powers said that beauty is every woman's birthright. A rejoinder to this is that beauty is everyone's birthright, male or female, young or old, black or white. The concept of radiant health has made us rethink the traditional idea of physical attractiveness. The raw food philosophy teaches that beauty is everyone's privilege no matter where the person is coming from, since anyone can attain outstanding health by eating more raw food and by adopting positive lifestyle changes. If one really thinks about it, health, happiness, and beauty are truly inseparable from each other. Enjoy the journey to a healthier, happier, and better-looking you! References: Phytochemicals: Another Reason To Eat Your Fruits and Vegetables . N.d. (www.tonytantillo.com/reference/phyto.html) . Calbom, Cherie, and Keane, Maureen. Juicing for Life . Health Harmony 2004. Kenton, Leslie and Susannah. Raw Energy . Century Publishing 1984. Mc Bride, Judy. Can Foods Forestall Aging? March 16 2007. (http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/feb99/aging0299.htm) . Moffat, Denice. Amino Acids . 2006. (http://www.naturalhealthtechniques.com/) . Antioxidant List And Best Bet Foods . 2006. (http://www.naturalhealthtechniques.com) . Petrosino, Steven. Dietary Sources of Glutathione . N.d. (http://www.nutritionadvisor.com/glutathione_foods.php) . Rose, Natalia. The Raw Food Detox Diet . Regan 2005. Wolfe, David. The Latest Word on Raw Food: Raw Chocolate! N.d. (http://www.sunfood.com/b2c/ecom/ecomEnduser/default/cacao.aspx) Three Age-Defying Secrets of the Beauty Diet . N.d. (http://www.davidwolfe.com/Articles/SecretsoftheBeautyDiet/tabid/957/Default.aspx) About the author Charmaine D. Mercado is a freelance writer who is passionate about natural health, nutrition and well-being.
Number Of Disabled Vets Up With Iraq, Afghan Wars
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Kidney kingpin Amit Kumar denied bail
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Early consumption of cow
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Brain imaging technique to determine anxiety treatment effectiveness
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Homemade Superfood II: Guacamole and the Science of Salsa
(NaturalNews) Whether you are seeking treatment, prevention or just flavor, look no further than raw salsa and homemade guacamole. Teeming with enzymes and highly alkalizing, the ingredients in these dishes can easily be grown in a home garden and contain over 120 known health benefits. In this article, we will first review the benefits of each component and then provide two simple recipes. Tomato - Solanum Lycopersicum (Solanaceae) Tomato contains the antioxidant Lycophene, a phytonutrient along with vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, Calcium and Niacin. Tomato works to purify the blood and improves skin clarity while reducing cholesterol, gallstones, hemorrhages and liver congestion. Tomato offers unique benefits in raw, cooked or canned form. Tomato has antiseptic properties and helps fight cancer of the prostate and colon. Pepper - Capsicum spp. (Solanaceae) Pepper contains the antioxidant Capsaicin, a crystalline alkaloid that relieves allergies, pain, ulcers, colitis, headaches and congestion. Eating peppers reduces cholesterol, blood clotting and the rate of stroke while increasing metabolism. Peppers have antibacterial properties and help fight cancer of the thyroid, stomach, intestine and prostate. Onion - Allium Cepa (Liliaceae) Onion contains antioxidant Quercetin, a flavenoid along with vitamin C, vitamin E, Potassium, Fiber and Folic Acid. Onion relieves congestion and allergy symptoms along with reducing cholesterol, cataracts, atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Consuming onion helps remove heavy metals from the body. Onion has antimicrobial properties and helps fight cancer of the ovaries, breast, lung and bladder. Garlic - Allium Sativum (Liliaceae) Garlic contains the antioxidant Allicin (a compound formed from alliin and allinase when the cloves are is crushed or bruised). Consuming garlic lowers blood pressure and cholesterol while cleansing the liver. Garlic offers unique benefits when consumed in raw, cooked or aged form. Garlic has antiviral, antibacterial, antimicrobial, antifungal and anti-parasitic properties and helps fight stomach cancer. Cilantro - Coriandrum Sativum (Umbelliferae) Cilantro contains several antioxidants including borneo, camphor, carvone, elemol, geraniol, limonene, and linalool. Cilantro is a natural internal and external deodorizer. Cilantro (whose seeds are called Coriander) relieves nausea, indigestion and bloating along with urinary tract infections. Consuming cilantro helps reduce cholesterol and blood sugar while removing heavy metal levels including mercury. Cilantro has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties (killing salmonella). Cumin - Cuminum (Apiaceae) Cumin comes in seed and powder form and contains Iron. Consuming Cumin helps improve digestion and strengthens the immune system. Cumin is an antioxidant and helps fight cancer of the liver. Lemon Juice - Citrus limon (Rutaceae) Lemon juice contains vitamin C and (when fresh) has an alkalizing effect on the system. Lemon relieves stomach discomfort and removes gallstones (when mixed with olive oil). Consuming lemon helps prevent osteoarthritis, diabetes, atherosclerosis and kidney stones. Lemon has antibacterial, antimicrobial and antiseptic properties and is a great natural cleaning agent. Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Olea Europaea (Oleaceae) Olive Oil (from the first cold pressing) contains Oleic acid, a healthy (monounsaturated omega-0) fatty acid. Olive oil, found in the Mediterranean diet, helps reduce blood pressure, asthma and arthritis inflammation. Consuming olive oil helps prevent and treat diabetis while increasing metabolism. Olive oil helps fight cancer of the breast and ovaries. Apple Cider Vinegar - Malus Domestica (Rosaceae) Raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar contains the Mother, an enzyme chain long regarded as a cure-all and taken by Hippocrates himself. Apple cider vinegar helps relieve gout, acid reflux and arthritis symptoms. Consuming apple cider vinegar helps reduce cholesterol, calcium deposits, acne, allergies, and blood sugar while reducing allergies, food poisoning and muscle fatigue. Cider vinegar soothes a sore throat, strengthens the immune system and improves stamina and metabolism. Avocado - Persea Americana (Lauraceae) Avocado contains Lutein, a carotenoid along with vitamin E, monounsaturated (healthy) fat and Magnesium. Consuming avocado helps improve the absorption of the nutrients in other foods. Avocado improves skin clarity and tone. Avocado helps fight cancer of the mouth, breast and prostate. Lime Juice - Citrus C. aurantifolia (Rutaceae) Lime juice contains Potassium and helps cleanse the blood and liver. Lime juice has antibacterial, antimicrobial and antiseptic properties and strengthens the immune system. Gray Sea Salt - Sodium Chloride Gray sea salt contains many trace minerals. Sea salt stabilizes the heartbeat and blood sugar level. Sea salt helps generate hydroelectric energy, improves absorption and nerve cell communication. Sea salt relieves the lungs and sinuses. _______________________________________________________________ Recipes Now that you know how powerful these foods are you may be excited to try them. The following recipes use each ingredient discussed. Recent studies have underscored the benefits of combining many different antioxidants into one synergistic blend. Recipe for Salsa Fresca Ingredients: *4 tomatoes (choose two varieties). *1 onion (your choice of color). *2 peppers (your choice of type and temperature). *2 cloves garlic. *brbrIInstructions: /I *Mince garlic, cilantro, cumin and coriander. *Add lemon, oil and vinegar to spice blend. *Dice tomato, onion, garlic and add to spice blend. *Blend ingredients together with potato masher. *Cover 10 minutes and serve at room temperature. _______________________________________________________________brbrbRecipe for Guacamole/bbrbrIIngredients:/I *4 ripe (Hass) avocados. *brbrIInstructions:/I *Briefly stir together avocado and salsa. *Top with lime juice and salt. *Cover 30 minutes and serve chilled. _______________________________________________________________brbrDISCLAIMER: The information in this article has not been evaluated by the FDA (or guacamole might be outlawed). BRBRbAbout the author/bbrNeil McLaughlin is a Computer Scientist and Inventor specializing in 3D Graphics and Simulation. http://www.NaturalNews.com/023210.htmlSat, 10 May 2008 00:00:00 PDTFormer Rugby Player Richard Blackman on the Benefits of Fruitarianism(NaturalNews) This is Kevin Gianni and I'd like to welcome you to another very special Raw Summit Teleseminar, which can be found online at (http://www.rawsummitarchives.com) . The purpose of the Raw Summit is to pass along cutting edge information about health and living food technologies for you to reach optimal health, wellness, and success. Today I have a very awesome guest on the line. He is a fruitarian and a fitness expert, and today, we're going to talk about his dramatic change from eating "garbage" to becoming a fruitarian and the benefits he attributes to this dramatic change.brbrbRaw Summit Excerpt with Richard Blackman, former Rugby player, fitness expert and fruitarian./bbrbrbKevin/b: I'm excited to talk about this very interesting topic. So let's start by telling everyone a little bit about yourself and were you always into fitness?brbrbRichard/b: Yes, I was always into fitness. Even in my family, my mother was a school sprinting champion. My uncle was a British welterweight champion and a boxing champion. So yes, sports always ran in the family and when I was in my cooked food days, I was actually a rugby league player.brbrbKevin/b: Okay.brbrbRichard/b: I went on to turning pro at the age of 19 after playing for Great Britain as an amateur and in about 1997, I had a bad neck injury and I had to quit. So when I stopped actually exercising, I could really feel it and it was then I started to think about my body changes, and how my stomach was digesting food. It was around about that time, I started to go into raw foods and fruitarianism.brbrbKevin/b: What were some of the things that you were feeling then? I mean, it's common that athletes get off their exercise plans and their shape just deteriorates. Did that happen to you?brbrbRichard/b: Yes, pretty much. While I was playing it, all we did was train. We ran long distance stuff, we did sprints, we're always training, there was skill work and as soon as we stopped, I kind of made a vow to never run again. So my digestion slowed right down and in looking back, I could actually see that the only reason why I maintained my health was due to intense speed of exercise, because I ate garbage. There is a whole thing. When you play a sport like rugby, which is like American football over here, the whole thing is to eat big, to get big, so you have a situation where you're just chugging down food relentlessly. You can manipulate all that water, in fact, to make it look like you've got some mass about you.brbrbKevin/b: Yes.brbrbRichard/b: So pretty much that's what was happening to me, I was still eating the same junk, I wasn't working out, I wasn't manipulating it anywhere and basically I wasn't cleaning out my glands through exercise, I wasn't getting anything circulated. I wasn't helping myself out and I was paying the price for it.brbrbKevin/b: So how do you go from one of the toughest sports around, rugby, into being a fruitarian? What was the motivation and then we'll just get into the whole fruitarian thing.brbrbRichard/b: Okay well, this is one of those things I really can't explain because up until then, it wasn't even on rare occasions I ate fruit. I just never ate fruits.brbrbKevin/b: Yes.brbrbRichard/b: Like I said, I just ate garbage. Eating healthy was like having a cheese sandwich for me.brbrbKevin/b: Wow.brbrbRichard/b: With maybe some lettuce in it, that for me was the extent of eating healthy. I came from a relatively old inner city British West Indian Family. We weren't rich. My mother brought me up by herself, so we ate cheap fruits, we had overcooked foods. We didn't know any better. We just ate what we knew. So basically, what got me from that, onto fruitarianism, I really don't know. I just know that when I stopped, it was like my body or my instincts took over. All of a sudden eating cooked foods didn't feel right.brbrAll of a sudden, I started to sense being sick a whole lot more. I was more sensitive to feeling indigested food. I was more sensitive to feeling how it was getting harder to breath. I was getting more sensitive to feeling all the mucous in my nose or the mucous in the back of my throat or the mucous in my chest, you know. And even when I tried to get more active, like I used to cycle, it was getting harder to move myself. It was getting harder to motivate myself to even get up on a bike. And then one day, it suddenly dawned on me that, and don't ask me how because I don't know, I just knew I had to go out and get some food. I didn't want to eat cooked food. I knew cooked food was a problem.brbrbKevin/b: Yes.brbrbRichard/b: Okay and I just could not take another bite of cooked food. I couldn't do it. I felt that if I did, then I will just break down because it just felt like I was ageing actively and that my body was giving me the message that if I carried on this way, I was going to break down and I would end up in the hospital and follow the same cycle as everybody else does.brbrbKevin/b: Right.brbrbRichard/b: So it took about two to three days for it to sink in and for me to say to myself, "Well, you know what, something's happening here, I'm getting the message, I'm going to act on it." Okay, so I got on my bike, I went down to the... back in England where I was living, there was plenty of old Indian stores. They sell fruits from different countries like India, Jamaica, West India because there is a big West Indian population over there and you can get a lot of exotic fruits. And I went and I got some beautiful fruits. I got some mangoes. I got a couple of honeydew melons. I got some grapes and I remember this so well because this was a real turning point for me and I even got some non-dried natural dates.brbrbKevin/b: Wow, okay.brbrbRichard/b: And I've never tasted those before. The only dates I've seen is dried.brbrbKevin/b: Yes.brbrbRichard/b: So I packed them in my little satchel and I put some in my basket on my bike and I got home. It was amazing because I was so excited. I just gave into these mangoes and it was like heaven. It was such a relief. It was like my whole system just sighed with relief and just said, "Thank God for that."brbrbKevin/b: Wow!brbrbRichard/b: You know, I didn't know anything about fruitarianism. I didn't know anything about raw foods. I just went with my instincts. It really paid off and it was like all clean and good and so I carried on. And the next day, I did exactly the same thing.brbrbKevin/b: Okay.brbrbRichard/b: Anything I looked at that appealed to me, I went out and bought and I tried it. And if I didn't like it, I didn't like it. If I liked it, I bought it again.brbrbKevin/b: Right.brbrbRichard/b: So I went totally off my instincts, and that lasted for about a couple of weeks. And I was in heaven, for those two weeks and then, my detox set in and then everything just went haywire --the completeness.brbrbKevin/b: Yes. So let's talk about being a fruitarian.brbrbRichard/b: Okay.brbrbKevin/b: It's a segment of the raw food world that we haven't covered in this Summit. So I want to really get into it and talk about what it means to be a fruitarian.brbrbRichard/b: Well actually it's a very personal thing. One of my things is that we must all do what we feel in our hearts that we should do. Each person will have to go through his own experience, and I try and get people to encompass that instead of asking other people, perfect strangers, a million and one questions about what to eat, what they should eat, what they shouldn't eat and get a million and one different answers back, and they get even more confused. So being a fruitarian really is your own experience, doing what works for you. For me personally, being a fruitarian is all about going back to nature.brbrbKevin/b: Okay.brbrbRichard/b: Okay. I don't eat anything that I can't pick from a tree or pick from a bush and eat as it is, okay? That's what being a fruitarian is. I'm passionately against the raw gourmet stuff and how the raw community is going right now. They're not transitioning the whole way through. They're getting caught up in all these raw gourmet recipes -- the oily, fatty, nutty, chocolaty, raw - gourmet recipes are just replicas of the very foods that they're trying to stop eating. The raw pizzas, the raw ice creams, the raw lasagnas... when I talk to people, I try and find out what their goals are, whether they want to go 100% fruitarian, whether they want to go strict because essentially, going strict fruitarian regardless of your experience is really going A to B, okay; because you will not get the benefits otherwise.brbrbKevin/b: What are some of the benefits of fruitarianism?brbrbRichard/b: Top benefits basically is the clearance of debris of cooked food waste, if you do it the right way, okay? If you don't overeat, if you don't get caught on the raw gourmet stuff, you will clean out and clean out enough for your body to work as it's supposed to work. The benefits I have seen are much clearer skin, fresher insides and healthier mouth. Basically, the whole works because the whole body goes for a total overhaul, so from your head down to your toes, your hair, your nails, your smell, everything.brbrI'm not going to tell you that you turn sheepish because you won't. You'll still be the same person as you were before but you'll be cleaner. Your thinking will be more positive. You'll be more motivated for getting active and then some people will say, "They're more spiritual." Some people say, "They're more psychic." Some people say, "They're more euphoric." That's all personal stuff to each individual. But for me, those were what I found among many things because I can do stuff now that I couldn't do on cooked food... If I was on cooked food, then I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing, I wouldn't be exercising anywhere near the extent I am. And I know that for a fact because my motivation -- even when I was playing rugby, it was hard to motivate myself to get out there and do what I was supposed to be doing to the extent I was supposed to be doing. I can definitely say to other fruitarians, I can do so much more and plus I'm a lot older now. I'm 37 years old. So I'm at that age where on a cooked food diet, I should be slowing down. So, yes, that's one of the huge benefits for me. It's being more active and having the mindset -- being able to fulfill your mindset if you think something, now I could go out and do it; whereas, with cooked food, I'd be like, "Well I wish I could go hiking. I wish I could go out somewhere." Now, I go out and do it.brbrbKevin/b: Yes.brbrbRichard/b: No messing around and it's great. It's so liberating.brbrbTo read the rest of this transcript as well as access 14 different raw food experts just like Richard Blackman, please visit (http://www.RawSummitArchives.com) ./bBRBRbAbout the author/bbrKevin Gianni is a health advocate, author and speaker. He has helped thousands of people in over 85 countries learn how to take control of their health--and keep it. To view his popular internet TV Show "The Renegade Health Show" (and get a free gift!) with commentary on a href="http://www.therenegadehealthshow.com"natural health issues, vegan and raw food diets, holistic nutrition and more click here/a. br brHis book, a href="http://www.liveawesome.com/public/452.cfm""The Busy Person's Fitness Solution,"/a is a step-by-step guide to optimum health for the time and energy-strapped. To find out more about a href="http://www.fountainofyouthworldsummit.com"abundance, optimum health and self motivation click here/a... or you're interested in the a href="http://www.rawsummitarchives.com"vegan and raw food diet and cutting edge holistic nutrition click here/a. For access to free interviews, downloads and a a href="http://www.liveawesome.com"complete bodyweight exercise archive visit www.LiveAwesome.com/a. http://www.NaturalNews.com/023209.htmlSat, 10 May 2008 00:00:00 PDTStrong Boundaries Create Secure Children(NaturalNews) Image you are standing on the roof deck of a skyscraper. There are no railings, the wind is blowing and the building sways. Where would you be? You would probably be in the center where you could gather some feeling of security. Now imagine there are high sturdy railings around the edge of the roof deck. You walk over to the railing, push on it a few times to make sure it is sturdy and will hold. Now you feel secure and free to stand by the edge, maybe even look down or out into the beyond.brbrThose railings really changed the experience for you, didn't they? You went from feeling insecure to feeling secure just by having a firm boundary around you. It is just this kind of feeling of security your child is after when he challenges you to set firm and consistent limits and boundaries for him.brbrWhen you set solid limits and boundaries for your child, you are sending him a clear message that says, "I care about you and I want you to be safe and feel secure as you learn about the world. I am an authority on whom you can always rely."brbrSome of the members of the current generation of parents seem to have difficulty setting and enforcing limits and boundaries for their children. Some of them may be insecure in their own lives and experiences, and inadequately prepared to provide a secure environment for their children. Others have consciously or unconsciously decided that being their child's friend is more important than being his parent.brbrbDon't let your child grow up an orphan./bbrbrThink about what kind of relationship your child has with his friends. Friends are equals. Each feels free to tell the other what he thinks, and to be a confidant. Childhood friends drop each other and move on to other friendships, experiencing all the different personalities that life has to offer. Friends don't guide, nurture, and protect each other; they don't set boundaries and limits for each other. Is this the kind of relationship you want to have with your child?brbrBeing a friend to your child is one way to sidestep the conflict, responsibility and pain of being a parent. It's also a good place to hide if you don't know how to parent. But your role in your child's life is to be his parent. Being a parent is not an adversarial relationship, but one in which clear lines are drawn about who is in charge. When you find yourself and your child thinking alike, or spending a lot of time hanging out together, it may be time to rethink your role. If you are not creating a solid, secure base from which your child can explore the world, you are probably being a friend rather than a parent.brbrAfter all, your child is aware that he is a child and doesn't know how to 'do' life yet. If he perceives that no one is in charge and acting like a parent, he will act out until you rise to the occasion. Being without a parent is the most insecure feeling a child can have. If you don't know how to run things, who does?brbrWhen parents try to be friends with their children it sends a confusing message. When your child does something wrong, you will need to enforce the right behavior, but your child will not understand the role change. It undermines his feelings of security for you to be inconsistent in your role as parent.brbrbWhat a boundary or limit provides/bbrbrThe world can be just as intimidating for your child as being on that skyscraper's roof deck without a railing was for you. Children look to their parents to tell them what is expected of them, what is OK to do and how to act. When they are young, boundaries usually center on safety, but as your child gets older you will need a new set of limits that fit with your child's expanding world.brbrLimits are the safe zone for your child. Within the limits, the world is safe and predictable. It's easier for your child to venture out into the rest of the world when he know there is this safe zone you have created for him.brbrMany parents have a hard time setting boundaries for their children because they are afraid that if they do, their child won't like them. Some parents also feel that setting limits restricts their child's creativity or sense of exploration. But since your child is aware that he doesn't know how to do life yet, he is going to act out until you assume the leadership role of parent. He will push you again and again until you show him where his limits are.brbrWhen you refuse to respond to your child's demand to set limits and boundaries for him, you put him in a dangerous position. In order to get you to respond, your child will continually test you by doing whatever inappropriate behavior he can think of to awaken the parent in you. He may talk to strangers, engage in inappropriate sexual activity, develop an eating disorder, take up substance abuse, or fail at school.brbrClear and consistently enforced limits and boundaries teach your child the rules of life, so that he can grow up and fit in.brbrbHow to set and enforce limits for your child/bbrbrAs you ponder how to set and enforce limits for your child, keep in mind that this is an act of nurturing and love. You are not trying to control your child. You are simply being a good parent. So, with that in mind:brbrConsider the age and developmental stage of your child. Boundaries for young children should be about safety, with you making all the decisions. Limits for older children, while still involving your vigilance for their safety, should present them with appropriate opportunities for decision making. Children don't magically grow up to make good decisions. They learn how to do it from experience.brbrReassess the boundaries you have set for your child. As he matures in experience and judgment, expand the limits and introduce new ones as needed. New situations such as going out with friends or driving a car will involve a whole new set of limits.brbrMake sure your child understands that there are direct consequences for violating your boundaries or limits. Discuss these consequences upfront, and make sure you explain that your position as a parent requires you to be the enforcer of consequences. You are not doing it out of meanness. Nevertheless, you will do it, always, consistently.brbrRemember that it is by teaching your child how to own up to the consequences of his actions that he will grow up to be a truly free individual. A person who does not own his actions is forever a slave.brbrEnforce the limits consistently. When you first set a limit or boundary, your child may test it, several times. He may complain, cry, throw a fit, call you mean, or any other challenging behavior. When he does this, he is just doing his job as your child. It is his job to test those boundaries to make sure they are solid, sturdy and will hold up under pressure. Just like you tested those railings on the roof deck. If you cave in to his pressure, the ultimate result is that you undermine his feeling of security. If he can't count on you being rock solid about what affects his well being, what is there in the world that he can count on?brbrbIf you have a hard time setting limits/bbrbrTry to let go of the feeling of wanting love from your child. Focus instead on loving him and doing what is best for him.brbrRemember that he may scream and cry for a short while, but over time he will respect and value you for what you are doing. As an adult, he will look back and know that you always did what was best for him in the long run, not what was best for you at the moment.BRBRbAbout the author/bbrBarbara is a school psychologist, a published author in the area of personal finance, a breast cancer survivor using "alternative" treatments, a born existentialist, and a student of nature and all things natural. http://www.NaturalNews.com/023208.htmlSat, 10 May 2008 00:00:00 PDT
Quest for a cure grows stronger
Six women lift Marybeth Caldarone from her wheelchair, wrap her in sheets and place her on a stretcher. Slowly, speaking different languages, they lower her into the cold water of the stone bath.
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True Body, False Body: the Key to All Health and Happiness
(NaturalNews) If we can use a metaphor... but not really, to describe a phenomenon that just about everyone is experiencing, we shall talk about the true body and the false body. In our metaphor, the true body is built from live food nutrients. It is under the influence of order, life, joy and peace. It is healthy -- in fact it does not age. It is vital, energized, insightful and intuitive. It taps into Higher Power and knows the unknown. It is properly formed and full of quantum and life energy. It is formed with love and confidence, peace and focus. On the other hand, the false body is built from processed food, fast food and fast living. It is the product of disorder, toxic thinking, fear, anger, hate, resentment, sadness and loss of joy and faith. It is poisoned with environmental toxins, radiation, microwaves and discontent. It is built from dead foods that were abnormal when consumed. It was fed with distress and fear, irritation and violence. It is incongruent with nature, with the spirit and with high values and even other people. Cells in the false body are too fat or too thin, diseased and cancerous, toxic and acidic, weak and abnormal, dead and dying. The false body is dead weight while the true body carries that weight. The false body and true body both crave, but the false body is the indulgent one. The false body wants food at the worst of times, while the true body wants to fast and meditate at those times and find the perspective of the eternal spirit and the Higher Power. When the false body becomes excessive and heavy, the whole body will begin to show signs of disease. Symptoms will appear to the conscious mind. Every mortal lives with both a false body and a true body. For many, the false body actually has control of their life, their thinking, their relationships and their health. Even their worship is more like superstition under this influence (if they happen to choose to worship their Higher Power). For some, the true body prevails. This does not make them omniscient, or even totally free from disease and discomfort, but the prevailing true body leads to health, makes easy course corrections and is easily taught, when the individual is ready to be taught. This is as true with mundane subjects as it is with spiritual enlightenment. For those who are struggling to make a change in the winds, this article will be helpful. There are five points of value that will help us make the change from the death of the false body to the life of the true body. Before discussing those five points, it is important to disclose the thing no one wants to disclose these days because it is not sexy and does not make them look like they know it all. Still, it is as true for the pursuit of wealth or health or peace or great relationships or fitness or faith or changes in character. This thing needing disclosed is this: That for every real change in your experience in life, there are certain components of that change that are hidden deep within the deepest chambers of your soul. These are things you do not understand or know how to change or alter or overcome. Your wisdom is insufficient and they are so layered in any adult life that no person outside of yourself has any hope of scratching the surface of them. Because of this point, all I can really do is provide you with landmarks. That is all anyone can do and anyone who says otherwise is willing to take your money to tell you lies. The real change is up to you to work out. Real change is a test of the deepest kind of character: are you willing (and in some cases, able would be a better word) to deny yourself, including your urges and wisdom, for some other alternative in life? Do you even want to go through that? If you decide that you do, you will find the landmarks and tools I and others give to be helpful to guide your thinking and to give you direction and ideals to put your trust in. Hiding behind all the things we think this life might be about, we find the one thing that this life really is about: faith. Faith in ourselves and others, faith in our Higher Power, faith in some ideal like living off of living plants or treating illness with the herbs and remedies that Nature provides us. Every step in any direction that really forms our lives is based on faith and choosing to believe in something enough to structure our lives with it. Behind this lies all the rewards of life. Now that we have placed that subject securely out there, we are ready to explore the five points of changing the power from the false body to the true body. Point One: The False Body is a Glutton with Poor Quality Cells The easy conclusion from this is that it will easily starve to death, or at least into weakness. It will starve if you eat less than you want and eat food that tends to feed the true body better (such as organic food and raw food or food that is only lightly cooked and whose life energy is preserved). Point Two: The False Body is Afraid and Wants to Medicate, Rather than Face its Fears This is also an easy conclusion. The true body will begin to take power almost immediately when fears are faced. This feels a lot like imprisonment to the false body and it will protest, but the true body wants to be responsible, focused, in charge and in control (not controlling, but not out of control). One can begin to avoid beer or ice cream or rich food or movies when a little stressed and can begin to do something constructive and creative and healing instead. One can decide, right now, regardless of the discomfort and sense of imprisonment, to face up and deal constructively with relationships, money, health and habits. One can get outside help if needed. One can start working at life with a willingness to be wrong, to trust others, to love others and to even feel uncomfortable. One can begin removing foods and substances and habits that are totally unnecessary and totally beneath where they wish to be. This is not easy, but it is simpler than most people think. Generally, people know just what these things are, they have just tuned them out. Point Three: The True Body will Meditate and Face its Challenges with Confidence and Willingness. It knows that it can choose to love and like whatever serves it. It is not a victim of past tastes. Meditation is easy to start. On the downloads page of (www.kalsschool.com) , you can get free access to information on both meditation and changing one's taste and thinking. Standing up in a non-obtrusive way (the false body is obtrusive), choosing to believe and choosing to make a choice to like and love the things that really serve a person is one way to take all the power away from the false body, and cells from it will die almost instantly. They will be easy to rebuild with foods that feed the true body, meaning they get replaced, if needed, with true body cells. Point Four: The False Body Must be Regularly Cleansed Out. The true body will always, in today's world, pick up some false cells and toxins that lead to the construction of false cells. The fastest and best way to remove these is regular cleansing. This can be a fast one day per week, an intensive cleanse for three days each month, a five day cleanse each season and a seven to twelve day cleanse one time each year. During these times, cleansing herbs are used and fresh juices and herbal teas are the only medium consumed (or a few other things like green drinks, slippery elm and supplements). Whenever the false body dies, the toxins are freed up and become very dangerous to your true body again. These must be accelerated out of the body. The false body can make new cells from toxic debris, while the true body requires healthy building blocks to make cells. On this note, there is an interesting story about what was once called "The Great Grape Cure." On this program, only concord grape juice was consumed, along with a few herbs and supplements. The person would often begin to waste away and get thinner and thinner. They would, after a few months become a bag of bones. Then, at the very bottom of weight, when they looked like death happening, they would start to put weight back on. This would happen without changing anything and without adding any foods. This would continue until they reached a healthy weight. This was the signal that the grape cure could be discontinued and a healthy eating program could be re-introduced. This was nothing but an example of the false body dying off and the true body taking over. In this case, the true body would live fine off the reduced fare that was full of life and just the false body would die. This was not really threatening anyway, because the true body was carrying on all the life processes even when the false body was there. Point Five: The True Body is Strong and Gentle Indeed, one who can be kind and gentle is showing signs of strength. Still, one can get meek in such an imbalanced way that they are unable to stand strong. This can come from disease and malfunction and the individual may need to see an appropriate health care practitioner to help them restore normalcy. The abnormal flow of meekness or harshness is a sign that the false body is ruling the true body. The false body will lose its power when only an appropriate balance is insisted on. One may need help with this process from those who are wise or who know how to balance the brain and the body so that it can think clearly. The first and vital step, though, is the individual deciding that they will only be satisfied with both the characteristics of strength (integrity, honesty, faith, focus, optimism, power, control, etc) and the characteristics of meekness (gentleness, kindness, empathy, love, wisdom, support, service, etc.). Now that we have landmarks and ideas to ponder and act upon, we are in condition to do something about our false/true body balance of power if we decide that we want that. I believe the reward is more than worth the difficulty, but I also do not blame anyone for shrinking back at the daunting task. It is up to you and I will help you if I can. Thank you for reading, Kal Sellers, MH About the author Kal Sellers, MH is a lifelong student and practitioner of the natural healing arts. Kal is a Master Herbalist, a Massage Therapist, Technician of the Rolf Method of Structural Integration, Iridologist, Mind-Body Medicine Practitioner, Mental Re-programmer, Life Coach, Natural Nutritionist, Reflexologist and more. Kal is currently attending Life University in preparation for chiropractic school. Kal currently operates and maintains www.KalsSchool.com an on-line school for natural healing and herbal medicine. Kal also maintains www.BestFoodist.com as the website for the distribution of his and his wife's books on natural nutrition and companion recipe book (Traci's Transformational Kitchen Cookbook and Traci's Transformational Health Principles). Kal and Traci have five children, the last three of which were delivered at home, the last by Kal. They live now in Powder Springs, GA where they maintain live classes on food and medicine for anyone choosing to master medical independence and life-long optimal health!
Success Against HIV and Cancer in South Africa (Oleander Series Part 5)
(NaturalNews) Years ago, when I first began research into the amazing oleander plant, I ended up as a member of two Yahoo Health Groups about oleander. One was named "Anvirzel" (after the patented Oleander medicine which had passed FDA phase 1 trials a few years earlier) and the other, "Oleandersoup" (named for the home remedy version of the patented medicine). As a result, I became friends and acquaintances with many people close to oleander and Anvirzel, one of whom was a noted South African humanitarian, entrepreneur, crusader and researcher named Mr. Swanepoel Swanepoel. Mr. Swanepoel was keenly interested in the oleander plant due to the epidemic of HIV-AIDS in his native country as well as the number of indigent cancer patients who could not afford mainstream treatment options (and which he believed were largely ineffective anyway). Like several of us in the groups, Mr. Swanepoel began making his own oleander home remedy after the instructions were posted by Ed Hensley "The Father of Oleander Soup" and the first moderator of the Yahoo "Oleandersoup" group. Unlike the rest of us, Mr. Swanepoel took things a few steps further and he began searching the Brazilian Rain Forest and his native South Africa for other botanicals to combine with oleander. After testing various combinations, Mr. Swanepoel settled on two similar botanical supplements which consisted of 80% oleander extract made exactly according to the oleander soup instructions. The first supplement was for HIV/AIDS patients and it added extracts of the agaricus blazei murrill (ABM) mushroom, cats claw, and pau de arco, while the second supplement, intended for cancer, substituted the relatively rare chrysobalanus icaco (red-tipped coco plum) for the pau de arco. All of the rain forest botanicals added to the oleander have their own histories of successful immune boosting and cancer fighting abilities, some dating back centuries among the indigenous Amazon peoples. I asked Mr. Swanepoel why he used oleander for 80% of the mix and he confided that, as potent as the other botanicals were, he felt that oleander was by far the most effective botanical he had ever found. Mr. Swanepoel soon selected a Brazilian manufacturing facility named Takesun do Brasil to make his supplements for him and he also licensed them to market his supplements around the world. Takesun is managed (or was) by a German PhD named George Otto (The Takesun website, a bit rough in the English version, can be found at (http://www.agaricus.net) -- but I do not recommend that you buy any of their products at this time! I will just say that I believe that there are better and more reliable sources and that Mr. Swanepoel Swanepoel agrees and leave it at that). Ultimately, the OPC product grew to be quite successful, especially in Dr. Otto's native Germany. So much so, that two clinics were built which used only the OPC and Agaricus products and Dr. Otto ended up moving back to Germany where plans are in the works for a hospital built around an oleander/agaricus protocol. Meanwhile, in South Africa, Mr. Swanepoel returned to his native South Africa and made notable progress of his own -- first getting the government to embrace the use of his oleander supplements for HIV and cancer and then getting it accepted by various doctors and clinics as well as gaining some support at the university level. Over the past three years, he and I have kept in touch and he has told me many times of the success his supplements have had in helping HIV and cancer patients, but I have to admit that I was somewhat remiss in digging a bit deeper and finding out the true scope of the success until the first part of this year when I asked Mr. Swanepoel how the patients in South Africa were faring and he reported back: "Everything's still ok here and cancer patients as well as HIV patients on the oleander mix are doing well. The medical doctor in Cape Town who is using the mix for all his cancer patients has continued to have good results. The oncologist where he sends his patients to (a woman) was so impressed with the results that she is now using it herself for prevention. "... to date, the only patients that did not make it on the oleander mix were three patients with very advanced cancer that had metastasized to the liver and who had been on intensive chemo treatments. In my opinion, the effect of the chemo on the liver and heart eventually led to failure of those organs." Needless to say, I was very impressed with the news, but after thinking about it, I started to wonder, "3 patients out of how many did not make it"? So, to try to get a better perspective I asked Mr. Swanepoel in a follow up message and the response I received astounded me! Just when I thought I could not possibly be even more impressed with oleander, based on my research and first hand experience with oleander users including friends and members of my own family, I got this incredible message from Mr. Swanepoel: "Hi Tony, "Approximately 350 HIV/AIDS patients have used it and about 80 cancer patients on a regular basis. Of the cancer patients, 5 arrived when they had about a week to 10 days to live and they were too weak to keep the mix down. They died without really being able to try the mix. 3 (the ones I mentioned to you) died of liver and heart failure. All the others are still alive, some now for nearly three years. One breast cancer patient who was given a few months to live eventually became the patient of the oncologist who is now also using the mix. She was declared free of cancer by the oncologist approximately 1 year ago and is still doing well. Others used it for a few months until their cancers were gone and we have not heard from them again. One patient with a festering hole of 1cm diameter on his nose (about half a cm deep) has been using it for three months after doctors were unable to cure the tumor with radiation. The hole is now half the size and not festering anymore. It should be healed in about 3 - 6 months. The doctor in Cape Town whose own wife had metastasized cancer to the bones, is now cancer free. She has been on overseas trips and lives a normal life. Unfortunately, I do not have time to keep track of all the patients. They just collect the mix from me and phone me from time to time to say that they are doing well. It also seems to help for asthma, male impotence and diabetes. One advanced MS patient has now used it for 2 months and is reporting that it seems to help for the pain in her legs. All the distribution is happening by word of mouth and I don't advertise at all. I have had orders from the U.K. from people who had heard about the successes in South Africa. A documentary maker there was filming the progress of his wife on a weekly basis but, unfortunately, she was one of the liver complications. He still believes very firmly that the mix gave his wife an extra 5 months of high quality life." I was almost dumbfounded to hear such news. 100% success on HIV and almost the same for cancers? I knew that in my own experience and research, oleander was almost always successful, but I had never really seen numbers like that before! If I had not known Mr. Swanepoel for years now and known his character and accomplishments I would have doubted such numbers myself -- and I am, maybe, the number one oleander fan in the galaxy! The numbers Mr. Swanepoel quote, mirror the results I am familiar with from around the world and in my own family, friends and health forum -- especially those who combine a good diet and lifestyle and do not depend on oleander alone. For years, it has pretty much been used as a stand-alone product. Mr. Swanepoel, like myself, has recommended cleansing and de-toxing along with a very healthy diet and lifestyle to go along with the oleander. I take it a step further and recommend that other immune boosting and cancer fighting supplements also be used -- not because I have any doubts in the magical powers of oleander, but because I think the more weapons in your arsenal, the more likely you are to win the battle and the war. Yesterday, before preparing this installment, I sent Mr. Swanepoel an email yesterday asking him for the very latest results so I could include them here. I received his reply only a few hours ago: "Tony - "Since my last update to you when the total number of HIV/AIDS patients were about 350 and the total number of cancer patients were about 80, I have given the new mix to an additional 130 people with advanced AIDS and to a further 15 people with cancer. The people with AIDS, without exception, are doing fine and mostly resume their normal activities after 6 - 8 weeks. The son of the senior nurse at the clinic where I am doing my research was a case with advanced AIDS, badly swollen legs and barely walking with the aid of crutches. After 4 weeks, he does not need the crutches anymore and his mother reports that he is now singing in the morning. There are many similar cases and I have no doubt that the oleander mix can control HIV/AIDS better than the antiretrovirals. "... Two of the cancer patients who were in remission had recurrences of small tumours (but not in the same place as before). Against my advice, they had both stopped using the mix after their doctors had declared them clear of any tumours. As I mentioned to you before, I believe the cancer will always return unless one changes the things that caused the cancer in the first place. The oleander and all other successful treatments allow one the breathing space to give effect to such changes. "At present I distribute about 70 - 80 bottles of the Sutherlandia OPC mix per month. This is without any advertising or other promotions -- strictly word of mouth. I believe this will not be happening unless people are finding that it works... My experience is that those who try the mix without going that route are also the ones who are willing to change their lifestyles (especially diet) and they are the ones who pull through. The problem comes after the cancer has been cured and a few are lured back into their old ways -- with predictable results. Regards, Marc. Swanepoel" After those messages, I have followed the progress of Mr. Swanepoel and his OPC supplement closely. A few months ago, he began manufacturing his own OPC oleander supplement and, after a lengthy period of testing, also changed the formula to 80% oleander and 20% sutherlandia frutescens (the South Africa "Cancer Bush") and Mr. Swanepoel reports that the new formulation, aptly named Sutherlandia OPC, is even more effective than the previous formulations for both cancer and HIV/AIDS, and he set up a website for the supplement (http://www.sutherlandiaopc.com) . Two months ago, Mr. Swanepoel began a double blind placebo controlled clinical trial of the Sutherlandia OPC supplement at a South African AIDS clinic. In an upcoming installment in this series, I will be reporting the results. As a hint to what those might be -- they were so successful midway through the trial that a manufacturing company approached Mr. Swanepoel and immediately began an initial run of 50,000 bottles of the extract, with projected monthly minimum production runs of 10,000 bottles thereafter -- a far cry from the 75-80 bottles once distributed by word of mouth not many months ago! As a result of the large scale production, costs of the supplement were actually reduced from $99 for one month's supply (500ml) of extract, to $60 of extract, including shipping worldwide. For those who would like to know a bit more about the South Africa "Cancer Bush", you can find a wealth of information at (http://www.sutherlandia.org) . About the author Tony Isaacs, is a natural health advocate and researcher and the author of books and articles about natural health including " Cancer's Natural Enemy " and " Collected Remedies "as well as song lyrics and humorous anecdotal stories. Mr. Isaacs also has The Best Years in Life website for baby boomers and others wishing to avoid prescription drugs and mainstream managed illness and live longer, healthier and happier lives naturally. He is currently residing in the scenic Texas hill country near Utopia, Texas where he serves as a consultant to the Utopia Silver colloidal silver and supplement company and where he is working on a major book project due for publication later this year. Mr. Isaacs also hosts the CureZone " Ask Tony Isaacs " forum as well as the Yahoo Health Group " Oleander Soup "
Think That Your Gift Is Pesticide-Free? Give Organic Flowers and It Will Be
(NaturalNews) Did you know that in a 1997 study, the Environmental Working Group found that conventionally-grown flowers may be laden with up to 50 times the amount of pesticides allowed for food? And that these pesticides can easily enter your body through your skin or nose? These facts struck me like an ice pick between the eyes when I researched for suitable bouquets to send my mother for Mother's Day. She suffers from Parkinson's Disease, a slowly debilitating illness whose onset, although multi-varied and little understood, has been linked to pesticide exposure. Of course, I wanted to nurture this wonderful woman who once had soothed my cries, salved my fears and bandaged my knees, as well as I wanted to honor Mother Earth, so I began to dig into the world of conventional flowers. Well, to my dismay, I found that those same pesticides that I assiduously avoid by eating Organic produce are neurotoxins, immune and endocrine disruptors, as well as carcinogens that can be inhaled along with the bouquet of flowers. There are no regulations in the U.S. governing the use of pesticides on cut flowers, and therefore, importers are not required to monitor pesticide levels. In fact, the demand for unblemished, pest-free flowers actually encourages growers to use excessive amounts of highly toxic chemicals. In 1990, the Scandinavian Journal of Environmental Health quantified 127 chemicals in common use in Colombian greenhouses (the origin of 50% of U.S. imported cut flowers), including pesticides, fungicides and ozone-depleting fumigants such as methyl bromide. Further, the Organic Consumers Association and scientific journals report rates of spontaneous abortions, prematurity and congenital malformations among children born to nursery workers much too high to be explained by mere coincidence. In addition, increased rates of cervical cancer and reduced fertility plague female employees, while males suffer from lower sperm counts and higher incidences of prostate and testicular cancer. Days away and miles removed from the sprayings, florists who handle non-organic flowers have been known to develop dermatitis on their hands. Even more damning evidence shows that toxic chemicals used on flower farms also poison the groundwater and the soil. These chemicals then become part of the food chain, when animals such as birds eat the sprayed plants and in the course of their seasonal migrations, spread these chemicals globally. Our already challenged, globally-warmed weather is affected as pesticides and fertilizers that are sprayed on flower farms evaporate into the atmosphere and fall as rain or snow. So, it's not a far stretch to say that the organic granola I ate for breakfast may have been tainted by those sinfully beautiful, blood-red Colombian roses I bought for my sweetie on Valentine's Day. Reeling from toxic information overload and down but not out, I looked for an alternative here in the land of tropical flowers, the Big Island of Hawaii. I found it in a nearby rain forest, where botanist Nyree Parisi grows red, orange, pink, white and multi-hued anthuriums, in the shade of Hapu'u ferns and ancient Ohia trees on 42 pristine acres named Aina Nui (Great Land, in Hawaiian), nurtured organically only by the sun and the rain. On a spiritual, holistic level, organic farmers retain the essence of flowers, as Mother Nature intended them to be, unlike the big commercial growers who use chemical fertilizers and pesticides to grow aesthetically perfect but horribly polluted blooms. In fact, Parisi follows ancient Hawaiian beliefs that everything in nature is alive, aware and responsive, greeting her flowers as friends, saying a blessing as she cuts them and packing them with a spirit of Aloha so that they may brighten someone's life as much as they have hers. See (www.Huna.org) for more on ancient Hawaiian philosophy, and visit (www.OrganicHawaiiFlowers.com) to see samples of Aina Nui's wonderful flowers. Okay, now that I am sold on buying organic, I still want the biggest bang for my buck and Organic tropical flowers do not disappoint me here either. When properly cared for upon arrival, anthuriums, heliconia and orchids usually last at least two weeks, far outdistancing roses, tulips and lilies. Parisi recommends adding chamomile tea or a drop of Rescue Remedy flower essence to the water to make the flowers last longer, eschewing the packets of unknown chemical kool-aid available from most floral retailers. In this year of election overkill, I choose to vote with my pocketbook by buying only organic flowers thereby giving the market notice that I support the growing of organic flowers, subtly pressuring more domestic flower farms to convert to using organic agricultural methods. I hope my efforts and those of the collective will eventually force out conventional flowers that seem cheap on the wallet but that actually come at an extraordinarily high price to our health and environment. So the next time you send flowers, please send a message that doesn't include pesticides. by Roger Harris About the author Roger Harris is a writer and environmental advocate living on the Big Island of Hawaii. He has formed a network to provide alternatives to pesticides and chemicals, www.GreenerWorld.net to help the citizens of Hawaii and the world choose a healthier future.
Pot may worsen depression, drug czar says
The White House drug czar warned parents Friday that depressed teens are medicating themselves with marijuana, running risks of deeper depression...
Timing of cell death might cause cancer or Alzheimer
If a cell fails to die when its utility is over, it is likely to multiply rabidly and form a cancer. Conversely, a person who has too many prematurely self-destructing cells may develop degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.
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