Green Tea : My Take

These days you see green tea being pushed almost everywhere as a health food, or healthy ingredient. This is another case of pushing too hard to find benefits, and ignoring the negative.

Let's talk about some of the problems. All kinds of studies are being done to extol the virtues of green tea. But they all seem to be aimed at the benefits that come from antioxidants. In my opinion there are many safer ways to get wonderful antioxidants.

Yes, green tea has a supply of antioxidants. But it isn't that great of a source. In fact if you actually look at the studies that are making wonderful health claims about green tea, you see that the benefits are very small. For instance claiming that a 2% improvement by those who drink green tea is "significant". Most studies of just about anything can flex 2% or more just due to errors and idiosyncrasies of the studies. It is bizarre to claim 2% as a great victory for green tea drinkers.

OK, so what are the negatives of green tea consumption.

The first and most obvious is caffeine. See my recent discussion about caffeine (here) if you don't understand that danger.

Another of my major concerns, since I care for an Alzheimer's patient, is that green tea contains fluoride. While trace levels of fluoride are beneficial to health, we get so much of it in the modern diet that it is causing many problems. One of the main problems with too much fluoride in the body is that it facilitates heavy metals being stored in soft tissues. (Like aluminum in the brain.) No wonder we are seeing so many more cases of Alzheimer's disease.

Green tea also interferes with the assimilation of iron. Anemia is a major problem in our society already.

Green tea also should be avoided by ladies who are pregnant or planning to become so. It causes birth defects.

Green tea also has estrogen effects. Messing with hormones is not a safe thing to do.

If you want to get all the claimed benefits of green tea, but don't want the downsides, consider eating more turmeric along with fresh fruit and veggies.

In my opinion, everyone should avoid green tea. Yes, that would apply to you. :-)

Marathon Report and Tips

I had a great time this last weekend running with my brothers in a marathon. Four of us went to South Carolina and ran the Kiawah Island Marathon.

Kiawah is a beautiful little resort island just off the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. It is a resort with golf courses nestled amongst some beautiful wooded areas. It is a pretty flat course that basically circles the island twice.

The four of us had been training for this marathon for quite awhile, so we were mostly well prepared and had a good time of it.

Remember, never try to run a marathon without training for it. I did that once. The pain lasted for months. With proper training, the pain and discomforted is very minimal. My brothers and I all seem to be doing very well just a couple of days after this one.

The main goal for us in this marathon was to get my brother qualified for the Boston Marathon. He is 56 years old, and so needed to do it in less than 3 hours and 46 minutes. He followed his training regimen faithfully and worked hard most of this year. His training got him to the point to where he could accomplish this herculean task physically. Then it was my job to help him stay on pace through the 26.2 mile course.

The start of the race was very crowded and very slow. Our first mile took more than 9 minutes, and we needed to average more like 8 and a half minutes for each mile. So we picked it up and endeavored to stay close to 8:24 for each mile. We did very good right up until about the 25th mile. At this point I could tell that he was having some trouble, but we had managed to get a minute or two of cushion, by keeping to this slightly increased pace, so I allowed him to ease up just a bit for that mile. We did that one in about 8:45. I didn't want to lose our last minute of cushion, just in case he cramped up and had to walk in, so for the last 1.2 miles I increased our pace back to what it had been. He pushed himself to stay with me, in spite of the fatigue and stiffness he was experiencing, and we cruised on through to the end.

We thought we had finished with a minute or two to spare, but when we looked at his official time posted on the bulletin board, we were shocked to see they had clocked him at 3:44:50. Only 10 seconds ahead of his 3:45 goal.

But he was gratified that next to his name on the list was an asterisk, signifying that he had indeed qualified to run in the Boston Marathon.

He was so elated about his finish that he went around telling everyone that he was a "Boston Qualifier". It was great! He worked hard and accomplished his goal.

Remember that that is what it takes to get to where you want to be. Set a goal, and work hard to achieve it. Don't give up, just because there is some pain or discomfort involved. Some people may consider you crazy for even setting the goal and starting to move toward it, but if you want it, and pursue it with your heart and might, you can achieve it.

You will most likely have to do things that other people are not willing to do. But that is what makes you a winner!

There will inevitably be setbacks and seemingly overwhelming roadblocks along the way, but stay the course. My brother had several problems that arose during his training. But, he would call me, and we would talk and discover ways around his roadblocks and challenges. He continued to work hard and believe that it is was possible, and so he accomplished his goal.

I also feel the need to mention that he had the support and prayers of his brothers. That can make more of a difference than you might ever imagine. We prayed for him before the race, as well as during. In those final miles when he was feeling the stress of the accumulating miles, there were multiple prayers offered up in his behalf. And, of course, after it was over, there were prayers of gratitude.

The spiritual side of things is also very physical. I will probably blog about that more later.

It is always a good idea to get a coach or a mentor to help you to move forward toward your goals and aspirations. Someone that you can talk to and confide in. Ideally someone who knows how to get to where you want to be. Someone who has been there.

Anyone can look up an address and give you directions on how to get there. But those who have actually been there and live there can tell you about potholes to avoid and land marks to watch for along the way. They can make the journey much simpler. Even telling you about things that may have changed since the latest maps were made.

Look for people who are doing and living the way that you want to live and do.

I hope that those of you who are looking for better health and fitness will consider me as one of your major coaches and mentors. Feel free to contact me and ask questions. I am here to help.

I am a marathoner, a health researcher, and a fourth stage cancer survivor. I have searched out the answers to most of your health questions. I live a healthy life style, independent of medications, or other potions and pills. I would love the chance to help you to do the same.

The Benefits of Caffeine : Beware

There is information being circulated about the benefits of caffeine.

Beware! There is a lot of money behind this push, so it is wide spread. Even some medical doctors have bought into the idea. However it is based on very questionable studies. These studies don't concentrate on caffeine, they are just used as excuses to say that caffeine is good for you.

It's kind of like all the studies on alcohol. There is so much money behind it, and so many people wanting to have excuses for using and abusing alcohol. They come up with all kinds of supposed health benefits of alcohol. But in the process they totally ignore the simple fact that alcohol kills brain cells every time it is taken internally in any amount. They also ignore the problem of addiction.

Caffeine has all the same problems, but in slightly different ways. It stops the brain from functioning normally. It makes the body think that there is an emergency, so that it kicks up the production of adrenaline. It is also very addictive. It disrupts sleep, even when taken much earlier in the day. You might still sleep through the night, but you don't get the deep restful and restorative sleep that the body needs to really heal and recuperate.

Caffeine causes headaches, and it can relieve headaches. This is because it causes constriction of the blood vessels in the brain. Some headaches are caused by this and some are relieved, depending on the cause of the headache. Remember, that alleviating pain is not always a good thing. Some one stomping on your toe will make you forget about your sore finger for a while, but it doesn't solve the problem. It creates more problems. This is the long term problem of most all drugs.

Looking at the studies, we see that pretty much all the supposed health benefits of caffeine are actually from the polyphenols in the coffee beans, not actually a product of the caffeine.

Caffeine also raises blood pressure. This is not something that most people need. And if you do need to raise your blood pressure there are much more healthy ways to do it. Low blood pressure is often a symptom of dehydration. This means your body needs more salt water. I highly recommend that everyone gets lots of mineralized water everyday, all day. Exercise is also an excellent way to stabilize blood pressure. Yoga has been show to be excellent for both lowering high blood pressure and raising low blood pressure.

Caffeine is a drug, and it is addictive. The supposed health benefits are highly exaggerated. Beware!

Joseph Smith and Herbal Medicine by John Heinerman

I have been asked to give my opinion of a book.

Joseph Smith and Herbal Medicine
by John Heinerman

I have read this book and found it to be interesting. Following are some of my thoughts about it.

As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints it was interesting to see the authors beliefs about statements made by and about Joseph Smith regarding herbs.

My first reaction was that this man (the author) tends to fall into the same trap that many LDS people fall into when they are excited about a particular subject. They try to compare what they are so excited about, with the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. They then make the leap of saying that since there are many similarities (in their view) then this thing they have discovered must be true, like the gospel is true.

Mr. Heinerman makes this analogy, and concludes that therefore, herbalism (as taught by Samuel Thomson) must be the only true form of medicine. This is just plain silly. Thomson was not and is not a prophet of God.

He then goes on to use quotes from third parties and definitions from dictionaries to prove that the prophet, Joseph Smith, felt the same way that he does about it.

There are of course other definitions of herbs that would not be so much to the author's liking. So, of course, he didn't mention them.

I very much enjoyed the history contained in the book (I've always been fascinated with history). However, I noted that most of the points the author is trying to make are made by people who were not leaders of the church, and more importantly were not prophets. The actual quotes of prophets are few and far between, and commentary before and after the quotes assumes things that are not contained in the quotes.

I personally do like the use of herbs in certain contexts, and usually think of herbalism as much preferable to most modern drugs. However, herbs are very much like drugs, and must be used with great caution and knowledge and skill.

In my opionion, a much better understanding of the mentions of herbs found in the scriptures, and particularly "The Word of Wisdom", is to use vegetables as food, and let good food be your medicine. Many herbalists would agree that that is true.

In my studies I have also found that many herbalists of the day have followed a mistaken path, much like the mistaken path that the medical profession has fallen into. They process and extract substances from herbs to make medicines.

I would encourage those who are interested in learning to use herbs as medicines, to study adaptogens. Adaptogens are herbs that help to balance the systems of the body. This is very important, because all health in the human body is all about balance.

Let me give you an example to help you to understand what I'm talking about.

Golden seal is an herb that will cause a rise in white blood cell count. It is not an adaptogen.
Echinacea is an herb that will cause a rise in white blood cell count if your body needs it, but can cause a decrease in white blood cell count if your body needs that. It is an adaptogen.

So, you can see that the great thing about adaptogens is that they are safe, and not just stimulants, or depressants.

It is estimated that only about 1 in 300 herbs is an adaptogen. But there are plenty of them to help to balance every system of the body.

OK, back to the book.

I also thought it a little funny that the author only considered mormons to be "peculiar" on account of their medical thinking. That is very strange to me. And I would also have to ask him, if the gospel is to fill the whole earth, doesn't there have to come a time when we are not thought of as "peculiar"?

The list of herbs at the end of the book can be useful, but again, they must be used very carefully and cautiously. Most of the herbs he lists are not adaptogens, and require great care and skill.

Another little note about using herbs. Even the balance of adaptogens is destroyed if they are processed to much or in wrong ways. Many professional herbalists don't even seem to realize that using alcohol to make tinctures destroys their adaptogenic properties.

In my opinion, whole foods are still the best way to go.

I do love the use of many herbs, like : cinnamon, turmeric, oregano, garlic and cayenne.
I also encourage the use of whole herbs known as vegetables. Eat them fresh and raw, or lightly steamed.

I do agree with the author that most people today rely much too heavily on modern medicine, and not enough on common sense, and belief in what God has told us through his prophets.

However, when the Lord gave "The Word of Wisdom" to the prophet, he was not talking to botanists, or herbalist on their level of understanding. He was talking to people who knew and understood basic agriculture and farming. It was to be understood from that perspective of knowing the basics of feeding and caring for a family through day to day living. Growing crops, and taking care of livestock was what most of the saints knew. "The Word of Wisdom" is about living a healthy lifestyle, not about how to doctor the sick.

Well, there you have my take on the book. Interesting history, but off the mark with it's evangelical herbalism.

Beware Of Caloric Based Health Advice

I saw a health specialist in the news this week warn people to not eat too much natural granola or nuts, because they contained too many calories. This is exactly the kind of health advice that is making this country obese.

Calories have almost nothing to do with your health, or your weight. It is much more important to concentrate on what kinds of nutrients and toxins are in your diet. Maximize nutrients and eliminate toxins.

Any advice that you get that is based on caloric intake is fatally flawed. Calories have importance only on the level of energy. If you don't get enough calories, you won't have enough energy.

Calories are totally disconnected from what your weight may be. If you eat fewer calories than what your body wants, it simply slows down your metabolism to conserve. In fact it will work harder to store fat from what ever food it does get, because it thinks it needs to store whatever it can to survive the famine.

If you eat more calories than your body needs, it can do a couple of things, depending on what kind of food (nutrients and toxins) you are taking in. If your body has the resources it needs, it will simply dump any excess (and toxins) that it doesn't feel the need for. If it doesn't have the resources it needs, it will store the excess (and toxins) in fat, to await a time when it may have the resources it needs to clean it all out.

Unfortunately most medical people, as well as most nutritionists, have bought into the silly formula ; "Calories In - Calories Out = Weight Loss or Gain"

While this formula may look good to a mathematician, it has no basis in reality. Why, because we have no way to actually measure the calories in and out. Even though most adults have bought into this formula, grade school kids have no problem seeing it's major flaw. They usually call it "poop".

That's right! All people have bowel movements. It is the way the body eliminates much of what it doesn't need or want. There are other paths of elimination as well. Breathing, sweating, heat loss, spitting, and other excretions from eyes, ears, nose, and skin.

If you could somehow accurately measure all of these and incorporate them into your formula, then you could perhaps begin to get some kind of real picture of the bodies energy processes. But since no one knows how to do that, and still keep you alive, please throw that formula away and never use it again. It has nothing to do with reality.

Your health (including your weight) is all about quality, not quantity. Eat lots of fresh whole foods, with a emphasis on whole grains, and get plenty of water, exercise, and rest. Then your body can take in what it needs and will have the resources to dump what it doesn't need.

So.... Rule of thumb : If any health advice you receive is based on calories, discard it, it is faulty.

Even being under weight is best solved with quality food and a healthy lifestyle.

What Are You Afraid Of? Doctors Or The News?

Today's medical system seems to be all about fear mongering.

The stories in the news are telling us how fearful we need to be of medical problems.

Today CNN carries a story about how unreliable flu tests are. The point of the story is to scare you into thinking that you may have the H1N1 flu even though you test negatively for it. Even though, in reality, almost no one who gets sick has the swine flu, we are supposed to all assume that we all have the swine flu.

MSNBC runs a story about how more and more women are opting to have their babies at home instead of in hospitals. They then proceed to talk about all the things that can go wrong in a home birth. Again trying to scare people into going to hospitals.

But for those of us who understand the basics of human health, and the realities of the business of medicine as practiced in hospitals today, these stories are just sad commentaries on how badly our medical system is functioning.

The first story actually shows how a mother is fearful due to all the hype, so when her daughter gets a fever, she runs her down to the emergency room. There, they do a quick test and tell her that she doesn't have the flu and she will be fine if she takes a couple of drugs.

So instead of the mother making sure the child is getting plenty of water and antioxidants to help her immune system function well, the child is given drugs to cover up symptoms. So, the next day, the symptoms reappear and the fever is even higher. This time up to 104 degrees.

Now a person who understands the immune system knows that this is the body trying to fight off some kind of infection. But people who get their news from the big business controlled media see this as an emergency that can only be handled by big business. So, the mother again rushes the child to the emergency room. This time they decide to give the child antibiotics.

What the medical community and this mother are too blinded to see, is that antibiotics are another attack on an already challenged immune system. So instead of doing anything to boost the immune system, they have only succeeded in throwing more challenges at the immune system in the form of drugs and antibiotics.

They could have encouraged more fresh fruit and veggies, plenty of water with minerals, fresh air and sunshine, and a little exercise. All of these would help the immune system to do it's job. But none of that was even mentioned.

This is a major flaw in the current medical paradigm. There is a basic disconnect with reality. Everything is supposed to be taken care of with pills and injections, when in reality these things can only cause more imbalance in the body, eventually leading to further problems. They are trying to micro-manage a system that they don't understand. That, in my opinion is idiocy.

The second story is also all about trying to scare you into getting extra medical attention.

Pregnancy is a natural process. It is not a disease. Yet when a woman is pregnant she is told how horrible the experience could be and how she needs to have lots of medical attention or she and her baby could die.

Is it true? Yes, there are various things that can go wrong with a pregnancy and birth, but if you study the reality of births at home and births at hospitals, you find that the home birth is actually much safer.

Why is a home birth safer? Because it is viewed as a wonderful natural experience. Why is a hospital birth more dangerous? Because it is viewed as a disease that needs to be treated.

In today's medical system it is almost impossible to have a normal natural birth in a hospital. Because they interfere all along the process with little things that they think will help.

But in reality, most of their helps are hindrances. They are trying to micro-manage a normal process that has it's own time schedule, to make it match a text book scheduled "ideal".

The fears are so ingrained into the system, that any deviation from "the norm" must be dealt with. Usually with some drug. The drug interferes with the natural process and throws it out of whack. The consequences of this is that the process is now pushed into an artificial mode. The body is now no longer doing what it would have done normally, so there is more need of further interventions. In most cases, these days, this eventually leads to surgery. The baby has been put into so much stress by all the unnatural intrusions on the body, that it needs to be taken out of the mother's womb forcibly through extreme measures.

These scenarios of course reinforce the whole idea that giving birth is a very dangerous process that requires constant medical attention. Look at all the problems that are "discovered" when women are "properly monitored".

Now, let me be clear. I do not recommend that women give birth at home completely alone. There are real challenges that can arise in a birthing process. But a good midwife can handle most of these and help to allow the process to continue naturally. This leads to a much healthier outcome for both the mother and the child.

It seems that everywhere you look these days you see some representative of the medical establishment trying to scare people into getting unnecessary interventions, that in the long run are detrimental to human health.

In my opinion the medical establishment has gone so far astray that they now promote disease more than health. They want everyone to be scared to death of every little cough or sniffle. They want everyone to believe that the only way to be healthy is to have your body micro-managed by a medical professional. In the process, they have become more and more disconnected from the knowledge of the normal and natural processes that take place in the human body.

Remember that drugs are a source of imbalance. If doctors still believed in the old adage "First Do No Harm", they would only think of drugs as a very last resort. They would rarely use any.
Did you know that today, drugs are responsible for more deaths than any one disease?

Most all illness can be handled very well with whole foods and wholesome practices. But don't expect miraculous results over night. Long term health is all about healthy lifestyle.

Next time you see a story in the news that makes you think you might need to go see a doctor to see if you are normal, take a deep breath and sit back and think. You didn't think you needed to see the doctor before you read the story. So, it is probably just the story that is sick.

Healthy Holiday Cooking

It's holiday time with lots of treats to eat. Can you stay healthy through the holidays?

Sure! It's easy.

Just take a little time to think about what you are cooking and eating. Eat lots of fresh fruit and veggies, and make a few simple changes in you're recipes.

When a recipe calls for flour, just make your own with fresh ground whole wheat. It's a little heavier than junk flour, but it really pays off in improved health.

When a recipe calls for sugar, substitute honey or fresh fruit. You only need 2/3 the amount of honey as you would sugar, and you reduce the amount of liquid by 1/4 cup for every cup of honey you use. You can also reduce the baking temperature by 25 degrees, because the honey browns easier than the sugar.

If a recipe calls for margarine, use raw butter instead.

Replace all corn oil or soy oil with coconut oil.

Instead of using chocolate bars packed with sugar, use real raw cacao. Sweeten with fruit or honey.

Replace corn syrup with honey also.

For a wonderful healthy treat, try my no-cook brownies.

2 cups of whole wheat freshly ground into flour
1 cup of raw cacao powder
1 cup of virgin coconut oil
1 cup of raw honey
Add some cinnamon and cayenne powders if you like.

Mix it all together and put it in the fridge for a while.
My wife and I like to form it into little balls and then put it in the fridge.
What a great snack! Very yummy! AND very healthy!

Have a great holiday season!
Merry Christmas!

Toquerville Trails Turkey Trot Results for 2009

5th Annual Toquerville Trails Turkey Trot Results 11/26/2009

*For an easier to read PDF file of the results go HERE.

Bryce Thomas set a new course record for the short course. He covered the very rough terrain in only 16:13. By the way he is only 7 years old. Keep on eye on that one.


3 Miles Race

Sex Group Name Time Division Gender Overall Bib #

M 30-34 Thomas Dansie 23:19.00 1/2 1/18 1/34 80

M 0-14 Micah Scholes 26:04.00 1/5 2/18 2/34 74

F 30-34 Tricia Proctor 26:44.00 1/4 1/16 3/34 91

M 40-44 Rich Scholes 26:45.00 1/1 3/18 4/34 72

F 30-34 Sheri Scott 27:10.00 2/4 2/16 5/34 90

M 15-18 Brandon LeFevre 27:12.00 1/2 4/18 6/34 62

M 50-54 Layne Garner 27:22.00 1/2 5/18 7/34 61

M 45-49 Roger Barrett 27:43.00 1/2 6/18 8/34 101

M 15-18 Ben Thayer 27:45.00 2/2 7/18 9/34 67

F 35-39 Tana Hall 27:46.00 1/2 3/16 10/34 95

F 15-18 Emily Scholes 27:51.00 1/2 4/16 11/34 73

M 50-54 Gary Adams 28:08.00 2/2 8/18 12/34 106

F 40-44 Rachel Scholes 28:23.00 1/1 5/16 13/34 71

F 30-34 Elizabeth Dansie 28:56.00 3/4 6/16 14/34 81

M 55-59 Craig Knight 30:11.00 1/1 9/18 15/34 107

M 0-14 Taylor Hobbs 30:16.00 2/5 10/18 16/34 105

F 45-49 Carol Manwaring 30:24.00 1/2 7/16 17/34 108

F 0-14 Rachel Stone 30:29.00 1/2 8/16 18/34 86

M 0-14 Damien English 30:33.00 3/5 11/18 19/34 92

M 25-29 Jim Clark 31:44.00 1/2 12/18 20/34 109

M 30-34 Shay Jolley 32:23.00 2/2 13/18 21/34 98

F 19-24 Rachelle Ballard 33:04.00 1/3 9/16 22/34 65

F 35-39 Robbie Ellison 33:21.00 2/2 10/16 23/34 104

F 30-34 Christine Jolley 35:37.00 4/4 11/16 24/34 99

F 19-24 Abby Ashcroft 35:48.00 2/3 12/16 25/34 66

M 45-49 Jeffrey Manwaring 36:12.00 2/2 14/18 26/34 110

F 15-18 Jessica Stone 37:08.00 2/2 13/16 27/34 85

M 0-14 Noah Scholes 37:14.00 4/5 15/18 28/34 76

M 0-14 Conner Shaw 37:14.00 5/5 16/18 29/34 79

F 45-49 Suzanne Gergetz 37:38.00 2/2 14/16 30/34 83

M 25-29 Ben McMurray 37:59.00 2/2 17/18 31/34 96

F 19-24 Ashley McMurray 37:59.00 3/3 15/16 32/34 97

F 0-14 Hannah Scholes 38:41.00 2/2 16/16 33/34 75

M 35-39 Mark Fisher 45:10.00 1/1 18/18 34/34 68




1.7 Miles Race

Sex Group Name Time Division Gender Overall Bib #


M 0-14 Bryce Thomas 16:13.00 1/6 1/8 1/16 87

M 0-14 Shawn LeFevre 17:46.00 2/6 2/8 2/16 63

F 25-29 Charlotte Amy 18:31.00 1/3 1/8 3/16 102

M 25-29 Trujillo Amy 18:31.00 1/1 3/8 4/16 103

M 0-14 Britton Thomas 20:36.00 3/6 4/8 5/16 88

F 0-14 Brooke Thomas 20:51.00 1/2 2/8 6/16 89

F 25-29 Emily Ballard 22:23.00 2/3 3/8 7/16 64

M 0-14 Porter Dansie 27:08.00 4/6 5/8 8/16 82

F 40-44 Rebekah Shaw 27:08.00 1/1 4/8 9/16 77

M 0-14 Raegan Shaw 27:08.00 5/6 6/8 10/16 78

F 19-24 Shayna Gorton 27:45.00 1/1 5/8 11/16 100

M 45-49 Mark English 28:56.00 1/1 7/8 12/16 93

M 0-14 Devin English 28:56.00 6/6 8/8 13/16 94

F 0-14 Emme Claire A. 45:10.00 2/2 6/8 14/16 70

F 30-34 Leana Fisher 45:10.00 1/1 7/8 15/16 69

F 25-29 Mary Stone 55:00.00 3/3 8/8 16/16 84


Thanks to all who came and helped! Sorry it took so long to post the results.

The longer and rougher course record still stands at 21:35, clocked last year by Ryan Garner.

Cleansing Crisis : Understanding Why

Have heard of a "Cleansing Crisis"? They are very common, and yet most people don't seem to understand them.

Have you ever made a lifestyle change of some kind, that you thought would bring improvement into your life, but right away you came down with a sore throat, or sniffles, or a rash, or a coughing fit, or diarrhea, or some such reaction?

These types of reactions can often be what is called a "Cleansing Crisis". It is important to realize that these reactions are normal, and a part of the cleansing process.

When you make a lifestyle change for the better, it gives your body the chance that it has been waiting for to cleanse some of the gunk out.

This is particularly noticeable for people who have excess fat to lose.

You see, when the body is overburdened with toxins and doesn't have the resources it needs to deal with them, it will lock those toxins away inside of fat cells, and store them for later processing. When a lifestyle change allows the body the resources it needs to clean the system, then it unlocks those fat cells and starts to move those toxins out. Thus, the toxins are reintroduced into the blood stream to be eliminated. While they are in the blood stream, they can cause symptoms and reactions as though you are sick. But in reality, it is part of the process of getting well.

The funny thing is that these people might not have had any of these symptoms when the toxins first entered the body, because the body didn't have the resources to deal with it, so it just stored them away and there was no healing reaction at that time.

The sad part is that because people don't understand the healing process, they think that sniffles, coughs, rashes, etc. are signs that they are sick, instead of recognizing them as signs that the body is flushing out bad stuff. So, people eat junk food and there is no immediate visual reaction (because the body doesn't have the resources to deal with it), so they think it is fine. Then sometime later they eat a bunch of fresh veggies and drink a bunch of fresh water, and the body begins to use these badly needed resources to flush the junk out of the system. Unfortunately this leads many people to assume that the good food made them sick.

It is such a sad cycle that so many people in today's world are caught up in. They assume that they are allergic to veggies, or wheat, or fruit, or whatever caused the cleansing action. When in reality their bodies are loving these good resources, and the chance to dump some junk.

So, lets talk about how to deal with the reactions.

Remember that these reactions are the bodies attempts to cleanse the system. So help it to do so. Drink lots of good clean (mineralized) water to help flush out the bad stuff. Eat even more fresh foods that are high in antioxidant and antibacterial resources. Get plenty of sunshine and rest to allow the body to work things out. A little exercise will help as well.

To minimize these types of reactions, ease into lifestyle changes gradually. For instance coconut oil is one of the things that helps the body to melt away excess fat. So if you decide to start taking coconut oil, even though your goal is to take 3 or 4 tablespoons a day, start off with just one tablespoon a day, or even just half. Then gradually increase it over a week or two until you reach your goal. This way your body can change more gradually and not have an over reaction so that you tend to think you may be allergic to coconuts, simply because you got a rash.

Bye the way, allergies to coconut oil are so rare that even those diagnosed with an allergy may not have one. The incidents of coconut allergies are lower than the incidents of wrong diagnosis. This particular allergy may not exist at all.

Over 30 percent of the population think that they are allergic to wheat. Actual testing only confirms about 3 percent. The rest just think they are, because their bodies are not used to good food, and they have digestive problems. The digestive problems are also caused by bad diet.

So why do people get sniffles in the winter? Try this idea. As the weather cools off, the body doesn't require as much water to keep itself cool and hydrated. So now it has more water to do more cleansing with. Make sense?

Have a great day of healing!

Let's Talk Food : What I Eat

Many of you have been asking what I eat, so I guess I should answer.

When I rise in the morning I drink a couple of cups of water (with minerals included of course).

I then like to eat an apple and a slice of my homemade bread before I go running. The bread is made from freshly ground wheat and sprouts. I usually put honey and cinnamon in it, along with coconut oil and "Real Salt". Most of the sprouts are wheat sprouts, but I include a variety of other grain and bean sprouts as well.

After running, I make breakfast. Usually either oatmeal or wheat cereal. Most often it is the wheat. Grind two-thirds of a cup of wheat and cook it in 4 cups of water (with minerals). Feeds three. I like to serve it with some honey, cinnamon, and coconut oil.

Some mornings I'll make eggs for breakfast instead.

Lunch is usually a slice or two of my bread with raw butter and honey on it. I also like to make a drink for lunch with raw eggs, raw milk, home-grown kefir, a little honey and cinnamon, and some nutmeg and/or mint (fresh from the yard).

I will also often snack between meals. Usually another slice of my bread, and maybe a cup of raw milk. Sometimes some fruit or veggies.

I love to mix peanut butter and honey to put on my bread as well.

Of course, I am also drinking lots of mineralized water all through the day.

For dinner I always try to get some kind of veggies. Usually a large salad with lots of spinach. I love avocados in my salads as well. The salad will often include carrots and tomatoes. Instead of salad dressing, I like to use a little spray sea salt with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I will often eat a plate full of salad. Sometimes it will be stir-fried veggies instead.

Then I like to get a high quality starchy food. Usually potatoes or rice and beans. Potatoes must always include the peels. I use lots of spices on my potatoes or rice. My favorites are cayenne, turmeric, oregano, garlic, onion, ginger, and of course, "Redmond Real Salt".

I like to mix a little coconut oil in with my potatoes or rice as well.

I generally also have a large glass of raw milk with my dinner as well.

Now, of course, this can all vary quite a bit, but these are my basics most days.

Any more questions?

Oil Pulling And/Or Swishing

Some of you may have heard of "Oil Pulling". If you haven't, well, now you have. When I first heard of it, it sounded like fantasy. But being the researcher that I am, I decided it was only fair to check it out before discarding the idea completely.

When you start to research oil pulling on the internet, you discover all kinds of claims of miraculous cures and miracles. You will also find explanations of why it can't really work.

It turns out that both are true.

How can that be? Well... some people have great healing experiences after oil pulling, but the reason given for the healing on most web sites that talk about oil pulling are wrong.

You see, oil pulling doesn't actually pull anything. So, the name is all wrong. That's why I prefer to call it "Swishing".

The prevailing theory is that the oil pulls toxins out of the body. But it doesn't. In a minute I'll tell you how it does work.

Perhaps, before continuing, I should explain what it is.

Oil pulling, or swishing, is the act of swishing oil around in the mouth each morning for about 20 minutes.

Now, a lot of you are thinking, "20 minutes!!!!????"

Yes, 20 minutes. If you can't do it for 20 minutes at first, it is fine to swish for a shorter period of time, until you get used to it. However, if you check your email, or straighten up the house, or whatever, the time goes by very quickly.

Just be sure to keep the oil swishing around in your mouth all the time. Push it around and through all your teeth as well as around your tongue.

Now the important part is what kind of oil to use. Use Virgin Coconut Oil. Many other sites on the internet will tell you to use other kinds of oil. But after much research, I have confirmed that Virgin Coconut Oil is the very best oil for swishing.

After the 20 minutes is up, you spit out the oil. I suggest spitting it into the dirt outside. It can cause build up and clogging in your pipes if you spit it into the sink or toilet. If you have to spit into a sink or toilet, I would go with the sink. This is because hot water will melt the coconut oil and send it on to the sewer system, but it is harder to run a lot of hot water down the toilet.

Now back to why swishing with coconut oil works so many healing miracles.

Swishing has been credited with helping to heal just about any problem you can think of, anywhere in the body. How can that be?

It has to do with creating a healthy environment where the miraculous human body can do it's healing thing. Remember that environment is everything. Create a healing environment within the body, and healing can and will take place.

Coconut oil, when mixed with saliva, has antiviral and antibacterial properties. When swished in the mouth for sufficient time, it will eliminate much of the bacteria that thrive there.

If you study Weston A. Price and his research, you find that infections in the mouth migrate to other areas of the body and cause all kinds of problems. So if you could eliminate the negative infections that thrive in the mouth, that would be a great relief to the rest of the body, as it tries to build and heal.

So what swishing with coconut oil actually does, is to greatly reduce the strain on the immune system. So, if along with swishing you are also living a lifestyle that boosts the immune system, it can really help the body attain a healthier level of existence.

The first thing that people usually notice when they start to swish with coconut oil, is the hygiene of the mouth is greatly improved. The teeth often become whiter, and the tongue is pinker. The gum health also improves. A week to a few weeks later, they will often start to notice other improvements in other areas of the body.

Swishing is an activity that I highly recommend. Even if you only improve the health of your gums, it will be helping with more things than you might imagine.

Give it a try, and let me know how your experience goes.

Whole Foods : Why?

I am always recommending that people eat whole foods for optimum health. Let's take a look at WHY.

Natural foods are full of all kinds of nutrients to build and to heal the human body. Mankind has discovered many delicious foods to eat. We have also decided that some parts of some plants are much better than other parts.

When I talk about whole foods, I'm not talking about eating the pit of an avocado, or your peach pits either. I'm talking about using the wholesome goodness of the plants that we have discovered can be eaten easily by most people without causing any problem.

I'm not saying to eat the stalks of the wheat plants that we get our grain from, but eat the whole grain to get all of it's goodness.

The biggest problem that I see with our food supply today is that much of the goodness that exists in our food is being processed out of the food before it ever gets to our mouths.

The Creator made food that makes our bodies grow and thrive. When we process out the sweet part, or the soft part, or the sticky part, (depending on what our desire at the time may be) we are destroying the balancing abilities of food. Natures foods have the ability to balance all the functions of the human body. All of our health problems today are caused by (and worsened by) imbalance.

For instance, one of the most prevalent ingredients in food today is wheat. Now that would be great if it was always using all parts of the grain. Wheat is one of the very best foods that humans can eat. The problem is that nearly every product that you find in a normal grocery store that contains wheat, only contains a small part of the wheat.

Our modern day processing destroys about 100 nutrients that existed in the whole wheat grains.
Then the manufacturers add back in about 8 nutrients. This allows them to call it "enriched".

These wheat products are toxic to the human body. Not because the wheat was bad to start with, but because the resources in the wheat that allow the body to digest and ingest this food have been removed. So, instead of being building blocks for the body, it is a sludge that the body has to try and eliminate from the system.

When the body doesn't get the resources that it needs to digest and use our food, it tries to pull those resources from other places. If it can't find the resources to do so, it just puts the sludge aside, with the hope that it will get the resources it needs later to deal with it.

This is why the body stores fat.

If it can pull the needed resources from another part of the body, it often will. Thus causing other weaknesses in the body.

When people recognize that there is a problem with their bodies, they then usually try to do something to solve the problem. However, because most people do not recognize that not eating whole foods caused the problem, they don' eat well to solve the problem.

Instead they hope to give the body resources in a pill or powdered form, so that it can do the things that it needs to do to take care of the problem.

Sometimes, this works... temporarily. But because it does not solve the original problem, it can not be a long term fix.

Pills and powders are by their very nature imbalanced. That is why they ultimately can only make matters worse.

If you look around you will see many people who are taking all kinds of pills and potions, but they continue to run into all kinds of health problems and challenges. So then they look for the next great supplement that will take care of their latest concern.

However, these concerns can never be fully satisfied until the return to eating whole foods.

Whole foods can re-balance all the systems of the body. They have all the resources the body needs.

Man-made pills and potions can never do the same, simply because we still lack the knowledge to know what all of those resources are. Let alone what mixtures and and in what quantities are needed for balancing the body.

Science continues to discover more and more substances found in whole foods that do amazing things for the human body. But we really have no idea how to micro-manage such a complex system as the human body.

The best way to get a well balanced mixture of all that is good for the body, is too eat a variety of whole foods.

To allow the body all the resources necessary to live a long healthy life, eat whole foods, get fresh air and sunshine, exercise regularly, sleep regularly, and forgive and give thanks.

What Is Really Scary About The Swine Flu

We are now starting to see what the swine flu scare is all about. Control of the people for political reasons.
It is now hitting the news that there are over 150,000 people in the Ukraine that are infected with flu like symptoms.

Note the details:
Flu-like symptoms
Over 100 dead - number confirmed to have swine-flu? One!
Government response:
Shut down schools and quarantine whole cities.
Don't allow any public gatherings.

There are elections just around the corner there, and this move eliminates rallies and protests, and the government is even talking about the possibilities of calling off the election completely!

Please understand this. There is no swine-flu pandemic if you look at facts. There is only hype. It is all about governments getting more control, and medicine making more money.

Don't be scared by this non-pandemic!
Live a healthy lifestyle and don't worry about your health. Worry about your freedom! That is the scary part!

Soda : Does It Kill?

Soda pop has become so widely used and accepted that there are many people today who drink nothing else all day long. For those of you who don't know, that is a very bad thing.

I was recently asked, "What are the problems with soda?" There are so many things wrong with soda, I was a little unsure of where to start. But let's cover the major points.

Sugar: There is so much sugar in soda pop, that just one soda, can exceed the USDA recommended daily consumption of sugar. Soda pop is a sugar overload that shuts down the immune system and puts your bodies insulin levels all out of whack. Can you say "diabetes"?

Some people will say, "Well I drink diet soda, so I don't have that problem." Sorry, that doesn't work. In fact some studies have shown that people who drink diet soda are even more obese than those who drink regular soda. You see the artificial sweeteners are usually even worse than the original. I suggest everyone eliminate all artificial sweeteners from their diet. They are very dangerous.

Aside from the insulin issue, processed sugar shuts down the immune system. It actually latches onto the receptors that are designed for Vitamin C. Therefore messing up the processes which would lead to healing and rebuilding a healthy body.

Besides the sugar, soda pop has carbonation. One of the side effects of this is a lowering of the blood calcium levels in your body. That is why studies continue to show that soda drinkers have thinner, weaker bones, than non-soda drinkers. Soda drinkers are much more likely to suffer from broken bones, as well as erosion of the teeth.

This messing up of the mineral balances in the body affects many other body parts and systems as well.

Another major problem caused by the drinking of soda pop is that of dehydration. Does that surprise you? It is true.

You see, the water in soda pop is already so saturated with junk, that the body just tries to flush it out of the body as quickly and efficiently as it can. Combine that with the fact that people who drink soda regularly don't like to (and usually don't) drink clean water. Water doesn't "taste good" to people who drink soda pop.

I was recently very saddened to hear of a woman who had a still born child. The autopsy showed that the child died of dehydration. The woman never drinks water. She only drinks soda.

Most sodas also contain high levels of caffeine. This causes many people many problems, but one of the main ones being over stimulation that leads to not sleeping well. A good nights rest is one of the most important keys to healing and building a strong body.

I strongly encourage you to eliminate soda pop from your diet. Get used to drinking lots of good clean water. This one simple thing can be a huge step forward toward helping your body to be healthy and strong.

Does soda pop kill? It can definitely be a contributing factor. Look at how many people have been pushed toward and into diabetes because of the over consumption of sugar and the compromising of the immune system. Most people also recognize that it is much easier to get sick after taking in large doses of sugar.

Let's look at some numbers.
Chance of dying from the flu : 12 per 100,000
Chance of dying from swine flu : about 1 per 100,000
Chance of dying in childbirth : about 13 per 100,000
Chance of dying in a car ride : about 15 per 100,000
Chance of dying from diabetes : about 23 per 100,000

It looks like our national focus my have the wrong priorities.

I strongly suggest that you get yourself and your family off of soda drinks.

Remember health is all about lifestyle choices.

Here is a great link about how important our food choices can be. Click Here.

And to help make your meals as healthy as possible check this out. HERE.

Flu Deaths : More information

I don't like to blog repeatedly about the same things, but with so much about swine flu in the news, and so many people concerned about it, I thought it important to keep you up to date.

We now have more information on the deaths that have been blamed on swine flu. It appears that the opinion I gave you was right on the money. People are not dieing from the swine flu, but with the swine flu.

The swine flu is milder than influenza, and much less deadly.

Strengthen your immune system by :
Avoid vaccines (they weaken the immune system)
Avoid processed sugar (weakens the immune system)
Eat fresh raw whole foods (strengthens the immune system)
Drink plenty of clean water (allows the body to function optimally)
Get a good nights rest each night (strengthens immune system and allows healing)
Think positive thoughts (builds immunity)

For the latest on swine flu deaths click HERE.

The swine flu is basically a non-issue for those with the sense to live a healthy lifestyle.
In fact it is basically a non-issue for anyone. Compare the number of swine-flu deaths reported in the last year, with the 36,000 deaths that we are told happen every year from influenza.

Of course, that 36,000 number is made up as well. There is no data to back it up.

If you have any questions about any of this, be sure to ask. Would love to hear from you.

I Never Do This... But Today I Did

I never send on emails that people say to send to everyone you know. I have a rule about it. But today I broke my own rule.

There is so much misinformation being spread around about the swine flu, I am just getting sick of it. And now with the President declaring a national emergency, it is really getting ridiculous.

So..., when Dr. Mercola sent out his latest newletter with his information on swine flu, I thought I would try to get everyone I could to read it.

Here is the link:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/10/27/Obama-Declares-Swine-Flu-Emergency.aspx

Please read and digest the whole thing. It has lots of good information. I have studied this issue from many sides, and I think Dr. Mercola gets this one 100% correct.

My opinion:
There is no pandemic of swine flu.
It is even most likely that all those people who supposedly died from the swine flu didn't.
The nature of the flu is that no one dies from it, they may die with it, but they die from something else. So it is very dishonest to say that they died from the swine flu.

On the other hand, if you got a swine flu shot and then suddenly die for no apparent reason within the next week, there is reason to believe that you died from the toxins in the vaccine.

If you really follow the research on this, you will see that the flu shot is more dangerous than the flu.

Live a clean and healthy lifestyle and you will do fine. No need to worry about what the fear mongers are pushing next.

The Dis-connect! Wake Up!

Today's society is so disconnected from reality, it is kind of funny, but really sad.

Let me explain :

The other day I got to attend a town meeting, where we had the opportunity to meet the candidates that are running for election in our town in the up-coming November election. After the candidates all took turns telling us about themselves, we had the opportunity to ask questions.

There was a microphone made available that could be passed around so that everyone could hear all the questions. OK, here comes the disconnect.

Each time the microphone was passed to a new person there was an offer made of hand sanitizer or wipes to go along with the microphone. This of course was because of the fear that has been spread by the media and the government, not to mention the medical profession, about swine flu this year.

Then, as the meeting was coming to a close, it was announced that refreshments were available in the back of the room. When I looked over to where the refreshments were set up, I see punch and cookies.

No, it isn't fruit juice. It is the cheapest junkiest artificial punch you can get. We are talking sugar and high fructose corn syrup.

Are the cookies individually wrapped, or healthy in anyway? No! There are bulk packages of some of the sugariest (not to mention the artificial colors and flavors) cookies available in a supermarket.

So here they are, pretending to be concerned about passing around germs and disease, while at the same time serving up refreshments guaranteed to lower and debilitate the immune system of anyone who partakes.

Where is the common sense?

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated case. This disconnect about what we eat, and how it will affect our bodies, seems to be almost universal these days. Everyone wants a pill that will make them healthy and long lived, while they continue to put all kinds of junk into their bodies.

If you want to be healthy, then you need to live a healthy lifestyle. It really is that simple! Learn the rules of health, and start living by them.

Click Here To Review THE RULES.

Women's Health : Is There A Better Way?

CNN recently published an article titled, "Women's Health Problems Doctors Still Miss". It was an attempt to address some of the special health challenges that women face. It listed 7 diseases that women deal with and gave some info about them. It then talks about the drugs that can be used to manage symptoms.

I would like to review the same 7 diseases from a different point of view. Not a lot of detail, just my general thoughts on each one.

1. Polycystic ovary syndrome

This is a hormonal disorder. They say there is no cure. They don't understand that the body can cure just about anything given the right resources. When they say no cure, they mean no drug will help you. That should be obvious by now.

This hormonal imbalance is also related to blood sugar problems. So wouldn't it make sense to stop eating processed sugars and refined foods, and eat more whole foods that can help to control insulin levels and balance hormones?

Virgin coconut oil can help many people to balance out their hormone systems. The experts suggest 3 to 4 talbespoons a day with other food. Work up to that amount gradually.

Natural fibers found in whole foods are some of the best things to help control blood sugar and insulin levels.

2. Fibromyalgia

Nobody really knows what this one is. There's no test for it. It is a collection of symptoms involving wide spread pain. It isn't really a specific disease.

Therefore, it would seem to me that the best thing to do would be to balance all the systems of the body by eating whole foods that can naturally bring about balance in the human body.

One thing that does seem to help it is exercise. Exercise is crucial for any body to be healthy. If you haven't been exercising, ease into it gradually. Over doing it will not help. But people who gradually build up to exercising at least 5 days a week for at least 30 minutes each day, generally have the best results.

Remember, it is whole body health that you are after, so try to follow all the rules of living a healthy lifestyle.

3. Chronic fatigue syndrome

This is another one that we don't really know what causes it. Again it seems to be related to hormonal imbalances, viral infections, and stress.

A whole body approach is again necessary to balance hormones, strengthen the immune system, and allow the body to have the resources it needs to deal with stressful situations.

I might add that forgiveness of self and others can be a very important factor in this type of recovery.

Again exercise and getting all nutrients from whole foods becomes important.

4. Lupus

This is an autoimmune disease. These types of diseases are quite often seen in connection with drug use, particularly injections, and also seem to be connected with leaky gut syndrome.

Again, there seems to be an imbalance of hormones, as well as a compromised immune system.

Processed foods will contribute to both the leaky gut, and hormone imbalances. Polyunsaturated oils (think corn, cotton, canola, and soy) should be eliminated from the diet, with coconut oil being used instead.

Eating whole grains and lots of green leafy veggies will help to reestablish the intestinal health as well as rebuilding the immune system.

5. Multiple sclerosis

This is another one involving a compromised immune system. Avoid as many toxins as you can, and strive to rebuild a healthy system with whole foods. Again gentle exercise seems to help.

6. Rheumatoid arthritis

Another immune system malfunction. Rebuild it, by flushing out toxins and avoiding future toxins. Again look to whole foods, and exercise.

7. Irritable bowel syndrome

This one is all about your digestive system. Eat fresh whole foods with plenty of good fiber. Drink plenty of water (along with trace minerals, of course) and exercise regularly.

Swine Flu : What You Need To Know

There is more hype in the Media today about how bad the spread of 'Swine Flu' is. What you need to know is that it is riddled with lies.

The truth is that back in July the CDC told states to stop testing for swine flu. If you have any flu like symptoms you are counted as having 'Swine Flu'. But the states that actually test (some still do) are finding that 80 to 90 percent of those tested for flu, don't have 'Swine Flu', or even influenza. 8 to 10 percent have influenza, and 1 or 2 percent have 'Swine Flu'.

The thing is, that because of the media hype and scare tactics of the government agencies, more people are running to the doctor for coughs and sniffles. These are all being counted as having 'Swine Flu'.

Another thing that you need to know is that in most cases 'Swine Flu' is less dangerous than influenza. Even the cases that they claim died from 'Swine Flu' are not shown to have specifically died from 'Swine Flu', but had multiple other disease conditions. 'Swine Flu' was just one of the conditions they had. In most cases it was bacterial infection, not even viral.

See the CBS report HERE.

The other thing that you need to know is that the vaccine is proving to be much more dangerous than the flu. The vaccine is being rushed to market without safety regulations in place.

This is a repeat of the 'Swine Flu' debacle that occurred in the 70's. More people died from the vaccine than from the disease. And that doesn't even count all those that became disabled in one form or another from the vaccine.

As far as any thinking person can tell, all the hype about 'Swine Flu' is solely to get people to take vaccines, so that the companies making them can profit. Of course it also gets more people to rush to clinics and hospitals for any cough or sniffle.

Here is an update on the 'Swine Flu' that everyone should read :

Dr. Mercola's update alert.

Keep you and your family healthy by choosing the lifestyle that gives you a strong immune system. (Vaccines weaken your immune system.)

Eat fresh whole foods.
Exercise.
Get good sleep.
Avoid processed sugars of all kinds.
Get fresh air and sunshine daily.
Avoid polyunsaturated fats and oils.

Vaccines : The Truth Leaks Out

Many of you have seen much hype in the major media about swine flu, and vaccines. Now, there is a study that is being leaked before it even gets published.

Now, remember that this is unpublished as yet, and therefore not yet peer reviewed. But health workers all over have heard of it and are starting to react to it.

Someone finally did research comparing individuals who got the flu vaccine last year with those who did not. Can you guess what they found?

People who got the flu shot were twice as likely to get the swine flu as those who did not get the vaccine.

Yes, you read that correctly. You are safer from swine flu if you don't get the vaccine.

Why would that be?

Well, the vaccination is toxic. Contrary to popular belief, it doesn't boost your immune system, it taxes your immune system.

Before you decide to get a vaccination, find a research study that shows that those who get vaccinated with the vaccine you are thinking of getting, are healthier than those who did not get the vaccine.

I have a standing challenge for anyone to show me a single study, done with more than 1000 individuals, that shows that people vaccinated are healthier than those who do not get the vaccine.

So far no one has been able to show me one. I even exchanged emails with a director of the CDC about this subject. He told me that the military had the best studies, but the only study he pointed me to was a comparison of one vaccine against another vaccine. There was no comparison with non-vaccinated individuals. When I pointed this out to him, he pointed out that he was too busy to find a particular study for me and that everyone knows that vaccines work.

The more I study vaccines, the more I realize that they do not work to move people toward health. They are simply toxins, and don't we have enough of those in our environment already?

Vaccinations are a multi-billion dollar profit maker for the companies that make them. But that is the only benefit they have. I can find no health benefit to anyone from any vaccine.

If you want a strong immune system, here are my recommendations.

Never get any vaccine.
Exercise at least 5 days a week.
Sleep 6 to 8 hours each night. (It is preferable to get to sleep by 10pm each night.)
Drink plenty of water with sea minerals therein.
Eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables.
Eat plenty of whole grains.
Eat healthy fats. (Avocados, coconut oil, nuts, raw milk and eggs)
Use power spices (turmeric, garlic, ginger, oregano, cayenne, cinnamon, etc.)
Eliminate all "refined" foods from your diet.

HERE is a good resource for learning more about eating for health. Go HERE.

Osteoarthritis And Rheumatoid Arthritis

Osteoarthritis And Rheumatoid Arthritis are different diseases. Osteoarthritis is the gradual breakdown of cartilage in a joint. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease.

However, because they both involve the breakdown of the connective tissues, they can both be treated with success in much the same way.

One of the problems is water. Interestingly the problem can be exacerbated by too little water, or too much water. However, I'll make this easier for you. Too little water is dehydration. Too much water (like water on the knee) is actually another sign of dehydration. This is why joint pain is nearly always helped by increasing water intake.

Of course to optimize your water intake, you need good sea minerals to go with the water. The body can't use water without minerals very well. I put a little "Redmond Real Salt" in every glass of water I drink. Aim for drinking your weight (in pounds) divided by 10, cups of water each day. That may seem like a lot, but trust me.

Another important thing for healthy cartilage is good balanced proteins. The best way to get these is to eat whole foods. Sprouted wheat, raw milk and eggs are some of your best sources. Make these foods part of your daily routine.

There are many people who advise various supplements for joint health, but the research on these is very inconclusive as to whether or not they work. You are much better off just saving the money you would spend on supplements to buy good wholesome (organic if possible) foods.

Eat plenty of fresh vegetables, particularly the leafy greens, like spinach. This is good nutrition to build healthy bones and cartilage. Also getting lots of antioxidants is very beneficial (think fruit, berries, whole grains, and veggies). Antioxidants help to clean the system, and can help to minimize pain. (Pain pills only end up causing more problems further down the road.)

Another cause of cartilage problems can be hormonal imbalances. The best way to balance your hormones is by making sure that your body is getting good fats, and avoiding bad fats. Start by the total elimination of all corn, soy, canola, or cotton seed oils. The best overall hormone balancing fat is probably coconut oil. I suggest 3 to 4 Tablespoons a day. Use a tablespoon full of coconut oil with each meal.

Avoid all hydrogenated fats and transfats (fried foods), and eat good fats like avocados, nuts, raw milk and eggs.

Exercise is another very important treatment for any kind of arthritis. Lack of motion only makes the problem worse. Of course, you need to be careful and not over do. Motion keeps the joints alive. Swimming and cycling are very good because they are not to jarring on the joints.

Now, we do want to be careful to not injure anything with the exercise, but at the same time we do want to cause some stress to the body. You see, one of the little secrets to building healthy bones and cartilage is that your body needs weight bearing jolts. The kind of thing that happens when you run or jump. These weight bearing jolts send impulses through the body that tell the body to build stronger bones and cartilage.

Shhhhhhh. It's a secret, don't tell.

So, how do you get these little jolts, but not cause damage? Bouncing on a trampoline is good, but you can simply hang on to something for support while standing, and raise up onto your toes, and then drop down to your heels. Let your heels strike the ground with a little bump. Don't lock your knees while doing this. In fact it is generally best to not lock your knees in any exercise. Do this for a minute or two any time you find yourself standing around during the day.

One other thing that I should mention about exercising for joint health, is that you want to actually work the tendons and ligaments, not just the muscles. Some people will tell you that you can't exercise tendons or ligaments to strengthen them, but they would be wrong. Here is the secret to exercising tendons and ligaments: Very slow deliberate motion.

For instance, if you want to build strength in the knees you can do squats or lunges. But you are only working the muscles if you go down and up in 10 seconds or less. To strengthen the tendons and ligaments, take a full minute to go down, and another minute to come back up.

You see, the muscles can hold any given position for up to about 10 seconds. After the muscle is fatigued, it requires tendon and ligament strength to continue. So if you are doing a full squat in a couple of minutes, then the muscle is fatigued all along the way and the tendons and ligaments get worked out.

With any exercise, be sure to try to get full range of motion.

Another very basic cause of joint problems is stressing the body through bad habits of structural posture and positioning. I highly recommend getting a book on the correct bio-mechanics of everyday living. Doing away with the under lying causes of pain is always a good idea.

HERE is a good program called "Perfect Posture Program". It is a course that you can download along with videos to show you how it is all done. This can be a critical first step in correcting joint pains and problems.

If you prefer a physical book you can look through and make your own program, I like a book called "Walk Yourself Well" by Sherry Brourman.

Osteoarthritis is very very common in our society today, but it doesn't have to remain that way. Switch to a healthy lifestyle, and let your body heal itself. It is actually very good at it.

Fat Related Deaths?

You may have seen a story about fats, saying that thousands of lives could have been saved if people had eaten the right fats. Now, while I believe that this could be true in one sense, it is not true in the way it is being portrayed in the news.

This is another example of bad research. Don't worry, no one died because they didn't get enough Omega-3 fats. Yet the researchers say that Omega-3 deficiency causes more deaths each year than breast cancer.

http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Research/Omega-3-deficiency-causes-96-000-US-deaths-per-year-say-researchers

This was simply a mathematical model applied to assumptions about health and death related to the amount of Omega-3 fats in the diet. It is one of those "decide what you believe, then show the results as if that belief were true" studies.

I'm sure it was interesting for the math majors involved, but it had no root in reality.

The sad part is that now supplement pushers are trying to use this information to sell more Omega-3 supplements, making you assume that in order to save your life you need to get more Omega-3s in your diet.

The truth is that we do need good fats in our diets. Eating wholesome foods containing good fats, can indeed improve health and even save some lives.

However, concentrating Omega-3s in a supplement and ingesting them can actually be dangerous. It is an overload of Omega-3s that the body was never intended to handle.

Many people today have become fat phobic. That is very sad. The more fat-free junk that gets consumed, the more obese the nation becomes. Fat is a very important part of a healthy diet. Fat is required by the body in order to metabolize and eliminate excess bad fat in the body.

The key is to eliminate bad fats, but increase good fats. OK, here is the list.

Bad Fats: Hydrogenated fats of any kind. Fat from meat, (it actually used to be good, but these days it is too filled with chemicals). Corn oils, soy oils, cotton seed oils, and canola oils are negative polyunsaturated oils that should be totally avoided.

Good Fats: Virgin Coconut oil, avocadoes, nuts, raw milk, butter and eggs are good fats that can make a wonderful difference in your health.

Bottom Line: If you are getting fat in your diet by eating whole foods, it is generally good for you. If you are using an extracted and processed vegetable oil, or foods that were made with them, it is generally bad for you.

Beware bad research. It has led many people astray. Read "Understanding Science" to make yourself more aware, and avoid being led astray.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

This is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. So you will see all kinds of pink ribbons all over the place.

So how aware are we? What do we really know?

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women, second only to lung cancer.

The American Cancer Society lists these things as ways to lower your risk of breast cancer:

• Eat a healthy diet to help control weight, since being overweight or obese may raise breast cancer risk.
• Get regular physical activity. The American Cancer Society recommends 30 minutes a day, 5 or more days a week. Forty-five to 60 minutes a day is even better for reducing breast cancer risk.
• Limit the amount of alcohol you drink to no more than 1 drink per day. Alcohol is clearly linked to an increased risk of developing breast cancer.

At the same time, they are suggesting that more women should take drugs to keep from getting breast cancer. Tamoxifen and Herceptin, that the ACS is so proud of helping to fund the research to develop, have now been found to have side effects that include uterine cancer.

The American Cancer Society has awarded approximately $388.4 million to breast cancer research since 1971. But they still haven't been able to figure out that living a healthy lifestyle is the answer they are looking for.

Yes, as listed above, they do suggest eating well and exercising regularly. But you will only find that on their web site if you search for it. And only after reading about the drugs they suggest.

There are no suggestions of what foods to avoid, or what to eat. There is a recent news story that they have released a cookbook on what to eat while going through cancer therapy, but it is not to be found on their website. At least not easily.

They also make a big push for lots of mammograms. Studies of mammograms show them to be not only ineffective, but to carry there own dangers. But the ACS web site tells us that most doctors "feel" that it is best for women to get mammograms.

Here is a much better method of detection that is far safer and can detect problems earlier:
Thermography

They also talk a lot about drugs to overcome genetic anomalies that may lead to breast cancer. But as mentioned elsewhere on this site, genetics really is a very weak link and can be completely overcome by proper lifestyle.

Birth control pills up your chances of getting breast cancer, as well as other forms of estrogen hormone supplementation.

Breast feeding will lessen your chances of getting breast cancer, as will making sure that you get adequate levels of Vitamin D. (Get sunshine daily if possible.)

Using coconut oil instead of corn, soy, or canola will go a long way in helping your body to balance all of its hormone levels and stay cancer free.

Get your 9 servings of veggies and fruits daily. Reference here.

If you already have had breast cancer problems, and need to deal with the effects of chemo, here is a resource to help you recover. Click HERE.

Organic? Is It Better?

I used to laugh when people would talk about organic food. I thought, "Isn't all food organic!"

Well, it turns out that there are multiple definitions of organic. The one used most commonly today, in relation to the foods we eat, is that there were no pesticides or other chemical treatments used in the growing and/or harvesting of the food.

Organic food labels let you know that the food has less of a chance of being full of man-made chemicals that could possibly cause harm to the human body.

Does this mean that it is good to eat any food that says "organic" somewhere on the label. Not necessarily. If something is basically not good for you, but it was grown "organically" and then labeled "organic" in the store, it does not make that something good for you.

In other words, even if something was grown organically, it can still be bad for you if that was it's nature originally, or if the goodness is processed out of it after it was grown.

There are many things on store shelves that are labeled "organic", but are still not good for consumption by the human body. Never buy something just because it says it is organic.

However, when if comes to fresh produce, it can be very worth while to buy 'organically' grown food. The advantage of not getting all those pesticides and other chemicals in your food can be a great boon to the well being of your body.

If you are fighting a disease, or debilitating condition of some kind, eating fresh organically grown foods can go a long way toward helping your body to heal and recover health.

Of course the very best way to get fresh food is to grow it and harvest it yourself. Backyard gardening is one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself and/or your family.

Here is a great resource to help you grow your own. Just the fee bonuses that come with this make it worth while. Learn more HERE.

Chew On This

If you think you are eating well on a regular basis, and yet you still have nagging health problems, perhaps you're not getting the nutrition you need from the food you are eating.

You have done your research, so you know the nutrition is in the food. You just don't seem to be getting the benefit into your body. What could the problem be?

The answer, of course, would be that your digestion may be having some problems. If the food you eat doesn't get digested, then your body can't use the nutrition from it.

Today let's talk about where good digestion starts. Good digestion starts when you put food into your mouth.

Raise your hand if you have ever heard your mom say something like, "Chew your food before you swallow."

Why did she say that? Because her mom said it? What is the big deal about chewing your food?

Well... oh yes, you can put your hand down now. Let's talk about mastication.

Chewing actually starts the whole digestion process, and it is a very important part of it. If you don't chew your food well, you may not be getting a lot of the nutrition out of your food that you could be getting if you took the time to chew better.

Chewing breaks the food up into smaller pieces, giving it more surface area to be worked on by the other digestive fluids. Not to mention that it makes swallowing easier and safer.

It also causes enzymes to start flowing. They flow into the mouth and start some of the digestion right then and there. Chewing also causes the digestive juices to start flowing in the stomach, in preparation for what is coming down the pipe.

One of the fascinating things that I have learned about chewing is that it can even help, after you have already swallowed. So, if you have an upset stomach after eating a large meal, or a difficult to digest meal, you can pretend to chew and it will help to settle the tummy. It is actually better and safer than taking antacids.

Chewing even helps to prepare the muscles in the lower abdomen to release and allow everything to flow throught the intestines and the bowel.

Bottom line : Take time to chew. You will be healthier for it. Because your body will get more of the available nutrition from your food, and your food will be less gunking (is that a word?) to your digestive system.

Rule of thumb : Chew until the food is now longer identifiable by feel. Then swallow.

Apply This Quote To Your Lifestyle

"If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading." - Lao Tzu

It is surprising, but many people don't seem to understand this simple truth.

If you want to have a strong and healthy body, you can't keep putting junk into it. No matter how good it may taste, or how hard it may be to change the habit. Even if everyone else is doing it too.

If you want to have an athletic body, then stop treating your body like a couch potato.

If you don't want to ever get cancer, then stop feeding your body carcinogens.

If you don't want to get diabetes, then stop eating all the processed sugar and processed grains.

If you don't want high blood pressure, stop living a dehydrated lifestyle.

If you want a real life, stop eating fake food.

Choose to live today, in a manner that will allow you to enjoy life all the rest of your days.

HERE are the basics to understand and follow to garner a health lifestyle.

Balance Is Everything

As one studies health and fitness, it becomes very evident that all things must be in balance. You can have too much or too little of any nutrient.

You can have too many free radicals, but you can also have too few. You can have too little iron, but you can also have too much. You can even have too little or too much arsenic.

So then the big question becomes, how do you find that balance?

Many would have you believe that taking drugs can help you reach that balance. It can not.

All man made drugs are anti-balance by their very nature. When you take something from nature that has been shown to be beneficial for health, and then you dissect it and decide that a certain part of it is the active part that you want to use, you have just destroyed the balance that existed in nature. By concentrating a particular part of a plant (which you have to do, if you are going to be able to patent the drug), you are creating something that will stimulate the body in an unnatural and imbalanced way. That is why all drugs have side effects.

It would be so much nicer to just create a list of the beneficial plants that we have discovered to help us be healthy. But you can't patent a natural plant, so you can't make an insane mark up of the price.

So if drugs aren't the answer, what about supplements?

Unfortunately most supplements are not much different than drugs. Yes, they will often have a lot fewer dangerous side effects than drugs, but sometimes not. You still have the same problem of taking a large dose of a particular thing. If supplements were really to work, you would have to constantly monitor your levels of the nutrient you are supplementing to see when you have enough, but not too much.

The problem with that is that we can't even agree on what the correct level of most nutrients is, not to mention the problem of constant testing to see when your levels are up or down. The other thing is that all the nutrients work together, synergisticly, to keep us functioning correctly. We don't even know what all the nutrients to the human body are, let alone how they all work together. We have some basic ideas, but it is nowhere near the point of being able to micromanage the nutrients in the body.

Another interesting observation is that the symptoms of having too much of something, are quite often pretty much identical to having too little of the same thing. So we don't really even know for sure.

Even blood tests can fool us, because somethings that we have too much of can be very low in the blood, because the body is storing it away elsewhere so that it doesn't have to deal with the overload. Other times, things that we are deficient in can show good levels in the blood while the body tries to rush them around to share in all the places they are needed. For example, when we are deficient, the body can be pulling certain nutrients from the bones to use in other body processes. So a blood test might show that those nutrients are plentiful in the blood.

The beautiful thing is that we don't have to try to micromanage everything. If we eat the things that the creator has made for us, they have a special ability, that we haven't even begun to understand yet, to balance all the systems of the body.

If you think you need a particular nutrient, (and again we really don't know if you do) just make sure that you are eating a variety of good nutritious food made by God. Of course, make sure that it is not processed by man to the point of destroying a lot of its balance. Fresh and raw are usually the best. Try to get something from all the major food groups each day.

The major food groups are : Whole unprocessed grains, vegetables, fruit, legumes and nuts, and carefully chosen animal products (think raw milk and eggs).

The other major keys to making everything balance are water, exercise and sleep. Without those three, the other nutrients can't even be used by the body.

Again, water is of paramount importance. Without adequate water the body cannot move nutrients around the body. Without water it cannot flush out the toxins and waste and keep the body clean. Also remember that your water needs to be mineralized. Use real mineral water fresh from the earth if possible, or put a dash of real sea salt (complete with all the trace-minerals) in the water you drink. If you are drinking sufficient quantities of water (one tenth of your body weight in pounds, cups of water a day) your body will be able to use what it needs and flush out what it doesn't need.

Balance is a natural thing for the body to do. We just have to give it the resources it needs, and not burden it to much with the toxins or overeating.

Ryan's book on "The Dependables" is a great way to gain a lot of understanding along these lines. Get it HERE.

Chia Seeds

I was asked to comment on chia seeds.

Chia seeds are from an annual herb called Salvia Hispanica. It is a member of the mint family. The name chia comes from an Aztec word, chian, meaning oily.

They are high in oil content, (about 30%) and the predominant oil is polyunsaturated. Since most Americans have way too much polyunsaturated oils in there diet, I would suggest limiting your intake of chia seeds.

Chia is promoted as an excellent source of nutrition, that will help to curb pain, and will help to extend endurance. It is also high in fiber and protein. It contains vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. So do most cereal grains, which is what chia seeds are usually compared to.

In spite of the claims made by people trying to sell health promoting products made with chia seeds, it isn't really any more remarkable than other cereal grains. However, it is much more expensive. They call it a superfood, and sell it (even in bulk) for about four and a half dollars a pound.

I can get wheat for seven or eight dollars for 25 pounds. Since I know that wheat contains pretty much all the nutrition I can need, why would I want to spend nine or ten times as much for something that isn't really that much different. Besides, nobody needs the extra polyunsaturated oils.

Even the Aztecs, who are supposed to have revered this as a superfood, listed chia behind several other important grains. The descendants of the ancient Aztecs still grow and harvest chia seeds, but only on a minor scale. It evidently wasn't all that important of a crop to them.

Chia seed sprouts are fine to use like alfalfa sprouts in a salad if you like. Just don't over do them, because they are very high in polyunsaturated oils.

Chickens fed chia had higher deposits of polyunsaturated oils in their legs and breasts. They also laid fewer eggs and lighter eggs.

Contrary to popular myth, polyunsaturated oils are not healthy for your heart or your body. In fact it has now been discovered that polyunsaturated oils contribute to the formation of cancer.

Stress Managment

Stress is one of the things that can cause all kinds of trouble for you. It builds on itself and can spiral downwardly into a real mess.

For health and well being we generally want to eliminate as much stress as possible.

However, it should be noted that there are some good things about stress as well. Stressing the body can stimulate it and cause growth. This is an important type of stress to put on the body.

The biggest problem with stress, is when it becomes chronic or constant. Constant stress that never lets up, doesn't allow the body to rebuild and strengthen. This could be from a dental problem that we are ignoring, or are unaware of. It could be long term unbalanced use of muscles or skeletal systems. It can also be constant worry about things in our lives.

Stress can cause the body to not function correctly. If you are having a health issue that doesn't seem to get better no matter what you do, then you probably need to analyze your stress levels.

Amazingly, getting into a healthy lifestyle can help with all forms of stress. Once you are giving the body the good resources it needs to repair and rejuvenate, many stresses will be relieved.

For some chronic stresses you may need to see a specialist. For instance if you have chronic tooth sensitivity or pain, you probably need to see a dentist.

Another important thing to do, is to learn how to deal with stress. Stress will always be a part of life. But if you learn to pray, meditate, ponder, and relax, you can relieve many stresses.

Take a little time each day to just relax and count your blessings. Ponder on the good things that have happened to you. Look forward with a positive attitude to things that may happen in your future. Don't fear the future, but look for good things to happen. Expect good things and they will usually come.

Imagination is a very powerful force. Use your imagination to imagine a positive future for your self. Dwell on those positive images often, and before you know it, you may very well receive that positive future.

If you would would like some help in dealing with stress in your life, take a look at THIS PROGRAM. It might be what you need.

Genetic Determinism Is Dead (or at least is should be)

Genetic Determinism has failed completely and totally to stay afloat in the science of the day.

The Human Genome Project was going to be the crowning achievement for all those who believed in Genetic Determinism. But the project has proven to be the sledge hammer that has destroyed it completely.

You see, the project caused more and more people to join in the research of discovering how genes work and what they do. As a result we have learned a lot!

Genetic Determinism said that a gene determines what proteins are formed, which determines what happens in the body. (I know that is very simplistic, but I'm trying to keep this understandable.) It was supposed to be kind of a one-way-street. The gene directs the body what to do.

Well, thanks to all the new research, we now know that it just isn't so. The communication channels in the body between DNA, RNA, proteins, etc, are more like the phone lines criss-crossing our country. Communication goes all over the place and in both directions at the same time. In fact, we now know that genes do not initiate communication. They are simply waiting for someone to contact them, so that they can share what they have to offer. I guess they got cell phones with no way to dial out.

The proteins make contact with the genes when they need something from them. Only certain proteins can make contact with certain genes. The proteins are formed by the needs of the body, determined by the environment.

The whole process can be just the opposite of the way Genetic Determinism pictured it to be. The environment can cause proteins to reconfigure RNA and DNA. The body can adapt very quickly to changes in it's environment.

However, there is an innate intelligence in every organism, from bacteria to human, which will always bring the organism back to equilibrium as soon as it can get the resources to do so.

In other words, Evolution of Species is also doomed. There are no changes which gradually little by little get passed along until something has evolved into something else.

I'm trying to keep this simple, but for those interested HERE is a link to a more in depth analysis by a biologist.

Also, be sure to read my book about "Understanding Science". It will help you to make sense of all the different "scientific" stuff thats gets thrown around these days.

So... what does all this mean to you and your life?

As your body comes in contact with toxins and pollutants it tries to adapt quickly to help you survive. If you have long term exposures to toxins, it gets harder and harder for your body to deal with it. This will eventually lead to chronic pain and or disease.

The good news is that your body still has the innate intelligence to heal itself, if it is given a break from all the stress, and also given the good resources (think whole, raw, natural foods) that it needs to repair and rebuild.

Perhaps the most difficult part of that, is to stop the stress. Let's talk more about stress tomorrow.