I wanted to discuss a plant that is Holy. The Mandrake--the opposite of Holy --Mandragora officinarum. There are many legends with this plant. It is poisonous and should not be be considered in any form. The roots are thought to have hallucinogenic properties. I am discussing it because it is mentioned in the Bible. The mandrake is from the Family Solonaceae. The flowers are clusters of white to pale purple bell shaped flowers. I will never see a mandrake here. It is found in the southeastern Mediterranean.
Do you remember seeing Mandrakes in Harry Potter
JULY 31, 2023 LET'S GET WELL
I saw Let’s Get Well on my bookshelf at home I want to acknowledge Adele Davis.
Daisie Adelle Davis (25 February 1904 - 31 May 1974), popularly known as Adelle Davis, was an American author and nutritionist who became well known as an advocate for specific nutritional stances such as unprocessed food and vitamin supplementation. She gained prominence in the 1960s and 1970s with widespread media attention and became the most recognized nutritionist in the country.
Have you ever eaten too much for dinner and then had trouble falling asleep? You felt bloated You couldn't fall asleep until 3 AM. This is sometimes the story I hear over and over again
You feel bloated . Then the acid reflux starts
Why did this happen in the first place ? Well you ate too late. As famous nutritionist, Adele Davis ( Lets Get Well) stated- You must eat breakfast like a king/queen, lunch like a price/princess and dinner like a pauper.
You might remember hearing about Mylanta - but that is a band aid to your problem. You need to change your dietary lifestyle . This starts the vicious cycle of cannot sleep, cannot concentrate and have headaches. You will start to see many specialists to treat these individual problems, which in reality is from the way you are eating. Do you want to get well ? Do you want to remain miserable every time you eat?
You need to make a change !
I would try the following recommendations for at least one week
1. Drink only water with your dinner
2. Eat slowly and chew carefully
3. Eat the foods you want, except carbohydrates and stop when you are full
4. Finish your meal at least a couple hours before bedtime . This seems like common sense but every one needs a little reminder now and then
Here are five rulers which I find important
1. Do not combine fruit with any other food eat fruit alone
2. Do not combine protein with a simple starch
3. Do not combine a breads, which is a simple carbohydrate with a protein
4. Drink only water with your dinner
5. After dinner do not eat anything until the next morning
I feel the hardest part of this is the combination of protein and simple starch and protein with bread. Lets break it down into simpler terms This means no eat, fish, chicken or beans with white potatoes, pasta. Instead have these meats with freshly stemmed vegetables
So the next time you have this 3 am wake up feeling remember how you combined your foods. Food combining is very important. As Marion Nestle " You Are What You Eat ."
I suggest you rotate your foods. This means what you eat on Monday you can also eat on Thursday, Tuesday choices will the same on Friday, and Wednesday meals will be the same on Saturday. This is a safe rotation dietary change
Until tomorrow…
JULY 27, 2023 OBESITY
The lack of access to proper nutrition is not only fueling obesity, it is leading to food insecurity and hunger among our children. --Tom Vilsack
Childhood obesity is best tackled at home through improved parental involvement, increased physical exercise, better diet and restraint from eating. --Bob Filner
Sundays growing up was a feast in my home. The extended family came over as our Nanny and Poppy wanted all their children together. It always included bread, pasta, meatballs ( in gravy - red tomato sauce), a main dish, nut platters, fruit platters and then expresso/desert. Entirely too much food for one meal. And this was not the Holidays. I do as I get older miss those days !
I have learned that those refined carbohydrates have lead to family obesity and even death. Just because you were raised to eat this way...YOU DO NOT HAVE TO. Get smart .Be well informed about what you are eating.
1. Obesity affects 50 % of the American population
2. Fat should account for 20-25% in a healthy woman and 17- 19 % in a healthy man
3. At least one-third of Americans are 30% or more overweight
4. More than 60% of Americans are currenbtly on a diet.
5. More than 40 billion dollars is spent on diet aids alone
6. One in every 3 US teenagers are overweight putting them at risk as they get older
7. Obesity increases the risk of premature death, heart attacks, strokes ( and all other cardiovascular diseases) , gallbladder disease, osteoporosis and certain typoes of cancer
8. Apple shape in the mid section can indiucate a medical issue versus a pear shaped in the mid section
9. We have an obesity epidemic
THE FACT IS THAT AMERICA IS FAT.
YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT.
MONEY SHOULD BE SPENT ON DISEASE PREVENTION WHICH PRIMARILY SHOULD INCLUDE DIETARY AND EXERCISE LIFESTYLE CHANGES
Until tomorrow...
JULY 26, 2023 GOOD HERBS TO HAVE
Elderberry has its primary benefits within antiviral and immune boosting categories. Elderberry has been used for generations as an herbal remedy. Ancient Greeks used elderberries as a vital part of their medicine cabinet.
Elderberry has been studied for use in Influenza A and B, HIV, and upper respiratory infections. One study showed that elderberry can decrease the length of a cold. I don’t know about you, but I would do or take just about anything to shorten the length of any illness.
Elderberry Tincture has a dosage of 10-30 drops 3 times daily I have 4 different varieties of elderberry trees in my yard. I recently got a new species. In the past 5 years I have made elderberry syrup. Now I buy quality herbal remedies as Supreme Nutrition, Gaia herbs or Herb Pharm
Another good herb is Black Walnut. Black Walnut is primarily used as an antiparasitic, but it also has antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral qualities. Used throughout history, black walnut has been used to remove parasites. A 2019 study concluded that Black Walnut could be utilized for inflammatory diseases as well.
Black walnut, also known as Juglans nigra, comes from a hardwood tree found primarily on the East Coast. Native Americans used different parts of the bark, nut, and tree itself for medicinal purposes.
Dose is 10-30 drops 3 times per day depending on the brand
Until tomorrow…
JULY 25, 2023 SYMPTOMS/ CAUSES OF IRON DEFCIIENCY
When someone is feeling tired I do these blood tests- complete blood count, thyroid levels, B12, iodine and vitamin D levels, and especially iron studies Iron is a crucial mineral our body requires for performing various functions. Iron is an element found in hemoglobin, a protein that helps capture oxygen from the lungs and transport it throughout the body. If the body does not have hemoglobin, the body muscles and tissues will not receive oxygen and perform their function effectively, causing anemia. Anemia is a health condition in which, due to iron deficiency, less iron is present in red blood cells.
For iron to be low you could have a blood disorder as thalassemia or even sickle cell. Moire common causes are an individual who doesn’t eat red meat Causes of an iron deficiency depend from individual to individual. Certain common causes include:
Foremost the main reason may be due to a lack of intake of iron in your food.
A person with inflammatory bowel disease
During pregnancy, the iron demand in your body increases.
Heavy blood loss during periods.
You can do something about your iron levels. You can eat more foods rich in iron as red meat, leafy greens and nuts and seeds You can take an iron supplement and even get iron intravenously by your physician. I usually advocate having 1 teaspoon of black stray molasses twice a week to boost your iron I also give yellow dock tea which absorbs more iron .
Get your iron levels checked today It is important
Until tomorrow…