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Aloe Vera has been used to heal both internally and externally. Derived from the Aloe Vera plant, it has long, spiked leaves, which are thick-skinned and contain a clear gel-like substance. It is used today in many products, including cosmetics, skin lotions and moisturizers, burn gels and even sun screen creams.

It speeds the healing of many skin injuries, including burns, hives and poison ivy; and also acts as a laxative. For minor burns, the stabilized aloe gel is applied topically to the affected area of the skin three to five times per day. Treatment of more serious burns should only be done under the supervision of a healthcare professional. In addition, apart from providing relief from itching, it helps to heal blisters and sores. For people suffering from Psoriasis, Aloe Vera has provided relief by reducing the pain and itching. It has been proved that the gel causes considerable improvement in the nature of lesions as well.

The laxative element of the plant works by preventing the absorption of water from the bowel. For constipation, a single 50-200 mg capsule of aloe latex can be taken each day for a maximum of ten days. This component of Aloe also kills some bacteria, and is believed to act against a variety of viruses including herpes, chickenpox, and flu. It is recommended not to combine Aloe with other medications that are used to flush water and potassium from the body.

For internal use of aloe gel, two tablespoons, three times per day, is used by some people for inflammatory bowel conditions, such as Crohn’s disease and colitis. However, while commercial gels and juices, which are processed under strict controls, can be found at most health food stores as well as many supermarkets, it is always recommended that one consult a physician before self-treating a medical condition.

Technorati Tags: Aloe Vera, disease, Health

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This smoothie is full of antioxidant rich foods like greens, berries, kiwi, and flax, making it a powerful and flavorful way to start the day. Kids love the unusual color.

Makes 4 servings

1 (10oz) package of frozen mixed berries
2 green kale leaves, washed and chopped
1 and 1/2 cups apple juice or filtered water
1 mango, peeled and cubed
1 kiwi peeled and cubed
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed

Place all ingredients in a blender - I suggest the VitaMix - and process until smooth and creamy. Serve immediately.

If you are in the mood for something more exotic I was reading the blog of another woman who makes smoothies that send her on a trip to Nirvana…hmmmm.

Technorati Tags: smoothie, berries, flaxseed, kids

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So you have heard all the news of late that chocolate can actually be good for you with all of its natural antioxidant power right? Yes, it’s true! And here at NatureMoms we want to help you get your hands on some of that yummy chocolate. The first three people to comment on this post will get some delicious, antioxidant rich chocolates from Xocai.

Let’s face it. We’re all going to eat chocolate. But you don’t have to feel guilty! Chocolate is actually good for you…it’s all the things added to it that are the problem. Here’s how you can choose delicious healthy chocolates to enjoy anytime.

Health Benefits

The gift of chocolate to a beloved as a token of love is more than just tradition. Naturally-occurring compounds in chocolate produce that mild euphoria of being in love and contribute to enjoyable interpersonal relations by elevating mood and enhancing sensory perception.

Beyond good feelings, chocolate benefits the body in many ways. In moderation, chocolate can contribute to heart health, help you live longer, suppress a chronic cough, and add needed magnesium to your diet. Chocolate even contains a high level of chromium, which can help control blood sugar.

Health Problems

While chocolate itself is fine to eat, there are some substances present in chocolate products that you should watch out for.

Most chocolate products contain tremendous amounts of refined white sugar, which is harmful to health in many ways.

Chocolate may also contain pesticides. The EPA allows various levels of pesticide residue to be present in cocoa powder, and the FDA Total Diet Study found them in many chocolate products.

Many chocolates also contain the toxic metals cadminum and lead. “Significant levels” of these metals were found in 68% of the common chocolate products tested. There is no safe level for lead, and it is particularly harmful to children.

Healthy Chocolate Choices

Here are some guidelines for choosing the healthiest chocolates.

1. Choose chocolates with the least amount of refined white sugar or other sweetener. Dark “bittersweet” chocolates with a high percentage of cocoa solids (usually the label will state the exact percentage) have less sugar than semisweet or milk chocolate and also have the greatest health benefits. Keep in mind that flavor additions, such as dried fruits and candied ginger may also add sugar to the chocolate.

2. Choose chocolates sweetened with evaporated cane juice or barley malt. If the evaporated cane juice used is the unprocessed whole juice of the cane, it acts in the body like a whole food and doesn’t give a sugar rush. Barley malt is also a slow-release sweetener, noted on the label as “grain-sweetened.”

3. Choose organic chocolates. Certified organic chocolate ensures there are no harmful pesticide residues.

4. Make your own chocolates. It’s easy to make many chocolate delights yourself, with the exact ingredients you want. Start with unsweetened cocoa powder or baking chocolate and be creative!

5. Choose quality over quantity. If you are going to eat chocolate, eat really good chocolate. Then, for maximum enjoyment, give the taste of the chocolate your full attention, eat it at a time when you are not famished or overly full, and allow the chocolate to melt in your mouth to make the experience last.

So go ahead and enjoy chocolate, in moderation, as part of an otherwise healthy diet,

Learn more about healthy chocolate at http://www.debraslist.com/food/aboutchocolate.html

Hailed as “The Queen of Green” by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a leading consumer advocate for products and lifestyle choices that are better for health and the environment since 1982. Visit her website at http://www.dld123.com to sign up for her free email newsletters and to browse 100s of links to 1000s of nontoxic, natural and earthwise products.

Technorati Tags: Health, Chocolate, Antioxidants, Xocai

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Would you be surprised to learn that spending a small fortune on beauty products is quite unnecessary? All of the ingredients you’ll ever need are in your kitchen or pantry cabinet.
Here are two ways in which you can use natural home beauty remedies in a flash.

Olive Oil: You cook and bake with it; but did you know you can use it in a variety of other ways? Because olive oil is chemical free, it can be used on your skin; as a bath oil, moisturizer, massager, and conditioner. For example: You can apply a mixture of olive oil and lemon juice to your skin before bedtime to reduce wrinkles and, at the same time, moisturize your skin. To strengthen your nails, soak them in warm extra virgin olive oil for five minutes. Massage your sore muscles with a mixture of extra virgin olive oil and rosemary. Apply olive oil to dry hair as an overall conditioner. It will leave your hair smooth and shiny.

Oatmeal: Wouldn’t you love a facial? Get out the box of oatmeal from your cabinet and begin. This oatmeal facial will not only exfoliate, but moisturize your skin as well. Here are the steps: Take out a package of instant oatmeal; add a half a cup of water; two tablespoons yogurt; two tablespoons of honey and one egg white. Mix the water and oatmeal, then add the additional ingredients. Apply a thin layer to your face. Leave it on for about 15 minutes or until you feel tightness; then rinse your face with warm water.

Technorati Tags: Beauty, Home Remedy, Olive Oil, Oatmeal

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I had the good fortune to come across a wonderful book just the other day. It isn’t normally the subject matter that would have grabbed my attention while standing in Barnes and Noble but I quickly became engrossed nonetheless. The book is called What You Must Do To Escape the Bird Flu.

I knew I would like the book right after reading the introduction in which we meet the author and learn about her motives for writing the book and gain some insight into her life. She is a woman after my own heart….a cancer survivor like myself, a supporter of homeopathic medicine and alternative health, and the director of an organic foods buying co-op.

I went on to read the first chapter with tears in my eyes as I became engrossed in the story of a family that comes into contact with the bird flu after one family member is exposed while traveling. I cry for the mother who loses her husband within days after exposure to the bird flu and must watch her children slip away, all the while becoming increasingly sick herself. I cry for what “could” be.

This is where we learn that we must be prepared for something like this. We cannot be so arrogant as to think that global disasters cannot touch us. We are threatened by many disasters in this day and age: global warming, terrorist attacks, hurricanes, and yes pandemic illness. The question is: If one of these disasters were to find its’ way to our doorstep would we be prepared? And of course that leads to another question…why not prepare yourself, even if you believe you will not ever be affected? “Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.” That is what it comes down too and that is why this book is so important.

I did not know much about the bird flu pandemic of 1918 so it was nice to learn a bit about his chapter in human history. The Chapter “What Did We Learn from the 1918 Bird Flu?” was a big eye-opener and it outlined some of the reasons why that pandemic hit so hard and a BIG factor in that situation according to the author and other sources was stress. The stresses we put on our body…chemical, physical, emotional, and sleep related contribute to our overall health and can make us susceptible to illness. These factors are detailed in the book…and it may shock you to discover what age group was hardest hit by the 1918 flu. It surprised me at first but the logic was overwhelming.

Some other great topics discussed where: the people who will be hit the hardest by Bird Flu, 10 simple things you can do, how to survive if the Bird Flu hits, medical care and home remedies if conventional medicine is not available, and food storage and cooking tips. I was delighted to see that many of the survival skills recommended for us to learn were ones that I already have courtesy of my natural family living lifestyle.

Not only does this book outline the ways in which you can protect yourself in the event of pandemic illness it gives us good information about staying healthy and avoiding illness in general. The information about vitamins, health supplements, and healthy lifestyle practices is great to have. Who doesn’t need that information right? The correlation between an alkaline pH and a body that is a ripe host for viruses and cancers was information that I really needed, having just went through a battle with cancer.

I really enjoyed this book. It is now totally dog eared where I have marked pages with important information or sources that I want to explore further. I have also spent a little too much at Amazon buying books and other products that were referenced by the author. So be warned! But this is one book that a health conscience person should not be without…especially if you are concerned with pandemic illness like the Bird Flu!

And don’t forget to stop by the author’s web site: www.escapethebirdflu.com

Technorati Tags: Bird Flu, Health, Illness, Pandemic, Sickness, Book Review

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There are lots of reasons why you might want to ditch the Crest or those sugary, children’s toothpastes that you find at the grocery store and go with a more natural option. For me this is clear whenever I see my three year old daughter brushing her teeth for the…oh I don’t know…eleventh or twelve time in a day.

Luckily, there are some great options out there in the natural toothpaste department. The options are not as great though for children’s toothpastes (aka toothpastes they will actually use) but here are a few to ponder:

Tom’s of Maine Natural Liquid Toothpaste for Children, Goofy Grape - Natural fruit extracts provide flavor; fluoride free so you don’t have to worry if more ends up in your child’s tummy than in the sink. No artificial ingredients. No animal testing.

Herbal Toothpaste for Kids, Bubblegum - Does Not Contain: Artificial Sweeteners, Dyes, Chemical Preservatives.

Toms Natural Toothpaste, Kids Silly Strawberry - Fluoride-Free Toothpaste for Children uses calcium and silica to gently clean, and the delicious real fruit flavor appeals to your child”s taste - not artificial sparkles and bubble gum flavors.

Weleda Toothpaste, Children’s Tooth Gel - Gently Cleans Baby Teeth. Safe to Swallow, Pleasant Taste, Fluoride-Free.

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So did you watch? I did! I think it was the first time I had watched in oh….about 5 years or so. I decided to tune in this year because I wanted to see An Inconvenient Truth get its much deserved award. I hoped, hoped, hoped that it would win and it did!!! After it won I thought…well of course it was going to win. Who even heard of the other nominees??? I am sure they were important works but you just can’t compete with An Inconvenient Truth!

I also wanted to get a glimpse of Al Gore (yes I am a fan) and I was not disappointed. He did a hilarious bit with woooah baby…another gentleman I like and a “green” icon to boot…Leonardo DiCaprio. They talked a bit about global warming and Leonardo baited him to announce plans that he would once again run for president. Al seemingly took the bait and started his announcement speech when….alas the famous Oscar music drowned him out. Hilarious.

BUT the real purpose of their team effort on the Academy Awards stage was to announce that for the first year ever the Oscars had gone green and that every aspect of the show from the planning to the production was environmentally friendly. Very nice.

I also tuned in to see how Leonardo DiCaprio would be received for his role in Blood Diamond, another movie that I really enjoyed this past year. I was disappointed that he did not take home the Best Actor award. :( 

But all in all a good show.

Technorati Tags: Academy Awards, Oscars, Al Gore, Leonardo DiCaprio, Environment, Best Actor

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Okay, so I read this book a long time ago and just never got around to posting my review. Shame on me.

The Description: The bestselling author of The Botany of Desire explores the ecology of eating to unveil why we consume what we consume in the twenty-first century

“What should we have for dinner?” To one degree or another this simple question assails any creature faced with a wide choice of things to eat. Anthropologists call it the omnivore’s dilemma. Choosing from among the countless potential foods nature offers, humans have had to learn what is safe, and what isn’t-which mushrooms should be avoided, for example, and which berries we can enjoy. Today, as America confronts what can only be described as a national eating disorder, the omnivore’s dilemma has returned with an atavistic vengeance. The cornucopia of the modern American supermarket and fast-food outlet has thrown us back on a bewildering landscape where we once again have to worry about which of those tasty-looking morsels might kill us. At the same time we’re realizing that our food choices also have profound implications for the health of our environment. The Omnivore’s Dilemma is bestselling author Michael Pollan’s brilliant and eye-opening exploration of these little-known but vitally important dimensions of eating in America.

Okay so what did I think of it? It was quite simply…brilliant. Michael Pollan goes about eating different meals…McDonalds, a home cooked meal with Whole Foods purchases, and at a “beyond organic” farm in Virginia…and then tells us about how all of the food required for those meals came to be on his plate. His journey takes us to farms, meat packing plants, and the like. He also goes into so much detail about our foods such as the lengthy chapter on corn and how this one plant has affected our lives and economy so negatively. He also gives insight into why conventional foods are priced the way they are through government subsidies…not a true indication of what food really costs to make it to our plates.

This book really made me wonder about Americans and our ability to micromanage so many aspects of our lives…our finances, our jobs, our homes, our children…but do we care about where our food came from? Do we micromanage that process…heck no. But is that really smart? After reading The Omnivore’s Dilemma I think it would wise for all of us to find out where our food comes from and at what price…economically, socially, and environmentally. Not to mention the cost it has on our health! But yet we see so many people zooming through fast food joints, grabbing a quick meal for the whole family. Why are they are so trusting that the dinner they are buying is even remotely good for them?

So, where do we go from there? Pollan introduces us to a smart farmer named Joel Salatin who understands that the “yearning in the human soul to smell a flower, pet a pig, and enjoy food with a face has never been stronger.” The description of this farm was so compelling that I fully plan to make a stop there someday and meet this amazing man if I can.

These are just a few of the root issues that UC Berkeley-based investigative journalist and bestselling author Michael Pollan explores in this trailblazing book. The reader comes away learning that “however we choose to feed ourselves, we eat by the grace of nature, not industry, and what we’re eating is never anything more or less than the body of the world.

Technorati Tags: Omnivore’s Dilemma, Michael Pollan, Organic, McDonalds, Book Review

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What is the Great Milk Bilk? According to Dean Kleckner the price of our milk is about to go up but without any improvement in quality…thus bilking the consumer. Why will prices go up? Because dairy farmers are being pressured to stop using rBST, a synthetic hormone that makes cows produce more milk. This is good for dairy farmers because it reduces their costs and without this hormone they will raise the prices of our milk. And those farmer are steaming mad that some milk producers are labeling their milk products “rBST Free”.

This article is frought with misinformation about how safe and wonderful rBST is. I am not sure how anyone can overlok the fact that synthetic hormones have no place in our food AND the cruelty on using this hormone within cows is just shocking. Read the article here.

Technorati Tags: Milk, rBST, organic

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