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Alfalfa
the Father of All Foods It was adopted in England in the 1700s and although it is not native to North America, it spread quickly once introduced and the native Americans quickly adopted it for their use and for animals.Hutchens mentions that stock farmers of South Africa improved the beauty of ostrich feathers with the use of Alfalfa feed, and that cows gave richer milk, chickens laid more often, and turkeys were healthier with the use of Alfalfa. Feeding the herb to goats, have produced higher levels of health. Alfalfa resembles a tall clover, with three part leaves. The plant is a many temmed and branched perennial, usually two to three feet tall when mature. The flowers are like typical clovers, with purple, lavender or blue tufts of blossoms interspersed at the ends of the stems. It is difficult to differentiate between Alfalfa and the light clovers until they are in bloom. The yields of Alfalfa can run as high as 11 tons per acre, and the seedlings persist as much as a dozen years or more under favorable conditions. Leaf-cutter bees are usually maintained near Alfalfa seed-production fields to assure pollination. Alfalfa pods are tightly coiled upon themselves in maturity. If Alfalfa is grown near herbs or other crops, its deep-rottedness assures that it has enough moisture during dry times, as the plants pull up moisture from deep in the earth. Dr. Christopher greatly honored this herb, which is Arabic is called "the father of all foods," one of the most ancient herbs known. He said that it would help in every condition of the body. Dr. Christopher noticed that animals--such as dogs and cats and certainly other farm animals--seek the herb when they are sick. They are led to this and other herbs by instinct which tells them it can heal them. Perhaps even humans have such an instinct, if they will let it lead them. Although some herbalist consider Alfalfa so mild that is a food rather than a medicine. The plant contains important enzymes which assist in good digestion. tests over a period of years revealed that in addition to enzymes, the plant contains important chlorophyll, vitamins and minerals, all of which stimulate the appetite. The enzymes are sufficiently present to help in the digestion of all four classes of foods proteins, fats, starches and sugars. One of the important vitamins present in the food is Vitamin U, which is also present in raw cabbage and which has been used to treat peptic ulcers. This discovery of Vitamin U confirms the Chinese herbalist use of the herb to cure ulcers. In the Soviet Union, after years of testing Vitamin U on laboratory animals, scientists began clinical testing of the substance on human patients with gastric and duodenal ulcers, with an 80% cure rate, the other 20% being noticeably improved. Alfalfa tea will remarkable improve
bladder, prostrate and other problems. One of the concerns is the
taste, some people find Alfalfa tea very strong and green. Other
find it delicious! One may take Alfalfa in a tablet form or in a
liquid form mostly found as Chlorophyll in the health food stores.
I find that the mint flavored Chlorophyll is very good. Green drinks
made with fruit juice and flax or wheat germ oils and some fresh
fruit or pineapple are another popular way to include Alfalfa into
your diet. A doctor at the University of Indiana pointed out that Alfalfa is especially rich in iron, calcium and phosphorus, all necessary for strong, healthy teeth. Some claim that Alfalfa not only retards tooth decay but actually but actually rebuilds teeth (Kirsch:35). The high Vitamin A content in the plant is excellent to prevent infection; preparations of the plant are superior to fish-oil without the fishy odor, and the plant is a vegetarian source and more assimilable. This vitamin also helps prevent night blindness. since may or our foods are degenerated, it is good to know of a consistent natural source of vitamin A. The many constituents of the plant make it good for toning the system in high pressure situations. Many herbalist consider Alfalfa an important herb to take throughout pregnancy. If an expectant mother is suffering from morning sickness, she can eat Alfalfa sprouts in her diet and can take from eight to sixteen tablets of Alfalfa until the condition is under control, then she can reduce the amount taken by 1/2 (Mal:252). Many people consider that a daily green drink consisting of Alfalfa comfrey and fresh red-raspberry leaves is an excellent pregnancy drink. After the birth Alfalfa is taken to prevent hemorrhages. Some women have eaten Alfalfa tablets after their births like candy in order to shorten the postpartum bleeding time. Alfalfa is also thought to dramatically help bring the milk in for the nursing mother. It certainly enriches the quality of the milk and is much preferable to other hot beverages, such as regular tea which can pollute the breast milk. It is flavored with mint, orange peel and honey. Alfalfa is one of the few vegetable sources of Vitamin D. Although the sun is generally regarded as the best source for getting this vitamin there are about 4740 International Units of Vitamin D per pound of Alfalfa. This is valuable knowledge if a person is unable to take in sunshine, such as during the wintertime. Taking Vitamin D in Alfalfa is important element in Alfalfa is vitamin B12. Most nutritionist claim that it is only present in animal products, diary products, or sewage. Since the 1940s however other research has revealed that B12 is indeed in some vegetable sources. Many vegetarian cookbooks go to great lengths to ensure the taking of B12 in the diet, such as buying tablets and dissolving them in homemade soymilk, or ensuring that the vegetarian take brewer's yeast which is B12-fortified. The discussion of B12 is complicated by the fact that B12 deficiency can occur not only from the lack of the vitamin in the diet-unlikely in most diets, except those of vegans, which excludes milk, meat and eggs entirely-or from malabsorption of the vitamin present in the diet. This occurs later in life and is considered genetic in origin, developing an illness called pernicious anemia, which is treated by injections of B12 which must continue for the duration of a person's life. Interestingly, dietary deficiency of B12 may not show up even in people who take little or none of the vitamin for five or ten years. The body conserves B12 and can store enough of it to last two or three years, even longer in some cases. When the vitamin passes out of the body in bile salts, it can be reabsorbed in the intestine and recycled; very little actually leaves the body. B12 is found in Alfalfa, lettuce, rice polishing, mung beans, peas, soybeans, wheat germ, brewers yeast, almonds, and carrots. Herbs that contain B12 are Alfalfa, Ginseng, Bee Pollen, Comfrey, Dandelion, and Spirulina. B12 function: calcium needed for assimilation. Only vitamin which contains a mineral element-cobalt. Essential in the metabolism of carbohydrate, fat and protein, blood cell formation and bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract, needed for normal growth, healthy skin, mucus membrane and nervous system, necessary for the body's use of amino acids and vitamin D and in the utilization of iron. Injections of B12 have been given in the treatment of pernicious anemia as in multiple sclerosis, great improvement as well in chronic alcoholism and diabetes mellitus and osteoarthritis. Alfalfa has been used in the treatment of jaundice. Used in disease prevention, for black and blue welts, for anemia, ulcer treatment, urinary disorders, peptic ulcers, gastric and duodenal ulcers, for bladder and prostate problems, for lumbago, to retard tooth decay, as a diuretic, for dropsy, helps clot blood in hemorrhages, for high blood pressure, pregnancy, to increase quality of mothers milk, malnutrition, to lower cholesterol, for arthritis, rheumatism, colitis, wounds, and to help alcoholics and drug addicts. Also used when taking antibiotics or sulfa drugs. Used in any condition which requires cleansing and building of the body-which includes most ailments. Alfalfa is a basic and mild herbal food. To make a Green drink, the simplest
method is to place pineapple juice in a blender container in the
quantity desired. Add green leaves to taste, less at first and building
up to more as you become accustomed to the flavor. Alfalfa is quite
strong tasting; you might wish to begin with additional herbs such
as parsley, chard, dark lettuce, lamb's quarters, Comfrey and other
mild tasting greens. Blend the greens into the drink until they
are thoroughly pulverized. You can add a little water or a couple
of ice cubes to then the drink a bit if you like. Home made Alfalfa sprouts taste much sweeter and fresher than purchased ones. Be sure when you sprout them that you use only seed sold for sprouting; those sold in agricultural establishments are treated with poisons for the field planting. Buy them at the health food store to be sure. The easiest method by far is to soak a couple of tablespoons of the seed in a wide mouth quart jar overnight. Drain the water off-some recommend drinking it but it seems rather rank for that. you can use it to water favorite plants, as it is loaded with nutrition. Cover the top of the jar with perforated lids which are sold for the purpose, or with plastic window screen held in place with the jar ring, or with cheesecloth similarly anchored. With the jar tipped at an angle to be sure that the seeds are not standing in the water-they rot that way-let the seed germinate, filling the jar with water and draining it off two or three times a day. if you are not sprouting the seeds in the light, be sure to expose the jar to sunlight when the seed sprouts have grown to a length of about two inches; they will turn a delightful, appetizing green, developing the important chlorophyll. Before you use the sprouts, be sure to rinse the batch each time. Sprouts will keep in the refrigerator, but it is better to have small batches going constantly to ensure a fresh, sweet supply. Use them with virtually any food. They are especially good in sandwiches, to mix with salads, or to eat out of hand as a low-calorie snack. A favorite salad is made with nut butter. Cover with one sliced or mashed avocado and add a nice, thick layer of sprouts, chopped garlic or onion and liquid amino (Braggs) delicious and healthy! Sprouts are a nice garnish for soups. They go with almost any vegetable salad. Used with pitta breads and Add a great texture and crunch to a coleslaw. Wonderful in tacos, use them on top of spaghetti, munch them alongside pizza--they work with almost any meal. If you wish to juice Alfalfa in your juicer, be aware that it is extremely potent. The best way to take it is to make a batch of carrot juice and introduce a small amount of Alfalfa into the juicer as you do the carrots. As you become accustomed to the taste, more Alfalfa can be added, but it is never taken straight. The enzymes contained in Alfalfa are some of the most important elements. Among these are lipase, a fat-splitting enzyme; amylase, which acts upon starches; coagulase, to coagulate milk or clot blood; emulsin, which acts upon sugars; invertase, which converts cane sugar into dextrose; peroxidase, which has an oxidizing effect on the blood; pectinase, an enzyme that forms a vegetable jelly from a pectin substance, and protease, that digests proteins (Kirsh:27-8). These enzymes indicate that Alfalfa could be profitably taken with almost any food! Alfalfa, along with other foods is known to help remove cholesterol from he system. Alfalfa has a significant amount of protein-18.9% as compared with 16.5% in beef, 3.3% in milk and 13.1% in eggs. long with other foods, Eating the sprouts can add a significant amount of important protein in vegans who take no animal proteins at all. Without proteins which compose the muscles of the body, the muscles can break down, causing tiredness and weakness. Flabby muscles in the intestines and stomach can result in constipation when there is not enough strength to move the food along. Poor posture often results from lack of adequate protein. The hair, skin and nails may become weak. There are saponins, soap-like substances, in the herb, which have been recently investigated for their suitability as cortisone and hormone precursors. However, overeating the Alfalfa sprouts could possibly damage red blood cells. It is suggested that moderation in eating the sprouts can avoid this problem as the saponins greatly increase during the sprouting process. Eaten with honey may cause dysentery. Cindy Walker, Nutritional Herbalist (NH) and Master Herbalist (MH), is a graduate of the School of Natural Healing, the oldest herbal college in the United States. She offers private sessions, and correspondence classes about organic healing foods and herbs. Newsletters are based upon the opinion of Cindy Walker. They are not intended to replace your relationship with a health care professional, and they are not intended as medical advice. They are intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Cindy Walker and her community. Cindy encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research. References:
The Crab apple (Pyrus malus) is
native to Britain and is thought to be the wild ancestor of all
the cultivated varieties of apple trees. These cultivated varieties
were mostly grown in France. Apples of some sort were abundant before
Norman Conquest and were probably introduced into Britian by the
Romans. Twenty-two varieties were mentioned by Pliny (23-79 A.D.)
a Roman elder, a scholar, who studied and wrote in the fields of
history, rhetoric, natural science and military tactics. In Shakespeare's time, apples when served at dessert were usually accompanied by caraway, as we may read in Henry IV, where Shallow invites Falstaff to 'a pippin and dish of caraway,' In a still earlier Booke of Nurture, it is directed 'After mete pepyns,caraway in comfyts.' The custom of serving roast apples with a little saucerful of carraways is still kept up at Trinity College, Cambridge, and at some of the old-fashioned London Livery dinners. The Crab Apple, which when ripe is yellow or red in color and measures about an inch across. It has a very acid juice, and may not be desired raw, and may be made into a delicious jelly with blackberries and pears. The cherry-apple, is grown as an ornamental tree, and makes a fine preserve. Cider Apples may be considered a wild apple, it was in high demand in old Europe, mainly on account of the benefits given to the suffers of rheumatism and gout. Today we recommend the certified organic unfiltered apple cider vinegar for the same reasons as well as for the increased benefit the vinegar gives to digesting left behind putrefaction and mucus in the stomach and intestine. Always look for certified organic fruit and food. The taste of apple is one of the earliest and most natural, and very early English in popular tradition. Children love apples, cooked or uncooked. Apple pies, apple puddings, apple dumplings are liked by all ages. Apple Butter, is an evolution of an old English dish my mother would make for us, which is delicious! Apple butter is a kind of jam made of tart apples, boiled in cider until reduced to a very thick smooth butter, to which is added an herb allspice and honey, while cooking. It is then placed in jars and covered tightly. A popular English Christmas Eve
ceremony consisted in the family of farmers and laborers, is going
out into the orchard after supper, bearing with them a jug of cider
and hot cakes. The toast was repeated thrice, the men and boys often
firing off guns and pistols, and the women and children singing
loudly. The song went something like this: Roasted apples were placed in the pitcher of cider, and the trees were anointed with the juice. Apples were an indispensable part in the life of the old English. This is were the old saying comes from 'An apple a day will keep the doctor away.' Apple constituents show that 80 to 85 percent of the fruit is water, (which means that apples are high in oxygen and hydrogen, H2O) about 5 percent is nitrogenous material and from 10 to 15 percent is carbonaceous matter, including starch and fruit sugar, from 1 to 1.5 percent is acids and salts. The fresh apple is rich in vitamins, reduce cholesterol, are an anti-inflammatory, fight bacteria and viruses (including colds), stabilize blood sugar, prevent cancer, aid in the cardiovascular system and have estrogenic activity. They may also be eaten before meals to suppress the appetite. Two or three a day are beneficial. Apples contain pectin, which natural
healers have used to remove heavy metals from the body, such as
lead, mercury, arsenic and copper toxicity. Pectin also reduces
blood cholesterol by binding with bile acids, thereby decreasing
the absorption of cholesterol and fat in the small intestine. People
with hypoglycemia or diabetics can benefit from using 3 to 4 apples
daily. Researchers at Yale's Psychophysiology Center found that
the smell of spiced apples lowers blood pressure in people under
stress. The herbal uses of apples lies in
the malic and tartaric acids. These acids are of signal benefit
to a persons sedentary habits, who are liable to liver derangement,
and they neutralize the acid products of gout and indigestion. Dr.
Shook suggested the use of 2 quarts of apple cider, 8 ounces fresh
garlic juice, 1 ounce freshly grated horseradish. Put together and
let stand in warm place for 12 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove
to cool place and let stand for 12 more hours, stirring occasionally.
Strain and press through sterile cloth. Saturated a piece of gauze
and place on sciatic hips or rheumatic shoulders. The acids of the Apple make it helpful in digesting itself and other foods. Popular instinct long ago led to the association of apple sauce with such rich foods as pork and goose and the old English fancy for eating apple pie with cheese. Today with the knowledge of proper food combining we separate acid apple and sub-acid apples. The cherry apple or the crab apple or a tart apple for example is considered acid and one would eat alone or with a protein fat. Or maybe with lemon and tomato or with non-starch/green vegetables. The sweet apple would be eating entirely alone as an individual snack for proper digestion. The sweet apple, like most fruit is practically a predigested highly nutritious food and with in a couple of hours is ready to pass into the blood to provide energy and warmth for the body. Some say the process of digesting a sweet apple is complete with in eighty-five minutes. The juice of apples, without add sugar, will often reduce acidity of the stomach; it becomes changed into alkaline carbonates, and thus corrects sour fermentation. Ripe, juicy apples eaten at bedtime every night will cure some of the worst forms of constipation. Eating a sour apple just before bed has been successful in overcoming sleeplessness. Some find that stewed apples will agree better than raw ones usually found in people who have had weak digestion for many years. The eating of the apple is found to cleanse the teeth and adjust a bilious, gall bladder condition. A French physician, Dr. Jarvis has found that the bacillus of typhoid fever cannot live long in apple juice, and recommends the drinking daily of water to be mixed with apple cider vinegar and honey to prevent viral and bacterial infection. He suggested to gargle with apple cider vinegar in cases of strep throat every 15 minutes until the throat is better. The glycoside in small crystals
is obtainable from the bark and root of the apple, peach and plum
trees, which has been linked to decreasing diabetes in human beings. May apple, American apple, Racoonberry, have been used as a purgative in liver complaints. The Thorn apple, Apple of Peru, Jamestown Weed have been used for their anodyne (external pain) properties in the leaves and seeds. Recipes: Apple Ginger Apple Jelly Crab-apple Jelly Stewed Apples Apple Sandwiches Apple, Pear and Plum Jam Cindy Walker, Nutritional Herbalist (NH) and Master Herbalist (MH), is a graduate of the School of Natural Healing, the oldest herbal college in the United States. She offers private sessions, and correspondence classes about organic healing foods and herbs. Newsletters are based upon the opinion
of Cindy Walker. They are not intended to replace your relationship
with a health care professional, and they are not intended as medical
advice. They are intended as a sharing of knowledge and information
from the research and experience of Cindy Walker and her community.
Cindy encourages you to make your own health care decisions based
upon your research. School of Natural Healing, Dr. John R. Christopher M.H.; The Green Pharmacy, Barbara Griggs; Nutrition Almanac, Gayla J. Kirschmann and John D. Kirschmann; A Modern Herbal, Mrs. M. Grieve; Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, Michael Murray, N.D., and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D.
May 31, 2003 NYTimes.com Below are the articles from March.
One person dies from a herbal supplement and The drug companies have achieved in passing a bill through congress that frees them from responsibilities of death or side effects of vaccines, plus doctors have achieved in passing a bill through congress that the most any one person can recieve from a malpractice suit for pain and suffering is $250,000. You can read these articles and judge for yourself if you think Ephedra caused the death of this one man. Please remember that this was an herbal supplement which means it was not the whole herb. Only a constituent (an alkaloid) of the herb was used in making the supplement. As an herbalist i believe that this
herb used in its natual state, whole, organic plant March 14, 2003 NYTimes.com About one month ago, a National Football League offensive lineman stepped onto a scale in his bathroom. The digital numbers kept flipping over and over, like a Las Vegas slot machine, and when they stopped, the player was shocked at what he saw. He had gained a whopping 50 pounds since the season ended in January. He is among 10 players interviewed
recently who acknowledge that they continue to use supplements containing
ephedra even though it is banned by the league and despite the These players say that ephedra use
remains high in N.F.L. circles, especially among linemen, because
it is viewed as crucial for weight loss and training. The lineman
who The players, who spoke on condition
of anonymity, say they do not fear adverse health reactions because
they use the weight loss pills responsibly. They say they do not
fear Conversely, these players say, they would not use anabolic steroids because those can stay in the system for months, and so it is far easier to be caught. March 14, 2003 NYTimes.com Releasing the toxicology report,
Dr. Joshua Perper, the Broward County medical examiner, said, "It
is my professional opinion that the toxicity of ephedra played a In Denmark, he noted, herbal products that contain ephedra are prescription medication. "The fact that the medical examiner found traces of ephedra in Mr. Bechler's system does not mean that Mr. Bechler died from ephedra," Freedman told The Associated Press. "He died from heatstroke". From interviews and previous medical
examinations, Perper said, he found that Bechler had abnormal liver
functions and mild hypertension. He also attributed Bechler's In response to a question, Perper said Bechler's weight at the autopsy was about 320 pounds. He said he had no certainexplanation for the difference. except that in the 23 hours he was in the hospital before he died, he had received a large amount of fluids in an attempt to save his life. March 16, 2003 Bechler's autopsy revealed little
to no food in his system (which in itself indicates dehydration
- a risk factor for heat exhaustion) and his teammates said he was
demonstrating the symptoms of heat exhaustion while running through
the practice drills. If your body does not have enough fluids to
release during the thermoregulatory response, heat dissipation will
be impaired. And that can It has also been reported that Bechler
was wearing more Studies show that the use of ephedra
to enhance physical performance appears to be consistently effective
for a modest improvement in already fit individuals. One study in Heat illnesses lead to many unnecessary
deaths each year.Heat stress is the discomfort and physiological
strain associated with exposure to a hot environment. The day The Herb Ephedra Ephedra is akin to the horsetails.
Also called Brigham Tea and has been used for more than five thousand
years. In 2700 B.C., Shen Mung, the father of Chinese herbalism,
used the dried roots and stems to treat coughs, colds, headache
and fever (Rose:Herbs), Ma-huang is Chinese for Ephedra and is still
used today. Until 1920's China was the only major supplier of Ephedra
in the world. Now West Pakistan is the leading world source of natural
Ephedra. Spain is a minor producer. A 1552 herbal manuscript highlighted the Mexican plants, it was written by an Aztec medicine man, the manuscript was translated into Latin, and the original copy resided in the Vatican today (Hyl:513). The American Indians used the Ephedra roots as a decoction to stop internal bleeding and to cure veneral diseases; they roasted and ground the roots to make break (Rose:Herbs). The Pima Indians dried the roots in the sun, powdered them on a flat stone and sprinkled the powder on sores (Hyl:513). The early settlers of the West called Ephedra "Squaw Tea" and it was mainly used to fight off syphillis. Many names were given to this herb used in a tea some of them were stick tea, desert tea, miner's tea, teamster's tea, Mexican tea, popotillo and even whorehouse tea! Many species grow throughout the
world, in China, Sicily, Afghanistan, Southern Siberia, Inner Mongolia,
Japan, India, Spain and of course the American Southwest. The action of the herb is as a nerve stimulant resembling adrenaline, its effect on the muscular fibers is remarkable. It ats prompltly in relieving swelling of the mucous membrane. it has antispsmodic properties, acts on the air passages and is of benefit in asthma and hay fever, rheumatism influenza, pheumonia and other ailments of the respiratory system. Ephdera is contraindicated for conditions of hypertension. An overdose of epinephrine (the constituent can cause death). References: Cindy Walker, Nutritional Herbalist (NH) and Master Herbalist (MH), is a graduate of the School of Natural Healing, the oldest Herbal College in the United States. She offers private sessions, correspondence classes about organic healing foods and herbs. Newsletters, emails and letters are based upon the opinion of Cindy Walker. They are not intended to replace your relationship with a health care professional, and they are not intended as medical advice. They are intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Cindy Walker and her community. Cindy encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research.
Vaccinations that have formaldehyde and mercury have been linked to allergies. Other metals such has lead (in car exhaust, paint, hair dyes, gasoline vapors and tobacco smoke), nickel (in hydrogenated oils), cadmium (found on food, in the air, in fertilizers, auto exhaust, batteries, dentures, artificial sweeteners and in water), aluminum (in antiperspirants, anti-acids, baking powder, toothpaste, aluminum cooking utensils, pie tins, pans and wire racks) and mercury (in pesticides, pharmaceutical medicines, cosmetics, dental amalgam fillings, anti-fungal sprays on grains, and batteries) have been linked to allergies and illnesses of all kinds. Environmental Poisons, pollution, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sodium fluoride (in tooth paste), dioxin (in agent orange, lawn garden spray, broad leaf herbicides and commercial paper manufacturing process), cigarette smoke, radiation (in X-rays), nitrates and nitrites (used to preserve pork), asbestos (in ceiling insulation), arsenic (common in pesticides) have all been linked to allergies and illness. Lets just focus in on auto exhaust and gasoline. Lead, Nickel, Cadmium and Carbon Monoxide are harmful chemicals that have become a permanent part of our everyday life. Medical terms call some of the illnesses "sick building syndrome" and "multiple chemical sensitivity" (MCS). These illnesses appear in people who are overexposed to many chemical toxins found in the home and building materials and on the streets. Gasoline and car exhaust are at the top of the list. Others you are familiar with would be floor varnishes, paints, carpeting, cleaning supplies, garden fertilizers, pesticides, cigarette smoke, flea collars, fly strips and more. Some of the side effects of excessive exposure would be dermatological, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, respiratory, musculoskeletal and cardiological problems. More simply put a person may experience problems with their heart and kidney, lack of will power, fatigue, lack of abstract thinking, allergies, anemia, headaches, weakness, hyperactivity in children, difficulty learning, brain dysfunction, back ache, clumsiness, vertigo, irritability and insomnia, dizziness, hair loss, constriction of the throat, muscle spasms, low grade fever, brittle nails, eye dryness, sore eyes, irritated eyes, and with some a garlicky breath odor (without eating any garlic). Since the 1960's, lead has been known to be harmful to our health and has been found in paint and gasoline. It is thought that the fall of the Roman Empire was expedited with lead poisoning from crude plumbing and goblets that contained a lead alloy. Ingesting lead, cadmium, or carbon monoxide (breathing in exhaust or eating from lead plates or chewing on lead pencils) can severely damage the gastro-intestinal GI tract with a high risk of neurological damage. Nickel is particularly toxic when combined with carbon monoxide which is in cigarette smoke, dental alloy products, posts of earrings, and car exhaust, hydrogenated fats and oils like margarine, shortening refined and processed foods. Carbon Monoxide inhibits the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood to the brain. For information on how to counteract chemical and environmental poisons sign up for a personal and/or correspondence session/class. References: What is in the food you eat? Genetic Engineering makes its way into the Food Chain By Cindy Walker, N.H. For several years now, a debate has been raging for and against Genetically Engineered (GE) food. While the scientific community takes on large corporations like Monsanto, DuPont, and Novartis (a few of the businesses funding GE production), it is you and I who may well pay the largest price for this "new food" technology. Companies who support Genetically Engineered foods are adamant that they are safe for consumption; they base their claims on laboratory experiments which allow that a gene in Organism A, for instance, can be successfully moved into Organism B. The resulting Product C is then planted to produce a GE crop. It is the job of Genetic Engineers to cut, splice and transfer genes between totally unrelated living things to produce combinations that would never occur naturally in the food chain, i.e. fish and strawberries, viruses and vegetables, humans and animals. Biotechnology has been around for many years the big difference is now plant breeding has moved from using the same species to breeding with a completely different species. Biotech researchers claim that GE food is the promise of a future economy. So far the corn and soybean growers are facing an international concern by asking that the GE food be labeled so people will have a choice. Many people believe that while labeling is an added expense it needs to be done to track the results. If a whole community were to become ill (from a future biotech food), we would able to track the GE food source. How many times have we found out 20 years later that a new food or food substitute on the market is not good for us (remember saccharin the sweetener)? Starvation and malnutrition are a real problem could GE food be the answer to some of humanity's world hunger? 8,200 university research trials comparing the performance of different varieties of soybeans show that yields of GE herbicide resistant soybeans are lower by 5 to 10 percent than comparable conventional varieties. Chuck Benbrook who reported the results of the studies, said nobody is testing the crops for increased residues of Roundup (an insecticide used on GE crops). Another point that has been made is that genetic pollution can produce live organisms that can grow, reproduce, mutate, and migrate. GE engineering is also turning the seeds themselves into "intellectual property" much like leasing a car. Saving the seeds and planting a new crop with them, a practice, which is common in Third World Countries, would be out of the question. The biotech industry would like to genetically engineer all of our food within the next several years. Once something has been technologically engineered it can be patented. GE food can be patented and put into an investment market while organic and conventional food cannot. As most nutritionists will tell
you, one way to assure that you are getting non-Genetically Engineered
food, is to purchase foods labeled as "Certified Organic." The biotech industry claims that
GE food has the same nutritional value as conventional food. A study
in the January 2003 Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found
52 percent more vitamin C in frozen organic corn than in conventional
corn and 67 percent more in corn raised by sustainable methods -
a combination of organic and conventional. While organically grown
strawberries had about 19 percent more antioxidants than conventionally
grown strawberries. At this time, 60 to 70% of processed foods in the grocery store include at least one GE ingredient. 40 varieties of crops have been genetically engineered. These foods have been on your grocer's shelves for a few years, already, and they require no special labeling to indicate their origin. Opponents of Genetically Engineered foods say that when the newly created food is eaten and mixed with normal, human genes, the affects can be unpredictable. Some claim that the increase in acid reflux, digestive disorders, headaches and skin rashes sometimes seen in those consuming GE foods, is a good enough indicator that not enough research has been done to conclude that these foods are safe. Bacillus Thuringiensis (Bt) is a natural soil bacterium that destroys the digestive tracts of certain very pesky insects. Biotech companies have engineered some crops with a Bt gene so that Bt crops express the toxin in very cell of the plant. It is certainly possible that Genetically Engineered foods are more difficult for the body to digest. And, if we are not digesting our food properly, we may also not be absorbing the vitamins and nutrients necessary to keep the body functioning normally. Over a period of time, the body can become malnourished (think of a diet heavy on junk food and light on natural foods), thus leading to an entirely new slew of illnesses and disease. Remember the old adage, you are what you eat? A over the last few years a scientific consensus of 450 scientists from 56 countries including researchers from Harvard, MIT, Oxford and Cambridge universities signed an open letter sent to U.S. Congress, the United Nations and the World Trade Organization cited that studies demonstrate several risks that may occur by eating GE food. Among those risks are acute toxic shock, delayed immunological reactions, auto-immune reactions, cancer, antibiotic resistant bacteria. In order to be classified as a Genetically Engineered food, a resistance gene (antibiotic) will have been introduced into the Genetically Engineered Organism (GEO). Many are concerned that this could lead to the creation of a "superbacteria," which would diminish the affect of antibiotics in medicine and create a new, antibiotic-resistant strain of infectious diseases like meningitis, brain inflammation and other immune disorders (think of the West Nile Virus). GE is also a possible threat to wildlife, altering their natural habitats, increasing the dependence on pesticides and herbicides and exposing the entire ecosystem to irreversible pollution. Paralyzing food losses may occur when a pest, fungus, bacteria or virus adapts themselves to a GE crop. These "super bugs" may be capable of destroying millions of acres of crops. Rain water, tainted with the chemicals
and pesticides necessary for Genetically Engineered crops, is most
probably reaching our drinking water. The process has existed for
years; common pesticides evaporate after being applied to crop fields
and then combine with water vapor in clouds. When the vapor falls
as rain, the pesticides are returned to the Earth, and usually not
in the same field where they originated. These pesticides are particularly
concentrated in rain that falls a few minutes after crops have been
sprayed. References: Disclaimer: Newsletters, emails and articles are based upon the opinion of Cindy Walker. They are intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Cindy Walker and her community. Cindy encourages you to become active and educated in your own health care and in the decisions being made about our food sources. Pharmaceutical Drug and Herbal Interactions by Cindy Walker N.H. Science has actively and intensively studied how drugs interact with other drugs and how foods and beverages can increase the risks or decrease the benefits of drugs. Not much testing has been done with herb and drug interactions. Why? Because little patent protection is offered to companies who do spend millions on testing herb combinations. The FDA considers Herbs a food, and like fruits and vegetables one cannot effectively, financially patent food. Patent protection is offered for drug development, according to a study from the Tuffts Center for Drug Development, taking a drug from discovery to approval for marketing in the United States typically takes 10 to 15 years and costs approximately $802 million. Which in the stock market, I believe, is called an equity stock. Unfortunately, the drive to recover this investment sometimes means that drugs are on the shelves and in our bodies before they've been completely tested. Adverse drug reactions are one of the leading causes of death in this country, according to a report in the May 2002 Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Right up there with heart disease and cancer. Newer drugs are often more expensive and not as effective as drugs that have been around, but once the drug companies patents on new medicine run out, any company can produce a generic version. So the companies want to establish a quick advertising campaign to sell their brands as aggressively as possible before their patents expire. The pharmaceutical drug industry spends between $8,000 and $13,000 per year per physician to promote their products. A study quoted from JAMA said that doctors' interactions with drug company representative began during medical school and continued at a rate of about four times a month. The study concluded that these visits from pharmaceutical representatives resulted in increased prescription rates of the sponsor's medications, and with non-rational prescribing, meaning, the drug prescribed wasn't necessarily the best suited to treat the condition. This is not to say that synthetics are never useful but simply that they aren't the only game in town. There's not a lot of gold in them thar' herbs, since they often can't be patented, so they're minimally-if at all- studied, tested and advertised. The media generally ignore herbal news and only the most motivated consumers share the facts about how the herbs have helped their ailments because of the condescending attitudes of friends and family. People who listen to ads probably are convinced that prescription drugs cure any illness. The same consumer might conclude that herbal medicines are worthless - or dangerous. Most news anchors missed the revelation in the same study that the prescription drug Zoloft also was no more effective than a placebo. They didn't follow up the story to discover that the study itself is now on trial, its effectiveness questioned by one of the leading scientists who helped create it. In 2001, according to the New York Times, the drug companies spent $19.1 billion on promotional campaigns including $2.7 billion for advertising aimed at you and me. Ninety percent of plant derived chemicals are cheaper both environmentally and ecologically to extract from whole plants than to synthesize. The pharmaceutical industry's army of public relations, political and campaign connections lingers with millions of dollars well funding its powerful and extremely aggressive force. Even our water is on drugs. Some studies have surfaced in the past few years outlining the appearance of drugs of all kinds, including antibiotics, antidepressants and hormones, in our water supplies. Some of these substances have been documented as causes of genetic mutations in small fish and amphibians. The primary methods of water treatment in the United States fail to remove all of these micro-contaminants from our drinking water, although activated charcoal filtration appears most effective. Researchers have estimated that up to 80 percent of drugs taken by people and livestock are excreted and then go back into the environment. If more and more synthetic drugs are used, isn't it reasonable to believe that these substances will increasingly show up in our drinking water having an effect on plant and animal genetics and our lives of the future. Few studies look at the interaction
of herbs and drugs and the side effects of these interactions. 1. Mucilaginous herbs like marshmallow root, flax or psyllium seed can inhibit the absorption of some drugs. So take these herbs at least 2 to 4 hours before or after taking the pharmaceutical drug. Some mucilaginous herbs many effect a change in the blood sugar, so do some research about these herbs if you are a diabetic. Or contact an herbalist. 2. Spicy herbs like cayenne and ginger can enhance absorption of some chemical drugs. So take these herbs at least 2 to 4 hours before or after taking the pharmaceutical drug. 3. When taking heart medications or mood-altering drugs like Prozac, Zoloft or Paxil again put 2 to 4 hours between herbal remedies and be sure to consult an herbalist. Stimulants like caffeine or ephedra can make your nervous system more responsive to many kinds of drugs. 4. Remedies that contain licorice may contribute to potassium depletion if used with pharmaceutical diuretics like furosemide (Laxis). Consult an herbalist and make sure you are eating foods that are high in potassium. 5. Pregnancy and nursing is a special time some herbs have been used for over 2,000 years to help prevent miscarriages and some have been used to promote miscarriages. Find out which ones work for you. Some herbs are too strong to use during pregnancy they contain compounds that may stimulate the uterus. Herbal compounds like pharmaceutical compounds will go through the mothers milk right to a nursing baby. References: James Duke PhD, Author on Medicinal
Plants, The Green Pharmacy, 30-year career with
the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Doctorate in Botany. Cindy Walker is a Nutritional Herbalist, NH, she is a graduate of the School of Natural Healing, the oldest herbal college in the US. Disclaimer: Newsletters, emails and articles are based upon the opinion of Cindy Walker. They are intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Cindy Walker and her community. Cindy encourages you to become active and educated in your own health care and in the decisions being made about our food sources. Today children are
receiving 37 doses of 11 vaccines. The number of American children;
with learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder and asthma
have doubled; diabetes has tripled; and the incidence of autism
has reached epidemic proportions. Encephalitis can be a side effect
from the vaccinations. In turn the brain inflammation can cause
brain damage and neurological damage.
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Viruses
Natural Immunity is Possible
It is the immune system that fights off disease-carrying germs and
bacteria that enter the body. When the immune system weakens, infections
can take over. People become more susceptible to colds, viruses,
flues, and more serious illnesses. More than ever before natural
immunity to disease and viruses is possible, our society has running
water, sewage sanitation, a high quality organic food source with
incredible varieties making it possible to eat all the necessary
vitamins and minerals for our daily requirements.
“When the newborn infant comes into the world with a relatively
undeveloped immune system. The infant does carry antibodies from
its mother’s milk, which persist for about 6 months. Normally,
soon after birth, the infant begins to respond to multiple antigenic
stimuli from bacterial flora, which rapidly populate his skin, upper
respiratory tract, and bowel, as well as the microbial and parasitic
infections (estimated at one every 6 weeks) acquired from the environment.
In other words, the immature immune system must run a gauntlet of
infectious challenges in order to become strong and resistant, a
process that under normal circumstances requires 10 to 12 years.”
Says Harold E. Buttram, M.D.
Delicious food is the foundation of natural health and is also needed
to build a strong immune system. We have learned to eat our vitamins,
minerals, enzymes and essential fatty acids that are from an organic
food and herbal source (herbs are considered a food by the FDA).
Like foods that are high in vitamin A, B, C and E are the primary
antioxidant. (In your personal session and/or class you will
receive 3 different handouts naming these foods
in
an easy format).
Garlic is the world’s second oldest herb used for strengthening
the immune system. Raw fresh organic garlic in an herbal extract
or in a soup works best to defend against intruders. Herbs that
are high in silicon and iodine are used to enhance and strengthen
the thyroid. The anti-bacterial properties of many herbs make them
excellent herbs to cook with. Acidophilus (Maxidophilus or Megadophilus)
helps to restore important natural
needed bacteria into the intestinal tract to protect against invading
microorganisms. Green plant extracts are high in micronutrients,
and beneficial for building the blood and decreasing the appetite.
Essential Fatty Acids can be found in the seed of herbs and ground
and pressed into oils, which can be used in a combination to help
restore health to the glandular system.
Eat large amounts of the plants from the Mustard Family, these plants
are high in sulfur compounds. These vegetables are very beneficial
in protecting and assisting the immune system against illness and
disease.
Think about a fresh certified organic diet. Fruits and vegetables
are the best carbohydrate. Try eating less animal products that
have been raised with antibiotics and steroids and eat more vegetables.
Look for free range organic feed meat, fish and chicken.
The Harvard Medical School gave a press release 11/21/02 stating
that the Food Guide Pyramid is obsolete. “At the base are
breads, cereal and pasta – up to 11 servings a day. The pyramid
is so out of sync with scientific evidence that it almost has to
be totally dismantled and rebuilt from the ground up,” says
Walter Willett of Harvard School of Public Health. Harvard diet
recommends: 5 servings vegetables (potatoes don’t count),
4 servings fruit, 1 serving nuts and tofu, white meat (fish or poultry)
four times as often as red meat, and 3 to 6 servings whole grains.
Dairy was not mentioned.
A positive frame of mind is important in building up the immune
system. A melancholy attitude may come from an exhausted body and
immune system or from autointoxication. Try our 3-day cleanse of
juice and herbs to detoxify and to strengthen your body. Contact
us to find out which foods eaten in excess have been linked to thick
excessive mucus that can accumulate in the body and slow down the
immune response.
Drink purified water. Exercise to sweat!
Avoid as many processed foods, sugar, soda, chemicals, preservatives,
color dyes, as you can by reading labels. If you cannot pronounce
the ingredient it probably isn’t good for you.
In excess alcohol, smoking, drugs, sugar, coffee, mercury amalgam
fillings, and chemicals have been linked to a weakened immune system.
Micronutrients (vitamins, minerals and enzymes) are created in our
food source through photosynthesis, clean air, clean water, and
healthy rich none chemical certified organic soil. How many people
do you know with aspirations to become organic farmers? Are we forgetting
to teach our people the importance of natural resources? Among the
most alarming trends is the destruction of farmland, the loss of
urban-edge farms, which produce most of our greens, tomatoes, citrus
and other fresh foods. The loss of this land means we’re importing
more foreign products – often from countries with weak or
non-existent pesticide laws. America loses over one million acres
of our fertile farmland every year.
Genetically engineered foods have been in the market place for several
years now. Did you know that some corn tortilla chips are made with
a firefly gene and that some ground black pepper is made with a
virus gene and that some cucumber is being made with a tobacco gene?
The food that we eat becomes the micro-particles that nourish our
bodies these particles run through the blood and brain to every
tissue and cell. Could the excess of chemicals and engineered foods
in the diet be one of the reasons violence and mental illness are
rising in children and people at alarming rates?
If we allow this trend to continue, the day will come sooner than
you might imagine, when our nation will depend on foreign countries
and genetically engineered food for most of our fruits and vegetables.
If this concerns you like it does me… if you prefer eating
fresh, domestically grown organic produce, come in and take a class
or private session to learn more about natural health.
References:
National Public Radio transcript from November 21, 2002, Is the
Food Pyramid Obsolete? Study: High-Carb, Low-Fat Diet Takes Another
Beating, www.npr.org
John D. Kirschmann, Nutrition Almanac Fouth Edition, 1996
Vaccines: Are They Really Safe and Effective? Neil Z. Miller, New
Atlantean Press, Santa Fe,
New Mexico, foreword by George R. Schwart, Physician and Toxicologist,
and Harold E. Buttram, M.D. Family Practice
National Vaccine Information Center, www.909shot.com
American Farmland Trust, 1200 18th St., N.W., Suite 800, Washington,
D.C. 20036 www.farmland.org, www.safefood.org
All Drugs have Side Effects!
Teach People about Natural Immunity!
Cindy Walker is a Nutritional Herbalist (NH) and Master Herbalist (MH), she is a graduate of the School of Natural Healing, the oldest Herbal College in the US. Cindy offers personal session, personal classes and correspondence classes about organic healing foods and herbs.
Send $12 and your email address to:
Cindy at Herbal Possibilities
28599 Mt. View Rd.
Conifer, CO 80433
if you would like to receive a one year subscription to her newsletter
Natural Immunity. Or email NaturalImmunity8@aol.com, phone 303-816-0498.
Disclaimer – newsletters, letters, emails, advertorials are
based upon the opinions of Cindy Walker. They are not intended to
replace a health care professional and they are not intended as
medical advice. They are intended as a sharing of knowledge and
information from the research and experience of Cindy Walker and
her community. Cindy encourages you to make your own health care
decisions based upon your research.
Copyright: All rights reserved. This content may be copied in full, with copyright; contact; creation; and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a nonprofit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing from Cindy Walker is required.
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