Archive for December, 2009

Getting Rid of Gallstones Without Surgery

By pinky, 31 December, 2009, 8 Comments
My Gallstone
Image by Steve Crane via Flickr

The most effective gall stone home remedy is a simple gall bladder flush. Yes simple – not the nicest way to spend a Saturday perhaps but for most people, better than needing surgery somewhere down the line.

First, loosen the stones by drinking an 8 oz glass of apple juice morning and evening for 4-6 weeks. This is a very important step and you should not skip it and try to do the flush right away, it just will not work.

The best kind of apple juice is home made by putting organic apples through a juicer. Next best, buy organic apple juice from a health food store. It must be made from whole apples, not concentrate, with no added sugar or other additives, and not the kind that will keep for months.

Try to eat healthy foods during these 4-6 weeks. In particular, make sure you are getting enough fiber so that your digestive system and bowels are working well. This may mean increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables above the famous ‘5 a day’.

Then you will need to set aside a day when you are home with no commitments. You are going to need to be in or near a bathroom most of the day. I know this is inconvenient, but if you want to get rid of those gallstones, you just need to make this sacrifice.

The day before, you will do a short semi-fast. You will not eat any solid food this day. Drink your apple juice in the morning as usual and you can have another glass at lunchtime if you want.

If you have not done a juice fast before, don’t worry, it is not as difficult as it sounds.  Any time you feel yourself tempted to eat other foods, just remind yourself that it is only for one day and it needs to be done for the sake of your health. A lot of people do juice-only fasts of 1 to 7 days as a regular thing. In fact, there is even a fashion right now of  90 day ‘juice feasting’ where no solid food is eaten for 3 months. So you can do it for just one day, right?

In the evening, before going to bed, drink 8 oz of organic extra virgin olive oil mixed with 4 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice from actual whole lemons. This mixture tastes something like salad dressing. You’ll probably need about 4 lemons, depending on size and juiciness. Do not use bottled lemon juice.

In the morning (at least 8 hours later) take a fast-acting natural laxative, either epsom salts or 10 oz citrate of magnesia (not milk of magnesia). You should then expect to need the bathroom often for several hours because you are going to have diarrhea.

In with the diarrhea you should find that you pass many little green stones like small peas. These are the gall stones.

Congratulations, you have successfully flushed out your gall bladder!

This process may be helpful for healthy adults but is not recommended for anybody needing medical attention. If you have any health issues consult your doctor before using this gall stone home remedy or other natural remedies.

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Natural Remedy for Insomnia

By pinky, 30 December, 2009, 4 Comments
Rooibos Tropica Tea (Teavana)
Image by Angela Schmeidel Randall via Flickr

I personally don’t like to take prescription nor over the counter drugs, especially sleeping pills. In my quest to find a natural remedy for insomnia, I found that the African Red Bush Tea, or Rooibos is a great sleep aid. Not only is it great for insomnia, it’s has several other benenfits as well  But before I get into that….

What Is It?

The African Red Bush or Rooibos (pronounced roy-boss) is different from the more commonly known teas such as the white/green/oolong/black tea which is made from the leaves from the camellia sinensis plant. The end product simply depends on how long the leaves have been fermented. The Red Bush, on the other hand, is a completely different plant grown in the Western Cape Province. The leaves are actually green but turn red when oxidized.

How It Tastes

The Red Bush has a very distinct smell. It’s not really unpleasant, it just took a little getting used to. I couldn’t decide if I liked it or not. Once I tasted it I liked it instantly. It has a subtle sweetness to it, even if you let it brew for some time.

Although the Africans drink it with milk and sugar most other people drink it with just water. I just let the teabag seep in hot water for about 3 mins.

Health Benefits of Rooibos

The health benefits of Red Bush are very similar to tea made from camellia sinensis leaves.

  1. Contains similar amounts of polyphenols and has been shown to be anti-carcinogenic, anti-mutagenic, anti-inflammatory and anti-viral.
  2. Naturally caffeine-free so is ideal for people who want to cut back on caffeine or want to drink it before going to bed. Actually it’s recommended you drink it before going to bed as it can help with insomnia. It’s also very low in tannins.
  3. Contains calcium, manganese and fluoride to help build strong teeth and bones.
  4. Can be given to infants suffering from colic, sleeping problems or stomach cramps. Simply add some milk to the tea.
  5. Contains alpha hydroxy acid and zinc which is great for the skin. You can even apply it directly to the skin to help with acne, eczema and sunburn etc.
  6. People with kidney stones can drink it because there’s no oxalic acid.
  7. Full of vitamins and minerals such as zinc, copper, calcium, manganese, magnesium, potassium.

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The Pharmaceutical Industry Exposed

By pinky, 29 December, 2009, 5 Comments
Novamoxin Prescription Drug - 500mg Amoxicilli...
Image via Wikipedia

I recently came across an article called The Laws of the Pharmaceutical Industry. The content  of this article is very important to me because I’ve always believed the pharmaceutical industry isn’t looking out for the well-being of people, like you and me.  The pharmaceutical industry driven by the profits of its shareholders. They are not concerned with improving human health at all.

Here are some points made in the article:

1 The pharmaceutical industry is an investment industry driven by the profits of its shareholders. Improving human health is not the driving force of this industry.

2 The pharmaceutical investment industry was artificially created and strategically developed over an entire century by the same investment groups that control the global petrochemical and chemical industries.

3 The huge profits of the pharmaceutical industry are based on the patenting of new drugs. These patents essentially allow drug manufacturers to arbitrarily define the profits for their products.

4 The marketplace for the pharmaceutical industry is the human body – but only for as long as the body hosts diseases. Thus, maintaining and expanding diseases is a precondition for the growth of the pharmaceutical industry.

5 A key strategy to accomplish this goal is the development of drugs that merely mask symptoms while avoiding the curing or elimination of diseases.

This explains why most prescription drugs marketed today have no proven efficacy and merely target symptoms.
To read the rest of the article, go here.

Post your comments and let me know what you think.

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What’s a Sproutarian?

By pinky, 28 December, 2009, 2 Comments
Mixed organic bean sprouts
Image via Wikipedia

Vegetarianism and raw food enthusiasts fall into many different groups with different theories of what kind of natural foods are best. Most vegetarians eat fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains. Vegans eat no animal by-products at all, including dairy or eggs. Fruitarians eat primarily fruits. And some vegetarians eat only sprouts.

Sprouts are very nutritious because they contain all the elements a plant needs for life and growth. The endosperm of seed is the storehouse of carbohydrates, protein and oil. When the seed germinates, these become predigested amino acids and natural sugars upon which the plant embryo feeds to grow. This life force we eat is filled with energy which is capable of generating cells of the body and supplying us with new vigor and life. For this reason sprouts can slow down the aging process.

Sprouts contain great amounts of male and female hormones, as well, in their most easily assimilated form. Research shows that sprouts are among the highest food in vitamins. They are not only a low cost food but are also tasty and easy to grow. Children and the elderly can make sprouting a profitable hobby. All of us can profit from the boost to health they provide.

Almost any seed, grain or legume can be sprouted though some are tastier than others. You may try mung beans, alfalfa, wheat, peas, fenugreek, chickpeas, radish, fennel, celery seed, etc. These are most readily found in health food stores. Remember to soak small seeds only for 4 hours and beans for 15 hours. You also can mix these seeds. Get a 2 liter wide-mouth jar and a piece of cheesecloth or old nylon stocking to fasten as a cover with a rubber band. Put seed into the jar as follows:

2 Tsps alfalfa, 2 Tsps radish or fenugreek, 1/4 cup lentils, 1/2 cup mung beans. Soak these seeds for 15 hours and drain the water. Afterwards rinse and drain well twice daily for about 3-5 days. If you wish to make larger amounts of sprouts, so you may share with others, place 2 cups of mixed seed into a large porcelain pot, in the bottom of which holes have been drilled for easy rinsing. Simply place underneath the faucet and rinse morning and evening with warm water. Cover with a plate. The seeds grow beautifully and abundantly in a few days.

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Vegetarianism and the pH Miracle Diet

By pinky, 24 December, 2009, No Comment

Vegetarianism and the pH miracle diet

The pH miracle diet is a program for restoring balance in the body by eating alkaline foods. The body’s cells are slightly alkaline and by eating alkalizing foods you can support your body’s natural function. In addition to eating alkalizing foods, Dr. Robert Young, the creator of the diet, also recommends avoiding acidifying foods like meat, wheat and dairy. Those that want better health, according to Dr. Young, should become vegetarians.

The standard American diet certainly isn’t alkalizing and definitely isn’t vegetarian. Animal protein is a mainstay of most people’s diets. However, the necessity for animal protein is a not.

There is a prevailing belief in our society that consuming a lot of protein encourages health and especially physical fitness. Men especially are expected to eat massive quantities of meat in order to have strength and vitality. This myth has prevailed as far back in history as many can remember. In the beginning of the twentieth century, scientists began to believe that consuming meat equaled physical strength, especially in the world of sports. This specific belief, the link between sports and protein, has been one of the driving forces behind meat consumption in the last 100 years.

In actuality, the body’s need for protein is actually a lot less than many people think. There are plenty of sources for vegetarian protein that are alkalizing, and acceptable on the ph Miracle diet.

But why does the program specifically forbid animal protein? Animal protein, like meats, eggs and dairy products all have acidifying effects on the body. These effects become even more prevalent when you consume non-organic meats. Consuming conventionally processed meats can expose you to hormones, drugs and other chemicals that have been given to the animals before they were killed. There are no conclusive studies about the safety of hormones, but there are perceived risks. Animals are routinely given antibiotics as well, which will increase your consumption of antibiotics and will reduce helpful bacteria in your body. The reduction of these helpful bacteria will allow more metabolic acid to accumulate in your system, and create disastrous health effects.

The elements in meat that are good for you (protein, vitamins and minerals) can be obtained from vegetarian sources without all of the dangers. Just one cup of tofu, an alkalizing protein source, has 20 grams of protein. The average man or women needs less than 40 grams per day. Protein needs can easily be met without eating acidifying meat.

Making the switch to vegetarianism is more of mental struggle than a physical one. The body runs much more efficiently without the acidifying presence of animal protein. Eating meat is a habit and the benefits of eating it are a culturally propagated myth. There is no physical need for meat. The most difficult part of eliminating it from your diet will be opening your eyes to the wide variety of new foods that can replace meat.

When you follow the pH miracle diet, you’ll notice that Dr. Young recommends a balance of 70% alkaline foods and 30% acid foods. This means that there is some leeway for eating foods on the acidic list. Although it may be tempting to eat animal protein as part of this 30%, your body will be in better balance if you choose something that is just slightly acidic, like eggs, oats or pasta, instead of highly acidic meats.

Becoming a vegetarian on the pH miracle diet is certainly your choice. But you owe it to your health to start reducing the amount of  animal protein in your diet.

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Mixing Raw Foods With Cooked Foods

By pinky, 23 December, 2009, No Comment

Even if we are not sick and look healthy, we may not be getting enough adequate nutrition.  We can improve our state of health by simply knowing what nutrition we need. Nutrition is about what the food is all about, the amount we need, its function, and the basic materials we need for our body in order for it to continue on with its daily activities.  By knowing how to take care of our body through nutrition, we can maintain its high performance levels instead of being unable to because of the low levels.

When we eat meals, it is important to understand that we should not mix raw food with cooked food, as this will produce acid in the stomach. This acid does not mix well with the raw food and will create indigestion. Another thing to think about is when eating raw fruits and vegetables, we should try to stay with organic foods due to the amount of pesticides that are usually on the non-organic foods.

Foods in different categories that are mixed together can cause an imbalance in the body. For example: when we eat a meal high in both fats and simple carbohydrates, we become tired and exhausted while we develop muddled thinking. The reason is our tissue is not receiving enough oxygen.  Carbohydrates are simple and complex: simple carbohydrates should be totally eliminated while complex ones are very beneficial for us. Fresh fruits and vegetables produce elimination while vitamin D milk and cheese counter it. When we send mixed messages to our body because of our lack of knowledge about its nutrition, it causes disorder and disease.

When we go for periods of time in-between meals, the body becomes very active and more alert when food is not consumed.  It is believed that three hours or more is adequate between meals before another meal should be eaten.

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Transitioning Into The pH Miracle Diet

By pinky, 21 December, 2009, No Comment

The pH miracle diet is one of the most revolutionary diets to grow in popularity in the past few years. The eating principles of the diet (vegetarian, organic foods) are not new, but the addition of the “pH factor” is definitely something that has not been readily seen in the world of nutrition. The acid/alkaline balance of our bodies is something that many people have never heard of, although the concepts have been part of Chinese medicine for thousands of years. The pH miracle diet may seem strange upon your first encounter, but once you find out more about the concepts and benefits you’ll be impressed and motivated to try this way of eating.

The pH miracle diet is a definite transition from the standard American diet. If you are embarking on a journey to health and plan to use the pH miracle diet you will definitely experience a transition in your life. This diet requires you to think about food and eating in an entirely new way. You’ll be challenging old stereotypes about nutrition, such as meat is an important part of every meal and milk is beneficial to your health. It can be difficult to make a completely 180-degree turn in your way of eating and cooking.

However, in order to have success on the pH miracle diet, you don’t have to make that 180-degree turn in just one week. The book outlines 7 specific steps for dietary change. They do not all have to be done at once. If you radically change your diet and are eating unfamiliar foods, cooking unfamiliar recipes and missing out on your favorite meals, you will not stay on the diet for very long, no matter how healthy it is. The best approach to adapting the pH miracle diet is to do it slowly and at your own pace.

Taking a slower approach is also helpful because it will help you understand how the diet is affecting your body. Even if you’ve read the book a dozen times and understand all of the science behind the acid/alkaline balance, you won’t really know it well until you’ve done it yourself. Incorporating this new way of eating into your body step by step will allow you to feel the effects of the acid/alkaline process. You can measure the science against your personal opinion and how your body responds.

Everybody is different and you may find as you start the program that certain aspects of the program don’t work for you. Maybe you cannot go vegetarian completely, or you find it difficult to go without certain acid-forming fruits. Testing out the principles of the pH miracle diet on your own body will allow you to decide what works and what doesn’t. The goal of the diet is find a balance of 70% alkaline and 30% acid foods. This means that you can still enjoy the foods that you love as long as they are balanced by alkalizing foods.

The transition to an ideal pH diet balance is something you should take at your own pace. This is particularly true if you have had a diet full of acid-forming foods or if you have any major health problems. Your body will need time to respond to this new way of eating and adjust to operating on natural foods. The transition into pH balanced eating is a journey that should be traveled in incremental steps.

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pH Miracle Diet As A Cleansing Diet

By pinky, 20 December, 2009, No Comment

One of the most important principles in the pH miracle diet is the concept of cleansing your body of the acidic materials that are built up within. The ph miracle diet is a cleansing diet. It performs a cleansing of the body and its tissues and organs. This cleansing is almost like setting the “restart” button on your body. Any conditions you have developed from improper diet and lifestyle will start to dissipate. Cleansing diets like the pH miracle diet will help give your body the nutritional support it needs to function at an optimum level.

To understand what a cleansing diet is you need to understand how the body cleanses itself. The body rids itself of harmful elements through the colon, skin, lungs and bladder. The liver, kidneys and lymphatic system all assist with this cleansing. The liver is the organ in the body that is primarily responsible for body detoxification. When the liver is not functioning properly it cannot change toxins like alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, pesticides, drugs, antibiotics and additives into waste matter. If your liver doesn’t work, you are poisoning yourself. The liver can become stressed through improper digestion (eating processed foods), yeast overgrowth, parasites, dehydration and inadequate water intake.

Cleansing your liver is the best thing you can do for your health and for the restoration of proper pH to your body. When you undergo a program, like the pH miracle diet that cleanses the liver it normally requires the liver to work harder than it has before. You must add live enzymes to the diet rather than drawing them from the liver. The live enzymes will alkalize the body and restore your proper pH. You can accomplish this by incorporating organic vegetables into your diet. The proper alkalizing vegetables in the pH miracle diet will support the liver and help restore it to its natural functioning.

If the liver is helped by a cleansing diet, then the whole body will be helped. Once the liver is functioning at proper performance it can begin to do its job of eliminating waste. It will support the other detoxifying organs and perform more effectively in doing its own job.

The pH miracle diet qualifies as a cleansing diet because it performs a cleansing function of the liver and the rest of your body. The diet is made of mostly raw foods, simple proteins (beans and legumes), alternative whole grains and plenty of fresh and pure water. Cleansing diets include, at minimum, five servings of vegetables per day. In most cases, people eat twice that when they are on the pH miracle diet. This is accomplished with the use of fresh vegetable juices. There are four to five servings of vegetables in just two cups of juiced vegetables.

Eating small and frequent meals is also an important part of the cleansing function of the pH miracle diet. The small meals will keep calorie intake up and give you the opportunity to add more vegetables to your day. Although raw vegetables should be favored, lightly steamed veggies are also beneficial. Plant based proteins like beans, soy and nuts should also be included at each small meal for energy and balance.

The effects of the pH miracle cleansing diet depend entirely on your previous level of health. If you’ve had a diet that consisted of meats, processed foods and other acid forming choices then the cleansing effects may be very difficult at first. Your body will have to adjust to living off of natural elements instead of chemical ones. However your efforts are well worth it. You will be learning the most natural way to eat and teaching your body to live to eat instead of eat to live. Remember that learning to eat in this manner and adopting a cleansing diet will be a process of healing, and not an overnight occurrence. As you take on the principles of the pH miracle diet, you will begin to change your health for the better.

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Sugar and the pH Miracle Diet

By pinky, 18 December, 2009, No Comment
Raw (unrefined, unbleached) sugar, bought at t...
Image via Wikipedia

The pH diet stresses a balanced approach to eating. By limiting the intake of acidic foods and increasing the intake of alkaline foods one can achieve optimum health. One of the main factors in the fight against acidic pH levels is sugar. Sugar is an epidemic in our modern world. The average American consumes 2 to 3 pounds of sugar each week, that translates to over 135 pounds of sugar per person per year. This alarming number is attributed to the wide popularity of sugar as an additive. Sugar is in everything, hiding in various forms. Sucrose, dextrose, and high fructose corn syrups are active ingredient in all processed food and condiments. These highly refined sweeteners leave a bitter taste in the mouths of those who are starting out on the pH diet due to their universal acceptance as a “necessary evil’

With sugar’s radical effect on insulin levels, the body has no fighting chance against the damage. When insulin levels drop; so do the release of growth hormone. These growth hormones depress the immune system that leaves the body open to a host of diseases and maladies. Insulin also inhibits the body’s ability to fight off weight gain and elevated triglyceride levels. Put quite simply, the higher in simple sugars a food is, the more likely it will promote fat storage in the body. These stored fat cells play a host to acidic waste that in turn degrade the structure of red blood cells in the bloodstream.

Sugar also fights for control of the cellular development in the body with Vitamin C. From a structural standpoint, Vitamin C and Simple Sugar are quite similar. As sugar levels go up in the body, they compete with one another when they enter cells. If there is a higher concentration of sugar in the bloodstream which will allow more sugar into thirsty cells leaving little to no room for Vitamin C. Without the phagocytizing effects of Vitamn C on cellular structures they are unable to fend off the attacks of viruses and bacteria. Lower white blood cell counts equal a suppressed immune system that isn’t strong enough to protect the body.

Sugar is devoid of vitamins and minerals and upon absorption steals vital micro-nutrients to help it metabolize into the system. A deficit is created when these micro-nutrients are not replaced. This deficiency causes fat cells and cholesterol to not be metabolized thus leading to high blood pressure and obesity. The ability of sugar to raise insulin levels artificially eventually leaves the pancreas dysfunctional and the body dependent on sugar. This is commonly referred to as diabetes. Simple sugars have also been attributed to gallstones, mood disorders, heart disease and even asthma. With all of the negative effects that sugars have been clinically linked to, is it any wonder that sugar is also one of the most acidic things you can put into your body.

Cancer is the most dangerous result of heavy sugar dependence. Cancerous cells thrive on lactic acid. This lactic acid produced by fermenting glucose is transported into the liver. A more acidic PH is produced by this buildup of lactic acid in the cancerous cells, the highly acidic nature of cancerous tumors is testament to this. The connection between sugars and unhealthy acidic levels in the bloodstream is clearly drawn through the connection of glucose (sugar) and cancerous cells. Simple sugars are quite simply a poison to the body that will eventually deteriorate the quality of cellular development and suppress the immune system to the point of failure.

By balancing the diet with an 80% alkaline and 20% acid induction of foods, supplements, and beverages you can decrease the risk of disease in the body. By replacing simple sugars with more complex ones or alkaline-based sweeteners such as Stevia, one can decrease the dependence on simple sugars and avoid bad health. Look carefully at ingredient labels and be aware of the many names that simple sugars hide behind. Become educated on how the body metabolizes simple sugars, as well as how carbohydrates can be broken down into simple sugars in the bloodstream. By arming yourself with information you can improve the quality of your life.

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pH Miracle Diet and Weight Loss

By pinky, 17 December, 2009, No Comment

YouTube Preview ImageOne of the biggest benefits of the pH miracle diet is weight loss. Many people have turned to this diet to lose weight as well as to improve their overall level of health The pH miracle diet is very efficient at removing extra weight.

Obesity is a nationwide epidemic. According to recent studies, over 59 million adults over the age of 20 are obese (30 or more pounds overweight). One in three Americans have a some degree of being overweight that puts them at medical risk for many different conditions, including heart disease, heart attack, diabetes and hypertension. Even more startling is the number of children that qualify as overweight and obese. In the early 1990s the National Center for Health Statistics found that 15 percent of children between 6 and 19 were overweight, which was twice as much as the results found in the early 1980s. The numbers have grown even more significant. Today, 9 million children are at least 15 pounds overweight with many millions qualifying as obese.

What is to blame for these alarming obesity rates? The environment of highly acidic foods and high levels of stress have made for a disastrous combination. The more acidic a body becomes, the more fat the body will store. Overweight conditions result from too much acid in the body. Eliminating acid from the diet with the pH miracle diet will help you lose weight.

The accumulation of fat is actually the body’s attempt to deal with the high levels of acid waste. Many people think that fat is bad and that fat is the enemy that needs to be attacked. Fat is just a symptom of a larger problem – acidity. You may be surprised to find out that your fat is saving your life. Fat is actually protecting your body from rising levels of acidity. When you eat massive amounts of sugar, starches, red meat, dairy products and other acidic foods, your body uses fat to bind to the acid to protect your cells.

The acidic cycle in your body functions in the following way. When you eat foods that produce acid when they are digested, this acid builds up in your body. When the acid is not eliminated in a timely fashion, it can disturb other cells and get in the way of their functioning. Pretty soon, many cells in the body are being negatively affected by the presence of acid. However, the body has a line of defense in the form of fat. Dietary and body fat are both used to neutralize the acid. The acid bound fat is either eliminated or stored, depending on how much there is. The body can only rid itself of so much acid bound fat, so when you eat a lot of acidic foods you will store a lot of fat.

So people who are overweight and obese are actually showing signs of being too acid. Their diets are too much for their body to handle, so body fat is being used as a line of defense. Fat is a symptom, not the main problem. Many people begin to think that eliminating fat from their diets is the key. However if they are still eating acidic foods they are actually robbing their bodies of the ability to protect themselves. Low-carbohydrate and high protein diets have high levels of fat, but the people on these diets need that fat because their diet is highly acidic (animal protein has acidifying effects).

The dietary solution for weight loss is to follow a program that is high in alkaline foods. The pH miracle diet balances out the acidity that you have been developing in your body and will restore you to your ideal weight.

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