Coconut Oil - The MUST have - Multi-use Health in a Jar!

I saw an article on Wake Up World (what a cool place, by the way) that read "160 Uses for Coconut Oil" which of course got my attention.  I use it daily for a myriad of things but figured there are probably MORE things I could use it for. 

First let me tell you a bit about it, in case you haven't stumbled upon this wonderful gem yourself.  Coconut oil is anti-bacterial (kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, gum disease and other bacterial infections).  It is also anti-carcinogenic (coconut oil has antimicrobial properties so it effectively prevents the spread of cancer cells and enhances the immune system).  It is an anti-fungal (kills fungi and yeast that lead to infections).  It is anti-inflammatory (suppresses inflammation, repairs tissues and may also contribute by inhibiting harmful intestinal microorganisms that cause chronic inflammation).

Can there be more?  Indeed!

It is an antioxidant protecting against free-radical formation and damage.
It is an anti-parasitic which will fight to rid the body of tapeworms, lice  and other parasites.
It is an anti-retroviral (get this) kills HIV and HLTV-1.

Why we aren't all using this daily is sure a mystery.  I use it in cooking as much as possible (I eat a lot of food raw) I use it in the bathroom to take off what little make-up I might be wearing, I use it as a moisturizer, in lieu of sun-screen, mixed with sugar as a body scrub, and rubbed into age spots.  Amazingly I swear they have faded substantially.

Well this website has so much info - I'll give a bit more here and if you have the time, go there and read the whole thing - it is quite impressive.  Of course if it is touted as a "cure" for anything, the FDA will pounce on it and outlaw it until it becomes registered as a drug because according to their brilliant twisted thinking, they have declared "Only DRUGS can CURE anything."  Seriously - how ridiculous!

Healthwise, coconut oil aids digestion, provides an energy boost as it stimulates metabolism, it improves thyroid function, helps decrease unwanted fat while increasing muscle, and improves insulin secretion - how great for diabetics!!!

Coconut oil, according to this article, is more of a miracle wonder than I'd thought.  When it is taken internally it is known for aiding, preventing, relieving or even (shhh) curing these health issues:

Acid reflux, adrenal fatigue, allergies, asthma, autism, bowel function, bronchial infections, cancer, candida, chronic fatigue, Crohns disease and resulting inflammation, colds and flue, constipation, depression, edema, gall bladder disease and pain, h.pylori and hot flashes.

There is the whole second part of the alphabet to  go!  If you haven't found it here, then go directly to the site http://wakeup-world.com/2012/03/02/160-uses-for-coconut-oil/

Clearly, it is a wonderment, this coconut oil!  It is recommended that you get virgin oil, just like your olive oil.  Orally you can take between 2-4 teaspoons a day.  If you have never had it, or used it, it is called oil, but at temps under 70-ish it is a solid white.  It will melt on your skin, and feels wonderful.  I add it now to my smoothies, let it melt on top of my oatmeal, use it when cooking quinoa, rice or whatever/whenever I can, and slather on my skin (it can be absorbed) rather than actually eating a teaspoon full.  Just personal preference.  If I had acid reflux or something that required immediate attention, I'd gulp that spoonful gladly.

Let me know if you have used it, and what for, in the comments.  Otherwise, hopefully you will put this on your shopping list!

Happy Spring!

Greens : Detoxing and Immune Boosting

Do you eat 4 servings of greens each day?  Yeh, I though so.  I'm hard pressed to get that in daily myself and I'm a health nut.  What to do?  And why does it matter?

Well greens have chlorophyll in them and we sure need that today!  Medical research shows that toxins such as arsenic, mercury, lead, pesticides, insecticides, cadmium, uranium, PCB, and radio active materials have been found in the human body.  Oh yuck.  So we seriously need to get this crap out of us!  The chlorophyll acts as an "escort" to these nasty things, carrying them out of our bodies in a beautiful detoxing way.  Yay for the green stuff!

But if we don't eat enough of it?  Enter the pill chlorella.  I don't take them daily (maybe I should?) but several times a week, when I'm short on green things for the day, I'll take a few chlorella pills.  There are a bazillion on the market so you won't have trouble finding them even if you've never heard of it. 

Chlorophyll helps in the prevention of the spread of cancer by increasing the oxygen uptake, therefore promoting cell reproduction.  Studies have shown that people who eat green and yellow vegetables have fewer cancers.  Part of the reason, a major part I believe, is the amount of chlorophyll in these foods, mostly the dark leafy veggies of course.  They are also rich in Vitamin A and other nutrients that help to bolster the immune system.

Chlorella can provide critical benefits for the health of individuals with suppressed immune systems caused by chronic long-term illness or chemotherapy treatments, according to studies cited in David Wolfe's book "SuperFoods".  It supports and builds up the immune system which enables the system to destroy bacteria, viruses and food-borne illness.

I found it interesting that chlorella contains about 60 percent pure digestible protein, making it one of the highest protein sources on the planet, far exceeding that of animal products like beef, chicken and fish (18 to 30 percent protein).  It's a whole food, crammed with good stuff, which is always good, but I think it far more valuable for us these days that it's a great detoxifier. 

So if you're like me and cannot seem to consume daily the bunches and bunches of greens that do the work, think about adding some chlorella pills to help your liver out.  No, I don't sell them here or make any money if you order a case of it.  I'm just passing along some info.  I want us ALL to be healthy and strong! 

So go green!  Lots and lots of green - one way or the other!

Obesity - How About Some Nutritional Truth?

I'm in classes again to get a Master Herbalist degree.  Learning so much new stuff that it sure keeps my brain going!  In one of my books, a chapter was so chocked full of information on obesity I just had to write about it.  (Even if you aren't obese, this is worth knowing about!  If you know someone who is battling weight, pass this along.)  This is a complicated issue.  There are many factors that can cause over-weight situations.  It is not "just" eating too much, but inflammation from eating the wrong things.  I'll address just a few of the issues in this post.

Ever wonder why some people just cannot stop eating?  Besides all the psychological factors, and there probably are some, one reason is their body may NOT be absorbing all it needs to function so it is sending signals to "keep going til we get what we need".  That could be a LOT of cheeseburgers and pizza and fries.  The nutritional value in fast food and processed is next to nothing.  Therein lies a HUGE problem.  You can (and some do!) eat a ton of it for virtually nothing.
People who keep eating and eating are actually starving ---- nutritionally.  Our bodies simply do not need quantities of food - the body needs quality.  It is easily satisfied with  real foods, and not in any ginormous quantity either!  People with huge appetites are often compulsive eaters because they are searching for the missing nutrients by over-eating.  People needing Potassium or Sodium will eat a tremendous amount of food in order to get these electrolytes. 

Some people may be highly allergic to the foods they are eating, and therefore the body rejects the nutrients in the food they eat, rather than absorb them.  Let me give you an example of that right out of the textbook.  A person allergic to wheat would not absorb the B-Complex vitamins that it contains and after eating it, he/she may still feel hungry because he/she hasn't gotten any nutrients out of the food just eaten.  Having an allegery to a food doesn't mean you necessarily get hives, rashes, or stomach aches.  The body, in its infinite wisdom, may be trying to process the allergen as best it can, even if it means converting it to fat, via cellular inflammation.
There are reasons.  There are always reasons.  It is not just a matter of self-control that causes obesity.

One of the worst things for someone with a weight problem is to go on a strict diet without finding out FIRST what they are deficient in or allergic to.  This is critical.   Something is going on here - fix it the right way!  For instance, there is a lot of mis-information on sodium.  People often go on a no-sodium diet thinking they will retain fluid and blow up if they eat food with salt.  It could be too, that these same people eat copious amounts of fast or processed foods not realizing the huge sodium content in them! 

While excessive amounts of sodium can impact negatively, (ie. raise blood pressure), our bodies NEED a certain amount of sodium.  If you are depleted of sodium, most of what you eat will be an allergenic and the body will bloat because of that!  Having your sodium levels checked is no little matter.  You could actually be deficient in it.  The "good" salt to eat is ONLY Himalayan pink salt or gray sea salt. ( I should do a blog on salts one day because you really do not want to eat the "regular" table salt - note to self or somebody remind me!)

See the fine lines here?  Balance is so critical.  When our  cellular systems are in balance there is NO problem, no disease, no symptom.  It is worth your while to learn more about this - especially if you do have a weight problem. 

Now herbally-speaking there are a few that can help as appetite suppressants.  One herb is Fennel which contains Sodium, Potassium and Sulfur.  The Sulfur in Fennel helps to break down fat, while the Sodium and Pottasium provide the nutrients needed by the body to satisfy the appetite.  Again, when you give the body what is needs, it will no longer be hungry.  Amazing but true!

Another very good herb is Bee Pollen, which is very low in calories compared to the power house of nutrients is contributes to the body.  Also the herb Alfalfa which is rich in Potassium and Sodium.  Alfalfa and Bee Pollen are particularly good for weight loss since they are both very rich in Potassium and some people tend to be lower in Potassium than Sodium.

In my studies I learned that many people are born with a lack of Potassium which will cause an allergy to milk and cheese.  A lack of Potassium will also cause an aversion to greens which contain Sodium and other important minerals.  The body will function properly when the Potassium and Sodium levels are in proper balance.  Both of these are responsible for maintaining proper fluid balance within the body's cells.  Potassium controls more of the internal fluids of the cells while Sodium controls more of the surrounding or external fluid of the cells.  Potassium regulates the heart muscle action and arterial blood pressure.  You NEED this!  I need this.  Every living person needs this!

Many people also have enzyme imbalance and are not digesting their food properly to extract enough nutrients from the foods they are eating.  This is why it is critical to correct all allergies, and once they are abated, the stomach will begin to function better.

It appears that many people with weight problems can be lacking in hydrochloric acid so there are products on the market such as KLB-6, which contains Kelp, and has a lot of minerals and Iodine to activate the thyroid, Lecithin, which helps to break down fat, and Vitamin B-6 which feeds the Pituitary gland to also help in losing weight.

I have a client taking Kelp and Super Lecithin who is making wonderful progress.  This is a person who could barely exercise at all and had to start out with leg lifts and arm lifts in a chair!  The diet consists of lots of oatmeal with berries, apples and celery for snacks, and meals of baked chicken with veggies, rice and beans with a salsa sauce, steak and lentil salads, sweet potatoes (roasted w/olive oil) or bananas for deserts --- I can't give it all here but suffice to say this person is NOT going hungry or complaining, and is now walking  every day with a pedometer.  I provide new recipes every two weeks and motivation check-ins weekly.

Progress is exciting even though at times it seems slow.  This is the SAFE and lasting way for this person to shed the weight, learning a whole new lifestyle with food and exercise.  It is not extreme or fast, but each pound off is a celebration because we know it won't go back on again.  We checked for deficiencies and allergies right from the get-go, so the path is clear.

There is more information on amino acids and other factors that I didn't write about.  Many things to address with obesity, but I've highlighted here the more common issues.  Each person is as different as a snowflake, which is why I don't believe in one-diet-fits-all.  It so does not.  And calorie restriction is ridiculous if you aren't getting the nutrients you need but just eliminate food willy-nilly.  What works for one person, could make another sick and horribly out of balance.  (This is a huge reason not ALL the people of Jenny Craig, or other "programs" are successful - duh - we are all different.)

If you know nothing else, know this - YOU ARE SPECIAL!


( Never undertake any kind of diet without first checking with a health professional. If you go on some diet by yourself and begin to feel ill, it could be your deficiencies are becoming worse, not better. You should know what they are before eliminating or adjusting your food intake.  I am not a doctor but I do work WITH doctors to provide the nutritional information .)

Loco for Cocoa

I cannot imagine a world without Chocolate.  I know some people are allergic or can't eat it for one reason or another, and boy I am sorry about that but it is certainly a universal favorite treat for the majority.  And it has a rich history!

In the 1600's and 1700's cocoa's reputation was for being a helpful medicine for angina and heart pain.  Only in the mid-1900's did cocoa lose its health cred and tip into the "unhealthy" side of the board.  Fortunately we are over that!  Medical studies show that the flavonoids that cocoa contains are very beneficial for:

Lowering blood pressure, lowering bad cholesterol while upping the good, increasing blood flow to the brain, keeping cortisol levels lower (helps with stress/anxiety) protecting the skin from some of the damaging UV rays, and many other little benefits that do a body good.

I am Not, however, talking about the typical chocolate candy bars  or milk chocolate anything.  This is DARK chocolate (which admittedly took me awhile to adjust to) the darker the better, at least 70%.  Check the ingredients on the label!

Think cacao - (pronounced ca-cow)from now on.  In it's raw state it is a virtual mineral supplement!  Loaded with magnesium, chromium, iron, zinc, copper - so many of the minerals we tend to be deficient in!   The anti-oxidant power is 15-20 times more than green tea, 30 times more than red wine, and 15 times more than blueberries.   In it's raw state this cacao bean has the highest vitamin C content of ANY food!  Seriously!  As I switch over to the Super Foods I'm taking less and less in the supplement department.  I'd rather eat than take pills, wouldn't you?

When "we" started processing cacao into all kinds of chocolates, the processing has destroyed all the good stuff about cacao - gone - poof!  So sorry to tell you that your KitKat or Snickers is worthless nutritionally and giving you a lot of calories, fat and chemicals.  (When I think of my snack drawer at work, 35 years ago, I just cringe!   But no wonder I was sick all the time!)

So like a lot of our food - phudes - the basic food was a superior product , but processing destroyed the benefits and crapped it up.  When I started learning about cacao, I must say I did pause as I mentally said goodbye to all but raw, unprocessed chocolate.  Amazing how quickly one adjusts though.  Once you experience the benefits of consuming the real thing, OMG, fantastic!

I'm going to a luncheon next week at a place in town called LeChocolat.  The owner of the store suffered from fibromyalgia for years, and had other health issues. But she researched the power of cacao (it IS a bonafide Super Food) and began to take it like you would a medicine, daily.  Long story (which I haven't heard yet) short, she was totally relieved of all symptoms within months - and has been a dynamo ever since!  That's why she opened this shop in town.  She does sell "regular" chocolate but I understand she is a valuable source of raw cacao and information.

To carry on here, cacao also is rich in flavonoids.  In case the word  "flavonoid" isn't familiar, generally speaking they are a class of water soluable plant pigments that have many catagories and other names that can drive you nuts trying to learn them all, where they come from and their chemical analysis.  (Trust me, been there!  One of my least fav classes!)

Simply think of a flavonoid as a good thing.  They help fight free-radicals like anti-oxidants. ( If that doesn't help you understand it, wait for the blog on free-radicals, haha!  I used to think they were good things, free-radicals.  I've been called free spirited and a radical.  Kind of hippie-like.  I am not, however, a free-radical.  No connection what-so-ever!  Good thing I went to school I'm thinkin'.)

One little square of very good quality dark chocolate daily is fine.  I have mine with a cup of green tea in the afternoon - such a treat.   I also have cacao powder I will add 1/2 teaspoon to my oatmeal which is dancing with cranberries, walnuts, blueberries and almond milk already.    I learned to love the dark because it beats the heck out of no chocolate whatever.  Now I actually prefer it.  I had a taste of milk chocolate a while back and all I could taste was the fat - it wasn't pleasant at all so I can pass it up easily now.  That has happened with so many things I used to eat - I'll have a bite now and wonder what I ever liked about it.  Believe me, enough time passes by and you really get over addictions and cravings.

It was soooo hard for me to give up sugar in my coffee.  Alas, after years of diddling around with flavored creams, I'm ok without the sugar.  THEN I watch Dr. Oz and he said if you add a spoon of raw sugar into your coffee it gives an additional "boost" to the boost you get from coffee.  Swell.  So I though, hmmm, let's try it.  Ya know what?  I didn't like it.  It was too sweet.  Well, thank God, huh?  The experiments are seemingly never over.
Dieting?  No worries.  One little square of dark chocolate will do you more benefit than harm.  Enjoy the heck out of that one piece!  You can find raw cacao powder in health food stores or on line - and also cacao nibs, little pieces of the cacao bean.  Great in smoothies too!

Life is good!

But it's better with chocolate!