Hippocrates (460-377 B.C.) considered Nettles a cure-all and used it for dozens of illnesses, In the second century, Galen, the Greek physician, recommended Nettles as “a diuretic and laxative, for dog bites, gangrenous wounds, swellings, nose bleeding, excessive menstruation, spleen-related illness, pleurisy, pneumonia, asthma, tinea, and mouth sores.”

Well-known for the pain it can inflict if you accidentally walk or fall into it, Nettles can cause the skin to sting and swell, causing a burning sensation that may last for minutes, hours, and sometimes for days. This is caused by constituents found in the tiny hairs that cover the leaves of the plant called formic acid, histamine and acetylcholine; formic acid is the same compound found in a bee sting. If you get ‘stung’ by Nettles, immediately apply the crumpled leaves of burdock, yellow dock, rosemary, mint or sage, or try rubbing with clay-rich mud to reduce the sting.

Some people actually use this burning sensation for the relief of chronic pain, especially with rheumatoid arthritis and bursitis. Flogging, or whipping oneself with the aerial parts of the plant, is referred to as urtificatiion, and has been practiced since ancient times for arthritic joints, coma, typhus, paralysis, lethargy, circulatory problems and muscle spasms.

Nettles are considered to be the most nutritious land plant on Earth. They’re loaded with the vitamins C, A and B complex, and are very rich in the minerals: iron, magnesium, manganese, sulphur, potassium, and silica, making them an excellent choice for beautiful skin, hair, nails, mucous membranes and so much more. Nettles are often used for anemia, and helping to strengthen and restore fractured bones. Nettles tea is regarded as safe for pregnancy and supports good lactation.

Nettles are also high in protein, fiber, chlorophyll and numerous detoxifying phyto-chemicals that help to cleanse the blood, sinuses, skin and lungs of accumulating toxins. Throughout the centuries, Nettles were chosen by doctors and laypeople to help with asthma, bronchitis, chronic sinus infections, jaundice, ulcers and numerous other conditions. Nettles alkalize the body, helping to restore balance and prevent illness.

I have used Nettles for dozens of health concerns over the years for my family and myself. For years, I experienced severe eczema and psoriasis, especially in winter and during the intense heat of summer. When I began to use nettles tea, my skin seemed less susceptible, but when I added Nettles tincture to my health regimen, I found significant improvements in my skin as well as my mood and the symptoms of PMS. My daughters have used Nettles for rashes and eczema, too, and friends have found it remarkable for improving acne problems.

Nettles are reputed for stopping bleeding and have been used with success internally or externally for lacerations, nose bleeds, poor blood-clotting, hemorrhoids and more.

The root extract of the Stinging Nettles have been used to help reduce excess inflammation of the prostate gland, especially when combined with saw palmetto. My favorite product that combines these two potent herbs is New Chapter’s Prostate 5LX, found in the Wellness department of your local co-op or health food store.

Nettles are a delicious addition to many recipes, and may be eaten both cooked and raw. They do not sting once cooked or finely chopped. Harvest Nettles prior to flowering and use immediately, or you may find them at the Farmers’ Market in the growing season. In many parts of the world, people prepare them in any fashion that we’d normally associate with spinach, such as steamed, in lasagna, soup, salads, dips, sauces, and your grandmother’s favorite spinach recipe.

I’ve eaten Nettles in a wide variety of preparations over the years, but my favorite remains making Nettles pesto. I find them a bit too intense on their own, so I usually combine half Nettles and half basil or cilantro, and add a couple extra cloves of garlic and plenty of high quality olive oil. Incredibly nutritious and simply delicious!

You’ll find a wide variety of Nettles products throughout your local co-op or health food store. Nettles tincture from Herb Pharm, lozenges from New Chapter called Histamine Take Care, and capsules from Gaia, Oregon’s Wild Harvest and others are found in the Wellness section, and Nettles in bulk and tea bags are found in the grocery department.

Enjoy your Nettles any way you can, and reap the numerous improvements in your overall health and vitality!

The symptoms usually show up one to two months after becoming infected with the Epstein-Barr virus or another of the viruses linked to mono. Initially, symptoms appear to mimic the flu. Fever, muscle aches, headache and fatigue can lead to a need for 12 to 20 hours of sleep daily. Additional symptoms follow and may include sore throat, enlarged lymph nodes, joint and muscle pain, nausea, chills, rash, abdominal pain, loss of appetite and weight loss.

The good news is that there are several herbs, supplements and lifestyle choices to support a reduction in some of the symptoms, as well as fewer weeks in bed and recuperating. Again, as I always do, I caution you about choosing only very high quality products. I often make specific product suggestions, because most of the herbs and supplements on the market, whether in the grocery store, pharmacy, big box store or health food store, are junk. Nearly worthless. Sometimes worse. Please don’t think you’re going to save money by buying a cheaper brand. For more information about this, please read Quality is Everything!

When you first realize you have mono, or you’re feeling run down and exhausted all the time but haven’t been diagnosed with mono, I can’t stress enough the importance of getting plenty of rest and drinking enough water. Drink the very best water that you have access to. If it is possible for you to get a few cases of special mineral waters, you may want to try one or more of the following; Apollinaris and Gerolsteiner, both from Germany and S. Pellegrino from Italy are three of my favorites.

Please do not drink distilled water or water filtered through a reverse osmosis system. These de-mineralized waters will not support a return to health in the same way that clean, pure hard water does. If you will be drinking city or town water and cannot get an excellent water filter (the pitcher-type filters are expensive and virtually useless), you may fill a pitcher or glass bottle and place it on the counter uncovered for several hours. This will allow the chlorine to evaporate.

Cellfood may be added to your water if you don’t have access to the bottled mineral waters. Cellfood is an amazing product that offers both detoxification and nutritive properties. Containing 78 minerals and trace minerals, 34 enzymes, 17 amino acids, electrolytes and nascent oxygen, Cellfood can help alkalize the body, which supports better health and greater energy levels. Cellfood can support improved digestion, breathing and clarity of the mind. Cellfood increases cellular detoxification and nourishes cells with nutrients that are lacking in the diets of most people today.

The directions on the bottle of Cellfood suggest using eight drops in a glass of water three times daily. When a teen or young adult has mono or is severely run down, it may be better to begin with four drops in water three times daily for a day or two, then six drops in water three times daily for a day or two. This can help prevent any of the discomforts from detoxing more quickly than the body can keep up with.

Probiotics are an essential part of a speedy return to strength and good health. Probiotics, the beneficial bacteria that live in the intestinal tract, provide us with hundreds of actions to keep our bodies operating optimally. They support the digestion in countless ways, including actually converting nutrients into the form that our cells can use easily. It is important to choose a high quality probiotic, and there are very few of those on the market.

For superior results, you’ll want to look for probiotics in capsule or powder form produced by Natren or New Chapter. If you prefer an easy-to-use probiotic drink, look for Bio-K Plus in your local health food store’s refrigerator. Years ago, when I had chronic fatigue, a naturopathic doctor suggested taking six probiotic capsules in the morning and six in the evening, on an empty stomach with a large glass of water. It’s best to wait to eat for a half hour or so afterward. I found extraordinary results within two or three days. I have used this method of restoring my beneficial bacteria when I’m feeling run down several times since, always with good results.

To help with the overgrowth of the pathogenic microorganisms that can wear us out and leave us feeling us exhausted, an herbal throat spray might be just the answer. My absolute favorites include:
Propolis/Echinacea Throat Spray made by Herb Pharm,
Elderberry/ Red Root Throat Spray from Eclectic Institute,
Mycomedicinals Host Defense for Travelers or
New Chapter’s Lifeshield Throat Defense.
They are all amazing, and their ingredients have been safely used for centuries or millennia. When I’m sick, I tend to give my throat a spray or two every fifteen or thirty minutes while I’m awake. And then I get as much rest as I can.

Liver and blood purification is essential for regaining wellness and restoring energy. Turmeric is one of the most remarkable herbs for supporting liver and blood detoxification. Research has also shown turmeric to be a powerful herb for the body suffering with excess inflammation, a concern when we’re run down. Most of the products on the market claiming to be turmeric should not be allowed to be labeled as such. They are adulterated in a similar way as when drug companies produce medications from plant substances. The superior products include New Chapter’s Turmericforce and Gaia’s Tumeric Supreme.

Another superior option for liver and blood detoxification is Nirmal Liver Care, a potent formula of Ayervedic herbs including turmeric produced by Thera Veda. Also look for Blood Support made by Eclectic Institute or Healthy Liver Tonic from Gaia Herbs, very powerful products to support liver and blood health. To help the body to regenerate healthy liver cells, check out Liver Force by New Chapter.

If swollen glands are a big concern, there are three superb herbs for helping the lymphatic system to drain and remove those accumulating toxins. Those three herbs are red root, calendula and cleavers. Over the years, I have had recurring concerns with big swollen glands usually in my neck. I have found that using a tincture (liquid extract) in small amounts is quite helpful. I usually take three drops under my tongue three to five times a day. Be sure to purchase an organic product from a very ethical company such as Gaia or Herb Pharm.

Ashwagandha is a powerful restorative herb that can support the entire body feeling better sooner. Used for thousands of years, it helps the digestion, immune and nervous systems to work efficiently, strengthening the entire body as a result. Ashwagandha is an Ayervedic herb, meaning that it originates from the subcontinent of India. It has been used to restore energy and vitality when a person is exhausted, injured or for post-operation recovery by supporting the body’s tissue repair, balancing hormones and the endocrine system, as well as optimizing all of the organs’ functions.

Ashwagandha is not a stimulant, but rather it has a potent rejuvenative effect on the entire body. It has long been believed to help dispel rigidity in the nerves and muscles and to calm and help restore the entire nervous system. It’s also known to strengthen bone marrow and brain activity. Ashwagandha has been used effectively for stress, weakness, insomnia, nervous exhaustion, poor memory, weak muscles and swollen glands. All of these concerns can affect the body during a bout of mono or chronic exhaustion.

Be sure the bowels are moving, as the elimination of toxins is essential. It is very important for someone with chronic exhaustion to eliminate regularly; at least once daily, and two or three times is best (unless we’re unable to eat solid foods). There is a direct correlation between energy and vitality levels and the ability to evacuate the colon easily and effectively. Constipation (and diarrhea) can impair the absorption of the nutrients, increasing exhaustion and slowing recovery.

There are a lot of herbs sold for colon elimination that may cause pain, discomfort or the potential for embarrassing accidents. Avoid psyllium, senna, cascara sagrada and bentonite clay, as there are concerns associated with each of them. Organic flax seeds or hemp seeds provide a delicious and effective source of fiber. Be sure to buy them in whole, not milled, form and grind it fresh to order. If you’d prefer the convenience of a ready-to scoop product, Renew Life offers Organic Bowel Cleanse, a tasty cinnamon-flavored powder to add to yogurt, smoothies, brown rice, cereal, etc.

If you need some extra help to increase elimination, try aloe vera (the only good aloe products I know of include Aloe Vera 200 by New Chapter and the products from Aloe Life). Renew Life produces Cleanse More, a capsule that supports colon elimination, but is not a potentially harmful and addictive laxative.

Many people with mono or serious chronic exhaustion lose their appetite. This is because your body can recuperate faster when the digestive tract takes a little break. Eat when your body feels ready, and until that time, be sure to drink enough water. If you have a juicer available, buy organic carrots, cabbage, ginger, beets and other healing foods. Enjoy juicing these delicious vegetables as they can support you in regaining your strength, energy and vitality.

Until then, please get some rest. Sweet dreams.

There are lots of things we all can do, beginning right now to silence the mind’s chatter and calm the spirit. Most of them don’t cost us anything but time and devotion. You simply need to do them regularly. Most of us know that prevention is the best medicine. These Seven Steps can be used as prevention by supporting balance for the mind and spirit before worry causes pain or serious illness. And, they may also be practiced right along with a treatment program.

1. Breathe deeply. Take about ten minutes or more every day to quiet the mind by focusing on your breath. You may try five minutes upon awakening and five minutes just before you go to sleep. Or you may prefer the shower or waiting in line to breathe deeply for a few minutes. Wherever you find a few moments in your day, just close your eyes, relax and focus on your breath.

Let your attention follow your breath; slowly in…; slowly out…; now breathe out just a little bit more. Rest a moment. Breathe in. Repeat. Listen to your body. Stay present. Whenever a thought from the past, future or the outside world slips into your consciousness, acknowledge it, agree to ‘deal with it later’ and bring your attention back to your breath. Quietly In… Out… In… Out… Relax. Breathe deeply from deep in the belly.

Whenever you find yourself in a stressful situation and things begin to feel overwhelming, try practicing this or another breathing exercise. Breathe in and out; breathe out just a bit more. Breathe in again. Now you’re better equipped to respond to whatever was compounding your stress level.

2. Feel gratitude. Express your gratitude often; to yourself; your loved ones; your Creator; to those who offer you their assistance throughout your day; to everybody and everything that impacts your life. Feel the emotions that accompany true thankfulness for all that you have right now.

Practice this acknowledgement of gratitude every day. If you’re in a particularly stressful situation, do it often throughout your day and you will notice how quickly things begin to shift.

Twenty-six years ago, when I was six months pregnant with my first daughter, I arrived home to find it surrounded with firefighters, blackened, with a few wisps of smoke still swirling from the door and windows. The surrounding ground with drenched. I had lost everything in there, but even in that moment, it felt like it was somewhat insignificant in the bigger picture of life. I just kept rubbing my tummy and mumbling “It was all just stuff; I have what’s really important to me.” I must have said this, mostly to myself, at least a hundred times over the next few days. I also felt grateful for my friends and loved ones, for strangers who reached out to help, etc. This strong sense of gratitude got me through this very difficult situation.

3. Smile as often as you can. When we smile and laugh, we produce the very chemicals that make our brain and nervous system feel happy and calm. Smiles are infectious, so if we smile more, so will those around us. We’ll all feel better. The more worried, stressed, anxious and depressed we may be feeling today, the more important it is for us to smile frequently.

When you’re feeling particularly worried, force yourself to smile. Really stretch that smile into an exaggerated grin. Hold it a few moments, and repeat. See if this helps you to cope with your current situation.

The following is a brilliant case for smiling throughout your day, excerpted from the Universal Tao Center website article “The Inner Smile”.

‘A deep inner smile spreads like a relaxing elixir making us receptive to transform negative energy into positive. Conversely, a scowl suppresses our immune system by increasing stress, contracting channels and blocking energy. Research by French physiologist Dr Israel Waynbaum indicates that facial muscles used to express emotion trigger specific brain neurotransmitters. Smiling signals happy healing hormones such as ecstatic endorphins and immune boosting killer T-cells whereas frowning triggers the secretion of stress hormones. Smile therapy actually lowers the stress hormones cortisol, adrenalin and noradrenaline and produces hormones which stabilize blood pressure, relax muscles, improve respiration, reduce pain, accelerate healing and stabilize mood. If you’re feeling down, the stress hormones secreted with a scowl may increase blood pressure, weaken the immune system, increase susceptibility to infections, and exacerbate depression and anxiety.

But what if we don’t feel like smiling? Can we fake it till we make it? Though a heart-felt smile has a deeper effect, even a surface smile tricks the brain into releasing happy hormones according to facial biofeedback research. And the more we smile, the more we want to smile, concluded a study where people allowed to smile found cartoons funnier than those suppressed from smiling by holding pencils in their lips. This is because each time we smile we reinforce happy neural pathways that fire more spontaneously with each subsequent use. Self-love smiling circuits then release healing nectar and self-hate messages release poisons that breed disease according to Taoism.’

4. Laugh frequently. It’s pretty hard to feel miserable when you laugh. If you’re stressed and worried, try going out to a club to enjoy a comedy show or a really funny play. Read the funnies, watch comedies and tell (good) jokes. Laughter, like smiling, increases endorphins, which increases a sense of well-being and seems to offer a natural pain killing ability. Laughter is shown to strengthen immune health, the cardiovascular system, helps us think more clearly and improve memory, and release physical and emotional pain. Pretty funny, aye?

5. Think good thoughts. Good thoughts help us to allow for goodness to flow about wherever we are. When a negative thought enters your mind, first stop it; then switch it around to a positive take on the given topic. When we’re stressed, anxious, withdrawn and in pain, the negative thoughts can flow like water from the tap. But just beginning the process of positive thinking allows for a break in pain and illness and gives us a sense of calm and more balance.

This can be a challenging process when we have been severely worried and anxious for awhile. Years ago, when my older daughter was a teenager, I found myself sleeping poorly and worrying about her well-being all the time; literally all the time. My mind raced from one fear to another; on and on. As part of my spiritual practice, I took on the assignment of transforming those worried, negative thoughts into calm, positive thoughts. I read that this may take a week or more to complete. It sure did! I found this process very empowering, and I worked to create positive thinking with each and every negative thought. It seemed to support my health on many levels, but it took me about eight months to finally feel that I was thinking positively nearly all the time.

If you are feeling stressed and get anxious more easily these days, you probably have a long string of fearful thoughts, like the endless loop tape, that begins upon awakening and may or may not shut off when you go to sleep. If this describes you, I urge you to try the exercise.Cchange your thoughts and begin to think more positively, one thought at a time. Every time you have a negative or fearful thought, rearrange it to become positive and kind of heart. Remember to breathe as you switch out those dark thoughts. You will likely find it difficult at first, as I did. But stay with it. The benefits are rewarding.

6. Move your body. Exercise daily; ideally for 30 minutes or more. The Mayo Clinic states: ‘Some evidence suggests that exercise positively affects the levels of certain mood-enhancing neurotransmitters in the brain. Exercise may also boost feel-good endorphins, release tension in muscles, help you sleep better and reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol. It also increases body temperature, which may have calming effects. All of these changes in your mind and body can improve such symptoms as sadness, anxiety, irritability, stress, fatigue, anger, self-doubt and hopelessness.’

Start where you are. If you’re not up for a 30 minute workout yet, start with six or ten minutes and every day, add a minute or two to the length of your workout until you reach 30 minutes daily.

Don’t overdo it, though. Excessive exercise can put too much stress on the heart, arteries, and glands, using up energy and putting our nervous system at an increased risk of breaking down.

7. Give back, or as I prefer to say it, pay it forward, often. Serve your community, your family and don’t forget to nurture yourself. If you have children, volunteering in your community is a wonderful way to spend time with them, and you’ll be building a strong foundation of character that they’ll take with them into adulthood.

Help an elder in your neighborhood, read to young children in a local daycare or neighborhood youth program or take on the big business polluters in your region. Whatever feels right to you, go on out there and help someone in need. Even small gestures done as often as we can make the time for make a huge difference in our own lives and in the world.

Be sure to care for yourself, too. Don’t be a martyr. We can care for our loved ones most effectively when we have also nurtured and pampered ourselves. I hear parents and caregivers often say that they don’t have the time to nurture themselves, or they just can’t afford to. I understand this well. But we really can’t afford not to, financially and with our time. Take a walk, a soothing bath, a much needed vacation or just buy yourself flowers every week.

If you are a caregiver who rarely takes care of yourself, please visit this wonderful blogsite: Intensive Care for the Nurturer’s Soul. You’ll be glad you did!

If you would appreciate some powerful and inspirational reading to continue to help relieve you of worry and fear, please check out any of the books written by Thich Nhat Hanh, such as Peace Is Every Step, or by H.H. The Dalai Lama, such as An Open Heart.

Have a good day!

Women are often treated with a variety of medications just for passing through normal biological phases of life. We need to re-evaluate whether or not we should risk the side effects of such treatments when there are so many effective ways to feel invigorated and free of discomfort by eating the right foods and using safe, gentle and effective herbal and nutritional remedies.

Girls, as they become young women, are often recommended to take aspirin, Tylenol or Midol to relieve cramping and discomfort. Girls and women of any age may be prescribed mild doses of prescription depression medications for the moodiness or blues that can accompany PMS or menopause. Women who are pregnant or nursing are too often treated by people in the medical professions as if they suffer from an illness or disease, instead of being honored and revered for being in a natural state of womanhood as they bring forth life.

And menopause has become a catchall condition, complete with dozens of prescription medications for any of the possible symptoms that women in fast-paced western societies may experience. Did you know that there is no word for menopause or hot flashes in the East Asian languages? This is likely do to the fact that Asian women who use the traditional foods and practices of their region do not experience anything negative when passing through ‘the change of life’. When women from East Asian countries become ‘westernized’ with junk food and excess stress, they, too, experience the menopause symptoms that we are all to familiar with.

A Woman\’s Book of Herbs: The Healing Power of Natural Remedies by Deb Soule

Remember the adage, ‘we are what we eat’? More accurately, we could say ‘We are what we take into our bodies, and are healthiest when we eat and are able to digest and utilize fresh, wholesome foods’. When we choose what enters our bodies wisely, we can retain or regain our good physical health and balanced emotional well-being. Women of all ages should do their very best to eat a wide variety of nutritious whole foods so as to supply the body and mind with the nutrients needed for optimal energy and vitality.

Take good care of yourself, every day. This is another important ‘food’ sorely lacking for the majority of women today; the practice of caring for ourselves. Isn’t it time to change this one? It only takes an attitude shift, so what do you have to lose? Beginning today, do your best to nurture yourself every day. Most women do so much for everyone else, but too often we neglect ourselves. Find ways to relax every day, no matter how busy you are. In fact, the busier your life is, the more important daily relaxation and self-nurturing will be for you. Take a bath or buy yourself some flowers, work in the garden, walk, run or swim, whatever nurtures your soul. Make the time every day to do something special for yourself; something that won’t show up on your hips! You’ll be able to better care for others when you’ve cared well for yourself.

Drink plenty of water every day! Attempt to drink half your weight in ounces of fresh, delicious filtered or spring water every day. In other words, a 150 pound person should drink seventy-five ounces or about nine glasses of water daily.

Herbal Healing for Women by Rosemary Gladstar

De-stress often. Whether this means having a hot bath or sauna, getting a massage, acupuncture or bodywork regularly, walking the dog or taking a yoga or meditation class, it is important to breathe deeply, relax and let your mind unwind as often as you can. At least once or twice daily, stop what you’re doing to take some long, deep breaths, and be sure to exhale completely. We can only inhale deeply with the next breath if we’ve completely let go of the one before.

Avoid processed and deep-fried foods. These foods can cause long-term damage to our fragile bodies. Eaten only once in a while, they may do little or no harm, but for many of us, regular consumption of processed and deep-fried foods can affect our digestion and energy levels for days or weeks. Be aware of the effects that these foods can have on the cardiovascular system. This is now well documented, and can mean the difference between sticky, clumping blood and vibrant health!

Enjoy yourself while preparing wonderful fresh foods for yourself and your family. Be creative in the kitchen. Cooking can be a time to relax, breathe deeply and nurture yourself. Serve several fresh vegetables, local whenever available, with each meal. Share food preparation time with children. They can help beginning at two or three years old, and can instill good eating habits for a lifetime of good health.

For optimal health at any age, please eat plenty of the following foods:

Dark leafy green vegetables (kale, collards, watercress, arugula, chards, mustards, etc), sea vegetables (nori, wakame, dulse, kelp, kombu, etc), organic powdered algae (spirulina, chlorella, red algae). They’re loaded with vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, essential fatty acids and fiber.
Cultured foods such as miso, kefir, nutritional yeast and whole milk organic yogurt can help strengthen our digestion, immune system and liver to help balance our hormones. Goat yogurt & cheeses are delicious & easy to digest, even for most people who are sensitive to dairy products. Miso is particularly nourishing & protective for girls and women of all ages. One teaspoon of miso daily can significantly support the prevention of symptoms of menopause or PMS. Cultured soy foods are nutrient rich & supply bioavailable isoflavones and millions of other micro-nutrients. For further information about the health benefits of properly cultured soy foods, please see Myths in Nutrition- Part One- The Great Soy Debate, posted to this site on November 11, 2006.

Breast Cancer? Breast Health! The Wise Woman Way by Susun S. Weed

Sprouts are a nutrient dense, delicious live food. Did you know that just one tiny little broccoli sprout has all the phytonutrients that the entire large broccoli plant will contain when mature? So, the next time you’re feeling moody, you get exposed to something you feel is toxic in your system or it’s about ‘that time of month’, try munching on a handful of broccoli sprouts for a few days. You may be amazed by the results!
Sprouted grain breads, often found in the freezer section, are low in carbs & high in nutrition! A crushed grain (made into flour) is high in carbs, but when you sprout that same grain, it becomes higher in protein, minerals, vitamins and other important nutrients for vital health.
Nuts, seeds & nut butters (preferably organic) supply many essential nutrients; protein, omega fats, minerals, etc in a delicious and nutritious food. (Please note: This category does not technically include peanuts or peanut butter. While some may enjoy peanuts and peanut products, for many they may contribute to health concerns or be difficult to digest.)
Extra virgin olive oil (eaten raw, never cooked) and other raw, natural oils, are loaded with essential fatty acids, necessary for ever cell in the body. The Flora company provides some of the highest quality oils available anywhere.

Flax seed supports good elimination of toxins from the colon while offering protein and good fats. Flax seed is best purchased in the organic whole seed form, and then fresh ground & eaten within 15 minutes. It doesn’t store well due to the volatile oils contained within.
Root vegetables are alkalizing, helping to reduce fatigue. Roots in the diet help to nourish our beneficial bacteria in the gut, supporting digestion, assimilation of nutrients and immune health.
Green powdered drink mixes, preferably organic (as greens that are not organically grown will carry higher concentrations of petrochemicals) are super foods, and excellent for people of all ages who may desire more energy and a fast way to enjoy their green foods every day. Try mixing the powder with almond, hazelnut or rice milk.
Stay away from refined sugar, flour and junk food, as much as possible. (Special occasions are ok, but do your best to make it an occasional treat and not an every day feast.) We do not need to give up all of our favorite treats. We should just be sure to enjoy them in moderation as we eat plenty of fresh (and cultured) vegetables and nutritious, whole foods.
Prepare lunches and snacks at home whenever possible, and bring them with you to work or play. This is an effective way to consume high quality, nutritious foods while away from the home.

One of the most powerful medicines we have is food!

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.

Greater numbers of people are having problems with weak, fragile, aching bones in the last two decades according to statistics. It is well-known that porous bones can lead to falls and sometimes serious injuries. Increases in the number of diagnoses of osteoporosis over the last decade or two are indicators that our bone health as a nation is on the decline. With baby-boomers beginning to enter the golden years, the numbers of people experiencing bone health concerns are unlikely to go down any time soon, unless we change our habits.

There are, according to a study that appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1995, more significant factors as to whether you will experience a bone fracture than bone density. Some of these included lack of muscle strength, the use of sleeping pills or tranquilizers, poor coordination, poor vision and depth perception, a history of hyperthyroidism, being tall, low blood pressure, and the overall health of the woman (person). The use of medications for anxiety is on the rise in the last several years, and these prescription drugs were shown to increase the risk of a hip fracture by 70%.

Medications for bone loss and osteoporosis, such as Fosamax™, work by altering the body’s natural process of removing older cellular material before replacing it with new, healthier cells. This would equate to hiring a mason to come to your home to replace the old mortar on your crumbling chimney. Instead of chipping away the loose, decaying mortar, he’s in a hurry to get to the next job, so he quickly presses cement into the cracks, right over the deteriorating material that has been decomposing for years. As you can imagine, the chimney may look good when he’s finished, but it may not be sturdy enough to withstand a big gust of wind from the next storm that blows through. You wouldn’t want this for your house, and likely wouldn’t want it happening within your bones, either.

Fosamax has recently been linked with a significantly increased decay of the jaw bone, and there is concern with medical research professionals about the other medications on the market for osteoporosis, as well. Other side effects have included digestive complaints, musculoskeletal discomfort and increased headaches. This may be a lot to take a chance on when making a few healthier lifestyle changes can offer so you strong healthy bones along with many side benefits and without the side effects.

Flexible bones are important if you do take a fall. It is not enough to have the outer shell of the bone be strong as is indicated by bone density testing; you also need good spongy bone material (the stuff on the inside of many of our bones) for the flexibility that helps prevent fractures. This would be like the willow tree that sways and bends in the wind, while the oak tree looses a limb.

There are hundreds of supplements on the market that claim to help increase bone density, but the problem is that most of these products are based on the concept of consuming rocks (calcium and other minerals) and chemicals (stearates, isoflavones, etc) which I do not consider natural, particularly safe long-term, nor effective in the bigger picture of overall health. You may read more about these controversial statements in this article shortly.

Let us first discuss some of the culprits that may be interrupting your ability to maintain good bone health, and your body’s capacity to assimilate (utilize on a cellular level) the calcium, magnesium, silica and all the other vitamins, minerals and important nutrients essential for strong healthy bones.

Sedentary lifestyle/ Lack of exercise- This is likely to be the leading factor in the weakened bone health of our last few generations. We’ve become couch potatoes, and even those of us who exercise regularly may not be doing so in a way to best support our bone health. Too many of us have the ‘all or nothing’ attitude with regard to exercise. This is very confusing for the body, in general, and the bones do not seem to respond well to the occasional heavy workouts.

I often refer to how our ancestors lived, ate and moved as the Gold Standard that we should strive for. (I don’t necessarily refer to a generation or two back, as the last 100 years or so, we have been provided with a lot of misinformation that has sent our health in the wrong direction.) Our ancestors, regardless of the region of the world they came from, were active for much of the day, doing all those tasks necessary for their daily and annual needs to be fulfilled, and then they slept very deeply at night, for more than the six to eight hours that our busy lifestyles seem to provide us. Living was not considered, by our standards, easy, but the lifestyle provided by being active for much of the day, allowed for a much more fit and trim body than our overweight twenty-first century counterpart.

Many doctors and health enthusiasts suggest 20 minutes a day or two to three 50 minute workouts per week as the minimum to keep fit, but when we compare this to the activity levels that were the norm just a few generations back, this seems to be just barely enough. What we want to do to optimize our bone health is to increase our activity levels in as many ways as we possibly can each and every day, without compounding stress levels.

We have heard many of the suggestions before. Park your car further away from your workplace or the grocery store. Better yet, when possible, walk, run or ride your bike to work or to do errands. If you commute a long distance, consider starting a walking group at lunchtime, or leave a bicycle at work for a daily lunch hour ride. Two great forms of exercise that can travel easily with you are a jump rope and a hula hoop. Ten minutes with either one is a great workout! Wearing wrist or ankle weights can increase the benefits of any of these activities, when you’re ready for it.

If you haven’t been active for awhile, due to injury, chronic pain or exhaustion, begin to get active very slowly. I have suggested to a couple clients to start with a walk around the bed four times a day, and then after a day or two add walking down the hall, and eventually around the yard. Within two weeks, one lady was comfortable with walking to the end of the block and back. Her pain became more tolerable with the slight daily increases in movement.

Join a dance class, commit to exercising during the commercials of your favorite shows. Offer to help your neighbor move wood, dig the garden or rake the yard (the old fashioned way, without the blower). However you have to fit it into your life, get moving again, often!

Stress/ Distress- Excess stress is likely to be the second leading factor in deteriorating bone health. Movement helps us de-stress, so if you get more active, you’ll be ‘freeing two birds with one flick of the wrist’. (I’ve never been keen on ‘killing birds with stones’.) Not dealing with our stress often puts us into the fight or flight response, (also referred to as the acute stress response). Various chemicals, including cortisol and adrenaline, are pumped into the bloodstream to assist us in fighting or fleeing from the perceived danger. If the perceived danger is traffic, a nagging spouse, a whining child or a demanding boss, etc, then these chemicals begin to accumulate in the body, and can wreak havoc on our digestion, bone and general health.

There are many truly healthy choices for helping us balance our stress levels. Meditation, yoga, the practice of martial arts and even walking the dog in peaceful surroundings can help quiet the mind, reduce inflammation and reduce high stress levels.

Have you heard of Holy Basil yet? Holy basil has been shown in numerous research studies to help with healthy stress levels and to modulate cortisol, thereby helping to calm nervous tension and constant worry. Holy basil supports a healthy inflammation response and more balanced blood sugar levels, with no known side effects. Holy basil can help with increased focus and attention, which is attested to in its name. In India, where Holy basil originates, people have used the herb to help quiet the mind to support their meditation and prayer practices. Ancient writings mention the use of Holy basil as far back as 8,000 years ago. Research has also shown Holy basil to calm irritability and those of us over-stimulated by noise. It may also be helpful for people bothered by tactile sensitivities or bright lights.

Be aware, when you purchase a Holy basil product, that there are many products on the US market that are cousins to the true species, Ocimum sanctum. There are also many Holy basil products that are extracted with potentially toxic chemical solvents, such as acetone (fingernail polish remover) or PERC (dry cleaning fluid). Look for a reliable, preferably certified organic, producer. Don’t buy grocery store brands or very low priced products if you’re interested in results. Please read: Quality Is Everything!, posted to this site on August 28, 2006, and: Herbal and Nutritional Products, the Good, Better and Best, posted to this site very soon. You can learn much more about the various extraction methods used in the herbal industry in: Processing Methods Employed by America’s Best Herb Companies, to be posted to this site shortly.

Another favorite herb for excess stress is Eleuthero, (formerly called Siberian ginseng, but changed recently, as it is not a true relative on the Panax Ginseng family. Latin name: Eleutherococcus senticosus). Eleuthero may be used to calm the frazzled person down and lift the spirits of those who feel they are losing hope. Considered a powerful adaptogen, Eleuthero has also been used for thousands of years without known side effects.

I love the Wikipedia definition of ‘adaptogen’ and share it with you here:
The word adaptogen, coined by Russian Scientist, Dr. Nicolai Lazarev, refers to a natural herb product that increases the body’s resistance to stresses such as trauma, anxiety and bodily fatigue. The guidelines Lazarev created for an herb to be considered an adaptogen are:
1. It must cause only minimal disorders in the body’s physiological functions;
2. It must increase the body’s resistance to adverse influences not by a specific action but by a wide range of physical, chemical, and biochemical factors;
3. It must have an overall normalizing effect, improving all kinds of conditions and aggravating none.
Adaptogens are unique from other substances in their ability to balance endocrine hormones and the immune system, and they help the body to maintain optimal homeostasis.

If you’re feeling negatively affected by excess stress, you can see how these adaptogenic herbs may be of great value to your general health.

Eleuthero is revered for its ability to re-establish vigor, enhance longevity, improve overall health, and stimulate both a healthy appetite and a good memory. It is widely used in Russia, and now throughout the world, to help the body adapt to stressful conditions and to increase productivity.

Another powerful restorative herb that I will mention to support healthy stress levels, so as to support good bone health, is Rhodiola, (Rhodiola rosea). Another adaptogenic herb from Russia, Rhodiola has been the subject of much rigorous research, and found to lift the spirits, support healthy cortisol levels, increased memory retention and motor coordination. Again, I cannot say it often enough, attention to the quality of the product chosen is essential for optimal benefits.

Excess (or significantly reduced) cortisol levels- Changes in serum cortisol levels have been associated with a number of poor health conditions. These include clinical depression, excess fear, anxiety, suppressed activity of the immune system, increased blood pressure, muscle wastage and reduced formation of bone. Get enough rest and reduce that excess stress! If this is a concern for you, please read about the three herbs mentioned above to support healthy cortisol levels.

Lack of gut flora- Probiotics, the beneficial bacteria that symbiotically live in a healthy mammalian gut, are critical for good bone health, as research indicates that we must host these good bacteria in order to convert our food’s nutrients into a suitable form for our cells to adequately take in and utilize. Without an abundance of these valuable gut bacteria, we can eat all the best nutritious foods and herbs, but we may get very little benefit from them. There are hundreds of things that most of us are exposed to virtually every day that can harm our precious probiotics, so eating plenty of organic whole foods, especially vegetables high in fiber, and cultured foods with live microorganisms each day can help to keep our ‘good guys’ in balance, and a good probiotic supplement should be used periodically or daily to replenish the colonies of these important microorganisms. Be sure to choose a product that is still naturally present with its growth media, the supernatant, intact and no sugar or chemical additives. To my knowledge, there are only four companies out of the hundreds now manufacturing probiotics that adhere to this important beneficial production technique. For detailed information on these superb products, please read both: Processing Methods Employed by America’s Best Herb Companies and Health, It All Begins in the Gut, posted to this site very soon.

Antibiotics- Overuse of antibiotics and antibacterial products is not only leading to the creation of ‘Super-bugs’ a topic becoming more widely understood through increased media coverage, but their overuse is also having a significant detrimental effect on digestive, immune and overall health. When we use antibiotics for anything less that an acute life-threatening bacterial infection, we may be doing more harm than good to both our body and the environment. Antibiotic use is one of the leading causes of reduced gut bacterial colonies, and when the beneficial bacteria are reduced, or wiped out, potentially pathogenic microorganisms have free reign, not only in the gut region, but if allowed, throughout the body. We not only have trouble getting our necessary nutrients into our cells to produce healthy bones, but these potential pathogens, when set loose, find weakened regions of the body where they may do significant short- or long-term damage to the bones, joints, muscles, brain, organs or anywhere that they can find that is an appropriate pH for their needs and vulnerable enough for them to set up housekeeping.

Anti-bacterial soaps and cleaners- These anti-bacterial products are inundating the market, being sold as an improvement to health through cleanliness. Research on the use of these products, however tells another story entirely. Health is not improved and may indeed be reduced. One way that health may be reduced through the use of these anti-bacterial products is that, like antibiotics, they do not discern between the good and the bad bacteria. We have beneficial bacteria living in harmony with us all over our skin. One of the many things that these little helpers do for us is to help to convert sunlight into vitamin D, a nutrient getting a lot of press these days in association with good bone health. Without sufficient numbers of our skin’s beneficial bacteria, we will likely get too little vitamin D to satisfy all of our cells’ needs. If you must use an anti-bacterial cleaner due to the line of work you’re in or materials that you handle, it is essential to help invite those little good guys back onto your skin after each use with a good-quality natural hand and body lotion containing oils such as avocado, hemp, shae butter, etc. The skin’s beneficial bacteria love these oils, and cannot live in a sterile environment. (Your hands will also benefit by being softer, smoother and less dry and rough.)

Aspirin- Aspirin and other Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) can cause considerable damage to the lining of the stomach or intestinal tract, even the very first time we take one. There is great misunderstanding about this, as most people I’ve spoken with about this throughout the years have thought that aspirin and other NSAIDs could only be harmful with overuse. Even one aspirin is shown to cause perforations or ulcerations in the gut, setting us up for pain, discomfort, or worse. They may indeed be hurtful to bone health in a variety of ways. First, they can alter the pH of the digestion, reducing the ability for us to absorb and utilize our minerals and vitamins necessary for our bones. Secondly, studies have recently indicated that NSAIDs interrupt the ability of damaged bone to heal.

Corticosteroids- These and other medications are believed to decrease the body’s ability to absorb calcium from food, increase calcium loss from the kidneys, and shrink a child’s bone reserves. This is likely due to the fact that these medications reduce the colonies of probiotics in the gut, therefore reducing the capability of the body to deliver nutrients in the proper form for the cells to use.

Fluoride, mercury and other toxic heavy metals- Heavy metals accumulate in the body’s tissues, often contributing to pain, inflammation and possible long-term damage. Fluoride reacts to bone like metal to a magnet. Fluoride has been associated with bone tumors in animal studies.

Excess (or rarely, insufficient) phosphorus- Phosphorus, an essential nutrient for bone health, must be consumed in balance with calcium, magnesium, manganese, vitamins D and K, as well as all the other nutrients essential for good bone health. Too much or too little may create an imbalance that can lead to porous bones. People who consume the standard American diet (SAD, for short) may take in excessive quantities of phosphorus from cola and certain other sodas, milk, ice cream and other dairy products, as well as many food additives. Recent studies involving young women with high phosphorus, low calcium diets showed an over-secretion of parathyroid hormone, and leading to increased calcium losses from bone. These young women may be more prone to osteoporosis as they mature.

Excess refined sugar- We’ve all heard about the dangers of refined sugar. If you experience a constant sweet tooth, this very well could be an indicator that your gut flora have become diminished, and that some of the many species of candida have overpopulated your G.I. tract. They love and crave sugar. We just become the obedient hosts, providing them with course after course of their favorite sugary foods. To assist the process of reducing your high sugar intake, you could try using a considerable amount of the very best probiotics than you are able to access in your area. For a better understanding of which products may be most effective, please read: Quality Is Everything!, posted to this site on August 28, 2006, and: Herbal and Nutritional Products, the Good, Better and Best, posted to this site very soon. You can learn much more about the various extraction methods used in the nutritional supplements industry in: Processing Methods Employed by America’s Best Herb Companies, to be posted to this site shortly.

Excess protein- Too much protein has been linked with an inability to properly digest and assimilate many minerals and other nutrients. Fad diets that encourage excesses of anything should be avoided, as nearly anything in excessive quantities may have a detrimental effect on the body or mind.

Soy, uncultured- There are so many mixed messages in the health field and the media regarding soy these days. Research showing the myriad benefits of consuming soy has nearly all been with the use of fully cultured soy products such as miso and natto. Research on tofu, soy milk and other uncultured soy shows far less promise, and in some studies these uncultured soy products may even impede strong healthy bones and good health in general. For more information on this and other controversial debates in the natural foods and supplements industry, please read: Myths in Nutrition, posted to this sight very soon.

Excess salt- Again, excesses may interrupt the ability to utilize our nutrients, and salt may be another of the culprits. Excess sodium can throw off the delicate blood-mineral balance and the hamper with the body’s system of digestion, absorption and assimilation of the minerals and other nutrients essential for healthy bones.

Processed &overcooked foods- Eating a SAD (standard American diet) loaded with processed, microwaved and overcooked food-like products is wreaking havoc on the health of Americans and those in other regions of the world where these products are consumed. Nutrients may be less available to build and nourish our cells from these unhealthy foodstuffs. Fresh, organic whole foods truly taste better, and because the body feels nourished, we may need to eat far less to feel satisfied with the healthier choices.

Antacids- Most people using antacids are doing so for problems with digestion and specifically, the assumption that they have excess stomach acid. For most of these people, this is likely untrue. The symptoms of excess acid are virtually identical to those of insufficient stomach acid, and most of the people that use OTC and even prescription antacids or acid blockers have not had the proper testing to be sure that excess acid production is really what they’re experiencing. Antacids can reduce the ability for the body to digest protein and absorb and utilize our nutrients. They may contain very minute amounts of calcium carbonate (the least utilized form of calcium), but should be consumed only after the testing to confirm that you are one of the very few of us that has an excess production of hydrochloric acid. (I have viewed a few websites from doctors and nutritionists that actually recommend using antacids for a little extra daily calcium. This is simply terrible advice. One would have to wonder about a healthcare provider who would make such a recommendation.)

Excess alcohol- A small amount of alcohol daily has been shown to be beneficial for the majority of us, but excess alcohol consumption may damage our gut, cardiovascular and liver health, putting us at risk for a wide array of serious health conditions, including reduced bone health. Limit alcohol to no more than one to two glasses per day, and make high quality choices in the liquor that you consume.

Excess caffeine, tobacco, recreational, prescription and OTC drugs- I have grouped these altogether, as we all know the risks associated with tobacco, excess caffeine (more so the isolated caffeine present in sodas than the naturally occurring caffeine in organic green tea or a cup of organic coffee) and many recreational drugs. Prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications are associated with many side effects, from minor discomforts to serious issues, including death. Although the pharmaceutical industry has disproportionate unchecked power as we enter the twenty-first century, (Did you know that the pharmaceutical industry has more than twice as many lobbyists in Washington as the entire energy industry?), it is still quite prudent for our health and the health of our loved ones to practice prevention and nutritional remedies whenever possible, and use the medications with significant potential side effects only when absolutely necessary. Any of them may alter our ability to enjoy a lifetime of good bone health.

Overeating- Eating too much on a regular basis (or binging) for the level of activity you practice is, of course going to lead to weight gain. Carrying excess weight can be difficult for the bones and joints. But there is another way that overeating can be detrimental to bone health, as well. Binging and overeating can disrupt the endocrine system, further challenging the body’s ability to get nutrients to the cells, causing the body to go into a system of recycling nutrients until there is nothing left to recycle. At that point, things begin to break down, weaker areas first. Overeating and binging can also be a side effect of emotional imbalance that is not being addressed. Please, if you find that you are overeating due to excess stress, please seek support in as many ways as you are able, before your health is seriously compromised.

Here’s where it gets really interesting and quite a bit different from what most of us have been told and therefore believe to be so.

Dairy products- Reduce (yes, I really did say reduce) your milk consumption, and increase your daily servings of organic whole milk unsweetened yogurt for greater availability of calcium and other bone health nutrients.

The Harvard Nurses’ Health Study has observed the dietary and living habits of from 78,000 to 122,000 nurses over the past 30 years, and has found that higher calcium intakes, amounts greater than 450 mg. (by drinking two or more glasses of milk or the use of calcium supplements), does not reduce osteoporosis.

In fact, in developed countries where two to three times as many dairy products and calcium supplements are consumed, people suffer from two to three times as many fractured bones as people in those countries where calcium is consumed in the lowest amounts (from more simple whole foods of those peoples’ traditional diets).

Excess calcium consumption, in the form of dairy products and calcium supplements, may have other serious side effects according to research we rarely hear about as well, such as contributing to hardening of the arteries, arthritis, kidney stones and some cancers.

Up to 70% of Americans and as much as 85% of the world’s population is sensitive to drinking milk and eating most dairy products. The majority, both adult and children, are lactose intolerant, meaning that they cannot digest the naturally occurring sugars in the milk, because they do not produce enough of the enzyme, lactase. Production of this enzyme is naturally reduced in mammals after the infant suckling period. In humans it is estimated that production of lactase is significantly slowed by the age of four. Fewer of the people who are sensitive to dairy are unable to digest the protein in the milk called casein. This occurs more with children and sometimes even in infancy. Most people with dairy sensitivities are able to digest organic whole milk unsweetened yogurt. Because yogurt, through the culturing process, has been pre-digested, the sugars and proteins are easily broken down in the gut, with the nutrients absorbed into the bloodstream and utilized cellularly.

There is now a campaign underway where healthcare professionals and television commercials are telling people that even if they have a lactose sensitivity, they should still do their best to consume two to three servings of dairy foods every day. This is a lot like telling an alcoholic to drink one or two drinks each day because it may be good for their heart, or telling someone with a sensitivity to wheat to eat it two or three times daily because it’s high in B vitamins! I find this a cruel and inhumane campaign!

Calcium supplements- Sales of calcium supplements have skyrocketed in the last fifteen years or so. Although doctors, the media, most dieticians and chiropractors are recommending high doses of calcium supplements in various forms daily to make our bones strong, studies tell us a much different story. Americans experience the highest rates of osteoporosis, hip and arm fractures, yet we spend more on healthcare, drink more milk and take more calcium supplements than any other people on Earth. Learn what you can do to protect your bone health. It is certainly not what we have been told, when it comes to calcium supplementation.

A large study reported in 1997 in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that the use of calcium supplements may actually double the risk of hip fractures. The use of antacids containing calcium carbonate was shown to increase forearm fracture risk by 70%!

The issue really is related to the fact that we do not eat, nor properly digest, rocks, shells or coral. If our bodies were able to properly digest rocks, we would have no need for grocery stores, food distribution, farms and farmers. There would be plenty of rocks in the back yard to consume, if only we could get nutrient value from them. But this happens only in children’s books! A real human body needs its nutrients from foods, and a wide variety of foods, at that.

Nearly all calcium supplements on the US market are formulated from rocks, specifically limestone, which is the same material that chalk for use on the drawing board is make of, mined from the Earth. You’ve likely thought that your calcium tastes too chalky. There is a very good reason for this! Calcium carbonate is the form that is from the limestone or the ground seashells or coral. You may have heard or read that Calcium citrate (or calcium malate or hydroxyapatite) may be a better form to use for increased absorption. This means that the manufacturer has taken the Calcium and bound it to a citric acid or a malic acid molecule, etc, so as to attempt to trick the body into taking more of this rock form of calcium into the bloodstream, and it certainly seems to be effective for higher absorption rates.

The problem is that the cells of the body cannot use this form very easily at all. Our beneficial microorganisms in the gut, our probiotics, take the minerals (and vitamins) from food sources and during the digestive process, add the various glycoprotein bonds necessary for that mineral to be properly utilized within the assorted cells needing that particular mineral. Just to give an example, as stated in The Life Bridge (Herbal Free Press, 2002), researchers at Children’s Hospital in Boston, MA found that iron, an essential mineral for every cell in the body, needs at least 150 protein bonds in order for it to be properly utilized by respiratory cells. Most iron supplements on the market have one or just a few sugar or protein bonds, helping to explain why, if we are anemic, and require additional iron, taking most iron supplements does little to help (and often causing discomforting side effects such as constipation and irritability). But if we increase our intake of kale, collard greens, yogurt and spinach, we begin to notice more energy very quickly.

The story is quite similar with calcium and other nutrients. For each group of cells, there are requirements of glycoprotein bonds in order for that nutrient to be utilized. Having one, two or even a half dozen of these bonds is likely not going to be enough for proper assimilation.

I find it amazing that, because a well-meaning scientist somewhere noticed that the calcium in limestone looks incredibly similar to the calcium in spinach when looked at under a microscope, that we have been tricked, through slick marketing, into consuming rocks and other minerals harvested from ores from the Earth. These products are incredibly inexpensive to manufacture, and are often very impure, sometimes contaminated with heavy metals, such as lead or arsenic. For many years, in the early days of health food stores, the owners would not carry vitamin and mineral products, because they did not fit the criteria for being natural and whole. But eventually most of them succumbed to the media and marketing campaigns of the supplement companies, and very quickly their shelves became cluttered with bottles of these rock and chemical forms of nutrients that look similar to food nutrients in the lab, but respond very differently within the body.

Now, there are thousands of pill shops across the US selling these far-from-natural products, and many have the nerve to call themselves health food stores! Foods have names like apples, squash and rice. Chemical nutrients have names like hydroxyapatite, aspartate or palmitate. These are the names of chemicals. Sage words of advice, if you are unclear as to whether something is a food or a chemical: If it sounds like the name of a chemical, it’s a chemical! If you cannot pick it from a tree, bush or vine or dig its root from the earth, it’s likely not really natural! Please, do not get fooled by the fact that absolutely anything may be called natural in the marketing of a product in this country (and several others, as well).

There is another big problem with taking huge amounts of calcium supplements. (I have heard women say that their healthcare advisor recommended as much as 2500 mgs of calcium daily!) When a single mineral, or a small grouping, as in calcium, magnesium and vitamin D (unnatural to the body, as real whole foods are not this nutritionally simplistic) begin to pass the intestinal lining into your bloodstream, it throws the delicate blood-mineral balance off. (The blood-mineral balance is essential for homeostasis, inner balance and harmony.) The body’s response to this onslaught of isolated nutrients is to flush them from the bloodstream into the kidneys for proper filtration, and them to draw from the bones and teeth a small quantity of calcium to rebalance that delicate blood-mineral ratio.

I have spoken to dozens, or more likely hundreds, of women over the years who have noticed that the more calcium their doctors told them to take, and they followed those orders impeccably, the worse their bone density tests continued to get. The solution usually recommended by their doctors was to take even more calcium! The information above will likely explain for them, and hopefully many others, why things have gotten so out of balance. For a beautifully eloquent explanation of this process I cannot recommend highly enough the book by Nancy Appleton, entitled Healthy Bones, available from Deluxe Trade Paperback. (To order, go to nancyappleton.com)

Although most calcium is manufactured from rock, a few are still being made from ground seashells or coral. If you are using coral supplements, please, please stop now. More than half of the coral reefs have been destroyed in Okinawa, Japan, the source of many of the coral calcium manufacturers’ raw material. The companies have (once again) lied to the consumers and said that there is no damage done to the reefs as they vacuum up the material from the sea bed floor. While it is likely true that they do not intend to damage the reefs, the machinery has bumped and dinged the reefs, causing irreparable damage.

And then there is the fact that coral (and oyster shells) is not a true source of easily assimilated calcium (just like the rocks), and consuming coral is surely not the reason that the Okinawan people are the healthiest people on Earth. This was another slick marketing ploy to mislead consumers into purchasing millions of dollars worth of product. The people of Okinawa have the healthiest life expectancy likely due to the fact that they consume sea vegetables and miso or natto nearly every day of life, and walk to most of their destinations and practice various forms of meditation or martial arts to keep a healthy mind and reduced stress level.

So, what are you going to do about your calcium needs for maintaining or regaining strong healthy bones? This is easier than we’ve been told, really. Exercise every day, eat real, whole foods, prevent excess stress and keep your probiotics healthy! Read on and you will find a wealth of information about the most nutritious foods, herbs and supplements, providing easily utilized calcium and other necessary nutrients to support strong healthy bones at any age!

Please note: I am not legally able to tell you to stop taking your medications or calcium supplements if your doctor or other healthcare provider has recommended it for you. If you have been prescribed medications or a calcium program and feel it’s not working for you, I would suggest that you read the rest of this article, then read the books in the suggested reading below, do further research for yourself, and speak to your doctor or healthcare provider about these new concepts, so that you may come up with a plan together that will provide you with the nutrient support necessary for your bone and overall good health.

If you feel that you must take a calcium supplement, remember that our body needs its nutrients supplied by complex whole foods, and it most easily utilizes cultured whole foods. Supplementation would be no exception. Low dose, whole food supplements are easy to digest and ready for the body to assimilate, so as to provide safe nutrient support for our bones, joints, kidneys and heart. It is never too late to use nutritional foods, herbs and supplements to support strong, healthy bones! You will find many more solutions as you read on.

A Small Chapter of My Story and the Solutions I’ve Used to Regain Strong Healthy Bones

Here, I would like to share with you a bit of my road to recovery from poor health and compromised bones in my earlier years. I hope you will better understand my journey as I’ve unfolded the many discoveries of using foods, herbs and nutritional supplements to restore vibrant health and wellness in a body that had been riddled with pain and discomfort for the majority of my childhood and teenage years. bout

As a child and young adult, I experienced extensive bouts of chronic pain from juvenile arthritis and multiple chemical sensitivity, and discomfort from nearly constant anemia, eczema, psoriasis and occasional spells of chronic fatigue. Rounds of antibiotics and other medications seemed to quiet the symptoms for a short while but didn’t seem to offer me any long-term benefits. At age nineteen, I was told by a doctor that my bones were brittle and fragile, comparing them to those of an eighty year old woman! That frightened me into action! Unable to take drugs or most supplements, including calcium, due to the multiple chemical sensitivity condition, I went on a crusade to learn all that I could about using nutritious foods and herbs to strengthen my bones, as well as my overall health. By age twenty-five (and after having my first child), my bones had dramatically improved, later being compared to those of a twenty year old!

What changed? For starters, I changed my diet and mant lifestyle habits dramatically. I had been a vegetarial for about three years at that time, but the food I had been choosing had been very poor quality, and I was eating too many starches and too few vegetables.
I learned about eating sea vegetables (yes, seaweed!) Sea vegetables are the most calcium and mineral rich foods on Earth. Their minerals are in a healthy balance for the body and in a form that easily nourishes us. I ate them every day, using them in virtually everything I cooked, soups, stews, brown rice, pasta dishes, baked or roasted veggies, etc. and sprinkling them in powdered or flake form, onto salads, into dips, sauces, dressings and whatever I ate. They add flavor, with a salty taste, but most are very low in sodium.

Sea vegetables have been consumed by our ancestors for thousands of years by virtually all cultures of people on or near the sea. Algae have been eaten by most cultures that were more inland, near lakes and ponds. These nutrient-dense foods provide easily digested, very complex minerals, vitamins and trace nutrients in a balance of protein, high-quality carbohydrate and fiber to support the nutritional needs of bones, skin, organs and the entire body.

I also discovered that there are healthy salt products, and switched from the common table salt (which I almost never consumed at the time) to using real tamari (a cultured soy sauce with a rich, bold flavor) or mineral-rich salt, such as Celtic, Himalayan or French sea salts. These grayish, nutrient-dense salts are not simply sodium but instead, like sea vegetables, offer many important minerals and trace minerals in a broad complex form just as our bodies have been used to receiving for thousands of years.

I began to eat dark leafy greens every day, as well. I put them in soups, and stir-fries, steamed and sautéed with the dinner meal, and made sure I had enough left over for lunch the next day. Dark leafy greens do not include lettuce, even romaine. (Lettuces more closely resemble a white vegetable, as they contain very little chlorophyll.) Dark leafy greens include kale, collard greens, arugula, mustard greens, dandelion greens, watercress, chards, etc. Just like sea vegetables, dark leafy greens contain a wide array of minerals and other nutrients important to bone health. They also nourish our beneficial bacteria in the gut with their high-quality fiber. Remember that a healthy gut is important so that we are able to receive the nutrient value from the foods that we eat every day.

There is a myth that has circulated for decades that states that raw, uncooked foods are better for us than cooked foods. This is not necessarily true. Although it is true that we do get more of the water-soluble vitamins and enzymes from raw foods, research shows that we likely get more mineral value from slow-cooked foods, than from their raw counterparts. This may explain why a hearty stew cooked in the crock-pot or a baked vegetable dish seems to nourish us on a very deep level in the winter months, when our body’s need for minerals may be at a higher point, and a salad feels healthiest in the summer when we are burning up the vitamins more rapidly with our increased outdoor activities.

Nuts and seeds are high in minerals including calcium. To receive an increased nutritional value, you may try soaking the raw organic nuts or seeds overnight. This begins the process of sprouting, and alchemical changes take place, raising the nutrient values and increasing the digestibility of the nuts and seeds. Sesame seeds are particularly high in calcium, as are almonds, hazelnuts, chestnuts and Brazil nuts. (Please note that cashews sold in the US will not sprout, as they are not truly raw.) If you prefer crunchier nuts and seeds, toast them at a low temperature until golden brown. You may combine these two processes for maximum nutritional support as described in one of my favorite health informational cookbooks, Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon, available from New Trends Publishing.

Sprouts are rich storehouses of easily available nutrients, and they are fun to grow. You will need to purchase a sprouting jar or lids (for use with canning jars) from your local health food store. Soak seeds in a few inches of water overnight. Strain, and tip the jar on an angle so that any excess water may drip out. For the next two to five days, each morning and evening, just soak the seeds for about five or ten minutes, and tip on a downward angle for the rest of the time. It’s that easy! Getting the kids to eat a few sprouts that they helped to grow is a great way to get those important vitamins, minerals and other nutrients into their growing bodies!

Herbal teas such as nettles, yerba mate, raspberry leaf, sage and horsetail, are full of the important nutrients for strong healthy bones. Horsetail herb is a wonderful source of natural silica, to increase flexibility of bones and connective tissue. Nettles, in a freeze-dried, tea or tincture form, can dramatically improve bone health while helping to improve allergy symptoms and detoxify our blood and organs. Nettles, sometimes also referred to as stinging nettles (but don’t worry, they don’t sting when dried), are considered the most nutrient rich land plants on Earth. (Only sea vegetables provide more minerals and vitamins than nettles!)

Herb teas may be enjoyed by people of all ages, from infants to elders. Simmer most roots and barks or steep leaves and flowers for five to fifteen minutes, but be sure to have a tight-fitting cover with either method to avoid loosing those vital nutrients up in the steam! Two to four cups of tea daily is a wonderful way to take in many of the necessary nutrients for good bone health as you enjoy a delicious beverage.

A great practice that I’ve used over the years to make delicious teas available for my family is as follows: Boil water a few minutes before bed and pour over either bulk herbs or tea bags in one or more quart canning jars. (Use one rounded teaspoon of bulk herbs or one teabag per cup of water, or prepare to taste.) Place the cover loosely over the top, and in the morning you have tea all ready to warm or drink iced or at room temperature for the day! Try adding peppermint, spearmint, raspberry leaf or fruity flavors for kids or anyone who wants a yummy taste treat. Kids love to have teas on hand, and this can reduce their intake of sugary juices and soda, while providing nutritional and detoxification support.

Salves, creams and lotions rich in comfrey, calendula, ginger and other supportive herbs may be rubbed into sore hips, thighs, arms or ankles to support strong healthy bones and joints. This is a soothing practice just before bed or anytime these regions feel sore and achy.

These next few suggestions are for those who choose to consume meat. Strict vegetarians will likely want to skip these next few paragraphs, unless the information may suit a parent or other loved one.

Marinating meat with the bone in it is a wonderful practice, used for hundreds or thousands of years, to assist with strong healthy bones. Try making a marinade using grated organic ginger, garlic and/or lemon or lime juice, as these are all particularly good at breaking down proteins. The nutrients from the bone dissolve and provide us with some important minerals, including calcium.

Please be sure to purchase meats from animals that have been raised on organic feed, allowed to move freely in a pasture, and treated humanely. The commercial meat industry is a cruel and merciless business selling sad, malnourished, unhealthy animals that will change only when we the consumers stop supporting it. When we support these appalling practices by purchasing commercial meat products and serve them to our families for dinner, we receive the unhealthy, low life-force energy of those animals that were raised in filth, constant fear, chronic pain and continual discomfort.

Many fish are rich sources of calcium and other minerals, too. Sardines, mackerel, wild salmon and bluefish provide a high quality resource for bone health. Other seafood to consider would include shrimp, crabmeat, oysters and scallops.

Bone broths (made from organic meats) are a wonderful way to receive bone nutrient support. It is best to purchase and prepare meats with the bone in and retain the bones to make up a broth for your next soup or stew. This adds a delicious flavor with the additional nourishment. You may make the broth up immediately and use fresh within a day or two or retain it in the freezer for another day, or just freeze the bones for making the broth up in the future.

After consuming chicken, turkey, beef or fish, the carcass may be tossed into a large pot with enough water to cover. Add vegetables, vegetable scraps, herbs and spices to taste, and simmer for at least a couple hours. Some people prefer to simmer their broths for several hours or overnight. Strain and use in your favorite recipes.

Vegetarians may make vegetable broths in a similar fashion or add miso. Although not as strong in the nutrients associated with bone health, this will increase flavor and nutrient value in all your favorite soups and stews.

Foods that are rich sources of sulfur, such as eggs (only from happy, free-running hens), garlic and onions are also important. Food sourced sulfur is another nutrient needed for healthy bones.

Many low-processed natural sweeteners, especially blackstrap molasses, raw honey and grade B maple syrup contain vitamins and minerals, including calcium and B vitamins, to support bone and overall health.

Brittle bones seem to respond well to a one to three month regimen of homeopathic comfrey, called Symphytum officinalis (6, 12 or 30c or x). This homeopathic remedy can also support the body in the repair of fractures, sprains and strains, is safe enough for even small children and can be taken safely with any medications.

As you can see, living a healthy lifestyle is the best medicine when it comes to preventing damage and supporting Strong Healthy Bones at Any Age! The added benefits of better cardiovascular, digestive and mental health seem to make it a win-win program for everybody, regardless of age. Remember, as long as we’re still breathing, it’s never too late to begin making better choices toward health, wellness and vitality!

Recommended Reading on the topic of Strong Healthy Bones at Any Age:

The Life Bridge by Sarnat, Schulick and Newmark from Herbal Free Press 2002

Healthy Bones by Nancy Appleton from Deluxe Trade Paperbacks

Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon, from New Trends Publishing

Research References

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.