Oil Pulling with Coconut Oil for Dental Health
By Brian Shilhavy~ Health Impact News
[Health Impact News] A study was published in India recently comparing the effectiveness of “oil pulling” versus chlorhexidine mouthwash in preventing bad breath and the organisms that cause it. It was a small sample size for a study, but oil pulling was more effective than the chlorhexidine mouthwash when measuring marginal gingival index, plaque index, and organoleptic breath assessment. The study notes that “Oil pulling therapy has been used extensively as a traditional Indian folk remedy for many years for strengthening teeth, gums, and jaws and to prevent decay, oral malodor, bleeding gums and dryness of throat, and cracked lips.” Oil pulling is gargling and swishing oil around in your mouth to clean your gums and teeth.
The oil used in this study was sesame oil. However, we have seen many testimonies about how coconut oil is even more effective, and also testimonials about positive results that exceed just oral health when using coconut oil for oil pulling. Here are some samples from the Coconut Diet Forums:
I have done the antibiotic/chlorohex. thing for my abscess and dental problems, they ALWAYS came back. I have not had ONE since I started the ‘oil pulling’ with coconut oil. My tooth does not need a root canal anymore-my dentist aggreed that my gum and dental problems have gone way down since I started-with no drugs! One could say that it must be the placebo effect-but I don’t think so. I have also spread the word with many of my own friends and family-it’s also worked for them…..whiter, shinier teeth too! If it’s working so amazingly for myself and people I care about-I’d much rather put something from nature in my body instead of harsh drugs that don’t work anyways. Antibiotics are part of what I beleive has caused my systemic yeast problems anyways-which the coconut oil is working for too. – Lisa
I found an article on “oil pulling” with Virgin Coconut Oil, and started doing that. After just 2 or 3 times I noticed my teeth were whiter. I also liked how my mouth felt after “pulling”. – Laura
I am not sure about coconut oil for your gum problems, but I DO know that oil pulling would definitely help. Do a search on oil pulling and you will get all kinds of info. Our dentist says that our teeth and gums have never looked so good. My husband never flosses because his teeth are so close together that it is difficult and he had the start of gum disease. We have been oil pulling for probably 1 1/2 years and our dentist said my husbands mouth looks great. I know the dentist doesn’t understand how or why it works and probably doesn’t care to but he did have to say to keep it up because it was working. – Anita
Definitely look up ‘oil pulling’ as per Carol……I’ve posted a few notes on here on the subject. VIRGIN COCONUT OIL WILL HELP, IF NOT CURE IT! It is such an amazing gift from nature!…I can’t say enough about it. I have been enduring major dental problems in the last few years (ie abscesses, cavities, gingivitis, and enflamed taste buds). I tried all the conventional/Western remedies (anitibiotics, etc)-NOTHING WORKED! My friend suggested oil pulling….I have to be honest, when I first heard about it, I thought, YEAH RIGHT! I was wrong, it works like a charm. Now I use it as a preventive by gargling with it once or twice a week. Most of my dental problems are under control, my daughter and Dad haven’t had it since I started them on it. – Lisa
References:
Effect of oil pulling on halitosis and microorganisms causing halitosis: a randomized controlled pilot trial. J Indian Soc Pedod Prev Dent. 2011 Apr-Jun;29(2):90-4.
Effect of oil pulling on plaque induced gingivitis: a randomized, controlled, triple-blind study. Indian J Dent Res. 2009 Jan-Mar;20(1):47-51.
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9 Essential Oils with Huge Health Benefits
Info~Planet Green
By Blythe Copeland, TreeHugger
Essential oils have their place secured in a natural beauty routine: They’re natural, chemical-free alternatives to everything from traditional cosmetics to potentially toxic fragrances. But many can do a lot more than just smell good: While we can’t say with authority the 10 oils highlighted here are miracle cures, throughout history they’ve been credited with treating problems including digestion issues and acne; increasing concentration; killing germs and much more.
Peppermint
The bright scent of peppermint does more than freshen your breath: It is also used to soothe nausea and other stomach issues, help stop itching, and cool overworked muscles (thanks to the menthol).Add drops of peppermint oil to a bowl of hot water and breathe in the steam to fight congestion, or rub diluted oil into sore muscles. And that’s not all: Peppermint is a key ingredient in oil mixtures that fight PMS, act as an all-natural alternative to VapoRub, cool sore throats, and quiet headaches — and it’s often credited with increasing concentration, so ideal for a mid-afternoon alternative to coffee pick-me-up.
Lavender
For Anita Boen, who runs an organic farm that provides herbs and oils to upscale spas, lavender is a go-to oil for almost any situation: Not only is it one of the few oils that is gentle enough to use undiluted, it’s a “virtual first aid kit in a bottle.”The antibacterial properties allow it to fight germs (which is why it’s also such an important ingredient in many all-natural cleaning products for home and body), and, like peppermint, it’s often credited with aiding digestion and helping fight headaches.
Lavender oil’s soft scent is said to help calm the nervous system, improve sleep quality, combat joint pain, and fight everything from urinary disorders and respiratory problems to high blood pressure and acne.
Sesame
Sesame oil may be best known for its moisturizing qualities, which make it a favorite ingredient for hair and skin treatments.But the health benefits go beyond beauty: Sesame oil has a slight SPF factor, contains fatty acids believed to lower stress and blood pressure, and has been shown to help slow the growth of cancer in cells.
Image: Dave Catchpole / Creative Commons
Rose
This rose by any name will smell as sweet: Look for it labeled as Rose Otto, rose oil, or rose essential oil, and choose oils produced in Bulgaria and Turkey for the highest quality. These slightly-distilled oils won’t have the strong scents of oils used for perfumes, but they are more popular with aromatherapists. Nature’s Gift calls rose oil “the ultimate woman’s oil,” because it has a reputation for improving hormone balance, treating PMS and menopause, counteracting problems in the bedroom, and improving the look and health of your skin.
Geranium
Planet Green suggests including geranium oil as an ingredient in a PMS-fighting solution, but it’s also well-known for its astringent properties — which allow it to refresh skin — and its styptic aspects, which calm inflammations and stop hemorrhaging.You can also use geranium oil to treat acne, and oily skin, boost circulation, and decrease bloating. The oil can reduce the appearance of scars and blemishes, get rid of body odor, and contract blood vessels to diminish the appearance of lines and wrinkles.
Image: antaean / Creative Commons
Pine
The sharp tang of pine oil may call up Christmas trees and rugged aftershaves, but this tree’s needles also offer antiseptic, antibacterial, and analgesic properties that make it a favorite of holistic health experts.Pine oil is said to help treat skin issues — including psoriasis, eczema, and pimples; speed up metabolism; act as an antidote to food poisoning; ease joint pain and arthritis; kill germs; and battle respiratory problems that go along with cough and cold season.
Clove
Spicy clove oil is one of the main ingredients in Tiger Balm, an all-natural remedy said to temper hangover headaches — but holistic health practitioners find other uses for it, too.It’s a popular choice for dental issues, including tooth and gum pain, and some sites recommend using it for bad breath (although whether you’d rather have your breath smell like cloves is up to you).
Clove oil is also antiseptic, so diluted versions can treat bug bites, cuts, and scrapes; other suggested treatments help clear up earaches, digestion problems, nasal congestion, stomachaches, and headaches. As an added bonus, it’s an aphrodisiac — and therefore a popular form of stress relief.
Image: skwillt / Creative Commons
Black Pepper
It might not be as sweet-smelling as the more floral entries on this list, but black pepper oil still has its place in your natural health arsenal.Pepper had its day as one of the world’s most valuable spices, in part because of its healing properties, which include aiding digestion, undoing cramps and convulsions, warming muscles to ease joint pain and arthritis, and curing bacterial infections.
Lemon Balm
Lemon balm essential oil, also known as Melissa essential oil after the plant’s Latin name, Melissa officinalis, doesn’t look like much, but it has plenty of benefits. It’s an antidepressant, it keeps your nervous system working smoothly, it calms anxiety and inflammation, it counteracts insomnia, it heals ulcers, it fights bacterial infections, and has been credited with treating herpes, headaches, and high blood pressure.
Image: Ross Elliott / Creative Commons
Related:
Homemade Essential Oils for Any Ailment
Aromatherapy Oil Eases Pain, Kills Viruses
Make Your Own Scented Bath Salts
Planet Green is the multi-platform media destination devoted to the environment and dedicated to helping people understand how humans impact the planet and how to live a more environmentally sustainable lifestyle. Its two robust websites, planetgreen.com and TreeHugger.com, offer original, inspiring, and entertaining content related to how we can evolve to live a better, brighter future. Planet Green is a division of Discovery Communications.Coconut Oil for Skin Health
By Brian and Marianita Shilhavy
In addition to ingesting the coconut oil, I just have to tell you about another exciting way that coconut oil has helped me! I use it on my face and I can’t believe how much it has helped. I used to spend hundreds of dollars on face creams. I won’t waste my money on those empty promises again. I look ten years younger! Honestly! My pores are smaller, and my skin tone is much more even. I used to have breakouts once in awhile. Not any more thanks to coconut oil. Next March I will be 40 years old and with the help of coconut oil I will not only reach my weight loss/health goal, my face will look younger too! Kelly, Coconut Diet Forums
Filipinos are well-known for their youthful appearance and soft, wrinkle-free skin, even though they live in a climate that exposes them to the sun’s rays year round. Skin cancer is basically unknown in the Philippines, even with all of their exposure to the tropical sun. Since coconut oil is their main dietary oil, and is also the main ingredient in their skin care products, one must take a closer look at how Virgin Coconut Oil provides skin health.
Coconut oil’s ability to nourish and heal the skin has been known in the tropics for hundreds of years. Even when the anti-saturated fat campaign waged in the US convinced many even in coconut oil producing countries to switch to polyunsaturated oils, Filipinos and others never stopped using coconut oil on their skin because they knew about its wonderful moisturizing and healing powers for generations. As a saturated fat consisting primarily of medium chain fatty acids (MCTs), it is not easily oxidized and does not cause harmful free radical damage like polyunsaturated vegetable oils. Most commercial skin care products in the US today are made from polyunsaturated oils which oxidize and turn rancid very quickly causing free radical damage in the skin. There is good evidence that this is not only true for external applications, but also holds true for the oils one consumes. One of the main reasons that we experience so many skin problems in the US today is a switch in our dietary oil. Our forefathers consumed primarily saturated fats, but most people today consume polyunsaturated fats and trans fatty acids.
I wanted to share my experience with virgin coconut oil. I have been using the oil for about two weeks. My skin looks great, no more dryness-I use to have very dry skin. My hair looks great, soft and shiny, no more frizz. And my scalp is no longer dry. Also, my eyelashes have grown longer and thicker! This is a plus I did not expect. I now make an effort to apply a bit of oil with a clean mascara brush each morning/night. Lizmarie Coconut Diet Forums
Watch this video testimony from someone who saw her eyelashes grow in just two weeks of using coconut oil, for the first time in her life, and she is 51 years old:
Coconut Oil for Fungal Skin Problems
Virgin Coconut Oil has been reported to help many skin problems as well. Depending on what is causing the skin problem, the coconut oil seems to work in a variety of ways. For example, we have had positive reports from people who suffer from yeast infections in the skin, and there is solid research that shows the MCTs in coconut oil do kill yeast infections (see this article on Coconut Oil and Candida.)
Here are some of the testimonials we have received regarding coconut oil helping with fungal skin problems:
I started on coconut oil 3 weeks ago. I am a large person, hoping that the Virgin Coconut Oil will speed up my sluggish thyroid. As a large person I have skin folds and I often suffere(d) from fungal/yeast infections that made me very sore. The only remedy that I found in the past that worked was an ingested dose of a proprietary remedy for “Thrush”. This was both expensive and only ever a partial solution. After taking the Virgin Coconut Oil for, as I said, 3 weeks all my skin fold problems have disappeared. It is wonderful to be clear of them and this current very hot humid weather that we have recently had was a real test for this. Liz, Coconut Diet Forums
You’re right Liz, I deal with this same stubborn yeast/fungal thing, especially in the summertime. While waiting for my second order, I’ve been reading the research reports in the archives over and over as if just knowing the information would help me with my own physical problems. But this week, I am a believer from experience!
One of the big problems with skin yeast and fungal infections is that clothing tends to rub absorb or else rub off the expensive medicine after application. This time, I wasn’t looking forward to applying the strong liquid prescription to it because the kind I have stings–big time–when it hits the red, angry, sore area of the yeast infection in the skin folds. I had some Virgin Coconut Oil left in a small jar which I was using for smoothing on after a shower. I took that out and just slathered it on. Instantly the pain was soothed away, and for the moment anyway, that was enough. By the end of the day, I could tell that the coconut oil was doing more than just relieving the soreness–the rash was breaking up a little, and there were some small clear areas where before it was just solid red soreness. I applied the coconut oil twice a day, and in three-four days, the whole area is mostly pink and clearing. And it isn’t staining clothing, either!
I am marveling over and over about how this coconut oil is working!!! I’ve been poring over the archived information. By the time I finished my first quart of Virgin Coconut Oil, I could tell my hypoglycemic hunger cravings were subsiding, and my taste for coffee and chocolate was changing. Anything more I could say would just be like a lot of exclamation points, and I’ve been told that isn’t very polite! So just “thank you, thank you, Tropical Traditions.” Beverly (in response to Liz in the Coconut Diet Forums)
When my baby boy, David, was 10 weeks old he had a yeast infection on his bottom. Instead of running to the Dr. to get an expensive prescription, I first tried Virgin Coconut Oil. I was very new to using it so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I liberally applied coconut oil at each diaper change (about 6x/day) allowing it to soak in for a few minutes after each application. I was astounded that within 24 hours there was significant improvement. I continue to apply it and within 3 days the yeast infection was completely gone. Virgin Coconut Oil is awesome!! Vanessa – Gilbert, IA
Coconut Oil for Acne
We have seen some wonderful results from people reporting about success in using coconut oil for acne:
Yes, coconut oil is great for getting rid of both dry skin and pimples. I have had combination skin for years; but almost immediately, I saw my face free from pimples and free from dry areas. In fact, I had a flaky, itchy patch of skin just below my eyebrow that disappeared and has not returned, since regularly using coconut oil on my face — which has been just over a month now. I put in on before bed, without first washing my face; then I wash it off in the morning. From what I understand, the medium chain triglycerides break down into the useful antimicrobial free fatty acids because of the affects of bacteria on the skin. So I decided to start using the oil on my unwashed face instead of a newly cleansed face, which would have less bacteria and therefore (I assume) a slower breakdown of the oil into fatty acids. My skin looks great, smooth and healthy. And it’s definitely softer than it used to be, too. Melinda, Coconut Diet Forums
My son really did not want to use it, but his Benzemyacin was really not working very well…and the retin A just brutally destroyed his skin (painfully red and dry and cracked) so he used his neutrogena face wash and then applied the oil, it takes a little while to soak in, but by the next morning his red skin from the retin A was gone, his face was white again…He uses more at night when no one sees him, and less in the morning before he goes to school…when he gets home from school, he would dab a little just on the spots that are worse…I have used it, and I was afraid at first cause the thought of oil on your face is the opposite of what we are taught about getting rid of pimples. But I just tried it on a few blemishes, and they were gone the next day…it was amazing. I now use it all over my face! My son’s acne is under control now, he has some problem areas, but they are slowly getting better. Robin, Coconut Diet Forums
Coconut Oil for Skin Problems: Eczema, Keratosis Polaris, Psoriasis, & Rosacea
We have been using the coconut oil in more ways than I had imagined we would! I use it as a facial moisturizer, and I prefer it to the expensive lotion that I have used for years. Several people have even commented on my skin! Probably the most dramatic result we have gotten with the coconut oil is with my 20 month old son. He has had eczema on his legs and arms for a long time, and nothing seemed to help it. I even tried costly lotion just for that purpose and it seemed to make the dry, scaly patches worse! Many people noticed it, and I just didn’t know what to do. Well, I began putting the coconut oil on his skin nightly and there has been HUGE improvement!! The big, rough, red patches are gone and there is just the tiniest hint of a rough feeling in places, and only when I slack off and don’t use it for a while. We do eat the coconut oil, by the way, and have enjoyed it very much (especially the almond bark recipe on your site-yum) but I wanted you to know how much it had helped us in ways that people may not realize it would. THANK YOU, Louise – South Carolina
I was fortunate to have found the miracle coconut oil. For years I suffered with a skin condition called keratosis polaris (bumpy, itchy skin). I tried many, many treatments and spent hundreds of dollars on creams and cleansers. Nothing worked, until Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil. I have been using the oil for cooking and as a body cream. My skin condition is 100% improved. The products are very inexpensive compared to the cost of most of the useless products I tried in the past. Thank you for this miracle product! Janet – Elizabeth, NJ
Last year I stared noticing embarrassing little red scaly itchy patches of skin on my hands. I tried just about every lotion for dry and sensitive skin on the Wal-Mart shelf, and got very few results. I made an appointment with my doctor and she diagnosed me with psoriasis. She sent me to the pharmacy with a prescription for a psoriasis cream and a lotion and instructed me to use them everyday. The lotion and cream stung so bad, it was worse then the itchy skin I had been dealing with for months. By this time I had big patches on my hands, few on my neck, and on my eyelids. I was getting desperate because people were starting to notice more and more my red flaky skin. While doing some research for a natural solution online, I read about coconut oil. I don’t see anything specific about helping to alleviate the dry skin of psoriasis, but it did say it was an excellent skin moisturizer so I thought I would give it a try. The day I got it I started adding a little to just about everything I ate. I ended up incorporating about 2-3 tablespoons a day into my food, and using it as a moisturizer on my psoriasis patches as well as the rest of my body. In no time at all my psoriasis was gone. As an added bonus my splotchy complexion started evening out, my skin has never been softer, and my body temperature rose to the level where I was no longer cold all the time. I am very grateful I found this perfect coconut oil; it has made a huge difference in the way my skin looks and feels. I am now a lifetime customer of Tropical Traditions Virgin Coconut Oil. Ashley – La Cygne, KS
I have been using the coconut oil for 2 weeks, 3 times a day on my elbows and knee since they have psoriasis. It’s unbelievable how this has helped my skin and I’m almost there to having normal elbows again!! I have suffered with the “heartbreak of psoriasis” for 40 yrs. and tried numerous products. Of course, nothing helped and they were not natural products, there were always side-effects. It started in high school and I am in my 50′s now. Wow!! I’ve been a Christian for many years and at church today told a friend and she is telling her employer, a dermatologist. Believe me, I will be telling everybody and showing them the proof. What an answer to prayer!!!!!! I’m just overwhelmed!! Ruth – Mesa, AZ
Dear Tropical Traditions, I love your Virgin Coconut Oil! I started using it on my skin and in my diet after reading about its healing powers. I am a licensed esthetician and have been working with many clients with rosacea. Nothing was working. A few of my clients even tried prescription medication and expensive laser treatments. As an skin care specialist, I am used to using multiple products on my skin and on my clients, yet I transitioned to only using a mild cleanser and virgin coconut oil on my self. I decided to experiment on my clients. During a skin care treatment on my client with tenacious rosacea, I applied coconut oil and let it absorb for about 15 minutes. I could see results instantly. My client was very pleased and has continued to see more improvement! I look forward to receiving your product so I can have it available to my clients to use everyday. Who would of thought it could be that simple? Leslie Licensed Esthetician
Research on Coconut Oil and Skin Health
Because coconut oil is a food and a natural product, there are not many incentives for people to spend money researching how it works topically on skin. But we have come across some research. A study was conducted in 2008 at the Skin and Cancer Foundation in the Philippines, entitled: Novel antibacterial and emollient effects of coconut and virgin olive oils in adult atopic dermatitis. The results were published in the journal Dermatitis. The study compared virgin coconut oil and virgin olive oil in moisturizing dryness and removing Staphylococcus aureus from colonized Atopic dermatitis skin. It was a double-blind controlled trial in two outpatient dermatology clinics with adult Atopic dermatitis patients who were diagnosed by history, pattern, evolution, and skin lesions. The study concluded that coconut oil was more effective than olive oil, probably due to the presence of lauric acid which is known to kill bacteria and fungi.1
In 2009 a study was conducted in the Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego and published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. The title is Antimicrobial property of lauric acid against Propionibacterium acnes: its therapeutic potential for inflammatory acne vulgaris. The abstract states:
The strong bactericidal properties of lauric acid (C12:0), a middle chain-free fatty acid commonly found in natural products, have been shown in a number of studies. However, it has not been demonstrated whether lauric acid can be used for acne treatment as a natural antibiotic against Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes), which promotes follicular inflammation (inflammatory acne). This study evaluated the antimicrobial property of lauric acid against P. acnes both in vitro and in vivo. Incubation of the skin bacteria P. acnes, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), and Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis) with lauric acid yielded minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values against the bacterial growth over 15 times lower than those of benzoyl peroxide (BPO). The lower MIC values of lauric acid indicate stronger antimicrobial properties than that of BPO. The detected values of half maximal effective concentration (EC(50)) of lauric acid on P. acnes, S. aureus, and S. epidermidis growth indicate that P. acnes is the most sensitive to lauric acid among these bacteria. In addition, lauric acid did not induce cytotoxicity to human sebocytes. Notably, both intradermal injection and epicutaneous application of lauric acid effectively decreased the number of P. acnes colonized with mouse ears, thereby relieving P. acnes-induced ear swelling and granulomatous inflammation. The obtained data highlight the potential of using lauric acid as an alternative treatment for antibiotic therapy of acne vulgaris.2
For other studies related to coconut oil and skin health, including how it has been studied in treating wounds and how it is used in India with new born babies in neonatal care, see CoconutOil.com where research is constantly updated.
So before you spend money on expensive skin care products, you might want to consider trying coconut oil for skin health!
References
1 . Novel antibacterial and emollient effects of coconut and virgin olive oils in adult atopic dermatitis. Dermatitis. 2008 Nov-Dec;19(6):308-15. Verallo-Rowell VM, Dillague KM, Syah-Tjundawan BS. Skin and Cancer Foundation, Pasig, Philippines.
2. Antimicrobial property of lauric acid against Propionibacterium acnes: its therapeutic potential for inflammatory acne vulgaris. J Invest Dermatol. 2009 Oct;129(10):2480-8. Epub 2009 Apr 23. Nakatsuji T, Kao MC, Fang JY, Zouboulis CC, Zhang L, Gallo RL, Huang CM. Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, California, USA.
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Sharing Seeds to Sow
7 Reasons Why You Should Grow Your Own Food
Eating healthy on a budget
By Paul Fassa~Natural News
Not everyone is able or ready to grow their own food yet. With food prices rising and the dollar shrinking, it’s a good idea to know what to buy and where. The first thing to realize is eating solely for taste and eating out often are the wrong approaches.
Allocating serious shopping time for some trial and error to determine where you get your best deals is necessary. If you have more than one health food store available, learn which ones offer better deals on specific items.
Cooperatives or co-ops usually charge an annual membership fee to get the better deals. You’ll have to decide if it’s worth it. You may be surprised that sometimes the pricier stores will have better deals on some items than the less expensive stores.
If you think you cannot spend the money for quality, organic foods, add up all your eating out expenses and the chips and dips and other processed yummy food and snack expenditures. Processed foods have unhealthy additives that make you eat more. That can add up to an expensive addiction.
A few suggestions
Breads: Try to find a local bakery that makes fresh, organic bread without bleached white flour or bromides (bromine). Both of those are unhealthy. Organic sourdough and sprouted grain breads are the healthiest. If possible, invest in a bread making machine and make your own from items ordered online or from local bulk bins.(1)
Grains and legumes: Also known as rice and beans. Organic rice and beans from bulk bins are healthy and cheap. Healthy oils, lemons, and spices can give you a variety of flavors. Avoid canned beans even if they’re in non-BPA cans.(2)
The bulk dried beans should be soaked overnight for boiling the next day. Organic lentils are inexpensive and healthy, but they don’t require any soaking time. Most other beans, like black or turtle beans and garbanzo or chick peas do need soaking.
Some anti-grain health foodies insist that grains should be soaked overnight to remove some of the nutrition-blocking phytic acid or phytates. Soaking steel cut oats overnight makes morning cereal preparation quick and easy as well as healthier. After the overnight soak, bring the oats to a boil, shut off the heat, cover with a lid and wait around 15 to 20 minutes.
Produce: This is the trickiest for budgeting when it comes to fresh organic produce. It requires serious shopping and coupon/flyer special scavenging. It’s best to lightly steam or eat the veggies raw. A salad a day with dark greens and carrot slices is a good way to eat veggies. So is juicing. (3)
If you can’t find organic produce to fit your budget, at least avoid the “dirty dozen” and shop for the “clean fifteen” both listed here: http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/.
Soups: Do not choose the MSG laden instant soups or convenient canned soups. Slow cook soups the old fashioned way with veggies and potatoes. Make enough to refrigerate for a few days.
Another way to boost nutrients for grains and legumes while granting variety is by sprouting. Sprouting broccoli seeds gives you a super food. Many other seeds and legumes can be sprouted.(4)
The Natural News Store has good deals for a sprouting machines and juicers (http://store.naturalnews.com/). This article is just a primer for eating healthy on healthy foods on a budget. Your dedication will lead to other pragmatic solutions.
Sources for this article include:
http://www.diaperswappers.com/diaper-blog/whole-foods-on-a-budget
(1) http://www.naturalnews.com/031078_superfood_breads.html
(2) http://www.naturalnews.com/028007_food_shortage_costs.html
(3) http://www.naturalnews.com/034511_carrots_juicing_health_benefits.html
(4) http://www.naturalnews.com/033888_broccoli_sprouts.html
About the author:
Paul Fassa is dedicated to warning others about the current corruption of food and medicine and guiding others toward a direction for better health with no restrictions on health freedom. You can visit his blog at http://healthmaven.blogspot.com
10 Essentials for a Successful Detox
BY Michelle Schoffro Cook~CARE2 Read more…
How To Make Maple Syrup
Mainstream science validates healing properties of plants
By S. L. Baker~Natural News
Are plant-based therapies, including potential natural cures for cancer, mostly pie-in-the-sky wishful thinking promoted by “health nuts” and old hippies? Not at all — and the evidence for the validity of the healing power of plants is coming from none other than mainstream science.
In fact, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has finally accepted the reality and importance of the therapeutic properties in plants and funded a $6 million initiative for an international team of scientists to study how plants produce a rich diversity of chemical compounds, many of which are medicinally important. The results of that research so far, which includes the genetic blueprint of medicinal plants and what beneficial properties are encoded by the genes that have been identified, are now being officially released for the first time to the public.
“Most people are familiar with the natural products we derive from plants,” Joe Chappell, professor of plant biochemistry at the University of Kentucky, said in a statement to the media. “These include the delightful fragrances that go into perfumes, soaps, household cleaning products and more. Just as the sensory properties of plants interact with and trigger your sense of smell, the natural compounds of plants can target and cause a reaction within your body.”
The compilation of information about the natural potentially healing compounds of plants was developed by the Medicinal Plant Consortium (MPC), headed by Dr. Chappell who worked with Dean DellaPenna, professor of biochemistry at Michigan State University, and Sarah O’Connor, professor of chemistry at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and now at the John Innes Centre in Norwich, England. The MPC project also included participants from Michigan State, Iowa State University, the University of Mississippi, Purdue University, Texas A&M University, MIT, and the John Innes Centre in the UK.
Finding out exactly what medicinal plants contain
This research team brought to the project a broad spectrum of expertise from plant biology, systematics, analytical chemistry, genetics, molecular biology, and drug development from natural products. During their two-year project, the scientists collected data to help them understand just how plants make chemicals, a process called biosynthesis.
To this end, the researchers investigated the genes and chemical profiles of 14 plants known to contain compounds with biological activity which are associated with medicinal properties. For example, the foxglove plant is used to make the cardiac muscle stimulant digoxin, and the periwinkle plant is a source for the widely used chemotherapy drugs vincristine and vinblastine. In a press statement, the researchers noted that these and many other medicinal plants, including ginseng, are often found in household gardens and flower boxes. They could be vast cornucopias of compounds ripe for discovering and developing into widespread therapeutic applications.
“The current understanding of molecules and genes involved in the formation of beneficial compounds is very incomplete,” said Dr. O’Connor, who is also a lecturer in chemical sciences at University of East Anglia. “However, the ability to conduct genome-wide studies of model plant species has resulted in an explosive increase in our knowledge of and capacity to understand how genes control biological processes and chemical composition.”
So does this mean the scientists are advocating using medicinal plants to treat diseases? Not exactly. They appear to be primarily interested in helping Big Pharma translate the information they’ve come up with into more money-making drugs. “Our major goal in this project has been to capture the genetic blueprints of medicinal plants for the advancement of drug discovery and development,” said Dr. Chappell, project coordinator for the MPC, adding that the research gives medicinal plants “tremendous pharmaceutical potential.”
However, with the information the scientists have discovered now being placed in the public domain, it may well be a rich resource not just for Big Pharma but for physicians and other scientists seeking natural plant-based therapies for diseases.
For more information:
http://medicinalplantgenomics.msu.edu
Fruit and veggie based diets reduce stroke risk
By Raw Michelle ~Natural News
Eating lots of fruits and vegetables helps lower the risk of developing a stroke, a new study shows. The new report comes from a team of scientists at the the Karolinska Institute in Sweden and was published in the “Stroke” journal of the American Heart Association.
Fruits and vegetables help elevate antioxidant levels
Statistically speaking, stroke ranks second among the world leading causes of death, right after heart diseases. The experiments were based on data which shows that diets rich in antioxidant foods reduce the risk factors associated with stroke, by inhibiting the process which causes oxidative stress and inflammation. Oxidative stress is a condition that develops when the human body is unable to counterbalance free radicals or mitigate their damaging effects. It is known to be one of the main causes for various health problems, including diseases of the cardiovascular system.
Fruits and vegetables have a high content of powerful bioactive substances with antioxidant characteristics. Flavonoids, vitamins E and C, as well as carotenoids have free radical scavenging abilities, and will help the body fight elevated levels of oxidants. Moreover, they can also prevent the onset of oxidative stress and related problems.
The research was aimed at investigating the relation between Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) and the development of stroke, in both subjects with a history of cardiovascular disease and healthy patients. Total Antioxidant Capacity measures the total free radical reducing abilities of all antioxidant capable substances in the diet. It takes into account not only the levels of antioxidants themselves, but also the effects of the synergistic reactions between them.
The study was conducted on 31035 Swedish women that had no previous cardiovascular issues, and 5680 women who had such complications. The test group was aged 49 to 83 and was based on the Swedish Mammography Cohort, established between 1987 and 1990. The women’s dietary habits were evaluated according to a food frequency questionnaire, which asked the participants to answer how often they consumed certain types of food. Based on TAC levels, the participants were split into 9 groups – 4 groups with a history of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), and 5 groups with no previous heart related issues.
More antioxidants equal lower stroke risk
“Findings suggest that dietary TAC is inversely associated with total stroke among CVD-free women and hemorrhagic stroke among women with CVD history,” the scientists explained. Data showed that in the healthy groups, the risk of stroke was 17% higher for the subjects with low antioxidant levels.
The major contributors to antioxidant levels were fruits and vegetables (50%), whole grains (18%) and tea (16%). For the groups with a history of heart problems, participants with high antioxidant levels had a 46% to 57% lower risk of stroke, when compared to the participants with low antioxidant levels.
The results show that in all cases, the women with low antioxidant levels are more likely to suffer stroke. Including healthier, natural foods in the daily diet, such as fruits, vegetables, teas or whole grains will help prevent the buildup of risk factors leading to stroke. “Eating antioxidant-rich foods may reduce your risk of stroke by inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammation. This means people should eat more fruits and vegetables that contribute to total antioxidant capacity,” concluded the science team.
Sources for this article include:
http://stroke.ahajournals.org/conte…
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/art…
http://annals.ba0.biz/content/134/1…
About the author:
Raw Michelle is a natural health blogger and researcher, sharing her passions with others, using the Internet as her medium. She discusses topics in a straight forward way in hopes to help people from all walks of life achieve optimal health and well-being. She has authored and published hundreds of articles on topics such as the raw food diet and green living in general. In 2010, Michelle created RawFoodHealthWatch.com, to share with people her approach to the raw food diet and detoxification.
