GAPS in My Thinking...or, How Your Gut is Ruining Your Life

My Story
Let's start at the very beginning, with my personal health journey.  As I shared in a previous post, I have suffered allergies all my life and have "passed along" the malady to my children.  In addition to "typical" physical allergies (pollen, dust, molds, animals, foods, chemicals, etc.), I have been afflicted with other ailments (some of which are allergy-related) such as asthma, bladder/bowl problems, insomnia, chronic migraines, autism spectrum-like over-sensitivity threshold disorders, candida overgrowth, depression, OCD, muscle/joint pain, debilitating pregnancies, and hormonal imbalances (including thyroid, adrenals, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone...) causing infertility and mood disorders, extreme fatigue and brain fog.  I produced children who have been extraordinarily colicky, over-sensitive, allergic (to varying degrees), asthma-prone insomniacs with various levels of GI distress.


I have spent much time and effort through the years in an attempt to discover and implement healing for our life-altering "disorders."  We pursued multiple remedies and treatments.  My endeavours have proved to be fruitful, at times nearly complete, but overall far less successful than satisfied me.  My regimen of allergen avoidance, systemic healing through herbs and real foods, using homeopathy and essential oils for acute attacks, as well as supplementation with myriad nutrients and probiotics was a necessary and beneficial healing program...but the results left me frustrated as I continued to suffer and I watched my children struggle in different ways.  I began to despair over my inability to "fix" our problems and refused to believe that my most sensitive child would forever be plagued with potential anaphylaxis (when exposed to nuts), eczema, night terrors (which are a type of seizure) and asthma.

And then, one winter day, a serendipitous epiphany occurred.  My oldest son happened to drop into my lap the latest edition of the Beeyoutiful catalog, asking me to look at one of the humorous anecdotes inside.  As I thumbed through the pages, I came upon an article about gut health and immediately began reading.  When I finished, I knew I had discovered the answer for which I had been seeking for so long.  When I showed the article to my hubby, who is generally "hands off" in the health realm, happily deferring to Mama Herbalist, his reply was simply, "Order the book."

Well, that is the story of how I discovered gut dysbiosis, GAPS, and the answer to everything.  Now, let us take this apart, bit by bit...and in under five minutes!  Just kidding...can't make any promises there, LOL.  So...what is gut dysbiosis, GAPS, and why should you care?  The answers are forthcoming...stay with me.

How Your Gut Rules Your Life

All diseases begin in the gut.  -- Hippocrates

The importance of gut health was not a new concept for me.  As holistic healers will tell you, health begins in the gut.  That simple but profound truth cannot be over-emphasized.  This concept begins to crystallize when you understand that an estimated 70% of your immune system is in your gut (not only does your small intestine house a network of lymph nodes, but the bifidobacteria meant to live in your colon also activates the production of lymphocytes...and this is just the beginning of the immunity processes provided by your gut).  Your gut is the primary "gate keeper" to your bloodstream and it is the system by which you are fueled.  It houses the majority of your beneficial flora, which are necessary for processing the food you eat, and which play a key role in your overall health.  It is vital that the gut be in good working order.

When we speak of the "gut," we refer to the gastro-intestinal system (the digestive system from mouth to anus), including stomach, pancreas, intestines, etc., with a particular focus on the intestines.  In the holistic health realm, overcoming leaky gut syndrome and fungal (candida) overgrowth are often suggested for conquering various ailments.  Both concepts are familiar to most of us who have struggled with allergic "sensitivities" and chronic GI difficulties, as well as "brain fog."  I have completed numerous candida cleanses and diets in the past, receiving relief, but found the results to be frustratingly short-lived.  Combatting leaky gut was another area where I did not achieve the desired results.  It was not until learning about GAPS and putting together all the pieces that I understood why.

GAPS is the acronym for Gut and Psychology Syndrome, a protocol designed by neurologist and nutritionist Natasha Campbell-McBride to heal gut dysbiosis and its subsequent physical and mental disorders.  Her book, Gut and Psychology Syndrome, clearly outlines the issue of gut health and malfunction, and describes the healing program that will free you from the ailments caused by a malfunctioning gut.  The program consists of three elements: the dietary protocol (composed of the Intro diet and the Full diet), detoxification, and repopulation of beneficial flora.  (See Resources at the end of the post for McBride's book, GAPS websites and other information.)  

The following is a simplistic overview of gut dysbiosis, its components and results.  For detailed information and a thorough understanding of this critical subject, please read McBride's GAPS book (I believe this book should be read by every family in America).

Gut Dysbiosis...What It Is
Gut dysbiosis is the term used to describe the ailing state of the intestines when the balance of beneficial flora becomes overrun with malevolent flora...harmful pathogens (bacteria, fungi, viruses, parasites, protozoa, etc) that colonize in and take over your gut.  [Did you know that there is a "good" E coli population meant to exist in your gut that produces K and B vitamins, antibiotic substances, and fights the "bad" E coli that enters your body?]  

Candida albicans

This pathogen overload causes detriment to the physiology of the gut and its actions.  One major side effect of this dysbiosis is that the lining of the intestines becomes compromised, leading to the condition known as leaky gut.  For example, bacteria like Spirillaceae push apart intestinal cells and fungi like Candida put roots into the intestinal lining.  These actions effectively "rip open" the gut lining, hence leaky gut.  

With the host of necessary beneficial flora suppressed and the gut lining no longer intact and working effectively, all sorts of things are able to pass through the intestines and enter the bloodstream...things not intended to pass through, such as undigested food molecules, microbes, viruses, toxins, etc.  Furthermore, this weakened condition of the gut and its friendly bacteria causes malnourishment through the body's inability to absorb and distribute nutrients.  In fact, many bad flora eat your ingested nutrients!

How It Happens
In a well-functioning system, bad flora (McBride calls them "opportunistic flora") are held in check by the resident good flora.  When your good flora are damaged/destroyed, the bad flora move in and take over.  What destroys good flora?  I won't even give you three guesses for the first answer...right, you guessed it...pharmaceutical drugs, primarily antibiotics; but most drugs will damage good flora (especially when taken regularly or for prolonged periods), such as pain killers, steroids, contraceptives, sleeping pills, antacid/heartburn drugs, antipsychotic drugs, cytotoxics, etc, etc, etc...  Next on the list of beneficial flora killers is diet, primarily an overabundance of sugars, grains and processed foods.  Illnesses and infections can damage gut flora, as well as stress.  And the final assault on flora comes from the modern scourge of environmental pollutants, such as mercury, lead, fluoride, radiation, and the rest.

One of the most important elements of understanding gut dysbiosis and how it affects children is that babies inherit the gut flora of their mothers, primarily through the birth process.  I won't delve into the details on this point here...McBride covers it thoroughly.  But ladies, you need to understand that if you (and you likely most certainly have) lived/live with any level of gut dysbiosis when you were/are having your children, you have passed this dilemma on to them.  We'll look in detail at symptomatology in a bit; it is important that you understand and acknowledge this malfunction as a family affair.  Fathers are involved as well, because through sexual contact, their flora (the good, the bad and the ugly) transmit to the mother, where it takes up residence in combination with her own flora.  So mama alone is not "to blame" when we discuss how baby's gut gets populated.

What It Does
The detailed explanation of the malevolent flora and their negative effects on all aspects of our health is far beyond the scope of this post.  I have no desire to overwhelm readers here with the technicalities of gut physiology and anatomy (enterocytes, villi, T-cell production, etc) and why it is so essential that this system be healed.  But you need to know these things, so McBride's book is a critical component to your achievement of wellness.  Let's look briefly at the results of gut dysbiosis.

In addition to destroying your intestinal lining and the balance of beneficial microbial activity there, pathogenic overgrowth creates an extraordinary toxic load in the body.  As with all living organisms whose life-cycle includes taking inputs and producing outputs, the "bad guys" living and feasting in your gut release metabolic by-products; theirs are quite toxic.  The deleterious effects of the toxins released by the pathogenic overgrowth in your gut have far-reaching physical and mental repercussions.  Some of the toxins suppress stomach acid production, further complicating the inability to properly digest food.  Certain pathogens (like the Proteus family, the E. coli family, and the Staphylococci family) produce histamine; when these bacteria take hold in the gut and are not controlled by beneficial flora, the overload of histamine in the system (your cells' production + bacterial production) wreaks havoc, resulting in increased allergic responses as well as low blood pressure, excessive production of bodily fluids, hypothalamus dysfunction and hormonal imbalances, sleep disturbances, emotional instability and addictions.  

Besides causing physical ailments, the toxic by-products of pathogenic flora lead to cerebral depression and mental dysfunction.  For example, the fungus Clostridia produces a toxin similar to tetanus, which causes over-sensitivity to light and noise, abnormal muscle tone, and severe inflammation of the digestive system.  It is important to understand that malevolent gut pathogens change brain chemistry.  Their neurotoxins affect the development and function of the brain and nervous system, leading to such malfunctions as depression, anxiety, learning disorders and autism spectrum disorders.  Again, McBride's enlightening book comprehensively covers the pathogenic flora families and their negative impacts.

*****
Before continuing our discussion of how gut dysbiosis affects the brain, I want to briefly touch on the issue of food intolerances that I broached in the close of my Real Milk post.  Despite the health benefits of raw grass-fed milk, some sensitive people still react to it.  While raw milk advocates rightly point out that real milk can help allergies, there still exists a population of children and adults who cannot tolerate it.  I believe many people do not connect physical or mental ailments with milk (or grains, etc) when it most likely is a culprit.  And why would a "real food" be a problem?  The answer lies in GAPS.  

When the gut lining has been compromised, undigested food molecules can pass through.  Certain food molecules are more detrimental than others.  Casein is one of the worst.  A recent awareness of "good vs. bad" casein has arisen after the publication of Devil in the Milk.  I respect Woodford's work and his efforts to explain the issues involved in varying forms of casein and its deleterious effects.  I believe it is a valid piece of the entire puzzle.  But I am of the opinion that the more harmful component promoting casein damage is leaky gut syndrome.  Casein can be broken down only when a healthy population of beneficial flora is doing its job.  So in GAPS, not only is the casein not being digested and/or contained in the gut and moved out safely, but its components are seeping through the gut lining and entering the bloodstream.  The resulting undigested milk protein causes typical dairy intolerance symptoms (mucus production, GI distress, headaches, rashes, etc); but physical stresses are not the only result of improperly digested casein.  The most detrimental casein peptide is casomorphin, an opiate.  These opiates cross the blood-brain barrier, causing various disorders and malfunctions (they contribute to the list that will soon follow).  

Grains can cause similar problems due to the gluten peptide, gluteomorphin.  Many people find themselves to be grain intolerant, even when soaking the grains to break down the phytic acid.  When we pursue a traditional real food lifestyle (ie Weston Price/Nourishing Traditions), it can be frustrating to find our bodies responding badly to the nourishing diet we are consuming.  McBride's GAPS protocol is a "pre-Nourishing Traditions" program that addresses the existing gut malfunctions, healing us so we can enjoy a real foods lifestyle.
*****

The Gut-Brain Connection
The physical disorders and ailments caused by a malfunctioning gut are often painfully obvious.  But many people are unaware of the connection between their mental/emotional dysfunctions and their impaired gut physiology.  While the gut-brain connection may not yet be a widespread concept, it is a well-established fact.  As others in this realm have rightly noted, the brain is an organ.  It is ludicrous to suggest that mental/emotional disorders are unrelated to the physiology of that organ and other bodily systems, but are rather solely the province of the "thought life."  It is even more absurd to suggest that the dysfunctions appear arbitrarily and that they cannot be effectively healed.

The gut-brain connection in autistic children was observed and explained by Andrew Wakefield.  His studies on groups of afflicted children revealed the common factor of colon inflammation.  The severity of bowel disturbances ranged from mucous membrane erosion and pus-filled abscesses to severe enlargement of intestinal lymph nodes.  To learn more about Wakefield's ground-breaking discoveries in the realm of autism and the gut-brain connection, please see Mercola's interview with Wakefield.

Neurogastroenterologist Michael Gershon has spent many years studying the gut-brain connection, and has termed the gut our "2nd brain."  His book, The Second Brain is a thorough technical read on the subject.  You can read about his findings in the following articles:  Scientific American article, NYT 1996 article, and NYT 2005 article.

The following articles demonstrate and discuss the gut-brain connection and its significant impact:
Gut bacteria influences behaviour
Holistic health and 2nd brain
Nutrient molecules and gut-brain

When we struggle mentally or emotionally and seek to understand both mild and debilitating brain malfunctions, we need to remember that in many cases...It's not all in your head; it's in your gut!
________

GAPS Ailments
While McBride's present work focuses principally on the mental ailments caused by gut dysbiosis, we do not want to overlook the physical ailments associated with and caused by impaired gut function.  McBride's work mentions many physical disorders; numerous health practitioners have written/taught about these issues through the years.

So let's look at the multitudinous list of symptoms/ailments/disorders/malfunctions that encompass the world of GAPS and which can be healed with the protocol.  This list is a compilation of McBride's clinical findings and practice, as well as my body of knowledge and experience in this arena.  (I undoubtedly will leave off something from the list that belongs...)

• compromised immunity
• any allergy/intolerance/sensitivity (this category involves a host of symptoms)
• asthma
• skin eruptions and abnormalities (acne, rashes of all types, psoriasis, hives, eczema, etc...remember, rashes are never about the skin, but about something going wrong inside the body...unless you've rolled in poison ivy, LOL)
• headaches
• excessive mucus production
• ear infections/sinus infections
• Yeast overgrowth (vaginitis, fungal foot growth, bad breath, etc.)
• bladder difficulties: excessive urination, incontinence, infections (excess urine production is one of the body's mechanisms for flushing toxins)
• bowel difficulties: gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea [An important note: A healthy system will pass a normal bowel movement at least once daily...normal being not hard/rocky/pebbly, not watery/mucusy, no straining required, no burning, not terribly foul smelling and the occasion not necessitating reading material, LOL]
• acidic urine/stools, acid reflux, heartburn, belching, etc.
• GI disorders:  "irritable bowel syndrome," ulcerative colitis, Crohn's, Celiac, etc.
• liver malfunctions, blood sugar imbalances
• pain/inflammation syndromes (such as fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis)
• tooth grinding/nail biting
• eating disorders
• autism spectrum disorders (includes vast symptomatolgy)
• mood disorders: PMS, excessive swings, depression, anxiety, anger, etc.
• "personality" disorders: schizophrenia, manic depression, OCD, bipolar disorder, fear disorders, hallucinations, heightened senses, etc.
• seizures: an umbrella that includes night terrors, tics, fainting, narcolepsy, idiopathic epilepsy, et. al
• insomnia, night waking, nightmares (and night terrors, as in seizures)
• lethargy
• learning dysfunctions (dyslexia, speech "defects," learning delays, et. al)
• dyspraxia
• lack of mental clarity, confusion
• poor concentration, hyperactivity (ADD/ADHD)

Well, that pretty much covers everything, doesn't it?  If you do not see yourself even mildly in the list above, count yourself as extraordinarily blessed and unusual.  I personally do not know anyone who doesn't exhibit some symptomatic variation of gut dysbiosis.

Parents, before you exclude the possibility that your child suffers from even a slight form of gut dysbiosis, do a mental historical picture of your child from babyhood.  Consider the following questions (you need not answer yes to all of them):

Did your breastfed baby routinely spit up after nursing?  Was your baby colicky or fussy or subject to crying jags?  Was baby sensitive to overstimulation?  Did baby wake frequently?  Were there skin eruptions (from some pimples to full-blown eczema)/diaper rashes?  Were urine and/or stools acidic (even to the degree of burning the skin)?  Was there constipation (remember, stools should be passed daily) or diarrhea (stools should be soft and formed, not runny or acidic)?  Routine hiccups, burping, gas?  [These are all signs of food intolerance; anything a mother eats can irritate her baby through the breastmilk.  The primary candidate is dairy, then eggs, wheat, corn, soy...but any food can do it.  In the past, my advice has been an elimination diet to clear the breastmilk of offending foods...this would be practiced as long as needed to ease baby's suffering and protect baby's GI development.  For example, for the two years I nursed my first son, I was able to consume only three to five foods to keep him from being miserable and reactive.  When he started eating on his own, he lived with a restricted diet for a long time.  While trigger avoidance is necessary for your child's health and well-being, I now see a better way.  The intolerances are a principal symptom of gut dysbiosis; rather than perpetually avoiding irritants, it is better to heal the system altogether, which is what the GAPS protocol does.]

As your child grew...was your potty-trained child troubled with bed-wetting?  Rashes/skin disorders of any sort?  Sinus/respiratory problems?  Ear infections?  Frequent colds?  GI problems?  Bowel issues? Sleep disturbances?  Tooth grinding?  Mood/behavioral/concentration trouble?  Learning/speech difficulties?  The list could continue....[These symptoms indicate food intolerances, but also begin to involve other allergic reactions such as pollen, dust, dander, molds, etc.  Again, GAPS is the superior answer.]

Many people, including myself, have attempted to resolve their (or their children's) imbalances and ailments through a particular nutritional regimen or with supplementation of varying forms.  I am now fully convinced that without first sealing/healing the gut, no amount of nutrient supplementation will help to the degree that you need or desire.  As long as the gut wall is compromised and your system is overrun with pathogenic flora, you cannot absorb/use said nutrients; much of those supplements and your money are being flushed.  (Think of a Netherlands' dike that has sprung multiple leaks.)  So fix the wall first, line it with defenses, and then address any remaining nutritional needs.

Ladies, it would behoove you to seriously consider doing even an abbreviated GAPS program before becoming pregnant.  This will provide a wonderfully nourished body in which to grow baby and will help to ensure that baby's gut is colonized properly at birth.  Doing the Intro diet followed by six months of the Full GAPS diet is a recommended minimum for women looking forward to pregnancy.

Final thoughts and Gleanings
I've done anti-fungal diets in the past.  I've done allergy elimination diets.  I've been vegan, I've gone dairy-free, I've been grain-free.  Nothing brought the complete results for which I was searching (although I felt much better when I was grain- and dairy-free).  Why is GAPS different?  This protocol seals and heals the gut, detoxifies the body and repopulates necessary beneficial flora.  Rather than following a practice of "trigger" avoidance, we are actually healing the physiological mechanism that protects us from being reactive.  Additionally, it is ineffective to individually treat for parasites or fungal overgrowth without first sealing/healing the gut and repopulating your beneficial flora.
If you want to achieve legitimate healing, it is important that you:

• Read ALL the materials (GAPS book and GAPS Guide) first before beginning the program.
• Begin with the Intro phase.
• Do NOT be tempted to cheat or "change" the protocol...stick with it as it exists.

Even if you previously ate a real food diet and used probiotic supplements, progress slowly and gently through the program, adding probiotic foods a little bit at a time; work your way methodically and patiently through the Intro stages.  Many people venturing into GAPS territory attempt the program by going straight to the Full GAPS diet, skipping the Intro phase.  Perhaps moreso than even McBride, I highly discourage this maneuver.  If you desire complete healing, DO NOT SKIP INTRO.

The amount of healing and the speed at which it will take place depends largely upon the severity of the disorder and how long it has been present.  

You need to be prepared for die off during this process.  Because bad flora thrive on the sugars you ingest (carbs, ie grains, starchy veggies, sugar itself), implementing the Intro diet immediately begins to starve the buggers.  Additionally, your consumption of probiotic foods (and supplements) will nourish your good flora, enabling them to grow and begin killing the invading pathogenic colonies.  As the pathogens die, their toxin releases intensify, which can make you feel ill.  Die off is described in McBride's book, the GAPS Guide, and GAPS support websites.  I will briefly relate that your level of die off will depend on how many and how quickly toxins are being released.  Symptoms can be your normal ailments exacerbated; die off can cause powerful sugar cravings, headaches, lethargy, nausea/vomiting, incontinence, crankiness, hyperactivity, and a host of other issues.  But be not dismayed...die off is temporary (from a few days to weeks depending on your level of dysbiosis)...and you will be delighted in the knowledge that you are destroying the invaders and healing your system.

Things I love about GAPS
I love that the program is built on the truth that saturated fat is GOOD for you!  This is a fundamental truth whose suppression has caused serious health problems for our entire society.  The essential nutrients and protective fat in animal and other saturated fats (like coconut and palm) are crucial to our bodies' normal functioning and optimal health (especially the brain).  Americans' obsession with "fat-free" foods and "lean" meats has contributed heavily to their health downfall.  This topic will be explored with more depth in a future post.  Until then, you can begin understanding the truth about good fats by reading The Cholesterol Myths, Diet & Heart Disease, Put Your Heart in Your Mouth, Know Your Fats, Nourishing Traditions, and The Good Fat Cookbook.

I love that McBride recommends juicing for detoxification and nourishment.  Juicing is very cleansing and a wonderful way to support your liver (especially when you add beet to your combination).  And I can attest that you will never so much enjoy carrot-pineapple juice as when you are allowed it during the Intro diet.  Homemade raw juices (must be juiced...no fiber...no blending) are a vitamin shot...a cleansing energy boost.  The daily juices are a real treat.

I love that bone broth is the backbone of the GAPS program.  This potent medicine of "days gone by" is wonderfully healing.  We all should have some every day.  It truly heals what ails you.  

I love the emphasis on home-fremented sauerkraut as a flora-populating, immune-boosting,  vitamin C-rich, probiotic food.  Truly not difficult to make, sauerkraut is a super food that belongs in everyone's diet...and it just tastes good, too!

I love the emphasis on non-toxic living, especially a chemical-free home.  That is good advice for everyone, GAPS or not.

I love that McBride emphasizes that GAPS is a family affair.  And who wouldn't benefit from such a richly nourishing diet and wellness lifestyle?

In Closing 
While I respectfully disagree with McBride's (and other GAPS authors) positive views of vaccination and pharmaceuticals, I believe her work to be eminently vital to our collective understanding of how to be well.  Countless people are suffering needlessly from physical and mental malfunctions; they are being told (by the establishment...AMA and Big Pharma) that there is no cure, only control and suppression.  Imagine the pain and suffering that could be alleviated...the drugs and psychiatric treatments that could be avoided...if people knew the beautiful truth about gut dysbiosis.  These ailments, some quite serious and debilitating, can be HEALED...simply and effectively.  

What have you to lose by pursuing this protocol?  Yes, the program demands diligence and dedication.  There is a learning curve.  Yes, you will experience temporary discomfort as your body sheds the pathogenic flora and (most often) goes through some degree of sugar withdrawal.  It is a short-term sacrifice for a worthy long-term goal...it is for your health and future well-being.  Looking at the big picture, only certain foods must be avoided for an interim in your life; once you learn the program, it will become routine.  And the extra time it takes to make the homemade healing foods is a worthwhile investment in your future eating habits and continued wellness.  Because, frankly, if you have not yet been living a homemade/real food lifestyle, this is the time to start.  Aside from healing your gut and ailments, this program will spur you to a necessary lifestyle change.  

I have written a tome without describing in detail the actual GAPS healing protocol.  Other resources, which are listed below, do an excellent job.  It is very important that you read the GAPS book (and preferably GAPS Guide) before attempting the program.  I will be posting through the next week (as I can) to share with you the journey my family is making through the Intro portion of the program.  In those posts I will provide specific attributes of the diet and protocol, as well as share the additional herbal/supplementary program I have designed to aid the healing process of the GAPS diet.  I will describe the healing my family has already begun to experience, as well as a pleasant, unexpected "side effect."

My personal journey for answers to the allergy riddle has made many twists and turns over the years.  Discovering the GAPS protocol is the first time I feel full clarity of the issues involved and have hope for long-term healing.  I cannot say with assuredness that all allergies are the body's response to a compromised gut, but I feel certain that most are.   The fact that people's "allergies" are being overcome by healing the gut makes it apparent that they are not an inherited genetic destiny, but rather the result of abnormal gut flora colonization and the resulting gut damage.  (For those of you unfamiliar from my previous writings, I do not adhere to the fatality of genetics; predispositions are not necessarily genetic convictions.) 

You and your family may have no difficulties with allergies, but you most likely have some malfunction that can be addressed by healing the gut.  Remember, health begins in the gut.  I cannot overemphasize this...solving gut dysbiosis is essential to regaining (or, in the case of your children, establishing) good physical and mental health.  True wellness cannot take place until the gut is sealed, healed and colonized with good bacteria. 

Resources

     
 GAPS Guide 2nd ed. paperback
 GAPS Guide 2nd ed. epub file (most versatile file type) 
 GAPS Guide 2nd ed. mobi file (Kindle)

McBride's book(s) and recommended protocol supplements are sold at www.gapsdiet.com.  I highly recommend that you purchase the discounted combination of McBride's GAPS book and the GAPS Guide book, written by Baden Lashkov, a richly experienced mother who healed herself and her son of significant mental and physical defects using the program.  The GAPS Guide is now in its second edition and available in two electronic file forms.  While McBride's book details the GAPS program, the GAPS Guide was written as a practical manual (full of Q&A and valuable instructions) to help people begin and use the GAPS protocol.  Baden maintains an exceptionally helpful website, www.gapsguide.com.  

Cara at healthhomehappy provides GAPS meal plans/menus, and explains many aspects of the GAPS program.  Please peruse her site and see especially the following entries: GAPS family, recipes, info and Who's Talking Grain-Free?

Again, gapsdiet.com is one of the main sites that offers McBride's materials, recommended supplements, and maintains a wealth of FAQs, Q&A, and GAPS info.

Mercola interview with McBride, great summary!

McBride publishes an information site at doctor-natasha.com and also gaps.me.

Online community support can be found at the GAPS yahoo group.

Baby GAPS chronicles one nursing mama's (and her toddler's) experiences with GAPS.

To Take or Not to Take...Missing Nutrients and Supplement Quality

Through the years, I have received numerous questions about what vitamin/mineral, nutrient and herbal supplements to take.  I have spent much time and study regarding the use and benefits of various supplements and have attempted to determine which nutrients are essential for supplementation and what brands are the highest quality.  This is not as easy a task as I would prefer, LOL, nor is it a completed task.

The consumer market is flooded with supplement products.  It seems there is a new item being merchandised every week.  There is no lack of available products from which to choose.  Unfortunately, you cannot walk into any health food store and be assured that whatever you pick off the shelf is a quality product.  Just because it is marketed in the "alternative health" realm does not mean it is actually viable and beneficial.

I am of the opinion that it is ideal to receive all essential nutrients from real food.  But we find ourselves in the conundrum of not being able to rely merely on food because of the modern scourge of industrial agriculture that has raped our soil and depleted it of nutrients, not to mention the industrial pollution that has spread toxins into our soil and water.  An interesting study is to compare the nutrient quality of food items from a few decades ago to those being grown now.  

Thomas Pawlick, in The End of Food, highlights tomatoes in his investigation of the degenerating nutritional quality of food.  For example, from 1963 to 2002, USDA food tables show that tomatoes have lost 31% of their vitamin A and 62% of calcium.  A summary of Pawlick's work, including the nutrient breakdown, can be found here.  [I came across an interesting class assignment from the University of Guelph in Canada that uses Pawlick's book.]  You can examine current USDA food tables at the agency's website.

Did I mention that those studies were on conventionally grown foods?  Makes sense.  What about organically grown produce?  While I believe organic produce also would be less nutritious than in times past, it certainly is more nutrient dense than the industrial counterparts (check out next2eden's article on the topic).  But it still begs the question...can we get all the nutrients we need from real food alone?

Sadly, I think not...at least, it would be difficult to do so.  One would need to be eating daily and weekly portions of wild cold-water fatty fish (like salmon and sardines), organic grass-fed beef and/or lamb, homemade marrow-rich bone broths and fish broths, raw organic cultured dairy foods such as kefir and yogurt, multiple daily servings of organic fruits and vegetables grown in organism-rich soil (including root veggies and squashes)...and a large variety of them.  That is not an all-inclusive list by any means, but it gives you the idea.  Even those of us who try to eat as much of this nourishing food as possible are going to be subject to certain deficiencies based upon our individual body's needs, the state of our natural beneficial flora, the other "non-real" foods we might be eating, and our exposure to toxicity (all of which greatly influence your ability to absorb and use nutrients).  As much as I desire to rely on food alone, I believe there are times when we require more.  Hence, supplementation.

As I will discuss at length in an upcoming post, herbs are foods and when used in their natural whole food form, they are exceedingly nutritious.  Herbs can be used for nutrient supplementation; teas are a wonderful way to use herbs for their vitamin/mineral content.  You can also take encapsulated herbs (dried, ground herbs), or just mix powdered herbs into a smoothie or even a glass of water.  This is a wonderful way to boost your daily nutrient intake.  As I said, more on this in greater detail in future...but until then, you could start your "herbs for nutrition" journey by reading Mark Pedersen's Nutritional Herbology.

I have a list of supplements that I have chosen over the years as "essentials;" it is by no means an exhaustive recommendation.  I think we all would thrive with particular additions to our diet, such as high-quality fish oils, probiotics, and nutrient-dense superfoods like algae and berries (camu camu, bilberry and goji are at the top of my list).  I might compile my list of favorites for a future post.  My desire here is to cause you to cogitate on the issue of food nutrient losses and to encourage you to question the quality and viability of the multitudinous consumer supplement offerings.

Lest my message be misconstrued, I want to emphasize that I do not want a government regulatory body telling me what supplements I can take and limiting my choices any more than I want the government telling me I cannot drink raw milk or birth my babies at home.  Such intervention is an unwarranted and malevolent encroachment.  On the contrary, when it comes to any consumer products, I believe the free market should be allowed to regulate itself.  With an educated populace making informed choices, the offerings of little or no quality will fail over time.

It is important when choosing supplements that you do some research on the company and its offerings.  Every supplement company has (or should have) a phone number for consumer questions.  Any manufacturer unable or unwilling to give you source and product information should be avoided.  Good companies often offer research materials on their products and ingredients.  Certainly, some companies have excellent reputations and are recommended by respected holistic practitioners.  These are usually a good place to start; if you trust the recommendation, you might by-pass the research phase.  When you do have an opportunity to receive product information, weigh it carefully.  You should be buying supplements of the purest natural quality possible.

I can tell you from personal experience that many of the vitamin supplements sold today are sourcing their ingredients from the same place.  Many supplement constituents are derived from corn or other undesirable sources.  I have found that there exists much less diversity among manufacturers than one would expect...in this world of global sourcing, the components seem to have been aggregated by fewer and fewer producers.  Buying from smaller manufacturers can help you to avoid the "mass-market" quality dilemma, but it is not a guarantee...you need to do some homework.

My message here is the same one that reverberates throughout this forum...question, question, question.  Don't assume anything.  Until next time, be well and become your own expert!

Radically Natural Remedies: Glorious Garlic...Nature's Antibiotic

"The role of Garlic as an antiviral and antibacterial agent is unsurpassed. There are no...repeat, NO...modern antibiotic drugs in the entire arsenal of medical science that even come close to doing what Garlic can do."     -- John Heinerman (medical anthropologist)

Perhaps one of the best-known and most-loved medicinal foods, garlic (Allium Sativum) has been valued throughout history for its potent broad-spectrum antibiotic properties.  The "stinking rose," as it were, has innumerable benefits and can be used to successfully treat disorders and illnesses without negative side-effects or toxicity (unless you call garlic breath a negative side-effect, LOL...frankly, that's nothing considering the havoc wreaked on your body by the pharmaceutical alternatives).  Garlic's medicinal properties and its uses have been documented in ancient Chinese, Egyptian and Roman literature.


Garlic can be used for disease prevention and to fight all kinds of infection.  Much of garlic's healing power comes from its allicin content, which is a sulfur-containing compound.  The allicin gives garlic its pungent odor.  But that smell heralds miracle medicine, so if you don't already, you should learn to love it.  It is important to note that when using garlic medicinally, the best form to use is the raw cloves...and they must be crushed or sliced.  This is the action that releases (activates) the allicin and garlic's healing potentials.

Let's examine some of garlic's wonderful properties and abilities:

• antimicrobial, antibiotic, anti-fungal, antibacterial, antiviral, antiparasitic, antispasmodic, immune-stimulating, cholagogue (stimulates contraction of gallbladder), diaphoretic (promotes perspiration, detoxification, reduces fever), hypotensive (lowers blood pressure)
• blood thinner = garlic exerts a "normalizing" effect on blood viscosity; its reputation for blood-thinning is accurate, but it must be noted that unlike synthetic chemical agents (drugs), garlic has never been shown to make the blood too thin.  It would be wise, however, to not consume large medicinal amounts of garlic if using blood thinning drugs; garlic works so well as a natural blood thinner that it should be used instead of drugs.
• blood pressure reducer = garlic is used in China and Germany as a blood pressure medicine; garlic's ability to lower blood pressure mostly likely comes from its adenosine content, which is a smooth-muscle relaxant; researchers believe garlic relaxes the smooth muscles of blood vessels, effectively lowering BP.
• cholesterol reducer = this, too, has been established by about 20 published human studies.  Up to three cloves of garlic a day have been shown to lower serum LDL cholesterol levels by 15%.
• garlic is superbly effective against intestinal parasites; it destroys harmful bacteria and combats viruses; garlic is a potent detoxifying agent.  Taking garlic with cayenne and vitamin C at the onset of cold symptoms can keep you from getting sick.
• garlic is highly effective against fungal (ie yeast/Candida) infections and irritations.  Garlic can be used in various ways to treat such infections (see below).
• garlic is anti-carcinogenic = researchers have found certain garlic compounds that destroy aflatoxin, one of the leading causes of stomach and liver cancer.  In animal studies, garlic consistently blocks cancer, including 75% lower colon tumors and 70% blocked breast cancers.  Human studies have shown that people who consume three ounces of garlic (and onions) daily are 40% less likely to get stomach cancer.  These are merely a few published examples of garlic's prowess in preventing and fighting cancer...information on the topic abounds. 
• garlic's broad-spectrum antibiotic properties are effective against gram-positive, gram-negative, most major infectious bacteria, and antibiotic-resistant (of the drug variety) bacteria; garlic even kills viruses.  For active infections, garlic is most effective when consumed raw.
• garlic is likely the most tested herb in the world...research trials worldwide have proven garlic to activate the immune system and to successfully destroy the bacteria that cause dysentery.  Chinese and African doctors have found garlic to be effective against such microbial infections as cryptococcal meningitis, viral encephalitis, toxoplasmosis, and more.

"If only one herb could be used to combat an epidemic spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, this would be it."  -- Stephen Buhner, author of Herbal Antibiotics

Before looking at how to use garlic medicinally, I would like to briefly discuss why a food/herb like garlic (and many other herbs as well) will continue to be an effective antibiotic agent while drugs will continue to fail and produce antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria.  It's actually quite simple, which assists with my attempt at brevity, LOL.  [The following summary is derived from Buhner's excellent book, which I highly recommend.  It clearly documents the issues of drug-resistant bacteria and instructs in the use of medicinal plants that will triumph as drugs continue to fail.]

Bacteria learn.  And they communicate information to one another rapidly and frequently; they also pass along this information to their offspring.  Bacteria are highly adaptable and have the uncanny ability, through a kind of "trial and error," to create chemical responses to antibiotic agents...allowing the bacteria to survive or even disable an antibiotic.  By doing so, these bacteria are able to grow even stronger; they pass on this ability as they reproduce.  Even worse, bacteria learn how to resist multiple antibiotics from encountering only one.

So why does garlic succeed where penicillin fails?  Garlic contains 33 sulfur compounds, 17 amino acids, and 12 other compounds, all of which provide garlic with 28 known active constituents (and around 35 other "unknowns")...allicin, for example.  How many active constituents does penicillin have?  One...that's it...just penicillin.  The bacteria, as it encounters and learns, must "unlock the code" to each constituent it faces.  The answer, my friends, is simple arithmetic.  As Buhner writes, "Faced with this complex chemical makeup, invading bacteria find it much more difficult to develop resistance or avoid the medicine's impact."

Uses and applications

As I said above, the most potent form of medicinal garlic is raw crushed cloves.  Powder can work, but does not exert the same strength.  Administering garlic to children can be a bit tricky because of its acrid qualities.  I will give below guidelines that I like to use with garlic treatments:

Dosing:

• For illness prevention or for treating blood pressure and/or cholesterol imbalances, eat 1-3 fresh cloves daily.  Adding fresh garlic to salad dressing is an excellent way to eat it.  Spreading fresh, crushed garlic on buttered toast is another.  It is important that the garlic releases its juices, where its strong medicine resides...it is a good idea to crush/squeeze the cloves over a small bowl to catch these juices.
• If you struggle with the oral burning of fresh, raw garlic, and/or you encounter stomach upset (which is a possibility with large amounts), try mixing the crushed garlic in a small amount of raw honey, which is protective of mucous membranes.  You can add the garlic + honey to water and drink the mixture.  This is helpful when ingesting frequent doses for acute illness.
• During serious infections (viral/bacterial, etc), consume the juice of 3-9 heads (bulbs) daily...this guideline is a wide swath; start with the lower amount and work up as you feel necessary.  Clinicians advise adding the juice to carrot or tomato juice.  The juice of a head of garlic is extraordinarily potent in small amounts.  Start with 1/4 tsp. garlic juice to mix in a glass of carrot or tomato juice (water works if you have no juice; it just doesn't mask the garlic) and work your way up to more potent doses if needed.  This can cause vomiting, but is NOT harmful.  Says Buhner, "You won't die if you take too much, but you will want to."  So start small.  If you do not have a juicer, look at this link for how to make garlic juice.
• In my experience, eating the crushed cloves (including the juices) of one head of garlic throughout a day is effective at healing UTIs and Mastitis (use as long as is needed, generally two to three days...don't quit until the infection is conquered...watch in future for full posts on those ailments).  
• For internal use, Philip Fritchey, in Practical Herbalism, recommends garlic juice at 1/2 to 1 tsp, 3-4x/daily; whole raw cloves at 1-3 daily; powder at 4-8 large capsules, 3-4x/daily; tincture 1/2 to 1 tsp, 3-4x/daily; syrup 1-2 tsp, 3-4x/daily; and oil 1/2 to 1 tsp, 3-4x/daily or every hour for acute conditions.
• James Duke in his Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook agrees that using garlic whole is better than any processed supplement available and recommends eating 1-5 cloves daily to treat various ailments; juice and syrup in the same amounts as Fritchey above.
• To use for fungal infections, internal consumption and external applications are often necessary.  Especially useful for the ladies is garlic as a vaginal suppository to deal with yeast flare-ups.  Nick a peeled clove and insert before bed...it can help to coat with coconut oil first; remove in the morning.  Do as often as symptomatic.

Recipes:

• To make an herb oil, place 3-4 cups chopped fresh herb...in this case, garlic bulbs, in a saucepan (NOT aluminum or teflon-coated) and cover with extra virgin olive oil, just enough to barely cover the herb matter in the pan.  Simmer slowly and stir frequently (just keep checking to make sure it isn't boiling or burning) until the herb material is crisp, anywhere from 4 hours to a full day depending on moisture content of herb.  Strain and bottle.  Keeps best if refrigerated.
• To make garlic honey syrup, follow method above, but replace oil with honey and simmer for an hour or two.  Find other recipes here: garlic syrup recipes, miracle of garlic syrup and garlic syrup.
• To make a garlic poultice, which is great for treating children, place a few cloves of crushed garlic in a small piece of thin muslin or cotton (an old t-shirt works well)...even a paper towel works; fold into a little square packet, moisten with hot water, gently press excess water out, and apply.  It helps to tape on the poultice packet with surgical skin tape (this can be acquired at medical supply stores or drugstores); even better, wrap the poultice on with an ace bandage.  The best application place for a poultice when fighting general infection/illness is the bottom of the feet.  The pores there are larger than other parts of the body; the medicine is more quickly absorbed through the skin and passes into the bloodstream.  When dealing with a localized infection, such as on arm or leg, wrap the poultice directly onto the wound.  These poultices may also be used on the chest and back for respiratory illnesses; garlic is a useful expectorant and can help expel phlegm from the lungs while it works to combat the infection.  Rub a bit of olive or coconut oil on the skin first to prevent possibility of burning; check the skin every few minutes to be sure the garlic juice is not causing any irritation.  Keep the poultice on for 10 minutes if possible (if the skin begins to feel "burned," remove the poultice immediately) and do this procedure throughout the day...every 1-3 hours depending on severity of infection.  
• Garlic is excellent for drawing out infections and toxins, and promotes healing.  Slices of garlic can be applied directly to the skin for treating such things as warts, infected wounds, skin cancers, etc.  To avoid burning yourself, be certain to apply a thin layer of oil to the skin before the garlic.  If left on too long, the garlic will burn you...so be aware and careful.

I hope this brief look at garlic has inspired you to try it for whatever ails you.  Garlic is our potent ally in multitudinous ailments, disorders and illnesses.  And remember, one of the most distinct advantages of using garlic rather than a pharmaceutical antibiotic is that garlic does not destroy the good bacteria and flora that is meant to live in your body and protect your health.  Garlic truly is miracle medicine.

For further information and to begin more of your own research:

Websites

Miracle of Garlic

Garlic kills cancer cells

Journal of Nutrition: Garlic and Cancer
Properties and uses of garlic
General information
Garlic at Herbs 2000...LOTS of info

Books
Heinerman's Encyclopedia of Healing Herbs & Spices by John Heinerman
Food: Your Miracle Medicine by Jean Carper
Herbal Antibiotics by Stephen Buhner
Practical Herbalism by Philip Fritchey
The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook by James Duke
Nutritional Herbology : A Reference Guide to Herbs by Mark Pedersen
Herbs for Health and Healing by Kathi Keville

Radically Natural Recipe: Roast Turkey in Less Than One Hour!

I roast a fair amount of turkeys throughout the year...they are not simply Thanksgiving fare around here!  We don't eat commercial cold cuts, and we don't eat chicken as a general rule, so home-cooked turkeys are on the monthly food prep routine.


I love the smell of a roasting turkey.  I love eating turkey.  But I do not love struggling over the turkey to cook it, so I was thrilled when I discovered the "under an hour" turkey roasting technique.  Maybe this is new to only me, but I tried it, was impressed with it, and wanted to share.




We found a local source of organic pastured turkeys, purchased a handful of them and put them in the freezer.  I roast a turkey a month (hoping to do twice a month when we get more) and use the meat for sandwiches, soups, curries...whatever strikes my fancy.  I use the carcass to make bone broth...so many nourishing meals from one bird!  And anything that makes the process easier is a boon, so now to the technique:

The first step is to remove the backbone of the turkey.  That may take a bit of practice and slight force to get through some of the bony parts, but it isn't too difficult.  Save the backbone for stock.*  [After you have roasted your turkey and removed most of the meat from the bones, add the carcass to the backbone to make broth.  You'll get a nice amount of meat from the backbone and perhaps the carcass to keep for soup or another recipe.]

Next, you need to flatten the bird.  This step requires a bit of leverage and more strength.  (Having hubby help is nice...we did an 18 lb. bird so it required more upper body strength than I had to offer that day.)  You will hear bones crack...keep going.  You are trying to get it as flat as you can, spreading the breasts out.  By exposing as much surface area as possible, you are speeding the cooking process.  That is the key to this technique.


Finally, place the bird in your roasting pan or any baking dish in which it will fit.  Try to tuck the legs and wings closely to the body, even protecting the breast a bit if possible.  Rub the skin with butter or olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and ground pepper, and tuck garlic cloves all over the bird and into its legs, wings, crevices.  I also put some cut apples and pears in the pan and tucked into the hollows of the bird.

Roast at 450 degrees (of course, you preheated the oven even though I didn't mention it, LOL).  Check the bird in 20 minutes; baste if you desire...I didn't bother.  You can turn the heat down to 400, but I left it at 450.  Check again in 15 minutes to see if the bird is done.  Cooking times vary based on size of bird.  My bird cooked completely in about 50 minutes.  Use an instant read thermometer to assess roasting completion...it should read 160 to 165 degrees in the thigh (the bird continues to cook once removed from oven, so don't cook it to death, LOL) and when pierced, the bird's juices should run clear.  [I checked temp at 35 minutes into roasting, and the juices were pink and temp was 130ish...so I kept cooking and checking every 5 to 7 minutes.]


The following links walk you through this process with pictures, video and directions:
Bittman's 45-minute Turkey
Martha Stewart Cutting Out Backbone


*If you are not familiar with making your own bone broths, you definitely want to begin doing so.  Bone broths are a highly nourishing food and easy to make.  Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon is a good place to start learning more about bone broths.


I make broth by using meat bones (in this case, the turkey bones/carcass), covering with filtered water, adding a generous dash of apple cider vinegar (this helps to draw the calcium and other minerals out of the bones), sea salt, roughly cut onions, garlic, carrots, celery, fennel (bulb and fronds), sometimes apples, and whatever herbs strike my fancy.  Play around...you'll discover what fun creating real healing food can be.


Simmer the stock for 12-24 hours.  I start mine in the evening and allow it to simmer overnight and check it in the morning.  After it is cooled, remove the large parts and strain the broth into another bowl or pot (if I have a small batch of stock, I strain into a large glass pitcher).  Pick through the remaining meat and store for future.  You can pour the stock into canning jars and freeze IF you leave enough headroom, which is an inch or so.  You can also pour into ice cube trays and freeze, which makes convenient amounts of easily usable broth...this is my favorite method for "last minute" recipes for which I need broth but did not plan ahead to thaw an entire jar.


Bon appetit!

Let's Talk About Real Milk

The elixir of life...liquid gold...it does a body good...???  Milk is good for you, right?  Well, not exactly...It all depends on how you define milk.

I know...I've come a little late to the dance, LOL.  But I may have a slightly different perspective to share, or just some helpful reminders, so I will sally forth.

What is real milk?  Simply defined, it is the unadulterated milk obtained from a lactating mammal that is eating its natural diet and living a natural lifestyle.  Historically, human cultures consumed or used milk from cows, goats, sheep, camels, water buffaloes, and likely others.  As far as compatibility to the human system (comparable nutrient profile and protein density), resulting in the most efficient digestibility, I think the evidence points to goat (or sheep) milk.  But our society's milk of choice is that of the cow, so we will focus on cows' milk here.


Before diving in, I should share a caveat...I am not of the opinion that milk is an absolutely crucial part of everyone's diet.  I believe that humans and mammals have been designed to provide the perfect, appropriate food to their babies (ie mama's milk).  I believe as we mature from childhood to adulthood, we lose our need for milk...that we should progress from "milk to meat" and other types of dairy foods, if desired.  I believe a variety of plant and animal food sources provide the essential nutrients we need that are often attributed solely to milk.

Having said that, I believe that anyone who desires to consume milk has the right to Real Milk and should pursue it above any other form of "milk."  Personally, I LOVE butter and real whipped cream; I enjoy many cheeses (especially chevre) and do not want to eat my oatmeal "dry."  In our household, raw milk is a vehicle for homemade kefir and yogurt, which are indispensable fermented foods.  I see milk as a means to creating other delicious and nutritious foods; but I do not believe that a milk deficit would be damaging.  OK, let us return to defining Real Milk.

Real cows' milk comes from grass-fed, free-ranging, drug-free cows; the milk is not corrupted through pasteurization and homogenization, both of which destroy its nutrients and make the milk nearly undigestible to the human body.  It is important to understand the anatomy and physiology of our food animals when we seek to understand what they should eat.  When man, out of a desire for convenience or profit, changes the natural diet and lifestyle of an animal, he creates health problems for that animal and less nutritious (and potentially dangerous) food for the consumer.  Cows need exercise, sunshine and their natural diet to be healthy, which ensures healthy milk and meat.

A cow is not designed to eat anything other than grass.  Period.  Feeding a cow grains, particularly corn, causes physiological distress to the animal and the proliferation of potentially harmful pathogens (one of which is e coli 0157...read more about e coli and corn-fed cows).  The health benefits of grass-fed raw milk (and beef) are numerous, including gut-healthy beneficial bacteria; higher levels of vitamins D, A, K and Activator X; higher levels of omega fatty acids and cancer-fighting conjugated linoleic acid; and a proliferation of good fats.  Additionally, because of its beneficial bacteria, raw milk sours with time rather than turning rancid; sour milk is a usable and healthy food.  Information abounds on the health benefits of grass-fed milk, eggs and meat, so I will not generate a long list here.  Check out these links: benefits of grass fed milk, meat, eggs and grass fed facts as well as a tale of two milks.

Simply put, if you are going to consume dairy, it should be the real thing.  DO NOT fall for the half-truths, manipulations and lies sold by the establishment regarding the "danger" or raw milk, such as shared in this article.  If you cannot obtain raw, grass-fed, organic milk and dairy products, you are better off not consuming any milk at all.  Commercially produced dairy products are not health-giving foods (more on this below).  Please do not attempt to drink raw milk from a conventional dairy with grain-fed, confined cows...it will not nourish you and it could make you sick.

And here is one of the areas where I part ways with Sally Fallon (I'm sure it is anathema to disagree with Sally, but I will brave potential disapproval).  Don't get me wrong...I really like Nourishing Traditions.  I greatly appreciate the work of Weston Price and the foundation.  I routinely share NT with others; I find it to be an important asset to the growing body of knowledge about real food and how to prepare it.  But no one is perfect and we all make mistakes.  I was once a vegan who ate copious amounts of processed soy.  I shudder to remember the long-lasting health problems I gave myself with that diet.  But I digress...

One of Fallon's flaws, which I suspect stems from her seemingly ardent affinity for milk, is her recommendation to consume pasteurized whole milk in the absence of being able to find raw milk.  With all due respect, this is horrid advice.  Pasteurized milk is far more than merely inferior to raw milk.

I can think of no nicer way to say it...industrial milk is poison.  Avoid it like the plague.  There is no lack of information about the deleterious health effects of industrial milk.  Allow me to highlight a few of the problems with industrial milk:

• It is the most allergenic "food" on the planet, creating intolerances and allergic sensitivities; it causes and contributes to inflammation, mucus production, digestive upsets, constipation, eczema, colic, ear infections, acne, arthritis, autism-spectrum disorders, diabetes, leukemia and more.
• Pasteurization kills natural milk enzymes that help break down lactose (the "problematic" milk sugar) and assist with calcium assimilation.
• Pasteurization kills most of milk's vitamins, such as A, C and B12; it damages essential nutritional elements, such as iodine.
• Pasteurization makes much of the milk's calcium insoluble and indigestible; the "you need milk for calcium" campaign perpetually heralded by the dairy industry is incredibly misleading...that usable calcium even exists in industrial milk is a myth.
• Pasteurization decreases milk's amino acids, changing its protein structure; it turns milk's fatty acids rancid.
• Homogenization (the process of breaking apart milk's fat molecules) damages milk's good butter-fats and its fat soluble vitamins like A and D; destroying the butter-fat makes any vitamins and minerals left in the milk harder for the body to use.

I will stop here and encourage you to continue your research on the dangers of industrial milk.  The following links contain a plethora of information, links and summaries of studies:

No Milk page
Don't drink that milk!

Pasteurized Problems part 1 and Part 2

We covered the basics of industrial milk's nutritional deficiencies and its negative health effects; let's take a moment to examine a few more detrimental facets of industrial dairies.

• Modern cows are "freaks of nature" bred and drugged to produce up to 12 gallons of milk daily; real cows naturally produce only three to four gallons daily.
• Factory farm dairy cows have over-active pituitary glands, producing larger than normal amounts of growth hormone; in addition, the cows are given synthetic growth hormone, which passes through the milk...this hormone has been shown to increase insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) in humans.
• Nearly 90% of American cattle are infected with leukemia; in Dec. 2003, researchers from UC Berkely published findings that 74% of people in the community (study population of 257 people) were infected with bovine leukemia viruses (read about the study here).
• As a result of their forced unnatural diet, dairy cows suffer chronic mastitis, diarrhea, liver problems and early death (the average lifespan of a modern dairy cow is five to six years, half the normal lifespan); the milk from these cows is often filled with pus from infections...to combat such infections, routine mega-doses of antibiotics are administered.
• The cows are confined in a factory farm setting (CAFO = Concentrated Animal Feed Operation), receiving little sunshine and fresh air, and spend much of their time standing or lying in their own feces.
• After pasteurization, the milk is "replenished" with synthetic vitamin D2 and D3 (D2 can be toxic and has been linked to heart disease).
• Chemicals to restore taste and reduce odor are added to the pasteurized milk.

Even if we were to believe the industry's claims that none of these elements can harm us, which is a ludicrous claim, the fact remains that dairy industry practices and the CAFOs are inhumane and downright disgusting.  I defy you to drive by a CAFO, roll down your window, look and smell, and say otherwise.  And I don't know about you, but I have had mastitis in my years of nursing, and it is miserable.  Can you imagine being forced to produce four times the milk your body can naturally create...and the structural pain associated with the enormous "mammary glands" you would be wearing?

Industrial milk (and beef) producers are raising animals in a completely unnatural environment, feeding them substances their bodies were never designed to process, which destroys the health of the cows and leads to dangerous illnesses and pathogens in the milk (and meat).  And to compensate for this absolutely ridiculous and dangerous practice, to cover their foul deeds (and to "protect" consumers on the other end), the producers want to boil the milk to death (or irradiate the meat).  It defies reason.  If the animals were fed a natural, nourishing diet of food they can actually digest and were allowed to roam freely in clean pastures rather than standing ankle deep in their own feces, industrial dairy farmers would not have a resultant slew of nastiness in the milk of sick cows that needed to be eradicated.  Utter madness.

To read more about CAFOs and the conventional dairy industry, go to Sustainable Table on Dairy Issues (not necessarily championing raw milk, but good info on the dairy industry), Cheese Slave's post on Dairy Differences (a fun read providing a peek at the way milk should be produced and a look at a very clean, not-to-be-considered typical industrial dairy), What Dairy CAFOs are hiding, the No CAFOs website, and CAFO photos and more photos.

Despite the dairy industry's persistent lobbying, marketing, misdirecting, and truth suppressing, the raw milk revolution continues to gain ground and more people are becoming aware of the truth about real milk.  This is a good thing.  Many people however, either because they cannot find a raw milk source or they feel they cannot afford to buy it, are purchasing Organic industrial milk.  This is not a good thing...

Many producers of Organic milk have been industrial dairies desiring to profit by jumping on the Organic bandwagon.  Few of their industrial practices have been abandoned.  To be certified Organic, the milk producer must merely "allow access" to the outdoors (that tricky, slippery regulation again...check out my "Truth in Labeling" post on this issue), use organic, non-GMO feed, and refrain from administering growth hormones and routine antibiotics.  In theory, Organic milk should be a boon for health-conscious consumers...fewer toxins, higher nutrient profile.  Right?  Not exactly.  The truth about Organic milk is not what most consumers suspect (read more about Horizon Organic milk, the truth about Organic milk and the Wal-Mart effect and industrial Organic cheating).

So, some Organic milk cows are still grain-fed, living in CAFOs, producing an unnatural amount of milk, suffering from the same illnesses as the "non-Organic" cows, and the milk is still being pasteurized and homogenized.  In fact, much of the Organic milk is ultra-pasteurized (ultra-dead); shall we wonder why?  General claims are to extend shelf life, but I suspect the extra precaution might be taken because of pus and pathogens present in certain dairies' milk as a result of the cows' lifestyles and diets.

But let's assume that you don't buy your Organic milk from Walmart (WM degrades organics) and that you know the Organic milk you purchase is produced by grass-fed, non-CAFO cows.  New USDA Organic legislation says that Organic dairy cows must graze outside for 120 days/year.  That would certainly be a healthier and more humane option.  But the milk is still pasteurized and homogenized.  Ah, there's the rub.

So, buying Organic milk is not saving you from all the nutritional deficits and negative health effects of industrial milk.  Organic milk is a waste of money.  Don't bother...save yourself the headache (and the GI distress) and save your money; if you cannot purchase raw grass-fed milk, buy organic kale and Blue Ice Fermented Cod Liver Oil.  And don't worry...you won't develop a calcium deficiency by missing milk.  Do some research on calcium and mineral-rich foods (seaweeds are fabulous, as are homemade bone broths).

A word on cultured and fermented dairy products...  Homemade, raw kefir, yogurt and soured milk products are a nourishing and helpful component of the "real food pantry."  Much has been written about these foods, so I will not elaborate here.  I would like to emphasize how important it is that you culture your own dairy products and that you use raw milk.  In the debate over whether you can/should use adulterated milk (pasteurized, Organic or conventional), I certainly side with those who say you cannot create a living food from one that is dead (especially ultra-dead Organic ultra-pasteurized milk).  Inputs determine outputs...it's a simple truth.  The myriad lost nutrients in dead milk cannot be resurrected by kefir or yogurt starters.

As for store-bought dairy products, like sour cream, cream cheese, yogurt, etc, the same holds true.  If the milk used to make such items was pasteurized, don't bother consuming them.  These foods are completely different animals from those created using traditional processes.  For example, commercially produced sour cream is created using acids to artificially sour the cream, while traditional sour cream is made with a bacterial culture and natural fermentation process.  The industrial and the home-cultured products are altogether different.  Commercial dairy foods will do you more harm than good; adulterated dairy contributes more heavily than any other food to allergies, sensitivities, intestinal maladies and the brain malfunctions that result from the gut-brain connection.  You are not doing yourself any favors by consuming such foods.  The only way to achieve nourishment and avoid deleterious health effects from dairy foods is to start with raw, grass-fed milk and culture/create all your own products.

In closing, I would like to touch on a point of personal significance.  Many allergic/dairy intolerant people have found that switching to raw milk alleviates their sensitivities and numerous maladies.  This is a reasonable expectation, considering the facts.  Yet some sensitive adults and children still struggle with even raw, grass-fed milk.  A few theories exist as to this dilemma, and I have my own cogitations on the subject, which I would like to share in future.

I hope I have been able to compel readers not already in the grass-fed-raw-milk-only camp to abandon the other illegitimate options.  And perhaps those of you already in camp now have more ammunition to share with people who need to know the truth about real milk.  Until next time, be well and Become Your Own Expert!

________________
The following websites provide excellent general information about real milk and where to find it:
Raw milk facts
Real Milk
Eat Wild

For further reading (Disclaimer: I have signed up to be an Amazon affiliate; if you buy a book from one of these links, I will receive a small commission.  Just wanted to be honest about that):
The Untold Story of Milk by Ron Schmid

The Raw Milk Revolution by David Gumpert

Holy Cows and Hog Heaven by Joel Salatin

The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan

Milk: The Deadly Poison by Robert Cohen Don't Drink Your Milk by Frank Oski 

Radically Natural Remedies: Healing with Hydrogen Peroxide

My family has enjoyed the healing benefits of hydrogen peroxide for some years.  This remedy is so easy to use and fairly inexpensive; it makes a nice addition to the natural medicine repertoire.

Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) is a multi-purpose anti-microbial and, as one pro-H2O2 author has stated, is "essential to life."  Most people are familiar with hydrogen peroxide as an antiseptic for wounds, but its myriad further uses are less well known.  Rather than re-inventing the wheel here, I would like to share a few facts about hydrogen peroxide via quotes from an excellent article on its health benefits, which is an essential read (Benefits of H2O2):

"...the cells responsible for fighting infection and foreign invaders in the body (your white blood cells) make hydrogen peroxide and use it to oxidize any offending culprits. The intense bubbling you see when hydrogen peroxide comes in contact with a bacteria-laden cut or wound is the oxygen being released and bacteria being destroyed. The ability of our cells to produce hydrogen peroxide is essential for life.

...we now know that vitamin C helps fight infections by producing hydrogen peroxide, which in turn stimulates the production of prostaglandins. Also lactobacillus found in the colon and vagina produce hydrogen peroxide. This destroys harmful bacteria and viruses, preventing colon disease, vaginitis, bladder infections and a host of other common ailments. 

The friendly bacteria in the colon and vagina are aerobic. In other words, they flourish in high oxygen environments and thrive in the presence of oxygen rich H202. On the other hand, most strains of harmful bacteria (and cancer cells) are anaerobic and cannot survive in the presence of oxygen or H202."

The article continues with a discussion of using H2O2 in oral and intravenous applications, and the numerous ailments/disorders that respond positively to H2O2 therapy.  The entire discussion is beyond the scope of this post, but I encourage you to read the article as well as the other links I will add below.  You may discover a vital personal use for H2O2.

Outside of using H2O2 as a wound cleaner, our primary application of hydrogen peroxide has been to ward off colds and flus, which it does admirably.  Using H2O2 as a gargle can prevent a sore throat from taking hold and developing into a full-blown upper-respiratory infection.  I gargle with a mixture of 1 Tb. H2O2 to 1 cup filtered warm water.  Often one round is all I need to avoid a sore throat.  For a more stubborn situation, continue gargling every hour throughout the day.  Swallowing the hydrogen peroxide is safe AS LONG AS you have a proper dilution and you are using food grade H2O2.

Many holistic practitioners rightly advise H2O2 for ailment therapy, but neglect to specify the need to eschew typical store-bought "pharmaceutical grade" peroxide.  While certainly "cheap," those H2O2 products contain toxic additives (stabilizers) that are best avoided.  Food grade H2O2 is the correct choice for both external and internal applications.  It is more expensive, but can be purchased in larger quantities and because it must be diluted, it lasts a long time.  As the above cited article instructs, you want to dilute your H2O2 to 3% before using.  [You can actually be "burned" by higher concentrations...it is not very painful, depending on the strength, but not desirable...I have done this and it is interesting; the skin turns white and "prickles."]

The best technique I have learnt and used to avert a potentially developing flu/cold is the H2O2 in the ear trick.  Viruses enter your body through open cavities, and the ears are a favorite place.  Microbes can travel from the outer ear through the semi-permeable tympanic membrane, invading and multiplying in your body.  By applying H2O2 into the ear canal at the onset of virus symptoms, you can stop the illness before it starts.  This is not a guaranteed cure, but it has worked so incredibly well for us that I hope you will try the therapy.  You will want to lie on your side and put about 10 drops of H2O2 into the exposed ear (if you are like me, you cringe at the thought of liquid in your ear...but it is for your own good, LOL).  Allow the H2O2 to stay in the ear at least 5 minutes, or until the bubbling/fizzing/popping stops. If you have any microbes (bacteria, virus, etc) in your ear canal, the H2O2 will encounter it and begin killing it (this action releases oxygen, which causes the fizzing).  Turn your head over, draining the ear onto a towel, and repeat with the other side.

This technique is easy, inexpensive and effective.  We have adopted the H2O2 ear canal protocol as a prophylactic against viral infections whenever we know we have been exposed to such an illness or we are traveling.  Take a small glass bottle of H2O2 with you on your trips and administer before and after flying.  (We use the H2O2 as an illness preventative once daily for the duration of our travels.)  Remember to leave a small amount of head room in the bottle for expansion with air pressure changes, or you might end up with a wee bit o' mess.  [Amber boston round bottles with caps in the 2 oz. size work nicely and can be found online or at health food stores.  I do not recommend the dropper tops because the expansion caused by the H2O2 gases damages their rubber.]

Young children may not allow you to drop H2O2 into their ears, in which case I use cotton swabs soaked in the peroxide.  Gently swab around the ear and just into the opening of the ear multiple times if you can.  You might be able to convince a skeptical child to allow you to administer drops by making it a game of listening for the "popcorn" in his/her ear.

[This remedy works wonders at the onset of viruses, but be careful if you or your child already has an ear infection.  In that case, you don't want to pour the H2O2 directly into the ear canal, as it can irritate the swollen ear drum and cause more pain.  It would be fine, though, to swab around your ear and inside the ear gently with a cotton swab soaked in H2O2.  This will help to combat the microbes involved in the infection.]

And don't forget that you can swab inside your nostrils, too.  Ear, nose, throat...H2O2 has you covered!

The following links provide additional information on H2O2 and the cold/flu technique, as well as purchasing options.

H2O2 for colds
H2O2 Info, including dilutions
Mercola on colds, including H2O2 info
12% Food Grade H2O2 at Lucky Vitamin
35% H2O2 at Pure Health Systems

While I did not intend to expand the H2O2 discussion beyond these simple health techniques, I would be remiss if I did not mention H2O2's wonderful qualities in home cleaning!  You can use hydrogen peroxide to kill bacteria in your house rather than using toxic bleach.  Just dilute the peroxide half and half with water, and voila!  Natural germ removal.  I should have put H2O2 on my cleaning essentials list!  I think I will do so as an edit even now.  I will be discussing H2O2 in laundry applications in that future post.  But I digress....

Until next time, be well and Become Your Own Expert!

Beyond Organics...Truth in Labeling

Listening to the latest Earth Eats* installment got my ire up...it was the opening news segment...just one more spotlight shining on the corruption in the food industry.  


The first news story was about the latest school district ban on flavored milk (good for you, Los Angeles public school system...now how about cleaning up the rest of your franken-food offerings?).  The LAUSD decided that the "negative effects of these artificially sweetened beverages outweigh their nutritional benefits."  [Ummm...Hello?!  WHAT nutritional benefits?  No time to dwell on that now...]  The reporter correctly pointed out that the amount of sugar in the "milk" is the same as in Coca-Cola and Mountain Dew.  Of course, as the food news highlighted, the dairy industry's response to the ban was a lame attempt to defend the corn syrup-ladened, processed, industrialized fake-food milk product, by stating, "the sugar is necessary for the children to enjoy drinking milk and thus receive the calcium and other nutrients they need."  You have GOT to be kidding me!  These industrial food people and their PR...it's just too much.  And we, the public, are supposed to continue buying their crafty spin?  Wake up, America!

But it gets worse...the conventional food industry is not the only villain at large.  How many people, attempting to make healthy food choices, realize that the Organic food industry is not what it may seem?  [In the following, "big O" Organic stands for the Organic industry; "little o" organic means natural, clean, real food.]  Case in point, as the food news continues...Organic Valley, the nation's largest "name-brand marketer" of Organic eggs, has been accused of violating "federal organic standards" by not giving the chickens enough time outdoors.  Yet the USDA standards are not clearly defined...the agency does not specify what it means to be outdoors.  Organic Valley's practice (which has been certified by the state of California, where the farms are located) is to confine the birds to porches...with roofs and floors.  There is no free ranging and foraging on pasture, little to no exposure to sunshine; this greatly affects the nutrition (or should I say lack of nutrition) in those eggs!  How do you get vitamin D from an egg that was laid by a hen who receives no vitamin D?  A natural chicken's diet includes grass and bugs...without which the bird is not optimally healthy, which translates into missing nutrients in the eggs.

This is just one example of the Organics industry revealing its true colors as the government-regulated cousin of the conventional, industrial food system.  Organic standards are defined by government; that, by the very nature of the system, makes the standards obscure and inferior.  Once-small, independent organic companies by-and-large have sold out to the system.  Even the goliath industrial food companies are jumping on the Organics bandwagon.  The commercial term "Organic" no longer means what it once did.  The moment it became federally standardized and regulated, it became adulterated.

Let's return to the egg example.  Consumers "in the know" want eggs from healthy, humanely raised chickens...organically fed, drug-free, pain-free, allowed to roam freely outside in the sunshine and fresh air to eat naturally from pasture teeming with nutrient-dense grass and bug life.  (That is what consumers should want, as those would be the only nutritionally worthwhile and morally supportable eggs to eat.)  So consumers who do not buy their eggs directly from a small farm shop for eggs by reading cartons or buying based on reputation.  Consumers look for certain keywords and catch phrases...free range, cage free, etc.  But what do these terms really mean?  And there's the rub.  Because the terms are defined and protected by government regulatory agencies, they mean very little.

By USDA standards, the term "free range" qualifies for any operation in which the birds are "allowed access to the outside."  The farmer must simply house the birds in a facility with a "chicken door" that opens to the outside.  That's it.  No regulation stating that the birds must actually GO outside, and no standards about what OUTSIDE means...could be a very small concrete patio with a roof (oh yeah, like Organic Valley's facilities).  The sad truth is that when the birds are raised in confinement, they will not choose to venture through that door to the vast world outside.  They are conditioned from birth to live within the walls and that is where they remain.  Is that free range?  Not by a stretch.  Truth in labeling?  I think not.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg.  The ugly truth behind the Organics industry spreads deep and wide.  The Organic label is not the panacea we deserve it to be.  For example, did you know that the majority of Organic lettuce grown in this country (primarily in CA and western states) is watered with rocket fuel?  Did I get your attention?  Much of the Organic lettuce (and other produce) grown in the west is irrigated with water from the polluted Colorado River.  One of the toxins found on the lettuce was perchlorate (yep, rocket fuel...sadly, it's in just about every water supply in America).  The amount of perchlorate measured on the lettuce was "thousands of times higher than what the EPA considers to be a safe amount..."  I don't know about you, but I hesitate to call lettuce contaminated by polluted irrigation water "organic."

Even the regulations regarding allowable chemicals in Organic farming are loose and confusing.  For the sake of wrapping up, I will leave you to read for yourself:
http://web.pppmb.cals.cornell.edu/resourceguide/appendix/appendix_e.php
Organic pesticides?

I will close by urging you to examine more carefully what Organic really means in the marketplace.  I hope to propel you toward further study and questioning.  It is ludicrous for us to trust the government and expect it to keep our best health interests at heart.  And we cannot rely upon the for-profit food industry (including the Organic industry) to benevolently maintain excellence in clean food standards.  Whole Foods certainly won't protect you.  And don't forget the far-reaching effects of the biggest baddie on the block, Monsanto, who is soon going to be allowed to "police" itself, which shouldn't be a surprise considering that Monsanto man Michael Taylor is "food czar" of the FDA.  Can you say collusion?  I would love to go into minute detail, point by point, of the profuse and critical issues.  But I cannot.  So I leave you to begin (or continue, depending on your current knowledge base) your research here.

Is Organic food really organic?
Organic GM crops?
Organic sellouts
Whole Foods gives in to GMO
Monsanto self-policing
Food Safety Bill and Monsanto

I leave you with this final thought.  We need to get beyond Organic, eject from the system, and pursue truly clean, organic, real food.  We need to demand more.  Vote with your fork!  Until next time, be well and Become Your Own Expert!
_____________________________
Please visit the following website to learn more about how your "free range" birds are being raised.  (You absolutely do not need to be a vegan to care about the well-being of your food animals.  And you do not need to eschew animal foods to ensure humane treatment and care of food animals.  More on this in future.)
Free Range truths

Read more about toxic water on your vegetables:
Toxic lettuce

The following is a decent site for news and information regarding the Organics realm (I do not claim it to be above reproach...I am not a fan of everything there, but it's a good place to start):
Organic Consumers Org

*Broadcast by Indiana Public Media (and NPR), the Earth Eats podcast features information about real food and green living (check it out at http://indianapublicmedia.org/eartheats/podcasts/ or on itunes).

Gout Begone!

Despite my best efforts to be organized and share information in a particular order, life keeps throwing things at me and I see opportunities in that to build my public knowledge base...

...So let's talk about gout!  Really? Gout?  But that's such an obscure ailment!  Well, apparently not...at least, not in my sphere of influence. LOL  I have had the opportunity to help with a few cases of gout in the last couple years and it came up again this past week, so I feel it apropos to add it to the slowly growing library of health issues here.


Of course, being the convention-questioning herbalistmama that I am, I will begin the discussion with a reminder that there are NO arbitrary and isolated illnesses.  These ailments do not come upon us randomly, nor are they disconnected from our holistic physiology.  Treating the symptoms of gout is not a remedy for the real problem.  And when someone has gout, the real problem is the kidneys (and also the liver).  BUT...for the sake of brevity (too late, some may say), this post will specifically address how to deal with gout, which can be debilitatingly painful.

Gout is an excessive production and accumulation of uric acid; it is a symptom of kidney malfunction.  The acid accumulation tends to settle in the lower extremities, most often affecting the big toes and front portions of the feet.  The synthetic drugs prescribed to deal with gouty symptoms do not heal the gout (shameless reminder two: drugs do not heal disease) and they often greatly irritate the stomach (shameless reminder three: drugs always have side effects...those you can feel immediately, and those you cannot, such as organ function disruption...especially the liver).  We can, however, treat the gout with natural medicine and bring relief to the condition.

Various treatment regimens exist for this condition.  I am going to share the regimen that I have recommended with success.  Look to the links at the end of the post to explore more about gout and to learn additional healing options and helpful information.

Our goal with this treatment is to:

• Reduce pain and inflammation, increase circulation
• Alkalize the body
• Break up the uric acid and eliminate its excess production
• Begin to tone the kidneys

The first element in achieving this goal is proper hydration.  Yes, there is a full post in the works about this very topic...so I won't give away the farm here, LOL.  In this instance, you need to hydrate the kidneys and to flush the excess uric acid out of your system.  Suffice it to say that it is essential when treating the gout that you drink 1 ounce of water for every pound of your body weight...consuming a minimum of 1 gallon of pure (filtered) water daily (not distilled, and never tap).  Add 1/2 tsp. sea salt for every gallon of water consumed (this helps to maintain proper mineral balance).

Secondly, the essential daily supplement regimen for reducing gout inflammation is:

• Quercetin 1,000 mg 3x/day with meals
• Bromelain 500 mg 3x/day
• Cherry Extract 1,000 mg 3x/day (eating organic cherries or drinking raw, organic cherry juice is even better!)
• Activated Charcoal 2 caps 3x/day   (draws out toxins)

The essential herbal/dietary elements are:

• Celery Seed Tea (this is one of the most important elements of the gout treatment; celery seed is exceptionally potent in eliminating gout) = 1 Tb. celery seed in 2 cups boiling water; strain when seeds are soft (after 10 minutes minimum steeping); drink 1/2 cup 4x/day
• Additional herbal tea = 1 tsp nettle, 1 tsp mullein, 1 tsp parsley in 2 cups boiling water; steep 15 minutes, drink throughout the day (these herbs feed and tone the kidneys; nettle is superb at drawing out uric acid)
• Potassium = eat 2 to 3 bananas daily (or other potassium-rich foods, such as sweet potatoes); potassium decreases uric acid production
• Baking Soda = 1/2 tsp in warm water, drunk at each meal (alkalizes system to combat uric acid production)
• Apple Cider Vinegar (raw, organic) = 2 Tb ACV + 1 tsp. raw honey in warm water before bed (another excellent alkalizer and toxin reducer)

The third element, and the one that most quickly reduces the pain of gout, is the Foot Soak.  The elements in this soak help to break up and eliminate built-up uric acid, and relieve inflammation/pain.
In a small basin (plastic dish tub or large pyrex baker) combine:
   1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
   4+ cups warm water (add as needed to fill basin)
   1/2 to 1 tsp. ginger (start small and add more as needed)
   1/2 to 1 tsp. cayenne
Soak at least 10 minutes and do this as often as needed throughout the day.  Be sure to rinse your foot after the soak, as the ginger and cayenne can feel irritating to the skin if left caked on without emulsifying/demulcent agents (as in a salve).

Using a cayenne-based salve can reduce gout pain and increase circulation.  And applying a poultice is an effective way to draw out the uric acid and reduce inflammation.  A simple poultice can be made by mixing a small amount of activated charcoal powder and Pascalite (or bentonite) clay with a bit of cayenne pepper (adjust the cayenne to your personal comfort level).  Mix with apple cider vinegar to make a paste, apply to affected areas and wrap with plastic wrap or cotton cloth.  This is especially helpful for overnight applications.

Finally, I must stress that it is vital that you avoid alcohol, caffeine and soda, all of which put undue stress on your kidneys and liver and will hinder your ability to deal with this condition.

Homeopathic remedies can be helpful in treating gout.  [Use as with any homeopathic treatment.  These are very basic instructions:  3-5 tablets dissolved under the tongue; no food/drink except water 15 minutes before/after; use as needed every 30 minutes or longer depending on symptoms; cease when symptoms improve]  This list is NOT exhaustive:

• Colchicum = one of the best remedies for gout, but not easily found in stores (can be ordered online); indicated for intense big toe/heel pain; joints swollen, red, hot; sensitive to touch; throbbing especially in evening.
• Arnica = bruise-like pain, difficulty in walking
• Belladonna = throbbing, hot pains worse upon touching
• Bryonia = tearing pain worse from slightest movement
• Ledum P. = shooting pains throughout foot/ankle; big toe and foot swollen

(See links below for more information.)

The daily regimen I have suggested may seem more onerous than popping some pills, but the treatment will work to heal the condition as well as alleviate pain.  You must commit to this regimen completely before determining its efficacy.  You will not improve if you approach it "willy nilly" and try one or two things haphazardly or half-heartedly.  Stick to the program for at least one full week.  As you begin to see results, you will appreciate the effort you have made.  Getting bodily systems to respond and repair takes time.

Your gout flare-ups should decrease as you pursue this treatment.  But I cannot stress enough the fact that real healing will come only from addressing the cause of the gout...the kidneys.  That is a longer subject for another day.  Do not forget that your kidneys (and liver) are the real issue and cannot be ignored.  Study kidney health and maintenance...make a commitment to cleanse, tone and nurture your kidneys for your future good health.

A final word...this is how I would deal with gout if I had it.  As with any healing protocol, you need to be familiar with your body, its needs and its responses.  The above advice assumes you are neither pregnant nor using pharmaceuticals.  Celery seed and some of the other nutrients/herbs have diuretic actions, so it would be unwise to use them with pharmaceutical diuretics; you should be sure to maintain good hydration levels.  While the whole food herb approach is abundantly safer and more effective than pharmaceuticals, it would behoove you to understand the potential of strong diuretic action on diseased kidneys; you should do your own research if you plan to vary or increase the elements suggested above.  Until next time, be well and Become Your Own Expert!

Gout at HolisticOnline.com
gout homeopathy
Gout at Herbs2000
celery and gout
Modern Herbal gout

Radically Natural Recipe: Put It in a Smoothie!!!

I love smoothies!  I love playing with flavor combinations; I love refreshing frozen fruit; I love a smooth, creamy texture; I love the color; I love the healthy ingredients that impart amazing flavor without any unnecessary added sugars/franken-foods.

And I LOVE that you can hide otherwise less palatable things in smoothies and get your kids to drink them.

We drink an abundance of smoothies and I never neglect to use them as a vehicle for an extra "health shot."  I add powdered herbs, vitamins, liquid algae, cod liver oil, kefir, wheatgrass, etc. ... whatever needs to be in my children's bodies that otherwise might take excessive work and/or fussing.  The key to successful smoothie supplement "hiding" is FLAVOR!  And the key to good smoothie flavor is excellent, organic, ripe fruit.


I have seen smoothie recipes that call for the addition of sugar...maple syrup, honey or the like (or worse!). While I have been known to add a tablespoon of raw honey to a smoothie (either to cover the flavor of an "overripe" kefir addition or to make up for less-than-ripe fruit), I generally do not like to add generous amounts of sugars to my fruit smoothies.  Honestly, I cringe at the thought of children drinking a "cup full" of sugar...and when I look at the amount of maple syrup some people suggest as a smoothie addition, it doesn't scream, "pure, healthy, blended fruit;" rather, I see children bouncing off the ceiling!  LOL  If your smoothie is so unpalatable that you feel you need to add a 1/2 cup of maple syrup to it, you're doing something wrong.  Save that wonderful maple syrup for topping whole-grain kefir pancakes or baking an apple crisp!  If you really need to sweeten your smoothie a bit, your healthiest option is a small amount of raw honey.

Certain fruits provide sweeter flavor; a no-fail sweet smoothie boost is a really ripe banana.  Ripe pineapple also gives an otherwise potentially "under flavored" smoothie a nice kick.  And adding good, strong cinnamon (preferably ceylon) enriches not only the flavor, but also the healthiness of your fruit smoothie (cinnamon balances blood sugar levels; quite good for people who suffer from hypoglycemia).  My favorite frozen fruit for smoothies is strawberry...when picked ripe and frozen right away, these delicious berries never fail to execute smoothie delight!

Berries typically are the frozen fruit that give smoothies their chill and color.  When you play with different combinations, you will find your own favorites as well as become more familiar with flavor blending for your desired outcome.  I find raspberries and blackberries to be more tart than strawberries, and blueberries tend to fall in the middle of that spectrum.  Exotic fruits such as papaya and mango are a boon to fruit-sweet smoothies, but again, ripeness is key.

A few years ago, when we had access to a local organic farm that offered u-pick days, we brought home 20 lbs. of absolutely perfectly ripened strawberries and froze them.  We had never before, nor since, had such delightful smoothies.  Finding u-pick opportunities and making sure the berries/fruit are at their height of ripeness (which means the height of the fruit's sugar production) can be a wonderful way to stock your smoothie ingredient larder.  Be sure to freeze as soon as you can, and remember not to wash strawberries (and other highly fragile berries such as raspberries and blackberries); the water damages the flesh and encourages mold.  One of the benefits to buying truly organic fruit is that you don't need to wash it...if dirt from the farm remains, just gently brush off the flesh.  A little organic dirt is actually good for you, so don't worry about every minute bit...it will blend! LOL

Here is my basic smoothie recipe, which generally feeds my family of five (all organic ingredients).
[You can add ice cubes if needed to satisfy temperature/texture preferences; this recipe is cold and smooth to our liking.]

• 1 can coconut milk (I like Thai Kitchen brand...very thick and creamy)
• 1 can chunk pineapple or a bunch of freshly cut pineapple
• 1/4 cup kefir (from raw, grass-fed milk...cow or goat...whatever is available)
• 1 ripe banana
• a generous handful frozen strawberries
• some spinach or wheatgrass
• 1 Tb. cinnamon
• some raw cocoa nibs (I like Earth Circle Organics)
• whatever herb/vitamin blend chosen for the day; or liquid algae or cod liver oil

Sometimes I will add an organic protein powder, but we don't use it as a regular practice.  I currently enjoy the Sun Warrior raw, organic, fermented brown rice protein powder.  Whey is an excellent source of protein and is easiest to obtain from your own homemade kefir and yogurt (from raw, grass-fed milk). My family smoothies are not designed as a meal replacer, so I am not concerned about making sure they are extremely protein rich.  If you need more protein in your smoothie, you may want to add more kefir or natural whey, or consider purchasing a good-quality whey or rice protein powder (a discussion of which is not my intent for this post, but suffice it to say that "good quality" would mean not highly processed, no corn syrup or other unhealthy sugars, etc.).  Another great thing to add to your smoothie is raw organic pastured egg yolks.

I always use powdered herbs and superfoods as smoothie additions.  I often add bilberry, goji berry and various nutrient-rich, mildly flavored herbs (such as nettle, ginkgo, and oatstraw).  These whole foods are high in essential vitamins and minerals and contain healing compounds that nourish your body in a way that supplements cannot.  Check out my Links section for websites that sell herbs and powdered superfoods; you can design your own smoothie health blends for your family's needs.  (One of my favorite superfood powder suppliers is http://livesuperfoods.com/)  For children who cannot yet swallow vitamin/mineral/probiotic capsules or tablets, smoothies are a wonderful supplement vehicle.  Just open the capsule into the smoothie and mix (or blend the tablet into the smoothie).  Fish oils disguise nicely in flavorful fruit smoothies.  You'll be amazed at what your children will NOT notice in a smoothie.

One night a few weeks ago, our toddler was suffering from a mild bout of tummy trouble that was causing diarrhea.  My routine remedy for this condition is activated charcoal and pascalite clay.  I mix the two powders in water, making a black sludge, and serve it up.  This is not a favorite drink of my children, LOL, but it is usually drunk without much agitation.  However, the hour of night and the discomfort of my little girl prompted my husband to recommend that I blend up a quick smoothie for the addition of the charcoal remedy.  I was hesitant to make such noise so late at night, but hubby was convinced that the whole ordeal would be better served by a smoothie.  He was right.  My little girl LOVES smoothies and daily begs for them...so when she saw the ingredients going in, and she finally had hold of her cup of happiness, she had no suspicion of the added "sludge."  She devoured the smoothie and the complaints only began when she realized there was no more!

So the next time you are wondering how to get your child to take some necessary healthy (but perhaps "distasteful") supplement/remedy, put it in a smoothie!  And while you are at it, don't forget to drink a daily family health smoothie...it is a delicious way to enjoy your nutrients!

Keeping Clean...The Basics

When it comes to a chemical-free life, we must look beyond our food choices and examine our entire lifestyle.  The easiest place to make a positive, healthy change in your life...and your family's life...is your home cleaning regimen.

Chemical companies have made a "killing" by cashing in on society's unnatural fear and misunderstanding of germs.  The result has been a slew of noxious substances that have contributed to the proliferation of "super bugs" and the impairment of people's immune systems.  The myriad chemical, petroleum-based, perfume-ladened, dioxin-producing, health-endangering cleaning products being aggressively marketed to consumers are not only harmful to you and your children, but they also are a waste of money and completely unnecessary.  You can clean anything in your home with a few simple, safe, natural ingredients.


Home cleaning is like cooking...once you become familiar with the essential ingredients and understand flavor blending, you can create a cornucopia of masterpieces.  In the natural cleaning realm, some basic ingredients can create boundless variations.

But let's start at the very beginning:

• Baking Soda = the original scour powder.  What can I say?  The stuff is amazing.  See links below for great ideas on using baking soda.
• Vinegar (distilled "white" vinegar is fine) = its acidity makes vinegar a potent enemy of molds, bacteria, germs...it deodorizes, shines and removes hard water spots, too. 
• GSE (grapefruit seed extract) = this is an extremely potent anti-microbial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-bacterial...it can be used for water purification, cleaning and medicinal purposes.  It is an effective mold killer.  To learn more about GSE, see the links below.
• Tea Tree EO (see my post about First Aid to read more about TT oil) = this all-purpose antiseptic not only helps to create "anti-germ" home cleaners, but it also imparts a fresh, clean smell.
• Everclear (100 proof grain alcohol) = yep...straight, pure alcohol.  It kills just about everything (and will eventually kill you if you drink it, so don't! LOL), so it is a nice addition to cleaning recipes for moldy or "extra yucky" applications.  I use this when I am concerned about parasites.
• Hydrogen Peroxide (food grade) = fantastic disinfectant; kills bacteria; use instead of bleach.  Use a 3% dilution straight, or combine it half-and-half with water as a multi-purpose surface cleaner.
• Microfiber cloths/mop = these wonderful cloths work on dirt without any cleaning solution...just get them wet, wipe, and the dirt is gone.  The cloths make nice window and mirror cleaners, and the mops are great for solid floors (dry mop pads pick up dust, wet mop pads get up dirt).
• Scrubber brushes or sponges
• Elbow grease = sometimes you need to go the extra mile in removing stubborn stains.  Your home cleaning regimen can be part of your exercise routine. LOL  There are times when I enlist the help of my hubby and his muscles...he certainly gets the baking soda to shine the stainless steel sink in a way that I cannot. 

Various essential oils are beneficial for cleaning; the options are seemingly endless.  Your preferences and your budget will determine which/how many EOs you pursue.  Even herbal recipes are useful for home cleaning.  But this is about the basics, so we'll keep it simple.

For general cleaning, I make a spray (in a quart bottle) of 1/2 part water, 1/2 part vinegar; I add 5 drops GSE.  My favorite extra-strength cleaning recipe (the one I use in the bathroom and around the kitchen prep counter) is a combination of water, 10 drops of GSE, 10 drops of Tea Tree EO, and a couple Tb. of Everclear (in a quart spray bottle).  Also try H2O2 for any germ removing application.

Sinks, bathtubs and toilets get scrubbed regularly with baking soda, in addition to my general cleaning spray.  Toilets require extra elbow grease and get treated to my extra-strength cleaner.  To unclog drains (when not using the most effective "manual" means...ie, digging out the clog or removing and cleaning the trap), pour a 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain; pour in a similar amount of vinegar and close drain quickly.  The gaseous reaction often breaks loose a minor clog.  This is a fun experiment for kids.

You can buy many healthier, environmentally safe cleaners, such as Seventh Generation or BioKleen.  I think these products are quite nice.  But I prefer to "do-it-myself," keeping it simple and also having the assurance of knowing exactly what I am using in my home.

The following are books I enjoy in this arena.  The first two are fairly indispensable:





Home Safe Home by William Kelly (keeping your home safe and chemical-free)

The Healthy House by John Bower (building for chemical-free living)

Your Home, Your Health, and Well-Being by David Rousseau (similar)

Your Naturally Healthy Home by Alan Berman (similar)
The Healthy House Book by Gina Lazenby (feng shui home design)

A wealth of information is available online to support and encourage the pursuit of creating a healthy home.  To learn more, visit these sites:
Debra Lynn Dadd
60 uses for baking soda
Vinegar Uses
more Vinegar uses
GSE Info
more GSE info
Hydrogen Peroxide info

Tumble Troubles

Children and falls...an inevitable part of growing up for them; sometimes a hair-graying experience for us!  Whether insignificant or serious, falls require immediate attention and the physical aftermath can be greatly helped by prompt and proper treatment.


This topic moved to the top of my list after my toddler took a spill down the stairs this week.  While such an incident is not an uncommon childhood happenstance, it certainly was stressful.  Thankfully, having a well-rounded regimen backed by experience made the situation less traumatic and accelerated the healing process.  ("Prescription" descriptions follow the story.)




The first thing I assessed, after rushing to my daughter's side, was her level of pain (as determined by her cry) and her mobility.  Because I still nurse her, my first instinct was to offer the breast for comfort.  I wanted immediately to scoop her into my arms, but, not having seen the complete tumble, I wanted to be sure moving her would not cause any damage.  Because she was already attempting to sit up on her own to get to me, I felt there was no danger in setting her in my lap...her neck and upper body seemed normal.  I began to nurse her, which soothed her crying, and I executed a gentle manual exam of her head, neck, trunk and limbs.  If any bones had been fractured, she would most likely have accelerated her crying or shown pain.  She showed no signs of increased pain and I did not discern any breaks, nor were there any large red marks visible on her face, head, abdomen, back or limbs, which would indicate impact wounds/contusions.


About one minute had passed during this initial "exam."  Of course my little one was still upset, but not as greatly as before, and I was also more calm.  I asked my eldest son to run and get the homeopathic arnica; I administered three tablets to my daughter and continued to nurse her until she was finished.  (Had her upset been much greater, I would have also given her some Bach's Rescue Remedy.)  Her crying abated and she became more placid, though desired to be held and comforted.  My next step would be an ice pack, but in this case I was not sure where to apply it.  There was not yet any bruising or swelling that I could see.  I held her for about five minutes, continuing to gently but firmly "massage" along her limbs (all the way to fingertips and toes), manipulating and rotating to see if it would elicit an acute pain response.  As she did not react negatively, and she wanted down from my lap, I put her down and went to get her some water to drink; at that time, I administered a second dose of arnica.


I noticed as she walked across the room that she was limping.  Uh-oh...that's not a good sign.  A limp can indicate a couple different injuries...it can be a malfunction in the low back, the hip, the knee, the foot, the leg bones, a combination of these things or all of the above.  I knew at that point I needed to apply the full arsenal.  The first thing I wanted to do was get my daughter in to see the chiropractor.  Since the intricate manipulation of the spine is not yet one of my skills, I seek knowledgable and experienced pediatric chiropractic care.  This is one of the only outside sources I use and highly recommend.  To find a pediatric chiropractor in your area, visit http://icpa4kids.org/ and click on the "Find a Chiropractor" link.  Our closest best option is a nearly 4-hour roundtrip drive, but it was worthwhile.


We took our daughter to the pediatric chiropractor who assessed the physical situation and did a manual exam.  We talked through what we both had evaluated and agreed there was likely a slight hip dislocation, as well as sacral spinal impingement.  I was also concerned about a tight swollen spot I had felt in my little one's neck.  The chiropractor did a full spinal adjustment as well as work on the affected hip socket.  As soon as the adjustment was complete, my daughter got up and walked around the room, her limp much less pronounced.  While she previously had been doing the "peg leg" walk, she now was bending her knee.  This was a good sign that the adjustment had an immediate ameliorating affect.  However, she still would not flex her foot while walking, which indicated continued irritation and perhaps a sprain in the foot/ankle.  We scheduled a visit for the next day and went home.


That evening, I put my daughter in an epsom salt bath to soak for 15 minutes, which she enjoyed.  During her bath, while Daddy sat with her, I brewed some herbal tea* that would act as a nervine (relaxant), help repair tissues/ligaments, implement rapid cellular repair, and provide nutritive minerals.  I also prepared a poultice to place over the affected hip and low back, which would increase localized healing.  I got out homeopthic Ruta tablets, which are a follow-on to Arnica...Ruta is excellent for sprains, injured tendons, bone injuries (especially knees, elbows, wrists).


I gave my daughter the herbs to drink before she left the bath; after she was dried, I applied the external herbs and dressed her.  I wanted to apply an ice pack to her back and hip, but she would have none of it. LOL  Because her injury was not so grave, I did not insist upon applying the ice.  I gave her a dose of the homeopathic Ruta and put her to bed with me.  The next morning, she was up and cheery as usual.  The limp seemed pronounced upon her rising, but loosened within 10 minutes of her being up and around.  She walked nearly normally but still would not flex her affected food.  I administered more internal herbs and Ruta, and applied external herbs (now a salve) to her hip, low back and foot.  We then went to our second chiropractic appointment; after the adjustment, my daughter walked better than she had earlier in the day.  Both the chiropractor and I were happy with the rapid improvements.  We scheduled another appointment for early next week if necessary after watching my daughter's improvement over the weekend.


Later that day, I began to gently manipulate the affected foot...flex the toes, rotate the ankle, flex the foot.  Sometimes when a child experiences physical pain in a limb, such as that resulting from a sprain, the child will not bear weight on the limb.  This can continue even beyond the injury, becoming a habitual incorrect "muscle memory" that can cause long-lasting errors in gait.  To avoid this, we can do physical therapy to send the proper nerve signals from the limb to the brain.  It is as if we are telling the brain, "It's OK to move this limb...these parts work well."  My daughter did not show any signs of pain when I manipulated her foot or hip, so I conducted these exercises throughout the rest of the day.  I continued to administer the homeopathy and herbs, gave another epsom salt bath and applied herbal salve to the necessary areas.


The result is a speedy recovery and a happy little girl who is eager to once again run headlong down the stairs...oh, how soon they forget!  But we do not, so the gate is firmly latched (and brothers are reminded to close it after they go through).


In summary, dealing with falls and the potential resulting injuries is far less stressful when we are prepared and knowledgable.  My first recommendation is that you gain a basic understanding of anatomy and physiology, as well as massage/physical manipulation techniques.  These skills can be immeasurably helpful in assessing and treating injuries.  Secondly, find a good pediatric chiropractor in your area...chiro care for kids is great not only for the normal accidents that accompany childhood (which can cause long-term spinal and postural complications), but also for a healthy and well-functioning immune system.


Rx Review
*Many herbs are excellent for sprains, ligament/tendon injuries, fractures, etc.  If you cannot make your own herbal tea/tincture, Dr. Christopher's Herbal Formulas of BF&C and Kid-e-Calc are good choices for these occasions.


My preferred herbs for injuries of this nature in children are:

• Comfrey = cell proliferant (causes rapid cellular regeneration)
• Marshmallow Root = anti-inflammatory; excellent in poultices (very soothing to inflamed tissues)
• Lobelia = anti-spasmodic, strengthens vessel walls
• Horsetail = collagen production; excellent source of silicon (tissue/bone builder)
• Oatstraw = nerve relaxant, calcium/magnesium source
• Nettles = high nutritive value: iron, silicon, potassium, calcium, vitamin k; increases circulation, shrinks inflamed tissues

These herbs (in "whole herb" form...look for a forthcoming post on that topic) can be used both internally and externally.  If you have a prepared tincture, give up to 15 drops in water a few times daily. To make a tea, use equal parts of each herb, combining to form approx. 2 Tb. for a pint of boiling water.  Steep the herbs for at least 15 minutes (the longer you brew, the stronger the infusion).  You can administer this tea warm or cold; store it in the refrigerator and use within a couple days.


To make a poultice, grind the herbs as fine as you can (if you have powdered herbs, use those); I find it helpful to add ground flax seed to any herbal poultice mixture, as the flax binds the herbs together well.  Depending on the size of areas to be covered, you may need more or less herb mixture.  For small children, make about 1/4 cup of herbs.  Add warm water until the herbal mixture is paste-like.  Make more if necessary.  Apply directly to skin and wrap with a cotton cloth (flour sack towels or strips of old t-shirts work well).


An easier way to apply herbs externally to small children is to soak a cotton cloth (or flannel) in a warm preparation of a strong herbal brew.  Wring out the cloth and lay it on the affected area overnight.


The easiest way to apply herbs externally is a salve (or ointment).  My Super Salve (soon coming to the store section of this website) contains bone/tissue/ligament building, cell regenerating, nutritive herbs that provide therapeutic healing for injuries and many more complaints.  Salves are a convenient way to quickly (and more cleanly) apply herbs to acute injuries.


Using ice on injured areas is an excellent part of the healing regimen.  If possible, it is quite helpful to alternate ice and heat in 20 minute intervals a few times daily.  This protocol, however, seems to work better for adults than for perpetually squirmy children.


Don't forget to use epsom salt baths for your injured children.  Soaking in the magnesium reduces inflammation and pain, and aids muscle and nerve repair.  Check out the epsom salt council web site for more information.


Finally, a brief primer on helpful injury homeopathic remedies:

• Arnica = trauma, bruising, strains/sprains, shock; use first and immediately
• Ruta = injuries to bone covering (periosteum), particularly useful for wrists, knees, elbows, teeth; sprains/strains, injured ligaments/tendons; alternate with Arnica, every other hour during acute injury
• (Rhus Tox is also useful for sprains, but is more applicable to general muscle stiffness with aggravation upon initial movement; this remedy is not indicated as strongly for bone and ligament injuries)

Depending on your child's injury, you may need additional or varying treatment protocols; use your best judgment.  Remember, no one knows your child as well as you do...listen to your instincts and do what you believe is best for your child.  See my Library for recommended reading resources.


Be well, and become your own expert!

You Are What You Eat...Another Look

Because this message bears repeating, and repeating, and repeating...

If you want to know why you...why we as a society...are sick, you need look no further than what you put into your body...what you eat, drink, breathe, what you inject into your children, what pills you swallow, what chemicals you use to clean your house and spray on your lawn. The list is endless. The century-long experiment of “better living” through chemistry and industrial food has borne out to be a failure, and we the guinea pigs are paying the price.


The answer to the chronic illness riddle is simple. We have the food industry and the chemical industry to thank for our common plight. Modern medicine does not have the answer; it, too, is part of the problem. It cannot heal our ailments and cure our diseases...not only from inability, but also from lack of motivation...sickness is more profitable than health. And modern "chemical" cures are no cure at all.

The only way to solve the “sickness” dilemma is to take back your body and your environment. You must become responsible for what you do to yourself.

There is no better time than now to become educated and to fight for our rights to real food, clean air and water, freedom from government-imposed “medicine.” Being well and staying well is as simple as eating clean food, avoiding chemical toxicity and pharmaceuticals, and learning to use the natural healing plants created for our benefit. Sadly, the decades-long toxification of our food and environment has created weaknesses and mutations in us all. We cannot turn back the clock overnight and regain our rightful wellness and healthy longevity. But we can, one step at a time, stop the madness that has become our modern industrial way of life.

For too long, the truth has been veiled from consumers. No one knew what they were eating, where the food came from, what corruptions were being perpetrated upon the food that is fundamentally meant to nourish and fuel us. A handful of powerful and wealthy corporations control and manipulate the food that we eat. These corporations put profit ahead of all other considerations; they have absolutely no regard, no respect for all the creatures involved in the web. The misery and illness fueled by the food industry merely profits the powerful medical industry. And the icing on this cake of corruption is that the regulatory agencies meant to protect us are run by and influenced for the corporations that profit from poisoning us.

Yet, we let them. So who is truly at fault? It’s time to lift the veil; it’s time to stop advancing the system with our financial support. It’s time to take back the control that belongs to each of us and is enacted by each of us with every choice we make. Do not participate in the system. Vote with your fork; educate yourself on getting well and living well; lose the lack of confidence that makes you easy prey for corporate fear-mongering. Don’t be a sucker for advertising. Don’t trust the government; don’t trust the mainstream media; don’t trust pharma and the doctors it breeds. This all requires effort and a shunning of ignorance. It is not a monumental feat. It is our human responsibility.

Your health starts from the ground up. Learn what this means and how conventional/synthetic farming practices destroy the soil that is meant to nourish us. If you want to be well, body and soul, avoid all industrial food...the pasteurized, processed, denuded, chemically poisoned, genetically corrupted, irradiated, disgustingly abused animals and plants, “foodstuffs” grown in dead, synthetic soil. Don’t assume that an “organic” label will save you. Government manipulation and greed-driven compromises abound in that industry, too.

Understand that there is little "truth" in labeling. The “law” allows hundreds of synthetics to hide within the “natural flavors” category; GMOs foods are not required to be identified; of the 84,000 commercial chemicals used in the U.S., nearly 20,000 of them are allowed to remain unidentified/unlabeled under “secrecy” rules. Some of these secret chemicals are used in children’s products...you and I do not and cannot know what they are and where they are.

The veil is slowly being lifted. We need to demand information and we need to act upon what we learn. What must we do? Eat REAL Food. Support the hard-working farmers who produce clean food. Don’t be blind to government collusion. Demand the truth and deny corporate profit-mongers what they want. The next generations will thank you.

Rethinking Allergies...

I have had allergies all my life.  My children have allergies.  My dear friends and their children have allergies.  The majority of Americans, whether they know it or not, suffer from some sort of allergy, intolerance or sensitivity.  My life-long battle with severe allergies forced me to become my own allergy expert.  You name it, I'm allergic to it:  animals, pollen (all kinds...grass, tree, flower, weed, any green thing that grows), dust, molds, foods, multiple chemical sensitivities...  My body has been worn down from years of "allergic" responses.

From the time I was a child, I have undergone nearly every basic allergy treatment available.  In my younger years, before I ejected from the broken conventional medical system, I had doctors tell me, "There's nothing more I can do for you...I've never seen a case like yours."  In the years following my enlightenment to real healing modalities, I sought additional allergy treatments and consultations (including an environmental illness specialist) and had practitioners say, "I've not often seen a case quite like yours..."  In the early years following the births of my (also) allergic children, I sought assistance and was told (even by a fairly prominent conventional/holistic MD), "You know more about this than I do...I can't add anything."  I came to a full understanding of the limitations in the medical realm regarding the treatment (and dare I say cure) of allergies.

I have been forced, out of sheer necessity for daily functioning and a desire to help my children, to earnestly pursue the study of allergies and the discovery of any and all treatments that could help.  What I have learned over the years has proven useful to my family and has been able to bless others.  I have made personal gains, yet I have not arrived at the pinnacle...at the significantly reduced suffering caused by my allergies, and the eradication of my children's allergies.  So the search continues...and new enlightenments have serendipitously fallen into my lap...literally!  What I have learned this year redefines my entire concept of "allergies" in a way that defies conventional medical thinking...so I know I'm on the right track!

I find that the medical community often misuses the term allergy in diagnosing many of the problems and sensitivities plaguing vast numbers of people.  Not every intolerance or sensitivity is a true allergy, and few allergies are a "life-long sentence."  I no longer believe that allergies are part of a person's genetic destiny.  When we understand allergies in the classic sense (a damaging physiological immunoglobulin/histamine response), we see that many of the "allergies" plaguing people are actually intolerances (a non-immunological negative reaction) or sensitivities caused by a malfunctioning/maltreated body...not really an allergy at all.  And these things can be corrected...completely...without a life of pharmaceutical treatments and suffering.  The "allergy," if you will, can be overcome.

This is exciting territory for those of us who have been troubled for so long with what can be crippling autoimmune difficulties.  The answers are especially beneficial for the multitudinous infants and children who are afflicted with food intolerances from birth (causing colic, baby acne and later brain malfunctions).  But lest I get ahead of myself, I will stop the introduction here and reveal the kicker in my next Allergy post.  Until next time, be well...and become your own expert!

Radically Natural Remedies: Essential Elements for Natural First Aid

Stocking your natural medicine cabinet will provide effective (and often swift) relief to everyday ailments as well as keep you prepared for emergency first aid situations.  Today we will look at essential remedies/treatments for acute injuries, wounds, trauma and respiratory distress.  In future posts I will delve into other areas of illness and share remedies for particular ailments.

The following is my first aid "quick list;" for detailed information on each herb/treatment, look for upcoming posts (and/or read through the links provided below).  In this list I have highlighted the most common uses of each herb and some of the primary bodily influences...this is not to be taken as an exhaustive reference.  Herbs are potent and multi-faceted medicines with numerous constituents and healing properties.  Any dosing information provided is based on my personal experience and opinion consolidated from my studies; I urge you to look at the book and website recommendations in my Library and Links sections for further information.


[Internal medicinal herbs are best used in tincture form.  Powdered herbs and teas are fine, but tinctures work faster and are more potent.*  When dosing for babies and small children, use 1/4 to 1/2 the adult dose...use your judgment based upon size of child.]

Cayenne (powder and tincture)

• shock, bleeding, stroke, heart attack
• antibacterial, antiseptic, blood thinner, cardiovascular tonic, hemostatic, stimulant, vulnerary
• apply externally to wounds (powder); powerful wound cleanser and anti-hemmorhagic 
• internal dosage 1/4 to 1/2 tsp powder in warm water or 5-10 drops strong tincture (as needed)

Plantain (powder and salve, fresh/dried leaves)

• stings, bites, rash, swelling, burns
• anti-inflammatory, astringent, antiseptic, demulcent, emollient, styptic
• apply powder to cuts for styptic action; salve to any skin ailment/wound 
• chew fresh leaves and apply where needed (especially good for drawing out poisons); soak fresh or dried leaves in hot water and apply directly (works quite well for burns)

Comfrey (oil, salve, powder, fresh/dried leaves)

• burns, wounds, sprains, fractures
• astringent, cell proliferant, demulcent, styptic, vulnerary
• this fabulous healer isn't nicknamed "knitbone" for nothing!  Broken bones mend quickly when comfrey is applied (I can personally attest to this in repeated uses)
• apply fresh or reconstituted dried leaves directly to wound; wrap around break or sprain
• apply powder to cuts for styptic action; salve to any wound/bruise/break/sprain

Arnica (ointment, salve, homeopathic pellets)

• bruises, trauma, sore muscles
• anti-clotting agent, vulnerary
• extraordinary for bumps and bruises; take homeopathic internally; use ointment/salve on bruise
• its anti-clotting action is what makes arnica a potent bruise healer (it breaks down the bruise); but because of this action, be careful using arnica straight on bleeding wounds

Calendula (oil, salve, lotion)

• scrapes, cuts, skin irritations, injuries
• analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, astringent, styptic
• one of the best antiseptics available; promotes healing of wounds; relieves pain
• apply locally as needed

[I am currently in the process of preparing for sale a batch of my Super Salve, which contains the above-mentioned herbs and many more, plus essential oils.  It is truly "first aid in a tin."  Check back in the near future for an announcement of the product.]

Burdock root (powder, tincture)

• poisoning, swelling, burns, sores
• bacteriocide, blood purifier, demulcent, laxative, hepatic
• an excellent blood cleanser, liver and kidney purifier, detoxifier; antidote for acute poisoning
• reduces swelling around joints, supports pituitary gland
• works in complement with charcoal (see below) 
• to neutralize poisons/toxins internally take 1 tsp. powder in warm water (or 1 dropper-full tincture)

Red Clover (tincture)

• nervous conditions, spasms, toxins, hives, bronchitis/whooping cough
• anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-microbial, anti-fungal, anti-cancer, anti-spasmodic, blood purifier, sedative, expectorant
• excellent for calming children, wonderful for coughs, reduces swelling and toxicity
• 1 dropper-full tincture mixed in warm water

Lobelia (tincture)

• asthma, coughs, congestion, poisoning, convulsions, migraines, seizures
• anti-spasmodic, astringent, diaphoretic, emetic, expectorant, nervine, sedative
• dilates bronchial tubes, helping asthma and coughs; relaxant to nervous system
• 1 dropper full in warm water as needed
• large amounts cause vomiting; lobelia is a poison remedy...drink a lot of water with lobelia if using as emetic, use large doses for this purpose

Mullein (tincture)

• excellent complement to lobelia; wonderful for respiratory ailments, lung spasms, pain relief
• anodyne, anti-spasmodic, anti-tussive, demulcent, emollient, expectorant, vulnerary
• clears lungs and lymphatic system, relieves swelling, moves mucus, soothes inflammation
• 1 dropper full in warm water as needed; combination tincture with lobelia quite useful

Activated Charcoal (powder)

• works through adsorption...binds toxins to surface of charcoal
• remedy par excellence for treating toxicity, nausea and diarrhea
• to use internally for diarrhea, mix 1 tsp. powder in water and drink (adjust amount as needed)
• to draw out poisons from bites/stings, mix paste with powder and water and apply to wound
• for food poisoning, use as an emetic with large doses: 4 tsp. in one quart water drunk within an hour can help bring on vomiting and expel toxins

Bentonite Clay (especially Pascalite)

• draws out toxins, detoxifier
• perfect to use with charcoal to draw out toxins from skin
• works wonderfully on wounds that become infected...will draw out even deep pus and infection
• mix with water to make "mud" and apply as needed...freshen hourly to treat infections
• can use for soaking in "foot bath" to detoxify; 1/2 cup clay in a few gallons of warm water

Bach's Rescue Remedy (flower essence tincture)

• excellent remedy to restore emotional calm, combat panic, fear, prevent shock
• 10 drops/adult, 5 drops/child; directly under tongue; use as needed

Lavender Essential Oil

• a universal oil; one of the best medicines in the EO world
• burns, wounds, bites, bruising, cramps, pain, upset, hysteria, nausea, insomnia
• analgesic, anti-fungal, anti-infectious, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antispasmodic, regenerative, sedative
• rub a few drops straight onto wound, bruises, burns, etc (lavender oil is one of the only EOs gentle enough to use without dilution); rub over any cramping area; just apply where/as needed
• smell oil for calming; rub under nose, on throat, around chest, shoulders; put a few drops on tissue; breathe right out of bottle if necessary 

Tea Tree Oil

• wounds, potential infection, rash, burns, respiratory problems, fungal infections
• analgesic, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-infectious, anti-inflammatory, anti-parasitic, antiseptic, antiviral, decongestant, immune stimulant, tissue regenerator 
• (FYI trivia: tea tree is such a potent germicide and antiseptic that the Australian army and navy carried it in their regulation first aid kits during WW2)
• tea tree oil also may be applied straight to skin without burning it; use as needed, similar to lavender recommendations above

[Difference between lavender and tea tree?  As EOs, like herbs, are multifunctional, the differences often are miniscule.  I grab for my lavender when there is hysteria to deal with or a sprained ankle, cramp pain, etc.  I reach for the tea tree when someone gets a puncture or gash and I'm concerned about cleaning out the wound to ward off infection.  Either oil works well for burns (sunburns, first- and second-degree burns); they work quite well together.  Both oils work as antiseptics.  So why have both?  Hmmm...Good question.  In my experience, tea tree is slightly more effective as a germicide and anti-infectious agent and lavender is more analgesic.  They both promote cell renewal and are excellent for first aid treatment.  EOs share properties but are also unique; each circumstance may call for the special properties of a particular oil...even the smell may affect the patient uniquely.  Many oils are complementary and work synergistically (they are more potent together).  If you can buy and keep both, it would make your kit and your ability to heal more complete.]

Eucalyptus Oil

• asthma, fever, migraines, sinus problems, respiratory problems, viruses
• analgesic, anti-bacterial, anti-catarrhal, anti-infectious, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, expectorant
• to use for asthma, sinus/lung problems, dilute and rub on nose, chest, throat, back; also beneficial to breathe in oil by steam inhalation (boil water, pour into bowl on table, put in 3-5 eucalyptus drops, bend over bowl with head/bowl covered with towel, breathe for 5 minutes or as long as you can stand heat...the EOs will begin to dissipate the moment they hit the hot water, so be prepared to get over the bowl and start inhaling as soon as drops go in)

When using essential oils, use only pure, unadulterated oils...the best you can afford; the oils are quite potent...think of them as the "blood" of the plant; they are stronger than dried herbs.  With essential oils remember that a little bit goes a long way.  Start with a few drops (from a pea size to a teaspoon's worth depending on area to be covered) and work up to more as needed.  In external applications, most oils need to be diluted so they do not burn the skin.  A general rule of thumb is to dilute 10 to 15 drops of EO in 1 Tb. carrier oil (such as jojoba or olive).  For babies, dilute 3 drops EO to 1 Tb. carrier; for small children (up to ~ age 6) use 3 drops EO to 1 tsp. carrier oil. 

Homeopathic Apis, Arnica, Aconite, Antimonium Tart

The study of homeopathy deserves thorough and separate attention.  I will not address that here, but cannot round out the first aid kit without mentioning my favorite and most-used "A" remedies.

Apis: for hives, bug bites, bee stings, swelling (I use this for my son rather than Benadryl and it works wonders for his allergic hives)
Arnica: as mentioned above, this is the remedy for bumps and bruises, aches and pains
Aconite: excellent for shock, for the onset of colds/flus
Antimonium Tart.: a good remedy for asthma, especially if accompanied by rough coughing

To use homeopathics, it is easiest to keep the 30X or 30C potency on hand (these are the potencies sold most commonly); dose with three to five pellets given directly into the mouth by placing the pellets in the cap and dumping them under the tongue.  In homeopathy, it is not the size of the dose that is crucial, but rather how often the dose is given.  For acute conditions and emergencies, dose more often...every 15 minutes.  For less severe situations, dose every hour to three hours depending on symptoms.  The key to using homeopathy is to STOP dosing when you notice a positive change...when the symptoms begin to abate or change in a positive way.  If you notice no change/improvement after giving three to four doses, you are likely not using the correct remedy for the situation.  Stop and try another.  But that is a discussion for another day....

__________

It is difficult to "finish" a first aid kit primer; so many outstanding herbs and remedies exist and can/should be added to the repertoire.  The above represents a basic first aid regimen and is not to be taken as exhaustive.  There are many variations on this theme...as you study and practice, you may come up with a different or additional list of essentials.  Some useful quick reference guides are:

Pocket Guide to Herbal First Aid by Nancy Evelyn
The Pocket Herbal Reference by Rita Elkins

Herbs to the Rescue by Kurt KingComfort for the Burned and Wounded by John Keim

For more information on herbal first aid, check out the following websites:
First Aid Herbs
Brigitte Mars first aid
Herbal Reference List
Schulze's Top Ten
Herb Remedies

*To better understand tinctures and how to make them, see:

The Modern Herbal Tincture Making

Tincture Advantages

Herbaltini tinctures (I am not recommending this product, just pointing to the information)

Tinctures vs. Capsules

Radically Natural Recipe: Gourmet Fried Rice

An inspiring variation of fried rice, a la Jean-George, vis-a-vis Bittman....

I recently discovered the world of video podcasts...(I know, I'm not "up" with the "times" as they say) and have been enjoying the recipe stylings of Mark Bittman, author of one of my "go-to" cookbooks, How to Cook Everything.  Bittman is a columnist for the New York Times and shares some of my views on eating and food culture.  I enjoy him from time-to-time.


So tonight I decided to throw together some fried rice; conveniently, I happened to peruse the podcasts earlier today and saw one Bittman did on fried rice with the influences of a chef I have enjoyed reading through the years, Jean-George Vongerichten.  Well, this is my variation on Bittman's variation.  I should disclaim up front that unless I am baking, I don't follow recipes and measurements word-for-word (that's why many of my recipes will contain no measurements...they are more of an outline).  To me, recipes are inspirations...diving boards.  I encourage you to read recipes, ignite your creative juices, and explore the food.

Getting back to the meal:

To make the fried rice, you'll need some cooked rice.  Ideally, you have some leftover brown rice from another meal (and the rice was properly soaked before cooking...look for upcoming posts on that topic).  You want your rice to be "dry," not wet from just cooking...or soggy from cooking in too much liquid.  The wetter the rice, the mushier it will be when you fry it.  So if you like a nice texture with actual rice grain separation, drier rice is the way to go.

In a pan or wok, saute some minced fresh ginger and garlic in a few spoonfuls of coconut oil...toss in a wee bit of real salt (sea salt, Real Salt, Himalayan, etc).  When the ginger and garlic is fragrant and toasty golden brown, remove the bits and leave the oil (the garlic will cook faster than the ginger, so beware the possibility of burning it).

Chop some leeks (or in my case, green onions...that's what I had on hand) and saute them in that wonderfully aromatic oil you left in your wok.

When the onions are bright and soft and you can smell the Asian flavors wafting through your kitchen, go ahead and put the cooked rice in your wok and stir about to coat with oil and onions.  Fry the rice until you get it to your desired texture (softer, crispier, you decide), then stir in the fried garlic and ginger.

To complete the meal, fry or poach some eggs...each person's meal will be a generous portion of the rice with an egg served on top.

Finish the dish with a dash of soy sauce (only a properly fermented variety, such as SanJ...probably a future post on that, too. LOL) and some cold-pressed sesame oil if you have some.  Serve with a green salad, and Voila!

The picture doesn't do the dish justice...but it was scrumptious!  And healthy, too, of course...I wouldn't dare share it otherwise!

Tasting notes:  I had too little garlic/ginger for the amount of rice cooked.  Play with the ratios, but cook more garlic/ginger than you think you'll need if you want a robust flavor.

Enjoy and be well!

Radically Natural Remedies: Cayenne...The Miracle Herb

Cayenne (capsicum annum) truly is the king of herbs.  Hardly an ailment or serious condition exists that does not benefit from the proper use of cayenne.  It is a genuine life saver.  I have prescribed cayenne for people more often than any other herbal treatment.  If you want to learn herbs, you must first become familiar with cayenne.

"If you master only one herb in your life, master cayenne pepper.  It is more powerful than any other." -- Herbalist and Naturopath Dr. Richard Schulze*

I cannot do justice to this powerhouse herb in a few paragraphs.  I also do not want to rewrite the vast amount of excellent cayenne information already available, so I intend here to briefly summarize cayenne's abilities and then provide important links for you to study.  (Also look on my Library page for book recommendations.)  If you take the time to learn cayenne, you will have mastered one of the most potent medicines available.


As a fast-acting vasodilator, cayenne has earned a well-deserved reputation as a potent cardiovascular tonic.  But to classify cayenne as merely a circulatory agent is to insult this ultra-powerful botanical medicine.  Cayenne does indeed improve and increase circulation, but it does so much more!  (I can hear a late-night infomercial voice ringing in my head..."But wait, there's MORE!")  Cayenne increases blood flow, but cayenne also staunches bleeding.  You may be scratching your head at this...but lest I digress into technical herbalist jargon, I will simply describe cayenne as one of the "thinking herbs" or "opposite nature herbs."  I will post on that phenomena in future herb lessons.  For now, just think of cayenne not so much as an herb that only increases circulation...think of cayenne as a "blood master."  This herb has the ability to properly distribute (to "position," if you will) the blood throughout the body...to put the blood where it is supposed to be.  In effect, that is why cayenne lowers blood pressure, can stop a heart attack or stroke, "dissolve" blood clots, but also stop hemorrhaging and bleeding.  And cayenne is the herbal medicine par excellence for treating shock.  [My husband, who has been attended to various times with my herbal emergency first-aid, after one rather serious wound treatment nicknamed cayenne the "herbal hot poker."  Other excellent herbal styptics are available, such as comfrey and plantain, which are not painfully hot in their application...look for future lessons on this topic.]

"In 35 years of practice ... I have never on house calls lost one heart attack patient and the reason is, whenever I go in...if they are still breathing...I pour down them a cup of cayenne tea (a teaspoon of cayenne in a cup of hot water), and within minutes they are up and around." -- Herbalist Extraordinaire Dr. John Christopher**

Cayenne's powerful ability to move blood makes it a natural and healthy stimulant (take a morning cayenne tonic and quit the coffee habit!), as well as an anti-inflammatory and a thermal regulator (wonderful for warming up those cold extremities!).  And contrary to reasonable assumption, given cayenne's hot, hot, hot nature, the herb actually relieves pain.  Capsaicin, cayenne's primary constituent, blocks pain receptors (it diminishes the activity of Substance P, our bodies' chemical pain messenger), making cayenne effective in external applications for arthritis and other forms of muscle and joint pain.

Cayenne is effective for asthma, is known for healing ulcers, has been shown by Harvard researchers to destroy cancer cells, and lowers serum cholesterol.  Cayenne is high in vitamins C and A, and essential minerals such as sulphur, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus.  Cayenne boosts immunity and if taken at the onset of a cold/flu, it can prevent the illness from taking hold.  (This has worked for us numerous times.)

Cayenne is a catalyst; it causes all other herbs to work better and faster.  This makes cayenne an essential addition to all herbal remedies; cayenne improves the effectiveness of their medicinal action by quickly distributing the herbs' active constituents throughout the body.  Cayenne aids digestion by increasing HCL (hydrogen chloride) in the stomach.

Needless to say, cayenne powder or cayenne tincture should be in everyone's medicine cabinet and first aid kit (a recipe for cayenne tincture is in the link below, "Cayenne for Emergencies").  When using cayenne medicinally, you want to choose the hottest form you can find.  The African Bird's Eye pepper is a common variety used by herbalists...its heat rating ranges from 90,000 to 250,000 BTUs.  (When creating a cayenne tincture, the dosing would be affected by which HU cayenne you use.)

We all, regardless of our state of health, benefit from taking a morning cayenne tonic.  To use cayenne, begin by mixing 1/4 tsp. into some warm water and drinking it (it can be taken with a meal if the heat initially upsets your stomach); you can also add the cayenne to juice, such as orange or tomato.  You will likely be surprised at the energy boost you experience with your cayenne tonic.  Drinking cayenne powder is a superior and more effective method than swallowing capsules...to understand why, read the link below "Why Cayenne Powder..."  Because cayenne is so stimulating, it is best not to take it near bedtime.

I will undoubtedly think of more fabulous facts about cayenne that I want to share in the next day or two; but I urge you to study the links below and to apply yourself as a student of the "King of Herbs!"  Become your own expert!

Cayenne Info from Shirley's Wellness Cafe
Cayenne for Emergencies
Cure with Cayenne
Cayenne Pepper Uses
Why Cayenne Powder, not Capsules

-----
*Schulze bio
**Dr. Christopher

This and future "Herbs" posts will be linked under my Learn tab; check there in future for more installments and information on other healing modalities.

It's All About Trust

I had planned to write a richly referenced treatise on the failures and corruption of the modern medical industry, but as I contemplated the necessary content and examined my purpose in sharing it, a broader message formulated in my mind.  Trust.  Simple word, complex concept.  Blind trust...earned trust...full trust, no trust.  So many facets.

Outside the friends and family who may visit me here, I am an ambiguity.  You don't know me.  Why should you trust me?  I could be a complete lunatic with some smooth phraseology and a nice book list.  I'm not, but you don't know that.  LOL  (This reminds me of a conversation I had with my hubby about "credibility stock."  When I advise someone on a course of treatment or dietary change and they see positive improvement or healing occur, he tells me my "credibility stock" soars.  Nice visual.)

So it causes thoughtful pause...whom do we trust and why?  Whom should we trust and how do we know?  Instead of force-feeding you my point of view, I want to cause you to think...to question.  I want you to dig, to learn, to formulate healthy skepticisms and a nose for half-truths.  For those already in my camp, this message is nothing new.  And I am not in the business of converting staunch objectors...I have neither the time nor the emotional bandwidth to do so.  My message is perhaps most apropos for the seekers.

When it comes to health problems, illness and disease, people often seek "alternatives" after modern medicine has failed them.  These seekers have begun to see a fundamental truth:  modern medicine will continue to fail because it is not a system of healing that can create wellness.  How often do you consult with a conventionally trained doctor that considers your ailment in light of your holistic physiological system and teaches you how to change your lifestyle and diet to create wellness?  How often do they encourage you to learn and take responsibility for your own health so that you do not need them?  How often do they help you to identify the core cause of your chronic illness/ailment and teach you how to achieve healing? How often do they tell you to eschew chemicals and toxins (including drugs), eat Real Food (including saturated fats from pastured animals), spend time outside in direct sunlight without sunscreen, drink the correct amount of water, consume sea salt generously, and reduce your EMF exposure?  How often do they prescribe pure botanical medicine that actually heal bodily systems and boost immunity?  How often do they advise you to cleanse and restore your liver and then teach you how to do it?  How often do they tell you that cancer can be healed...and without toxins? or tell you how to live and eat to avoid getting cancer?  How often do those doctors do much more than "diagnose" and prescribe pharmaceuticals to affect symptomatology?  Drugs don't cure disease.  The drug industry has no vested interest in curing anyone of anything.  Medical mistakes, including prescription drugs kill around 780,000 people annually.*  But I digress......

When you consider the medical establishment and its practices, you should be asking some simple but fundamental questions.  [If it isn't already painfully obvious, I should point out that I will be using "we" to represent our collective modern society.]  Why do we blindly trust doctors (MDs); why do we accept them as the "gods" in the white coats?  Why do we believe that they "know best" and have the answers?  How did the modern allopathic medical system become the dominant option...the authoritative voice...on the medical landscape?  Is their science supreme?  Are their theories and modalities correct?  How and in what are said doctors educated...by whom and why?  How are drugs and procedures tested and approved...and by whom?  Whose interests are served in the outcome?  Are the outcomes honest?  Is the modern medical industry truly a trustworthy system?

I could answer all these questions for you, but it would spoil your fun.  Do your own digging...seek truth and be not afraid of the answers you may find.  As you search, consider this:  Are we, in our technocratic age, so arrogant as to believe that only in the last 100 years of human history we have "gotten it all right?"  I argue that millennia of human history tells us otherwise.

I will close with an anecdote (which, of course, will contain another question).  I encountered someone who came to me for advice in dealing with a significant medical issue.  She was not completely comfortable with the pharmaceutical approach recommended to her by the MD and I took the time to discuss with her the very real dangers of the drug offered to her, as well as to prescribe some herbal and nutritional therapies.  When I told her the history and effects of said drug, she became wide-eyed, somewhat incredulous, and replied, "Oh, but they (the FDA) would never allow that to be given to people if it were dangerous!"  I was so astounded at such naivete that I could not immediately reply.  But her comment typifies an all-too-common mentality of blind trust in the medical establishment and its regulatory agencies.  My new reply, which I must practice, lest I be caught off-guard again in future, is, "Why would you assume such a thing?"

And I will leave you with that thought...or this one:  Why would you...why do you...assume the status quo is the only acceptable route?  Why do you trust the modern medical establishment?  I suggest that before you continue to do so with any level of comfort, that you do some homework.  After that, once you have unearthed what lies beneath well-crafted PR and cleared through the smoke and mirrors, if you still want to place your trust completely in the existing dominant system, just be sure it is earned trust...not blind trust.


For more information on these topics, please watch my Library and Links tabs (which will be compiled as quickly as possible in the next weeks).


*
http://www.ourcivilisation.com/medicine/usamed/deaths.htm
http://www.naturalnews.com/009278.html
http://www.lightparty.com/Health/HealingRegeneration/html/AccidentalDeathPrescriptio.html