1. Cayenne Pepper – Most cats have an aversion to cayenne pepper. Sprinkling a small amount around your planter can help keep the kitties away from the plant itself.

2. Aquarium Gravel – Unlike other surfaces, gravel is much too grainy for cats to really get comfortable on. It not only makes an uncomfortable bed, they  do not like the feel of the rocks on the pads of their feet. A thin layer on your top soil can be enough to keep them out of the planter.

3. Mesh Screening – Window screen is actually cheap if you purchase it in a roll. By using a few pieces of wood, you can create a mesh box around your plants. TA mesh box will allow sunlight and water in, while keeping kitties out. .

4. Citrus Peels – Citrus peels are a potent way to keep cats at bay. Place peels around your planters or gardens to provide a layer of protection for your plants. Once they dry, these peels double as compost filling in your garden.

5. Tin Foil – Tin foil is another texture that cats find unappealing. Some people have had a degree of success deterring cats by placing sheets of it on or around the area.

6. Coffee Grounds – Kitties don’t like the smell of coffee grounds. Sprinkle them around your garden and most cats will move on to another space.

7. Spray Bottle – And then there is always behavior modification. Arm yourself with a spray bottle and squirt every cat that comes near your garden. They will soon learn that your garden is off limits.

It is in a cat’s nature to use prefer soft soil for a litter box or a bed.  By making the area as uncomfortable or unappealing as possible, you greatly reduce the chance of your planters being used as bathrooms or beds. While not all of the above suggestions will work for every cat, each has been used with varying degrees of success. If any other methods have worked for you, please comment, and let us know.

Eczema is known as a chronic dermatological condition that is characterized by skin rashes, dryness, crusting, and flaking skin.  Research indicates that eczema is caused by chronic inflammation that affects the skin cells and causes scarring.  Natural lifestyle strategies allow the body to “de-inflame” and beat eczema.

Chronic inflammatory disorders such as eczema are characterized by a hyper responsive immune system.  The signs of eczema should warn the individual that inflammatory destruction is taking place within the body as well and must be addressed to prevent further sickness and disease.  Overcoming this abnormal immune control begins by rebuilding the intestinal wall, avoiding inflammatory triggers, increasing anti-inflammatory compounds, and optimizing vitamin D3 levels.

Immune Dysfunction and Eczema

Individuals with eczema have an overpopulation of pathogenic organisms in the gut that are damaging the intestinal wall and allowing food particles to pass into the bloodstream.  These undigested food particles are tagged as foreign invaders by the immune system.  When the immune system encounters these food particles in the bloodstream, it unleashes a massive inflammatory assault that causes a systemic allergenic response.

The most common food allergens include gluten, corn, soy products, artificial flavors, preservatives, starches, peanuts, eggs, and pasteurized dairy. Any processed or genetically modified food product would be considered highly allergenic.

Rebuild the Gut

Rebuilding the gut is absolutely essential to fully ward off eczema and chronic inflammatory disease the natural way.  High quality fermented foods are powerful weapons to use to reinstate a natural order within the gut.  These foods include sauerkraut, kimchi, fermented veggies, fermented fruit, apple cider vinegar, kombucha and coconut kefir.  Fermented, raw dairy from 100% grass-fed animals is especially useful in the form of amasai, kefir, whey, and cheese.

All of these fermented foods provide high powered enzymes, probiotics, and key amino acids that help to destroy the pathogenic microorganisms and repair the lining of the gut to prevent food particles from jumping across.  Intermediate fasting is especially beneficial during the healing phases and beyond.  Fasting from solid foods for periods of 16-18 hours each day can help the body store enzymes and repair the gut faster.

Anti-Inflammatory Nutrition Plan

The daily diet should focus on anti-inflammatory superfoods to help modulate the immune system so it will not over-inflame when stimulated.  This means restricting all man-made foods, sugars, and food allergens.  Loading up on anti-oxidant rich vegetables and using healthy fat sources such as avocados, extra virgin olive oil, 100% grass-fed red meat and raw dairy, wild-caught salmon, and organic eggs are fantastic foods to calm the immune system.

Other great foods for “de-inflaming” the body include coconut products, berries, and non-denatured grass-fed cows and goats.  This form of protein enhances cellular glutathione stores which protect the DNA within the cell and play an important role in coordinating immunity.  Superfood herbs like turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, oregano, rosemary, thyme, ginger, basil, and boswellia should be used as much as possible.  A combination of coconut oil and essential oil of peppermint is also very helpful as an ointment to put onto skin rashes and eczema.

Optimize Vitamin D3 Levels

Vitamin D3 is especially important for anyone with eczema or other chronic inflammatory conditions.  UV light therapy has been shown to be very helpful for individuals with eczema as well as sun-bathing for short periods of time.  Both of these techniques help to raise circulating vitamin D3 levels.

Optimal Vitamin D3 should be between 70-100 ng/ml, which is significantly higher than the medically acceptable level of 32 ng/ml.  Spend 20-30 minutes in the sun each day or supplement with 10,000 IU of a high quality emulsified vitamin D3 for a period of time to reach the desired level.

Editor’s Note

Skin issues are so often caused by Candida. And Candida is killed faster with Thorne SF722 than anything I know. Check out Best Supplements To Kill Candida and Everything Else You Ever Wanted To Know About Fungal Infections. 

Sources For This Article Include:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eczema
• http://www.naturalnews.com/030475_inflammatory_diseases_natural_remedies.html
• http://www.naturalnews.com/037615_eczema_natural_remedies_immunity.html

Milk thistle is a flowering plant that is part of the daisy family.  It gets its name from its bristly and prickly nature and the “milky” sap that oozes out of the plant.  The leaves, fruits, and seeds of milk thistle have been used for centuries as a natural medicine.  Milk thistle is one of the world’s most powerful liver detoxifying agents.

Milk thistle was used by medical herbalists in the late nineteenth century to treat varicose veins and liver, spleen, and kidney disorders.  Today, it is primarily used to improve the function of the liver, kidneys, and gastrointestinal system.  Many individuals have seen dramatic improvement using milk thistle for health issues such as psoriasis, menstrual problems, jaundice, and poor circulation.

Milk Thistle and Liver Health

The active antioxidant compound within milk thistle is the flavonoid complex called Silymarin.  This anti-oxidant is one of the most powerful liver detoxifying agents.  It helps to boost glutathione and superoxide dismutase which are two the body’s master super antioxidants.  One study found that silymarin increased glutathione content in the intestines and liver by up to 50%.  Boosting glutathione helps protect the intestines from inflammatory damage that leads to ulcers and colitis.

Milk thistle guards the liver’s numerous hepatic cell membranes and slows the rate at which toxins can be absorbed into the liver.  Research has shown that silymarin enhances protein synthesis to enhance liver cell regeneration and counteract the effects of poisons on the liver.   It has been used to treat alcoholic hepatitis, alcoholic fatty liver, cirrhosis-liver poisoning, and viral hepatitis.

Silymarin and Kidney Health

Silymarin concentrates in kidney cells where it helps repair and regenerate protein enzymes and DNA.  One study indicated that it increased kidney cell replication by 25-30% over control groups.  This is extremely important for individuals who have suffered mild-to-severe kidney damage from infections, kidney stone formation, or environmental toxins.

The kidneys are one of the major organs that are damaged by chemotherapy agents.  Research has shown that the major compounds in silymarin protect the kidneys from these dangerous drugs.  In particular, they protect the cell membrane of the kidney, cells allowing for healthy cell receptor activity.

Silymarin is considered to be 10 times as potent as vitamin E and increases the activity of the powerful antioxidant superoxide dismutase (SOD) in red and white blood cells in patients suffering with liver disease.  This increases oxygenation and immunity.

Studies have shown that the major compounds of silymarin are silybin and silychristin.  These compounds have a low absorption rate at about 20-50%.  It is better to use milk thistle in a standardized extract.  Milk thistle can also be fermented in an organic acid base for optimal digestion and nutrient assimilation.

Milk Thistle as a Demulcent

Milk Thistle is a demulcent that improves the health of the body’s mucous membranes.  This reduces inflammation within the skin cells, sinus and respiratory tract, and kidney and bladder wall lining.  It also reduces inflammatory stress in the bile duct and inhibits the formation of gall stones.  This improves the functionality of the gall bladder and allows for complete bile release.

Milk Thistle also helps soften and improve the moisturization of the skin,  This is especially helpful for individuals with acne and exzema and other skin impurities.  It has also been shown to improve the overall glow and radiance of the skin quality.

Sources For This Article Include:

• http://www.newsmax.com/FastFeatures/health-benefits-of-milk/2010/11/11/id/371339
• http://www.motherearthliving.com/plant-profile/milk-thistle-therapy.aspx
• http://silymarin.com/?p=how.works

Gout is a disease in which uric acid levels accumulate and cause massive damage and swelling to various joints of the body.  The uric acid is caused by poor dietary habits and metabolic stress.  Specific lifestyle strategies can help reduce the symptoms of gout and restore proper metabolic function to beat gout naturally.

When uric acid accumulates it forms sharp crystals called urates which penetrate and irritate the joints.  The most common areas to be effected by urates are the big toe, feet, ankles, wrists, knees, and elbows.  Gout is extremely painful and most physicians are unable to treat it effectively without dangerous medications.

For years doctors have been telling us gout is caused by a disruption in purine metabolism.  Purines are molecules that are formed by a grouping of nucleic acids that are prevalent in foods such as red meat, organ meats, seafood, and alcohol.  Organ meats such as kidney and liver contain the most purines by far.

Gout and Fructose Metabolism

Recent research has linked gout formation with elevated fructose consumption.  This second biochemical pathway indicated that fructose triggers the body’s production of uric acid from an important energy molecule, adenosine triphosphate.

In New Zealand, the Maori people rarely encountered gout.  Now, ten to fifteen percent of their population has gout symptoms in their lifetime.  Seafood seems to be the major trigger for these Pacific islanders; however, they have always eaten a lot of seafood.  These people eat fifty times more sugar and fructose (much like typical Americans) than they did 100 years ago.

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association demonstrated that individuals who drink one fructose-rich beverage a day are 74% more likely of developing gout than those who drink the same beverage once per month.  Individuals who drank two or more fructose sweetened beverages are 97 percent more likely to develop the disease.

Fructose is a form of sugar molecule that is most often found in corn, fruit, and many plant based sweeteners such as agave nectar and honey.  It is important to reduce fructose consumption by avoiding anything with high fructose corn syrup and minimizing the consumption of fruit juices, agave nectar, and honey.  Minimize the use of all fruit other than low fructose fruits such as berries, avocados, lemons, limes and grapefruit.

Anti-Gout Nutrition Plan

The typical diet for individuals with gout should be low in sugar and grains.  Instead, focus on anti-oxidant rich vegetables and healthy fat sources.  The best fat/protein sources include coconut products, avocados, extra-virgin olive oil, and sprouted nuts and seeds.  Healthy protein sources include 100% grass-fed beef in moderation, 100% raw grass-fed cheese, organic poultry, and wild fish.

Individuals with gout do much better when they stick to an 80% raw diet.  Any cooked food should be reserved for the evening meal.  The daytime meals should be liquid in the form of shakes, cacao avocado mousse, and vegetable juices.  Salads, guacamole with veggies or raw, sprouted seed crackers are also great.  Before any cooked food is eaten, a digestive enzyme with lipase, protease, and amylase should be used to enhance digestion.  Lots of clean water should be consumed during the day and intermittent fasting for periods of 16-24 hours is encouraged to help detoxify the kidneys, liver, and colon.

Individuals with gout should use apple cider vinegar and fresh squeezed lemon on salads, grains, and meat.  This helps provide organic acids and more enzymes and anti-oxidants to help pre-digest the meal.  Fermented foods such as non-processed sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles, amasai, and coconut kefir are also very helpful.

Sources For This Article Include:

• http://www.naturalnews.com/027950_gout_natural_remedies.html
• http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/65355/description/Fructose_poses_gout_risks_even_in_women
• http://www.naturalnews.com/030401_HFCS_gout.html#ixzz2BORK5yP5
• http://biochem.otago.ac.nz/staff-profiles/tony-merriman/gout/

Foods that have an incredible array of health benefits that go well beyond their nutrient value are considered Superfoods.  These foods are typically loaded with a combination of critical fatty acids, anti-oxidant phytonutrients, and essential amino acids.    Blueberries contain an extraordinary amount of unique phytonutrients and impressive anti-oxidant scores that make them a superfood.

Blueberries are a native plant to North America.  They grow in shrubs from from 8-10 inches tall  up to 5-6 feet tall.  Maine is considered the largest low bush blueberry producing country.  Michigan produces the most high bush growing blueberries.

This summer superfood is loaded with antioxidant phytonutrients called anthocyanidins.  These nutrients powerfully neutralize free radical damage to the collagen matrix of cells and tissues.  In addition, anthocyanins have been shown to improve capillary integrity and enhance the effects of Vitamin C.

Blueberries Boost Brain Function

The anti-oxidant power of blueberries has been shown to be particularly useful in stabilizing brain function and protecting the neural tissue from oxidative stress.   Studies have shown improvements in memory and learning while reducing symptoms of depression. Blueberries also contain other major phytonutrients including pterostilbene, resveratrol, flavonols and tannins.  All of these have been shown to inhibit the development of cancer cell growth.

The riper the berries the more anti-oxidant power they contain.  To assess the ripeness of the berries look at the color.  Riper berries are a darker blue.  Blueberry season is mid-late summer, June – August.  Most frozen berries are picked at maximal ripeness and frozen.

Very Important to Buy Organic Blueberries:

Purchase organic blueberries due to the high amount of petrochemical pesticides that are used on conventional varieties.  In June of 2011, the Environmental Working Group labeled non-organic blueberries a significant concern.  Blueberries grown in the US ranked 10 out of 53 of the most pesticide laden fruits and vegetables tested.  They have made the list of  the “Dirty Dozen” with this finding.

The term “wild” is considered a marketing term that producers of low bush blueberries have used to help sell their blueberries.  Wild blueberries may or may not be organic.  One should always check labeling and certifications.

Frozen blueberries are fantastic in shakes and smoothies.  Blueberry seeds are significantly smaller than that of other berries such as strawberries, raspberries and blackberries.  The small size makes them less challenging to digest and more palatable in a shake than other berry seeds.

Sources For This Article Include

• http://www.naturalnews.com/028923_superfoods_nutrition.html
• http://superfoodu.com/the-superfoods/blueberry-superfood/
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blueberry

Alzheimer’s disease  is one of the fastest growing diseases in the industrial world.  It is characterized by massive degeneration of the brain that causes disruptions in memory, cognition, and personality. Ultimately, Alzheimer’s results in death.  Approximately, 5.4 million Americans have Alzheimer’s and that number is expected to go up to 15 million by the year 2050.  Take action now to prevent and reverse Alzheimer’s disease with natural strategies.

Alzheimer’s disease cripples the brain to the point where new memories cannot be formed. In end stage Alzheimer’s, those afflicted cannot take care of their most basic needs.  Most individuals survive for 5-10 years.

Alzheimer’s Disease Creates a Massive Economic Burden

These individuals need constant caregiving which creates a massive economic burden on the family.   New reports show there are more than 15 million Americans providing care for someone with Alzheimer’s.  This is a tremendous financial, physical, and emotional burden. The average caregiver taking care of someone with Alzheimer’s encounters over $50,000 in out of pocket expenses each year.

Research has shown that Alzheimer’s disease development and progression is highly influenced by lifestyle factors.  A recent study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease confirmed earlier reports that Alzheimer’s is characterized by chronic inflammation and insulin resistance in the brain.  Researchers have titled this pathophysiological pattern type-3 diabetes.

Poor Blood Sugar Signaling

These researchers found that as blood sugar signaling patterns are disrupted, it leads to elevated blood sugar and the formation of Advanced Glycolytic End Products (AGE’s).  AGEs are highly inflammatory and they cause massive destruction throughout the body and have an affinity for neurological tissue.  The AGEs destroy cell membrane function and damage insulin receptor activity creating a vicious cycle of elevated blood sugar and inflammatory stress.

The brain is primarily water, fat, and cholesterol.  These are all key building blocks for promoting healthy brain function and rebuilding a damaged brain.  The proper diet to beat Alzheimer’s is rich in phytonutrient dense vegetables, healthy fats, and clean protein sources.  Healthy fat sources such as coconut, avocados, olive oil, and sprouted nuts and seeds must take a central role in the diet to promote healthy brain function.

Clean Proteins and SuperFoods

Healthy proteins include wild-caught fish, grass-fed red meat and organic chicken, turkey, and eggs.  Grass-fed beef is loaded with long-chain omega 3 fatty acids, saturated fat, cholesterol, vitamin B12, and conjugated linoleic acid, which are all necessary for healthy neurological function. Additionally, grass-fed beef contains carnosine, wild salmon contains astaxanthin, and organic pasture-fed eggs have retinol, lutein, and zeaxanthin.  These fat-soluble anti-oxidants protect the brain and neurological tissue from AGEs and other damaging free radicals.

100% grass-fed raw, fermented dairy products such as amasai, kefir, cheese, and whey are packed full of brain building nutrients and they protect the gut and de-inflame the body.  Superfood herbs like turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, oregano, rosemary, thyme, ginger, basil, boswellia, etc. should be used as much as possible.

Regular Exercise & Vitamin D3

Regular exercise and sun exposure are extremely critical factors to boost oxygenation, anti-aging hormones, and vitamin D3 levels.  Vitamin D3 supplementation of 10,000 IU daily is often needed.  Whole food based multivitamins, extra B complex vitamins, zinc, and selenium as well as probiotics and purified omega 3 fatty acids should be used as well.

Individuals at risk for Alzheimer’s  have sleep challenges throughout their lives and have reduced melatonin signaling systems in their brain.  Establishing regular sleep cycles, going to bed early, and getting 8 full hours of sleep is essential.  Using certain teas with herbs like valerian root, chamomile, and passionflower can be especially useful.

Sources For This Article Include:

• http://www.alznorcalblog.org/2011/03/15/alzheimers-stats-caregivers-higher-death-rate-greater-cost-growing-prevalence/
• http://www.ahaf.org/alzheimers/about/understanding/facts.html
• http://www.naturalnews.com/036708_Alzheimers_type-3_diabetes_brain_disease.html
• http://www.naturalnews.com/031178_diabetes_cure.html

The Anti-Aging Power of Avocados

Foods that have an incredible array of health benefits that go well beyond just their nutrient value are considered superfoods.  These foods are typically loaded with a combination of critical fatty acids, anti-oxidant phytonutrients, and essential amino acids.  Avocados are one of the best anti-aging superfoods to consume.

Avocados are native to Central America and were a favorite food of the Aztec Indians.  The avocado plant is part of the flowering plant family Lauraceae, which includes camphor, bay laurel ,and cinnamon.  Avocados are considered a fruit.  They are cultivated in tropical climates throughout the world, including southern Florida and California.

Avocado’s Have a Long, Rich History

The oldest known evidence of avocado use as a food was found in a cave in Puebla, Mexico.  The dates of the writings are thought to be from around 10,000 BC.  The two major types of avocados are the Hass Avocado and Florida Avocado.  The Hass avocado was named after Rudolph Hass who developed an avocado farm and obtained a patent for the avocados he was growing.

The Florida avocados are significantly larger than the Hass avocado’s but are lower in overall fat and calories.  The Hass avocado is more dense in monounsaturated fatty acids than the Florida avocado.  The Hass avocado averages between 18-30% fatty acids while the Florida avocado has about 3-5% fats.  This equals out to the Florida avocados being about 25-50% of the total fat content found in the Hass avocados.

Avocados Rich in Healthy Fats & Anti-Oxidants

This amazing fruit is very high in healthy oleic acid.  This is a monounsaturated fat that helps increase fat metabolism.  It is also rich in the powerful carotenoid anti-oxidants lutein and zeaxanthin as well as Vitamin E (tocopherol).

These anti-oxidants decrease oxidative stress and allow for a healthier cellular environment.  Other critical components include ionic potassium and folate.  These elements are alkaline forming in the body, helping to buffer acidic wastes that accumulate within the human tissue and bloodstream.

Avocados Enhance Nutrient Assimilation

Avocados are a terrific complement to a vegetable based meal.  Most vegetables, particularly in their raw state, contain a high amount of carotenoid based anti-oxidants.  Studies have shown that these anti-oxidants are lipophilic (fat-loving) and are absorbed best in the body when combined with a healthy fat such as oleic acid.

A study published in the Journal of Nutrition in March 2005 showed that adding avocados to salads increased absorption of alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, and lutein 7.2, 15.3, and 5.1 times higher, respectively, than the average amount of these carotenoids absorbed when avocado-free salad was eaten.

Hass avocados have been found to be the most densely concentrated variety of the avocado fruit.  They contain the highest content of lutein and zeaxanthin and other fat-soluble nutrients.  Both types of avocados are terrific for the digestive system as they contain a good variety of both soluble and insoluble fibers.

Avocados’s Have Anti-Aging Nutrients

Avocados are one of the best anti-aging foods that prevent wrinkles and skin aging. The D-manno-heptulose sugar that is found in avocados has been shown to improve the skin’s epidermis by boosting collagen formation.  Avocados also contain specific amino acids and carotenoid anti-oxidants that reduce age spots, soothe inflammation, and heal scars and burns.

When looking to find a ripe avocado, it is best to feel the consistency rather than judge them off of their color.  Ripe avocados that are still good are typically firm but have slight give to them.  Any sort of mushy consistency is a warning sign that the inside meat is oxidized and rotten.

Refrigerating your avocados will increase their shelf life while putting them in a bag with an old banana peel will make them ripen faster.

Sources For This Article Include:

• http://www.superfoodsrx.com/superfoods/avocado/
• http://www.oprah.com/food/Secret-Superfood-Avocados-Dave-Liebermans-Blog
• http://valerietonnerhealthcoach.blogspot.com/2011/06/superfood-avocado.html
• http://www.naturalnews.com/028923_superfoods_nutrition.html