Tuesday, March 3, 2009

GANGRENE

For two and a half months I have been dealing with GANGRENE.
This is a new one for me. I have never tried heal someone with gangrene before this.
My experiences in all of these years have taught me that anything is possible.
Besides, who wants to have a part of them cut off!!
The fellow I have been working with, had a stroke, then a massive heart attack and a few days after the heart attack, 9 of his toes turned gangrene. The vascular surgeon, said the gangrene was a result of the blood supply at the arch of the feet being cut off for a period of time during and after the heart attack.
There are two kinds of gangrene: wet and dry. This guy had both.
Gangrene occurs when tissues are destroyed and there is a lack blood supply.
Dry gangrene tissue turns black. Wet gangrene is infected with bacteria, causing the tissue to turn soft. Wet gangrene is more serious and more difficult to heal because the infection can lead to blood poisoning.
When I first saw the toes, the dry gangrene was evident in many spots on a number of toes and other parts of the lower foot. The wet gangrene was on the tips of 6 of the toes and it was already quite mucky and smelly.
The Doctor did start a course of strong antibiotics right away and suggested an antibiotic cream. For the first few days we followed those instructions. The infection seemed to be better but the toes looked BAD. I began to wrap the feet in raw cabbage leaves each night and remove them in the morning, soaking the feet in Celtic Sea Salt baths each time. To my amazement, the gangrene began to fall off some of the toes and new pink flesh was left behind. Over these weeks, I have used the cabbage, lavender essential oil and a wonderful blend of essential oils called Exodus II. At first I treated the feet twice daily and now I am able to attend to them once a day. Almost all of the gangrene has fallen away now and the last two (worst toes) spots are almost gone.
I am very encouraged to see that despite the severity of the gangrene, the battle has been won without the loss of any body parts.
If you have further questions regarding the process, please feel free to email me.

Monday, February 2, 2009

ESSIAC TEA

ESSIAC is an anti-cancer remedy, a simple four-herb tea, revealed by an Ojibway (Chippewa) medicine man in Canada in the early 1900's to a woman with breast cancer.
The woman was healed by drinking the tea.

In 1922 a Canadian nurse named Rene Caisse was working in a northern Ontario hospital and spoke with this same lady who was about 80 years old at the time. Hearing that she had been healed of cancer by the use of this tea, Renee asked the woman how to prepare it. "My thought was that if I should ever develop cancer, I would use it," she said.

The ingredients- sheep sorrel, burdock root, slippery-elm bark and Turkish rhubarb- have been around for years (three out of four are Bible plants) and are legal and deemed safe for purchase from health-food stores and herbal distributors in the United States, Canada and throughout the world.

In 1924, Rene's aunt was operated on and the doctors found she had cancer of the stomach, with liver involvement- and told her she had 6 months to live. Rene told her aunt's doctor about the Ojibway Indian tea and asked if her aunt could try it. He gave his consent. After drinking this herbal tea daily for 2 months, Rene's aunt recovered and lived another 21 years.
The doctor, R.O. Fisher, M.D. of Toronto, was so fascinated by this miraculous recovery that together they began experimenting on mice inoculated with human cancer cells. The results were so impressive that Dr. Fisher decided to try this herbal mixture on some of his advanced cancer patients. These patients, too showed definite improvement.

Rene named the tea Essiac- her name spelled backwards. Other doctors heard about it and began sending her their advanced cancer patients. Rene gave some of the Essiac ingredients by injection- because it worked faster that way- and the rest were given as a tea to drink. If all of the ingredients were injected, it caused a violent reaction. Unfortunately,, which herbs went into the injectable solution is not known. Essiac is used today only as an herbal drink, containing all four herbs.

In 1925, a doctor persuaded Rene to treat a woman who had cancer of the bowel complicated by diabetes. Since no one knew what effect Essiac would have on a patient taking insulin, her doctor , Dr. J.A. McInnis, said he would discontinue the insulin, and if the diabetic condition got worse she could take it again. "To our surprise," said Rene, "the diabetic condition improved with the Essiac...and continued to improve until there wasn't any diabetes at all."
As for the cancer in her bowel, according to Rene: "At first it became larger and harder and almost caused an obstruction in the bowel. However, after a few more treatments it softened and reduced in size until it entirely disappeared...Essiac treatments were discontinued after about 6 months of weekly injections and the patient continued in good health."
In 1926, Dr. Frederick Banting, co-discoverer of insulin, reviewed this case and concluded: "Essiac must actuate the pancreatic gland into normal functioning, otherwise the patient would have had to take treatment for the rest of her life, just as she would have had to take insulin."
No diabetic should stop taking prescribed medication on the basis. There are records of diabetic patients who were taking insulin and were able to stop it completely after the use of this herbal formula. Consultation with a qualified health practitioner is important before making changes.

On the strength of what doctors were seeing with their own eyes, in 1926, eight of them signed a petition to the Department of National Health and Welfare in Ottawa asking that Rene be given facilities to test her remedy on a large scale. In their petition they said: "We believe the treatment for cancer by Rene Caisse can do no harm and that it relieves pain, will reduce enlargement and will prolong life in hopeless cases. To the best of our knowledge, she has not been given a case to treat until everything else has been tried without effect, and even then she was able to show remarkably beneficial results."
In response, Ottawa's Department of Health and Welfare sent two doctors with warrants for her arrest. "But when they found that I was working with nine of the most eminent doctors in Toronto," said Rene, "they did not arrest me." In fact one of them, Dr. W.C. Arnold, was so impressed that he arranged for Rene to continue her work at the Christie Street Hospital Laboratories.

THOUSANDS CAME TO SEEK A NEW CHANCE

News of these miraculous recoveries spread quickly, with an ever increasing stream of patients (about 30 a day) coming to Rene's apartment for treatment.Soon neighbors began complaining about the congestion of cars and people. She took cases diagnosed as incurable. To avoid constant threats of arrest, several doctors and patients helped Rene get permission from Dr. J.M. Robb, the minister of Health to treat patients. "Dr. Robb told me I wouldn't be interfered with again as long as I didn't make a charge for my treatments, and had a written diagnosis of cancer from a doctor for each patient."
In 1935, Bracebridge, the little town where Rene lived, near Toronto, leased a building to her for $1 per month, to use as a clinic. This came about when a local doctor, Albert Bastedo, M.D., referred a terminally ill patient with bowel cancer to Rene, and the patient recovered. The doctor was so amazed at this recovery that he convinced the town council to give her an old hotel that had been closed for nonpayment of taxes.
"Here, for almost eight years, I treated thousands of patients, most of them given up as hopeless after everything in medical science had failed," said Rene. She did it free of charge always under a doctor's supervision. Dominion Street was as crowded as the shrine at Lourdes with people seeking a new lease on life. Some were carried. Many were brought by ambulance- and their first treatment had to be given to them in the ambulance. but after a few treatments they were able to walk into the clinic by themselves each week, some traveling hundreds of miles to do so. They came from all over Canada and the United States.
She had to turn people away who came without a written diagnosis from a doctor. (Some doctors refused to give it.) "They would beg me to treat them....It was very heartbreaking at times. Sometimes visiting doctors would examine these patients and give them a written diagnosis in pity for the patient."
Rene accepted small voluntary contributions, never more than $2, that barely covered her expenses, and kept bill collectors hammering at her door for the next 40 years. She refused to profit from Essiac, although she was offered thousands of dollars to sell exclusive rights to the recipe.

GIVEN DAYS TO LIVE, HER MOTHER RECOVERS

Shortly after the clinic opened, Rene's 72-year-old mother was diagnosed with cancer of the liver, inoperable because of a weak heart. One of Ontario's top specialists, Dr. Roscoe Graham, said she had only days to live. He said her liver was "a nodular mass." Rene began giving daily injections of Essiac to her mother, who had not been told she had cancer, telling her only it was a tonic to make her feel better. After 10 days, Rene's mother rallied, regained her strength, and completely recovered, living another 18 years before passing away at age 90, "with no pain, just a tired heart."
"This repaid me for all of my work," said Rene, "giving my mother 18 years of life which she would not have had, and made up for a great deal of the persecution I had endured at the hands of the medical world."
"During this time many, many doctors, surgeons and scientists visited my clinic, read case histories, examined patients and watched me administer Essiac treatments," said Rene. "Doctors from many parts of the United States came and brought or sent patients."

Dr. Emma Carson, a Los Angeles doctor, traveled to Bracebridge in the summer of 1937 to see for herself if there was any truth to news stories of the impressive results Rene Caisse had been getting with Essiac. She was skeptical and intended to stay only a few days. She wound up spending nearly a month, scrutinizing the records of over 400 patients and examining many of them.
The Huntsville Forester, a Canadian publication, quotes her as saying: "I am simply amazed at what I have found..The farther I investigate, the stronger becomes my conviction that Miss Caisse has made a cancer treatment discovery of world-wide importance.
In a press release picked up by several newspapers, Dr. Carson wrote: "The vast majority of Miss Caisse's patients are brought to her for treatment after Surgery, Radium, X-Rays, Emplastrums, etc. had failed to be helpful, and the patients were pronounced incurable or hopeless cases. Really the progress obtainable and the actual results from "Essiac" treatments and the rapidity of repair was absolutely marvelous and must be seen to be believed."
In a five-page report, Dr. Carson wrote: "I also visited, examined and obtained data at patients' homes where they were pursuing their business vocations as ably as if they had never experienced the afflictions of cancer...I could scarcely believe my brain and eyes were not deceiving me, on some of the most seriously afflicted cases... "Several prominent physicians and surgeons who are quite familiar with the indisputable results obtained in response to 'Essiac' treatments...conceded to me that the Rene M. Caisse 'Essiac' Treatment for cancer is the most humane, satisfactory and frequently successful remedy for the annihilation of cancer 'that they had found at that time'..."

Dr. Benjami Guyatt, a professor of anatomy at the university of Toronto, was another independent investigator. He made dozens of inspections of Rene's clinic during the 1930s, and wrote as follows:
" In most cases, distorted countenances became normal and pain reduced as treatment proceeded. The relief of pain is a noticeable feature, as pain in these cases is very difficult to control. On checking authentic cancer cases, it was found that hemorrhage was readily brought under control in many difficult cases. Open lesions of the lip and breast responded to treatment. Cancers of the cervix, rectum and bladder had been caused to disappear. Patients with cancer of the stomach, diagnosed by reputable physicians and surgeons, have returned to normal activity."
"The number of patients treated in this clinic are many hundreds and the number responding wholly or in part, I do not know. But I do know that I have witnessed in this clinic a treatment which brings about restoration, through destroying the tumor tissue, and supplying that something which improves the mental outlook of life and facilitates re-establishment of physiological function. It is my privilege to do all in my power to bring the cancer sufferer this remedy 'Essiac' which has brought relief and restored health to many in the past."

According to Rene, Dr. Guyatt visited her clinic almost every month for 3 years. "But,' She wrote, 'in spite of these good reports and petitions signed by the doctors, the Royal Cancer Commission reported that they had found no benefit in the treatment."

In 1938, over 55,000 people, including many doctors, signed a petition supporting a bill that had been presented to the Legislature of Ontario to allow Rene to continue treating patients who had been deemed incurable by doctors, without constant harassment from the Ontario Ministry of Health and the threat of arrest for practicing medicine without a license, using an unapproved method. refusing to reveal the exact herbs used in Essiac, and refusing to confine herself to testing it exclusively on mice.
As for practicing medicine with out a license, She said, "I am a nurse, not a doctor, therefore I always made sure that every case was diagnosed by a qualified physician, and as often as possible administered treatment under the observation of doctors."
As for confining herself to testing it exclusively on mice, She said,"I felt it was inhuman for them to ask me to give up treating patients while I showed them whether it would work on mice... I have done a great deal of animal research...I found that on mice...after 9 days of Essiac...the growth would regress until it was no longer invading the living tissue."
Rightly or wrongly she never revealed which herbs she used, or how, to anyone except a few close friends sworn to secrecy.
Rene had a compelling reason for not revealing her recipe. She said that every herbal remedy researchers got their hands on disappeared once they got its formula-discredited in favor of far more expensive drugs and treatments. She said she would have gladly given her formula to the medical community if only they had conceded that Essiac had some merit, and had promised that it would be used to help suffering humanity. But they refused.
So she kept her secret- until a year before she died. At that point, she sold the formula for $1 to a drug company she thought would distribute it widely. But tests dragged on- and were still going on when she died at age 90 (following hip surgery). Rene was fed up. She wanted it used immediately on suffering humanity.

Rene freely admitted that a great many of the people who came to her could not be helped, and that all she could hope to do was make them comfortable, and perhaps extend their lives a bit. She said this treatment made tumors smaller, after six to eight treatments, and easier to remove surgically, with much less risk of spreading; that it relieved pain, prolonged life and that in some patients not too far gone, remission was possible.
The Royal Cancer Commission rejected Essiac as having any merit as a cancer remedy, in March 1939, saying they had no choice , since they had no idea what was in it. Rene said she'd gladly reveal what was in it, if they would admit that people had been helped by it. They refused even though 387 people (all former patients of Rene) came to testify before the Commission panel made up of six doctors, surgeons, radiologists and diagnosticians. Only 49 of the 387 were allowed to testify. They all said she had saved their lives after they had been diagnosed as incurable- with very little time left- by doctors and specialists.

In 1942, Rene Caisse, fearing imprisonment, closed her clinic. For the next 30 years, she continued to treat patients in great secrecy in her home. She was constantly under surveillance by officers of the Canadian Health Department, facing a 7- year prison sentence if caught giving anything to help a cancer patient. When people came to her begging for help, she'd give them some free Essiac, pleading with them to hide it until they were safely out of sight.

"REMARKABLE BENEFICIAL RESULTS"

In 1959, at the age of 70, Rene was invited by Dr. Charles Brusch- President Kennedy's Physician- to treat both terminal cancer patients and laboratory animals with Essiac, at the Brusch Medical Centre in Massachusetts. This she did, under the supervision of 18 doctors. After 3 months, Dr. Brusch and his research director, Dr. Charles McClure, issued this statement:
"Essiac has been shown to cause a decided recession of the mass and a definite change in cell formation in mice...Clinically, on patients suffering from pathologically proven cancer, it reduces pain and causes recession in the growth; patients have gained weight and shown improvement in their general health..

Remarkably beneficial results were obtained even in those cases at the 'end of the road' where it proved to prolong life and the quality of that life...This...has convinced the doctors at the Brusch Medical Centre that Essiac has merit in the treatment of cancer. The doctors do not say that Essiac is a cure, but they do say it is of benefit. It is non-toxic..."

While Rene was at the Brusch Medical Centre in 1959 questionaires were sent out to some of her former patients, to see if they were still alive , and if they ever had a recurrence. And from time to time, Rene herself sent out letters of inquiry. Signed statements came back as follows:

* Mr. Tony Bozuik, 22 years, no recurrence (40 years by 1977, age 79).
* Mr. Jack Finley, 20 years, no recurrence (age 60 in 1959).
* Mrs. E Forsythe, 24 years, no recurrence.
* Mr. Wilson Hammell, 22 years, no recurrence (39 years by 1976).
* Mr. Walter Hampson, 15 years, no recurrence.
* Mrs. Lillian Heller, 11 years, no recurrence.
* Miss May Henderson, 20 years, no recurrence.
* Mrs. D. H. Laundry, 11 years, no recurrence (age 78 in 1959).
* Mr. John McNee, 30 years, no recurrence (age 91 in 1959).
* Mrs. Nellie McVittie, 23 years, no recurrence (age 65 in 1959).
* Mr. Herbert K. Rawson, 28 years, no recurrence.
* Mrs. Jessie Slater, 11 years, no recurrence.
* Mrs. J.H. Stewart, 16 years, no recurrence (age 76 in 1959).
* Mr. Norman Thompson, 20 years, no recurrence.
* Mrs. Clara Thornbury, 22 years, no recurrence, (age 75, lived to age 91).
* Mrs. G. Tibble, 25 years, no recurrence.
* Mrs. Eliza Veitch, 18 years, no recurrence.
* Mr. Frank Walter, 20 years, no recurrence (37 years by 1976).
* Mrs. Lizzie Pearl Ward, 14 years, no recurrence.
* Mrs. Hattie M. Wurts, 20 years, no recurrence.

On November 5, 1977 a Winnipeg newspaper, the Free Press, quoted Dr. Charles Brusch, M.D. as saying: "I am 100% for Essiac or I would not have been using it...I never use the word cure because they'll always say there has been a remission. But there will be a control for cancer- like high blood pressure or diabetes. You'll be able to control it." In 1990, Dr. Brusch was still endorsing Essiac. He claimed to have been using it himself since 1984, when he had several cancer operations. "I have in fact cured my own bowel cancer," he claimed,"the original site of which was the lower bowels, through Essiac alone."

DISCLAIMER:
It must be stressed at the outset that in giving this information, no cancer cure is claimed. No one can guarantee pain relief or cures, nor is any food a cure-all for any aliment. You are advised to seek a doctor's advice immediately for any condition you may have. Self-treatment is not recommended, nor should any foods listed here be used as the sole means of treating any ailment, unless your doctor approves.

Today, premixed, commercially prepared Essiac is unapproved for marketing in the United States and Canada as an anti-cancer medicine. A number of over-the-counter herbal products have sprung up, sold only as herbal tea, that claim to contain the same herbs Rene Caisse used.
I prefer and recommend that you buy the herbs you need and mix them yourself. You will then know that you are safely using Rene's exact formula.
In January 1995, in a move to guarantee public access to Essiac, Rene's close friend and assistant for over 40 years, Mary McPherson, turned over notarized copies of the original Essiac formula in Rene Caisse's handwriting to the Town of Bracebridge in a simple ceremony at the town hall. Shortly afterward, the recipe was printed in its entirety in both the Bracebridge Herald-Gazette (January 11, 1995 and the Bracebridge Examiner (March 29, 1995).
Mary McPherson first met Rene in 1935 when her mother was suffering from cancer, and received treatments at Rene's clinic. Her mother was cured, and lived another 30 years, in good health, passing away in 1965, at the age of 86.
Mary then worked with Rene, helping her brew the Essiac, assisting her in running the clinic and looking after patients.
In 1945, Mary's own husband, Clifford, was stricken with cancer. She says that Rene's Essiac treatment cured him , and he lived another 36 years, passing away at the age of 81.
Although she worked with Rene for over 20 years, helping her brew Essiac, she says she never knew the specific ingredients until after Rene's death in 1978.
"Rene always told me there was an envelope with my name on it in a dresser drawer in her house on Hiram Street," Mary recalls, "and I was to have it once she passed away. The envelope contained the recipe for Essiac."

Today, Essiac is regarded as a wacko folk remedy by most doctors in the United States, where few people have ever heard of it. But in Canada, primarily in Ontario and British Columbia, it is taken very seriously by thousands who swear it saved their lives, or the lives of loved ones.
Because it has never been proven officially- even though its supporters have included a Premier of Canada, a Health Minister, numerous prominent doctors, and President Kennedy's personal physician- it can't be called a cure for anything.

DISCLAIMER:
Clearly, in the absence of strong scientific evidence, Essiac cannot -and should not -be relied on as the sole means of treating any serious or life threatening condition. It should be discussed with your doctor, reviewing all the evidence, and used only with his or her approval.

ESSIAC TEA RECIPE: Rene Caisse's original recipe.

1 pound (16 oz.) of sheep sorrel herb (powdered)
6-1/2 cups (52 oz.) of burdock root (cut)
1/4 pound (4 oz) of slippery elm (inner bark) (powdered)
1 ounce Turkish rhubarb root (powdered)

Mix these ingredients thoroughly and store in a glass jar in a dark dry cupboard.
Take a measuring cup. Use 1 ounce of herb mixture to 32 ounces (1 quart) of water depending on the amount you want to make.
Boil hard for 20 minutes (covered) then turn off heat but leave sitting on stove overnight, covered.
After it has been sitting for 10-12 hours heat steaming hot and let settle for a few minutes, then strain through a fine strainer into hot sterilized bottles. (Cap while hot.) Let sit to cool. Store in dark cool cupboard if sealed. Must be refrigerated when opened.
This recipe must be followed exactly as written. I use a granite preserving kettle (10-12 quarts), 8 oz. measuring cup, small funnel and fine strainer to fill bottles."

This recipe produces a large amount of Essiac (6 quarts or 192 1-ounce doses), presumably because it's the recipe Rene used in the 1930's when she prepared it for hundreds of people at a time. That's a 6-month supply, at the rate of an ounce a day. You can make larger or smaller amounts using the basic proportion of 1 ounce of herb mixture to 32 ounces of water.
Rene always used a measuring cup, never a scale. Most herbalists recommend granite or stainless steel pots, amber glass bottles with airtight caps, a small fine mesh stainless steel strainer, a large stainless steel spoon, a stainless steel funnel, pure spring water or sodium free distilled water. Once opened it must be stored in a refrigerator but NEVER frozen.

DOSAGE:

Reportedly, these are Rene's instructions for taking Essiac-

1. Take 1 ounce of Essiac with 2 ounces of warm water every second day at bedtime, on an empty stomach, at least 2-3 hours after supper.
2. Do not eat or drink anything for at least 1 hour after taking Essiac.
3. Do not take any medications at the same time as Essiac. Allow at least 3 hours between them. Or ask your doctor if they can be taken sooner.
4. Continue the treatment for 32 days, then take the treatment every 3 days.
5. Once you start using a bottle of Essiac, keep it refrigerated but never in the freezer.

Rene believed that small amounts of Essiac over an extended period of time were safer than frequent stronger doses.

ON A PERSONAL NOTE-
I first heard of Essiac from an herbalist that I was training under. At the time I had been diagnosed with a serious cancer. I refused medical intervention and with the help of my herbalist and Essiac, I was able to recover completely from the cancer. It has been about 12 years and I am healthier than I was before the cancer. I continue to take the Essiac whenever I know that I need to. It has so many benefits to the immune system and the entire glandular system as well. I Highly recommend it even just as a tonic.
Over these many years I have seen the results of others using Essiac.
I source my Essiac herbs from the Bracebridge Muskoka Natural Food Market. Their herbs are just as Rene used and they are careful to select them and mix them properly.
Please feel free to contact me if you wish to through my email address.

Monday, October 20, 2008

GREEN CHAI TEA AND MATCHA

We have now talked about GREENS COD LIVER OIL RAW HONEY HEMP HEARTS CHIA SEED GOJI BERRIES PSYLLIUM SEED and CELTIC SEA SALT.

Next on the list of the BASICS is Green Chai Tea. I am also going to talk about another form of green tea called Matcha in this blog.

As I said many writings ago, I believe there are a few very important items that we would all do well to include in our lives either daily or a few times a month or a couple of times a year. I have called these items THE BASICS. There is a complete list in one of my first blog writings. What I have written about so far are included in the DAILY LIST! Green Chai Tea and Matcha are a part of that DAILY LIST as well.
I drink between 3&5 cups of Green Chai Tea a day, sometimes mixing in Matcha. The following will explain to you why.

Tea consumption had its origin in China almost 5,000 years ago. Green tea has been used as traditional medicine in areas such as China, Japan, India, and Thailand to help everything from controlling bleeding and helping heal wounds to regulating body temperature, blood sugar and promoting digestion.

The Kissa Yojoki (Book of Tea) written by Zen priest Eisai in 1191, describes how drinking green tea can have a positive effect on the five vital organs, especially the heart. The book discusses tea's medicinal qualities, which include easing the effects of alcohol, acting as a stimulant, curing blotchiness, quenching thirst, eliminating indigestion, curing beriberi disease, preventing fatigue, and improving urinary and brain function.

How does Green Tea work?
Green Tea is rich in catechin polyphenols, particuarly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. the reason Green Tea and White Tea have more polyphenol antioxidants than other teas is because of the way they are processed. The process prevents the degradation of the cell membranes by neutralizing the spread of free radicals (which occurs during the process of oxidation.).
The health benefits of these teas are derived from the light processing of the leaves which maintain the ingredients like Catechin that research is now demonstrating to be beneficial. White and Green tea are often steamed or pan fired rather than being semi-fermented (oolong) or fermented (black tea). Fermentation leaches out some of these beneficial ingredients in the same way that frying food tends to reduce nutrient value that steaming does not. It should be no surprise that steamed green tea also maintains more of its polyphenol antioxidant profile than pan-fired green tea as well.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)has rejected claims of health benefits for green tea!
"There is no credible scientific evidence that drinking green tea reduces the risk of heart disease".
The FDA previously has said that green tea likely does not reduce breast, prostate or any other type of cancer risk.

In spite of the FDA's claims, Green Tea's medicinal benefits have been described for over 1000 years. Objectively speaking, skepticism of green tea's medical benefits would not be the first time an ancient medical remedy practised successfully in Asia was initially called into question by the Western Medical establishment.

RISKS: To date the only negative side effect reported from drinking green tea is insomnia due to the fact that it contains caffeine.
However, green tea contains less caffeine than coffee, there are approximately thirty to sixty mg. of caffeine in six to eight ounces of tea compared to over one hundred mg. in eight ounces of coffee.
I am quite caffeine sensitive and cannot drink stimulating beverages past early afternoon. I do not have a problem going to sleep when I drink Green Chai Tea in the evening, which I do most evenings.

Chinese Green Tea has been researched and linked to help all of the following conditions.

* rheumatoid arthritis
* high cholesterol levels
* cardiovascular disease
* infection
* impaired immune function
* cognition ( a study in the February edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded "A higher consumption of green tea is associated with a lower prevalence of cognitive impairment in humans.")
* stopping certain neurodegenerative illnesses such as Alzheimers
* treating arthritis
* treating MS

Preventing lowered T-Cells due to HIV
In lab tests, EGCG found in green tea, was found to prevent HIV from attacking T-Cells. Scientists in Japan have found a component of green tea can stop HIV from binding to healthy immune cells, which is how the virus spreads. Their laboratory tests suggest a chemical called Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG) protects cells. Writing in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, the scientists said the discovery would lead to new treatments to fight the disease. It is not known if this has any effect on humans yet.

Cancer
In 1994 the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results of an epidemiological study indicating that drinking green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly sixty percent. University of Purdue researchers recently concluded that a compound in green tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells. In fact they said many laboratory studies have demonstrated inhibitory effects of tea preparations and tea polyphenols against tumor formation and growth. This inhibitory activity is believed to be mainly due to the anti-oxidative and possible anti-proliferative effects of the polyphenolic compounds in green and black tea.

Weight Loss
New evidence is emerging that green tea can even help dieters. In November 1999, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published the results of a study at the University of Geneva Switzerland. Researchers found that men who were given a combination of caffeine and green tea extract burned more calories than those given only caffeine or a placebo. Green Tea increases fat oxidation (helps the body use fat as an energy source) and raises metabolism. These two things are predictive of weight loss.

Teeth and Skin
Meanwhile skin preparations containing green tea- from deodorants to creams, are starting to appear on the market. Scientists have even discovered that applying green tea to the skin can help cure and prevent some forms of skin cancer and other skin disorders, protect the skin from long and short term damage from the suns ultraviolet rays and act as an antibacterial agent when applied to skin infections. Many of the broad health benefits of green tea are derived from its rich supply of plant nutraceuticals called polyphenols, of which EGCG is the most powerful.
The consumption of green tea has been linked to reduced incidence of tooth decay.

WHY CHAI GREEN TEA ???

For one thing CHAI turns wonderful for you GREEN TEA into WONDERFUL GREEN TEA!

The CHAI ingredients individually offer their own health benefits. There is an amazing synergy when you put them all together. I will give you my own recipe.
I buy ground organic spices and mix them together in large batches in order to have lots on hand for my household and for sharing.

Traditional Chia Spice Mix:

CARDAMON- This spice relieves indigestion and aids in the digestive process as a whole as well as cleansing the kidneys and bladder. Cardamon is so good for the colon.

CINNAMON- I have spoken at great length in a previous blog called HONEY EVERYWHERE about the benefits of cinnamon. Cinnamon is another natural health booster! Studies have shown that 1/2 a teaspoon of cinnamon per day can help to lower "bad" cholesterol and may help to regulate blood sugar levels. Cinnamon is also believed to have an anti-clotting effect on the blood and a study from Denmark showed that when combined with honey (another ingredient in traditional Chai Tea), it can reduce the pain caused by arthritis. Cinnamon is good for the bones.

CLOVES- 'eugenol' is the active compound in cloves and it may help to prevent digestive tract cancers and joint inflammation as it is a natural anti-inflammatory substance. Cloves are also a source of anti-oxidants. Cloves is also noted for its benefit to the nervous system.

GINGER- For thousands of years, ginger has been used in alternative medicine. It is known to be beneficial for the digestive system and to help reduce nausea, motion sickness and morning sickness in pregnancy. Ginger is also believed to improve cardiovascular and artery health as well as helping to fight the common cold and flu.

NUTMEG- This spice is believed to be able to lower blood pressure, soothe upset stomachs, relieve stress and help remove toxins from the liver. Nutmeg can help relieve gas in the digestive system. Nutmeg can be toxic in large amounts but you would have to drink a lot of Chai Tea to reach that level!

PEPPER- Another spice that is beneficial for the digestive system. In addition pepper contains several powerful antioxidants which fight free radicals with in the body. Pepper is a known blood purifier.

HONEY- I have shared at great length on my site regarding the benefits of honey, please feel free to go back and read from the archives if you haven't had a chance to already. The proven health benefits of honey are growing all the time and it contains many ingredients we should not live without. We use abundant honey in our Green Chai Tea!!

CHAI SPICE RECIPE:

Cardamon 50 g
Cinnamon 50 g
Cloves 25 g
Ginger 30 g
Nutmeg 50 g
Pepper 10 g

Purchase non-irridated spice powder, organic if you are able to.
Mix spice powders together and seal in jars or bags.

For each pot of CHAI SPICE GREEN TEA:
2-3 teaspoons of green tea leaves
1 teaspoon of spice mix
1 tablespoon or more of raw honey
Put leaves and spice in a mesh basket. Steep tea for 10 minutes or more with honey in pot as well. Stir a couple of times while it steeps. Enjoy!!!

ABOUT MATCHA

Matcha Green Tea contains 137 times more EGCGs than normal green tea. Remember EGCGs are potent anti-oxidants that promote good health and longevity.
Unlike normal tea leaves, Matcha tea is prepared by grinding full tea leaves into a fine powder. When you drink a cup of Matcha tea, you're drinking the entire nutrient -rich leaf! In other words, you ae getting ALL of the health benefits that tea leaves have to offer.
MATCHA green tea is the healthiest tea on the planet.

One cup of Matcha tea has about half the caffeine of one cup of coffee.

Green tea contains a compound called tannin. Tannin slows down the absorption of caffeine into the blood. This means that the caffeine from green tea is gradually released over the course of 6-8 hours, unlike the short burst from coffee.
ON top of that, green tea also contains L-theanine, which has a relaxing effect that reduces stress. L-theanine has been shown to promote alpha brain-wave activity, a sign of relaxation.

Thanks to the combined effects of caffeine, tannin, and L-theanine, Matcha tea provides:
+ Improved alertness and focus
+ Improved mood
+ Relaxation and reduced stress
+ Increased feeling of well being
+ Cleansing of toxins from the rich chlorophyll

How to use Matcha-

I actually whisk a teaspoon into my cup of Green Chai Tea on occasion.
Other than that, a simple way to use it is to put a teaspoon or more into a drinking dish or cup and whisk or stir hot water into it. Add milk and honey to make it yummy.
There are actually lots of wonderful smoothie recipes and other ways to use Matcha out there. I will consider adding them to my blog sometime!

Ancient Chinese Proverb:

BETTER TO BE DEPRIVED OF FOOD FOR THREE DAYS THAN TEA FOR ONE

Sunday, October 19, 2008

SALT IN ABUNDANCE!!!

Believe me I LOVE SALT !!!

How hard it is to be told that salt is the ENEMY. It is wrong to fear salt.
In fact it is down right DANGEROUS to believe to that we should limit our salt intake.

How very grateful I am for the knowledge that came to me a few years ago about SEA SALT. Salt is VITAL for our survival as human beings and also for the survival of all living creatures. Water and salt regulate the water content of the body. Water itself regulates the water content of the interior of the cell by working its way into all of the cells it reaches. It has to get there to cleanse and extract toxic wastes of cell metabolisms. Salt forces some water to stay outside the cells. It balances the amount of water that stays outside the cells. There are two oceans of water in the body; one ocean is held inside the cells of the body, and the other ocean is held outside the cells. Good health depends on a most delicate balance between the volume of these oceans, and this balance is achieved by unrefined salt!

Refined salt causes salt cravings, because the need for real salt is not met. Ordinary table salt has been stripped of its companion elements and it contains additive elements such as aluminum silicate, sugar, or yellow prussiate of soda to keep it powdery and porous, plus different bleaches added to the final salt formula.

Natural sea salt allows liquids to freely cross body membranes, the kidney's glomerulus's and blood vessels walls. Whenever the sodium chloride concentration rises in the blood, the water in neighboring tissues is attracted to that salt-rich blood and the cells then re-absorb the enriched inter-cellular fluid. If the kidney's are functioning properly,they remove the saline fluids easily. In fact there are 92 essential minerals in unrefined sea salt that the body very much needs.

I have read that "The Belgian historian Henri Pirenne observed that during the High Middle Ages, the whole of Europe suffered from a salt famine that was to last almost 500 years. The entire continent was thrown into a Dark Age of human under-development, creating an epidemic of crazed people many of whom died from dehydration and madness.Though mined salt from the depths of the earth was substituted, the lack of live, balanced trace elements in rock salt lowered the mental equilibrium and intellect level almost as much as the absence of salt had."

Dr. Jacques de Langre, Ph.D, who wrote the book "Sea Salt's Hidden Powers", states that naturally and properly SUNSHINE-PRESERVED sea salt is the difference between life and death, health and illness, social sanity and planetary panic and its elements are vital for proper body functions. That natural hand-harvested Celtic ocean salt alone helps to maintain life, neutralizes toxins and detrimental bacteria and enhances all our organic function.

Salt is the single element required for the proper breakdown of plant carbohydrates into usable human food.
In ancient Celts times, salt was used to treat major physical and mental disturbances, severe burns, and other aliments. Today biologists attest that seawater (also called "mother liquor') restores hydro-electrolytic imbalances, a disorder that causes loss of immune response, creates allergies and causes many health problems.

WHY EAT CELTIC SEA SALT???

Quote from Dr. Batmanghelidj, M.D.: ABC of Asthma, Allergies & Lupus

According to Dr. Batmanghelidj salt has many functions other than regulating the water content in the body.

* Salt is a strong natural antihistamine. It can be used to relieve asthma by putting it on the tongue after drinking a glass or two of water.
* Salt is vital for extracting excess acidity from inside the cells, particularly the brain cells. If you don't want Alzheimer's disease, don't go salt free.
* Salt is the best diuretic that exists.
* Salt is vital for the kidneys to clear excess acidity and pass the acidity into the urine.With out sufficient salt, the body will become more and more acidic.
* Salt is essential in the treatment of emotional and affective disorders.
* Salt is essential for preserving the serotonin and melatonin levels in the brain. When water and salt perform their natural antioxidant duties and clear the toxic waste from the body, essential amino acids will not be sacrificed as chemical antioxidants.
* Salt in my opinion, is vital for the prevention and treatment of cancer. Cancer cells are killed by oxygen; they are anaerobic "organisms" dehydration- shortage of water and salt, suppresses the immune system and its disease -fighting cells' activity.
* Salt is vital for maintaining muscles tone and strength. Lack of bladder control in those who suffer from involuntary leakage of urine could be a consequence of low salt intake.
* Salt is effective in stabilizing irregular heartbeats and contrary to the misconception that it causes high blood pressure, it is actually essential for the regulation of blood pressure--in conjunction with water.
* Salt is vital for sleep regulation.
* Salt is a vitally needed element in the treatment of diabetics. It helps balance the sugar levels in the blood and reduces the need for injected insulin.
* Salt is vital to the communication and information processing of nerve sells the entire time that the brain cells work--from the moment of conception to death.
* Salt is essential for the absorption of food particles through the intestinal tract.
* Salt is vital for clearing the lungs of mucus plugs and sticky phlegm, particularly in asthma, emphysema and cystic fibrosis sufferers.
* Salt on the tongue will stop persistent coughs.
* Salt is vital for clearing up catarrh and sinus congestion.
* Salt is essential for the prevention of muscle cramps.
* Osteoporosis, in a major way is the result of salt and water shortage in the body.
* Salt is absolutely vital to making the structure of the bones firm.
* Salt is vital for maintaining sexuality and libido.
* Salt is vital for preventing varicose veins and spider veins on the legs and thighs.
According to Dr. Batmanghelidj "As a rule of thumb, you need about 3 grams of salt -half a teaspoon for every 10 glasses of water or a quarter teaspoon for each quart of water.

The Celtic Sea Salt that we use is awesome!! Truly the SALT OF LIFE.

Le Paludier (Salt Farmer) sea salt has a pleasing natural taste.
It is harvested ecologically from a pristine clean shore and dried without artificial heat. All the trace minerals found in nature's own salt have been left undisturbed and in delicate balance.
Le Paludier salt chemically resembles almost exactly amniotic fluid, the 'mini-ocean' for the human fetus.
Le Paludier salt comes from the region of Guerande-Brittany, on the North West coast of France. It is cultivated and harvested without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides and packed under pharmaceutical conditions.
Paludiers, or salt farmers, use wooden tools and follow the ancient tradition of the early Celtic people, allowing the sea water in a series of canals to evaporate on natural clay beds. It is then gently raked into piles and allowed to dry slowly in the sun.
The Le Paludier salt contains about 80 mineral elements that the body needs. Some of these elements are needed in trace amounts.
The following is a partial chemical analysis carried out by the University of Bordeaux. Per 100g of salt

Mineral Matter: Trace Elements

Sodium 37.2g Iron 2.5mg
Magnesium 550mg Manganese 0.55mg
Calcium 40mg Zinc 0.44mg
Potassium 160mg Copper 0.4mg
Sulphur 125mg Cadmium 0.02mg Iodine trace

Unrefined sea salt is a better choice of salt than all other types of salt on the market. It is packaged in coarse and fine ground. It is grey in color and slightly damp. It is vital that the salt retain its natural moisture to hold the magnesium salts. The magnesium salts hold the other minerals in balance.
To use the fine salt requires a dish and spoon or a large holed shaker such as one used for spices. There are some wonderful coarse salt grinders available for the coarse sea salt.

A WORD OF CAUTION !!
Some supermarket or health food store "SEA SALT" has been totally refined. At its origin, it may have come from the sea, but:
* It has been harvested mechanically from dirt or concrete basins with bulldozers and piped through metal conduits
* It has been put through many degrading artificial processes
* It has been heated under extreme heat levels in order to crack its molecular structure
* It has been robbed of all of its essential minerals that are essential to our physiology- these elements are extracted and sold separately to industry, bringing more profit than the salt itself
* It is further adulterated by chemical additives to make it free-flowing , bleached and iodized.
To call what remains "SEA SALT" would be quite misleading!

If you are in need of help to access the salt please feel free to email me.

Monday, September 29, 2008

FLEA SEED ??????

This is just another name for PSYLLIUM!

The word Psyllium originated from a Greek word for flea.
I have been ingesting these "fleas" for over 35 years in the form of BLONDE PSYLLIUM SEED. They are amazing. Before I found them, I had constant issues with terrible constipation, especially during and after pregnancy. Once I began to use psyllium in seed form, there was a dramatic change.

A special mucilage comprises about 30% of the psyllium seed coat. The seed mucilage acts as a soothing lubricant and absorbs toxins in the digestive tract. Psyllium also can relieve diarrhea, by absorbing excess water, and to alleviate bladder and kidney problems, urethritis, and hemorrhoids.
Other Old World uses of psyllium seeds were to treat sores of the mouth and throat, stop nosebleeds, treat complications of the liver, and help to fix loose teeth.

Psyllium was administered to assuage complications from scurvy and worms.

Psyllium is cultivated primarily in West Pakistan, Iran and parts of India, but has also been experimentally planted elsewhere, in Arizona and France.

The seeds contain about 19% fiber, 18.8% protein and 10-20% triglycerides.
Seed mucilage, consisting of polysaccharides, is a soluble fiber. Recently the American Heart Association gave its approval for food manufacturers to make a health claim that "eating soluble fiber from foods such as psyllium as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease." Furthermore, the effect of soluble fiber in one tablespoon of psyllium is equal to fourteen tablespoons of oat bran. Psyllium appears to lower blood cholesterol levels when included as a part of a diet having a low consumption of saturated fats and cholesterol. An article in Pediatrics (1995) also stated that consuming a psyllium from a young age may even reduce the future risk of cardiovascular disease, some cancers (especially colon types) and adult onset diabetes.

My personal experience is that the seeds, rather than the husks are by far the preferable product. There have been issues of allergic reaction to the husks of the psyllium seed. It is unknown as to why, but speculation about the process of removing the husks has been made. Using only the husks deprives one of the other nutrients available in the seed, as they open in the intestinal tract. The seeds, having less pectin than the husks,degrade more slowly in the digestive tract, releasing acetates and butyrates that may protect the lining of the colon from mutations that lead to colon cancer. The seed however, do not relieve constipation as quickly as the psyllium husk.
Psyllium products reduce the appetite. By bulking the stool, they relieve pain caused by ulcerative colitis and reduce frequency of fecal incontinence.

A couple of CAUTIONS I need to talk about are:
- ALWAYS drink plenty of liquid when taking psyllium seed.
- NEVER chew the seeds. The oil they contain is not meant to be available to the system before they open naturally in the intended place, where it will then nourish and heal. There have been reports of stomach distress and diarrhea from chewing the seeds.

My method of ingesting the seeds is to simply stir 1 tsp. of them into a small amount to liquid with my powdered GREENS and quickly drink them down in the morning. YUMMY!!

Let me know if you need any help to find good product. hiswayforhealth@yahoo.ca

Thursday, September 25, 2008

WOLFBERRIES / GOJI BERRIES

Wolfberries are the bright red, one-third to three-quarter inch fruit of the wolfberry plant. Also called "goji", they are native to China, Tibet, and India, and they have a long tradition of use in folk medicine.
For over 2,000 years, Tibetan Goji berries have been known in many parts of Asia as nature's most antioxidant-rich fruit. They have been used to promote longevity, organ strength, and emotional balance.
* Ancient Chinese medical texts extolled wolfberries for strengthening the eyes, liver, and kidneys as well as fortifying the "qi" (chi), or life force.
* An early medical work, Shen Nung Ben Tsao (475-221 B.C.), sited benefits for wolfberries ranging from replenishing vital essences to strengthening and restoring vital organs.
* The physician's handbook, Ben Cao Gang Mu, written during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 A.D.) stated, " Taking Chinese wolfberry regularly may regulate the flow of vital energy and strengthen the physique, which can lead to longevity."

LI Qing Yuen, a great Master Herbalist,who apparently lived to the age of 252 years (1678-1930), consumed Goji berries daily. In an article published in the Domestic and Foreign magazine in the 1950's about him, Li attributed his longevity to taking five grams of wolfberries every day. He said "From then on I became healthy and agile. I can walk a hundred li (a li equals half a kilometer) and not get tired. I became better in strength and stamina than the average person."

The best Goji Berries grow in protected valleys in million year old soil in wild and cultivated areas. The plants grow like bushes with vines that reach over 15 feet. The berries are never touched by hand as they will oxidize and turn black if touched while fresh. Traditionally,they are shaken onto mats,then dried.

GOJI BERRY NUTRIENTS:

ANTIOXIDANTS- Goji Berries rate extremely high on the ORAC test which rates the antioxidant content of food. They score a whooping 25,300. By comparison,a few other foods considered to be good as antioxidants score as follows-
dark chocolate - 13,120
blueberries - 2,400
spinach - 1,260
broccoli - 890
Carotenoids, those powerful antioxidants found in Goji Berries, can increase the strength of your immune system and decrease your risk of developing cancer. They may also help to protect you against premature aging.

VITAMIN C- Goji Berries contain 500 times more vitamin C than oranges. Vitamin C is another powerful antioxidant.

MINERALS- There are twenty-one trace minerals in Goji Berries. These include, calcium, iron (15 times more iron than spinach), zinc, copper, selenium, germanium, and phosphorus.

PROTEIN- Eighteen amino acids(6X higher than Bee Pollen), including all eight essential amino acids. Goji Berries are a complete protein.

SESQUITERPENOIDS- Natural antibacterial and anti-fungal agents.

POLYSACCHARIDES- Fortify the immune system. A polysaccharide found in this fruit has been found to be a powerful secretagogue-a substance that stimulates the secretion of rejuvenatory human growth hormone by the pituitary gland.

BETA-SITOSTEROL- A powerful and all natural anti-inflammatory agent.

BETAINE- a nutrient that promotes healthy liver function.

The Chinese call Goji the HAPPY BERRY and regular consumption is said to bring a cheerful attitude. In Asia they have a festival to cherish the berry,that lasts for two weeks!

Just to recap on why you would eat GOJI BERRIES:

*they protect the liver
*they help eyesight
*they improve sexual function and fertility
*they strengthen the legs
*they boost immune function
*they improve circulation
*they promote longevity
*they are anti-inflammatory
*they are anti-bacterial and anti-fungal
*they are powerful antioxidants
*they bring emotional balance (I would eat them just for this!!)

My first experience with Goji Berries was in Calgary, Alberta, when I was working in a whole foods market. A very elderly customer asked me to help her serve some Goji Berries for purchase. As I was helping her, we began to talk about the berries. She said that three years previous, she had had a surgery on her right eardrum. The wound had never healed despite much medical help. Once she began to pour boiling water over some Goji Berries each morning, first drinking the tea and then consuming the berries, her ear healed within a couple of weeks. This 83 year old said she would never want to be without the Goji Berries again!

I would choose to source Goji Berries from Dr. Ben Kim. He brings in his Goji from Tibet and Mongolia. His Goji Berries are properly handled and processed, giving you the most for your money. Let me know if you need help to find his products.

My email is hiswayforhealth@yahoo.ca. I will be happy to help in any way that I can.

GET ON TO THE GOJI BERRIES!!!