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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy cleansing on your path to wellness.

Here is a partial list of symptoms, conditions and degenerative diseases that have been shown to be helped over the centuries through safe, natural periodic cleansing and simple daily detoxification practices:

o Acne
o Allergies; sinus, tactile, digestive, hives, etc
o Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia syndromes
o Anxiety
o Arthritis
o Asthma attacks
o ADD /HD (attention deficit)
o Autism spectrum
o Body odor (foul)
o Brittle nails
o Chemical sensitivity
o Chronic constipation
o Chronic digestive disorders
o CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome)
o Chronic infections
o Chronic respiratory issues
o Chronic weakness
o Cirrhosis of the liver
o Crohn’s disease
o Depression
o Drug /food addiction
o Eczema
o Fibromyalgia
o Gallstones
o Gout
o Gum disease
o Hair loss
o Halitosis (bad breath)
o Headaches
o Hot flashes and night sweats
o Immune disorders
o Insomnia
o Irritability
o IBS (irritable bowel disorder)
o Kidney disease
o Kidney stones
o Low blood sugar
o Memory loss
o Migraines
o Mood swings
o Multiple sclerosis
o Muscle aches / pain
o Obesity
o PMS
o Parkinson’s disease
o Psoriasis
o Rashes, itching (chronic discomfort under skin)
o Sinus pain (drip, irritation, sinus headache, etc)
o Ulcerative colitis
o Ulcers
o Weak bones
o Weight gain (excess)
o Weight loss (excess)

Accumulating toxins may affect just about any region of the body or mind as the incomplete list above shows. Properly cleansing the debris from the body’s organs, tissues and cells allows the body to find its center, restart nutrient utilization and resume a better working order. Rejuvenated organs and cells offer us more energy and vitality as well as a sense of inner peace and calm. This can lead to more restful sleep, a lift in spirits and a release from chronic pain and discomfort.

Here are my top 10 favorite general cleansing herbs and foods. It is not good enough to purchase one or more, however, unless you pay close attention to the quality of the product you choose. Please buy organic/ local whenever possible.
For more info, read my article “Quality is Everything” .

Turmeric
Ginger
Holy basil (tulsi)
Red clover
Burdock
Hempseeds
Sea vegetables
Blessed thistle
Dark leafy green vegetables
Sprouts

Acne, from a holistic viewpoint, is caused by toxins accumulating in the blood, liver, colon, lymphatic system and other organs of elimination. Proper cleansing of the organs and blood can have a dramatic effect with all types; teen, adult and cystic acne. Eating the right foods is essential during the time of detoxification, as well as afterwards during the nourishing and strengthening period. For those of us that experience extended episodes of acne, cystic acne or other chronic skin conditions, scheduling a cleanse for 7 to 15 days each spring and fall, or for a few days during each of the four seasons, will help the body with the toxin overload that is believed to lead to breakouts on the skin.

Acne is related to candida overgrowth; a symptom of candida, so to speak. When we address candida thoroughly, using detoxification and nutritional support, skin problems are alleviated or eliminated. Candida is a naturally occurring fungus within the intestinal tract, but when we use antibiotics, steroids, birth control pills, chlorinated water, etc; an overgrowth of one (or several) of the more than 70 species of candida can cause harm to our health in a variety of ways.

The liver and colon are nearly always congested whenever a skin imbalance occurs; whether we suffer with oily, dry or combination skin problems. Ideally, our colon should eliminate (bowel movements) two to three times daily; easily, well-formed and somewhat abundantly. For most Americans, this is not the case. Too many doctors have given their chronically ill patients incorrect information over the past few decades when they have told them that elimination two or three times a week is just ‘normal for them’. WRONG! This is NOT normal for anyone! It is a sign that the body is not functioning properly and is accumulating lots of toxins, further damaging our health.

Before we can begin to eliminate the toxin overload from the skin, blood, liver and other detoxifying organs, we MUST get the colon eliminating with ease daily. To correct a stagnant colon, more fiber is definitely needed, preferably from a healthy, natural foods diet containing LOTS of vegetables! Vegetables are truly the key to great health.

Notice I didn’t say ‘fruits and vegetables’? This is because they should virtually never be grouped together in one category! Fruits, although good for us in moderation, are very sweet and should be eaten infrequently and mostly when that particular fruit is in season in your area. So if you live in Wisconsin or Vermont, bananas and kiwi should be a rare treat, not your daily breakfast or snack foods. Think about what folks one hundred or more years ago would have eaten in your region. Make food choices with this concept in mind.

Change your diet in small ways each day or as you are able, thinking of them as lifestyle changes to support your overall health and vitality, rather than a dramatic diet or quick fix.

So; we need to eat more vegetables! This includes roots, dark leafy greens, squash, sea vegetables, etc. Every week, try adding a new vegetable to your meal plan that you’ve never had before. Find some interesting recipes that include it, and try preparing it a couple different ways; baked, steamed, raw in a salad, etc. It may be time to invest in a couple new (mostly vegetarian) cookbooks!

If the addition of more vegetables is not enough to get your colon eliminating sufficiently, a fiber powder product may be called for. My favorites are all made by Renew Life; Fiber Smart, Triple Fiber and the delicious cinnamon flavor found in the Organic Bowel Cleanse. Using fiber products in capsules is expensive, and you do not get very much real benefit compared to these tasty powders.

I would urge folks to also avoid fiber products found in most grocery stores and pharmacies, as well as those containing psyllium seed or husk, cascara sagrada or senna leaf. There are inherent concerns with each of these products and herbs, but that is a post for another day.

Avoid laxatives as well; even the ‘natural’ ones. Laxatives, by their very nature, stifle the body’s ability to eliminate on its own. Just five days in a row using a laxative product will reduce your body’s ability to eliminate without help. This can increase dependence on laxatives and further reduce complete elimination of the accumulated toxins that lead to poor health and skin problems.

If adding more fiber is only marginally helpful, and you’re not yet eliminating with ease, try Planetary Formulas’ Triphala or Renew Life’s Cleanse More. These powerful, yet gentle colon moving products work with our body to evacuate the colon. They do not cause us to loose our peristalsis, the rhythmic contractions in the intestines that directs food downward through the digestive tract and the body’s waste toward the rectum.

With issues of acne, especially with cystic acne, the lymphatic system has become quite sluggish, blocked or stagnant. Moving the lymph occurs with daily exercise, but not if we’re stressed out and uptight when we do the exercise. The lymphatic system doesn’t come with a pump, in the way that the circulatory system has the heart, so this daily exercise is necessary for the relief of the congestion or stagnation that the lymphatic system is designed to flush away from the organs and cells.

Exercising outdoors will provide us with increased benefits over the same workout done indoors or in the gym. Breathing fresh air invites us to release toxins more completely as we exhale, providing more room in the lungs for a greater inhale, and thereby delivering more oxygen to the cells.

Probably the most important first step would be to address the foods that you eat. What foods do you consume regularly? Take a close look at this for a few days. Keep a journal of everything consumed (foods and liquids), if necessary. The partial list below contains some of the most important things to eliminate (or at least reduce)as your body begins to regulate so that your skin may heal.

Chemical additives- preservatives, fillers, artificial flavors, colors, synthetic vitamins, minerals, etc.
Sugar and all soft drinks, especially the sugar-free variety.
Fried foods- including sautéed and deep fried foods
Vegetable oils- commercially prepared oils, even most of the ‘natural’ ones
Flour- even whole wheat; so no bread, pasta, pastries, cereals, junk food, etc. for awhile.
Junk food- chips, cookies, bagged snacks, fast food, pastries, etc.

Increase your consumption of the following cleansing, nourishing foods:

Sprouts- broccoli, radish, alfalfa, red clover, bean, etc.
Fermented foods- miso, yogurt, sauerkraut, kefir, pickled beets,, cured olives, etc.
Indian spices- curry, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, etc.
Whole grains- (not flour) brown rice, millet, quinoa, barley, rye, etc.
Cruciferous vegetables- cabbage, kale, collards, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, etc.

Nourishing the blood, organs and cells is also imperative for the return of healthy, glowing skin. We know that skin health depends on nutrients such as vitamins A, B, C, D, E and K. But skin health responds far more readily to the complex array of vitamins, minerals, micronutrients and phytonutrients available in high quality organic foods than in the isolated nutrients and food-based products that most vitamins are made with. When foods and herbs are properly grown, harvested, dried, processed and/or extracted into clean, pure, excellent quality, high energy products the effect can be immediate and help to mend the imbalance that has lead to acne in young people and in adults.

Another important product to completely avoid is Olestra (also called Olean), a fat-free oil substitute. Many believe this stuff to be complete poison. It is reported to have caused many, possibly thousands of cases of long term bowel disease and disorders. And for many, it is believed to have caused severe acne problems, as well.

The most important thing about using herbs, even more essential than which herbs you select, is the quality of the product that you choose. Please read my article “Quality is Everything!” if you haven’t already. Now, I could just suggest all those same herbs that most of the other websites and books suggest, but if you don’t have the good fortune to choose a high quality herbal product, the herbs and supplements will be of little benefit, (except to line the pockets of the manufacturers of those poor quality products).

Check out any of the following herbal products for cleansing the liver, blood and skin:

Blood Support
Herb Pharm’s Dermal Health Compound
Gaia’s Skin & Nail Support
Flora’s Flor-Essence Tea tea
Lumina Health’s Cellfood

For cleansing herbs, it is helpful to take them in cycles; say 5 days on then 2 days off; or 10 days on and 5 days off. This is not because of some associated side effects, as has been rumored. In more than 5000 years of use, there are few true reports of side effects associated with clean, pure herbal remedies. The reason that it’s best to take herbs in cycles is that this is how we seem to get best results! This is likely due to the idea that the body gets a break from the herbal program, internally adjusts, and is ready to be affected by the next round of herbal support.

Essential fatty acids are another crucial part of good skin health. The EFA’s, as they’re often referred to, that support skin health are the ‘good 6’s’. The non- essential fatty acids that are omega 9’s are also excellent. Try organic hemp oil on your rice, salad or in a smoothie. It’s got the prefect balance of EFA’s for every cell in our bodies, is high in lots of other good nutrients, and tastes wonderful! Do not rely on fish oils, however. (I cannot tell you how often I’ve seen or heard fish oil recommended for skin conditions, but in reality, it’s the opposite of what’s really needed for healthy skin!)

If you prefer to take your ‘good fats’ in capsule form, you may want to try Renew Life’s Oil Smart. I have seen remarkable results with the use of this product, along with a good detoxification program, for severe acne problems. This is likely due to the fact that it contains plenty of lipase, the enzyme that helps us to digest and use all those good fats in our cells.

Now, most acne is associated with hormonal imbalances, which is often another symptom of a candida imbalance. To support this, you may choose to add a good hormonal balancing herbal product. Even though these products are geared toward women, men and boys with acne often benefit from their addition for the return of good skin health. (Please note: There is no estrogen or other harmful chemicals in any of these products.) Look for:

New Chapter’s Estrotone
Gaia’s Phyto-Estrogen
Herb Pharm’s Phytoestrogen Tonic.

For additional help and support, please look into a therapeutic detoxification program in your area or contact me. With the right cleansing foods and support herbs, you will likely begin to see the return of beautiful, clear skin in two to four weeks. Be patient with your body, smile and love yourself and feel gratitude for all that you’re blessed with.

Dozens of people have told me that I make the best green smoothies they’ve ever tasted. The recipe has been tweaked over the years, but they continue to win the taste buds of even the more skeptical people who dare to take that first small sip.

First, I make homemade almond milk. Actually, I make a combination Sunflower seed/Pumpkin seed/Almond and Brazil nut milk (recipe below). I make up two or three days’ worth of nut milk at a time. (It’s also great on cereal.)

I mix up my powders in a large canister in advance, since I can be a bit clumsy in the morning (fewer things to locate or knock over this way).

My current recipe is as follows:

1 ½ Cups Homemade Nut/ Seed Milk
1 TBSP Tohum Sesame Tahini (or organic almond butter)
¼ Cup Organic Whole Milk Plain Yogurt
1-2 tsp Ginger Wonder Syrup by New Chapter
1 tsp Mulberry Syrup by Tohum
1-2 TBSP Hemp Oil by Nutiva
3-4 TBSP Green Powder Mix (recipe below)

Blend on high for 30 to 60 seconds.

Green Powder Mix
Mix equal parts of the following:

Spirulina by Pure Planet
Berry Green by New Chapter
Sweet Whey Powder by Bernard Jensen
Fiber Smart (Triple Fiber or Organic Bowel Cleanse) by Renew Life
Hemp Protein by Nutiva or Rice Protein by Nutribiotics
Nutritional Yeast

To this, I currently add ½ part of the following herbs:
Red Clover
Nettles, organic, of course.

And I add ¼ part:
Nori or kelp flakes (sea vegetable)

Homemade Nut Milk or Seed Milk

(This recipe is for Sunflower Seed Milk, but any truly raw nut or seed may be substituted.)
Note: In the US, ‘raw cashews’ are not really raw, and very soon, ‘raw almonds’ will not be raw, either.

2 Heaping TBSP raw organic sprouted sunflower seeds (see below)
1 quart filtered water
1 TBSP hemp seed oil (or sunflower oil)
1-2 TBSP organic sweetener, (if desired)

To sprout the seeds:
Soak the seeds in a glass jar ½ filled with water overnight.
Discard the soaking water; rinse the seeds, strain and place in a blender.

To blend the nut milk:
Add ½ cup of the filtered water.
Blend on high for 30 to 60 seconds.
Add the balance of the quart of water, oil and sweetener, (if desired).
Blend on high for one minute more.
Enjoy!

Note: If you choose to use Brazil Nuts, they are ideally soaked for a full 48 hours! (Change the soaking water once after 24 hours, when possible.)

Below, you will find other possibilities. Honestly, there are hundreds or even thousands of other products to choose from, but we should always remember that quality is the most important factor when selecting a nutritional product.

Create Your Own Ideal Energy Drink

Energy drinks are ideal for breakfast, lunch or even dinner.
Put desired ingredients in blender and mix on high for 30 to 60 seconds.

As the Base:
Measure 1 to 1 ½ cups of liquid per person, combining any of the following:
Almond milk (or pecan, walnut, Brazil nut, pumpkin, sesame or sunflower seed milk)
Rice milk
Oat milk
Hazelnut milk
Amasake
Fruit juices may not be ideal in northern climates. You may want to use ½ water and ½ juice.

The Green (and other) Powders:
Add ¼ tsp to 1 TBSP of a combination of any of the following:
Spirulina (chlorella or other algae powder)
Nutritional yeast (or brewer’s yeast)
Hemp protein powder (rice or whey protein powder)
Fiber Smart, Triple Fiber or Organic Bowel Cleanse (Renew Life) or other seed based, non-psyllium natural fiber product
Hemp seed (or flax seed, fresh ground)
Sweet whey powder (Bernard Jensen’s) or Capra Mineral Whey (Mt. Capra)
Fresh or powdered herbs (nettles, red clover, milk thistle, cinnamon, etc.)
Berry Green (New Chapter)
Kamut, wheat or barley grass powder, (or other pure greens, no isolated nutrients)

Health & Flavor Enhancers:
Then add any of the following:
2-4 TBSP Organic plain whole milk yogurt or kefir
1 TBSP nut butter: almond, cashew, sunflower or tahini (Tohum)
2 tsp raw honey, agave nectar, goji juice or mulberry syrup (Tohum)
½ -2 TBSP hemp (Nutiva), rice bran, flax, pumpkin seed oil
1-2 tsp Ginger Wonder Syrup (New Chapter)
½ – 2 tsp Chyawanprash rejuvenative paste (Nature’s Formulary)
2 TBSP blueberries or other organic fresh or frozen fruit
½ or 1 ripe banana
¼- ½ tsp Any desired tinctures or mushroom extracts
handful fresh sprouts
¼- ½ tsp vanilla extract, (or almond, peppermint, cinnamon or other flavoring)
¼- ½ tsp rose water (or orange or lavender water)

A little note regarding bee products:
Many people enjoy using bee pollen or royal jelly in energy drinks, but I discourage their use, as too many bee hives are becoming weaker each year due to excessive harvest of the bee products and replacement with sugar water, medication, etc. We need healthy bees in order to have healthy plants, so let’s give the bees a break and choose to use the many potent plants instead.

But when Lisa realized that her period wasn’t due for another week and a half and the pain seemed to be increasing, they both became concerned. Jeri, Lisa’s mom, called the doctor, and she said to get Lisa in there right away.

After testing, the doctor told them that they had found an ovarian cyst and described it as the size of a grapefruit. Lisa’s doctor wanted to operate on it right away. She said that she would hopefully be able to limit it to a cystectomy, the removal of only the cyst, but she may need to remove the ovary, as well. Lisa told her doctor that she would like a few days to address it holistically, but her doctor was reluctant. Lisa and her mom nonetheless left the hospital and told her that they would phone her immediately if the pain worsened or if she showed any other symptoms.

As they drove away, Jeri and Lisa spoke about how they would proceed. Jeri used her cell to call me to schedule an appointment for about an hour later. Then she took Lisa home and tucked her into bed. Lisa lied there in fetal position, small beads of sweat along her hairline. She sipped water through a straw and closed her eyes to rest.

Jeri arrived to my office right on time. Her worry was apparent on her face as well as in her body language. We greeted one another and settled into my office. As we started to talk, a sense of relief began to replace the fear in her eyes. Jeri described the pain and discomfort her daughter had been experiencing the previous few days. I knew Lisa’s general health history, as she had been to see me the previous year for chronic tension headaches.

I asked her about her PMS symptoms, both over the past few months and throughout her young womanhood. She had always experienced at least mild cramps, but most months they got pretty bad and usually lasted for about three days. Lisa had used a tincture (liquid alcohol extract) of crampbark and black cohosh as soon as the cramping began for years. This helped relieve the pain for her for a few hours. I suggested that we meet again after this crisis had been resolved; so that Lisa could learn to use foods, herbs and lifestyle choices to help her body restore hormonal balance so she wouldn’t need to go through the physical and emotional discomforts every month.

We began to speak of the herbs and supplements that may help Lisa with her current situation. Because I am not a doctor, I do not prescribe an herbal program during consultations. Instead, I educate the client about various herbs, supplements and lifestyle practices that may support wellness and restore balance to the body and mind. Then we work together to choose which of those potential solutions may be most beneficial and that will realistically fit into the life of the client so, that they will actually use them.

Jeri told me that Lisa, a senior at the university, didn’t eat very well when she was away at school. She usually came home on weekends, and ate a healthy diet there. She had been raised eating whole foods, exercising regularly and played sports, and using holistic therapies whenever possible. Lisa had very high standards, and pushed herself hard; sometimes to exhaustion. When she was at school, she didn’t sleep enough, felt very stressed and rarely got any real exercise, with the exception of rushing to classes. Her grades were quite good, but Jeri said that the cost on her daughter’s body and mind was far too high. Lisa had been feeling a bit of depression over the previous few months.

I asked her about whether she might be drinking alcohol or using drugs; prescription, over-the-counter or otherwise. Jeri said that she and her daughter were quite close and could talk about anything. They both felt very strongly about drugs and alcohol. Lisa’s cousin, who she was very close to growing up, had died of an accidental drug overdose when he was only fifteen. Lisa had vowed never to touch drugs or alcohol, and to her mom’s knowledge, she never had.

I taught Jeri about several herbs and products that may be of value in Lisa’s current health crisis. We chose three products together that would address the cyst and one that she could use ongoing for supporting detoxification and increased nutrient support.

The program that we decided upon included:

Blood Support from Eclectic Institute combines five of my most favorite western herbs used for detoxification. Eclectic Institute offers excellent herbal products that are certified organically grown and then freeze dried, creating a potent and concentrated herbal capsule that captures the vitality of the fresh herb. Blood support combines burdock, red clover, yellow dock, nettles and dandelion root. These herbs have been used for centuries to effectively purify the liver and blood, assisting the body when there is an excess buildup of toxins to support overall health.

Estrotone, made by New Chapter, was selected to address the hormone balance and to direct the other herbs to the reproductive system. Estrotone is a very potent formulation that includes schizandra, ginger, black cohosh, Vitex (Chaste tree), rosemary and evening primrose oil. Schizandra is a Chinese herb that supports not only hormonal balance, but also helps to balance the entire endocrine system and all of the organs as it provides a sense of peace, calm and wellbeing. Black cohosh and Vitex are western herbs, well known to help the body find its own unique balance of hormones. Black cohosh is also an excellent herb used for inflammation relief throughout Europe. Ginger and rosemary have been found through years of compelling research to support healthy inflammation levels. A good organic ginger also helps any herbs that it’s taken with to work more efficiently; as much as 300% better! Evening primrose oil supports the reproductive system in numerous ways. Known in old England as the King’s Cure-all, Evening primrose oil has been used for centuries for arthritis, cardiovascular disease and several other inflammatory conditions. Evening primrose has also been used for the clearing of conditions that are considered excess in nature, such as skin problems and PMS.

Oilsmart is a balanced essential fatty acid formula that includes a significant amount of lipase, the digestive enzyme that breaks down fats in the digestive tract, so that the oils may be used more efficiently in our cells. Oilsmart provides many of the much needed omega fats necessary to help restore balance to every cell in the body. Some of these fats assist the body by reducing excess inflammation, while others help harmonize the reproductive system, according to hundreds of reliable studies.

Jeri thought CellFood sounded like an excellent choice for Lisa to use on a more long term basis. Cellfood seems to provide its users with an increase of energy and vitality through its ability to increase oxygenation of the cells and its powerful trace nutrient content. Cellfood is also used to help detoxify excess toxins from all of the organs and tissues of the body.

Jeri and I visited the local herbal pharmacy together. We found the four products and Jeri rushed home to get Lisa started on the herbs. Jeri added the drops of Cellfood to Lisa’s glass of water. Lisa took the first round of herbs and rested some more. Two hours later, she took them again. When she woke up about two and a half hours later, Lisa told her mom that the pain had subsided substantially. She took the herbs again and felt strong enough to sit at the kitchen table for a few minutes with Jeri.

They discussed the consultation that we had had in her honor. Lisa agreed that finding better ways to handle her high stress levels was imperative, and agreed with her Mom to eat better, exercise every day and drink plenty of water this last semester and beyond. Before she went back to bed, Lisa wanted to call me to make an appointment for when she had recovered and to thank me.

Ovarian cysts can recur. We spoke about how she might work to prevent this from happening. I knew that Lisa would do well to begin a program to help her reduce excess stress once this cyst was gone. I suggested that Lisa needed to get more sleep, practice her meditation (she had been meditating since childhood, but did not continue this practice while away at school) and get the essential fatty acids through foods or supplementation needed to help protect her body and mind from excessive stress during those last few months of college. She agreed.

I saw Lisa about seven weeks later to discuss a long term strategy for her health and wellbeing. She told me that she had visited her doctor a couple days before and that the cyst was completely gone! And her PMS was milder than it had been in years. This was really great news!

We hear a lot of discussion about detoxification these days. While cleansing and purifying the body systems is essential for optimal health, there are times in the year that are more ideal for a major detoxification program than others. When I teach detox programs, the greatest enrollment is nearly always directly after the New Year, which is, for those of us in the far north, the worst time of the year to cleanse. Winter is a time to build and nourish, strengthening the immune system’s ability to protect us from seasonal illnesses. Cleansing during the cold winter months may weaken the body. Spring and fall are ideal for therapeutic detox programs. Daily detoxification herbs may offer tremendous protection from chronic illness, heart disease, cancer, colds and the flu. But not just any detox herbs will do. If we want good results, then we need to pay attention to the quality of the product! Please read Quality is Everything, for additional information.

There are many safe and effective ways to protect ourselves from the onslaught of toxins every day of the year. Several foods may serve to gently cleanse the liver, blood, colon and cells. Squeezing lemon or lime, preferably organic of course, into your water or onto food can help support the liver’s function. Eating artichokes, asparagus and dark leafy greens such as kale, collards, arugula and watercress also support liver detoxification and blood purification. Beets help detoxify and build good blood.

The colon’s ability to function optimally is most important for vibrant health. Adding freshly ground organic flax seeds or hempseed fiber to cereal, salads, soups, yogurt and sauces is an inexpensive and effective way to support colon health. Flax and hempseed are better sources of fiber than most of those products found in the grocery store aisles. Some of those are made of tree or cellulose fiber. Some may make our bodies dependent of the product in order to eliminate, similarly to many laxatives.

Some of the best fiber products on the market are produced by Renew Life. Their Fibre Smart Powder is made with pre-milled flax which I do not usually recommend. It’s ok in this case however, because the oils that easily go rancid after fifteen or thirty minutes post-milling have been removed. They also offer an Organic Triple Fiber Powder and a cinnamon flavor Organic Bowel Cleanse. All three are made with predominantly organic ingredients, no psyllium and are quite good at cleansing the colon and supporting the removal of the cholesterol that is sent to the colon for elimination.

Renew Life also makes seven delicious Organic Fiber Bar , such as Chocolate Dream or Lemon Burst. Sounds like an oxymoron, right? Well, they do all taste very good, and some are even delicious; and what’s more, they have 14 grams of fiber, which is more than half of the recommended amount that we should consume per day! Not bad!

There are some wonderful herbs and herbal products formulated for daily detoxification that we can use safely to support the body’s ability to keep up with the onslaught of toxins. Some of the best will include organic turmeric, green tea, ginger and a little known Ayurvedic herb called Tinospora cordifolia.

Organix South’s line of Ayervedic herbs called Thera Veda offers some excellent and very safe daily detoxification products. Vijay Cellular Support offers overall cleansing and antioxidant activity, while Nirmal Liver Care Formula provides significant assistance to the liver’s ability to detoxify effectively, and Pavan Upper Respiratory Formula helps the body with the respiratory tract that may have been exposed to air pollution. Supercritical Antioxidants

New Chapter’s also got some powerful products for daily detoxification support. Supercritical Antioxidants has clinical research to support its significant antioxidant activity. Turmericforce is a potent, yet gentle product to support liver, lung, blood and cellular detoxification, and a single serving of their Green & White Tea is equal to 5 cups of tea in liquid form. In Japan, those folks who are the healthiest tend to drink 5 to 10 cups of green tea each day.

New Chapter also offers an amazing product named CoffeeBerry. The fruit of the coffee is believed to be one of the most powerful antioxidant foods on Earth, providing the activity of five servings of antioxidant rich fruits. Low in caffeine (with the caffeine of only one sip of black tea), it won’t make you feel jittery. And the big bonus is that Coffeeberry contains five of the eight ‘essential sugars’ that build and protect healthy cells.

Some of my other favorites include Gaia’s Anti-Oxidant Supreme, Cleanse Maintenance or Tumeric Supreme. Flora makes a wonderful detoxification tea called Flor-Essence liquid or bulk tea packets, that has been used for cancer and cancer prevention for decades. It may also be used periodically or daily for the prevention of many other imbalances, as well. Flora also offers a new product called Super Antioxidant with Pomegranate.

There are other organic daily detoxification products on the market, but these are the proverbial ‘cream of the crop’ for use when we desire noteworthy results. Now we can all relax and know that, although we can’t always control the load of toxins that we take in, we can support the detoxification process by using some of the most potent daily products available.

My shins and calves would itch so badly during the night that I would scratch them until they bled. I used both topical products and supplements that would help for awhile, but the pain and itching never fully left my body during all those years. I also found acupuncture to be fairly effective, having gotten treatments for several years. Although my skin improved, it never cleared completely. Wintertime was always the worst time of year, and summer was only marginally better. And then something wonderful happened!

For the past ten or twelve years, I have freed myself of the daily (and nightly) discomfort, irritation and pain that I’d experienced with my skin throughout most of my life. I will first share with you how I relieved the discomfort, and at a later date, I will explain how we can all find long-term relief from the distress of auto-immune conditions, including eczema and psoriasis.

Many holistic health practitioners believe that all skin imbalances are linked to the liver and often the colon, as well. The liver is the master detoxifier of the body, and with tens of thousands of new chemical compounds produced in these last few decades, our livers are overwhelmed with the burden of ridding our bodies of these toxins, to say the least.

The liver may literally work for weeks or months, attempting to produce an enzyme or agent to break down one of these chemical compounds. Meanwhile, it will store the assumed toxin in fatty tissue. The fatty tissue protects the toxin similarly to an egg carton protecting the fragile eggs. We would all do very well if the toxins were stored in our hips or behind, but fatty tissue may also be found in the brain, eyes, skin, etc. and the liver may choose one of these storage locations.

Once the liver has rendered the toxin harmless, it is sent to the colon for elimination. The problem here is that most people’s colons are a mess, and the structure of the intestinal lining is stressed and leaking. These unhealthy intestinal conditions are called by many names; IBS, constipation, leaky gut, Crohn’s, colitis, etc, but the bottom line is that those toxins that the liver sent to be expelled via the colon end up being reabsorbed into the bloodstream, where they can wreak havoc.

This pattern of imbalance is believed to be the underlying problem that leads to many, if not all, of the auto-immune conditions. The liver may use the skin (or eyes or brain) to dump or store excesses, leading to either dry or oily conditions.

So, you must be noticing by now that there is a great need for effective detoxification. Most cultures of people throughout the world have used the changing of the seasons to cleanse the body and mind of accumulated toxins. Today, we pollute our food, water, air, bodies and minds on an unfathomable scale, but many of us no longer take the time to reduce or eliminate the accumulated waste from our cells and organs with proper detoxification.

Before any liver detoxification is to take place, it is crucial to get the colon working effectively. Regardless of what doctors often tell patients these days, it is NOT NORMAL to only have a bowel movement two or three times per week! This could not be more wrong if we want to be healthy and prevent disease. For thousands of years ‘normal’ elimination has been a bowel movement at least once, and up to three times daily, (and at times, such as during detoxification periods, even more often).

If this is an issue for you, you may want to increase your consumption of vegetables (and not necessarily fruits, as they can feed candida, a story for another day). You may also want to add flax seeds. Please, don’t buy the flax meal that is already ground up for you. The oils are rancid in these products, and they’ll charge you four times as much for this inferior form of flax. And please be sure to buy organic! There are some silly scientists now messing with flax and genetic engineering.

Now, I’ll address the program that I’ve found most effective for very dry skin. There are probably two dozen other excellent products for these purposes, but for every great product on the market, there are 50 or more that are of very poor quality. Choose wisely if results are what you desire.

We need good fats for every cell in the body, and the omega 6’s and 9’s are the ones our skin desires. Don’t think that because you’re taking the omega 3’s in fish or flax oil, that you’re all set. Those fats are not what our skin needs, so you may want to find a product containing all three or add an oil such as black current seed oil.

My favorite combination of the omega 3’s, 6’s and 9’s is the Renew Life’s Oil Smart. It contains an abundance of lipase, the enzyme needed to break down fats in the digestive tract for much better absorption and utilization. In a liquid form, my favorite is Udo’s Choice Udo’s Choice Oil Blend from Flora. This is delicious on salads, in smoothies, etc and is sold in glass bottles, just as all good oils should be.

To address liver and blood detoxification, there are a few excellent choices. If you can find it, the product made with organic freeze-dried herbs by Eclectic Institute called Blood Support is superb. To this, one might choose to add a tincture of burdock seed. The one I often use is Herb Pharm’s Burdock Blend.

Neem, a tree found through much of the subcontinent of India, has been used for a wide range of skin conditions, including eczema and psoriasis. Dozens of studies have confirmed what the people of that region of the world have long known; the leaves and oil of the neem tree are rich in compounds that offer powerful and safe anti-inflammatory activity. Neem has been used both internally and externally for skin conditions for thousands of years.

The most therapeutic neem products in the US are from a company called Organix South, and go by the brand name Thera Neem. You may want to try their soaps, especially the maximum strength one with sweet orange and ylang ylang. They also make a rich, nourishing cream called Neem Leaf & Oil Cream, available in a soothing, almost unscented Vanilla as well as a gentle sweet orange and ylang ylang scent.

These luscious healing body creams contain a valuable amount of shae butter and neem leaf oil, and were voted as one of the top 10 creams in the world for dry skin by the Independent Newspaper in London.

I’ve long understood that issues of the skin must be addressed internally, and although I do have my favorite products to apply when my skin is dry and chapped, long-term real relief will come from within. The Thera Neem folks also offer some very potent organic neem capsules. Neem, taken internally, is quite bitter, and helps to neutralize some of the excess sugar that most of us have in our blood. This is believed to directly support healthy, beautiful skin.

If you have experienced rough, dry, irritated skin, it’s time to help your body heal itself so that the next time you pass the mirror, you will be looking at a more soft, supple, beautiful you!

With New Year’s Eve in just a few days, it’s about time to take the necessary steps to assure a happy New Year’s Day, free of headache, upset stomach, aches, pain and an overall feeling of malaise. With this knowledge, you may then go out (or stay in) and enjoy your favorite celebratory beverages and feel just fine in the morning.

First, be sure you’re drinking enough water for your body’s needs. We should ideally drink half our body’s weight in ounces of fresh, filtered water every day. This means that a 150 lb person would consume 75 ounces of water daily. Now, let’s be clear about a common misunderstanding. This does NOT include the water that you use to make your tea, coffee, reconstituted juices, soups, etc. This means 75 oz (or approximately 9 eight-ounce glasses) of fresh, pure water that has nothing added! And, if you do drink coffee, tea (green or black), an alcoholic beverage or soda, there is something that you should be aware of. Because they can be dehydrating, you will need to drink one extra eight-ounce glass of water daily for every cup of coffee, tea, soda, wine, beer or shot of alcohol that you consume throughout your day!

You will ideally want to stay away from fruit, sugar and fruit juices for those few days prior to indulging in the bubbly (or your preferred alcoholic beverages). These foods acidify the body, setting it up for a greater possibility of imbalances, pain and illness.

Be sure that you eat a meal, but don’t overeat prior to drinking alcohol. You’ll want to have a well balanced meal, preferably rich in alkalizing vegetables. The more alkalizing vegetables include most root vegetables and dark leafy greens. Don’t overdo it with protein, but be sure you include a high quality protein source, such as fish, with your meal. Protein is more difficult to digest, so a smaller portion will leave you with more energy, and less likelihood of experiencing a hangover later or the next morning.

Miso vegetable soup is an excellent meal or component of a meal before a night out to celebrate. The salty flavor of the miso combined with the alkalizing vegetables helps to prevent the headaches or tummy upset often experienced after alcohol consumption.

Another preventive tip is to begin drinking approximately one to two hours after your meal, rather than drinking during or before dinner. This will give your body a chance to get the digestive processes well under way before it needs to deal with the processing of the alcohol.

Now, let’s discuss some effective tools for when you’ve been blessed with the nausea, headache, chills, aches and pains of drinking a bit too much for your body to handle. I have observed the following foods working to help the body with a wide variety of hangover symptoms.

Umeboshi plums are a Japanese pickled plum, available in most health food stores. They are very salty and quite strong in flavor. A tiny pinch of the flesh of the umeboshi plum is plenty, even for a ‘violent’ hangover. Beware; more is not better! Place the pinch of umeboshi between the gums and inner cheek and leave it there. Be sure to drink plenty of water both before and after using the plum. Repeat, if necessary, an hour later.

Swedish bitters, also sold at most health food stores, are used for virtually every digestive upset throughout Europe. Mix a serving of Swedish bitters with a glass of seltzer or soda water and sip until gone. Repeat, if desired, one to two hours later.

The following recipe may be made before bed or in the morning after the partaking of too much alcohol for the body to deal with. It is delicious, and in thirty years of use with my family and friends, I’ve never known it to fail!

Bring 1 cup (per person) of water to a simmer.
Add one umeboshi plum pit (with the flesh removed. Use only the pit, not the flesh. If only umeboshi plum paste is available, use a generous pinch of paste) per cup of water.
Simmer, covered, on low for 10 minutes.
Add a dash of real tamari per cup of water.
Simmer for 3 more minutes.
In a small dish, mix 1 rounded TBSP of kudzu (sometimes spelled ‘kuzu’) into a small amount of cold water.
Add to the simmering umeboshi tea, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. It will begin by looking chalky. You will know when it’s nearly done because it will become thicker and translucent.
Stir for one minute more.
Remove from heat, and let cool for approximately 30 minutes.
Grate fresh, organic ginger root.
Squeeze the juice from the grated ginger into the thickened tea mixture.
Add 1 teaspoon of ginger juice per cup of water and stir gently.
When it is cool enough to do so, sip one cup until gone.
Please be careful not to burn your lips and tongue, as this thickened drink will cling to them, just as a pudding or gravy might.

Happy New Year! Enjoy the celebration, and now you will have a greater chance of enjoying the morning after, as well!

There are several interesting health myths that have their origins in medical and scientific journals. These myths trickle down to the articles that we read in news journals, alternative health and women’s magazines. These myths stem from the scientific reductionist viewpoint that looks at the isolated parts of the whole as if they were actually the whole itself.

Now, I certainly do not mean to imply that the study of the separate constituents has no value; this is exactly how many pharmaceutical medications originate. Instead, what I’m attempting to do is to dispel the confusion about several very different types of herbal products. When an herb is comprised of hundreds of complex constituents, a single one of those constituents cannot and should not be considered to be the same as the whole herb, being spoken about and used interchangeably.

Here is my favorite (or should I say ‘least favorite’) example of this; turmeric, according to research, has approximately 100 constituents. One of those constituents is called curcumin, and curcumin has been considered by some researchers to be the one ‘active constituent’ (or the curcuminoids are considered the ‘group of active constituents’). Research has shown that, although curcumin provides noted activity against excess inflammation, the extract of the whole turmeric, with all its other active and inert constituents, has significantly more activity. And although curcumin supports detoxification of the liver and blood, the full-spectrum turmeric extract has been shown to provide us much greater detoxification than the isolates alone.

In fact, isolated constituents have never been found to work more effectively than the whole herb, spice or mushroom without also having potentially harmful side effects. With virtually all herbs and fungi, the whole provides the benefits along with the checks and balances to prevent possible side effects.

Many of the turmeric products on the supplements market are not really turmeric at all. These products are labeled as turmeric on the front, but if you read the fine print on the ‘Supplement Facts Panel’ (the fine print box found on the back), you would see that there is 95% curcuminoids (including the curcumin). According to nature, 5-11% of the root is comprised of curcuminoids. This means that most of the turmeric root was disposed of and the capsule was filled with a small fraction of turmeric’s actual constituents. Personally, I would prefer these kinds of products be labeled as over-the-counter drugs with clever names than to mistakenly refer to them as herbal products.

Another concern with these altered products is that those curcuminoids were isolated from the whole root through one of the chemical extraction processes used by the pharmaceutical industry. Hexane, acetone or (my favorite) PERC (dry-cleaning fluid) may have been used to isolate the chosen constituents, and small amounts are usually left behind in the finished product. I think it ironic that dry-cleaning fluid might be contained in our daily detoxification product!

Green tea contains more than 500 constituents. Again, as a result of research, there is one special constituent that has been deemed by scientists to be the most active. This constituent is called EGCG, and the story is really quite similar. EGCG is in the family of catechins, which are potent antioxidants.

Green tea has been shown to support weight loss, reduce oxidative damage caused by free radicals, prevent cancer and heart disease and improve immune function. Products containing the isolated EGCG are often sold with claims of the same benefits as the whole, complex green tea.

Research was done on both green tea consumption and green tea extract usage. Just as with the whole turmeric root, the complex whole herb of green tea appears to support health and detoxification more effectively than the isolated EGCG. In fact, it seems that when you remove even one ingredient, caffeine for example, green tea has little, if any effect on detoxification and inflammation.

Saccharides, some of the important building blocks of our healthy cells, are found in several herbs and in all medicinal mushrooms. One of the most common sources for some of the Saccharides being isolated for products on health food store shelves is the Aloe vera plant. I repeat the running theme here; these Saccharides, so essential for our healthy cells, are not the same as the whole Aloe vera, Shiitake or Maitake. They cannot be; one is singular, simple; the other complex, multifarious.

Here is another important example, a nutrient that’s recently gotten a lot of press. Lycopene, a powerful antioxidant in the carotenoid family, is usually found in red fruits and vegetables. Lycopene has gotten quite a bit of publicity in the last few years for its potential to protect us from cancer, especially cancer of the prostate, diabetes and osteoporosis. Research showed that men who ate the greatest amount of tomatoes seemed to have fewer prostate issues. Researchers determined that the activity in the tomatoes was due to the Lycopene. Upon the release of this important new information, many new Lycopene products arrived in stores and were selling out in no time. But a funny thing happened when the researchers looked at the isolated Lycopene; it had no antioxidant activity. It didn’t work. Lycopene, it seems, must be present in the tomatoes, watermelon, papaya or avocado to help protect our health.

So, if it sounds like a chemical, it is most likely a chemical. If you can go out in nature and pick it or dig its root, then it’s really natural. And when it is isolated from something that formerly lived and grew in nature, it was probably separated with a chemical solvent, and is therefore no longer truly natural.

Most of the nutritional supplements on the market are called ‘natural’, but in reality, they aren’t even close. Please stay tuned for more on how vitamins and other supplement products are processed and made, and which supplements are truly the most natural, safe and effective.