apple

apple, berries

• Apples actually have properties that resemble those of penicillin.  Fresh apple juice or fresh apple sauce can successfully fight infections such as stomach flu, and polio viruses.
• Apples also help prevent cavities in your teeth: Eat a thin apple slice or two after every meal, or snack, and it will reduce the danger of cavities substantially.
• Strawberry extract, raspberries, blueberries and wild cranberries all have antiviral properties and can fight intestinal viruses, including the herpes simplex virus, and the polio virus.  Generally speaking, berries have a cleansing effect on the blood.

Via: ezinearticles.com

Apples can neutralize stomach acid.

According to some experts, Granny Smith and Braeburn apples are great acid neutralizers and those who prefer natural remedies might want to give them a try. Apples contain malic and tartaric acids which naturally neutralize stomach acids. This reduces stomach pressure, which lessens the likelihood of heartburn. History notes that people have used the natural antacids of apples for many years to relieve discomforts brought about by heartburn. Since apples are natural you can eat as many apples as you’d like without getting any adverse effects.

Apple cider vinegar is another good remedy.

Vinegar is also another popular homemade remedy for heartburn, especially the apple cider vinegar. You can take a couple of teaspoonfuls of this vinegar in a cup of water or in applesauce to experience an immediate healing effect. Vinegar adds to the bulk of the acid in the digestive system and aids in the digestion process.

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Elderberry, Oregano, mushrooms – here are three more ideas on how to fight the flu this winter, without vaccination !

Via: Collingwood Enterprise Bulletin – Ontario, CA

Natural cold and flu protection

It’s getting to be that time of year again, when the warm weather gradually gives way to colder temperatures and the inevitable rise of more colds and flus. As such, we need to have our immune defenses ready for the change in season.

Many people will be putting their faith into flu shots, but is this really an ideal form of protection? Much has been written about the highly questionable efficacy (and safety) of vaccinations in recent years. As Alan Phillips, researcher and co-director of Citizens for Healthcare Freedom (CHF) explained in his eye-opening article,Dispelling Vaccination Myths,”natural immunity is a complex phenomenon involving many organs and systems; it cannot be fully replicated by the artificial stimulation of antibody production.”

Reaching for a bottle of cough syrup or some other over-the-counter medication to deal with cold symptoms isn’t an ideal solution either. These methods may cover up the symptoms of a cold, but they do nothing to improve the immune system or battle the underlying infection. In fact, certain drugs promoted as cold-relievers like aspirin actually deplete and inhibit the body’s absorption of key immune-supporting nutrients like vitamin C. By contrast, herbs like Elderberry and Oregano support and strengthen the body’s immune resistance to cold and flu viruses.

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And this is for all of you with little ones:

Via: ajc.com

Cold medicines and children: a dangerous mix?
OTC medicines are risky, so use caution and try alternatives first

By HELENA OLIVIERO

As the seasons change and parents reach for over-the-counter cold medicine for their icky-feeling children, they may be baffled by new instructions: Do not give them to kids under 4.

Drug companies recently announced they are voluntarily changing the labels for OTC cold and cough medicines in a nod to pediatricians long arguing they do little good and aren’t worth the risks.
So now what?

“I just want my children to be comforted, to sleep well at night and get over it,” said Ray Alyssa Rothman, Atlanta mom to three kids 4 and under.

Dr. Brad Weselman of Kids Health First Pediatric Alliance said parents need not fret — or open the medicine cabinet.

He believes OTC options not only pose a danger of an accidental overdose, but also a threat of side effects. Some medications can make children excessively groggy, making it difficult for them to concentrate at school, he said. Others, he said, can make a child “wired” and increase their heart rate.

Instead, Weselman suggests saline drops, warm apple juice and gargling with salt water.

“We know parents want to give their kids something when they are miserable,” he says. “And I feel the same way. But the benefits don’t balance the side effects.”

The new labels — slated to hit the shelves this upcoming cold season — are being employed after a study found more than 7,000 children get rushed to emergency rooms every year because of adverse reactions with OTC cough and cold medicines. Most of the cases involve kids overdosing when parents aren’t around, according to the study published in the April issue of Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

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Via: MailTribune.com

Cultivating a tea garden makes a very fresh brew
AP
Staff and wire reports
June 11, 2008

A cup of tea at breakfast or over lunch is one of life’s simple indulgences. It’s even more special — and not much more difficult — if you grow the herbs yourself.

“Tea is one of my favorite ways to use herbs,” says Ellen Scannell, a master gardener and food preserver certified by Oregon State University.

Many of the best tea herbs are easy to grow, beautiful and naturally resistant to pests. Even if you don’t have garden space, many delightful tea herbs will grow in containers on a porch or windowsill.

“Mint is the classic one,” Scannell says.

Consider mint species with other subtle flavors including apple, pineapple, chocolate, orange, ginger and lemon. Scannell also favors lemon verbena. Daisy-like chamomiles can cheer up any garden and make a soothing tea.

Once you’ve chosen your herbs, it’s easy to harvest, dry, store and brew.

Here is how:

apple, chicory, endive, grapefruit

• To make gall stones pass, drink nothing but apple cider vinegar for a day, 1/2 a cup five times a day. For the next three days, drink a mixture of 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar and 1/4 cup of pure virgin olive oil mixed together, again five times a day. On the 5th day,the stones should pass, never to come back.
• Eating more apples will prevent cholesterol-induced gall stones from forming in the first place.
• A tea of chicory root and endive tea helps expelling gallstones very well. Bring 1 quart of water to a boil, add 3 tbsp of chicory root, reduce heat and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, add half a cut of raw and finely cut endive. Cover and let steep for 45 minutes. Drink several cups of the tea twice a day between meal times. Make sure that one of the two times is about 2 hours before retiring for the night.
• Expelling gall stones and stopping gallbladder pain can be achieved by taking 2 tbsp of olive oil every morning, followed by 1/2 cup of grapefruit juice.

apple, banana, blackberries, carob powder

• An apple a day prevents both constipation and diarrhea. In case of acute diarrhea, grate one ripe apple and let the pulp stand at room temperature for several hours and don’t eat it until it has darkened considerably. The oxidized pectin that is found in the fruit is the basic ingredient of brand name diarrheal medication.
• Cooked mashed banana is another simple remedy for diarrhea.
• Grandma’s old time blackberry juice recipe works well to cure even small children’s diarrhea (6 month and older): Put 1 tsp of all spice in a cheesecloth bag and simmer in unsweetened blackberry juice for a few minutes. For babies, give a teaspoon of the cooled juice every 4 hours. Within 24 hours, the diarrhea should have diminished significantly, and within 48 hours the problem should have disappeared. For older children and adults, increase the doses.
• Carob pods are rich in one class of tannins and therefore carob powder has strong anti-viral properties. Against bacterial-induced diarrhea even in infants who do not eat solid food yet (younger than 4 months), add carob powder to pumped breast milk or formula drink to correct this life-threatening condition. If your child eats solid foods already, add 25 of carob powder to carrot soup to successfully block even E. coli.

apple, black tea, lemon, strawberries, raspberries

• A thin slice or two of raw apple after every meal or snack substantially decreases tooth cavities, for children as well as adults.
• Strawberries, raspberries are very useful in preventing tartar from settling on the teeth. Cut either berry in half and rub the fruit over tartar covered teeth, or mash to a pulp and apply with a soft toothbrush and a little water. Let fruit stay on the teeth for as long as possible and rinse only with a little warm water for best results.
• For a good berry mouthwash, mix a cup of berry juice with 1/4 cup of honey and bring to a boil for a second. After the mixture cooled off, add 1.5 cups of distilled water, half a cup of thyme tea, and 4 drops of peppermint oil. For thyme tea bring 1-3/4 pints of water to a boil and steep a dozen sprigs of fresh or dried thyme in it. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for half an hour. Gargle and rinse with the berry-thyme mixture in order to kill all kinds of infections.
• Black tea inhibits growth of bacteria that are common to plaque buildup on teeth.
• To stop gums from bleeding after brushing your teeth, rub the inside of lemon peel over your gums every day. The bleeding will stop after a few days.

apple, cabbage, carrots

• An apple a day prevents both constipation and diarrhea. When constipated, a baked apple at night, followed by another baked apple for breakfast is known to do the trick well.
• Cabbage promotes increased bowel movements – 5 cups of shredded cabbage twice a week, raw or cooked, is suggested.
• Carrots clear up constipation, even more effectively so if combined in the same meal with cabbage. Some Cole Slaw recipes contain both ingredients.