• I found this recipe in a book I used during my studies from Clayton College of Natural Health.  The cookie is a little healthier  using ingredients that are good alternatives.

Almond Power Cookie Recipe

1 cup barley flour or oat flour

1 1/2 cups oak flakes or oatmeal

1 tsp baking soda or 2 egg whites

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup brown rice syrup

1 tsp almond extract

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup almond butter

1 banana, mashed (pureed prunes or raisins may be substituted) Continue Reading »

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Photo by:  House of Sims

• High, low, or normal blood pressure depends on a couple of factors: the resistance to blood flow of the blood vessels, the output from the heart, the volume of blood, and blood distribution to the various organs.  All of these factors in turn can be affected by the activities of the nervous system and certain hormones.
• High blood pressure is called the “silent killer” because usually there are no symptoms until complications develop.
• Warning signs related to advanced hypertension may include sweating, shortness of breath, headaches, dizziness, rapid pulse, and visual disturbances.
• There are two categories of high blood pressure, designated primary and secondary. High blood pressure that is not due to another underlying disease is called primary hypertension. A precise cause is unknown, but a number of definite risk factors have been identified.

Risk factors such as:

• Obesity
• Stress
• Cigarette smoking
• Drug abuse
• High sodium intake
• Overabundance use of stimulants like coffee and/or tea Continue Reading »

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Photo by:  SuperFantastic

• Do you know rosacea is an inflammatory skin affliction?  The cheeks, nose, forehead, or the chin are persistently reddened and prone to breaking out in acne-like welts.  Rosacea does not produce blackheads or whiteheads and rarely appears during adolescence.  It is more common in a person’s thirties or forties and more women than men are afflicted.  Men can tend to have more severe cases.

• Rosacea begins with a mild pink blush that doesn’t go away.  Treated early, the condition may never advance any further or may even subside a bit.  In advance cases, it can cause permanent thickening and redness, especially on the nose.

Flare-ups of rosacea can be caused by anything that dilates blood vessels, such as:

1. Hot liquid
2. Alcohol
3. Coffee
4. Spicy or fatty foods
5. Extreme temperatures
6. Harsh wind
7. Sun exposure
8. Stress

• Skin conditions commonly point to some kind of digestive problem, with rosacea being no exception.  Low levels of stomach acid have been found in many rosacea sufferers, which hinders proper digestion of trace minerals and possibly the overgrowth of bacteria  that irritates the skin.  Constipation and/or sluggish bowels may have the same effect on digestion. Continue Reading »

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Photo by:  VirtualErn

When I am feeling the need for a warm quick soup, I usually start preparing vegetable soup.  Probably what I enjoy the most when making this soup is what I think of as “cleaning out the refrigerator.”  I pull out refrigerated and frozen vegetables that need used up.  This is why it is always good to have a few varieties of frozen vegetables on hand.  I don’t have a recipe for making this soup because I just use what I have available at the time.  I always use onion, celery, and carrots.

• The last batch of vegetable soup I made included the following:

1 chopped onion
2 chopped carrots
3 stalks chopped celery
Frozen Peas
Frozen Green Beans
Frozen Chopped Spinach
1 diced potato
2 small diced sweet potatoes
8 sliced fresh mushrooms
1 small can whole tomatoes
1 small can diced tomatoes
16 oz. of vegetable broth in a box
About 3 cups water
Spices
Continue Reading »

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Photo by:  little blue hen

The body needs bacteria but having the right bacteria is what is important.  Beneficial bacteria is know as probiotics. Lactobacillus and bifodobacteria are good bacteria which basically keep the bad bacteria under control.  What we eat and supplement make a big difference to the balance of bacteria and hence our health.  Probiotics improve the absorption of manufacture vitamins, especially vitamins K, folic acid, and B12, calcium and other minerals, and important in healing a variety of digestive disorders.

Harmful bacteria can cause infection directly, or form toxic substance that contribute to cancer and inflammation, especially of the digestive tract.

Antibiotics destroy all bacteria, good as well as bad, and is best not to take at all unless absolutely necessary.

Benefits of Probiotics

• Boost resistance to infections
• Regulates hormones
• Improves digestion
• Lowers cholesterol levels
• Elevates the immunity
• Helps relieve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Reduces the risk for certain cancers

To promote health and prevent disease eating fermented foods or taking probiotic supplements every day is a good idea.  People under constant stress and elders might want to highly consider this suggestion.  As we age the amount of colonic bacteria decreases and there have been animal studies showing probiotics helped reduce symptoms of stress. Continue Reading »

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Photo by:  Muffet

Don’t let the name of this recipe turn you off.  The recipe has an Eastern Indian taste due to the ginger and garlic that is used, and is quite yummy.  It does have a bite and can be spicy.  I suppose you could use less ginger, garlic, and cayenne pepper if you don’t like real spicy food.  I appreciated a cranberry dish that was not so tart, with a completely different flavor, unlike any cranberry dish I have ever had. Continue Reading »

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A few things to consider when buying tea are:

• Some tea is healthier than others.
• Rooibos (pronounced Roy-Boss), Yerba Mate, green teas, have high amounts of antioxidants.
• Black tea has the highest concentrate of caffeine.
• There is the basic commercial tea, black tea, and herbal teas.
• Teas, like coffee, should be thought of as drugs or medicinals than just as liquid beverages.
• Caffeine, tannins, or tannic acid can be an irritant to the intestinal mucous linings and kidneys.  Herbal teas are caffeine-tannic acid free. Continue Reading »

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Photo by:  tim tolle

• Just want to talk about a few things I noticed the other day when I forced myself to look at some processed foods at the store.
• I saw a commercial about adding fiber to children cereals.  That didn’t sound too bad but when I saw the cereals the commercial was promoting that’s what bothered me.  The one cereal in particular is Apple Jacks.  I went to the store to read the label and was floored.  On the front of the box it says “now provides fiber.”  The amount of fiber it provides is a measly 3g per serving.  There are much better cereals out there, for instance oatmeal, that provide a larger amount of fiber and are much better for us. Continue Reading »

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Photo by:  NatalieMaynor

• Do you ever think about all the toxins you are exposed to daily?  Everything from shampoos, shaving cream, body soaps and even toothpaste can be toxic.  Some foods have pesticides which can be damaging to our body.  To optimize overall health, and improve your body’s energy production, it is important to reduce the amount of toxic exposure you are subjecting yourself to.

Some suggested ways to detox your body are:

1. Use natural cleaners.  Some ideas of products that contain chemicals that can damage our health are: laundry detergents and softner, dish soaps, household cleaners, and dryer sheets.  You can find alternatives that are environmentally friendly and void of toxic chemicals at most health food stores.  I use baking soda and vinegar as an alternative to toxic household cleaners.  Avoiding inhaling the toxic fumes from cleaners is beneficial to the health of your body.
2. Make a change in the beauty products you purchase.  Make-ups, facial cleaners, moisturizers all have toxic chemicals.  You can find healthy alternatives made with natural ingredients at a health food store.  I suggest you consider using an antiperspirant that is free of aluminum and parabens.  Paraben free products are becoming more mainstream.  Read your labels it will tell you if the product is free of these ingredients. Continue Reading »

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Photo by: didbygraham

• Obesity in the United States is becoming an epidemic.
• Obesity unfortunately is a risk factor for many disease.  Such as: diabetes, arthritis, heart problems, and certain cancers.
• Other health problems that can develop are: strokes, varicose veins, kidney problems, infertility, gallstones, high blood pressure, hiatel hernias, hemorrhoids, and liver disease.
• People who are obese are likely going to consume high amounts of toxic food which depresses the immune system.  When the immune system is weakened we become more susceptible to viruses or bugs that are being spread at home or in the work place.
• Don’t go on a diet!  I suggest you don’t count calories or fat grams either.  The best way to start to loose weight or avoid putting on weight is to eat more fresh foods, like fruits and vegetables.  Whole grains are best too. Continue Reading »

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