These replenish the beneficial bacteria in your intestines, and assist in keeping them healthy. This has a number of beneficial effects, including assisting with allergic response.
Probiotics
Category Archives: Foods
Amaranth Greens
Name: Amaranth
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Vitamins/Minerals: Lysine, Calcium, Iron
Used for: This plant is one of the top herbs for use in treating depression. It also contains lysine, an amino acid the body uses to make protein. Amaranth is actually considered a complete protein.
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Directions & Warnings: Try substituting amaranth for 1/4 the flour in your bread and pasta recipes.
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Tomatos
Along with being a lovely source of Vitamin C, tomatos have a number of other health benefits. Recent research indicates that they help protect against a number of cancers, and may reduce your risk of a number of diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis.
The secret behind the extended health benefits is a nutrient called lycopene, a potent antioxidant. Antioxidants help prevent cancers by slowing down certain kinds of cellular damage caused by free radicals.
The heart protection is caused by lowering cholesterol. There are studies that have shown that drinking a couple of glasses of tomato juice a day lowers the LDL “bad” cholesterol by a sizable percentage. There is an additional nutrient in tomatos called 9-oxo-octadecadienoic acid. This frightening sounding nutrient has also been linked to lowered cholesterol and fat in the bloodstream
Lycopene has also been linked to a potential increase in bone mass, although this effect is still under study.
Bee Pollen
Bee pollen is a nutritive powerhouse, so it is good for a quick source of energy. Also, if you utilize local pollen, you can build a resistance to allergens by starting with a small dose, then slowly building on that foundation.
Oysters
These weird little shellfish that a lot of people eat raw may or may not be the aphrodisiac they are thought to be. However, they are intensely useful packages of zinc. Oysters are the best way to find zinc in food form.
What the labels on Eggs actually mean
Certified Organic:
This means the hens have been fed an all-vegetarian, chemical free diet. No pesticides, fungicides, herbicides or commercial fertilizers can be involved in any stage of the process. They live uncaged, and must be allowed outdoor access, but the specifics of outdoor time are not regulated. Third party verification is used to check compliance.
Certified Human:
This means that the eggs are from uncaged bireds, but there are no requirements for outdoor time. They must be allowed to engage in natural behaviors, and the density of population is regulated. Third party verification is required.
Free Range or Free Roaming:
This would be a wonderful label if there was actually any check for compliance. It should mean that the birds are either raised outdoors or have daily access as needed/desired. However, as there is next to no regulation, this label ends up meaning very little.
Cage-Free:
This means the birds are not kept in cages. However, it does not require anything beyond that, and is neither regulated nor third party certified.
Vegetarian-Fed:
This indicates a more natural feed given, but says nothing else about conditions for the birds.
Nutritive Herbs and Infusions
Choose one of the nutritive herbs (nettle, oatstraw, red clover, linden flower, violet leaf, horsetail, passionflower, cleavers, chickweed, lemon balm, or mullein leaf). You may add a little of one of the mints or others for flavour, but choose one of the primary nutritives. Place one full ounce, by weight, into a quart jar. Canning jars work splendidly for this. Fill the jar to the top with boiling water. Stir and add until the herbs are saturated and the jar is as full as you can make it. Screw on a tight lid, and steep for four to twelve hours. Strain the liquid, and refrigerate. Drink at least one cup a day, up to four cups a day. Rotate the nutritive chosen every few weeks.
You can also do similar with another set of herbs, sometimes called “longevity” herbs. These also fall into the nutritive category, but the ways in which they improve the body directly effect the impact of aging on the body. They are: dandelion, nettle, burdock, and oats. Oddly enough, some of our most pernicious weeds are also some of our most potent allies in herbal medicine and nutrition.
Horseradish (Cochlearea armoracia)
Name: Horseradish
Latin: Cochlearea armoracia)
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Used for: Horseradish can be used to promote healthy digestion and increase the appetite. It can be applied to wounds, sores, swelling, and tumors as a poultice. Excellent for us during colds and flus, especially if preparing the root is part of the treatment.
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Propolis
Name: Propolis
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Used for: Strengthens the thymus. Effective against bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Blood-cleansing and revitalizing. Triggers the immune system to work harder and more effectively. Propolis ointment has been shown to increase the production of epithelial cells, increase circulation, and decrease scar tissue. It also acts as a topical analgesic, and doesn’t stick to wounds.
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Vinegar
Name: Vinegar
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Used for: Vinegar can lower cholesterol, improve skin tone, moderate high blood pressure, combat osteoporosis, and improve metabolism.
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Other Uses: To clean countertops and get rid of mildew, mix a 1 to 1 vinegar and water solution and use in a spray bottle for cleaning. To use as a fabric softener, add 1/2 c to the rinse cycle. Clean your toilet with straight vinegar to get rid of rings and other nastiness. For a window cleaner, mix a 1 to 4 vinegar to water solution, and stick in a spray bottle for cleaning.