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| Coming in August ... |
Coming in August
What are adaptogenic herbs and how can they help you?
What about all the buzz about "superfruits" and those expensive juices? How do you know which one to try?
Watch for our posts next month! |
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| Aromatherapy |
We wanted to introduce first a few of our favorite essential oils.
Lavender is a wonderful relaxant. You can add 5 - 10 drops to a warm bath to induce relaxation and improve sleep. A drop on the pillow (or on a cloth laid inside the pillowcase) near the face will help induce a relaxing sleep. It can be used topically on wounds or burns (many essential oils are too strong and will burn the skin, but lavender can be applied without mixing in a carrier oil). Added with water in a spray bottle or sponge bath it can help repel fleas and ticks on dogs (or humans!).
Eucalyptus is great used as an inhalant to treat congestion. (Camphor may be added.) Boil a couple of cups of water and add 3-5 drops of essential oil, then inhale the vapors for 5-10 minutes. It can also be used as a massage for muscle soreness.
Peppermint can "wake you up" if you are drowsing, and make you more mentally alert while at the same time relaxing you. It is good to use in classroom or test environments. Dabbed on the temples, it can relieve headaches. If you have a "food grade" peppermint oil, a drop added to water can help settle the stomach and freshen breath. Mixed in strong solution and sprayed near windows and doors, it helps repel insects and mice.
Clove oil is excellent for toothaches. The easiest way to apply it is to soak a pinch of cotton in the oil and apply it directly to the sore area. Unfortunately, it DOES generate a lot of saliva, especially the first time you use it, so be prepared. Leave in place until you feel relief from the pain.
Sweet Orange is helpful for cleansing the air from molds. It can be added to an air conditioning filter directly, or applied to a gauzy cloth that is placed over the filter, and will help remove some of the spores and improve respiratory health.
Rose oil is an especially nice touch for a romantic setting. |
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| Prostate health |
Prostate cancer is a very common cancer in older American men, and various symptoms of benign prostate enlargement (BPE) can sometimes begin as early as in the 20's. A number of natural supplements are available to help protect prostate health.
Consider the following:
Saw Palmetto - treats symptoms of BPE (reported to be as effective as prescription treatments but with no side effects, and as an added bonus may also help reduce the effects of male pattern baldness at the time time); must be taken regularly; a standard dosage may be 320 mg daily
Pumpkin seed oil - treats symptoms of BPE, alone or in combination formulas with saw palmetto; a standard dosage can be 160 mg. with meals (three times a day); look for a formula that is standardized for fatty acid content; many men also eat the pumpkin seeds themselves
Nettles - can help reduce symptoms of BPE; either alone or in combination formulas containing saw palmetto and/or pygeum, typical recommendation is 120 mg. capsule twice per day |
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| Why Organic Produce? |
The biggest reason most consumers purchase organic produce has to do with toxins found in conventionally grown fruits and vegetables. However, organic produce costs from 50% to 300% more than conventionally grown, depending on the particular fruit or vegetable and the place it is purchased. Most of us can't afford to purchase ALL organic foods (nor are they often available in a wide variety) so it pays to know which ones are the most important ones to consider when trying to avoid toxins. Not all produce is equal in terms of increased toxicity.
The most important commonly purchased produce to avoid in conventional form is peaches. Conventionally grown peaches contain more toxins relative to organically grown than any other fruit or vegetable. Second most important organic purchase is apples, followed by bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, pears, grapes, and spinach (in that order).
If you can't buy all organic, consider purchasing these in organic form before spending your money on organic broccoli, for example, which provides less benefit than the produce mentioned above. (Note: this applies only to fruits and vegetables, and does not consider comparisons to meat, eggs, and dairy products.) |
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| Safer coffee filters |
| While I am not a coffee drinker, I do use my automatic coffee brewer to make teas sometimes. The EPA reports that using white (bleached) coffee filters can, over a lifetime, cause a person's dioxin levels to exceed acceptable levels. Instead of white coffee filters, choose unbleached coffee filters (generally brown in color) to reduce your dioxin exposure as well as cut down on dioxins released into the environment. |
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Natural Health for Life |
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Information for increasing and maintaining health through the use of natural supplements, natural products, holistic services, sound nutrition and physical excercise.
The usual FDA required disclaimer: "The information on this site has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or prevent any disease." |
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