|
|
|
Alternative Medicine in the News
July 2009 edition 29
published weekly
|
|
|
Greetings!
This week there are two articles asking you to act and write letters. You can make your voice heard by writing letters of protest or concern to the authorities concerned. Don't feel that because the events are happening elsewhere that they don't concern you. They do. What happens in USA, UK or Europe today will come to Kenya and Africa tomorrow.
For those of us who support the right to free choice in medicine, if we don't make our voices heard, we will be overtaken and controlled by the capitalist interests of the pharmacuetical industry. So ACT today!
Enjoy!
Didi
|
The National Center for Homeopathy (USA) has issued an Action Alert!
NCH ACTION ALERT!
Help us respond to the Associated Press (AP) Jeff Donn's slanderous article about ZICAM and homeopathy. YOU can write to AP and protest their biased article. AP is a USA-based news service. It's news releases are reprinted by news media from all over the world. One version of the AP article is at http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...ZICAM, a colds & flu drug has been pulled from the market for sideeffects of causing permanent loss of smell. Among its long list of chemical drug ingredients is one ingredient: zinc gluconate in a 2X solution. Anti-homeopathic interests have jumped on this in order to slander homeopathy and divert attention from the other dangerous chemicals included in Zicam. Important statement about Zicam, homeopathic remedies and false AP reporthttp://www.examiner.com/x-4069-Denver-Alternative-Medicine-Examiner~y2009m6d28-Important-statement-about-Zicam-homeopathic-remedies-and-false-AP-report Recently, the FDA issued a Warning Letter
to the company that manufactures an over-the-counter nasal spray for
colds called Zicam. Zicam contains zinc gluconate in a 2X solution as
well as many other ingredients including benzalkonium chloride, sodium
hydroxide, hydroxycellulose, glycerol, and a couple of other
"solvents," preservatives, and suspending agents (Zicam is not a homeopathic remedy) The Warning Letter was issued after a number of consumers complained of problems with loss of smell from using the product. The
FDA's action produced a story distributed by Associated Press (AP) that
is full of fabrications and falsely called into question the safety of
homeopathic remedies. The National Center of Homepathy (NCH), in
concert with the American Association of Homeopathic Pharmacists
(AAHP), has been vigorously responding to the AP story. Among the false claims and inferences in the AP story: False Claim: Homeopathic remedies are not regulated - they are treated like dietary supplements. Fact:
Homeopathic medications are regulated by the FDA and have been used
safely in the United States since before the passage of the Federal
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act in 1938. Homeopathic medicines have an
extraordinary record of safety. False Claim: FDA side-effect reports suggest homeopathic remedies are a problem for consumers. Fact:
The safety record of homeopathic remedies over the past 200 years is
truly exemplary. A recent study by the American Association of
Homeopathic Pharmacists (AAHP) documents this outstanding record in
detail (see the home page at www.nationalcenterforhomeopathy.org for
more information). Conventional drugs used by allopathic medicine are
far more troubling from a safety standpoint. False
Claim: The National Institutes of Health's alternative medicine center
spent $3.8 million on homeopathic research from 2002 to 2007 but is now
abandoning studies on homeopathic drugs. Fact:
NCH received this assurance from the National Institutes of Health's
alternative medicine center on 6/23/09: "NCCAM will continue to accept
investigator-initiated research grant applications for homeopathy and
will continue to consider for funding those that receive outstanding
scores in peer review." False
Claim: "Very often, the only active ingredient is alcohol, and
patients don't know that, and they get a buzz on. The therapeutic
effect is no greater or less than a martini." Fact: The overwhelming majority of homeopathic remedies sold are in solid pellet or tablet form and contain ZERO alcohol. False
Claim: In 1938, Congress passed a law granting homeopathic remedies the
same legal status as regular pharmaceuticals. The law's principal
author was Sen. Royal Copeland of New York , a trained homeopath. "He
did it in such a sneaky way that nobody really noticed or paid
attention," says medical author Natalie Robins. Fact:
Senator Royal Copeland, a major presence in American medicine at the
end of the 19th century, rose to national fame when he was elected into
the U.S. Senate in 1922. His career was distinguished in many ways, but
he is best known as architect of the Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act of
1938, the success of which reflected his tireless effort over a period
of five years. Copeland was trained as a homeopathic physician at the
University of Michigan , at a time when homeopathy was a significant
part of the U.S. healthcare system. False
Claim: "With arcane ingredients like "nux vomica" and "arsenicum
album," many homeopathic medicines sound like something brewed in a
druid's kettle." Fact:
Homeopathic remedies are named by their proper scientific designations
(often in Latin), an accepted world-wide standard for naming
substances, rather than the misleading kinds of names attached to drugs
by pharmaceutical companies. For example, "Nux vomica" is the proper
botanical Latin name for the nut of a particular tree. False Claim: There is no evidence of effectiveness. Fact:
There are literally hundreds of high quality basic science,
pre-clinical and clinical studies published in respected journals like
Pediatrics, Chest, Rheumatology, The Lancet and others showing that
homeopathy works (for more information, please visit the NCH website at
http://homeopathic.org/articles/view,173). To claim otherwise is bad science and very irresponsible journalism. What can you do to help and express your support for homeopathy? If
you have seen this AP story in your local newspaper - please write a
letter or send an e-mail to the Editor, join blogs, etc. stating your
support of homeopathy, and ask other supporters of homeopathy in your
circle of friends to do likewise. Refer to the bullet points above to
craft your letter if that is helpful. You can also send an e-mail to AP: info@ap.org and it will be forwarded to the reporter or editor. The reporter is JEFF DONN. |
Sign the Universal Declaration of Resistance to Mandatory Vaccination
Vaccine against the "swine flu" will be ready in July. It has been
developed in half the time it used to take to develop flu vaccines due
to Baxter International's patented technology. This means about 13
weeks from drawing board to injection instead of the usual 26. Never
mind time for testing to see if it is safe. You remember Baxter, don't
you? It is the company that in February delivered seasonal flu vaccine
to 18 countries that was laced with live "bird flu" virus.
With the declaration earlier this month by the World Health Organization (WHO) that the "swine flu" has reached pandemic
Level 6 (they had to change the definition of level 6 to make this
determination work), a whole series of bureaucratic prerogatives have
been triggered, and local, state, national, and international agencies
have been further empowered. In the U.S., all laws and conditions are
now in place to see to it that you are forced to be injected with the
new "swine flu" vaccine, whether you want to be or not. In the U.S.,
the government is now able to mandate universal mass vaccinations at gunpoint.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, there will be no exemptions. "A certain amount of human wastage" is expected.
The
new vaccine is made with squalene oil as an adjuvant. According to Dr.
Viera Scheibner, micropaleontologist and world renowned researcher in
the field of vaccine effectiveness and danger, squalene "contributed to
the cascade reactions known as Gulf War Syndrome. GIs developed
arthritis, fibromyalgia, lymphadenopathy, photosensitive rashes, malar
rashes, chronic fatigue, chronic headaches, abnormal body hair loss,
non-healing skin lesions, aphthous ulcers, dizziness, weakness, memory
loss, seizures, mood changes, neuropsychiatric problems, anti-thyroid
effects, anemia, elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, systemic
lupus arythmatosus, multiple sclerosis, deadly Amyotrophic Lateral
Sclerosis (ALS), Raynaud's Syndrome with paroxysms of lack of blood in
fingers and toes, Sjogren's Syndrome with blurred vision, chronic
diarrhea, night sweats, and low grade fever."
In 2002, a U.S.
federal judge ruled that there was good cause to believe squalene to be
harmful. He ordered the Pentagon to stop endorsing its use.
In
1976, during another flu scare and government insistence on flu shots,
only one person died from the actual flu, while hundreds of Americans
died for the vaccine, according to information chronicled by Paul
Mickle of the Trentonian.
So far, the deaths of 87
people in the U.S. have been attributed to "swine flu". However, most
or all of these deaths are likely the result of pre-existing conditions
or compromised immune systems, according to journalist Jane
Burgermeister in her charges against the WHO,
United Nations, and Baxter International. Yet in the face of this
almost non-existent risk, the WHO has just declared the first full
fledged flu pandemic of the century, urging countries to shore up
defenses against the virus they characterize as "not stoppable". Each
year, the usual seasonal flu kills up to 500,000 people and infects up
to five million people worldwide, according to the Centers for Disease
Control.
Is all this hype for the purpose of making Baxter
shareholders rich by turning the population of the U.S. into lab rats?
Or is it something more sinister? Could the vaccine mandated for the
U.S. population also contain live flu virus? Whatever the answer to
these questions is, there is a way to avoid being herded into nearby
schools that are standing by to be turned into shot clinics.
Here is the link to the Universal Declaration of Resistance to Mandatory Vaccination website:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/a-universal-declaration-of-resistance-to-mandatory-vaccinations
There
you can sign a petition targeted for the World Health Organization
stating you do not recognize the authority of the WHO to mandate
general forced vaccinations. With this petition you are able to stake a
claim to the sovereignty of your body and stand up for exclusive
self-determination. The petition holds elected governments accountable
in this defense by issuing a notice of preemptive Class Action Lawsuit
to be served in the event the inalienable rights of the people are
forsaken. The petition is sponsored by the Vaccine Resistance Movement.
|
Juicing is the Key to Radiant Health
Juicing is the vital key to giving you a radiant, energetic life and
truly optimal health. There are valuable and sensitive micronutrients
that are damaged when you heat foods. Cooking and processing food
destroys these micronutrients by altering their shape and chemical
composition. However, it is important not to see juice as a meal
replacement - it is not. You still need to eat whole vegetables and
some fruit for fiber, but this should not deter you from juicing.
- Most
of us have compromised intestines as a result of less than optimal food
choices over many years. This limits your body's ability to absorb all
the nutrients from the vegetables. Juicing will help to "pre-digest"
them for you so you will receive most of the nutrition.
- You need to
eat one pound of raw vegetables per 50 pounds of body weight per day.
Vegetable juicing allows you to accomplish this, as you can eat more
vegetables than you would normally. Reaching this goal through eating
whole vegetables and salad alone is hard!
About a pint per day
is ideally recommended. Always have the juice 20 minutes before a meal
or 2 hours after a meal to allow digestion. A pint all at once makes
less work cleaning up the juicer of course, but if a pint all at once
is too much, it is fine to spread it out to more than one glass per
day- it just takes slightly more effort!
Juicing is a
time-consuming process, so you'll probably be thinking to yourself, "I
wonder if I can juice first thing and then drink it later?" This isn't
a great idea. Vegetable juice is very perishable so it's best to drink
all of your juice immediately. However, if you're careful you can store
it for up to 24 hours with only moderate nutritional decline. To store
your juice:
- Put your juice in a glass jar with an airtight
lid and fill it to the very top. There should be a minimum amount of
air in the jar as the oxygen in air (air is about 20 percent oxygen)
will "oxidize" and damage the juice.
- Wrap the jar with aluminum foil to block out all light. Light damages the juice.
- Store it in the refrigerator until about 30 minutes prior to drinking,
as vegetable juice should be consumed at room temperature.
Step 1: Now that you're ready for the benefits of vegetable juice, you need to know what to juice. Start out with these vegetables, as they are the easiest to digest:
- 5 sticks of celery (good source of sodium, antioxidants)
- Fennel (can help stomach cramps and indigestion, is anti-bacterial and
anti-fungal, can improve liver regeneration and is useful for upper
respiratory catarrh, bronchitis and coughs
- A cucumber (good source of potassium, antioxidants)
- 1-2 carrots (anti-oxidants)
- 1 apple (anti-oxidants, anti-cancer cardio-protective)
- Raw ginger to taste (anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, immune stimulant, anti-inflammatory)
These
aren't as beneficial as the more nutritionally intense dark green
vegetables. The carrot and apple are optional - if you can, leave them
out, but if you need to sweeten the juice, use these - but always
ensure the juice is MOSTLY vegetable-based. Once you get used to these
vegetables, you can start adding the more nutritionally valuable, but
less palatable, vegetables into your juice.
Vegetables to avoid
in excess include carrots and beetroot. If you are healthy, you can add
about one carrot or beetroot per pint of juice. The deep, intense
colors of these foods provide additional benefits for many that are
just not available in the green vegetables listed above.
Please
remember that vegetable juice and fruit juices are two completely
different substances in terms of nutrition. Excessive fruit in juices
should be avoided. Although vegetable juice is processed, it doesn't
raise insulin levels like fruit juice. The only exceptions are carrot
and beetroot juice (and most vegetables that grow underground), which
function similarly to fruit juice in excess.
Step 2: When you have acclimatized yourself to juicing, you can start adding these vegetables:
- Green leaf lettuce
- Romaine lettuce
- Endive
- Raw beetroot
- Spinach
Step 3: After you are used to these, then go to the next step:
- Cabbage
- Chinese Cabbage
- Bok Choy
Step
4: When you are ready, move on to adding herbs to your juicing. Herbs
also make wonderful combinations, and there are two that work
exceptionally well:
You need to be
cautious with coriander, as many cannot tolerate it well. If you are
new to juicing, hold off. These are more challenging vegetables to
consume, but they are highly beneficial.
Step 5: The last step: Only use one or two of these leaves, as they are very bitter:
- - Kale (sukmawiki)
- - Collard Greens
- - Dandelion Greens
- - Mustard Greens (bitter)
|
SSRIs Prescribed for Autistic Children Make Them Worse
Despite the fact the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not
approved any prescription medications to treat the symptoms of autism
and related disorders, drugs are frequently -- and increasingly --
being given to autistic children, according to a study in the June
issue of Archives of General Psychiatry. An especially popular
medication for autistic kids is the antidepressant citalopram, sold
under the brand name Celexa, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor
(SSRI), which interferes with the way the brain regulates the
neurotransmitter serotonin.
Celexa supposedly reduces the occurrence of repetitive behaviors in children and teenagers
with autism and related condition. At least, that's the reason
countless doctors have said they were prescribing it for autistic
youngsters. The problem is, the new research shows the drugs do absolutely nothing to help. And a careful reading of the study's conclusion shows the drug makes autistic kids' repetitive behavior symptoms worse.
Children with autism
often demonstrate the same actions over and over, like repetitive play
and sticking to inflexible routines. The behaviors usually continue
over time. "Because of suggested similarities between repetitive
behavior in autism spectrum disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder
and the findings of serotonin system abnormalities in autism,
anti-obsessional agents such as SSRIs
have long been of interest," the authors write. "Despite the relative
dearth of evidence supporting their use, SSRIs are among the most
frequently used medications for children with autism, partially because of their perceived safety."
Bryan H. King, M.D., of Seattle Children's Hospital and the University of Washington, Seattle, and his research team set out to find evidence about how the SSRI
might affect those with autism. The scientists conducted a randomized
controlled trial to document the safety and efficacy of citalopram in
children with autism spectrum disorders who had moderate or higher
levels of repetitive behavior. Out of a group of 149 research subjects
with autism spectrum disorders between the ages of 5 to 17, 73 were
randomly assigned to receive citalopram (taking a typical average
maximum dosage of 16.5 milligrams per day). Another control group
received an inactive placebo for 12 weeks.
After
the three month treatment period was over, the scientists could find no
improvement in the group treated with citalopram when compared to the
kids in the placebo group. However, there were differences in the two
groups of youngsters -- the ones on the SSRI had far more problems after taking the drug than the kid who didn't. In fact, instead of halting repetitive movement, citalopram actually increased a form of repetitive movement.
What's more, the children put on the SSRI suffered from a long list of potentially serious side effects.
"Citalopram use was significantly more likely to be associated with
adverse events, particularly increased energy level, impulsiveness,
decreased concentration, hyperactivity, stereotypy (mechanical
repetition of the same posture or movement), diarrhea, insomnia and dry
skin or pruritis," the authors write.
"To date, there are few
large-scale trials to guide clinical practice, so clinicians are left
to address these problems with inadequate information. The results of
this trial indicate that citalopram is not an effective treatment for
children having autism spectrum disorders with moderate or greater
repetitive behavior," the researchers continue in their Archives of General Psychiatry
paper. "The results also highlight the urgent need for
placebo-controlled trials of medications commonly used for children
with autism spectrum disorders to determine whether the risks of
specific drugs substantially outweigh their benefits."
In other
words, they are admitting that commonly used, powerful drugs are widely
being given to children with autism -- without anyone knowing whether
there are any benefits at all, much less whether there are dangerous
side effects that could outweigh any potential help from the
prescription medications. Citalopram, i.e. Celexa, and the other SSRIs
are particularly worrisome because they can spur youngsters to hurt
themselves. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), "Children, teenagers, and young adults who take antidepressants
to treat depression or other mental illnesses may be more likely to
become suicidal than children, teenagers, and young adults who do not
take antidepressants to treat these conditions."
Remarkably,
although citalopram is widely prescribed for autistic youngsters, the
NIH web side states, "However, experts are not sure about how great
this risk is and how much it should be considered in deciding whether a
child or teenager should take an antidepressant. Children younger than
18 years of age should not normally take citalopram..."
Reference:
Archives of General Psychiatry, 2009;66[6]:583-590.
|
Use Natural Cures for Tinea, or Fungal Skin Infections
Tinea is a fungal infection of the skin more commonly known as
athlete's foot. Although the name suggests that only the feet can be
affected, athlete's foot can in fact attack any part of the body. As
with all fungi infections all that tinea needs to thrive is a hot,
moist area of the body, which is why the groin and underneath the
breasts are also prone to this infection. Fortunately there are some
natural ways to alleviate this problem.
Tinea feeds on the dead
skin that is shed by the body, but if that skin is in short supply the
fungus will start to attack healthy skin as well. It is when this
happens that we see many of the symptoms associated with athlete's foot
such as itching, stinging, reddening, a scaly rash and in more serious
cases cracks, splits and blisters may also appear in the skin.
Natural Cures For Tinea
The
most common home remedy for tinea is tee tree oil. Aboriginal
Australians have been using the oil to treat skin infections for
centuries and recent research seems to show that they were definitely
right to do so. Tee tree oil has been proved to kill certain types of
bacteria and in clinical tests it has been shown to help reduce the
reddening and scaly rash caused by tinea.
Apple cider vinegar is
another home remedy that is thought to work by making the skin more
acidic; this makes the skin inhospitable and stops the tinea from
spreading. There are many different ways that you can apply apple cider
vinegar to the affected areas of the body. One is to use cotton wool
balls and just dab the vinegar on. Or if the rash is on your feet you
can add some vinegar to a bowl of warm water and soak your feet in it;
this can also be very relaxing.
Prevention The Best Cure
With
most rash and skin infections prevention and hygiene is actually the
best cure, and tinea is no different. After bathing and showering make
sure you dry your body thoroughly, especially in between the toes and
in any folds of skin such as under the breasts. Make sure you give your
skin as much air as possible by taking off your shoes and socks when
you get home, as this will help keep your skin dry and stop any
infection from growing. And lastly make sure you always wear your
thongs whenever you are in a communal changing room; this will help to
prevent you from picking up the infection from other people.
These
are very simple steps that could not only save you from sore and
uncomfortable skin, but they may also save you a fortune in creams and doctor visits.
|
Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett the Latest Celebrity Victims of Big Pharma
That Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett both died in the 2 weeks is shocking news to many, but it's not nearly as surprising as the fact
that they were both killed by Big Pharma's toxic drugs.
Michael
Jackson, it is supposed, died from an injection of sedative or anesthesia drugs given by his
doctor. There is little doubt that these drugs caused Jackson's death. Chalk it up to yet another
tragic loss of a hugely inspiring artist who has become a victim of the
pharmaceutical industry and overzealous medical doctors.
One drug supposed to be used by Jackson is Demerol,
which by the way, is a highly-potent opioid drug that's also highly
addictive. And yet it's being prescribed (and injected) by doctors with
the full support of the FDA, the pharmaceutical industry and the conventional medical community. It is nothing less than amazing that mild drugs
like marijuana remain outlawed while potentially deadly painkiller
drugs like Demerol are openly injected into people by doctors.
Farrah Fawcett's death was far less sudden than Jackson's, but no less innocent. She was killed by chemotherapy -- a toxic cocktail of chemicals pushed onto patients by oncologists who deceptively call it "treatment."
Against the advice of many in the natural health community, Fawcett gave in to her doctors and agreed to be poisoned as a treatment for anal cancer. But what she didn't know is that one of the most common side effects of chemotherapy is more cancer!
And after subjecting her body to more chemotherapy, it wasn't long
before Fawcett was diagnosed with liver cancer. (Chemotherapy causes
terrible harm to the liver, heart, kidneys and brain...)
Before
long, her suppressed immune system and ongoing poison treatments
overcame her body's natural healing ability, and she died (as yet
another victim of chemotherapy). Her doctors, of course, claim she
"died of cancer." Clever huh?
Cancer doctors operate with that sort of clever deception: If the cancer goes away, they claim the patient was "treated by the medicine,"
but if the patient dies, they claim "the cancer killed them." It's
pretty easy to claim success if you take credit for the wins while
fleeing the any responsibility for the losses.
Back to Farrah,
while many of her friends and supporters say her battle with cancer was
"an inspiration," let me be the first to publicly state that to me,
poisoning yourself with toxic chemicals is NOT inspiring, no matter how
much suffering you go through. I do not believe that people should be
given special recognition for pain and suffering they consciously
choose to inflict upon themselves, especially when all that suffering
is easily avoidable. It would have been far more "inspiring" for Farrah
to choose healing remedies instead of deadly poisons.
Had she chosen natural remedies,
she could have skipped all the pain and suffering, restored her immune
function, reversed her cancer and gone on to live a much longer and
more abundant life. (It would have saved her a small fortune in medical
costs, too...)
But she didn't choose natural health
(nutrition, vitamin D, immune support, superfoods and medicinal herbs).
Instead, she chose poison. As a result, her decision to ravage her
body's health through "slash and burn" medicine ultimately cost more
than her body could afford to pay.
|
|
Health services at the New
Abha Light House
Call us for an appointment.
0710-620323
· Homeopathy, nutritional therapy & detox
- Didi Ananda Ruchira, DIHom, KSoH
· Chiropractic
- Dr Chimareni Mango, DC
· Homeopathy, reflexology &
reiki
- Jackie Morris, DHom, KSoH
|
Looking for an affordable space to hold a workshop or class?
Hotels too expensive?
Consider our Abha Light House in Kilimani
Call us! 0710-620323
Affordable and easy to access, our meeting space can hold about 20 people, with desks, and up to 40 people, seats only.
We have 2 classrooms with beautiful parquet floors, a lovely garden patio (also good for meetings), whiteboards, projector, computer and connectivity for your presentations.
Ideal for small groups that find hotels too expensive. Ideal for yoga or meditation groups, or NGO workshops.
We also have a vegetarian kitchen to prepare teas and light (veggie-based) meals.
Book for daytimes or evenings. On a one-time basis or for regular meetings.
|
|
This Space for Rent!
Advertise your health products or services here!
 Even Alt Medicine in the News needs some support to keep up this free ezine. We have presently about 300 readers.
We'll put up your ad for reasonable fees.
We prefer to stick to health or ecological related products or services, but give us your ideas. Practitioners: put up your "calling card" here!
Call us, let's talk! 0710-620323
|
Quick Links
:: :: ::
We source our articles from the below links. There's a lot of information out there, perhaps you'd like to subscribe directly to these links free e-zines.
Natural News
Ray Collins Good Life Letter
Hpathy.com
Zeus Info Service
What the Doctors won't Tell You
:: :: ::
Did you miss an earlier edition?
You can visit our archive of previous mini-e-zines. click here
:: :: ::
Why not forward this mini-ezine to a friend or two?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Use Natural Remedies for Arthritis and Gout
Arthritis is an inflammation of the joints, which troubles nearly 350
million people worldwide. It can be caused by overuse or by the build
up of toxins, such as uric acid. Natural treatments for arthritis can
relieve suffering and pain in the joints for many people. Arthritis is
an autoimmune disease that can be hereditary. Injury can trigger
arthritis, as can metabolic disorders, such as gout. Gout mainly
attacks the foot joints, but the upper extremities can also be involved.
Low protein diets that are high in complex carbohydrates are advised, along with avoiding foods that are known to cause inflammation.
The most important foods to avoid are dairy, and for many people,
wheat. Coffee can cause an immune response in some people, and avoiding
tobacco is recommended as well. Exercise that does not stress the
joints helps to remove toxins from building up. Weight loss is an
important factor for some, as reducing the weight carried on the joint
relieves pressure and speeds the flow of blood to the area, which
brings healing relief.
Apple cider vinegar has long been used as a treatment for arthritis sufferers. Take a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and add to one cup of warm or cold water
and sip with each meal. Three times a day is best. If you can include
the "mother" in your drink, even better. The mother is the dark
substance that ferments the cider into vinegar and usually rests on the
bottom of a jar of unfiltered, raw apple cider vinegar.
Turmeric is a spice that has shown anti-inflammatory properties. Put a quarter of a teaspoon of turmeric in a glass of water and sip. You can even gargle with turmeric. Indian food contains turmeric, so eating curry can relieve symptoms of arthritis for some.
Cayenne
pepper, known as capsicum, is the only pepper that is not an irritant
to tissues. It binds and acts as a healing agent. Cayenne can be
applied externally, mixed with water, to reduce the inflammation of
arthritis.
Molasses is one of the old-time, folk remedies for arthritis. Containing a lot of iron, molasses
has also been used to treat anemia. A spoon of molasses a day stirred
into warm water and consumed first thing in the morning relieves
arthritis symptoms naturally for many.
Omega-3 fatty acids help
provide nutrition to the joints. Natural sources of Omega-3s are fatty
fish, such as mackerel, herring, and salmon. Vegetable sources include
flax seeds and walnuts.
|
MSG is the New Nicotine: What the Food Industry Does Not Want You to Know
Monosodium glutamate, also known as MSG, is a common food additive.
It`s toxic and physically addictive. Fast food companies and other food
manufacturers use MSG as a "flavor enhancer," so consumers will become
"hooked" on their products and keep dishing out money for more. When
people consume unhealthy foods containing MSG, they often gain weight
and feel sluggish, and some also experience "MSG symptom complex." The
symptoms can include headaches, chest pain, heart palpitations, nausea,
and other heath problems.
Although MSG is normally associated with Chinese food, processed meats, and salty snacks, it`s also frequently found in bouillon cubes, canned soups and vegetables,
barbecue sauce, salad dressing, and virtually every other processed
food you eat. "Monosodium glutamate," or "MSG," won`t likely be listed
in a products` ingredient list. It`s often disguised as calcium
caseinate, gelatin, hydrolyzed vegetable proteins, autolyzed yeast,
hydrolyzed yeast, yeast extract, soy extracts, "spices," or "natural
flavorings."
Toxic Traps
Unfortunately, MSG is not the
only toxin we`re exposed to on a regular basis. Toxic substances are in
everything from the food we eat to the air we breathe to the water we bathe in to the products we clean with. Common toxins include PCBs and other industrial compounds, heavy metals, chlorine and other chemicals, molds, antibiotics, hormones, dioxins, and cancer-causing toxins found in meat and milk.
We
absorb toxins and store them in our body fat. When you build up a lot
of toxins, your liver becomes sluggish and doesn`t function properly.
As a result, your organs stop metabolizing fat effectively and you gain
weight. The more toxins you accumulate, the more weight you gain. And
the more you weigh, the more toxins your body will store. It`s a
viscous cycle.
The human body is designed to metabolize and
"flush out" toxins, but since we take in such huge amounts, our bodies
become overwhelmed and cannot properly process and eliminate all the
harmful substances we amass.
Simple Ways to Detox your Life
It
may seem like it is impossible to avoid MSG and other poisonous
substances. While it is difficult to avoid toxins entirely, you can
greatly reduce the amount of toxins you consume by eating organic
vegetarian foods, especially fresh and frozen produce, whole grains, legumes, and other wholesome foods.
Eat
fiber-rich foods, including brown rice and organically-grown beets,
radishes, artichokes, cabbage, and broccoli, which are known as
"detoxifying foods." Because organic foods are grown without the use of
pesticides and artificial fertilizers, you`ll take in far fewer toxic chemicals. And, of course, since fruits and vegetables are naturally cholesterol-free and low in saturated fat, they`re healthier overall.
Organic meat is produced without antibiotics or growth hormones;
however, it is not free of harmful dioxins, because animals absorb
dioxins from the environment and store them in their flesh. When people
eat animal products, they absorb the dioxins and other toxins that had
built up in the animals` bodies. In fact, 95 percent of human dioxin
exposure comes from red meat, dairy products, and fish. (The Institute of Medicine
of the National Academies has even urged school lunch programs to offer
fewer animal fats so that children aren`t exposed to so many dioxins.)
Fortunately, there are no dioxins in grains, beans, fruits, vegetables, and other plant foods.
You
can also help flush toxins from your body by drinking water, green tea,
and taking herbs that protect the liver, namely dandelion root, burdock
and milk thistle. Because vitamin C
helps the body produce glutathione, a compound in the liver that drives
away toxins, you can also benefit from eating citrus fruits, kiwi,
spinach and other leafy green vegetables, and other foods rich in
vitamin C. (And it goes without saying that you should stay away from
highly toxic things like alcohol, coffee, and cigarettes!)
To
detoxify your life even more, choose "green" cleaners and natural
beauty products rather than chemical-based ones. Simply by shopping and
eating smarter, you can drastically reduce the amount of toxins you
take in.
And by buying natural products and organic,
locally-grown fruits and vegetables, you`ll not only reduce your
exposure to toxins, you`ll also help support farmers and companies that
already promote healthful, sustainable living. That helps detox your body and your conscience.
|
Medical Disclaimer:
The information contained within does not take the place of medical diagnosis or
prescription. See your health care provider in case of sickness.
Editorial Disclaimer: Publication of these articles are to promote food for thought. The opinions expressed in these articles may not be the opinion of editors.
|
|
|
