Tag Archives: natural

HerbMentor News 82: Holy Basil Tulsi Tea

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HerbMentor News 82: Holy Basil Tulsi Tea.

This was my first foray into making my own herbal teas directly from dried leaves, flowers, etc.  This tea is an ayurvedic remedy, good for so many things!!  This is posted from herbmentor.com… check it out and give it a try!

I made it for the first time last night and loved it… and it’s pretty too!  Nice and pink, add a little agave nectar (PLEASE leave out the sugar… that just ruins the whole healthy aspect :P ) and VOILA  you have an awesome health perk right in your cup!

The Amazing Holy Basil & Tasty Tulsi Tonic Tea

by Rosalee de la Forêt

Our featured herb at HerbMentor.com for the months of May and June is holy basil or tulsi (Ocimum sanctum).

This mint family plant has been a sacred and important medicinal plant in India. Tulsi is one of those plants that will amaze you with the many ways it can support health and well-being.

As an adaptogen…

Tulsi’s main claim to fame in the western world is as an adaptogen. In Ayurveda they refer to it as a rasayana. This term is similar to the Chinese term tonics. It basically means that this is a transformative herb and, when taken daily, it moves a person towards health. These are generally building and nourishing herbs.

I often hear people say that they don’t want to be taking herbs for the rest of their life, the idea being that if they were healthy they wouldn’t need to take herbs. In this sense, people are equating herbs with pharmaceutical drugs. However, in other systems of healing like Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda, specific herbs are taken for a lifetime to ensure vibrant health and longevity. Holy basil is one of these herbs.

Holy basil not only helps the body adapt to stress, it can also promote energy and endurance. One way it does this is by increasing the body’s ability to efficiently use oxygen.

Holy basil is a relaxing nervine that can help calm the mind and recover from our hustle and bustle culture.

As an herb for the heart…

Tulsi has many beneficial actions on the heart. It is slightly blood thinning and promotes good circulation. It can lower stress-related high blood pressure and taken daily it can help optimize cholesterol levels. Stress can play an ugly role in overall cardiovascular health and the adaptogenic properties of tulsi can help mediate stress-related damage.

In Ayurveda, a formula that is balancing to all who take it (tridoshic) is made up of tulsi, arjuna and hawthorne.

For musculoskeletal pain

In scientific studies, holy basil has been shown to be a COX 2 inhibitor (many modern pain medications are COX 2 inhibitors), making it useful against arthritis and other inflammatory conditions. Tulsi is high in eugenol, a constituent also found in cloves, which is helpful to decrease pain.

Holy basil growing in southern France.

And more! This is just a smattering of beneficial uses for this amazing plant. It’s also used for viral infections, fungal infections, radiation exposure, high blood sugar, hay fever, the herpes virus, anxiety, high blood pressure and on and on and on!

Note: I know some of you are wondering if our common culinary plant, basil, is the same as tulsi or holy basil and the answer is no. Our culinary plant, Ocimum basilicum, is a different species although they do have some overlapping properties and uses. There are over 60 different species in the Ocimum genus.

A “Tulsi Journey”

Many members of the HerbMentor.com community have signed up for a tulsi journey.

We’ve agreed to take tulsi as a tea or tincture daily for thirty days and then report back on what our experiences are. We can share recipes and different ways we experiment with taking tulsi as well as changes in how we feel.

Since we are drinking tulsi tea daily at my house I have been experimenting with all sorts of different recipes. Today I am going to share one of my favorites.

To make this tea you’ll need…

To make this tea simply place the herbs in your tea pot.

Pour in the just-boiled hot water.

Let steep for 10 – 15 minutes and then pour.

…And enjoy!

~Rosalee

P.S.

If we collect enough recipes from HerbMentor.com members I’ll be making it into a community ebook! Look for it on HerbMentor.com.

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Reiki

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I would like to share a little with you all today about Reiki!  

One thing some of you may not know about me… for those of you who have been following my blog… is that I am a level 2 Reiki practitioner.  I love it!  Reiki has brought about many positive changes in my life, and I have had the wonderful opportunity to bring some healing to others, both human and animal.  I had my doubts at first, being raised in a very religious home and being taught to shun or look down on pretty much anything “in the world” that wasn’t explicitly listed in a holy book… I was hesitant to study Reiki. It was different and foreign to me, so I didn’t know if I could trust it.   There are a lot of things that I have missed out in life because of a strict belief system, or because of being fearful it might be “evil”…  and wanting to please those I cared about… but the past 14 months has been a time of finding myself and renewing interests that once I used to love, but out of fear that I might somehow be sinning, I had let them slip away.   I didn’t realize that in the process… it was my own self that was slipping away.  I was losing the essence of me… becoming someone I didn’t even know anymore, someone who was not full of compassion as I had once been, but more concerned with judgment and those things that go along with that.  I am grateful for this time of rediscovery… getting to know this brown eyed girl again for who she really is inside… not what everyone else wanted her to be… but who she was born to be.  And it has been a time of letting go of fears… and making new and wonderful discoveries.  Life is to be lived, not feared.  It is for sharing love and happiness … not looking down on anything that is different than you, or fearing it. Or making others feel less than they are, because you believe differently.  

Back to my topic! Sorry about that… lol.

During this time of rediscovery… I found something wonderful.  I actually found Reiki a couple years ago… but due to my belief system I never went further with it.  Now, though, it seemed like the point to get back to studying it… my heart was hooked… and I received my first attunement.  Shortly afterwards I received my second attunement.  It is amazing to me… each time I lay my hands on my little girl’s head to relieve her of a headache or fever… send a distant attunement to a friend for their pain relief… help my sick dog to get well… or lay my hands on myself when I burn myself cooking! LOL (which happens frequently).  There are so many instances that it has been such a beneficial, amazing thing to have.  And it is not me…. it is the Reiki that flows through me.  I have noticed that when I lay my hands on someone for healing, or send a distant treatment… I can feel such a hotness in my hands.  It’s not unpleasant, but it is very noticeable.  I can feel a warmth and a pulsation that doesn’t stop until I am done.

Reiki is healing energy… Rei is Japanese for Universal …. ki means spirit, energy or life force.  It was developed (re-discovered) by Dr. Mikao Usui, a theologist… the short version I will use here, is that he was searching for a healing modality that could be used to help others.  

To me, this means it is the closest you can get to God energy… the very energy that makes us live… breathe… the spirit that animates our bodies.  This is the healing power of the universe.  Many believe it is akin to the Holy Spirit… and perhaps even the way Jesus himself healed.  I believe this is entirely possible.  

Reiki is not massage.  It is a technique that encourages relaxation, stress reduction… and allows healing energy to flow into the body, helping it to heal.  It is not magic.  Sometimes it is instantaneous, but most of the time it takes a little time.  It has even been used in chronic conditions to help people, over a number of treatments.  Reiki is even being used in some hospitals and by some doctors and nurses!   The higher level of Reiki you are, and the more you use and work with it, the more healing energy you are able to use and share with others.  Reiki practitioners lay their hands on the person or animal that needs healing and the Reiki energy flows to wherever it is needed.  Reiki is not just about physical healing… it includes emotional healing as well.  It is not even something you have to believe in, or have faith in… it just is.  And it works.

A person receives the ability to use Reiki by an attunement.  It is simple and easy to do, and doesn’t require any special college degree or years of training.  From the moment you receive your first attunement, you are able to use Reiki for self healing and healing of others.  Typically the first level of Reiki is used to self heal and the additional, higher levels are for Reiki work as a practitioner.  Usui Reiki consists of three levels with the Master level allowing you to teach and attune others to Reiki.  

When we talk about attunements, you can think of it as tuning a radio to a certain station.  Perhaps you can hear a faint bit of music… or it blends into another station… just a little turn of the knob and you hear the music in full!  It is very similar with an attunement.  Everyone has the ability to use Reiki….  It is as natural as breathing!  Remember… it is the universal life energy.  What could be more natural?  An attunement simply tunes the receiver (the one desiring to learn Reiki) into the right “frequency” to enable healing to flow through our hands, and in some cases also our feet and eyes, as some are able to do.  Level 2 and up Reiki practitioners are able to perform distant healings and attunements as well.  Some use symbols and some do not.  There is no distance in spirit.

Reiki is not harsh, painful, evil, or scary.  It is a gentle, pure and loving energy.  It cannot harm you or those you lay hands on… it is only good.   There are hand positions that you use… each hand position is held for three to five minutes.  Reiki will go where it needs to but my personal belief is that the reason for the hand positions is A) we are able to focus the Reiki directly onto major areas of the body and B) it would be very uncomfortable to hold your hands in the same position for 30 or 60 minutes!  A typical Reiki treatment can last from a half hour to an hour, depending on how long the hand positions are held and whether or not you feel led to work on other parts of the body besides just the basic positions.  I also think that since the more you work with Reiki, the more healing energy flows through you… that when we put our hands on specific areas of the body, it enables the Reiki to get there more quickly and directly.  Imagine if you are a new practitioner and not yet accustomed to the flow of energy through your hands… maybe you only get a very small stream at first.  It would make sense to lay your hands where the pain was, or at least a few inches above, so that the energy would get there in a more direct and timely way.  But that is just my opinion.

When you go for a Reiki treatment, all clothes stay on.  The Reiki  practitioner may lay their hands directly on you (head, neck, shoulders, etc) or they may keep their hands a few inches above you, especially when it comes to other areas of the body.  There is to be respect and proper distance maintained at all times.  You will likely hear soft, meditative music playing, and you will be made to feel comfortable, in a relaxing environment.  

If Reiki is something you are interested in, I highly suggest some good books and further research.  You can find a lot of good info on google too.  My favorite book, though I have many, is Reiki, A Comprehensive Guide, by Pamela Miles.  If you could only read one book… this would be it.  Another one of my favorites is Reiki for Life:  The Complete Guide to Reiki Practice for Levels 1, 2 and 3  by Penelope Quest.   A third one is Living a Life of Reiki, by Shalandra Abbey.   One that I have not read yet but plan to is Reiki Nurse: My Life as a Nurse and How Reiki Changed It by Meredith Kendall.  I would highly suggest any of these books to someone seriously interested in learning about Reiki, whether for attunement or just personal study.

A final word about receiving attunements.  Some charge set amounts for their classes and attunements… others feel it should be freely given and received.  I received my attunements distantly, freely,  and I am so grateful, because I could not have afforded the class and attunement, or had a way to travel to get there.  I read everything I could beforehand, several books and articles, and it got so big on the inside of me that I felt if I didn’t receive my first  attunement soon I would go crazy!! I wanted this so badly!  I found a wonderful Reiki master who agreed to attune me for free, and the energy exchange here (for those that are concerned about such things)  is that I will also “pay it forward” and freely heal and attune others.  I consider it an honor and a privilege.  I am also a member of the Distant Healing Network, which allows people to send in reiki requests for distant treatment, who are unable to afford a treatment.  When I reach my master level I too will offer free attunements and teaching materials to those that happen across my path.  It will be my happy pleasure to give to others what was so freely and joyfully given to me!  Reiki is too wonderful not to share.  :)

If you are in need of a reiki treatment, or would like to try it for yourself, please feel free to email me at freespirit.amy@gmail.com,  and I would be more than happy to help you.

Blessings and Reiki hugs!

Amy

Brown Eyed Girls Gotta Blog! :D

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206208_402553983137972_2018772436_n   Click here for my streaming playlist – listen while you read!

    or  just “Pop Out” my below player.  Great music from the 60’s through today! :)

      (right-click and open in new tab or window.)

Standalone player

HEY and welcome to this little blog of mine!  Ok, this is your last chance.  Are you *sure* you want to venture on in? hehee  Just kidding.  It’s safe.  Mostly. *rubs hands together with glee* LOL!!  :)  There is ALL KINDS of stuff in here… from recipes to poetry, fun stuff to animal activism… whatever I’m in the mood to post, pretty much! 

So… that was your last chance.  Now you’re hooked ;)  you HAVE to look around. :D

 ALSO… I love to write poetry… if that’s an interest of yours,  please feel free to give my poetry a read. I have a lot :) and also a few e-books that I have written, on Scribd, which you can access at this link: http://www.scribd.com/AmyMeridethSwanson   The first one is a collection of my various poetry… about love, loss, life, and all the in-between.  The name of it is “Soul Expressions… Poetry for Thought.” The artwork on the cover is an original design, done by me.  The second one, and the one closest to my heart, is “Reflections of Nature… A Selection of Peaceful Poetry for Tranquil Moments” and it’s chock full of haiku, tanka, choka and free verse poetry.

OK… let’s get started!!  I hope you enjoy my blog!  Grab a cup of coffee (__)D or tea… or milk… whatever your choice… and come on in!!  :)

*hugs*

Amy

Best Anti-Virals and Good Info to Help Beat Flu – Natural News

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Here is a list of several good, natural antivirals to help beat the flu and other infections, found at Natural News.  One that I will tell you about is my favorite, Vitamin D (Vitamin D3 capsules).  Research seems to show we can safely take 2,000 IU a day, even more for a short period of time to build up levels… but did you know that 15-20 minutes a day in the sun, 3 or 4 days a week, will give your body what it needs?  The Sunshine Vitamin!! No wonder people get sicker in the cold months!!  Get those Vitamin D levels up!  You can buy it even somewhere like Wal Mart, for not very much at all.  It is a natural antibiotic. Take them separately from your iron supplements…  they can interfere with each other, hindering absorption.  I usually take them about 4 hours apart from each other. Here are some good links to get you up to speed on Vitamin D… there are also blog posts I have written here on this site about it, just look under the health and flu categories.

http://www.naturalnews.com/Report_Anti-Viral_Remedies_Influenza_4.html

http://www.virginiahopkinstestkits.com/vitaminddose.html

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life/health-fitness/health/Vitamin-D-is-natures-antibiotic/articleshow/5263795.cms

http://www.ehow.com/how_5343048_use-vitamin-flu-medicine.html


The following information can be found at the link below, and you may click the link to read in its full entirety.  It is definitely worth reading.  I have only listed some of the information in this post, but the whole article is very enlightening, and I recommend it. http://www.naturalnews.com/Report_Anti-Viral_Remedies_Influenza_0.html

(Natural News)

AVOID THE ANTACIDS DURING A PANDEMIC:

Antacid drugs like Prilosec, Nexium and Prevacid
http://www.naturalnews.com/Report_Anti-Viral_Remedies_Influenza_4.html
In a pandemic, use of these popular antacid drugs can actually lead to your death. How? A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) concludes that these PPI drugs significantly increase the risk of deadly pneumonia.

Read the full story here: http://www.naturalnews.com/026361_d…

These acid-suppressing medications, it turns out, are linked to a 30 percent increase in the risk of acquired pneumonia. And if you’re suffering from something like the swine flu, pneumonia is the most common cause of death. It’s the secondary bacterial infections, after all, that killed most people in 1918, and that’s what’s likely to cause the greatest number of fatalities in the next great pandemic as well.

If you want to protect yourself from influenza, avoid taking antacid drugs (including over-the-counter antacids).

Special Report from Natural News

“(NaturalNews) This is a special report the FDA doesn’t want you to read. In fact, this is the story that the corporate “leaders” of the natural health products industry don’t want you to read, either. Why? Because they’ve all been hijacked by Big Pharma interests, and they no longer represent real natural medicine like the kind revealed in this story. Read more about this consumer betrayal by the natural products industry leaders here: http://www.naturalnews.com/026215.html

When it comes to H1N1 influenza (Swine Flu), all the “authority” institutions in America agree on one thing: Keep the American people ignorant! Don’t allow people to learn the truth about the anti-viral properties of herbs, superfoods and dietary supplements.

Knowledge is a dangerous thing. It gives people options. It allows people to be independent from the government and independent from the medical system. It gives people control over their own lives, and in a police state society that seeks to dominate the health decisions of every citizen (http://www.naturalnews.com/026305.html), giving people control over their own lives simply cannot be tolerated.

That’s why this article will be blasted as “irresponsible” by health authorities. It will be portrayed as “dangerous” by pharmaceutical pushers. If the FDA could ban this website, this article would be precisely the kind of content they would target for censorship.

And what’s so dangerous about this article? It dares to advocate specific anti-viral products as protection against the H1N1 swine flu.


Big Pharma Profits

Knowledge of natural anti-viral products is, of course, a huge threat to the profits of Big Pharma — an industry that just received a whopping one billion dollars to make useless swine flu vaccines (http://www.usatoday.com/news/health…).

When I say “useless,” I mean that quite seriously. Vaccines are only useful against the specific viral strain that was available at the time of their manufacture. But influenza viruses mutate quickly, and as the WHO has already said, the real concern with H1N1 swine flu is that it will combine with seasonal flu in the Fall, creating a new, deadly strain that will of course be immune to all available vaccines.

Antiviral herbs suffer from no such limitations. Because they contain literally thousands of different medicinal compounds, they are able to attack viruses with a full spectrum of synergistic natural medicines. Thus, even mutating viruses find themselves unable to escape the multifaceted medicinal cocktail of antiviral plants.

That’s why this special report lists the top five anti-viral products I currently recommend. I have no financial relationships with any of these companies, nor do I earn any profits from the sale of these products. These are 100% independent recommendations offered under the Free Speech protections of the United States Constitution. I will not remove this article, and I will not be intimidated by health authorities wishing to see this information censored. The People have a right to know about natural medicine, and NaturalNews will continue to bring you this information regardless of the false authorities who attempt to deny the People the right to know this kind of information.

Top Five Antivirals:

Super ViraGon – a potent combination of garlic, olive leaf extract (a powerful anti-viral!), onion, ginger, zinc and other nutrients.
It’s available from www.BaselineNutritionals.com

The PowerImmune anti-viral tincture offered by Fitura (www.Fitura.com) combines organic Echinacea, Cat’s Claw, Shiitake Mushroom, Olive Leaf and many other ingredients (all organic).


Lomatium Dissectum – This product is the “secret” anti-influenza herb that very few people know about, even in the natural health industry. The root of the Lomatium is perhaps Mother Nature’s “perfect” anti-influenza herb because its anti-viral action is combined with a respiratory clearing action that’s especially useful for dealing with the secondary infections caused by many strains of influenza.

The indigenous American Indians grew Lomatium and used it as medicine. If you live in the American Southwest (or other dry, hot climates), you can probably grow this medicine, too. It might be one of the best investments you can make in your own health defense, because herbs that are growing in your yard are always more potent than herbs found in bottles.

If you can’t grow it, of course, you’ll need to buy it. Nature’s Answer has a 1-ounce tincture that’s available at Vitacost.com (http://www.vitacost.com/Natures-Ans…).

HerbPharm Virattack Compound – Speaking of Lomatium, HerbPharm offers an herbal tincture that combines it with St. John’s Wort (also a powerful anti-viral), lemon balm, olive leaf and other powerful anti-viral herbs.

This is a superb combination. It’s really, really powerful in defending against influenza infections. Vitacost offers it at nearly half off the retail price (http://www.vitacost.com/Herb-Pharm-…).

Olive Leaf Extract – One taste of real olive leaf extract and you’ll be convinced: This is powerful stuff! The best-known phytochemical in olive leaves is oleuropein, a very potent antimicrobial medicine that also has natural anti-viral properties.  Your best value on a standardized extract, in supplement form, is the NSI brand from VitaCost (http://www.vitacost.com/NSI-Olive-L…).

Natural Anti-Virals

Now let’s get to the good news. The good news is that natural medicine can save your life. If a pandemic strikes, Tamiflu supplies will be tightly controlled. Unless you’re an emergency worker or a health care worker, your chances of ever being given Tamiflu are rather slim. Vaccines, of course, will be utterly useless once the influenza virus mutates, so even receiving a vaccine shot offers no protection other than what’s available through the placebo effect.

This leaves natural medicine and the world of anti-viral plants.

Due to the mass brainwashing of the public by pro-Pharma health authorities, most people have no awareness whatsoever of the fact that plants manufacture their own anti-viral medicines.

In fact, there’s no such thing as a plant that does not contain anti-viral medicine. EVERY plant on our planet manufactures at least one anti-viral medicine in its own cells.

Did you ever wonder why? It’s because plants are under constant attack by viruses, too. And if they don’t create their own internal mechanisms for dealing with viruses, they will not survive.

This is especially true with plant roots, which are immersed in soil that’s rich with both bacteria and viruses. If those roots do not possess anti-viral and anti-bacterial defenses, they will quickly be consumed and destroyed, killing the plant.

Thus, in virtually all plants, the manufacture of anti-viral medicines is the most natural thing in the world. It happens from day one of the plant sprouting, and it continues through the entire life of the plant.

Simply eating grass (or better yet, juicing grass) is, all by itself, an empowered act of medical self treatment. Grass contains anti-viral compounds, chlorophyll, vitamins, minerals and hundreds of other health-enhancing phytochemicals. (Don’t juice grass treated with pesticides, obviously.)

There are other plants, of course, with far greater anti-viral potential than grass. I merely mention this to point out the utter simplicity of finding and consuming anti-viral medicine: If you have a lawn, you have a pharmacy in your yard! (Even better if you have dandelions and other “weeds.”)

Wild foods offer the strongest anti-viral medicine. That’s a whole different area of expertise, of course, and if you want to learn more about wild foods, I have two sources to suggest:

• Peter Ragnar – www.RoaringLionPublishing.com

• Daniel Vitalis – www.Surthrival.com (his website is currently sparse, but look for upcoming announcements on seminars and teleconference events from Daniel Vitalis…)

In addition to the top five I’ve already mentioned here, there are other antiviral products and nutrients worth mentioning:

Nascent Iodine – (www.IntegratedHealth.com) – Offers additional protection against infectious disease while supporting your thyroid gland.

Amazon Herbs – The Amazon Herb Company’s numerous products from the Amazon rainforest are also, in their own ways, powerful anti-virals. Even their Zamu juice is a good choice (as it contains Sangre de Drago) for protection against infectious disease. Cat’s Claw (Una de Gato) is also a powerful antiviral, and it’s available in numerous Amazon Herb products.

Probiotics – Virtually all probiotics will boost your defenses against infectious disease. Scientific research has even shown that probiotics directly reduce the risk of contracting H1N1 swine flu. You can find probiotics at your local health food store. Read more here: http://www.naturalnews.com/026265.html

Wildcrafted oregano oil – (www.P-73.com) or (http://www.vitacost.com/productResu…) – This is a phenomenal wildcrafted oil with too many health benefits to mention here. It’s extremely useful as a first aid product, too, and can help your body heal more quickly. (It’s also known to be very useful for topically treating spider bites and insect bites.)

A related product, also available from Vitacost.com, is called OregaRESP (http://www.vitacost.com/North-Ameri…), which is an extremely potent encapsulated form of oregano oil. (Just open this bottle and inhale, you’ll be floored!)

http://www.naturalnews.com/Report_Anti-Viral_Remedies_Influenza_3.html

MSG Slowly Poisoning America… and causing obesity

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This article comes from http://www.advancedhealthplan.com/msg.html – click here to read in its entirety

MSG – Slowly Poisoning America:

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) Causes Obesity

“I don’t eat much. I eat healthy. Why am I so fat?” Have you heard those words from your friends and family, as I have? Here’s an answer to their question. Doctor Sica gives us a very good description of the current science about this horrible substance which has been in so much of our food (at least in the U.S.) since about 1947.

To get a handle on what to look for on food labels, you need to print out a list of all the disguises food manufacturers use for it. Here is a web site with a good list for you:

http://www.truthinlabeling.org/hiddensources.html

THE MD’S EXPLANATION OF THE CAUSE OF OBESITY

“From: Robban Sica, MD
Subject: Please read
Date: Sun, 27 May 2007

This is critical to your health for you to know!

MSG – The Slow Poisoning Of America

MSG Hides Behind 45+ Names, Such As ‘Natural Flavoring.’ MSG Is Also In Your Favorite Coffee Shops And Drive-Ups

I wondered if there could be an actual chemical causing the massive obesity epidemic. So did a friend of mine, John Erb. He was a research assistant at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, and spent years working for the government.

He made an amazing discovery while going through scientific journals for a book he was writing called ‘The Slow Poisoning of America.’ In hundreds of studies around the world, scientists were creating obese mice and rats to use in diet or diabetes test studies. No strain of rat or mice is naturally obese, so the scientists have to create them. They make these morbidly obese creatures by injecting them with MSG when they are first born. The MSG triples the amount of insulin the pancreas creates, causing rats (and humans?) to become obese. They even have a title for the fat rodents they create: ‘MSG-Treated Rats.’

I was shocked too. I went to my kitchen, checking the cupboards and the fridge. MSG was in everything: The Campbell’s soups, the Hostess Doritos, the Lays flavored potato chips, Top Ramen, Betty Crocker Hamburger Helper, Heinz canned gravy, Swanson frozen prepared meals, Kraft salad dressings, especially the ‘healthy low fat’ ones.

The items that didn’t have MSG marked on the product label had something called ‘Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein,’ which is just another name for Monosodium Glutamate.

It was shocking to see just how many of the foods we feed our children everyday are filled with this stuff. They hide MSG under many different names in order to fool those who carefully read the ingredient list, so they don’t catch on. (Other names for MSG: ‘Accent’ – ‘Agino moto’ – ‘Natural Meet Tenderizer’, etc) But it didn’t stop there. When our family went out to eat, we started asking at the restaurants what menu items had MSG.

Many employees, even the managers, swore they didn’t use MSG. But when we ask for the ingredient list, which they grudgingly provided, sure enough MSG and Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein were everywhere:

Burger King
McDonalds
Wendy’s
Taco Bell

And every restaurant like: TGIF, Chili’s, Applebee’s and Denny’s use MSG in abundance. Kentucky Fried Chicken seemed to be the WORST offender: MSG was in EVERY chicken dish, salad dressing and gravy. No wonder I loved to eat that coating on the skin. Their secret spice was MSG.

So, why is MSG in so many of the foods we eat?

Is it a preservative or a vitamin?? Not according to my friend John. In the book he wrote, an expose of the food additive industry called ‘The Slow Poisoning of America’ he said that MSG is added to food for the addictive effect it has on the human body. Here’s the web site where you can buy the book, if you’re interested:

http://www.spofamerica.com

Even the propaganda website sponsored by the food manufacturers’ lobby group supporting MSG at:

http://www.msgfacts.com/facts/msgfact12.html

explains that the reason they add it to food is to make people EAT MORE OF THEIR PRODUCTS.

A study of the elderly showed that people eat more of the foods it is added to. The Glutamate Association lobby group says eating more benefits the elderly, but what does it do to the rest of us? ‘Betcha can’t eat just one,’ takes on a whole new meaning where MSG is concerned! And we wonder why the nation is overweight?

The MSG manufacturers themselves admit that it addicts people to their products. It makes people choose their product over others, and makes people eat more of it than they would if MSG wasn’t added.

Not only is MSG scientifically proven to cause obesity, it is an addictive substance! Since its introduction into the American food supply fifty years ago, MSG has been added in larger and larger doses to the pre-packaged meals, soups, snacks and fast foods we are tempted to eat everyday. The FDA has set no limits on how much of it can be added to food. They claim it’s safe to eat in any amount. How can they claim it safe when there are hundreds of scientific studies with titles like these?

‘The monosodium glutamate (MSG) obese rat as a model for the study of exercise in obesity’. GobattoCA, Mello MA, Souza CT, Ribeiro IA.Res Commun Mol Pathol Pharmacol. 2002.

‘Adrenalectomy abolishes the food-induced hypothalamic serotonin release in both normal and monosodium glutamate-obese rats’. Guimaraes RB, Telles MM, Coelho VB, Mori C, Nascimento CM, Ribeiro Brain Res Bull. 2002 Aug.

‘Obesity induced by neonatal monosodium glutamate treatment in spontaneously hypertensive rats: an animal model of multiple risk factors’. Iwase M, Yamamoto M, Iino K, IchikawaK, Shino hara N, Yoshinari Fujishima Hypertens Res. 1998 Mar.

‘Hypothalamic lesion induced by injection of monosodium glutamate in suckling period and subsequent development of obesity’. Tanaka K, Shimada M, Nakao K, Kusunoki Exp Neurol. 1978 Oct.

Yes, that last study was not a typo, it WAS written in 1978. Both the ‘medical research community’ and ‘food manufacturers’ have known about MSG’s side effects for decades! Many more studies mentioned in John Erb’s book link MSG to Diabetes, Migraines and headaches, Autism, ADHD and even Alzheimer’s.

Poisonous Sweetener, possible link to brain cancer MUST READ

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Good old FDA… they never let us down. NOT.

You can read the following article in its entirety here:

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/a-poisonous-sweetener.html

A Poisonous Sweetener

A Poisonous Sweetener

By Zachary Shahan, Green Options

According to a UK documentary, “Sweet Misery,” the National Cancer Institute identified a significant and impressive increase in brain cancer starting in about 1984. Why did brain cancer shoot up? Evidence suggests that it is because of artificial sweeteners such as those found in diet drinks and food.

Scientists noticed that in 1983 humans began consuming something never before consumed by humans — aspartame, a chemically created substance acting as a sugar alternative used in diet drinks, food, and even on the table in most restaurants (i.e. NutraSweet, Crystallite, Equal).

Increase in Aspartame, Increase in Brain Cancer

According to the documentary, in 1984, one year after its introduction, 6.9 million pounds of aspartame were consumed by Americans. In the next year, that number doubled. It continued increasing into the ’90s.  This spike in Aspartame consumption parallels the spike in brain cancer.

From 1984-1987, other cancers outside the brain basically remained the same or declined. However, brain cancer rates shot up.

Scientists confirmed that the increase in brain cancers is not due to technological advancements that made diagnosing brain cancer easier and it is not a result of changes in disease classifications.

Why is it suggested that aspartame has this neurological effect?

Scientists think that it is because 10 percent of the chemical substance, after ingestion, becomes free methyl alcohol (wood alcohol), which as one scientist in the film states, is a “real poison.” Another says, “the poisonous effect of methyl alcohol and its methyl esters are well-known.” Even small amounts of this poison can lead to blindness and death. The “miniscule” amounts in our common foods and drinks seem to sometimes lead to cancer and other neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis.

Bottom line — maybe it’s time to cut artificial sweeteners out of your diet!

Swine Flu Vaccine Support Crumbles

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It pays to research both sides of the story… so here is the side you may not have heard.  If it sounds too unbelievable, research it for yourself and see what you find.

(I personally am shocked (well, I guess I shouldn’t be) that the FDA has already approved the vaccination with NO SAFETY OR EFFICACY TESTING DONE FIRST!  Article here: http://www.naturalnews.com/027205_vaccines_swine_flu_the_FDA.html )

Toto, we’re not in Kansas anymore.  In fact, we haven’t been for a long time.  (I would like to call your attention also to a previous blog post of mine from May 3, click to read)

The below article comes from the Natural News.

Related articles:   Ten Things You’re Not Supposed to Know about the Swine Flu Vaccine

Urgent lawsuit filed against FDA to halt swine flu vaccines; claims FDA violated federal law

Previous post: Vitamin D May Help Protect From FLU

Vaccine revolt! Swine flu vaccine support crumbles

as flimsy rationale for H1N1 shots becomes apparent

(NaturalNews) Public support for the swine flu vaccine is evaporating by the day as the rationale for the vaccine appears increasingly ludicrous to anyone paying attention. Moms, nurses, day care workers and members of the general public are increasingly realizing that Big Pharma’s rationale for swine flu vaccination just doesn’t add up.

Recent polls conducted by the mainstream media indicate that more than fifty percent of moms are refusing to expose their children to the swine flu vaccine, and nurses and health practitioners across the US and UK are going vocal with their opposition to the vaccine.

Legal action against the FDA’s approval of the swine flu vaccine is already underway (http://www.naturalnews.com/027205_v…), and public protests are gaining momentum in raising awareness about the primary objections to the swine flu vaccine. Intelligent, informed people everywhere are saying NO to this vaccine!

Popular support for the vaccine is crumbling by the day, and health authorities are now turning to exaggerated scare stories to try to drum up demand for their vaccines. Where scientific credibility is lacking, fear is being invoked in its place.

Why the swine flu vaccine doesn’t add up

So why is the justification for the swine flu so flimsy? It all comes down to these five crucial reasons being pushed by the vaccine industry… but as you’ll see below, each of these five reasons is demonstrably false!

Reason #1) The H1N1 swine flu pandemic is dangerous and deadly!

Why it’s flimsy: While the infection rate of H1N1 is currently high, the fatality rate is remarkably low. In fact, it’s no higher than a normal, seasonal flu.

Reason #2) The vaccine protects you from the virus!

Why it’s flimsy: There is absolutely no scientific evidence demonstrating that the swine flu vaccine offers real-world protection against the circulating H1N1 virus. While there is evidence showing that it produces antibodies, as people who have studied vaccine effectiveness already know, the mere existence of vaccine-induced antibodies doesn’t directly translate into functional, real-world immunity! Vaccines are often, in effect, fabricated immunity that often don’t provide practical immune defense in the real world.

Reason #3) The vaccine is perfectly safe, even for kids!

Why it’s flimsy: This reason is truly laughable. None of these vaccines have been properly safety tested by the FDA or the drug companies. They were approved by the FDA with a waiver, utterly bypassing the normal process of long-term safety testing that the public expects the FDA to enforce. In fact, according to attorney Jim Turner, the FDA’s baseless approval of these swine flu vaccines is a violation of federal law. (http://www.naturalnews.com/027205_v…)

Reason #4) There’s nothing else you can do to protect yourself from the swine flu (therefore you must take the vaccine shot).

Why it’s flimsy: This reason is an outright lie. In order to sell more vaccines, the pharmaceutical industry (and all its bureaucratic cohorts at the CDC and WHO) are intentionally keeping people ignorant of far safer and more effective options such as vitamin D and anti-viral herbal remedies.

http://www.naturalnews.com/027222_swine_flu_flu_vaccine_swine_flu_vaccine.html

Additional Sources of MSG

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Depressing how little our FDA thinks of us to allow this crap in so much of our food… but here it is: http://www.vitalearth.org/MSG.htm (please see my additional post below about additives used to GROW CANCER CELLS… in our ice cream, dairy, and more!)

Hidden names and sources of MSG
enzyme modified
annatto
Anything “enriched”
anything fermented
anything protein fortified
anything ultra pasteurized
autolyzed yeast
barley malt
broth
bouillon
calcium caseinate
carrageen
caramel flavoring
Corn syrup
Corn syrup solids
Cornstarch
Dough conditioners
Dry milk solids
flavoring
natural flavoring,
gelatin
gums
hydrolyzed oat flour
hydrolyzed vegetable
hydrolyzed protein
malt extract, maltodextrin
Malt flavoring
Milk powder
Modified food starch
natural flavors
Natural chicken, beef, or pork pectin
plant protein extract
potassium glutamate
Protease, protease enzymes
Rice syrup
seasonings
sodium caseinate
soy protein
Soy protein isolate
soy sauce or extract
stock
textured protein
Vegetable gum
Vitamin “enriched”
Wheat, rice or oat protein
whey protein
Whey protein isolate
yeast extract
yeast food
Yeast nutrients

Ice Cream – ingredient documented to GROW CANCER CELLS

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Folks, is it any wonder we have the health problems we do today?

No matter where you turn,  it seems our food supply is being poisoned in one form or another.  Organic eating is the only fairly safe way and even some of those claims have to be checked out!

Apparently there is yet another DANGEROUS FOOD ADDITIVE, MSG-related, and guess what?  It’s documented to GROW CANCER CELLS.  And this is in OUR FOOD!!!  (Now ask me if I’m surprised… because I’m not.  Unfortunately.)  The name?  Carageenan. Remember that word.

“Carageenan, a widely used MSG related food additive  found in ice cream, dairy products, baked goods, yogurt, and some margarines, is used by researchers when they want to promote cancer growth in their experiments.  Carageenan is documented to actually grow cancer cells, and manufacturers are putting it in our food!”  http://www.vitalearth.org/MSG.html

FDA… what is it you actually do behind those desks all day?  Because it certainly can’t be safeguarding our food!!!!!

WHO declares Pandemic Alert Level to 5, changes virus name

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This being said… I would like to point out that one reason they did this was because of the death of the toddler in Texas, saying deaths have now occurred in two countries… however… the toddler, from what I have just read, was already living in Mexico and traveled here to visit relatives in Texas. He later died in a Houston hospital.  That is not the same as someone who is living here and just suddenly acquires it… he was already living in Mexico where the outbreak was hardest hit.

Yes, the whole situation is scary enough, but this makes it sound even scarier, the way it is being reported.  So far in all the other cases/countries, it is behaving like a “normal” flu pretty much, and the symptoms have been mild.  I don’t know why it hit Mexico so hard, unless it is because, bless their hearts, of the sanitation problems there.  I have read of this problem in the country and that it severely weakens people’s immunities… many there die from other diseases quite a bit, such as TB, and even leprosy occurs in some areas there.  They may have been poorly prepared for sickness even before this hard-hitting virus came along.  And when it did, it hit them incredibly hard.  This is just my opinion.

It also occurs to me… some are saying they are expecting a second wave.  If so many have been exposed to it, in a non-lethal way, have gotten sick only mildly with it… then doesn’t that mean that if a second wave comes along… their bodies would have some natural immunity to it built up?

Relevant podcast from infowars… click here to play in your Windows Media, WinAmp, Real Player, I-Tunes, etc.  http://xml.nfowars.net/Alex.rss

Below is the headline about the WHO, and remember to click here http://www.idemc.org/read/index.php?pageid=news_index for the very latest updates on the swine flu spread.

UPDATE*** WHO have just changed the name of the virus to Influenza A (H1N1) – post follows

WHO boosts pandemic alert level to 5
2009.04.30 03:38:49 Global

The World Health Organization on Wednesday raised its global pandemic alert level to five — its second highest level — meaning a pandemic is imminent and countries must finalize preparations to deal with the outbreak of swine flu.


WHO changes flu virus strain name from swine flu
2009.04.30 19:12:48 Worldwide

The World Health Organisation (WHO), bowing to pressure from meat industry producers and concerned governments, said on Thursday it would refer to a deadly new virus strain as influenza A (H1N1) not swine flu. “From today, WHO will refer to the new influenza virus as ‘influenza A (H1N1)’,” it said in a brief announcement posted on its www.who.int/en/ website.

The new strain has infected 257 people, of whom 8 have died. It derives from a swine influenza virus but the new strain has been found only in people. No pigs have been confirmed to be sick with it. WHO has consistently said the disease cannot be caught from eating pork if it is prepared properly. “There is also no risk of infection from this virus from consumption of well-cooked pork and pork products,” it said on its website on Thursday. The name of the flu led several countries to slap bans on imports of pork from Mexico and the United States, where the outbreak first appeared, and authorities in Egypt have ordered a cull of pigs. U.S. and European food industries and governments had been calling for a change in name to remove the link in people’s minds between the disease and pigs.