Nourishing Scents for Dismal Winter Months

From hot cocoa to cheery clementines, the winter months are associated with delightful smells. Whether you revel in the pungent aroma of a holiday tree or a sprinkle of cinnamon on a festive dessert, aromatics have a positive effect on wellbeing.

The days are short during the cold months, and that means most of us don’t wrap up the work day in time to have a chance to soak up some sunlight. Less sunlight affects our mood, and the reason goes way beyond the dismal tone of gray days. Serotonin and other feel-good neurochemicals in our bodies are stimulated by natural, full-spectrum light, and without it, sadness, depression, and lassitude can become a problem.

Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as SAD, is a form of depression that accompanies the change of seasons and can be debilitating. Seasonal Affective Disorder is often dismissed as the “winter blues”, but for many individuals, it is an annual descent into deep melancholy and moodiness. SAD can be treated with light therapy, medication, herbal supplements, and clinical aromatherapy. The latter is a delightful and nourishing tool for self-care during the winter months.

Aromatic medicine is not only ideal for improving mood but also for boosting immunity. Lung-supporting steams, fragrant baths, invigorating showers, cold-soothing chest rubs, and delicious-smelling potpourri take only minutes to create and can make winter an easier passage.

Looking at the scents we most commonly gravitate toward this time of year validates the deeper wisdom of our sense of smell. Here are a few:

Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea)

Balsam fir, the quintessential scent of the Christmas tree, is an uplifting scent that has a wonderful effect on frazzled nerves. Its superpower is the ability to lower excess cortisol in the body and support the adrenals, the body’s stress glands. Balsam fir is the ideal aroma to reach for when exhausted, emotionally spent, fighting a cold or battling the flu, or feeling off kilter from stress. It can be applied to a tissue and inhaled, diluted in unscented lotion or vegetable oil and rubbed on the chest, or added to distilled water in a spray bottle for disinfecting surfaces or clearing the air of unwanted odors. Balsam fir is an uplifting oil that can be inhaled to soften the edge of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and other forms of depression.

Cacao (Theobroma cacao)

Cacao, the euphoric aroma of chocolate, stimulates serotonin and dopamine within seconds, therefore, flooding the brain with feel-good chemicals and inducing a better mood. Cacao is a good scent to reach for when irritability and holiday stress take the joy out of winter festivities. It is also invaluable in helping to ease cravings for chocolate, white-flour carbs, and sugary treats. Inhaling cacao when a craving comes on can reduce the need to grab the nearest cupcake or candy bar.

Cinnamon Bark (Cinnamomum zeylanicum)

The scent of artificial cinnamon is often sprayed on pine cones and potpourris during holiday time. These chemical imposters greet shoppers at the market and florist, but the real thing is not only better for your health but a great way to increase energy and fight viruses. Cinnamon bark essential oil is a powerful substance and must be used with caution, but its benefits are worth investing in a little know-how. 1 drop or 2 applied to the soles of the feet can ward off influenza and other nasty illnesses. It can be sprinkled onto dry leaves and pine cones for a spicy potpourri that not only delights the nose but uplifts the mood, increases vitality, and wakes up sluggish minds. When diffused into the air via a nebulizer, cinnamon will kill bacteria, molds, and viruses upon contact. *Caution: Cinnamon can irritate the mucus membranes, so please do not inhale directly or allow it to come in contact with the eyes. Do not apply to any other part of the body, only the soles of the feet. **Tip: cassia is a great substitute for more expensive cinnamon for scenting the home or office.

Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus)

Menthol, the major component of eucalyptus, is most commonly used in chest rubs and cough drops. Its slap-you-in-the-face coolness is excellent for bronchial and sinus congestion, aches and pains, and boosting immunity. Add a few drops in Epsom salts or evaporated sea salt for an invigorating, nourishing bath. For a healing steam that can unblock sinuses, ease colds and flu, and improve the effects of winter depression, add 1-3 drops to a bowl of hot water and inhale with a towel over the head. A drop or two is a wonderful addition to natural potpourri: sprinkle 3 drops of eucalyptus, 5 drops balsam fir or pine needle, and 4 drops of sweet orange oil on dried leaves or pine cones. *Caution: do not use near the face or on the chest in cases of asthma, for menthol can trigger asthmatic attacks in some individuals. Avoid the eyes.

Frankincense (Boswellia carteri)

Frankincense, most commonly associated with biblical times, is derived from a resilient desert tree that exudes a fragrant resin when the bark is wounded or slashed. The essential oil is supportive to the lungs, endocrine system, and nerves. It is also a wonderful scent to inhale to increase oxygen in the brain and other tissues. Frankincense is a fine oil to use during meditative times to deepen relaxation and spiritual connection. This oil may be blended with lavender, ylang ylang, and myrrh to enhance its nerve-calming abilities. *Tip: Frankincense is one of the most important essential oils in modern clinical aromatherapy and is used for everything from panic disorders to cancer prevention and treatment.

Peppermint (Mentha piperata)

Peppermint is such a part of everyday life, it is easy to forget its deeply medicinal properties. Found in everything from toothpaste to candy canes, this essential oil is useful for every facet of life and health. It is invaluable for digestive woes, especially after eating too rich foods during holiday time. A few drops can be added to a little vegetable oil or unscented lotion and rubbed on the belly for fast relief of gas, bloating, cramping, intestinal distress, and general indigestion. A speck under the tongue can relieve nausea. Add a few drops in Epsom salts or evaporated sea salt for an invigorating, nourishing bath. For a healing steam that can unblock sinuses, ease colds and flu, and improve the effects of winter depression, add 1-3 drops to a bowl of hot water and inhale with a towel over the head. *Caution: do not use near the face or on the chest in cases of asthma, for menthol can trigger asthmatic attacks in some individuals. Avoid the eyes.

Tangerine (Citrus reticulata)

Tangerine, similar to sweet orange essential oil in scent, is a delightful citrus aroma that induces happiness, calm, and hope when inhaled. It is a gentle oil, especially beneficial for irritable children and a lovely addition to bedtime. It is a great pick-me-up when added to household cleaners, room sprays, potpourri, and air fresheners.

Essential oils are the ideal choice for aromatherapeutic inhalation, but if you don’t have any on hand, simply crush an orange peel or pine needles and inhale deeply; brew a pot of tea with a couple of cinnamon sticks and inhale the steam. With a little fragrance, winter and its challenges can be tamed, and life, just a little bit sweeter.

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  • Multidimensional Aromatherapy: Clinical, Practical, and Vibrational Applications by Marlaina Donato



Foods That Contribute to Diabetes

One of the fastest-growing causes of death in the world, diabetes is especially prevalent in the United States as about 1 in every 11 people has been diagnosed with the condition. Medical costs for treating the disease are considerable, with worldwide costs reaching 548 billion dollars in 2013. The U.S. is responsible for around 35 percent of that figure, but despite that robust amount of spending, the numbers of those with diabetes are still rising. Traditional disease prevention and management strategies focus on being active, watching your weight, and eating healthy with a particular emphasis on avoiding sugar and paying attention to the glycemic index. But sugar isn’t the only villain in the diabetes narrative. Here are some of the other kinds of foods that can aggravate and contribute to your diabetes.

Artificial Sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners don’t provide any actual health benefit. Instead, they serve as a way for people with diabetes to get a sugar fix. There are five artificial sweeteners approved for use in the United States: saccharin, sucralose, aspartame, neotame and acesulfame K. While most of these are usually used by and marketed towards those with diabetes or people trying to avoid sugar, there is evidence to suggest that consuming artificial sweeteners, specifically saccharine, disrupts the bacteria in your gut. Gut health is especially important for people with diabetes since changes to the bacteria in the gut have been associated with a disposition towards diabetes. Artificial sweeteners frequently pass through the gastrointestinal tract without being digested, allowing the unaltered particles to wreak havoc directly on intestinal bacteria. If you have sugar cravings, do your gut bacteria a favor and check out healthy sugar alternatives before you reach for the artificial sugar packets.

Fructose & High Fructos Corn Syrup

Fructose occurs naturally in fruits, sugars, bread, and cured meat products. It has also found its way into the majority of pre-packaged foods with high fructose corn syrup and other sugars being routinely added to these products. A small amount of fructose, especially from whole food sources that provide other nutrients and enzymes, in of itself isn’t a bad thing, but problems occur with excessive fructose consumption. Fructose is only processed in the liver. Too much fructose causes insulin resistance in the fatty triglycerides in the membranes surrounding the cells of ourperipheral tissue. The more insulin resistant cells you have, the more likely it is that the levels of insulin in the bloodstream are too high since the insulin has nowhere else to go. This is one of the first steps on the way to diabetes.

Fruit is often seen as the biggest contributor to fructose issues, but fruit in moderation has a multitude of health benefits. It makes more sense to avoid manufactured fructose and eat real food, rather than packages of extra calories with potential health problems. The real problem is high fructose corn syrup. There is a direct correlation between the rise of HFCS use and type 2 diabetes.

Refined and Processed Foods

Refined and processed foods like white rice, most of the commercially available breads, and snack foods contain simple carbohydrates and they have had all of their natural nutrients stripped away. This leaves empty calories and easily digestible sugars, spiking insulin and blood sugar levels. People who consume a steady supply of these foods, rather than whole foods with their nutrients intact like brown rice or steel cut oats, are much more likely to be at risk for type 2 diabetes. Processed foods that contain chemicals to enhance their taste can also trigger inflammation, damage tissue, and cause insulin resistance.

Your Diet is Key to Avoiding and Managing Diabetes

Almost ten percent of the population in the United States has diabetes, and that number is on the rise, with even children and young adults developing the disease at alarming rates. Conventional wisdom touts the importance of diet and exercise as ways to manage the risk of diabetes, but the connection between a society facing a growing diabetes epidemic and a society that offers more packaged and fewer whole food options cannot be ignored. Eating a diet rich in fresh, raw, organic produce (mostly vegetables) and with minimal amounts of unhealthy packaged an artificial foods, can make keep you from joining the ranks of those dealing with diabetes.

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A Burden of Guilt – Learning About Vaccine Dangers the Hard Way

I carry a burden of guilt with me. I will carry this guilt until the day I die. I damaged my children.

I was stupid, arrogant, and naive, and my decision may have caused permanent damage to the children I love with all of my heart.

I thought vaccines were more dangerous than most people realized, but I still thought, overall, they were worth the risk. I was too lazy to do the research. Like an idiot, I blindly trusted my doctor. This belief system was what led me to vaccinate three out of four of my children. My twins are now seven years old. They have not completely recovered from their last round of vaccines.

Both my mom and my brother, Michael, had tried to convince me to refuse vaccines. When that didn’t work, they both advocated spacing out vaccines. I did decide not to adhere to the recommended CDC schedule. We spaced out their shots, but I allowed my children to be fully vaccinated because I was thinking, as so many do, that it’s a bigger risk not to vaccinate.

On their last visit to the pediatrician, my wife wanted to allow the doctor to give them two vaccines just to get them caught up. I agreed. Immediately afterward, they both showed signs of neurological damage. My son began stuttering and my daughter started mumbling. Even today, years later, after feeding them the best food and the best supplementation, they are still not 100%.

I must admit, I didn’t approach my research with an open mind. I was sure that…

Amazingly, even after this experience, I clung to the belief that my children’s sensitivities were the exception and not the rule. I even tried to convince myself that their symptoms were just happenstance and didn’t have anything to do with the vaccines. My brother and my mom knew better. A part of me knew better, too.

I first started working for my brother at Organic Lifestyle Magazine about a year ago. At the time, I, like the majority of Americans, still believed that vaccines were, for the most part, safe and effective. My first articles were about less contentious issues, but eventually, Michael assigned me to a vaccine article.

Michael is completely anti-vaccine. So naturally, I was pretty nervous when he made the assignment. He did his best to assure me that as long as I did real research with an open mind, he would support my work. I didn’t believe him. He even said that if my research proved that some vaccines were safe and effective, he would publish the article.  “Just keep writing like you’ve been writing, and do the research with an open mind like you have been. If you do that, I’ll publish it.” Regardless of what he said, I was still sure Michael would decide my article wasn’t a good fit for the magazine. I half-joked about having a job until I turned in the article. I was sure our brand new working relationship would end badly. I was wrong.

I was, and I still am, pro-science. My brother knew this. He knew that if I were to really, truly dig for the facts, I would see the truth for what it is.

I must admit, I didn’t approach my research with an open mind. I was sure that my pre-conceived notions were accurate, but it didn’t matter. In the end, the only conclusion I could come to was the same conclusion everyone comes to once they actually do the real research – vaccines are a crime against humanity.

Vaccines are the primary reason our nation’s children are so sick. Vaccines are associated with autism, autoimmune diseases, asthma, allergies, chronic inflammation, all the diseases they are said to protect against, and more.

Every single ingredient is toxic. Every single one! I had spent years trying to avoid GMOs and other toxins in my food, and I allowed them to be injected into my children’s bodies! Unless one of my children gets bitten by a rabid animal, I will refuse any and all vaccines. In my mind, the rabies vaccine is acceptable because it is used after exposure to a potentially fatal pathogen.

Don’t fall for the hype. Do your own research. Do real research. It will be easier if you can approach it with an open mind, but if you do real research you’ll see the truth for what it is. The truth is, at the very least, these companies that produce vaccines are greedy, corrupt, unethical, and dangerous. Every ingredient is in fact toxic to the body. Every one. We are foolish to trust these corrupt companies.

It’s been years since my children’s last round of vaccines. Thanks to my brother’s help, my children are much better. A healthy lifestyle and diet combined with proper supplementation has proven to me to be highly effective in detoxifying them. I believe that in time, especially after we are growing all of our own food in the best soil, they will get back to 100%.

I brought these children into the world. It was my job to protect them. My brother tried to share his knowledge about vaccines as soon as he learned I would become a father. He told me to do my own research. I failed miserably at protecting my children simply because I trusted our doctor more than my brother. My mind constantly goes back to “if only I knew then what I know now” about vaccines.

I don’t want anyone else to carry this burden of guilt. This is why we are working so hard to educate the public about vaccines. No child should have to suffer neurological damage simply because their parents didn’t know any better. Information is just a click away. Our children are getting damaged and we see it all around us while we call it the new normal. Think about it. Don’t count on your doctor for this one. Your doctor is very busy, and even if he or she does do real research on vaccines, there is a huge financial incentive for them to keep their mouths shut, which most of them do.

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Corporations, Our Health, and a History of Failed Technologies

Those Who Cannot Remember the Past are Condemned to Repeat It

Humanity has been inventing new technologies since before recorded time; however, not all technologies have proven beneficial. Over the years, there have been many breakthroughs in science, breakthroughs that have also come with unexpected consequences.

DDT

Dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane or DDT was first synthesized in 1874, but it wasn’t until 1940 that it came to be used as a pesticide. Paul Muller is the chemist who discovered that DDT was a highly effective insecticide that killed a wide range of insects, including those that spread malaria, plague, thyphus and other diseases. It was inexpensive, persisted in the environment (meaning reapplications were infrequently needed), it was devastating to insect populations, it increased crop yields, and saved lives. It was estimated that in 20 years of use it saved 500 million lives that would have been lost to malaria alone. DDT became a global phenomenon and Muller was awarded the Nobel Prize.

Because of its widespread use, the harmful effects of DDT became impossible to ignore. Although warnings about DDT’s harmful effects came from scientists as early as the 1940s, it wasn’t until Rachel Carson’s book, Silent Spring, published in the 1960s that the public became concerned about its environmental impact.

DDT works by interfering with the nervous system. Girls exposed to DDT before puberty are five times more likely to develop breast cancer later in life. Workers accidentally exposed to DDT have reported prickling sensations in the mouth, nausea, dizziness, confusion, headache, lethargy, poor coordination, fatigue, vomiting, and uncontrollable tremors. As toxic as DDT is to humans, it is far more devastating to wildlife. It became clear that DDT bio accumulates in the bodies of animals and people, and if it were to be continued to be used in the U.S., many species of birds were headed for extinction, including the bald eagle, America’s national emblem. One of the first acts of the Environmental Protection Agency was to ban the use of DDT in the U.S.

Lead and Leaded Additives

Lead is a malleable, corrosion resistant, inexpensive, and easily obtainable dull colored silver-grey metal. Lead is usually extracted from the mineral galena. Lead has been in use since the days of the Roman Empire. Before we began using it, most of the lead was safely tucked away beneath the Earth’s surface, but industrial activities have resulted in drastic increases in the levels of lead that are found in the environment.

Lead has been used in paint, piping, pewter, pottery, insecticides, hair dyes, and as an anti-knocking additive in gasoline. Lead is still used widely in plumbing, and many cities in the U.S. still have 100% lead pipes. Lead is used in ammunition, batteries, cosmetics, pigments, cable sheathing, weights (for lifting), weight belts for diving, some types of glass, and in materials used to protect against radiation. Lead is also used to store corrosive liquids.

Lead is harmful to nearly all forms of life. It is toxic, teratogenic (disrupts the development of an embryo or fetus), and carcinogenic. Very harmful amounts of lead can still be odorless, tasteless, and invisible. Even small amounts of lead can cause a reduction in IQ, and an increased risk of stroke, heart attack, headaches, nausea, abdominal pain, insomnia, fatigue, and many other health conditions. Most scientists agree there is no such thing as a safe level of lead in the human body.

CFCs

Chlorofluorocarbons, better known as CFCs, were once thought of as a scientific miracle. CFCs are nontoxic (previously utilized refrigerants were very toxic) and nonflammable chemicals comprised of carbon, chlorine, and fluorine. CFCs were widely used as refrigerants for freezers, refrigerators, and air conditioners. They were also used in fire extinguishers and aerosol sprays. At their peak, a million metric tons of CFCs were produced annually, with over a billion dollars in sales.

It took a while for the problem with CFCs to be discovered. They seemed to be perfectly safe, after all, CFCs remain stable and inert until they reach the upper atmosphere or stratosphere. Prof. Rowland and Dr. Molina showed that once UV radiation strikes CFCs, a series of chemical reactions begin. Chlorine is released from CFCs. These chlorine atoms destroy ozone in catalytic reactions. A single chlorine atom can have this effect for decades, destroying thousands upon thousands of ozone molecules.

CFCs have settled in high concentrations over over the South Pole. Their reactivity with ozone is dependent upon exposure to UV radiation, and of course, a high degree of exposure happens every spring and summer (September through February for the Southern hemisphere). This hole in the ozone layer is so large that it extends all the way over Antarctica and southern South America. This affects thousands of people. Antarctica has a research-based community, which varies from 1,000-4,000 inhabitants. The South American cities of Ushaia (pop. 60,000), Punta Arenas (pop. 123,000), and Rio Gallegos (pop. 98,000), and the Falkland Islands are all regularly affected by the reoccurring hole in the ozone layer. At times, the hole widens affecting northern population areas including Rio Gallegos, Puerto Santa Cruz, and Rio Grande which affects an additional 200,000 people. Safely going outside in these areas during times of decreased ozone means wearing extensive protective clothing and goggles, or risking skin cancer, cataracts and damaged DNA. Most inhabitants opt for the extensive protective gear.

PCBs

Polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs are a group of man-made chlorinated organic compounds. They are oily liquids or solids with colors ranging from clear to yellow. PCBs had a number of industrial applications and they were widely used in electrical equipment and as lubricants. Invented by the Swann Chemical Company in 1929, their manufacture was quickly taken over by Monsanto, after Monsanto bought Swann Chemical Company in 1933. Then Monsanto became the sole manufacturer of PCBs until the EPA banned their manufacture in 1979.

PCBs can cause skin lesions that can last years, and it is a probable carcinogen. PCBs can damage the liver, immune system function, and endocrine systems. Internal documents show that Monsanto knew about these harmful effects for decades, but instead of discontinuing their manufacture, Monsanto hired scientists to conduct fraudulent studies. Monsanto doesn’t deny that PCBs have contaminated everyone and everything in the entire planet. Instead they argue that since PCBs are everywhere, there’s nothing to worry about.

Asbestos

Asbestos refers to a group of six naturally occurring silicate minerals: actinolite, amosite, anthophyllite, chrysotile, crocidolite, and tremolite. Asbestos is made up of thin fibrous crystals, and these fibers are composed of millions of microscopic fibrils. Asbestos was once in high demand in the Western world due to its remarkable characteristics: Asbestos is an excellent insulator. It doesn’t conduct electricity. It is highly fire resistant. It absorbs sound, is phenomenally durable, flexible, and inexpensive to produce. Asbestos was used in a wide variety of applications from shipbuilding to construction, plastics, textiles, cigarette filters, and many other uses. Despite its known health risks, asbestos is still in high demand in Asia and Africa. Asbestos is banned in 50 countries worldwide, but not in the U.S. and Canada, though both countries now restrict its use. More than two million metric tons of asbestos is produced annually.

Studies have linked more than a dozen different diseases to asbestos exposure including asbestosis and many different types of cancer, especially lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestos-related pleural effusions. According to the World Health Organization, asbestos is still responsible for an estimated 43,000 deaths annually.

Flame-Retardants

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, more than 3,000 Americans died from fires in 2011. There have been many different efforts over the years to reduce the number of deaths by fire in the U.S. Not all of them have been successful.

Substances treated with flame-retardants ignite more slowly than untreated substances, but the difference is minimal. And when these treated substances burn, they produce twice as much smoke, six times as much carbon monoxide, and ninety times more soot. People rarely burn to death in fires. The smoke, soot, and carbon monoxide usually kill them.

The flame retardant chemicals used in furniture, electronics, and textiles are remarkably similar to many pesticides that are used. As a matter of fact, some pesticides and flame-retardants are the exact same chemical. Not all flame-retardants present a serious health risk, but organohalogen and organophosphorous flame-retardants do. DDT is a organohalogen, and like DDT, these chemicals persist in the environment and bio accumulate in the food chain. Flame-retardants have been found in polar bears in the North Pole and in Tasmanian devils in the South Pole. They have been found in animals all over the world. These chemicals have contaminated the entire planet. Unfortunately, they can cause a number of health problems including: cancer, endocrine disruption, hypothyroidism, hyperactivity, reduced IQ, and other neurological impairments. These chemicals are also reproductive toxins in both males and females. Furniture made with these chemicals contains 5% flame-retardants, by weight. Unfortunately they are not bound to treated substances. They off gas as dust in your home and are then ingested through hand to mouth contact. Children and pets are fond to have higher levels of these chemicals in their bodies than adults.

Conclusion

No technology is above reproach. When criticizing technologies new and old, counter arguments are often shrouded in attacks on the individual instead of the critique. All too often we hear accusations like “you’re anti-science!” even when it is the scientific method that has shown these technologies to be flawed. As our technology progresses, so must our understanding of technology. Not all technological advancement is progress. In fact, some technologies cause far more problems than they solve.

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Five Awesome Organic Foods that Pack More Punch than Supplements

Without a doubt, supplements are needed in today’s society. We’re on the go. It’s difficult to get everything our bodies require in a day. Sometimes, no matter how hard we work at it, we’re still deficient in something, and not all of us can afford a personal trainer. Supplements can help provide total wellness though getting these essential nutrients from the food we’re already eating is usually best. Here’s a look at five awesome organics that are loaded with what your body craves, so you can receive the benefits as nature intended.

Kale

Along with spinach, kale often tops the list of healthy greens, though kale is lower in oxalates, so nutrients are absorbed better. For each 100-gram/ 50-calorie portion of kale consumed, you’ll receive:

  • Vitamin C (200% of the RDA)
  • Vitamin A (300% of the RDA)
  • Vitamin K1 (1000% of the RDA)
  • Calcium
  • Copper
  • Magnesium
  • Manganese
  • Potassium
  • Vitamin B6
  • Fiber (2 grams)
  • Protein (3 grams)

Try Kale: People often have an easier time incorporating kale into their diet when it’s in a smoothie. Try mixing it up in a blender with juice and berries.

Garlic

There are more than 200 varieties of garlic, and the cloves are known for containing allicin. Interestingly, it seems to work like a natural defense system for the plant, fighting off fungi. Allicin is a favorite among those who seek natural cures because it’s believed to have antimicrobial and antibiotic properties. It’s been touted as a cure for infections, an aid for acne, and some studies have suggested that it lowers blood pressure and cholesterol. On top of this, garlic contains:

  • Calcium
  • Copper
  • Manganese
  • Potassium
  • Selenium
  • Vitamin B1
  • Vitamin B6
  • Vitamin C

Try Garlic: While garlic comes in nearly everything these days, it’s almost always cooked. Freshly chopped garlic can be added to cool pasta or spread on bread with butter, but it tends to flow better when added to fresh-made salsa or guacamole.

Blueberries

Antioxidants are high on the list as to what makes blueberries an awesome organic food. They’ve been linked to everything from cancer prevention to memory enhancement, and they’re 100% tasty. On top of this, blueberries contain all sorts of other things that lead to a healthier body, including:

  • Calcium
  • Folate
  • Iron
  • Magnesium
  • Manganese
  • Phosphorous
  • Potassium
  • Vitamin B6
  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin K1
  • Zinc
  • Fiber (3.6 grams per cup)

Try Blueberries: A recipe isn’t needed for blueberries because they’re fantastic on their own. However, they can also be tossed on top of cereal or mixed into a smoothie.

Eggs

A single egg can contain more than five grams of protein, making it a staple on tables around the world. Though it was once believed that the cholesterol found in eggs led to high cholesterol in the blood, experts now say that trans fats and saturated fats, which are commonly consumed with eggs, pose a far bigger risk. Considering the whole host of beneficial vitamins and minerals that are found in eggs, they’re worth including in ones’ diet.

  • Biotin
  • Calcium
  • Cephalin
  • Folate
  • Iodine
  • Iron
  • Lecithin
  • Phosphorous
  • Selenium
  • Thiamine
  • Vitamin A
  • Vitamin B12
  • Vitamin B5
  • Vitamin D
  • Vitamin E
  • Zinc

Chocolate

Cocoa and dark chocolate rank high on the list of antioxidant-rich foods. One of the problems is that it’s often diluted and loaded with sugar. Milk chocolate, which is commonly consumed, isn’t as healthful as  dark chocolate with 70-85% cocoa content. In addition to the antioxidants, cocoa has:

  • Copper
  • Fiber
  • Iron
  • Magnesium
  • Manganese

Try Cocoa: Organic cocoa powder can be added to a smoothie to make it feel even more like a dessert. Dark chocolate squares can be eaten as-is, or melted over blueberries for a truly decadent treat.

Conclusion

Each of the foods listed here can be incorporated into a diet with ease, as there are versatile and organic varieties found in most modern markets. While their non-organic cousins contain the same nutrients, organic options don’t contain the pesticides, antibiotics, and growth hormones that a person doesn’t need. Moreover, several of the items detailed here landed on the Environmental Working Group’s list of foods that contain high amounts of pesticides when grown conventionally.

If you don’t have easy access to organic produce, you might consider purchasing yours online through a delivery services such as Organics Live. If they don’t deliver in your area, chances are, someone else does.

Our featured image comes from this Beet Pickled Eggs + Kale Salad recipe.

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SlingShot – Segway Inventor Dean Kamen is Working to Solve the World’s Water Crisis

“We can empty half of all the beds in all the hospitals in the world by just giving people clean water.” – Dean Camen

It’s hard to believe, but it’s true. Waterborne illnesses are a growing problem, killing more people now than ever before. Waterborne illnesses are now killing 3.4 million people a year, most of them young children. The majority of these deaths could be prevented, just by giving people access to clean water. For the majority of waterborne illnesses, no vaccine is available, and even if they were, vaccines carry with them serious risks of injury, including death. By contrast, there is no risk inherent in drinking clean water; there are only benefits.

On Our “Blue Planet” Clean Water is Getting Harder to Obtain

It is a well-known fact that all life needs water. Though most animals aren’t very fussy about how clean their water is, human beings have no choice but to be choosy. For those who live in the underdeveloped world, water cleanliness can mean the difference between life and death.

In the undeveloped world, the average amount of time per day spent by women looking for water that’s safe for their kids is 4 hours.

And if it didn’t turn out to be the right stuff, they spend the next day or two burying their babies.

That shouldn’t be their choices. They shouldn’t have to go that far. They shouldn’t have to make the choice between drinking the kind of stuff you wouldn’t give to your dog, or not having anything at all

It shouldn’t be this way-Dean Camen

Questionable Priorities

You would think that upon learning this, some of the best-known philanthropists would feel compelled to help people living under such conditions have access to clean, drinkable water. Unfortunately this isn’t the case, instead of clean water, dirty vaccines is what is being given to the underdeveloped world.

It has been a much bigger priority of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to “help” India by giving them vaccines. In India, over $10 billion dollars has been spent vaccinating the population against polio; unsurprisingly, this has caused over 50,000 cases of vaccine-induced paralysis.

There are many diseases that can be transmitted by water, and not all of them are caused by pathogens. Many are from pollution.  It is estimated that groundwater in as much as 1/3 of India’s 600 districts is not fit for human consumption. The most common pollutants are high concentrations of fluoride, iron, salinity and arsenic. Approximately 65 million people in India have been suffering from fluorosis, severe fluoride poisoning. Roughly 5 million Indians are suffering from arsenicosis, arsenic poisoning. Unfortunately the problem seems to be getting worse.

The World Health Organization reported that of the 10 million annual deaths in India, nearly 8 million are due to lack of basic health care amenities like effective sewage systems, a safe drinking water supply, elementary sanitary facilities, and hygienic conditions.

If these basic human needs continue to go unmet, the Pacific Institute estimates that waterborne illnesses could begin claiming over 100 million lives a year by 2020.

Challenges of Bringing Water to the 3rd World

Modern water infrastructure is incredibly expensive to build and maintain. It is unrealistic to expect the 3rd world to solve their water problems the same way the Western world has; they simply do not have the resources. Another solution is needed.

Contaminated water can be purified through filtration or distillation. Unless you know exactly what’s wrong with the water, filtering out all of the contaminants out isn’t feasible. Until recently, the distillation process always required a tremendous amount of energy.

Vapor Compression Distiller

Dean Camen’s company, DEKA Research and Development, has found the solution. They designed a new portable system for water distillation, and they call it the SlingShot.

The SlingShot boils water, condenses it, and then recycles the energy used in the process. By recycling the energy, the amount of power needed to power the machine is greatly reduced-from 25,000 watts, to less power than a handheld hair dryer. Anyone can distill water with this machine as long as they have access to some electricity, some of the time. Despite how underdeveloped the 3rd world is, most of the planet’s inhabitants have at least limited access to electricity.

DEKA Research and Development has reached out to numerous governmental organizations, and they were disappointed to learn that the United Nations, The U.S. government, and other governments had no interest in helping people get access to clean water.

Dean Camen is leading the charge, stepping in to help where the Gates Foundation, the World Health Organization, the United Nations, the U.S. and other organizations have refused to help.

Everybody asks me, “Well, why do we call the box SlingShot?

…I heard the story of David and Goliath. To me the moral of that story was: Technology is cool. And people say to me, “How, how did you get that moral out of it?”

I said well, “There was this really little guy David and he had this really big problem Goliath. But he had this little thing called the slingshot and that little piece of technology took out that really big problem.

Let’s put water machines all over the world. There’s no easier way to wipe out 50% of all human disease. Let’s Just do it. Simple.

…We want to be helping get water to everybody on this planet. It’s the right thing to do. It’s simply the right thing to do. We can do it. Therefore we should do it. So why is it prevention to give people clean water? Call me crazy. We have a Department of Defense and we build the ultimate weapons of mass destruction. But how about if we build weapons of mass construction? And what if we go around the world and give everybody clean water, and it says “US” on it, your friend? Maybe we’ll have a Department of Peace. And maybe we will prevent the wars. And if we can get these water machines into high volume production, I think we put them around the world and there’s a way better shot that a large part of two billion people will be our friends.

To learn more, be sure to watch SlingShot, also available on Netflix and YouTube.

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Even More Doctors Against Vaccines

Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions which differ from the prejudices of their social environment. Most people are even incapable of forming such opinions. – Albert Einstein

You might be surprised at the number of doctors who are against vaccines. It is not due to their medical training that some physicians refute the safety and efficacy of vaccines, but rather in spite of it. The practice of medicine is, after all, a business and the objective for most physicians is to make money. Thankfully, not every doctor is solely motivated by financial gain. Some doctors take the time to do the research, those who are more interested in healing than turning a profit.

See part 1: Doctors Against Vaccines – Hear From Those Who Have Done the Research or part 2: More Doctor’s Against Vaccines.

Kelly Brogan, M.D.

Dr. Kelly Brogan received an MA in Brain and Cognitive Science/Systems Neuroscience before attending the medical school at Cornell University. She is board certified in Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine/Consultation Psychology, and Integrative Holistic Medicine. Her research has focused on holistic women’s health with an emphasis on psychiatric care.

The information is OUT THERE, brilliant scientists, physicians, and researchers without financial ties and agendas have weighed in and presented their concerns about vaccine safety and efficacy, however, the average citizen resists and clings to a hyper-simplified, seemingly “safe” stance.

“Well, I’m not against vaccines, I mean, they’ve done a lot. I’m sure there are some risks, but they’re extremely rare.” 

I understand, now, that, my collection of PubMed articles substantiating concerns about inefficacy, neurological, autoimmune, and fatal risks of these poorly conceived and anachronistically relevant immune modulators is not meaningful to someone who is not interested. The questions raised by this information are not provocative to someone who needs, above all, to believe that the government, the CDC, and doctors mean well, are doing their due diligence, and that they are holding themselves to a basic standard of ethical delivery of healthcare. They are not meaningful to someone who needs to outsource their power.

 The CDC can report, as they do, that brain inflammation and death are known side effects of every vaccine, but most do not appreciate what brain inflammation looks like. That this can look like ADHD, autism, learning delay, and that autoimmune disorders can take years to manifest. Tracing the thread back to the vaccine exposure can only be done with studies that assess vaccinated versus unvaccinated populations. These have not been done.

I’m sure you don’t know a single person who has died of the flu, and if you think you do, I can almost guarantee you that the diagnosis was not confirmed in a way that ruled out the 150-200 infectious pathogens that cause flu-like syndromes, none of which would be “covered” by the vaccine. Despite the astronomical figures the CDC flashes before us of “flu deaths”, there were 18 (yes, 1-8) confirmed in 2001, for example. Access to these figures is suspiciously concealed, but in the end, forget the stats, and use some common sense to see the fear mongering and sales marketing for what it is.

Even the former Chief Vaccine Officer at the FDA states: “there is no evidence that any influenza vaccine thus far developed is effective in preventing or mitigating any attack of influenza.” Liking the idea of being protected from the flu does not equate to being protected from the flu. That’s essentially what your vaccine-promoting doctor (or pharmacist) is engaging in – promoting an idea.

Dr. Richard Moskowitz, M.D.

Dr. Richard Moskowitz received his B.A. from Harvard Cum Laude, then finished medical school at New York University School of Medicine. He obtained medical licensure in Colorado where he opened a private general family medicine practice. He emphasizes homeopathic methods and he has done research in homeopathy.

Consider the process of falling ill with and recovering from a typical acute disease, such as the measles, in contrast with what we can observe following administration of the measles vaccine.

We all know that measles is primarily a virus of the upper respiratory tract, both because it is acquired by susceptible persons through inhalation of infected droplets in the air and because these droplets are produced by the coughing and sneezing of a patient with the disease. Once inhaled by a susceptible individual, the virus undergoes a prolonged period of silent multiplication, first in the tonsils, adenoids, and accessory lymphoid aggregations of the nasopharynx; later in the regional lymph nodes of the head and neck; and eventually, several days later, it passes into the blood and enters the spleen, the liver, the thymus, and the bone marrow, the “visceral” organs of the immune system. Throughout this “incubation” period, which lasts from 10 to 14 days, the patient typically feels quite well and experiences few or no symptoms of any kind.

By the time that the first symptoms of measles appear, circulating antibodies are already detectable in the blood, and the height of the symptomatology coincides with the peak of the antibody response. In other words, the “illness” that we call the measles is simply the definitive effort of the immune system to clear this virus from the blood. Notice also that this expulsion is accomplished by sneezing and coughing, i. e., via the same route through which it entered in the first place. It is abundantly clear from the above that the process of mounting and recovering from an acute illness like the measles involves a general mobilization of the immune system as a whole, including inflammation of the previously sensitized tissues at the portal(s) of entry, activation of leukocytes, macrophages, and the serum complement system, and a host of other mechanisms, of which the production of circulating antibodies is only one, and by no means the most important.

…By contrast, the live but artificially attenuated measles-virus vaccine is injected directly into the blood, by-passing the normal port of entry, and sets up at most a brief inflammatory reaction at the injection site, or perhaps in the regional lymph nodes, with no local sensitization at the normal portal of entry, no “incubation period,” no generalized inflammatory response, and no generalized outpouring. By “tricking” the body in this fashion, we have accomplished precisely what the entire immune system seems to have evolved to prevent: we have placed the virus directly into the blood and given it free and immediate access to the major immune organs and tissues, without any obvious mechanism or route for getting rid of it.

Far from producing a genuine immunity, then, my suspicion and my fear is that vaccines act by interfering with and even suppressing the immune response as a whole, in much the same way that radiation, chemotherapy, corticosteroids, and other anti-inflammatory drugs do. Artificial immunization focuses on antibody production, a single aspect of the immune process, disarticulates it, and allows it to stand for the whole, in much the same way as chemical suppression of an elevated blood pressure is accepted as a valid substitute for genuine healing or cure of the patient whose blood pressure has risen. It is the frosting on the cake, without the cake. The worst part of this counterfeiting is that it becomes more difficult, if not impossible, for vaccinated children to mount a normally acute and vigorous response to infection, by substituting for it a much weaker, essentially chronic response, with little or no tendency to heal itself spontaneously.

 Dr. Robert Rowen

Dr. Robert Rowen attended John Hopkins University before completing medical school at the University of California in San Francisco. He was board certified and recertified in Emergency Medicine and Family Practice. Dr. Rowen served in Alaska on the Alaska State Medical Board and is known for helping to push through a law in Alaska that protects alternative medicine. He is a pioneer in the field of oxidation therapy.

If vaccines were the cat’s meow, why would the American government have granted vaccine makers total immunity from liability if the vaccine harms your child or you?

…Measles has been quite stubborn to be wiped out. In China, in one province, 99% of children are vaccinated but measles runs strong. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure that one out. Clearly measles vaccine doesn’t work as advertised. In fact, in our own country, outbreak after outbreak has occurred in what has been called a fully vaccinated population.

…Vaccines give you plastic immunity. They build up only one line of your immune system, the antibody system, and put the main immune system (cellular immunity) to sleep. You need both for fully developed immunity.

…Plastic immunity can be seen in the fact that vaccine immunity wanes with time. I had wild measles. You don’t see people like me getting measles but many, many vaccinated people do get measles after the “plastic immunity” wears off.

…Why do we need “cellular immunity’? Just look at an AIDS patient. He has no “cellular” immunity. He is a walking bag of antibodies, which is what vaccines promote – antibody resistance, not cellular resistance.

…We have a generation of immune cripples amongst our youth. Asthma, eczema, and other immune diseases are rampant. Autism has exploded. These conditions are reaching crisis.

…Natural Killer T cells come from the thymus. They regulate your immune system. Natural infection keeps up these cells. Vaccination might wipe them out. The depletion of thymocytes might wipe out whole lines of cells that could provide key immunity for you.

Many people have focused on autism, and totally neglected the horrors that vaccines are wreaking on the rest of the body, particularly this frightening story about the thymus gland, and how derangement might lead to future hypersensitivity, like found in asthma and eczema.

…I don’t agree with the forced vaccine program. Herd immunity is now shown to be a failure. Plastic vaccine immunity wanes with time, rendering possibly a whole generation of vaccine-abused people vulnerable to diseases their bodies might have difficulty handling as adults, while deranging their immune systems for life. Please look to vaccine failure BEFORE condemning moms who rightfully don’t want to place their precious children in harm’s way with Pharma’s now discredited potions.

Dr. David Ayoub, M.D.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXWBxxVk_h0

Dr. David Ayoub received his medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine and specializes as a radiologist.  Vaccines are his current research interest.

[When] I got started my interest initially was similar to everyone else’s. We were very concerned about thimerosal or mercury in vaccines.

First of all, and I think what doctors should remember is that, you always listen to the patients first. And I had been in the community a few years and had made several friends, parents of autistic children. And what the parents were saying over and over again is that we look at our children’s heavy metal toxicity profiles, typically hair analysis or post provocative urine heavy metal profiles; that they were seeing a lot of aluminum and they wanted to know what it meant.

Since the mid-20s aluminum was used to try to boost the host immune response to the antigen that’s injected into the child

Based on the periodic table [aluminum] it’s just shy of a heavy metal, so it’s called a light metal. But nonetheless, it is in the metal grouping, and it’s a common compound and one of the things you hear by so-called experts to try to allay people’s fears about aluminum. “Well, you know aluminum makes up 8% of our Earth’s crust. It’s in the air. It’s in the soil. It’s in the water.” and so forth. And that may very well be true. It is a very common substance outside of the body, but it has absolutely no biological role in the body. It is not necessary or essential for any biological function of any animal, or plant for that matter. So it probably belongs outside of the body if there’s no role for it physiologically, biochemically. But the things that we’ve known about the basics of aluminum going back probably two centuries now is that it is a poison.

Dr. Rashid A. Buttar, DO, FAAPM, FACAM, FAAIM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zJrkPJXAh0&list=PLF071080672F9E532&index=1

Dr. Rashid Buttar is an osteopathic doctor who graduated from the University of Osteopathic Medicine and Health Sciences. He has trained in Emergency Medicine as well as General Surgery. He is board certified in Preventive Medicine and Clinical Metal Toxicology as well as board eligible in Emergency Medicine. Previously, he served as a Brigade Surgeon and Director of Emergency Medicine in the U.S. Army before opening up a private practice. His research is in metal toxicology.

It’s a toxicity issue. That’s it. It’s not a hard thing; it’s not a complicated thing. It’s not a multifactorial thing. It’s very simply toxicity. The problem is that a particular toxin causes an entire sequence of events to take place that results in food allergies, viral loads, parasitic infestation, the fungal problems, the allergies, the gut dysbiosis, the hepatic issues. All these things, these are all fires, but there’s one common spark –  just one, and that’s the toxicity spark. The biggest component to that is mercury. Now there’s other metals that play into this, but mercury itself is the second most toxic metal known to man. This is widely known information; there’s no secret about this. EPA has already said it, that mercury in itself being the second most toxic metal that’s in its inorganic form. When you attach it to an organic compound like methyl or ethyl, it becomes even more destructive.

…Depending on who you talk to, it’s about a thousand times more destructive than inorganic mercury. If you have a closed environment say like a human body, relatively closed obviously it’s dynamic because you have things going in and out. But you have a closed environment, you put in a poison, you are going to get the poisoning of the whole system. If you can just take that poison out, theoretically that whole system should come back online.

Take a wrench you throw it in an engine, everything gets all screwed up, right? That’s what mercury does: it causes the metabolic processes to shut down. It causes the hormonal cascades to drop off.  It causes depletion of certain other minerals by competitive inhibition. It causes a dysregulation of every physiological system that you can imagine.

Conclusion

Most of us have heard the old adage that doctors make the worst patients. They are the “worst” simply because they understand the nature of the relationship. Doctors know that practicing medicine is ultimately about the bottom line. A doctor also understands the patient-doctor relationship. It is the physician who works for the patient, not the other way around. They are, after all, in the business of medicine.

When their health is on the line, most physicians ask a lot of questions, research their maladies, and refuse medical treatments when the risks seem to outweigh the benefits. Doctors are not so naïve as to blindly trust their doctor. Why should you?

Check out part 1 of this series, Doctors Against Vaccines – Hear From Those Who Have Done the Research. If you’ve been vaccinated, check out How To Detoxify and Heal From Vaccinations – For Adults and Children.

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