Baking Soda: A Lot More Than Just a Baking Staple

(NaturalNews – Danna Norek) Baking soda has long been heralded as a multipurpose wonder. Even with this sort of reputation, there are still several ways most people haven’t even thought of that it can be used as a natural and inexpensive alternative to so many of the necessities we rely on every day.

It is prudent to choose a brand of baking soda which states it is aluminum free. Some brands may be contaminated with aluminum. Although some have the opinion that it is only baking powder that contains aluminum (as a rising agent), it doesn’t hurt to play it 100 percent safe and choose a brand that asserts itself as free of this contaminant.

Mix baking soda with lemon juice as a natural gout remedy

Gout can be a painful and uncomfortable condition. Gout is caused when uric acid is overproduced by the body and builds up to high levels. It then is deposited into the joints, which causes painful swelling and inflammation. Mix roughly two tablespoons of fresh lemon juice with a teaspoon of baking soda for relief. It works by alkalinizing the urine and neutralizing uric acid.

Additionally, baking soda works as a general alkalinizing and pH balancing agent within the body. If the body is overly acidic, baking soda can actually provide a short term remedy to putting it back into an acid/alkaline balance. Health problems, disease and sickness typically abound when your body is overly acidic so it is important to keep it within a healthy pH range.

Of course you do have to be cognizant of the sodium content if you have any issues with high blood pressure. Usually a dosage of no more than a teaspoon at a time diluted in a glass of water is recommended.

As a natural cleaner

A mixture of lemon juice and baking soda also makes a wonderful semi-abrasive natural cleaner for surfaces such as bathroom and kitchen sinks, bathtubs and showers and other surfaces. The mixture of the two actually produces a bit of a fizz due to a natural chemical reaction. They also provide excellent natural antibacterial properties as well as serious cleaning capabilities.

As a natural itch remedy for bug bites and poison ivy

Baking soda may also be useful as an anti-itch remedy. Add just enough water to moisten the baking soda into a paste and rub on a bug bite, poison ivy, bee stings and even chicken pox to help with the itching.

Baking soda has the ability to absorb moisture and to draw toxins out of a bite or bump caused by an irritant under the surface. This can offer quick and effective relief when it comes to itching and the swelling that goes with it.

A natural yeast infection remedy

Women who suffer from yeast infections due to candida imbalances can use a baking soda douche to help kill the candida bacteria that causes the infection. It is also a natural remedy for itching, so you get not only an effective treatment for the infection itself but also treatment of the itching symptom.

Facial skin care uses

Baking soda makes a wonderful exfoliating scrub for the face and other parts of the body. It helps to smooth the skin and take the dead layers of skin off to reveal a fresher and more vibrant surface.

It also may be used in a paste to dab on acne. It acts as an antibacterial agent and helps to kill the bacteria that cause acne. It also helps to draw out excess oil and dry the acne out quicker while helping promote faster healing. It also may help with reducing redness.

Sources for the article include:

http://www.diet-for-gout.com
http://baking-soda.ezinemark.com
http://www.acnemagazine.com/good-natural-scrubs-for-acne-prone-skin/



Natural Bandages for Minor Skin Wounds

Using a naturally grown bandage for minor skin cuts, scrapes, and burns has advantages over those generic bandages that can be bought in a box at a drugstore. Plants such as lamb’s ear and marsh woundwort have built-in antibacterial properties that can be directly applied to the skin, and an animal product like egg membrane can heal a burn faster than sutures. These natural bandages are a perfect alternative for protecting and healing skin wounds without leaving tape marks or pulling out small body hairs. To speed the healing process, add a drop of aloe juice or Manuka honey to the wound before placing a natural bandage over it. Use a small length of cotton yarn to tie the bandage in place without cutting off the blood flow.

Lamb’s Ear

lamb's ear Lamb’s ear (Stachys byzantina, see image above) is a member of the mint family (Lamiaceae). The plant is a leafy, silvery-gray perennial with small purple or pink flowers that blossom during the summer months. The leaves are very soft and pliable, with a nap of woolly hairs that feel like a silk carpet when touched. Lamb’s ear contains a natural astringent that cleanses skin wounds in lieu of isopropyl alcohol. Blood clots quickly at the touch of a lamb’s ear leaf. The pliable leaves make it perfect for wrapping around a wound on a finger or arm.

Marsh Woundwort

Marsh woundwort(Stachys palustris)Marsh woundwort(Stachys palustris) sometimes referred to as clown’s woundwort, which is also a member of the mint family, is related to lamb’s ear and possesses many of the same healing properties. The leaves of this plant are antibacterial and will cleanse any minor skin wounds. Use a small, narrow leaf and wrap it around the affected area of the skin.

Egg Membrane

A chicken egg membrane can also be used for healing minor skin cuts, especially cuts which result in tiny flaps of skin. Wash the skin wound under cold water to prevent any further bacteria from entering. Gently set the skin flap over the wound where it was cut. The egg membrane will seal the flap back into place as it heals. Crack open an egg and peel away the membrane from one half of the eggshell. Wrap the membrane around the skin wound. The membrane will stick to itself so there is no need to tie the bandage in place as with the lamb’s ear or marsh woundwort. Once the wound has healed, remove the hardened egg membrane by softening it with a little bit of warm water.

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Three Super Immune-Boosting Herbs

(NaturalNews – Dr. David Jockers) Life on Earth is a stressful endeavor for all living things. This stress provides an adaptive stimulus for plant and animal life to become stronger and more resilient. Certain herbs have adapted over centuries to have incredible immune-enhancing properties. Garlic, oregano and ginger are a few powerful immune-enhancing herbs.

All life in nature must protect itself continually from the elements and environmental stressors. This includes dramatic shifts in weather, microorganisms, UV light, etc. Herbs and plants have adapted with powerful antimicrobial and antioxidant capabilities to give them a survival advantage. When we consume these herbs, we benefit from the immune-enhancing adaptations.

Garlic:

Garlic is a pungent herb and one of nature’s natural antibiotics. Due to the powerful sulfur-containing nutrients and immune stimulators within garlic, it is classified as a superfood herb. Consumption of garlic daily may be one of the best defenses against infection and inflammatory-based disease.

Garlic contains over 100 biologically active components including alliin, allicin, alliinase and unique sulfur compounds. When garlic is crushed or chewed, it forces the allin and allinase enzyme together and causes a chemical reaction to produce allicin.

Allicin and sulfur-based compounds act as powerful antibiotic, antiviral and antifungal agents that have an incredible immune-stimulating effect.(1) Additionally, garlic is also used to lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and help prevent/reverse cancer.(2, 3)

Researchers have found garlic to be more powerful at destroying pathogenic bacteria than the popular antibiotics penicillin and tetracycline. It is also very effective against viruses and yeasts like Candida. Garlic is also very potent at destroying tumor cells in the stomach, colon, breast and prostate among other regions.(4) The sulfur compounds are also effective at detoxifying heavy metals such as mercury, lead and aluminum.(5)

Oregano:

Oregano oil is an extraordinarily powerful natural antibiotic. Oregano has been found in a recent study to be significantly better than all of the 18 currently used antibiotics in the treatment of MRSA staph infections.(6) The strong phenol antioxidants destroy pathogenic bacteria, viruses and yeasts.

The USDA ranks oregano’s antioxidant capacity anywhere from 3 to 20 times higher than any other herb. Oregano has four times the antioxidant power of blueberries, 12 times that of oranges and 42 times greater than apples.

Oregano oil has been classically used as a disinfectant, an aid for ear, nose and throat/respiratory infections, candidiasis and any sort of bacterial or viral condition. Additionally, it works to suppress inflammatory mediators and cancer cell production.(7) Oregano oil is more potent than the dried herb; however, the dried version still contains many powerful health benefits.

Studies have shown that carvacrol, a phenol antioxidant within oregano, has powerful anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity when applied to food or taken in supplement form. Oregano also contains rosmarinic acid which has very strong cancer-fighting properties.

Ginger:

This incredible superfood herb is 13th on the antioxidant list. Ginger is composed of several volatile oils that give it its characteristic flavor and odor: zingerone, shogaols and gingerols. These oils are powerful antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antiparasitic agents. In addition, it inhibits cancer cell formation while firing up our body’s own inborn ability to destroy the cancer cells formerly present.(8)

Ginger is classified as a carminative (reducing intestinal gas) and an intestinal spasmolytic (soothes intestinal tract) while inducing gut motility. Ginger is known to reduce fever-related nausea, motion sickness and feelings of “morning sickness.” Additionally, it helps aid in the production of bile, making it particularly helpful in digesting fats.(9)

Ginger is also an important part of a de-inflaming, natural pain-relief program. One compound called 6-gingerol has been shown to significantly inhibit the production of a highly reactive nitrogen molecule, nitric oxide, that quickly forms a dangerous free radical peroxynitrite. Additionally, ginger helps protect the body’s stores of glutathione, which is a potent antioxidant and free radical destroyer.(10)

Sources:
1) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
2) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
4) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
5) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
6) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
7) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
8) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
9) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
10) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
http://truthwiki.org/garlic
http://truthwiki.org/oregano
http://truthwiki.org/ginger



Missing From the Vaccine Debate – What the CDC is Not Telling Us

The CDC Morbidity and Weekly Report dated October 24, 2014, released information about a flu outbreak that occurred 8 months prior to publication. The article titled, Influenza Outbreak in a Vaccinated Population – USS Ardent, February 2014, details the outbreak and the means used to stop the spread of infection.

While moored in San Diego, California, 25 of the 102 crew members of the ship, USS Ardent came down with flu-like symptoms. Of these 25 crew members, 24 had received their annual flu vaccination 3 months or more before the outbreak. One had not been vaccinated.

Rapid influenza A and B tests were performed and 20 of the 25 tested positive for influenza A. Of those twenty, 18 tested positive for an A (H3) virus and 2 tested positive for an A (untyped) virus. (The CDC states that false negative testing for influenza is common).

Seven swabs from the A (H3) positive sailors were cultured to find the H3N2 virus was 99% identical to the H3N2 strain contained in the annual vaccine. The 1% difference was 5 amino acid substitutions that were found, a slight mutation that rendered the vaccine useless against the H3N2 strain caught by the sailors.

The spread of disease was stopped through isolation and disinfection. Sick sailors were sent home, off the ship, and all commonly touched surfaces were regularly disinfected and decks were mopped with an iodine solution. No further cases were reported.

How many die from influenza each year?

The CDC estimates an average of 26,000 people in the United States die from the flu each year (based on CDC estimates over a 31 year period with a low of 3,000 and a high of 49,000 deaths attributed to influenza). They state that 90% of the deaths occur in people 65 years and older.

In discussing the efficacy of the flu vaccine, the CDC states that flu vaccines work best with healthy adults and with healthy, older children. Because their immune systems are weaker, the vaccination is not as effective for people age 65 and older.

5 elderly residents of an assisted care center in Georgia die after flu shots

Health Impact News (healthimpactnews.com) shows a link to this story, which they published, but the link is no longer viable and the story can no longer be found on their website. In addition, 3 days ago Natural News reporter Jennifer Lilley reported that the assisted living facility stated that there have been no flu related deaths at the facility, and yet the original story reported that every senior who received the shot ran a temperature before 5 died.

What is missing from the vaccine debate

There is a glaring omission in the CDC information. The CDC posts all kinds of statistics, but there is not a clear transparency regarding vaccine injuries, vaccine deaths, and vaccine efficacy. If the CDC fulfilled its proper role to the American people, they would be clearly reporting how many of the influenza related deaths were people who had been vaccinated. They would be reporting clear and believable numbers of vaccine injuries that correspond with the number of cases winning in vaccine court and the personal reports of people who have suffered vaccine injuries who know several others in their personal lives who have suffered vaccine injuries as well.

How to protect yourself from the flu if you do not vaccinate

Diet is the cornerstone of health. A truly healthy diet is your best defense against any disease because you are building a healthy immune system. If you want to take it a step further, check out Bullet Proof Your Immune System. If you’ve been vaccinated, read How to Detoxify from Vaccinations & Heavy Metals.

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Still Have Candida? How Mercury Fillings Cause Candida Overgrowth

So you don’t indulge in sugar. You never take antibiotics. You eat a pretty good diet. Why are you still battling Candida?

You may have to look no further than your mouth. If you have amalgam fillings – mercury fillings – the cause of your Candidiasis might be staring back at you.

The Problem with Amalgam Fillings

Mercury is one of the most toxic substances known to man, yet many of us have mercury fillings in our mouths that are poisoning us. Tiny particles break free and mercury vapor is released that we inhale or swallow. The mercury release is 50 times higher for those who have mercury fillings capped with gold.

The body doesn’t just slough off the mercury. The sneaky, toxic, heavy metal fools the body. Its molecular structure is so similar to selenium, which the body needs, the cells snap it up as if it were a helpful mineral.

In the gut, mercury creates an environment that is not friendly for beneficial bacteria. An overgrowth of bad bacteria and Candida results.

When mercury fillings are removed and a proper detox is completed, Candida overgrowth is known to resolve itself with little to no effort.

Related: Heal Gum Disease and Cavities Naturally – Step by Step

How to Get Mercury Fillings Removed

Mercury is so toxic, removal of the fillings must be done by a dentist who knows how to protect you during the process. Biological dentists are holistic dentists who are trained in the safe removal of amalgam fillings. It is still a good idea to talk with the dentist to be sure that their procedure covers all of the steps for safe removal.

When mercury fillings are removed, they break apart releasing particles of mercury. They also release vapor. The Proper protocol involves covering every patch of your skin that could be exposed as well as protecting your airway. This is done with goggles to protect your eyes, a forced air breathing apparatus, extra suction, draping to cover your face, a rubber dam to prevent swallowing particles or inhaling vapors. Cold water should also be used to minimize vaporization and you should rinse your mouth thoroughly after removal.

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

Find a Dentist to Remove Mercury Amalgams Fillings Safely

The following databases should help you find a holistic practitioner. The International Academy of Biological Dentistry and Medicine has a database of practitioners. You might also try the Mercury Safe Dentist Directory.

In the meantime, (if you cannot remove your fillings, or until you do, and also after you get them removed), kill Candida, and check out Mercury Fillings, Root Canals, & Cavitations.

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.

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Healing Vibrations

From what I see and read, energy healing appears to be getting better known and it is, hopefully, the path health will take in the future.  So let’s take a look at what it is.

It really starts with sound.  Sound creates patterns. Everything in the universe is created by sound and it is sound which turns matter and energy into form.  Pythagoras, the Greek philosopher and mathematician, understood this, which shows that it is by no means a modern concept.

If everything in the universe is sound and vibration, then the cells in our bodies must come under this heading, too.  Every cell resonates to a certain frequency. Sound healing involves re-tuning the organs, which become sick if they fall out of tune.  Think of a musical instrument. It’s sound is sublime when in tune with the rest of the orchestra, but its noise is horrible if it goes flat. It is discordant, i.e. not in accord with the rest of the group.

Why the Music Goes Flat

So what causes this discordance in the song of our cells?  Every thought we have, whether positive or negative, is creating a vibration and if we focus on what is peaceful, positive, and happy, our cells are vibrating on a high note, too.  When stress, fear, anxiety, or loss come into our lives, the vibrations change and that has a direct effect on one or all of our organs.  We say someone died of a broken heart.  As a child I thought this was literally the case and wondered how a heart could be smashed like a dinner plate. Later I realized that losing love or a loved one had caused the harmony of the heart cells to get out of sync with the rest of the body, to falter and stop working altogether.

Water can very quickly be affected by negative or positive sounds. The late Dr. Masaru Emoto published a vast body of research on the messages from water when exposed to sound.  He froze double-distilled water droplets and experimented by playing music, praying, speaking to them, thereby changing their vibrations.  The crystal formations demonstrated clearly the difference between something uplifting such as John Lennon’s Imagine and a piece of heavy metal music. They made beautiful patterns when exposed to the former and disintegrated into chaos when heavy metal was played.  Words of hate spoken to them also caused disintegration whereas words of love and appreciation resulted in magical forms.

How Vibration Heals

The good news is that positive sounds coupled with intention can even restore polluted water.  In 1997 the Fujiwara Dam in Japan was heavily polluted and the water was analyzed by Dr. Emoto, using his technique of freezing droplets and looking at them under a microscope.  They looked like some kind of primeval soup with no discernible pattern until the Reverend Kato Hoki, chief priest of Jyuhouin Temple, recited a one-hour prayer beside the dam. When the droplets were crystallized and re-examined, the most amazing transformation had taken place. A simply exquisite pattern had formed.

Now if that can apply to water droplets—and our bodies are over 70 per cent water—we can see just how it can apply to our cells.  Even if we have damaged our bodies through any number of factors, we can certainly redress the balance by changing the vibrations of our organs.  We often hear expressions such as, “When you change your thoughts you change your life.” We probably considered them to be stupid platitudes.  Well it looks as if we were wrong.  What could be more encouraging than that?  So if we start today by being mindful, living in the present, and tuning our feelings to be as loving, hopeful, and positive as we can, we will reap all sorts of benefits, the most important of which is perfect health.

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The Glymphatic System – How Insomnia Leads to a Filthy Mind

Throughout the day our blood circulates in our bodies carrying oxygen and nutrients to every cell. Waste from the cells’ metabolic processes is released into interstitial fluid (the fluid between each cell). The lymphatic system sucks up excessive fluid and the waste, incorporating it into the lymphatic fluid that flows through the lymph nodes to filter the waste and pathogens before dumping the fluid back into the circulatory system.

For hundreds of years, scientists have been trying to figure out how the brain cleanses itself since the lymphatic system does not extend to the brain and the spinal column. Last year scientists announced the discovery of the glymphatic system. No, you are not looking at a typo. The glymphatic system is the cleansing system of the brain.

Like the lymphatic system, the glymphatic system removes waste from interstitial fluid, but this system requires your full cooperation to do its job. Cleansing of the brain happens when you are asleep.

Brain cells, like all cells of the body, require food and oxygen for metabolism. And like all cells of the body, brain cell metabolism results in waste. During the day, this waste collects in the brain’s interstitial fluid. Some of this waste dissolves in the fluid, but most of it simply collects, waiting for sleep.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the brain cleansing process is the behavior of the brain cells. They actually shrink during sleep. The space between the cells increases by 60% aiding in the cleansing process. Cerebral spinal fluid quickly flows into the space, aided by the pulse of the arteries. It mixes with the interstitial fluid and washes the waste toward the veins and carries it to the liver. This process occurs during slow wave sleep, the deepest sleep.

During the night, we experience sleep cycles that average about 90 minutes. In the first half of the night we cycle through all of the stages, N1, N2, N3, and REM sleep. Slow wave sleep or delta sleep is N3. We start at N1 and go deeper into N2, then deeper into N3, the stage where brain cleansing occurs. In the second half of the night, REM sleep increases and alternates with N1 and N2 sleep, so it appears most of the cleanup is done in the first half of the night.

Scientists who discovered the glymphatic system hope that understanding this process will lead to successful treatment of Alzheimer’s, Parkinsons, and other similar brain diseases.

Quality sleep is vital to the removal of waste and toxic substances from the brain. If you have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, learn about Natural Remedies For Insomnia, and be sure to see Holistic Guide To Healing the Endocrine System And Balancing Our Hormones, and Candida Overgrowth Symptoms.

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