Everything You Should Know About Bananas

Bananas Are Good For…

Bananas are good for constipation, skin problems, heart, nervous system, PMS, anemia, kidneys, bones, stomach ulcers, indigestion, emotional state, blood circulation, hangovers, rheumatic aches and pains, blood pressure, morning sickness, and muscular regeneration.

When you compare a banana to an apple, bananas have four times the protein, twice the carbohydrates, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A, five times the iron, and two times the vitamins and minerals.

And, of course bananas are well known for being rich in potassium. Nutritionally, bananas are one of the best value foods available.

Contents

Nutrition Composition Of Bananas

Bananas contain lots of manganese, vitamin B6 and vitamin C. Bananas also contain health-promoting flavonoids,  polyphenolics, such as lutein, zeaxanthin, beta, and alpha carotenes (acting as free radical-gobbling antioxidants).

Bananas are well known for their potassium. Just one banana contains 422 mg of potassium (depending on its size), which is important for controlling your heart rate and blood pressure, as well as a host of other functions.

Nutrition Facts for One Medium Sized, Raw, Typically Ripe Banana, 120g

Calories: 105 3 calories from fat
Total Fat: 0g 1%
  Saturated Fat: 0g 1%
   Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg 0%
Sodium: 1mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate: 27g 12%
  Dietary Fiber: 6g 23%
  Sugars: 14.4g (varies with ripeness)
  Starch: 6.3g (varies with ripeness)
Protein: 1.3g 3%

Vitamins
Vitamin A 75.5 IU 2%
Vitamin C 10.3 mg 17%
Vitamin D 0 0%
Vitamin E 0.1 mg 1%
Vitamin K 0.6 mcg 1%
Thiamin 0.0 mg 2%
Riboflavin 0.1 mg 5%
Niacin 0.8 mg 4%
Vitamin B6 0.4 mg 22%
Folate 23.6 mcg 6%
Vitamin B12 0 mcg 0%
Pantothenic Acid 0.4 mg 4%
Choline 11.6 mg
Betaine 0.1 mg

Minerals
Calcium 5.9mg 1%
Iron 0.3 mg 2%
Magnesium 31.9mg 8%
Phosphorus 31.9 mg 8%
Potassium 422 mg 12%
Sodium 1.2 mg 0%
Zinc 0.2 mg 1%
Copper 0.1 mg 5%
Manganese 0.3 mg 16%
Selenium 1.2 mcg 2%
Fluoride 2.6 mcg

Glycemic

 Load

10

Index

(glucose = 100)

50
(30-70 depending on ripeness)

Natural Remedies and Prevention With Bananas

Bananas help overcome depression, relieve seasonal effective disorder,  and are great for elevating mood, reducing PMS symptoms, and reducing stress due to high levels of vitamin B6 and tryptophan and its ability to regulate blood sugar levels.

A study conducted by the Imperial College of London found that children who ate a banana every day had  a 34% less chance of developing asthma.

Bananas help protect against muscle cramps during workouts and nighttime leg cramps. The high fiber in bananas can help normalize bowel motility (constipation relief). But if you have the runs, bananas can soothe and help normalize the digestive tract. Bananas also restore electrolytes that are lost from diarrhea. Green bananas are known to reduce or eliminate diarrhea.

Bananas alleviate heartburn (acid reflux). They are a natural antacid. Some people with stomach ulcers have problems with other raw produce, but bananas are the only raw fruit that can almost always be consumed without distress from ulcers because they coat the lining of the stomach against corrosive acids. Bananas, along with the right diet, can help heal stomach ulcers.

Eating bananas will help prevent kidney cancer, protect the eyes against macular degeneration, and increase calcium absorption. Eating bananas between meals helps to stabilize blood sugar and reduces nausea due to morning sickness.

Bananas can help reduce binge eating, as they help stabilize blood sugar.

Banana Peel Uses and Remedies

Banana peels can remove warts. Put a piece of banana peel against the wart (inside of peel against skin) and tape it in place. Rub the inside of a banana peel on bug bite or hives to relieve itching and irritation. With its healing and regenerative properties, banana peel can speed up the healing of bruises, scraps, scratches, and other injuries.

Rub the inside of a banana peel on leather (like shoes or a handbag) to polish; follow with a dry cloth for a quick shine.

Rub the inside of a banana peel on your teeth for a couple of minutes every other day for whiter teeth.

bananas-infographicWhile you’re at it, if you suffer from acne, try rubbing a peel over acne every night. The inside of banana peel can soothe the inflammation and irritation of acne and help prevent future outbreaks. You should see results in a  few days.

Other skin issues that benefit from the inside of a banana peel include sunburn, psoriasis, poison ivy rash, and other rashes that are not Candida related. Rubbing the peel ob the forehead, face and cheeks can tighten the skin, shrink pores, and reduce wrinkles

The enzymes in banana peels can help dislodge a splinter. Try taping a piece of the peel (inside to skin) over a splinter for two hours.

Banana peels are great for compost.

Banana History and Culture

Bananas were first referenced in sixth century BCE Buddhist writings in India. They were likely to have originated in Malaysia and transported by early explorers to India. Alexander the Great is said to have, after trying and liking bananas, brought the fruit back from India to the Western world.

banana varietiesBananas vary in size, color, firmness, and texture. Almost all modern edible seedless bananas come from the two wild species, Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana.

In some countries, especially in the Americas and Europe, banana varieties that are generally used for cooking are called plantains. However, in many countries there is no such distinction between the two.  In other regions, such as Southeast Asia, there are many varieties of banana grown and eaten with a variety of textures and sizes with varying degrees of sweetness.

Eating Fully Ripe Bananas

Ripe bananas with brown spots or peels can act as an anti-cancer agent by stimulating the production of white blood cells in the human cell line. On the other hand, when bananas fully ripen and develop dark spots on  the skin, the starch content changes to simple sugars which can raise the blood glucose levels quickly and feed Candida or infection. As bananas ripen, some of the micro-nutrients decrease as well.

Eating Raw Unripe Bananas

Most of the carbohydrates in our diet are starches found in grains, potatoes, and various other foods. But not all of the starch we eat gets digested. There is starch called “resistant starch,” found in raw potatoes and unripe bananas which functions in a similar manner as soluble fiber. This starch has significant health benefits including appetite reduction, improved insulin sensitivity, stabilization of blood sugar levels, and various other benefits that aid indigestion.

Banana Agriculture

Americans buy more bananas than any other fruit. The average American eats 10 pounds of bananas each year.

According to the USDA, in 2012, the U.S. imported 9,589 million pounds of bananas. More than 95 percent of the bananas are grown in five tropical Latin American nations.

Are There Genetically Modified Bananas?

banana with seedsThe bananas we eat from the grocery store are hybrid bananas. We have crossbred bananas in order to remove the seeds and to sweeten and soften the  fruit.

GMO bananas may be in our future.  The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture and NARO, funded by the Rockefeller Foundation and CGIAR, have started trials for genetically modified bananas resistant to black sigatoka and banana weevils.

Organic Vs. Conventional Bananas

The conventional banana industry is pesticide intensive. Bananas are grown in massive monocultures without crop rotation, which causes plants to be vulnerable to insect pests and fungal diseases.

The pesticide procedure is believed to use 35 pounds of pesticide per acre, which is dramatically more than other crops (van Wendel de Joode 2012, citing Wesseling 2001 and Ramírez 2009). Each bunch of bananas on the trees are enclosed inside of a plastic bag where the chemicals are inserted. The good news is that few of the pesticides reach the edible tissue of the fruit, but the risk to workers’ health and the environment, is substantial.

Organic bananas grown without synthetic insecticides and fungicides are a bit more expensive than conventional bananas. Some report that the days of organic bananas may be limited. A highly virulent and incurable strain of a fungus that attacks the Cavendish banana is spreading across plantations around the world.

Peeled bananas are generally tainted with very few pesticide residues, according to USDA analyses, probably because those tested are peeled first. In 2012 USDA scientists found just four fungicides on bananas they analyzed, compared to 10 on plums (USDA 2012b).

Fair Trade Bananas

Certified Fair Trade labeled bananas are a better choice than conventional for a few reasons. Growers have agreed to some restrictions on toxic pesticides and greater protection and pay for their workers.

Banana Human Rights Issues

Though bananas are one of the most widely distributed products in the world, there is very little in way of regulations and laws in regards to the treatment of the plantation workers. Commonplace tactics include child labor, anti-union measures, substandard wages, and severe toxic exposure,

Latin America countries have been plagued by imperialist foreign policies of developed nations for over a century, and the banana industry has been a large source of such turmoil.” – The Tragedy of Trade

The major banana distributors of North America, being Dole Food Company and Chiquita Brand International, continue to exploit the people of Ecuador, ignoring  international treaties and declarations, which both the United States and Ecuador have ratified.

If organic bananas are not available, look for bananas labeled fair trade.

Things You Didn’t Know About Bananas

To quickly ripen a banana, place it in a paper sack with a tomato or an apple.

Bananas are 75% water.

Even though bananas are very sweet when ripe, bananas have a relatively low glycemic index rating.

One banana supplies enough copper to keep the body properly producing red blood cells.

As they ripen, bananas produce an enzyme called “pectinase.” This enzyme helps break down plant materials in our body.

A banana has as much starch as a potato.

The fruit isn’t the only part of the banana you can eat. The flowers, leaves and trunk of the plant are edible as well.

How To Store Bananas So They Last Longer

If you’re one of those people who generally eats bananas quickly enough not to lose them to spoiling, you’ll benefit from a banana hanger (if you don’t already have one). If you need your bananas to last as long as possible, separate them and wrap each individual stem with plastic cling wrap. Lay them on padding such as a towel. Once bananas are at the desired ripeness, you can put them in the refrigerator. The banana skins will brown and eventually turn black in the fridge, but bananas are fine to eat.

Many people also peel bananas once they are ripe, put them in a plastic freezer bag, and then put them in the freezer for smoothies later.

How To Pick Good Bananas

bananasIt all depends on how ripe your bananas should be when they are ready to eat. Ripe bananas, unripe bananas, and all varying ripeness of bananas in between have their own unique benefits. So the question is, how soon do you want to eat them? The greener the banana the longer it will take to ripen. The more brown there is the more ripe the banana is.

Always look for organic bananas or fair trade bananas. They typically taste better in our opinion, and there is much less environmental degradation and no human rights abuses with these labels.

Things To Consider

When we are healthy and our body’s digestive system is balanced, bananas are very good for us. On the other hand, when someone is suffering from Candida overgrowth, bananas feed yeast.

Beta-blockers, medications that are most commonly prescribed for heart disease, can cause potassium levels to increase in the blood. High potassium foods such as bananas should be limited if you are taking beta-blockers.

Consuming great amounts of potassium can be harmful for people with poorly functioning kidneys. If your kidneys are unable to remove excess potassium from the blood, too much potassium may be fatal. For anyone dealing with Candida or any other infections would do well to limit or avoid bananas (and check out Make Your Immune System Bulletproof and  Gluten Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases.

Recommended Reading:
Banana Recipes:
Sources & Further Reading:


Top 5 Foods that Detox Heavy Metals and Toxins – With Protocol

In today’s toxic world, we absorb, inhale, and ingest chemicals and heavy metals on a daily basis. Bad bacteria and Candida ooze toxins as a part of their metabolism and as they die off. Bi-annual detoxes help to cleanse your body and remove these highly toxic substances, but what about the other 363 days out of the year when we accumulate toxins?

What if the food we include in our daily diet not only nourishes our bodies but binds to those toxins and helps cleanse our tissues? What if our nutrient dense diet became a daily detox? With the following foods, it can.

  • Chlorella
  • Spirulina
  • Garlic
  • Cilantro
  • Wheatgrass

Pass the pond scum, please!

Chlorella and spirulina, two amazing superfoods, are actually pond scum that grow in fresh water. Chlorella is a round, single cell organism rich in chlorophyll that contains 20 vitamins and minerals and all of the essential amino acids. Spirulina is a spiral, multi-cell organism that is also rich in chlorophyll, and it contains 18 vitamins and minerals, 8 amino acids, and omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. Both of these superfoods are high in protein and antioxidants. Both do a remarkable job of absorbing heavy metals and other toxins. They are so good at absorbing metals, it is vital to purchase your chlorella and spirulina from a trusted source to ensure you do not buy product that has absorbed heavy metals from the environment where it was grown. Here’s a recipe for making your own nutrition powder. And here’s four more chlorella recipes.

Garlic

Garlic is rich in vitamin C, vitamin B6, and manganese. It’s active ingredient, a sulfur compound, allicin, provides the primary healing aspects of garlic. Garlic prevents or reduces the severity of viruses like the common cold and the flu, lowers blood pressure, lowers LDL cholesterol, and is an antioxidant. It is also antibacterial, antifungal, and antiparasitic. Amazingly enough, it also binds heavy metals and helps us to detox. It’s best effects come from eating 3 or more cloves each day. Always wait 10 minutes or so after cutting or crushing garlic to cook it or eat it raw to allow the allicin to form.

Cilantro

Cilantro binds to heavy metals, pulling them from blood and body tissues, and eliminates them from the body. It is a strong antioxidant known to help with sleep, to reduce anxiety, and to lower blood sugar. What we call cilantro is actually coriander–the same plant from which we harvest coriander seeds. It is also known as Chinese parsley.

Wheatgrass

Wheatgrass contains calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, B vitamins, vitamin A, and vitamin C. It is a powerful detoxifier that neutralizes toxins with enzymes and cleanses the body of heavy metals and other toxic substances stored in tissues and organs. Like spirulina and chlorella, it is a wonderful source of chlorophyll. It’s also in the Total Nutrition recipe.

Doc Shillington’s Total Tonic Recipe (or click here to purchase)

This tonic helps detoxify heavy metals and it offers a lot of other benefits too.

  • 1 handful of garlic cloves
  • 1 handful of chopped onions
  • 1 handful of chopped ginger
  • 1 handful of chopped horseradish
  • 1/2 handful of chopped habanero peppers
  • Raw apple cider vinegar

Throw in a blender and cover with an inch or two of organic raw apple cider vinegar. All ingredients should be organic, but don’t let that stop you from making this great formula (as long as the garlic is not from China). You can use the mash right away or wait two weeks and allow it to turn into a tincture.

This tonic also works very well with Blood Detox, Total Nutrition Formula (which contains chlorella, spirulina, wheatgrass, and more), and this Cranberry Stevia Lemonade Recipe.

So let’s put it all together; here’s a protocol:

Daily Heavy Metals Removal Protocol

  • Smoothie with Total Nutrition Formula
  • Large salad with lots of garlic, cilantro, and leafy greens
  • Juice – Golden Milk Tea or turmeric and ginger
  • Blood Detox tea and/or formula (they work well together, but you can also just do one or the other)
  • Shillington’s Total Tonic
  • Drink lots of cranberry lemonade daily

This isn’t just a heavy metal detox diet, it’s a detox protocol that detoxifies without fasting, and heals the whole body. This is a strong protocol as long as you don’t eat processed foods with it. Here in our “further reading” section below find all of the links you need to for the protocol recipes, and below, and if you’d rather purchase the formulas and tonics, see below as well. If you suffer from illness due to heavy metal toxicity, you’ll want to check our How To Detoxify and Heal From Vaccinations and Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases.

Recommended Reading:
Recommended Products:
Sources:


Everything You Should Know About Watermelon

Watermelons Are Good For…

Prostate health, dehydration, constipation, infection, detoxifying, kidney health, blood pressure, appetite, diabetes, and heart health all benefit (or improve) with watermelon.

For various reasons, people sometimes have trouble drinking enough water each day.  Watermelon, since it is 91% water, can help with  hydration and electrolytes.

Watermelon hydrates our cells and balances the pH in our bodies.

Due to the citrulline content, this melon is also known to reduce and treat erectile dysfunction. Like Viagra, citrulline relaxes and dilates blood vessels.

Contents

Nutrition Composition of Watermelon

Watermelon is high in vitamin C (antioxidant), vitamin A (beta carotene), lycopene (antioxidant) and citrulline (an amino acid).

Recommended: How To Heal Your Gut

Tomatoes are known for their lycopene, the phytonutrient famous for fighting heart disease and prostate cancer. Unlike watermelon, you have to cook tomatoes in some oil to release the lycopene. Cup for cup, watermelon has 40% more lycopene than tomatoes.

Nutrition Facts for One Cup of Watermelon (ball scoops).  Raw, Typically Ripe Watermelon, 154g

Calories: 46 2 calories from fat
Total Fat: 0g 0%
  Saturated Fat: 0g 0%
   Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg 0%
Sodium: 1mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate: 12g 4%
  Dietary Fiber: 1g 2%
  Sugars: 10g
Protein: 0.9g 2%

Vitamins
Vitamin A 876 IU 18%
Vitamin C 12.5 mg 21%
Vitamin D 0 0%
Vitamin E 0.1 mg 0%
Vitamin K
0.2 mg
 0%
Thiamin 0.1 mg 3%
Riboflavin 0.0 mg 2%
Niacin 0.3 mg 1%
Vitamin B6 0.1 mg 3%
Folate 4.6 mg 1%
Vitamin B12 0 mg 0%
Pantothenic Acid 0.3 mg 3%
Choline 6.3 mg
Betaine 0.5 mg

Minerals
Calcium 10.8mg 1%
Iron 0.4 mg 2%
Magnesium 15.4 mg 4%
Phosphorus 15.4 mg 2%
Potassium 16.9 mg 5%
Sodium 1.5 mg 0%
Zinc 0.2 mg 1%
Copper 0.1 mg 3%
Manganese 0.1 mg 3%
Selenium 0.6 mg 1%
Flouride 2.3 mg

Glycemic

 Load

3
Index
(glucose = 100)		 72

Natural Remedies and Prevention with Watermelon

Watermelon has many health benefits and can help prevent and remedy some serious ailments, from erectile dysfunction to high blood pressure.

As for accessing the total medicinal benefits of watermelon, it is highly dependent on the variety of watermelon and the ripeness. Beta carotene and lycopene are usually bio-available in the highest quantities once the watermelon is completely ripe. And don’t be afraid to eat some of the watermelon rind; there are quite a few nutrients in there as well, particularly roughage and fiber.

How Watermelon Can Alleviate High Blood Pressure

Relaxed blood vessels mean a lower blood pressure. The arginine in watermelon that relaxes blood vessels has other health benefits. It promotes production of nitric oxide. In addition to relaxing blood vessels, this compound has been shown to reduce blood clotting and encourage smooth blood flow, preventing heart attacks and strokes. Also, increased hydration helps lower blood pressure and can help detoxify the blood as well.

Recommended: Hypertension – How To Lower Your Blood Pressure Quickly and Naturally

Why Watermelon Prevents Prostate Cancer

Watermelon contains more lycopene than any fresh fruit or vegetable. Lycopene has known antioxidant qualities to keep the skin, heart, and prostate healthy. Studies have shown that people who ingest lycopene can help the prostate regenerate faster and stay healthier longer.

Watermelon and Colon Health

Watermelon is particularly useful in fighting colon cancer due to its cleansing effect, it’s alkalinity, and it’s ability to hydrate cells. Watermelon aids in flushing the colon, kidneys, and to a lesser degree, the liver.

What Watermelon Can Do for Erectile Dysfunction

Arginine and citrulline make watermelon a wonderful natural remedy for impotence. Both arginine and citrulline relax blood vessels, including the vessels in the male reproductive system. Relaxed vessels allow for a natural erection response. Watermelon is also anti-inflammatory.

Macular Degeneration

With beta carotene, vitamin-C, lutein, and zeaxanthin, watermelon is one of the best foods for nourishing the eyes. These antioxidants will protect your eyes from other age-related ailments such as drying of eyes and optical nerves, as well as glaucoma.

Anxiety

While it is true that watermelon may lift your spirits just because it is a comfort food from your childhood, the vitamin B6 in watermelon doesn’t hurt either. B6 is a superb weapon against anxiety. This vitamin influences brain chemicals responsible for calming moods and allows you to make better decisions under stress.

Recommended: Natural Remedies for Anxiety

Skin

Lycopene is also beneficial for the skin. The antioxidants decrease free radicals from the body known for causing age-spots, fine lines, and wrinkles. Hydration also plays a huge role in looking and feeling younger. Hydrated skin looks much younger and heals much faster than dehydrated skin.

Watermelon also aids skin in other ways as well, like removing excess oil from the skin that helps cause acne.

Detoxification

Dr. Ariel Policano, a naturopathic physician, says that watermelon helps the liver process ammonia, a toxic nitrogen-containing waste product left over from amino acid metabolism — and convert it into a molecule known as urea, a component of urine that is safely excreted from the body. Along with benefits to the colon, the liver, and the kidneys, watermelon is very good at flushing out the body, moving undesired waste to be evacuated.

Recommended: Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included

Watermelon Seeds

Watermelon tea is used by the Amish as a healing remedy. The seeds also have properties similar to pumpkin seeds that are good for your prostate.

Nutritional Composition of Watermelon Seeds

Watermelon seeds are a good source of vitamin B like Thiamin, niacin, and folate. Watermelon seeds are rich in minerals like magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, zinc, iron, potassium and copper. 100 grams of watermelon seeds provides around 139%, 87%, 82%, 74%, 44%, 20% and 37% of daily dietary values of these minerals respectively. Watermelon seeds are also a good source of dietary fiber which is essential for healthy bowel movements and digestion.

What You Can Do with Watermelon Rinds

It’s much more important to make sure to purchase organic watermelon if you plan to ingest the rind.

In a recent study, food scientists compared the nutrient content of flesh from different parts of a watermelon. They looked at flesh from the center, flesh near the stem, flesh near the blossom, and the flesh near the rind (known as periphery). There are concentrations of various nutrients (such as phenolic antioxidants, flavonoids, lycopene, and vitamin C) in all of the different areas tested. Overall, they found that the watermelon rind doesn’t offer any more benefit with nutrition than the flesh. The rind may have a little more citrulline than the flesh when measured by dry weight, but not by wet weight. So, if you want to eat the watermelon rind, you will receive many of the same nutritional benefits one gets eating the flesh, but the rinds also make great compost.

Watermelon Agriculture

Watermelons are a vine-like flowering plant that probably originated almost 5,000 years ago in the Kalahari Desert of Africa where botanists have found its wild ancestors still growing. Today, in the United States,  in the Southern states such as the Carolinas and Georgia, watermelons flourish as commercial crops.

Watermelon Varieties

There are many wild varieties ranging from super sweet to bitter that vary in size.  About 200-300 varieties are grown in the U.S. and Mexico, although there are only roughly 50 popular varieties.

The ‘Carolina Cross’

The watermelon that holds the current world record in weight at 120 kilograms (260 lbs) is a yellow flesh melon called the ‘Carolina Cross.’ This variety has green skin with red flesh and typically produces fruit between 29 and 68 kilograms (65 and 150 lbs). Planting to harvest is about 90 days.

The ‘Yellow Crimson’

The yellow crimson variety has yellow-colored flesh and is typically described as sweeter than red flesh melons with a taste of honey. The first fruits should be ready to harvest in mid to late summer, about 55 to 85 days after pollination.

The ‘Orangeglo’

With a very sweet orange flesh, the orangelo is a large, oblong melon that typically weighs 9–14 kg (20–30 pounds). The rind is light green with jagged dark green stripes.Planting to harvest is about 90–100 days.

The ‘Moon and Stars’

This melon variety wears a purple/black rind with many small, yellow circles along with one or two large, yellow circles (moon). The flesh is pink or red and has brown seeds. The foliage is also spotted. They weigh 9–23 kg (20–50 pounds). The time from planting to harvest is about 90 days.

The ‘Cream of Saskatchewan’

These melons grow well in cooler climates. They are small round fruits around 25 cm (10 inches) in diameter. They carry a thin, light green rind with dark green strips. The flesh is very sweet and there are black seeds. The melon takes 80–85 days from planting to harvest.

The ‘Melitopolski’

The Melitopolski has small, round fruits that are around 28–30 cm (11–12 inches) in diameter. The Melitopolski watermelons are popular in Moscow in summer. They  take about 95 days from planting to harvest.

The ‘Densuke’

With a black rind (without strips of spots) is grown only on the island of Hokkaido, Japan, where up to 10,000 watermelons are produced every year. These watermelons are expensive, with one selling at an auction for 650,000 yen (US$ 6,300), making it the most expensive watermelon ever sold. The average price is about 25,000 yen ($ 250).

Are there Genetically Modified Watermelons?

We know of no genetically modified watermelons in production. There were some experiments in Italy and the U.S., but at this time watermelons at the store as completely free of genetically modified organisms.

Seedless watermelons are NOT genetically modified. They are hybrid watermelons that have been grown in the United States for more than 50 years.

Those square watermelons they grow in Japan are not genetically modified either. They are just watermelon grown in a box.

Organic Vs. Conventional Watermelons

While not the worst offender, conventional watermelon is grown using pesticides known to cause health problems and kill bees. The good news is that the chemicals, for the most part, do not penetrate the rind and pass into the fruit. Watermelon is one of those fruits that you need not be too concerned with the toxicity levels if organic is not available.

We do not recommend eating watermelon from China (or any produce at all for that matter, organic or not).

Seedless Vs. Seeded Watermelon

Seedless watermelons are sterile hybrid fruits created by crossing male pollen for a watermelon with a female watermelon flower. This is similar to the mule, produced by crossing a horse with a donkey. This process does not involve genetic modification.

We have eaten hundreds of watermelon, and it’s getting harder and harder to find the seeded variety lately. Seedless watermelons take considerable knowledge to grow, but they ripen and are ready to harvest quickly. It’s more economical, specially on a large scale, to grow seedless watermelon.

We are the type of people to say we prefer the seeded variety for taste and texture, but the truth is, it’s actually a really tough call. The best watermelon I have ever had was seeded. But at least half in the top ten were seedless. And I’m better at picking out a good seedless melon. It’s more difficult for me with the bigger seeded varieties.

Every time we see a full seeded watermelon available we get excited. My whole family loves it, and we always are chasing that high we felt when we got the best watermelon we’ve ever had. Seriously, we love watermelon.

Fair-trade Watermelon & Human Rights Issues

We don’t know of any human rights issues within the watermelon industry. We also can’t recall seeing fair trade labeled watermelon. If you know of any, please let us know.

Tips for Growing Your Own Watermelon

Most watermelons require a long growing season, at least three months of temperatures that are 21 – 27 degrees C (70 to 80 degrees F or higher).

Start watermelon seeds indoors and use black plastic mulch.Buy seeds of an open-pollinated, heirloom variety that are a good fit for your climate (and then of course, save those seeds when you harvest the melons). If your growing season is less than 90 days, select short-season varieties such as ‘Million Bucks Hybrid’ or ‘Orange Sunshine Hybrid’.

When vines begin to ramble, a dose of boron will help melons produce sweeter flesh. Dissolve 1 tablespoon of borax in a gallon of water and spray the foliage and the ground by the plants.

Things You Didn’t Know About Watermelon

  • Citrullus Lanatus is the official name for watermelons.
  • Watermelons are the botanical cousins of cucumber, squash, and pumpkins.
  • Watermelons earliest recorded harvest dates back to 5,000 B.C. in Egypt.
  • Watermelons were buried in the tombs of kings to nourish them in the afterlife.
  • The world’s heaviest watermelon weighed 121.93 kg (268.8 pounds).
  • Watermelons have more lycopene than any other fruit or vegetable.
  • Watermelon juice helps relieve muscle soreness and speed recovery.
  • Watermelon is 91.5-percent water.

How to Store Watermelons So They Last Longer

The shelf life of a watermelon depends on when the watermelon was picked and how it is stored. When properly stored, the shelf life of a watermelon past its picked or purchased date is approximately 7 to 10 days if left whole or 3 to 5 days if it is cut and in the refrigerator. Whole watermelon can last a few days longer in the fridge, but the cold temperature does diminish some nutrition.

How to Pick Good Watermelons

Recent research has shown that the highest lycopene and beta-carotene content occurs at the time when a watermelon is ripe.

Pick a dull looking watermelon.  A shiny appearance indicates an underripe melon.

Find the field spot.  This is that creamy yellow colored spot on the melon where it rested on the ground. The darker the color of the creamy spot, the longer it was on the vine sweetening up. If it is white (or not even there), put it back, because this indicates an unripe melon that was picked too early.

Give the melon a spank. You will get a dull thud if the flesh is too soft, which you don’t want. There should be a slight hollowness to the thump. Your hand should bounce off the melon, and the surface should be pretty hard/firm, but too hard with no give can mean it’s not as ripe as it should be just yet.

watermelon split heartIf you aren’t familiar with the term, “hollow heart” watermelons are those melons with a crack in the middle of the flesh from stem to blossom. They are typically sweeter due to the concentration of sugars within the cracks. Sometimes you can tell by the thump if you’ve thumped enough watermelon to know. If you get one of these that are not too dry, you’ve got yourself an awesome watermelon. Listen for the hollow sound when you thump them.

Sources and Further Reading



Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbs for Handling Stress

Times of high stress can affect your health, your sleep, and your entire sense of well-being. While chronic long-term stress is a cry for a change of lifestyle and a more serious intervention, sometimes we go through stressful periods knowing there is an end in sight. If this is your situation, know that a good diet, 8 hours of sleep a night, exercise and the following supplements can help see you through.

Note: This article is the short version of Natural Remedies for Chronic Stress.

The following supplements will help you feel more relaxed, help you avoid illness, and help you sleep:

  • Vitamin B complex
  • Tryptophan
  • Calcium Magnesium
  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin D
  • Multi-vitamin or Total Nutrition Formula
  • Omega 3s
  • Melatonin (if insomnia is a problem)
  • Valerian Root (if insomnia is a problem)

Vitamin B Complex

While a few of the B vitamins are regularly recommended for stress, it is always best to take B vitamins in a B complex form, as B vitamins work together. Research has also shown that taking one B vitamin alone over time can actually cause deficiencies in other B vitamins. B vitamins are nature’s valium. They soothe the nervous system and aid in many functions in the body and brain. They may also help you sleep.

L-Tryptophan

L- tryptophan is an amino acid our body needs in order to make serotonin and melatonin. Serotonin is the basic “feel good” neurotransmitter, whereas melatonin is needed for sleep.

Calcium and Magnesium

Calcium and magnesium work together. Magnesium is calming to the body. You can take it as a supplement or soak for 40 minutes in epsom salts.

Vitamin C and Vitamin D

In times of great stress, the immune system is often suppressed. An extra boost of vitamin C and vitamin D aid the immune system and may keep you from catching a virus or a bacterial infection at an already difficult time.

Multi-vitamin or Total Nutrition Formula

Times of high stress are a good time to ensure all of your nutritional needs are met. A daily multi-vitamin and/or Total Nutrition Formula will aid you in getting all the nutrients your body requires. (You can buy it at Green lifestyle Market or make your own Total Nutrition Formula at home.)

Omega 3s

Krill oil, flax seed oil, fish oil, or a good oil blend will help with stress and aid in concentration and mood stabilization.

Melatonin and Valerian Root

If L-tryptophan and B vitamins have not reversed your insomnia, add melatonin and valerian root to your nightly routine. Also see Natural Insomnia Cures. (see link below)

Conclusion:

Coping with stress in a healthy way includes a healthy diet, adequate exercise, good sleep, and avoiding those shortcut stress reducers that do more harm than good. Don’t rely on drugs, alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, or junk food to help you through stressful times. They don’t help at all, even though it may seem like they do at the moment. This is a time to take excellent care of yourself to minimize the stress on your body even though there is more than enough stress in your life. For more information on how to deal with stress, especially if your stress is chronic or long term, see Natural Remedies for Chronic Stress, and Natural Remedies for Adrenal Fatigue.

Recommended Supplements:
Further Reading:
Sources:

Dr. Oz

Life Extension–tryptophan



Cherries – The Superfood You Should Know About

Cherries are Good For…

Anti aging, gout, reducing muscle pain, blood pressure, osteoarthritis, colon cancer, insomnia, metabolism, Alzheimer’s, and preventing strokes are all things cherries are known to help with.

Contents

Nutrition Facts for Sweet, Raw Cherries, 1 Cup, No Pits & for Tart, Raw, Red Cherries, 1 Cup, No Pits

Sweet Cherries / Tart Cherries

Calories: 97 / 77 3 / 4 calories from fat
Total Fat: 0.3 / 0.5 g 0 / 1 %
  Saturated Fat: 0.1g 0 / 1 %
   Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg 0%
Sodium: 0 / 5 mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate: 25 / 19 g 8 / 6 %
  Dietary Fiber: 3 / 2 g 13 / 10 %
  Sugars: 20 / 13 g
  Starch: 0g
Protein: 2 / 1.6 g 3%

Vitamins
Vitamin A 98.5 / 1988 IU 2 / 40 %
Vitamin C 10.8 / 15.5 mg 18 / 26 %
Vitamin D 0 0%
Vitamin E 0.1mg 1%
Vitamin K 3.2 / 3.3 mcg 4%
Thiamin 0.0mg 0%
Riboflavin 0.1mg 3%
Niacin 0.2 / 0.6 mg 1 / 3 %
Vitamin B6 0.1mg 4 / 3 %
Folate 6.2 / 12.4 mcg 2 / 3 %
Vitamin B12 0mcg 0%
Pantothenic Acid 0.3 / 0.2 mg 3 / 2 %
Choline 9.4 / 9.5 mg
Betaine 0mg

Minerals
Calcium 20 / 22.8 mg 2%
Iron 0.6 / 0.5 mg 3%
Magnesium 16.9 / 13.9 mg 4 / 3 %
Phosphorus 32.3 / 23.2 mg 3%
Potassium 342 / 268 mg 10 /8 %
Sodium 0 / 4.7 mg 0%
Zinc 0.1 / 0.2 mg 1%
Copper 0.1 / 0.2 mg 5 / 8 %
Manganese 0 / 0.2 mg 5 / 9 %
Selenium 0mcg 0%
Flouride 3.1 / 0 mcg

Glycemic

 Load

8 / 10

Index

(glucose = 100)

22 / 20

Health Benefits, Natural Remedies and Disease Prevention with Cherries

Anti-Inflammatory – The FDA sent out warning letters to cherry growers some years ago insisting that the cherry companies quit making health claims that some of the compounds in cherries may reduce pain and inflammation. Cherry growers were told to stop citing scientific studies showing that cherries are packed with unique anthocyanins and other compounds that are proven to mediate inflammation. But of course they do. In fact, 1 cup of cherries has the same effect as one regular strength ibuprofen.

Cherries, especially tart cherries (or tart cherry juice), reduce muscle soreness and are an amazing supplement for DOMs (delayed onset muscle soreness), arthritis, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, working out, and other such issues that cause muscle soreness.

Fat Metabolism – Researchers found that when rats were fed whole tart cherry powder along with a high fat diet, they gained less weight than rats that did not consume cherry powder on an otherwise identical diet.

Insomnia – Cherries are a good source of natural melatonin, imperative for healthy cognitive function, circulatory strength, and proper sleep cycles. This can help also alleviate jetlag and insomnia.

Antioxidants – The antioxidants found in cherries are said to boost memory and may help prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Antioxidants also help slow aging in many other ways, including appearance.

Cardiovascular Health – The anthocyanins in cherries are pigments that give red cherries the red color. Anthocyanins may activate and help regulate genes that are involved with fat and glucose metabolism, which should help reduce the risk for such health issues as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Cherries are also very high in potassium, which is known to help regulate heart rate and lower blood pressure.

Cancer Prevention – In addition to the anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants that help prevent cancer, studies have shown that the anthocyanins prevents cancer (and there are a host of other benefits to individual cells as well).

Gout – Due to their anti-inflammatory properties, and their alkalizing effects, cherries and cherry juice should be a staple for anyone suffering from gout.  One study showed that people with gout may be able to cut their risk of recurrent gout attacks in half by eating 20 cherries a day.

Sweet Cherries vs. Tart Cherries

There are many varieties of sweet cherries available. The most common are Rainer and Sweetheart. Other common varieties include bing, Chelan, tieton, Skeena, and lapins.

Sweet cherries are typically larger than tart cherries and usually have a bit of a heart shape to them. Sweet cherries can range in color from golden with hints of red (like the Rainer) to dark, deep red (like the Sweetheart).

With the health benefits listed above, tart cherries come out the winner every time. Sweet cherries are very good for us, but tart cherries have more of the best health properties and a little less sugar as well. If you cannot find fresh, tart cherries, try tart cherry juice. Black cherry juice is well known for its proven health benefits.

Common tart cherry varieties (also known as sour cherries) include English morello, early richmond, Meteor, montmorency, and north star. Tart cherries in the United States usually come from Michigan. These cherry trees are much better suited to cold weather.

Tart cherries are typically used for juicing and cooking. Their tart flavor also bodes well with sugar. Tart cherries are typically softer and smaller than sweet cherries.

While a bit harder to find at the supermarket, raw tart cherries are making a comeback, due in part to their potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.

Cherry Agriculture

Harvesting tart cherries is a delicate process; they are hand-picked so they keep their stems to keep them from leaking or spoiling. Leaving the stems on also slows down the ripening process.

Tart cherries are soft and must be handled gently. Sweet Cherries are less susceptible to  damage and are a bit easier to harvest.

Cherry Season – Harvest

The cherry harvest in the United States begins in southern California around the end of April with the Brooks cherry, a hybrid that is a cross between a Rainier and a Bing.  Harvest season comes to an end in California by early June, which is when the season begins in Washington State. By September cherries will be gone from stores until the next year.

Most sweet cherries continue to be produced in Washington, California, Michigan, and Oregon. Michigan produces the bulk of tart cherries for the U.S.

Are there Genetically Modified Cherries?

At this time there are not any genetically modified cherries. There is some research being done on producing a GMO cherry that has no pit.

Organic Vs. Conventional Cherries

Cherries are one of those crops that gets an extremely heavy dose of pesticides. They were on the “Dirty Dozen” list for 2010, a report put out by the Environmental Working Group that picks the 12 most toxic laden, heavily chemically treated crops.

There are more than 40 toxins found on conventional cherries from pesticide sprays: 20 known hormone disruptors, 7 neurotoxins, 8 toxins that effect reproduction and development, and 14 chemicals known to contribute to the death of honeybees.

Things You Didn’t Know About Cherries

  •  In the United State the consumption of fresh cherries increased by 150% from 2000 to 2009.
  •  Because the fruit has a very short shelf life, cherries are brought to market quickly.
  •  In the United States, there are more than 1,000 different varieties of cherry tree.
  • In addition to their wonderful fruit, the cherry tree is known for its beautiful flowers.
Sources:


Eliminate Body Odor With Diet

There are two things to ask yourself if you have a problem with body odor:

  • Am I healthy?
  • Am I using the right soap and skin care products?

You may have noticed “Do I shower often enough?” was left out. That’s because when the body is healthy, showering is about removing dirt and odors from sources other than our body. Objectionable body odor is a result of imbalanced PH, imbalanced hormones, a heavy toxic load, damaging skin care products, and/or imbalanced gut flora.

Health

First let’s talk about health. If you are not healthy or your body is toxic, it will affect your body odor. Vaginal infections can produce a foul odor and body fluids, including sweat, may give off a foul odor when you are ill, just as sinus infections or infections in the mouth can produce bad breath. If you are healthy, your sweat will not smell foul. It will actually smell good.

Clean up your body from the inside out. Eat a healthy diet that consists of 80% fresh, organic, raw fruits and vegetables. The fiber will cleanse your digestive system, sweeping out old rotting food and debris while working as a prebiotic that helps maintain a high level of beneficial bacteria in the gut. Detox twice a year. Get those chemicals, parasites, and the extra yeast out of your body. (For more information, see the links below.)

Bathing and Showering

This is such an individual decision that should be based on need, not someone else’s idea of cleanliness. In the U.S. our cultural norm is a daily bath or shower, those some shower morning and night. If you are healthy and you aren’t actually dirty, daily showers or baths are not necessary. Some may argue that even with toxin free skin care products, daily washing does more harm than good due to washing away healthy flora that develops on skin and controls body odor. Bathe or shower as often as necessary–not more.

Why You Should Use Organic Soap

There are two reasons you should use organic soap. First of all, our skin soaks up most of the chemicals we put on it. When we use conventional products, those chemicals are pulled into our bloodstream. Read the labels on soap scrubs and bar soap and ask yourself if you would want to eat those ingredients, because in a roundabout way, that’s exactly what you are doing every time you use them. Secondly, organic soaps are better for your skin and they stop the body odor cycle caused by conventional products.

Our skin is part of the body’s first line of defense against pathogens. Not only do we produce natural oils to keep our skin healthy, our skin is host to many beneficial bacterial, just like our gut. Conventional soaps, especially anti-bacterial soaps, are the greatest cause of body odor because they disrupt the body’s natural defense against bad bacteria. Conventional , anti-bacterial soaps strip the skin of natural oils and kill the bacteria. The problem is, they kill the beneficial bacteria that naturally keeps the bad bacteria (the smelly bacteria) in check. You bathe, you kill off the good bacteria. You sweat, the bad bacteria start to multiply and there aren’t enough good bacteria to keep them in check. You bathe, the cycle continues.

This is the same process we experience with deodorants. Any time we strip natural oils and kill off beneficial bacteria, we set up an unhealthy cycle that merely perpetuates the use of conventional products. We smell worse, we use more and more. This is how they make money.

Organic soaps maintain the natural balance of bacteria on your skin. As the days pass, you will notice that you have less body odor. You will no longer need to use deodorant. You just don’t smell bad anymore. You may find that you only need to bathe every other day, every three days, or maybe only once a week. Even if you maintain the habit of a daily bath or shower, your skin will be happier and healthier. If you’re ready to get rid of body odor without the chemical cover-ups that damage your health, it’s time to Balance Your Gut Flora and Balance Your Hormones.

Recommended Supplements:
Further Reading:

Sources:



Mercury Fillings, Root Canals, Cavitations – What You Need to Know

Is your mouth making you sick?

You can tell a lot about a person’s health by the condition of their mouth. It’s almost impossible to have a sick body and a healthy mouth or to have a healthy body and a sick mouth. You can, however, have a sick mouth and not know it. Your mercury filling can be leeching mercury particles or mercury vapor that is poisoning your tissues. Your root canal or your jawbone can be oozing potent toxins, even though you feel no pain.

Brian’s Amalgam (mercury) Fillings

Brian was an honor student at age fourteen. Within a month after his trip to the dentist, his world changed. Suddenly he experienced ongoing fatigue and a “brain fog” so severe he could not concentrate for more than ten minutes at a time. Honors classes became a thing of the past, while Brian, who had always been a happy well-adjusted teen, grappled with suicidal thoughts.

Ten years later Brian was searching the web for a means to treat his persistent body acne when one site said the treatment probably wouldn’t work unless mercury fillings were removed first. After a little research, Brian realized his fatigue, lack of attention, fogginess, and the metallic taste in his mouth all coincided with the dental visit when he acquired ten amalgam (mercury) fillings in his teeth. Just the removal of the first three amalgams resulted in a dramatic increase in mental clarity.

Melanie’s Root Canal

Melanie was a young mother of two children and a housewife when she became ill. First her ear began popping every time she swallowed and she could feel the pressure of fluid in her ear. Soon it was hard to swallow. Gynecological problems were followed by systemic symptoms of overwhelming pain and fatigue. Eventually, Melanie, sick as she was, was forced to go get a job in order to pay her medical bills. She was miserable and in constant pain until the day she had her dead tooth pulled. Before any of her symptoms began, Melanie had an infected tooth and a subsequent root canal. Although she experienced no pain at the site, the tooth was the root of her health problems. She felt better the first day that tooth was pulled, and all of her symptoms disappeared with a few months.

Nicole’s Cavitations

Soon after having her wisdom teeth removed, Nicole experienced extreme chronic pain on her left side, overwhelming fatigue, hair loss, “severe brain fog” and an increase in allergies and chemical sensitivities. She regained some of her health through an organic diet (alleviation of the chronic pain and brain fog) before finding information about cavitations—infections in the crater and bone left behind after an extraction. Now that her infections are being treated, her other symptoms are disappearing as well; her hair is growing back and she has fewer allergies and chemical sensitivities.

Mercury, root canals, and extractions can be the root of many illnesses

Few people are aware that auto-immune disease, chronic illnesses, and acute illnesses may be related to mercury poisoning from dental fillings or unresolved infection involving a root canal or extraction. In our society, conventional medicine and conventional dentistry both separate the mouth from the rest of the body, not realizing the synergistic relationship between each tooth and vital organs or the mouth’s ability to create systemic illness.

A tooth is arguably an organ in itself, and many holistic dentists view it as one. Each tooth is also connected to other organs, tissues, glands etc. through the meridians of the body. Disease with a dead tooth (root canal) or bone and tissue disease due to extractions (cavitations) not only leech toxins into the body, causing a challenge for the immune system, there is also a deleterious effect on organs and tissues of the corresponding meridian. This meridian connection goes both ways. “…my studies kept bringing me back to the role of dental procedures and dental diseases in general health conditions and to how oral disease is often a sign of systemic illness,” writes Dr. Alison Adams, a former dentist who became a naturopath. Systemic illness is also often a sign of undiagnosed oral disease.

Mercury fillings–amalgam

Mercury fillings slowly leech mercury and mercury vapor, causing a multitude of problems in the body including disruption of the nervous system, the immune system, the circulatory system, and the reproductive system. Mercury can damage the brain, heart, kidneys, and lungs—virtually every organ and every system in the body.

Mercury binds selenium, keeping it from fighting cancer cells. Nearly every process in the body relies on sulphur—hormones, enzymes, nerve tissue, and red blood cells, but mercury binds to sulfur, inactivating it.

Mercury binding to proteins may affect the immune system’s ability to recognize cancerous cells and normal cells, resulting in cancerous cells growing while the immune system attacks normal, healthy tissues resulting in auto-immune disease. It decreases liver detoxification and breaks DNA.

Mercury is found in the center of tumors. It plays a major role in reproductive and endocrine cancers. It also collects in the mouth and jaw with heavy collections of mercury in cavitations.

Mercury creates an anaerobic environment, one in which Candida flourishes. When mercury fillings are removed and a mercury detox is completed, Candidiasis significantly improves or resolves.

Dr. Adams states, “There are many thousands of documented cases where removal of amalgam fillings when combined with mercury detoxification and nutritional support has cured or significantly improved serious health problems including cancers such as multiple myeloma and leukemia.”

Mercury fillings can be removed and replaced, though it is imperative to your health that you choose a properly trained dentist to perform the removal, one who will make every effort to minimize your mercury exposure throughout the process. Look for biological dentists (those who practice holistic care).

In the meantime, it is important to continue a diet and supplement regime to aid your body is releasing the mercury already in your system as well as the mercury your fillings continue to release into your body with each day.

It is best to get your amalgam fillings properly removed as soon as possible. Do not ignore your need to keep flushing mercury from your body before and after the procedure.

Root canals

After a root canal is performed, the tooth is dead. The remaining tissue and structure now provides a ripe environment for infection. Tooth material (dentine) is not solid. It is rife with tubules—incredibly small canals or tunnels. If you were to stretch out the tubules in each tooth, tubules from incisors would reach 3 miles, while tubules from molars would reach 9 miles.

Once the pulp is removed from the tooth, there is no longer a blood or oxygen supply. The bacteria that remain can mutate to an anaerobic form and multiply until there are millions living within the tubules of the dead tooth. From there, they secrete potent toxins.

Holistic practitioners are finding these dead teeth are often a source of disease for the body—everything from unexplained symptoms to cancer. For example, Dr. Garcia tells of a woman who consulted several doctors for a mysterious swelling in one leg. Within one day after Dr. Garcia removed the woman’s tooth (an old root canal), the swelling was gone. When Dr. Thomas Rau, a Swiss physician who specializes in breast cancer, learned of the possible link between root canals and cancer, he investigated his last 150 patients and found that 97% of them did have one or more root canals—and they were on the same meridian side of the body as the cancer!

A dead tooth may spew toxins into the body with no detectable symptoms—no pain, no swelling of the gums—nothing to alert you that it is wrecking havoc upon your immune system and causing chronic and acute medical conditions that you are attempting to cure.

Speak with your holistic dentist about extracting and replacing cadaverous teeth and how to proceed with ongoing dental care. In the meantime, you must eat a diet that aids you in detoxing, while building the immune system.

Cavitations

Cavitations are infection of the bone after tooth extraction. It is believed that most of these infections are caused by two things: leaving the tendon that was attached to the tooth and not excavating the site of infection. Another cause may be the use of drugs during the procedure that cut off the blood flow to the site.

The best practice is to clean out the site, remove any dead tissue, bone, and the tendon, then allow the blood to clot. This blood clot forms the site for new cells to grow, to actually fill in the missing bone and build new healthy tissue. A dry socket or a closed site over active infection does not allow this healing process to occur.

When cavitations occur, they are often asymptomatic. Although the bone is being eaten by nasty anaerobic bacteria, there may be no pain. The bacteria, however, is exuding powerful toxins that may be causing damage to your immune system or the toxins may be the underlying cause of your chronic health condition(s).

Living with Toxic Teeth

Whether you are dealing with mercury, root canals, or cavitations, your immune system is under attack. Toxins or heavy metals are bombarding it, so you must give your immune system all of the nutritional support possible, while doing your best not to add to its burden.

Ideally, one would get their teeth fixed. Obviously there are many reasons why this isn’t always possible because of finances and many other reasons. If you are getting you teeth fixed, do lots of research and make sure your dentist is competent and knowledgeable of the health implications. If you need to wait, or for what ever reason, you’re stuck with a toxic mouth, there are steps you can take to dramatically reduce the dire effects of these common dentistry procedures.

To give your immune system support, eat a wide variety of nutrient dense foods. To avoid adding to your immune system’s burden, make sure those foods are organic. This is not the time for your immune system to have the additional burden of pesticides and herbicides or artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, MSG, GMOs or trans fats.

Your diet should consist of 80% fresh, raw, organic vegetables and fruits (more vegetables than fruits), and the remaining 20% should be whole foods as well. Refined sugars should be eliminated.

Many fruits and vegetables, especially when they’re eaten raw, chelate heavy metals and remove other toxins from the body. Both raw garlic and cilantro are well known for their powerful chelating properties. Try Shillington’s Total Tonic Recipe (or buy it here) to help restore health, balance PH, strengthen the immune system, and help pull heavy metals from the body:

  • 1 Handful of Garlic Cloves
  • 1 Handful of chopped Onions
  • 1 Handful of chopped Ginger
  • 1 Handful of chopped Horseradish
  • 1/2 handful of chopped Habanero Peppers

Throw in a blender and cover with an inch or two of Organic Apple Cider Vinegar.

All ingredients should be ORGANIC, but don’t let that stop you from making this great formula. You can use the mash right away or wait two weeks and tincture.

We also recommend HM Complex –from Pure Encapsulations (it doesn’t pull out important minerals like many other chelation supplements do). The combination, with a healthy diet, will work remarkably well to pull out heavy metals and other toxins. Be sure to drink lots of water as well. Better yet, check out this cranberry stevia lemonade recipe.

When dealing with mercury fillings, cavitations, and root canals, repairing (if necessary) and boosting the immune system is of paramount importance. Garlic should be your new best friend. Always keep the gut as healthy and balanced as possible. The idea is to make your blood uninhabitable to harmful pathogens (and Shillington’s Blood Detox can help with that, too). The human body can handle a heavy toxic burden when the diet is right and the body is getting lots of nutrition. Combine that with immune boosting, anti-pathogen herbs and supplements and some people find themselves healthier than the average person without those dental toxins in their mouths.

Take care of your teeth and gums as best you can. See Heal Cavities, Gum Disease, Naturally. Here’s a recipe from that article that everyone with any teeth or gum issues should have. Below that, we also have Shillington’s Blood Detox recipe. This is a very powerful tincture (and it comes as a tea, too); it’s life changing; it’s the most powerful tincture I know of for overall better health.

Doc Shillington’s Tooth and Gum Formula Recipe (click here to purchase):

(Use organic ingredients whenever possible).

  • 10 oz Echinacea Tincture
  • 1/4 cup of Tea Tree Oil
  • 4 oz. Bayberry Tincture
  • 2 oz. Oak Gall (or 3X Oak Bark) Tincture
  • 2 TBS. Cayenne Tincture
  • 2 1/2 Dropperfuls of Peppermint Oil
  • 2 1/2 Dropperfuls of Clove Oil

A dropperful is considered to be about 1/2 way up the dropper from a two ounce bottle.

Doc Shillington’s Blood Detox Recipe:

Blood Detox Tincture (click here to purchase):

(Mix the following by volume, and make a standard tincture using 100 proof vodka as your menstrum)

  • 2 – parts Red Clover Blossoms
  • 2 – parts Chaparral
  • 1 – part Lobelia
  • 1 – part Cayenne
  • 1 – part freshly chopped Garlic Bulb
  • 1 – part Burdock Seed & Root
  • 1 – part Poke Root
  • 1 – part Yellow Dock Root
  • 1 – part Goldenseal Root
  • 1 – part Oregon Grape Root
  • 1 – part Blood Root Sap
  • 1 – part European Mistletoe
  • 1 – part Periwinkle Flowers
Blood Detox Tea (click here to purchase):

Use the exact same herbs as above in exactly the same proportions and make as a decoction only. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 15 minutes, then drink.

Take chlorella, spirulina, and lots of vitamin C, from a trustworthy whole food source, and eat tons of salad with a wide variety of produce. Check out this recipe,  Total Nutrition Make Your Own Homemade Multivitamin and Mineral Formula, and see this Salad Recipe here at Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included.

Conclusion

Most importantly, detoxify regularly, eat a strict diet with lots of raw produce, and take additional measures to keep the immune system exceptionally strong.

Recommended Supplements:
Further Reading:

Sources: