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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• This picture may not look very appetizing but trust me this dish has so much flavor that it will warm your heart!
• If you are interested in a tasty recipe with an Eastern Indian flair I highly recommend trying this easy to prepare recipe.  I was quite surprised with the flavor, especially when using coconut and tart apples together in a recipe.  I had never prepared a dish with this combination before. 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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Borax is a multi-purpose household cleaner, which is a great alternative natural cleaner to shine sinks, clean the shower, use in laundry, etc.  Borax does not contain chlorine or phosphates, is harmless to washing machines, septic tanks, and plumbing.  Listed below are some suggestions on how to use borax.

For Laundry Boosting:

• Borax deodorizes and freshens laundry.
• Helps remove tough stains.  Works great on tomato sauce, oil/grease, grass, and ground-in dirt stains.  Use 1/2 cup in washer, pre-soak for at least 30 minutes before washing.
• Boost cleaning power of detergent.
• Borax is safe for all machines.
• Naturally softens hard water.
• Delicates can be washed with borax.  Soak delicates for 20 minutes, rinse in cool water.  Blot items with towel and lay flat to dry. Continue Reading »

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Photo by:  rockinfree

• Proteins in the pollen of trees, mold, grasses, and some plants can affect some people causing an allergy known as hay fever (allergic rhinitis).  The allergy can agitate mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, and air passages, causing red, itchy eyes; sneezing; watery discharge from the nose; fatigue; and nervous irritability.  A person my think they have a common cold, except a cold usually has symptoms of a thick secretion nasal discharge which can become yellow-greenish as the illness progresses.  A cold is often associated with mild fever and usually goes away within a week, whereas allergy symptoms of feeling “wiped out” can last for weeks on end.
• There are at least 50 million Americans who suffer from hay fever.
• There are three hay fever seasons which has different types of pollen present at different times of the year.  Hay fever may be present during the following times of the year: Continue Reading »

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Photo by:  digitalbob8

• Have you heard of Cymatherapy?

• Cymatherapy works on restoring the body to optimal health and balance by joining together sound therapy techniques with cutting-edge magnetic therapy creating healing sounds of the Cyma 1000 (machine used to do therapy).
• Cymatherapy is FDA approved to help relief of stress and pain, strengthen cartilage, tendons, ligaments and bones.
• The machine used to do the therapy (Cyma 1000) has over 700 specific codes of all the body systems.  Each code contains 5 frequencies that resonate to the perfect vibration of the human body.  The Cyma 1000 lets the body heal itself naturally. Continue Reading »

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• This dessert took less than 30 minutes to whip together.  The recipe would make a great quick dessert for last minute dinner plans.  It only requires 2 ingredients too.  If you like chocolate this dessert would be for you.

Chocolate Mousse

1 1/4 lbs silken tofu

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted.

Preparation

In a blender, puree the tofu until smooth.  Add the melted chocolate and blend thoroughly.

Pour into 6 individual dessert bowls and chill.

Optional: Dust with powdered sugar or top with a strawberry or other berries.

NOTE:

• I used a food processor to blend the recipe, which worked fine.
• I also used dark chocolate chips which may be too much chocolate for some people.  The dessert was a little too rich for my enjoyment of chocolate.

Reference:

www.vegcooking.com

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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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