Red clover, a common perennial herb that grows wild in meadows through much of the world, is in the legume family, just as beans, peas and peanuts are. Its Latin name, Trifolium pretense, means “three leaves, found in the meadow”. Red clover is well-known by organic farmers as a cover crop, ideal for fixing nitrogen to increase soil fertility. Some of its other common names are purple clover, cow clover, meadow clover and wild clover.

There are hundreds of species, and many are grown for feeding livestock, but red clover is believed to be of great medicinal value. The flowering tops, on the one day when they are at the peak of perfection, are harvested for use in tinctures, teas, capsules and body care products. Because red clover, once dried, easily loses its medicinal value, it is important to choose products carefully so that we may enjoy their numerous benefits.

Red clover is considered to be a powerful alterative, meaning that it’s a remedy that restores good health. Well known for its ability to cleanse and purify the blood, red clover is believed to help prevent some of the plaque deposits that can lead to heart attacks or stroke, improving circulation and overall cardiovascular health.

Assisting the liver with the detoxification process, red clover has been reputed as a safe and useful remedy for a variety of health complaints associated with the liver or ‘dirty blood’. Over the last several centuries, one of red clover’s primary uses has been for dermal inflammations, including childhood and adult eczema, psoriasis, dandruff and various rashes. Red clover would often be added to the tea pot for daily consumption and detoxification when symptoms arose. Ointments or salves containing red clover would be applied topically to the affected area. More recently, red clover has been useful for teen, cystic or hormonally-activated acne.

Red clover is considered to be an excellent antispasmodic, meaning that it helps to relieve mild cramping or muscle spasm and it works as an expectorant, helping clear lungs of phlegm and toxins. Traditional health practitioners have used it as part of a program to calm bronchial spasms and coughs associated with the common cold, as well as some serious respiratory problems, including whooping cough, bronchitis, asthma and pneumonia.

Red clover is high in numerous nutrients, including the B vitamins, niacin (B3) and thiamine (B1); vitamin C; and several minerals, including calcium, chromium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. Nutritionally, red clover is most well known as a very rich source of isoflavones, a group of compounds found in many plants. These phyto-chemicals, also found in soy, look similar to the female hormone estrogen.

Red clover is often used in herbal formulations to help girls and young women with cramping, moodiness and breast tenderness associated with PMS. Red clover has become popular for helping women with menopause and peri-menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes, night sweats and mood swings. It is used by women of all ages to help protect the breasts and improve hormonal health.

There is a lot of confusion in the media and on health websites about how phyto-estrogens, such as isoflavones, work. When plant-based chemical compounds are naturally occurring in an herb such as red clover, these hormone-balancing little gems simply fill some of the estrogen receptors within the body. When isoflavones have been chemically isolated away from the complexity of the plant, they lose the checks and balances of the whole, natural, full-spectrum herb. They can then act more like hormone-replacement medications, providing potential results but with greater possibility for side-effects. Red clover in its whole form such as herbal tea or tincture has not been associated with any side effects.

Red clover has been used for cysts, cancerous tumors, and other growths in Europe, Asia and the Americas for centuries. Early test tube research shows that it may stop cancer cell growth or kill cancer cells altogether. Human research shows promising evidence that red clover interferes with the progression of endometrial cancer (the lining of the uterus) and may block enzymes believed to contribute to prostate cancer in men. Another study showed that red clover also may slow the development of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), the non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland.

Red clover has been a key ingredient in traditional remedies used by Ojibway and other native tribal healers. It has been an important part of several detoxifying herbal preparations in the past hundred years, as well. Rene Caisse, a nurse in the 1920’s in Canada, opened a cancer clinic using a formulation containing red clover. A portion of her formula is now marketed as Essiac, and for decades these herbs have been used to help people and their pets  with various types and stages of cancer and other blood disorders.

Also in the early 1900’s, the Hoxsey formula was used in 17 cancer clinics throughout Texas and the US. An excellent book called “When Healing Becomes a Crime” was written by Kenny Ausubel about Harry Hoxsey and his experiences with herbal and alternative cancer protocols.

The Eclectic doctors in the 1800’s used red clover often. A fomentation (hot, moist herbal compress), salve, liniment, infused oil, or poultice made with red clover and other cleansing herbs was applied topically to help reduce growths.

You’ll find several excellent red clover products available in the Wellness department and the tea aisle of your local co-op or health food store. Look for Herb Pharm’s tincture of red clover, as well as their wonderful detoxification formula, Red Clover – Stillingia Compound, for a daily or occassional blood purifying effect. And at least twice a year, we should all participate in a more therapeutic cleansing program, which might include one of my other favorite red clover products, such as:

• the detoxification formula called Flor-Essence Herbal Tea Blend, which is based on the original Ojibway formula passed along to Rene Caisse, offered in liquid or dry herb tea,

• Eclectic Institute’s Blood Support, which combines freeze-dried burdock with red clover, yellow dock, nettles and dandelion root to support liver and blood detoxification,

• Eclectic Institute also has a straight-up freeze-dried red clover. I prefer the combinations above, but this is an excellent choice for those who are looking for a high quality red clover capsule.

Happy cleansing on your path to wellness.

There have been hundreds of thousands of articles published about the use of herbs and nutritional supplements for achieving and maintaining good health. I would estimate that, of the thousands I have read over the last three decades, about 80% of them provide inaccurate information by containing these myths and half-truths. It is not likely due to the writers’ desire to throw their readers’ healing programs off-base. Instead, I’ve found it more likely due to the idea that research is often manipulated and interpreted in a variety of ways, depending on the desired outcome of those funding that research, even with the scientific standards that currently exist. In the US (and several other countries,as well), a writer or advertiser may quote information from a study, leaving out the very details that make the quote honest and truthful, to promote their products, services, ideas or concepts.

There are so many examples of this, but few get under my skin as powerfully as the issue of soy. Many articles and ads regarding soy state that it’s heart healthy or it’s not good for the heart whatsoever. Some say it will protect the breasts and cells from cancers, while others warn that it may cause or contribute to cancers. others say soy can either prevent or increase PMS or menopause symptoms. It goes on and on…

How is a person to determine what is best for them when those on both sides of the issue feel very strongly that they are right, and the other is somehow lesser informed? For many folks, the choice is difficult, and regardless of which advice they decide to follow, they find themselves second-guessing and feeling concerned about their decision.

For the first couple decades I studied natural health, I was one of them. I believed in trial and error, and didn’t trust research, preferring the empirical evidence of the generations before me. I tried one thing, and then another, desperately attempting to heal myself from the chronic pain and discomfort I endured as I dealt with several ambiguous auto-immune disorders. I was a high-functioning type-A personality gal, determined to be free of it all and finally get to experience the long-term vibrant health that we all deserve to enjoy.

Soy played a big role in this seesaw game of learning to heal myself. Eventually, I became enlightened by one of my greatest teachers as to the importance of tracing back what was stated or implied in an article, book or ad by checking the references until I got to the actual research being quoted, or more often misquoted or half-quoted, and then to find out who funded the research. (This is something I technically knew how to do since grade school, but had always thought that if someone referenced a statement, they surely would have gotten it right. Wrong!)

Soy is probably one of the most misunderstood topics in the natural health industry. Many people tell me that their doctors have told them to stay absolutely clear of all soy products and soy derivatives, especially when there is a history of breast cancer (and sometimes other cancers) in the family. Others state that they were told by their healthcare practitioner to eat as much soy as possible to avoid cancer, alleviate symptoms of menopause or improve bone health. Both of these opinions, however, are unfortunately incorrect, according to the most reliable independent research. See how confusing things can be?

The real story is not about whether soy is good or bad, but rather, according to thousands of years of evidence and the latest independent research, as well, is that fully cultured (fermented) soy (and properly sprouted soy) are healthful, protective and beneficial, while uncultured soy, most of what’s on the US market, is at best, not beneficial, and at worst, may contribute to several discomforts and disease conditions mentioned above and likely others, too.

Very few folks that attend my classes or receive consultations have ever heard of these distinguishing factors regarding soy. Most of them just felt confused by the numerous health claims and health warnings that they had heard or read about over the years. You have probably felt similarly. The following will likely help you to further understand, so that you will be better informed and able to make wiser choices in the future.

The original source of incorrect information regarding soy and its health benefits or potential harm seems to have been intentionally spread to promote the budding soy industry back in the ‘70’s. Whenever I first mention soy in the classes, one can immediately observe the changes in facial expressions throughout the room, and then the hands begin to go up, oftenly urgently. Many share that they have been very confused by the opposing viewpoints about soy, so they have either chosen to avoid it altogether or to eat lots of it daily in hopes that it’s the magic bullet they seek.

Most of the health benefits associated with soy have been found through research that has been done using miso (fermented soy paste used primarily for making miso soup) or natto (a strange fermented soy condiment rarely consumed in America). There have been a few studies done using fermented soymilk (what we may call soy yogurt), tempeh (a fermented soybean cake) or fermented soy sauce (called shoyu or tamari). Many of these fermented soy foods take years to make, and are traditionally consumed in small amounts each day in Japan and other East Asian countries. The Japanese people, until recently, have rarely consumed uncultured soy foods, but these myths in marketing have had an impact on their younger generation, too.

Miso has been associated with many health benefits, including but not limited to the protection from breast, stomach and overall cancers. One large study conducted by National Cancer Center Research Institute in Tokyo that followed 21,000 middle-aged Japanese women for 10 years showed that only 179 developed breast cancer. The women who consumed ½ to one teaspoon of miso mixed into a bowl of soup or broth three times daily had significantly less chance of developing beast cancer than those who ate miso one or fewer times each day. This is far fewer diagnoses than would be found in a comparable number of American women.

Miso, when combined traditionally with sea vegetables (edible seaweeds) in miso soup or other Japanese dishes, is believed to be even more chemoprotective than either one alone. The folks from Okinawa who follow their ancestors’ traditions begin their day with this type of miso soup, and then have it again with lunch and often dinner, as well.

Natto, a sticky soybean condiment often eaten with brown rice, has been shown to provide noteworthy benefits to the cardiovascular system, better blood lipid profiles (triglyceride numbers), cholesterol levels, reduced cancers and lower incidence of osteoporosis.

Many conflicting studies have been done with soy protein isolates and isoflavones, one of the groups of active constituents found in soy. The studies that have been financially backed by various soy interests have shown ‘promise’, but the independently funded have shown that uncultured soy may be unhelpful or possibly even harmful. Please don’t be fooled by this quagmire of paradoxical information The Japanese are considered to be the healthiest people on Earth, but as soon as their diets become ‘westernized’, adding American foods and uncultured soy, their healthy life expectancy drops significantly.

As you can see by reading the labels of packaged foods in nearly any health food store and more recently, in the regular grocery stores, too, American food companies have ignored the real research and traditional usage of soy foods in the healthiest country in the world, probably because these foods take too long to manufacture. Instead, they have misguided us with deceptive advertising and press releases, quoting scientific studies, but leaving out the very fact that the research had been done with cultured soy instead of the isolated and uncultured soy products that they attempt to promote.

Here is the list of healthful cultured soy foods that we may choose to consume so as to protect our cardiovascular and cellular health:

Miso
Natto
Tempeh
Tamari (fully fermented soy sauce)
Shoyu (fermented soy sauce)
Soy yogurt

Here is the list of soy foods that may not be beneficial and may be harmful to our health:

Soy protein powders
Soy milk
Soy nuts
Soy oil
Soy nut butter
Soy flour
Soy pasta
Texturized vegetable protein
Meat and cheese alternatives
Soy ice cream alternatives
Tofu
Soy pills

I hope that this, the first in a long series of Myths in Nutrition, has begun to help you to recognize and understand the differences between the myths, misunderstandings, half-truths and the truths that you may read or hear about soy going forward.

For additional information on the topic of soy, you may want to check out:
the Weston A Price Foundation’s Soy Alert!
and the best article I’ve found to date on soy published by Mothering Magazine in the May/June 2004 issue:
Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of America’s Favorite Health Food.

The statistics on smoking and the effect it has in relation to dozens of health conditions are well documented. That doesn’t make it any easier to quit when you’re a smoker, does it? The patch, gum and other devices are actually sending nicotine directly into the bloodstream, and nicotine is considered to be one of the most harmful chemicals found in cigarettes! But, for some, these methods can work.

There are, however, safer healthier ways to quit the butts habit forever. I have witnessed the following method(s) to work dozens, possibly even hundreds of times by now (including for my own cigarette smoking), and most of the people I’ve known to quit in this way never went back to smoking! Sounds good, doesn’t it? Here is how you, too, can become cig-free for life!

There are four main components to smoking addiction:

Chemical dependence- Cigarettes are well-known for their chemical load that is deposited into our lungs and into our bloodstream. Strangely as it seems, our bodies become dependent on this toxic load being there at fairly consistent levels. When we don’t have it coming in, we physiologically crave those toxins in our lungs and in our bloodstream. That is why so many smokers light up immediately upon awakening. Some brands of cigarettes are believed to contain as many as 300 or nearly 400 ingredients, many of which are chemical compounds! We think of cigarettes as rolled tobacco, but they are really so much more than that.

Emotional dependence/ Stress- Many people reach for a cigarette every time they feel stressed or anxious and feel that smoking takes the edge off. Initially, it does feel that way, but smoking is actually shown to significantly increase stress and anxiety levels over the long-term. So, if we don’t find other tools to handle our excess stress and anxiety, our smoking habit will likely increase with time.

Finger activity- Smokers tend toward fidgeting with things, including their cigarettes. When attempting to quit, they often report that having nothing to do with their hands can be very difficult.

Breathing deeply- An interesting fact is that smokers tend to breathe very shallowly, usually taking their deepest breaths as they take that first long drag from their cigarette each time they light up. That shallow breathing does not effectively deliver oxygen to the lungs so as to oxygenate the blood and cells, nor does it allow the necessary release of toxins and carbon dioxide through the exhale. Therefore, most smokers crave a deep breath, but the brain associates this with that first drag, and we then interpret the craving as a desire for another smoke.

If you know you are ready, or nearly ready, to give up those cigarettes for good, start now, right this very moment as you read this blog post, with taking deep, calm breaths often. If you get stuck in traffic, need to wait in line at the grocer or feel frustrated with the boss, breathe in, slowly and deeply, then calmly exhale. Before inhaling again, stop for a just a brief moment, and then exhale some more, preferably to a brisk count of five. This helps to release those toxins, calms the spirit so as to reduce the anxiety and stress levels, and leaves more room available in the lungs for the next inhale to deliver oxygen throughout the body. I have known several people who have, often unintentionally, used this technique alone to quit and have never gone back to their former stinky little habit.

Next, you’ll want to reduce your body’s toxicity load in a way that is safe and proven to work in scientific studies and won’t cause increased physiological cravings. Studies show that turmeric and green tea both work to detoxify the tar, nicotine and other toxins associated with cigarette smoking from the body. Further research has provided evidence that they work synergistically even greater than either herb does alone. Turmeric and green tea are also known to provide relief from excess inflammation, which can happen within our bodies more readily when we’re smokers.

Please note: Most of the turmeric and green tea supplement products on the US market are not very pure, to say the least. Please be sure to choose a product with certified organically grown turmeric and / or green tea, whenever possible, so that you will be provided the greatest results.

There is an amazing clinical study done in India with men that were heavy smokers. This study was done with a product formerly called Smokeshield, but now renamed Supercritical Antioxidants (produced by New Chapter, Inc.), available at most health food stores throughout the US and Europe.

A little background; the men who were chosen to be part of this study smoked for at least ten years, smoked at least one pack of cigarettes a day, agreed to continue smoking throughout the study and had the blood toxicity levels to put them in jeopardy for cancer.

They took one capsule in the morning and one capsule in the evening for 30 days. At the end of the study, their blood was tested again and their toxicity markers were down to a clinical zero! Remember, they kept smoking, so these results were no small feat!

A similar, very potent product that may also be chosen for this same detoxification purpose is made by a wonderful company called Organix South. Pavan Upper Respiratory Support contains the organic herbs: Holy basil, turmeric, neem and long pepper to support detoxification of the lungs, blood and cells, so as to help our bodies crave fewer toxins.

Once again, I have known several people to quit smoking during this 30 day detoxification process as they were preparing their bodies to take the big step to quit! Even though the clinical study lasted 30 days, I have always urged folks to continue to detoxify their bodies throughout the entire quitting process, and continue to do so for approximately one month for every year they have smoked in their lives. Some have reported back to me that they have continued to take the Supercritical Antioxidants, even to this day, because they appreciate the way they feel in their new, pure cleaner bodies! With the chemical exposure we are bombarded with through air, water and the food supply, this may, indeed, be a wise decision.

So, with a clean and purified body to work with, if you haven’t already, it’s time to smoke that last butt, for good! Pick the day, enjoy the last one if you want to, and don’t look back!

Now, many smokers say that the hardest part is the stress. Whether it’s accurate or not, smokers and former smokers report that, when times get really tough, the thing many want to do instinctively is to reach for a cig and take that first long drag. Well, what are you going to do instead?

Take a long deep breath, and instead of focusing on the inhale, let your attention be mainly on the completion of the exhale. Long, slow and relaxed, let it out, so that your next inhale may better nourish your nervous system’s oxygen needs.

If deep breathing helped, but was not enough for your needs, here is a powerful answer for those intense emotional cravings. You may use them to quit, especially in the first four days when it’s the most difficult to deal with the stress and anxiety, but you can also use this technique anytime in the future when life feels difficult, and you feel those cravings and desires coming on, so that you don’t ever light up again!

Again, a little background. Homeopathy is a medical system designed to stimulate the body’s inner healing processes to regain harmony and balance. Homeopathy is based upon the concept that very dilute amounts of plant (or mineral) medicines can alleviate the symptoms of illnesses that very high doses of the plant (or mineral) may actually cause. This is the theory called ‘like cures like’. In Germany, homeopathy is the most prescribed form of holistic medicine, being practiced by more than 80% of all medical doctors there.

We are a culture that firmly believes and practices ‘more is better’. In homeopathy, however, the less we have of the original substance, the more potent the homeopathic remedy becomes. The milder doses are considered so safe that they may even be administered to newborns and small children without concern.

Usually, homeopathic remedies are purchased as tiny simple sugar pellets that are placed under the tongue to dissolve and easily enter the bloodstream. It is best if we don’t touch them with our hands, so they are usually placed onto a folded piece of paper, then dropped into the mouth under the tongue.

So, now that you have a functional understanding of homeopathic remedies, we can discuss dealing with the emotional cravings for a smoke. There are several excellent homeopathic remedies that can immediately eliminate the urge for a cigarette, and they tend to work best on those emotional cravings that are so challenging to get through.

The following is a list of homeopathic remedies, in order from top to bottom according to how many people I have known to use them successfully to permanently eliminate the smoking habit from their lives. At least one or two of them are available at virtually every health food store in the US and Europe. There are others, as well, but these are the ones I have used and / or seen others successfully use.

Natra-Bio’s “Stop It!”
Natra-Bio’s “Smoking Withdrawal”
King Bio’s “Smoke Control”
B & T’s (Boericke & Tafel) “Smoke Free”
Homeo-Care Stop Smoking Formula
Boiron’s “Quit Smoking Care Kit”

Replace the fidgeting with flavored toothpicks (Thursday Plantation and … are excellent and available at most health food stores), a tongue depressor, a gum stimulator or even modeling clay such as Fimo or Sculpey. This will quickly replace the fumbling with a cigarette, especially when stress levels are high, and relieve the desire to return to your former unhealthy habit.

Now, let’s address the reason for weight gain when quitting. It may be somewhat obvious. When giving up cigarettes, we often replace the need for an emotional release and something to do with our hands with eating, especially snacking. This is a bad scene for the waistline! But, not to worry …, the program above has been the chosen method of quitters I’ve known and coached all over the northeast, and weight gain has never been an issue.

So, good luck with becoming a healthier, more vibrant you! Please, once you have successfully gotten over the hump and feel your energy levels returning, send us a donation that you can now afford, possibly the amount that you would have spent on cigarettes in a week, a month or even a year, so that we may continue to provide you, your loved ones and our world community with detailed information about herbs, supplements and healthy lifestyle choices that you will not find anywhere else. Thanks. Be well.

Far too many people are finding themselves suffering with chronic, often debilitating, pain. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has stated that an estimated 20 million Americans suffer with various forms of arthritis. Add to this those who experience fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, lupus, stress, anxiety, depression, nerve damage or the latest mysterious condition their doctor can’t figure out, and it is easy to see that we have an epidemic of chronic pain on our hands. The pain is there as a warning sign, and if we find health promoting ways to correct the imbalances that lead to our discomforts, we may certainly feel a great deal better and prevent more serious health threats in the process.

Inflammation has become quite the buzz word, being found to be associated with virtually all painful conditions. Inflammation has now been linked to everything from Alzheimer’s and type 2 diabetes to cardiovascular disease and many types of cancer. Inflammation is also believed to contribute to headaches, allergies, asthma, PMS, menopause, IBS and bowel diseases. It seems that at least one of these challenging conditions, many considered uncommon just a generation ago, is affecting just about everyone these days, including many children.

If you or a loved one experience chronic pain, you may want to speak to a knowledgeable holistic healthcare provider about herbs, healthy foods, nutritional supplements and regular, gentle exercises to reduce the inflammation and help you reclaim optimal health. There is a wealth of recent research to support what our ancestors knew about using foods and herbs for the prevention of joint and muscle pain and to keep the internal organs functioning properly. In the coming weeks and months, we will discuss dozens of sensible approaches to calming the fires of inflammation and regaining a healthy mind, body and soul with healing foods, herbs and lifestyle choices.

The media has reported frequently on the dangers of anti-inflammatory drugs since the end of September, 2004 when Vioxx was pulled from the market due to concerns about a significantly higher risk of heart attack with the users of this and other similar medications. Many folks have been at a loss as to how to manage their pain without these pharmaceutical drugs.

Here’s the good news! There are many safe and effective products and practices you can do right now to successfully deal with pain, and many of them help the body over time to actually prevent inflammation and pain from recurring. Some of the best herbal choices, according to a wealth of research, do not mask the pain as the medications usually do but instead seem to work right along with the body in a number of non-select ways, to support its ability to respond most favorably to the pain and inflammation, as well as their underlying causes. Some of these well researched herbs include ginger, oregano, turmeric, rosemary, holy basil, green tea, Baikal skullcap (the Chinese scutellaria) and boswellia.

The three most important things to remember when choosing an herb, food or nutritional supplement if you want positive results are:
Quality, Quality, Quality.

Look for organically grown, purely extracted herbal preparations from reliable companies. Did you know that many herbal products in the US are actually extracted with hexane, acetone and dry cleaning fluid? Frightening as this is, the FDA does not even require this information to be printed on the label. So as you can imagine, it gets pretty confusing trying to determine what a superior product might be from the array of choices. Poor quality herbs, foods and supplements are at best unsupportive of vibrant health and well-being, and at worst may contribute to our further toxicity and discomfort. Please read: Quality Is Everything!, posted to this site August 28, 2006.

There are really very few companies on the market whose products I highly recommend. A few of the bigger companies offering superior products that you may want to check out include:

New Chapter,
Flora- Floradix, Bija, Udo’s Choice and Dr. Dunner,
Organix South- Thera Neem and Thera Veda
Gaia Herbs,
Pure Planet
Renew Life,
Eclectic Institute, (most of their product line)
Avena Botanicals,
Nordic Naturals,
Herb Pharm,
Megafood

These companies have an unequivocal commitment to quality and purity that is unsurpassed in our industry. You may find many of the herbs mentioned previously that are used to support and comfort a body in pain within these product lines. My most beloved herbal product for relieving the chronic pain I’ve had for most of my life is called Zyflamend (by New Chapter), and this phenomenal product combines most of those herbs in a safe, easy-to-use softgel (or liquid for vegetarians). The research supporting this product has been done at highly regarded centers such as Columbia University, The Cleveland Clinic and MD Anderson Cancer Center. There will be much more detailed information on these and other helpful herbs and supplements in the coming posts. Stay tuned…

Note: Please discuss the addition of any therapeutic herbal product or program with your healthcare provider, so that s/he is aware of what you using, and may assist you most effectively if you need her/his further guidance.

There are many health promoting solutions to the pain and discomfort associated with the health concerns that are plaguing many of us and in this stressed out, fast-paced, over-achieving world community. For additional information about what you can do right now to help reduce inflammation and regain your vibrant health, please read: Safe Alternatives for Inflammation Relief, posted to this site on September 1, 2006, and begin to feel better today!

This is my submission for the How-To Writing Project at Problogger.

If you suffer from chronic pain you were probably stunned when you heard that Merck’s Vioxx was being pulled immediately from the market for a considerably increased risk of heart attacks. Vioxx, Celebrex and Bextra, were originally believed to be safer than non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID’s), the over-the counter medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen used by millions of people for hundreds of complaints.

These over-the-counter NSAID medications are considered to be safe enough to take every day, but research shows that even one dose can actually cause significant damage to the mucosal lining of the digestive tract, including internal bleeding. A recent study showed that regular use of NSAID’s was associated with small intestinal damage (lesions or ulcers) in a whopping 71% of participants as compared with only 10% in the control group . Aspirin alone is believed to be responsible for approximately 5,000 deaths every year in the US, and over-the counter medications are associated with 30,000 deaths per year. Just doesn’t seem right, does it?

Excess inflammation plays a powerful role in all of our chronic aches and pains, whether joint, muscle or nerve pain. But have you heard that research has now shown that excess inflammation is found to be associated with several degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, heart disease, and many types of cancer? There’s certainly a great need for a better pain reliever and inflammation normalizer.

The search is on for a truly safe and effective alternative to prevent both daily pain and life threatening diseases. Meditation, deep breathing, yoga, tai chi and karate have all been shown to be noteworthy anti-inflammatory practices. Daily practice for as little as ten or twenty minutes can offer significant benefits. If we are in pain and/or choose to do what we can to prevent degenerative disease, we must be able to find twenty minutes in our busy day to obtain such rewards, right?

So, what else can we do to support our optimal health and find relief from debilitating pain and discomfort?

Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), based on thousands of years of herbal and nutritional medical practice throughout the globe, offers dozens of possible solutions using herbs, supplements and nutritional foods. Remember that quality is the single most important factor when choosing an herb, food or other product to support your health. Please read: Quality is Everything, posted to this blog on August 28, 2006.

Detoxification at regular intervals throughout the year was a practice employed by healthy cultures of people in every region of the world until recent times. It is estimated that an average American is exposed to as many as 7,000 chemical compounds in an average day through foods, water, air, cleaning products, work and play. One study revealed that a child on her/his fifth birthday has had the chemical exposure that an eighty year old had just 50 years ago. This would help to explain the significant increase in childhood diseases once considered to primarily affect the elderly. Many toxins are known to exacerbate inflammation within the body, contributing to our pain and discomfort.

Detoxification may be implemented as a daily practice, one day each week, a one or two week period every spring and fall or a few days at the start of each of the four seasons may be set aside for the observance of a cleanse. There are hundreds of detoxification practices, some better than others. One of the most important things to give attention to every day throughout the cleanse is the elimination process. The body’s elimination processes include sweating, coughing, sneezing, runny nose, urinating and defecating. Forgive me for discussing this, but it is of utmost importance. Achieving good bowel movements (two to three daily, and sometimes even more during a cleanse,) is essential. The toxins that are being stirred up inside as you cleanse may do more harm to your body or mind if not properly eliminated. For lots of detailed information about the detoxification process and various detox methods, please read: Detoxification, It’s a Matter of Health, posted to this site very soon.

There are many foods that help the body stay healthy and help prevent an excess of inflammation. There are also many foods that can increase inflammation. Let’s begin with those. I will share with you, however, that there are some variables in this discussion, depending on your family heritage and ethnic group. A good example would be that, for most of us, milk would be a trigger for excess inflammation, unless we are of northern or eastern European descent. (Even then, it could become a trigger, especially if we consume it in great quantities.) Having come from these regions, your ancestors would have always consumed milk products, therefore making those of us with this family heritage least likely to experience this particular inflammatory response.

Before we go on, I need to address one of my greatest pet peeves in the health and nutrition industry, and that is the amount of misinformation provided within generalizations. Except for nuclear waste, I don’t think that there is anything that is truly 100% bad (and I still hold out hope for nuclear waste to hold some redeeming quality or benefit). Most articles say things like: Dairy products are bad for your health; or Dairy products are good for your bones. Generalized is these ways, they’re both wrong!

Food Triggers that may Increase Inflammation

Homogenized and pasteurized milk products, when consumed by somebody over four years old, may not be good for our health, and are considered to be one of the greatest food triggers for an excess inflammation response. Another bit of that misinformation I was mentioning: I bet you didn’t know that the Harvard Nurses’ Health Study showed that drinking two glasses or more of milk daily does not decrease our risk of hip and arm fractures (osteoporosis) whatsoever! For a better understanding of how to achieve better bone health at any age, please read: Strong Healthy Bones at Any Age, posted on Sept. 20, 2006.

Yogurt, preferably organic whole milk, (not the commercial stuff loaded with sugar, fruit, chemicals, etc) on the other hand may benefit the majority of us, and is the dairy food that is least likely to produce an inflammation response. Although Asians as a general group are shown to be 90% lactose intolerant (unable to digest cow’s milk without the use of an additional enzyme product), research shows that this same population is able to digest (and thrive) with the addition of yogurt in the diet .

Raw milk and raw milk products including yogurt, when available, may be a better choice for the majority of us. I will not go into the whole debate about this here, but for more information for those who would like to better understand this philosophy, please visit www.westonaprice.org . Organic raw whole milk yogurt may be best of all, for those of us who choose to consume the most healthful and nutritious dairy products.

Now, back to our look at which foods may exacerbate an excess inflammatory condition. Commercially prepared dairy products, with synthetic hormones and antibiotics, may be more likely to increase inflammation than the organic and raw dairy product choices. Organic yogurt, kefir and other cultured dairy foods are nearly always the exception. And when it comes to cheeses, the rule of thumb is the harder and more aged (and of course raw if available) cheeses are more easily digested and are likely to produce less inflammation within the body. If you love dairy products, and you cannot imagine your life without them, but you need to work on reducing the inflammatory triggers, you may want to experiment with goat or sheep (and other mammal) milk choices. They are becoming more readily available in health food stores and grocers, but visiting the farm and purchasing directly from the farmer, when possible, provides the freshest products, and it makes a great field trip for the kids!

Likely, the biggest culprit in the American diet contributing to an unhealthy inflammation level is the quality of oil that most of us are using. Trans-fatty acids, or trans-fats, have certainly gotten the notoriety that they’ve deserved. But most folks do not realize how very harmful fried foods and the commercial vegetable oil in their cupboard really can be. Hydrogenated vegetable oils have been strongly associated with increased breast cancer, heart disease, diabetes, poor blood lipid profiles (cholesterol and triglycerides) and overall excess inflammation, especially in women. (The ‘overall excess inflammation’ may also apply to men, but there are more studies with women at this point.)

In regions of the world such as the Mediterranean area and Japan, where high quality cold pressed oils are consumed abundantly, these diseases barely exist compared to America. One study showed that “together with regular physical activity and not smoking, [the] analyses suggest that over 80% of coronary heart disease, 70% of stroke, and 90% of type 2 diabetes can be avoided by healthy food choices that are consistent with the traditional Mediterranean diet” .

The nightshade family of vegetables, including tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, bell peppers, paprika and chili peppers has been linked with increased inflammation since the 1940’s. Many people have found a near elimination of arthritic flare-ups when these foods are completely eliminated from the diet. Many derivatives of these popular foods are found in commercially prepared products, so the elimination process can certainly be tricky, but with careful reading of labels and steering clear of restaurants for awhile (since we cannot read the ingredient labels), you may experiment with the removal of the nightshade family from your diet, and see how you feel.

Chemical preservatives and additives can trigger an immune, and therefore, an inflammatory response in the body. Nitrates, nitrites, food colors and artificial flavorings should be avoided to help the body that’s aflame. Processed meats and ‘junk foods’ are loaded with these chemicals. You’ll want to avoid them whenever possible.

Refined sugar is well known to be potentially harmful to those who overindulge, certainly the majority of Americans. One of the many ill effects it can have on the body for many of us is an excess inflammatory response. Yet another great reason to avoid refined sugar whenever we can!

Recently, there has been an increased awareness of gluten intolerance and a condition called called Celiac disease. Gluten, the protein found in wheat and related grains, is believed to be a significant trigger for inflammation. When sprouted or cultured, wheat is less likely a factor in those with gluten intolerance (sprouted grain and sourdough baked goods are available), but those with true Celiac need to make serious lifestyle changes, and avoid wheat products completely for best results. There are dozens of companies devoting themselves to gluten-free products, but the problem more likely arises from the consumption of a very narrow range of foods. Our ancestors were known to eat with the seasons, and consume as many as 500 different vegetables, fruits, grains and other wholesome foods over the course of a year. Today, many people eat from a small range of seven or ten or fifteen foods, limiting nutritional support and thereby damaging the body’s digestion and immune response.

Simply substituting another type of (gluten free) flour for the wheat and white flour may provide relief in the short-term, but it is certainly not the long-term solution. The human body needs a wide variety of nutrient rich foods for optimal health, so we need to change our eating habits and broaden our menu to include many more vegetables (and cultured whole foods) to remain fit and healthy.

Wheat is not inherently bad, just dramatically overused in our culture, leading to the body’s overreaction to it. Eliminating it for a period of time, minimum of two weeks and as much as six months, then reintroducing it slowly to see if symptoms return immediately (meaning within a few days) will help you and your healthcare providers to determine your particular situation and individual needs. Please do a web search on Celiac (formally called Celiac Sprue) and gluten intolerance to learn more.

Another big trigger in the modern diet may be soy. Most of the health benefits associated with soy come from the research of miso and natto, two fermented soy foods eaten daily in the traditional Japanese diet. Miso and natto are usually consumed in small amounts (one teaspoon per day is a good amount), more like a condiment. The traditional Asian diet did not contain the large protein sources that many Americans, especially vegetarians, eat in soy foods. Many Asian cultures believed that if soy was not cultured (fermented) or sprouted (as with edamame), soy was inedible and indigestible. Please note: Tempeh, a traditionally cultured soy food from Indonesia, may be substituted for tofu in nearly any non-sweetened recipe. For best results, slice or cube, then sauté in a small amount of coconut, olive or sesame oil before adding to the desired recipe. For more information on the topic of soy, please read: Myths in Nutrition-part one-The Great Soy Debate, posted to this site shortly.

Corn, another common food allergen, may also increase inflammation when we are susceptible. Another over-consumed food in today’s diet, corn products may be eliminated to see if this is a food that you will need to avoid, at least for awhile.

As you can plainly see, most of the foods consumed in the narrow American diet, often referred to as the standard American diet, or SAD for short, can put a body on fire with excess inflammation. Considering the effect that inflammation is shown to have, it is time to find a wider range of choices for dinner!

Foods to Support a Healthy Level of Inflammation

This next section will be focused of the healthier choices for supporting the body that is on fire with pain and/or excess inflammation, whether we are aware of it yet, or not. Research has shown that many dietary choices can help, and may I once again remind you that quality is truly everything, when we choose foods and products to support our health and vitality. (If you haven’t already, please read: Quality Is Everything!, posted to this blog on August 28, 2006.)

Eat more vegetables! When I teach my classes, I often have people attending who share that they eat only two or three vegetables in their diet. This is not good, if we want to experience good health and vital energy levels. I urge my class participants, as I urge you now, to consume as many vegetables as you can possibly find! Visit farm stands, farmers’ markets and Whole Foods Markets, if you have one in your region. (They have a huge selection of organic veggies, educated team members to offer you complete answers to your questions and a great selection of cookbooks in most of their stores to help you know what to do with your newly found vegetables.)

Experiment with new vegetables every week. Purchase enough to be able to prepare it at least two different ways. You may go online for recipes, ask at the store, visit the library cookbook section or just steam or sauté (in good oil, of course). For best results, as you’re trying them for the first time, be sure to have an open mind.

Root vegetables are very supportive of the body’s ability to cool the inflammatory fires. Carrots, turnips, radishes, parsnips, beets, rutabagas, and my personal favorite, sunchokes (formerly referred to as Jerusalem artichokes) have myriad health benefits, including supporting digestive and immune health. Previously, it was believed that somebody with blood sugar issues, especially diabetes, should stay away from these roots, but more recent research suggests that these vegetables, in spite of their starch content, do not adversely impact blood sugar and may provide additional benefits.

Dark leafy greens are nutritional powerhouses, loaded with minerals, vitamins, fiber, trace minerals and phytonutrients. I do not refer to lettuce (even romaine) here, but the true dark greens, such as kale, collards, spinach, arugula and watercress, (as well as most of the weeds we yank from our vegetable gardens!) These dark leafy greens are not only cooling to those of us whose excess inflammation is a concern, but they are very supportive of bone health, healthy blood, detoxification, beautiful skin and just about everything else. Find any recipe that calls for spinach, and substitute your choice of the other dark leafy greens.

If you’re new to eating dark leafy greens, try sautéing two to three cloves of chopped or sliced garlic in a high-quality oil over low heat. Wash and chop your chosen green vegetable. Toss it into the pan, add about a TBSP of water, cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer. Arugula and watercress take only a minute or two, while kale and collards take about seven to ten minutes. Add a squeeze of lemon juice, a pat of butter, a splash of vinegar (not white) or a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. Simply delicious!

Cruciferous vegetables are loaded with nutrients and are well-known to help prevent many types of cancer, including breast, lung, colorectal and prostate. The cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, kohlrabi, mustard, rutabaga, Swiss chard, turnips, bok choy and Chinese cabbage, arugula, horse radish, radish, wasabi and watercress. There are hundreds of fun ways to prepare and eat these vegetables. It’s high time to get started, if you haven’t already!

Sprouts, especially cruciferous sprouts, are delicious, easy to eat a handful a day (on almost anything and everything you’re serving), inexpensive, easy to grow and abounding in essential nutrients. According to Chinese medicine, sprouts are very cooling. The research on sprouts, and the benefits they provide, is overwhelmingly positive. Try a few broccoli or radish sprouts the next time you visit your local health food store. Chances are good you’re going to love them!

Sea vegetables, or seaweed, considered to be the most nutritious foods on Earth, are mineral dense and contain a wealth of the building blocks necessary for healthy cells. Americans are usually not familiar with eating these nutritious vegetables, but they have been a staple in healthy cultures of people near the seas, likely for all time. For more information about cooking and using sea vegetables, please read: Strong Healthy Bones at Any Age, posted to this site very soon.

A word about children and veggies (and introducing other healthy new foods, too):
I’ve been blessed with two absolutely wonderful daughters who love vegetables! Many people over the years have asked me how this could be, as their child(ren) won’t touch a vegetable if their lives depended on it! (And their optimal health really does depend on it.) The answer is that children eat what is there in the house. If you feel your children eat too much sugar and ‘junk food’ and not enough vegetables, the solution can be easy, really. Clear the house of the sugar and junk, and provide lots of yummy vegetables. Most parents who have tried this method were surprised to find that by the third day (be patient, some beautiful, stubborn souls take a little longer), their children begin to eat the vegetables. It sounds like a miracle, but I have yet to meet or hear about the exception!

Another great technique is the ‘thank you bite’, which we employed for much of the girls’ childhoods. We had a rule that, because the cook took the time to prepare each dish (and the farmers used their resources to grow them, etc) the polite thing is to try one bite, the ‘thank you bite’. I would often add additional comments such as, ‘you never know, you might even like it!’ Please note: This method doesn’t work well if it becomes a power struggle. My younger daughter, Mollie, a powerhouse if ever there was one, was a willful child, to say the least. Rather than make a huge thing of the ‘thank you bite’ routine; at every opportunity, I simply stated the request, and added a little tidbit about the flavor of the food, or a nutritional fact, or the growing method, or something to attempt to pique her interest, and then I’d more on. Eventually, my little powerhouse was not only trying the food or dish, but finding that she really did like many of them (although not always on the first try). Please read: Children Love Healthy Foods! to be posted to this site very soon.

Another tool to try with children is to let them help with the food preparation. Children will often try a little taste as they go, and be more willing to taste what they helped to prepare. They are never too young to help out with something.

Children very often enjoy watching and helping with the process of growing sprouts. Most sprouts take only three to seven days to mature, and it is very exciting to observe the changes that take place each morning and evening as they grow. I have sprouted for years, and the beauty of nature, watching real alchemy in action, never gets old!

And the best way to get the kids to eat their veggies is by setting a good example! If you aren’t eating them, then likely you will find very little power in convincing your little ones to eat vegetables.

Other foods to support a health level of inflammation include organic green tea, spices including ginger, turmeric and oregano, whole grains and cultured whole foods. Notice I specified ‘organic green tea’, and didn’t include the commercial brands, too. This is because the tea crops throughout the world are most often heavily sprayed with chemicals (herbicides, fungicides, pesticides, etc) when they are not organically grown. Remember, chemical exposure may exacerbate excess inflammation.

When you make a habit of preparing and eating the herbs and spices in your daily diet that are shown to cool the flames of excess inflammation, you want to have your attention on the quality of the product you are buying. Ask yourself the following questions before your purchase, to be sure what you’re getting a product that may offer you the benefits that the research has shown:
Is it organic?
Am I buying an amount that I can consume within a month or two?
Does the jar that contains the bulk herb in the store have a tight-fitting lid that was closed well when I arrived?
Does this market sell enough bulk herbs so as to assure freshness?

Then, when you get home, be sure to transfer your bulk herbs and spices from the bag into a jar with a tight fitting lid. It’s a good idea to always mark your jar with the name of the herb or spice and the date purchased. Now it’s time to cook up your favorite dish!

Whole grains should be eaten whenever possible, instead of the white, refined ones of our culture. If you haven’t yet switched from white bread to a whole grain, there’s no better time than the present. Be sure there are not preservatives listed on the ingredient label.

A rule of thumb, when reading labels: If it sounds like a chemical, it is a chemical! It really doesn’t matter that much if the chemical originally came from a zucchini or a yam, if it was isolated with the use of chemical solvents and all the other constituents of the zucchini or yam are gone, then it’s a chemical, plain and simple! Please do not be fooled by companies that call their product natural because their chemicals used to be part of a coconut or an apple! Side effects have been associated with virtually all isolated, manufactured chemical compounds, regardless of their origin.

Now, back to whole grains. ‘Whole’ ideally means intact, so it would be best to eat brown rice, buckwheat (which, by the way, is not in the wheat family and contains no gluten), millet and whole oats than to eat wheat bread or oatmeal made with quick cooking oats. When we pulverize that whole grain into a thousand pieces, it’s not really whole anymore, is it? Whole grain flour is really an oxymoron, but what it is implying is that the germ and the fiber have not been removed, which is certainly better than white flour. In my estimation, we need a different name for it, since a thousand little bits is far from whole! But, alas, I simply can’t change the whole world at once!

The more truly whole grain breads and baked goods are the sprouted grain products, usually found in the freezer section of your local health food store. They definitely require more chewing than one might be used to, but the flavors are complex and delicious! Some of the best brands are: Food for Life, Ezekiel and French Meadow Bakery. And for a sweet treat, try the Manna Bread selection. Careful though, they’re quite gooey!

Another important category of foods that seems to support a healthy inflammation level, and is sorely lacking in the American diet, is cultured (fermented) whole foods. This would include yogurt, miso, sauerkraut, pickles, pickled beets and even red wine and micro-brewed beer! These foods (and beverages) have been consumed daily in small quantities by healthy cultures of people throughout the world for more than 7,000 years. They have been written about in some of the earliest medical texts as supporting digestion and immune health, and found in numerous tombs.

Until recently, it was believed by the masses that culturing foods was simply a method of preservation before we had the refrigerator. But the story is so much greater than that! Fermentation is a true alchemical process where the beneficial microorganisms used in the culturing process actually biotransform the original food and its associated nutrients into something much, much greater than the original food contained! All of the B vitamins are multiplied dozens or even hundreds of times, and there have been millions of micro-nutrients produced through fermentation that did not exist in the original food! This is a fascinating field of study at the current time, and I commend the food science researchers who are committed to working with fermentation . It certainly confirms what many of us have firmly believed for decades; that cultured whole foods are an essential part of any healthy diet.

Fish is the last healthy food group that we will discuss here today for supporting our body’s ability to keep inflammation to healthy levels. Most of the fish sold in grocery stores today is farm raised, with lots of chemicals. These chemicals include synthetic hormones and antibiotics. The fish are raised in over crowded and unsanitary conditions, and the resulting product offers only a small fraction of the nutrient profiles that their free-swimming cousins provide for us. Did you know that most farm-raised salmon is a white fish, which has been dyed red to look like the pinkish-red salmon we were once used to buying? And it contains little, if any, of the beneficial omega-3 fatty acids that its free-swimming cousin contains, well researched for supporting the good inflammation levels we so desperately need to return to. When you buy fish for health purposes, be sure to ask for details. Don’t get fooled!

As you can see from the information above, if we eat what is strongly believed in the early twenty-first century to be a healthy diet, and avoid those foods deemed less healthy, then we are taking a giant step in the right direction toward keeping our inflammation levels in a healthy place. But if you regularly dine on fatty foods and what’s widely referred to as ‘junk food’, excess inflammation may be getting the better of you and your health.

Herbs to Support a Healthy Inflammation Response

Using herbs for good health has likely been going on since there have been human beings. Herbal medicine is still, to this day, the most widely practiced medical system in the world. Until recently, there were few scientific studies to indicate the effectiveness of herbal remedies, likely due to the cost of conducting a proper scientific study, and the unlikelihood of then being able to patent the herbal product. But this is changing. Much more research is being conducted. In great part, this is likely due to the fact that some of the earlier studies that have gotten funded and conducted in Japan and at prestigious facilities such as Harvard University showed very promising results with those people who eat more healthy foods and use more herbal preparations.

Spicy herbs like oregano, turmeric, ginger, holy basil and rosemary, widely used for thousands of years, are recognized in quite a number of studies to help reduce inflammation. Research is also now indicating that these herbs may also be effective in helping to prevent heart disease, various cancers, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. Studies are underway to see if herbal products may also be safe alternatives for the treatment of some of these and other serious health conditions.

Turmeric is considered to be the single most effective herb for use as an antioxidant and for supporting a healthy inflammation response within the body. Pure, organically grown turmeric in a full-spectrum extract can assist the body’s ability to detoxify the liver and blood, thereby helping with healthy blood lipid profiles (cholesterol and triglycerides). Most of the turmeric products sold on the US market are chemically extracted. There have been concerns that these more drug-like products may come with potential side-effects. Look for the purest, preferably organic, and most potent product available in your area. For a listing and comparison of the most reliable companies’ products, please read: Herbal and Nutritional Products: Good, Better and Best, posted to this site very soon.

Omega-3 fatty acids are some of the ‘good fats’, and are found in fish, especially fatty fish, flax and hemp seed. Research describing omega-3 fatty acids as modulators (balancers) of inflammation and a healthy immune response abounds. Many of these studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids can have powerful anti-inflammatory and immuno-modulatory activities in a wide array of diseases (e.g., autoimmunity, arthritis, and infection) . Again, it is of utmost importance to purchase a high quality product, as many fish oil products on the US market are laden with contaminants, including heavy metals, especially lead and mercury, or chemicals such as PCB’s and toxaphene (from insecticides), and dioxins (by-products of the chlorine bleach used to whiten paper.

Enzymes are produced in the body to perform a wide variety of biochemical reactions. There are more than 50,000 different enzymes, both digestive and metabolic, that perform tens of thousands of functions within the body each day. Research as far back as 1956 shows that enzymes, specifically proteolytic enzymes (protein digesting enzymes), help to modulate excess inflammation through a variety of mechanisms, including reduction of the swelling of mucous membranes and of dissolving excess fibrin deposits, the material that is used by the body to plug a bleeding wound site, but can thicken the blood until it doesn’t flow easily. Many Naturopathic physicians suggest the use of proteolytic enzymes taken with meals to support digestion, and in between meals to support healthy inflammation levels.

Considering the list of serious potential side effects (including death) associated with both over-the-counter and prescription medications for inflammation and pain, choosing healthier foods, herbs, supplements and lifestyle choices may be just the ticket to better health and inflammation levels that you can feel better with.

Source references:

Graham DY Visible small-intestinal mucosal injury in chronic NSAID users. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 2005.

Nurses’ Health Study News 2004 volume 11:4-5

Biomed Environ Sci. 2005 Jun;18(3):192-7

Public Health Nutrition 2006 Feb; 9(1A):105-10. The Mediterranean diet: science and practice.

Annu Rev Nutr. 2006;26:45-73 Fatty acids as modulators of the immune response.