We hit our next major hurdle when we found that naturally derived Raspberry Ketones cost about 5 times more than synthetically derived product. In looking at competitors, labels seem to imply that products are natural, but generally avoid declaring 100% natural, or 100% naturally derived from Raspberries. (Based on pricing and educated guesses, we assume most products on the market are not naturally derived). We still determined to buy the natural source material even though the cost difference is extreme and we would be at a pricing disadvantage. Our QC group then spent a lot of time trying to test to determine whether specific Raspberry Ketones are natural or artificial. We were unable to create a test method that showed the difference, but the lab came up with one final red flag that doomed our search.

Apparently, Raspberry Ketones is just a Raspberry flavor, which is widely used in the food industry. Because most flavors are artificial (and many are mislabeled as natural or “WONF” – a misnomer ‘With Other Natural Flavors’), natural sources for Raspberry Ketones are harder to find and source. Our team found that of the few natural sources available, none actually are derived from Raspberries! Yes, that’s right – Raspberry Ketones don’t come from Raspberries! Shockingly, Raspberry Ketones can be naturally derived from anise seeds, and after processing smell and taste just like raspberries.

That was the final straw for our search as we didn’t feel good about selling a product that had minimal research and a deceptive name/source. We determined to pass on the immense fad dollars and will focus our diet efforts on our T-Lean Extreme and other products. We do plan to introduce a trademarked, natural African Mango capsule with Green Tea added – coming hopefully before July. This is just to let you know that NOW’s quality checks and balances worked really well together to help us make safe, quality and efficacious products.

Our marketing folks will be writing this up more formally soon, but I thought this would be helpful information for you and your customers to know now.

For a complete listing of NOW products please visit our web store at:  http://www.healthyvillage.com/sub_category_list/37.html

Cinnamon and Honey:
Honey is the only food on the planet that will not spoil or rot. It will do what some call turning to sugar. In reality honey is always honey.. However, when left in a cool dark place for a long time it will do what I rather call “crystallizing” . When this happens I loosen the lid, boil some water, and sit the honey container in the hot water,turn off the heat and let it liquefy. It is then as good as it ever was. Never boil honey or put it in a microwave. To do so will kill the enzymes in the honey.

Cinnamon and Honey
Bet the drug companies won’t like this one getting around. Facts on Honey and Cinnamon: It is found that a mixture of honey and Cinnamon cures most diseases.. Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world. Scientists of today also accept honey as a ‘Ram Ban’ (very effective) medicine for all kinds of diseases. Honey can be used without any side effects for any kind of diseases.

Today’s science says that even though honey is sweet, if taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm diabetic patients. Weekly World News, a magazine in Canada , in its issue dated 17 January,1995 has given the following list of diseases that can be cured by honey and cinnamon as researched by western scientists:

HEART DISEASES:
Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply on bread, instead of jelly and jam, and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from heart attack. Also, those who have already had an attack, if they do this process daily, they are kept miles away from the next attack. Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heart beat. In America and Canada, various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as you age, the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; honey and cinnamon revitalize the arteries and veins.

ARTHRITIS:
Arthritis patients may take daily, morning and night, one cup of hot water with two spoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. If taken regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured. In a recent research conducted at the Copenhagen University, it was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon Honey and half teaspoon Cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week, out of the 200 people so treated, practically 73 patients were totally relieved of pain, and within a month, mostly all the patients who could not walk or move around because of arthritis started walking without pain.

BLADDER INFECTIONS:
Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it. It destroys the germs in the bladder.

CHOLESTEROL:
Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of Cinnamon Powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water, given to a cholesterol patient, was found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10 percent within two hours. As mentioned for arthritic patients, if taken three times a day, any chronic cholesterol is cured. According to information received in the said Journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol.

COLDS:
Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for three days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold, and clear the sinuses.

UPSET STOMACH:
Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also clears stomach ulcers from the root.

GAS:
According to the studies done in India and Japan , it is revealed that if Honey is taken with cinnamon powder the stomach is relieved of gas.

IMMUNE SYSTEM:
Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacteria and viral attacks.. Scientists have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Constant use of Honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles to fight bacterial and viral diseases.

INDIGESTION:
Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals.

INFLUENZA:
A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural ‘ Ingredient’ which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from flu..

LONGEVITY:
Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly, arrests the ravages of old age. Take four spoons of honey, one spoon of cinnamon powder, and three cups of water and boil to make like tea. Drink 1/4 cup, three to four times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age. Life spans also increase and even a 100 year old, starts performing the chores of a 20-year-old.

PIMPLES:
Three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste. Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it next morning with warm water. If done daily for two weeks, it removes pimples from the root..

SKIN INFECTIONS:
Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts cures eczema, ringworm and all types of skin infections.

WEIGHT LOSS:
Daily in the morning one half hour before breakfast on an empty stomach, and at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup of water. If taken regularly, it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also, drinking this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may eat a high calorie diet.

CANCER:
Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully. Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder for one month three times a day.

FATIGUE:
Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful rather than being detrimental to the strength of the body. Senior citizens, who take honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts, are more alert and flexible. Dr. Milton, who has done research, says that a half tablespoon of honey taken in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, taken daily after brushing and in the afternoon at about 3:00 P.M. when the vitality of the body starts to decrease, increases the vitality of the body within a week.

BAD BREATH:
People of South America , first thing in the morning, gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water, so their breath stays fresh throughout the day.

HEARING LOSS:
Daily morning and night honey and cinnamon powder, taken in equal parts restores hearing. Remember when we were kids? We had toast with real butter and cinnamon sprinkled on it!

Osteoarthritis can be a very painful condition, so pain relief is usually an important component of treatment. Typically, anti-inflammatory drugs like non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) and analgesics, like Tylenol, are used for this purpose.

However, while these can be effective pain relievers, it’s very important to understand that regular, chronic use of these types of medications is associated with significant, and very serious, side effects such as kidney and/or liver damage.

NSAIDs also kill some 30,000 people every year due to bleeding ulcers, and the oral drugs have been linked to a host of problems including heart failure — Vioxx and Celebrex are prime examples of these very real dangers. So I recommend that you try out some safer, natural anti-inflammatory alternatives instead, including:

BOSWELLIA:
Boswellia serrata is similar to frankincense, one of the gifts brought by the Wise Men to celebrate the birth of Jesus. The frankincense used in the West is usually Boswellia carteri, an herb whose properties have not been studied nearly as much as one might think given the Biblical references. At the university hospitals of Bochum and Giessen, patients with gliome tumors were administered 3600 mg. per day of Boswellia serrata. Within only a few days, many symptoms associated with brain tumors, such as headaches and lameness, were greatly lessened. While much of this effect might be more related to the reduction in edema than to the regression of the tumor, swelling and the resultant pressures are serious side effects of malignancy that impact the quality of life. The reports of these trials are preliminary and researchers are unwilling to speculate as to the long-term results and whether or not tumor growth is arrested. Studies have shown that boswellic acids have an anti-inflammatory action, much like the conventional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) used for inflammatory conditions. Boswellia inhibits pro-inflammatory mediators in the body, such as leukotrienes. As opposed to NSAIDs, long-term use of boswellia does not appear to cause irritation or ulceration of the stomach. One small, controlled, double-blind trial has shown that boswellia extract may be helpful for ulcerative colitis. Treatment with boswellia could be 5 to 10 capsules per day and generally last eight to twelve weeks. Boswellia is generally safe when used as directed. Boswellia – An Ayurvedic herb which supports consistent blood flow to your joints, boosting flexibility and strength. Particularly useful against arthritic inflammation and associated pain.

HYALURONIC ACID (HA):
Hyaluronic acid is a key component of your cartilage, responsible for moving nutrients into your cells and moving waste out.

ASTAXANTHIN:
Astaxanthin is one of the most powerful lipophilic antioxidants yet discovered and is the most abundant carotenoid pigment found in crabs, salmon, trout, shrimp, and krill. Studies have found that it can help support joint health and mobility.

EGGSHELL MEMBRANE:
Elastin, collagen and glycosaminoglycans are three nutrients found in eggshell membranes, which can help support the stability and flexibility of your joints by providing your joints with the building blocks needed to build cartilage.

GINGER:
This herb is anti-inflammatory and offers pain relief and stomach-settling properties. Fresh ginger works well steeped in boiling water as a tea or grated into vegetable juice.

BROMELAIN:
This enzyme, found in pineapples, is a natural anti-inflammatory. It can be taken in supplement form, but eating fresh pineapple may also be helpful.

Cetyl myristoleate (CMO):
This oil, found in fish and dairy butter, acts as a “joint lubricant” and an anti-inflammatory.

EVENING PRIMROSE, BLACK CURRANT AND BORAGE OILS:
These contain the essential fatty acid gamma linolenic acid (GLA), which is useful for treating arthritic pain. It is reasonable for many to take these as a supplement, particularly if you struggle with dry skin in the winter, as this is a strong indicator that you are deficient in these fats. I prefer the use of GLA supplements from evening primrose oil but borage oil contains a higher concentration of GLA, which means you need fewer capsules, and it tends to be less expensive.

CAYENNE CREAM:
Also called capsaicin cream, this spice comes from dried hot peppers. It alleviates pain by depleting the body’s supply of substance P, a chemical component of nerve cells that transmits pain signals to your brain.

TURMERIC:
Some of the medicinal properties for which turmeric has been studied include balancing blood sugar, supporting and detoxifying the liver, reducing inflammation, relieving allergies, and cancer.<P>Dr. Bharat Aggarwal, head of a 12-member team of researchers at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, was quoted as saying that his clinical research has found not only the “The master switch to turn off cancer, but also a cure for it. Turmeric contains two to five percent of curcumin. It was already known that curcumin can prevent cancer, we are providing evidence that curcumin can work on at least one dozen cancers.” “In fact”, he added, “we have not found a single cancer on which curcumin doesn’t work.”

Turmeric has long been used as a food preservative, a coloring agent, a spice to flavor food. Turmeric has been used extensively in foods in India and Pakistan where the incidence of cancer, especially breast, colon prostate and lung cancer is a lot less. Turmeric has been shown to relieve arthritis as well, he added. The UT team’s research focused on how Turmeric stops laboratory strains of melanoma from proliferating, and pushes the cancer cells to commit suicide.

A UCLA study shown that Turmeric inhibits the accumulation of destructive beta amyloids in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. Turmeric is more effective in inhibiting formation of the protein fragments than many other drugs being tested to treat Alzheimer’s. We have known all along about the anti-inflammatory benefits of turmeric and now there is documented proof of Turmeric’s other benefits. The dose is between 1.5 gm and 3 gm per day.

6 March 2012 –  A UN expert warns of a global public health disaster caused by unhealthy foods. Globalized food systems and the spread of Western lifestyles has spawned an international public health disaster with over a billion people suffering from undernourishment while another billion remain overweight or obese, an independent United Nations expert warned today.

“Our food systems create sick people,” said Olivier De Schutter, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food, as he presented his latest report to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

“The right to food means not only access to an adequate quantity of food, but also the ability to have a balanced and nutritious diet,” he added, while urging governments to uphold their responsibility in securing their citizens’ right to healthy foods.

In his new report, Mr. De Schutter identified five priorities for putting nutrition back at the heart of food systems in both the developed and developing world. They are taxing unhealthy products; regulating foods high in saturated fats, salt and sugar; cracking down on junk food advertising; overhauling “wrong-headed” agricultural subsidies making unhealthy ingredients cheaper than others; and supporting local food production.

“Urbanization, supermarketization, and the global spread of Western lifestyles have shaken up traditional food habits. The result is a public health disaster,” said the expert. “Governments have been focusing on increasing calorie availability, but they have often been indifferent to what kind of calories are on offer, at what prices, to whom they are accessible, and how they are marketed.”

Mr. De Schutter pointed to the accessibility and abundance of highly-processed foods as a major factor in nutrition-related illnesses as they tend to be richer in saturated and trans-fatty acids, salt and sugars.

As a result, he argued, children frequently become addicted to the junk foods targeted at them. Also, it is the poorest population groups in wealthy countries that are most affected by processed foods, which are often more affordable than healthy diets. He further noted that the export of such Western dietary habits had brought diabetes and heart disease to the developing world.

“We have deferred to food companies the responsibility for ensuring that a good nutritional balance emerges. Voluntary guidelines and piecemeal nutrition initiatives have failed to create a system with the right signals, and the odds remain stacked against the achievement of a healthy, balanced diet,” said Mr. De Schutter.

“Ambitious, targeted nutrition strategies can work,” he added, “but only if the food systems underpinning them are put right.”

As I put the bones on to cook I will wash very carefully then peel and dice 4 medium potatoes, 6 carrots, half a green bell pepper, half a red bell pepper, 1 or 2 turnips, 2 green onions, and 1 or 2 leeks. All the peelings, potato skin, onion skin, pepper stems and seeds go into another pot and are covered with water and cook for 2 hours. Remove peelings and discard, then add this liquid to the soup.

Cool the soup down and take the bones out and discard. Half of this liquid goes into the freezer for another day. Warm the other half of the liquid. Add the diced vegetables to the soup and about 3 good hands full of Basmati Rice. Basmati Rice is a high quality rice from India. You can get white or brown. When the vegetables are cooked add the chicken meat back in and cook only until the meat is warm. Salt, pepper, and various spices may be added but I believe you will find this soup will have lots of flavor with out additional spices.

Keith Lewis, a wheat farmer, left this insightful comment about modern wheat growing practices:

You conclude in your book that modern wheat breeding has dramatically changed the nutritional value of wheat. Modern wheat farming has as well.

I have been a wheat farmer for 50 yrs and one wheat production practice that is very common is applying the herbicide Roundup (glyposate) just prior to harvest. Roundup is licensed for preharvest weed control. Monsanto, the manufacturer of Roundup claims that application to plants at over 30% kernel moisture result in roundup uptake by the plant into the kernels. Farmers like this practice because Roundup kills the wheat plant allowing an earlier harvest.

I went on a wheat and refined sugar free diet before I read your excellent book. I lost 30 lbs in three months. What a remarkable change…… In my 69th year I have never felt better.

In Wheat Belly, I focused on the changes introduced into the plant itself. But there are other aspects of wheat beyond the genetics and biochemistry of the plant, such as bleaching agents, pesticides, additives, and residues of herbicides like Roundup, as Mr. Lewis points out.

How much worse can this thing get?

http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/2012/01/a-wheat-farmer-weighs-in-on-wheat-belly/

For thousands of years knowledge of the herbs and wild plants that could increase fertility were the secrets of the village wise women. But after the holocaust against European Wise Women (the “burning times”) and the virtual extermination of Native American medicine women, this knowledge virtually disappeared. In fact, many people erroneously believe that “primitive people” had no means of controlling the likelihood of pregnancy. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Many common plants can be used to influence fertility, including red clover, partridge berry, liferoot, wild carrot, and wild yam. Some of these grow wild, others are easy to cultivate, and, with the exception of wild carrot, all are also readily available at health food stores.

One of the most cherished of the fertility-increasing plants is red clover (Trifolium pratense). Common in fields and along roadsides, it has bright pink (not really red) blossoms from mid-summer into the chilly days of fall. A favorite flower of the honeybees, the tops (blossoms and appending leaves) are harvested on bright sunny days and eaten as is, or dried for medicinal use. The raw blossoms are delicious in salads and nutritious when cooked with grains such as rice or millet.

To make a fertility-enhancing infusion, I take one ounce by weight of the dried blossoms (fresh won’t work for this application) and put them in a quart size canning jar. I fill the jar with boiling water, screw on a tight lid, and let it steep at room temperature overnight (or for at least four hours). Dozens of women have told me that they had successful pregnancies after drinking a cup or more (up to four cups) a day of red clover infusion.

It is especially helpful if there is scaring of the fallopian tubes, irregular menses, abnormal cells in the reproductive tract, or “unexplained” infertility. It may take several months for the full effect of this herb to come on and pregnancy may not occurs until you have used it for a year or two. You can improve the taste by including some dried peppermint (a spoonful or two) along with the dried clover blossoms when making your infusion. Treat the father of the child-to-be to some red clover infusion, too!

That little evergreen creeper that carpets some parts of the woods around your house is partridge berry (Mitchella repens), also known as squaw weed, supposedly because of its ability to enhance fertility. (My teacher Twylah Nitsch, grandmother of the Seneca Wolf clan, says that “squaw” is a slang term meaning “schmuck” or, in the proper term, “penis,” and therefore should not be used in denoting a plant meant to be used by women.) Keep an eye out this spring and see if you can catch Mitchella blooming. Then you’ll see why she’s sometimes called “twin flower.”

Interestingly, when the paired flowers fall off, they leave behind but one berry to ripen. (The shiny red berries you’ve noticed in the forest winter or spring. Yes, they are safe to eat, but leave some for the partridges.) The symbolism of two flowers forming one berry is certainly a suitable icon for fertility. I make a medicinal vinegar by filling a small jar with the fresh leaves, adding apple cider vinegar until the jar is full again. A piece of waxed paper held in place with a rubber band and a label (including date) completes the preparation, which must sit at room temperature for six weeks before use. I enjoy up to a tablespoonful of the vinegar on my salads or in my beans.

By mid- to late-May, the yellow blossoms of liferoot (Senecio aureus) enliven my swamp (in upstate New York) and the neighboring roads where there is adequate water and rich soil. A powerful medicine resides in all parts of this lovely wildflower. As the root has a dangerous reputation, I restrict myself to using only the flowers and leaves, which I harvest in bloom, and quickly tincture. Small doses of this tincture (3-8 drops a day), taken at least 14 days out of the month, will regulate hormone production, increase libido, normalize the menses, relieve menstrual pain, and improve fertility. The closely related Senecia jacobea and Senecio vulgaris can also be used.

Wild carrot (Daucus carota), better known as Queen Anne’s lace, is such a common roadside plant that most people are amazed to learn that it is a proven anti-fertility herb. In addition to being the wild cousin of carrot, it is related to parsley, dill, caraway, anise, celery, cumin, and a (now extinct) plant whose seeds were the birth-control of choice for many a classical Greek or Roman woman.

The aromatic seeds of wild carrot are collected in the fall and eaten (a heaping teaspoonful a day) to prevent the implantation of a fertilized egg. In one small study the effectiveness rate after thirteen months of use was 99%. As modern scientific medicine reports that one-third of all fertilized eggs are passed out of the body without implanting in the uterus, this method of birth control seems in complete agreement with nature.

Of the hundreds of women currently using this anti-fertility agent, I have heard virtually no reports of any side-effects. Note that many books caution you to beware the danger of confusing poison hemlock and wild carrot. Poison hemlock is rather scarce in our area, and, at any rate, does not smell or taste of carrot (as does Queen Anne’s lace), so I believe this warning to be a red herring. In addition, wild carrot leaves have small hairs on them, while the leaves of poison hemlock are smooth.

Another anti-fertility herb that has been tested by small groups of modern women is wild yam (Dioscorea villosa). Since birth-control pills were originally made from this plant, it is not at all surprising that it has the effect of blocking conception when taken daily in rather large doses: either a cup of tea or two capsules taken three times a day.

Does it have detrimental effects? Current studies are too small to show any, but there is a possibility that there could be. Interestingly enough, if wild yam is taken is small doses (a cup of tea or 10-20 drops of the tincture daily from onset of menses until mid-period) it increases fertility! In either case, the effect seems to be triggered by the large amount of hormone-like substances found in this root. When taken daily, these substances may be converted into progesterone, thus decreasing the possibility of conception. When taken for the two weeks preceding ovulation, these substances may be converted into LH and FSH, hormones which are needed to make the egg ready to be fertilized.

Other common weeds and garden plants of our area that have been used to increase or decrease fertility include stinging nettle, oatstraw, pennyroyal, Jack-in-the-pulpit, rue, and parsley.

The earth is full of wonders, and green magic abounds. As more and more women remember that they are wise women, more of the wonders and the magic will be revealed. May your days be filled with many green blessings.

c. 2011 by Susun S. Weed    susunweed.com

If you walk by the cold remedy section of your local pharmacy, you will discover shelves groaning from the weight of a myriad of rainbow colored bottles of modern-day snake oil that promises to relieve every cold symptom known to man.

Many of them are formulated to make us drowsy when taken before we go to bed, and some will help us doze a bit through the night but really do little to prevent a cold from running it’s methodical, diabolical course. Often users mistake the drug induced snooze as the remedy fighting the cold, but unfortunately it’s a smoke screen that only serves to hide the symptoms for a short time.

Realistically, you will have a better chance of arming your overwhelmed immune system with more powerful and effective anti-bodies by shuffling over to the fridge and opening the door to an army of nutritional, antibacterial agents ready to repel the attack of the common cold or at the least shorten it’s severity.

Chomp down on one of those Chile peppers that make your eyes water on a regular basis. They are loaded with a chemical called Capaiscin, that acts as a pain reliever and decongestant at the same time. The heat from that pepper will break down the mucus building up in your head and help you clear your sinuses. Keep in mind that one Jalapeno pepper packs in as much vitamin C as four oranges.

How about that sore throat? Head for the spice cabinet and reach for the Thyme. Put four cups of water in a pan on the stove add 2 tablespoons of Thyme, bring to a boil. Let boil for two minutes then cover and steep for another two minutes. Pour through a coffee filter put in a sive. Add a little honey and lemon if desired. Sip as needed to heal the throat and stop the coughing. Sound scary? Sure, but it works.

What about giving Grandma’s chicken soup recipe a try? This is an old wives tale that works. It really does make people feel better. Plus, it sure sounds a whole lot more appetizing then the famous cough syrup that makes you do an ugly “pucker” face, but not much more.

Imagine a steaming bowl of chicken, diced carrots, chopped celery, sweet parsnips, and a zesty onion, all beautifully blended and so much easier to take than the cough syrup from Hell.

Painstaking research has proved without doubt that there is a main component in Grandma’s chicken soup that takes up the battle against that stubborn cold. It’s the chicken stock itself that puts a halt to mucus production, and thus relieving congestion and helping the breathing process. In test after test, even store-bought chicken soup products produced the same result, but don’t waste your time with the vegetarian version. The main ingredient is obviously missing.

To make the best chicken soup for a cold you need a whole chicken because most of the nutrition comes from stewing the chicken bones. Clean a whole chicken, preferably an organic free range chicken, put it in a pot and cover with water. Add celery, onions, and a few cloves of garlic and stew for 6 hours or more. The longer it cooks the more nutrition you will get out of the bones. Let cool and bone and cut the chicken to bite size pieces. Add the chicken back to the stock along with brown rice, carrots, and onions. Season to taste. Cook until the vegetables and rice are done and serve.

Now we are all familiar with the benefits of vitamin C in the battle against colds. Especially Vitamin C from fruit. It has been clinically proven that as little as 1000mg per day of vitamin C will shorten suffering from a cold by a day or so.

As far back as the mid-1970′s, there were many published articles proclaiming that “mega doses” of Vitamin C (up to 4 times the recommended daily amount) would work miracles. However, in recent years that line of reasoning has been claimed to be false by the drug companies. But ask someone that takes 5000mg of Vitamin C along with L-Lysine and you will find someone that has a cold for only a few days. Like most vitamins and minerals that work well, more is not better unless it is Vitamin C and the sicker you are the more your body can use.

In fact, North America produces some of the world’s most expensive urine, as the body will eliminate excess vitamins that go above and beyond what our system can realistically absorb. So when you get over the cold back off the Vitamin C.

If you happen to be on a holiday in China and come down with a head-pounding case of congestion due to cold, you might possibly be served a hot cup of ginger tea by a sympathetic local.

This cold fighter goes back centuries and is believed to have several miraculous qualities that will ease nausea and headaches caused by sinus congestion. So even if you are at home, try some form of ginger tea, or come up with your own “hot ginger drink” recipe. Perhaps fresh ginger crushed into a glass of hot water along with a bit of lemon juice and a tablespoon of honey.

The absolute best for sinus congestion is Pau d’Arco. I brew about six cups, put it into a thermos and sip about two ounces and hour. Cold remedies don’t have to taste bad in order to be effective.

So the next time your first instinct is to head to the pharmacy as soon as the sniffles begin, remember that the “real” cure might only be a short, inexpensive walk into your kitchen.

Pau d’Arco is available from: http://www.herbaladvantage.com/

Type II diabetes is caused when the pancreas doesn’t produce the proper amount of insulin, causing blood sugar levels to increase. Some believe that age, obesity, pregnancy, and certain illnesses give rise to this condition. This is not true at all POOR DIET causes Type 2 diabetes. While modern medicine uses synthetic treatments to cure the symptoms, they can actually contribute to worsening the overall health. Drugs like Avandia and Rezulin have been known to produce life-threatening side effects, which leave patients in poorer health than when they began taking them.

But drugs are not the only solution. In fact, more and more patients are beginning to realize the amazing healing powers of herbs, which have long since been used in countries around the world to treat, and cure, conditions like asthma, heart disease, blood pressure, cancer and diabetes.

In fact, the curative power of herbs is so strong that they are often included in medicines, an estimated 25 percent of drugs contain at least one plant-based extract. Plenty of exercise, proper diet and the use of the proper herbs can help you overcome Type II Diabetes and get back a healthy body. Controlling Type II diabetes with herbs and diet is not easy but the rewards are improved health.

The following is a list of herbs that may help control Type II diabetes. As with any medical condition, you should consult with a qualified medical practitioner before starting a new treatment.

Bitter Melon – Momordica charantia
Long used in Asia, Africa and South America as a treatment for diabetes, is readily available worldwide in capsules, powder or fresh fruit. Bitter Melon works to lower blood pressure and control insulin. Researchers on the National Bitter Melon Council believe that specific enzymes charantin and mormordica help control blood sugar levels. The latter contains an insulin-like peptide, polypeptide-P, which stimulates the production of insulin. So far, researchers have identified 32 active healing chemicals in this plant some of which may lead to treatment of conditions such as HIV, certain cancers, cold, flu and psoriasis.

Shardunikha, Gurmar – Gymnema sylvestris
Shardinikha is long established as an ayurvedic cure for diabetes. The plants effectiveness seems to lie in its ability to reduce cravings for sweet-tasting foods. It is also thought to control blood sugar levels and boost the activities of enzymes that stimulate insulin production.

Bilberry – Vaccinium myrtillus
Bilberry retains powerful and healing antioxidants anthocyanidins in the fruit and leaves. Studies suggest this helps prevent damage to blood vessels that can result in diabetic cataracts and retinopathy, and tests show they may also help lower blood sugar levels.

Fenugreek – Trigonella foenum
Fenugreek a popular spice in Indian cuisine, has been used in the Asian sub-continent among nursing mothers and as a means to cure indigestion, lower high cholesterol and reduce blood sugar levels in diabetics. The seeds of this plant contain alkaloids trigonelline, gentianine and carpaine compounds that seem to boost the production of insulin. While there are only a few studies published in journals such as the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition and Nutritional Research, the consensus among traditional healers is that this herb works well to slow down carbohydrate absorption, inhibit the transport of glucose and stimulate the production of insulin.

Stevia – Stevia rebaudiana
Stevia is rapidly gaining ground as a zero-calorie plant-based sweetener. However, it is also recognized in traditional healing as a means to treat diabetes. The natural green Stevia leaf powder taken in capsules will help modulate the blood sugar levels will have beneficial effects on glucose tolerance and therefore potentially help with diabetes. Stevia capsules are good for people that are controlling there diabetes with insulin or herbs. While research is still underway to confirm the effectiveness of Stevia in treating diabetes, its use as a sugar replacement cannot be questioned. Currently, the FDA has recognized Stevia extract for use in food products. When purchasing Stevia extract, ensure that it contains no fillers or additives and that it is Certified Organic.

Cinnamon – Cinnamomum cassia
Cinnamon is derived from the bark of the laurel tree and is popular in stick and powdered forms. Traditionally it has been used to relieve stomach gas and ease nausea, and recently, researchers have looked into how cinnamon might make fat cells more responsive to insulin. Cinnamon also increases the conversion of glucose to energy and prevents the formation of free radicals, which may increase diabetic complications.

Other herbs such as onion and garlic are being researched for their ability to regenerate pancreatic cells, lower blood sugar levels and increase insulin when needed. Care needs to be taken when purchasing any of them as many stores will sell poor quality products. One way to ensure the purity of the herbs in question is to buy products from reputable sites. Herbs can be potent and if mixed with drugs or taken other than directed, can even prove fatal, so care should be taken to follow herbalist-recommended dosages.

Reference:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/09/02/diabetes-most-of-what-youve-been-told-may-be-wrong.aspx

http://www.holistic-online.com/remedies/Diabetes/diabetes_herbs.htm

http://www.rd.com/living-healthy/the-best-herbs-and-supplements-for-diabetes/article55702.html

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/bilberry-000225.htm

Healing has not really changed much since our ancestors time. For thousands of years if you did not feel well, you would go to the witch doctor, the shaman or the high priest and they would provide you with the herbs for your ailment. It may seem improbable to us that such people could perform this duty of healing as modern day doctors do but what we have to remember is that the basis of all modern medicine is based upon herbal healing of the past and that the constituents of herbal remedies that were prescribed long ago are still being used today.

Although the healing processes employed then were not as numerous as those of today they did work. The plants available to our ancestors are still available, growing in our fields, edgeways and even our gardens, and the processes and formulations that were employed in our past are still available for us to use. A benefit not available to our ancestors is that we may buy herbs grown half way around the world.

Today with the expanding volume of knowledge available, to everyone who can read a book or who can access the Internet, the knowledge of the healing of the past can be brought into our modern world and we can see and duplicate it for ourselves. Yet in saying that, care should be taken if you intend to produce your own medicines because what you have to consider is the symptoms. Simply because your head hurts does not mean you have a headache that could be cured with an aspirin. Healers from the past would try to find the reason for the headache had heal that.

I have written this article as an essay of interest and I have no medical knowledge, nor would I suggest that you take the writing literally, but only as an indication of those things around us capable of curing our ills. And before you attempt to use any herb for a medical purpose I would suggest that the plants you use are those described and identified by name and photograph.

If you are a sever sufferer of any complaint I strongly recommend that you discuss the use of ‘home made medicines’ with your primary care practitioner before you use them.

Medicinal Herbs.

Cape Aloe: Aloe ferox

Also known as Bitter Aloe, and Red Aloe. Two juices are extracted from this plant; a yellow and bitter sap which is used as a laxative, and a white aloe gel which is used in health drinks and in skin care products.

Chamomile: Matricaria recutita
Other names include German chamomile, blue chamomile, and scented mayweed. Used medicinally as an herbal tea for sore stomach, irritable bowel syndrome, and as a mild laxative; it is said to aid sleep.

Comfrey: Symphytum officinale
This herb contains allantoin, a chemical which speeds up the natural replacement of body cells. It has been used to treat a wide variety of ailments; these include bronchial problems, broken bones, sprains and arthritis.

Dandelion: Taraxaacum officinale
Dandelions are one plant which can be used completely; its flowers, roots and leaves. The Chinese have used the plant for centuries especially in herbal teas which are said to cleanse the liver of toxins. The plant contains the mineral potassium.

Dill: Anethum graveolens
Dill is used in foods as a spice where it’s flavor is much desired. Its properties are said to settle the stomach.

Feverfew: Tanacetum parthenium
Feverfew has been used for several ailments including reducing fever, treating headaches, digestive problems, and for arthritis. This plant releases serotonin and prostaglandins, chemicals which are believed to aid with migraine attacks.

Garlic: Allium sativum
Garlic is in the onion family and its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, and chive. Garlic has been used throughout history in medicine, and today garlic is being used in the treatment of heart disease, for combating cholesterol, high blood pressure, and is being used in experimentation for treating cancer. It is also used to help keep fleas of your dog.

Ginger: Zingiber officinale
Used as a stimulant and carminative for dyspepsia and colic. This plant may be used in heart disease because of its blood-thinning and cholesterol properties. Tea brewed from ginger was used as a remedy for colds. Ginger has also been used to treat inflammation. Ginger is the best remedy for seasickness.

Goldenseal: Hydrastis canadensis
Also known as, Orange-root or Orangeroot. In history Goldenseal was used for cancers and swellings of the breasts although no modern extract has been manufactured for these conditions. It is one of the best herbs for infections of any kind such as colds and flu. Other uses were for stomach and gastric ailments.

Mullein Leaf: Verbascum thapsus
This plant is used for sore throat, cough and for lung diseases.

Nettle: Urtica dioica
The nettle plant has been used throughout the centuries both as a food source and in medical application. A great deal of Vitamin K can be found in fresh nettles and can be used to stop bleeding. It has also been used for treating arthritis, anemia, hay fever, kidney problems, and pain in general.

Peppermint: Mentha piperita
Peppermint oil has the ability to reduce colicky abdominal pain and is used as an aid for indigestion. It is also a flavoring for candy. Peppermint leaf will have the same properties when used as a tea.

Poke Weed: Phytolacca americana
Also known as poke, pokeweed, pokebush, pokeberry, pokeroot, polk sallet*. These plants have been used in the treatment of acne and internal complaints such as tonsillitis and swollen glands. Used also for weight loss and in inhibiting the development and growth of certain types of tumors. *The term poke sallet is an old Southern term for the cooked young leaves of the poke weed. Sallet comes from Middle English and refers to a mess of greens cooked until tender. Some suggest adding molasses and fatback to the water when they cook their poke sallet others just add Lambs Quarter Chenopodium album.

Saw Palmetto Berry: Serenoa repens
Native American Indians have used Saw Palmetto berry to treat genital and urinary tract problems. Treating BHP is the primary use but it is also used for: hair loss, impotence, and to help men and women balance hormones.

St John’s Wort: Hypericum perforatum
Today this plant is most used as an herbal treatment for depression.

Sweet Wormwood: Artemisia annua
May also be known as Sweet Annie, Sweet Sagewort or Annual Wormwood. The dried leaves of this plant have been used in tea infusions for treating fevers.

Valerian: Valeriana officinalis
The plant as been employed as a sedative, and as a remedy for insomnia. It is also used for sleeping disorders, anxiety, but mostly as a muscle relaxant.

Wormwood: Artemisia absinthium
Also known as absinthe wormwood and common wormwood. The plant contains tannic and resinous substances and has been used for treating indigestion and gastric pains. It has been used as an antiseptic, and as an infusion is said to aid blood circulation.

Yarrow: Achillea millefolium
Also known as Common Yarrow, Nosebleed plant, Old Man’s Pepper, Soldier’s Woundwort, amongst other names. This is a flowering plant of the family Asteraceae, mostly native to the Northern Hemisphere. In history, Yarrow was known as herbal militaries, and being recognized for its astringent effects was used to prevent blood loss like from a wound. Yarrow is still used in medicine today being employed in cold and flu infusions.

I know the list is short, but there are thousands of plants that could have been included here and I hope I have provided enough to satisfy you, or at least your curiosity to investigate others.

The indigenous peoples of all countries relied (and many still do) on the natural remedies that could be found growing on their native soil. In America the Native American Indian believes that we should remember our past and how to get along. This indicates the knowledge of our natural earth and the plants which grow upon it, not only for food but also for medicines. Because like the natural plants which grow upon our planet, we are just as natural.