Odds – n - Ends
I wasn’t quite sure what to call this chapter. There are still so many wonderful foods to discuss, but not so much that we’d have to dedicate multiple chapters to them, so I figured I’d just kind of group them together here near the end. All of these foods have one thing in common: they are all designed to support our immune system, something that needs a lot of help in this day and age.
There are so many wonderful “super foods” out there that one hardly knows where to begin. Many different herbs and spices will not only liven up our foods, but improve our health as well. Essential oils and aromatherapy help to reduce our stress levels so that we can relax and it has been known for years that a nice cup of herbal tea can sooth the nerves.
Garlic, one of my favorite spices, is one of the best foods to keep on hand for many different reasons. Most people know garlic simply as a seasoning, but it is much more than that. Some have even labeled it as a “wonder drug”, and the medical community agrees. Back in the chapter about plagues I mentioned a new strain of Staph that is resistant to most anti-biotics and how this has the medical community jumping to stay ahead of it. Schools are closing so they can be cleaned. Doctors just are not sure what can be done to fight this super bug.
Doctors in England, on the other hand, have discovered something wonderful… apparently this new Staph bacteria cannot withstand garlic. To those who know about garlic, this is not a surprise. Garlic is known for its anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. It inhibits the growth of bacteria in our gut, while leaving the good bacteria behind and aiding in digestion. Modern pharmaceutical drugs cannot do that. Besides being anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, garlic is also anti-septic, which means that it that destroys microorganisms that carry disease without harming body tissues.
It is believed that a regular diet consisting of plenty of garlic will help ward off the flu and prevent acne. High in anti-oxidants, garlic is also a natural mosquito repellant. Besides that, heavy garlic consumption reduces the risk of esophageal, stomach and colon cancers and inhibits the growth of skin and breast cancers. Garlic aids digestion, lowers blood pressure and, as my friend testified earlier, will actually help to cure whooping cough. Its anti-fugal properties are exactly what we need to fight off Candida and chronic yeast infections. What more could we ask for?
How about cod-liver oil? Just a few drops every day will go a long way. Not only does it contain the omega-3 fatty acids that our bodies need to function properly, but it also contains vitamins A and D in an easily absorbable form. This is what our parents were given when they were children. My mother told me that when she was young her mother gave her some orange flavored cod liver oil and she and her sisters used to call it their “liquid candy.” My mother was a very sickly child and this was one of the things that have caused her to grow into a very healthy adult; although a senior citizen, she does not take any prescription drugs and hasn’t for years.
Klamath Falls, Oregon, has a wonderful little secret: blue-green algae. Containing many amino acids, nucleic acids, chlorophyll, enzymes, vitamins and minerals, these special algae from Klamath Lake has been called one of the world’s most perfect foods. Blue-green algae help to support the immune system and are vital for those who just simply can’t get enough vegetables. It is high in vitamin K, needed for good eyesight, as well as vitamins C and E, Folate, beta-carotene and minerals.
Blue-green algae help in detoxification and aids in weight loss. It can also be used to treat asthma, anxiety, allergies, depression, fatigue, and digestive problems and has been known to help improve memory. The algae must be taken with plenty of water and can be a meal in itself, also aiding weight loss. This is a good place to start not only detoxifying but also adding more greens to the diet.
Expeller-pressed wheat germ oil is also a natural anti-oxidant that is full of vitamin E and contains essential fatty acids that help prevent heart disease. Wheat germ oil helps on a cellular level, strengthening our cellular membranes. Make sure the wheat germ oil is expeller-pressed so that all of the nutrients remain in the oil. I have one friend who credits wheat germ with the health of her family. Prior to adding this to their diet, the children were always getting sick; now they are very healthy and rarely catch colds.
From the south Pacific comes a strange beverage called Noni Juice. Those who have discovered this wonderful elixir swear by it. Made from the fruit of the Noni tree, the juice is reported to help reduce blood sugar levels, speed in healing injuries, reduces pain, fixes digestive disorders and aids in the treatment of depression. Once very hard to find, it can now be found in most health food stores as well as on the Internet. I will warn you now, the fruit of the Noni tree is not very sweet, but its health benefits can make it worth the sour taste.
An all-natural alternative to sugar is something called Stevia, or sweet leaf. Stevia is not a sugar; it is an herb. A native of Paraguay, the Stevia plant has been used by Native Americans for centuries but is virtually unknown in the US outside of the health-food industry. The leaves are very sweet but contain no calories or sugar, which makes it perfect for diabetics. It can be purchased in powder or liquid form, although the many complain that the liquid form leaves an after taste, so the powder form is much more popular. There are many cookbooks available for those interested in trying this alternative sweetener.
Colloidal silver was also mentioned earlier without a full explanation. Colloidal silver is a natural antibiotic and its use was quite common until about 1938 when the big pharmaceutical companies started to manufacture their own antibiotics. As with other substances we have studied, the natural version is always better than the chemical ones. Whereas prescription antibiotics can kill maybe a half a dozen different kinds of disease organisms, silver kills closer to 650 different kinds. It is virtually non-toxic and is considered by some to be the best all-around germ fighter we have. The main difference between this and other naturally occurring antibiotics and the antibiotics that our doctors prescribe is that they do not harm the good enzymes that our body needs. According to www.all-natural.com:
The presence of colloidal silver near a virus, fungus, bacterium or any other single celled pathogen disables its oxygen metabolism enzyme, its chemical lung, so to say. Within a few minutes, the pathogen suffocates and dies, and is cleared out of the body by the immune, lymphatic and elimination systems. Unlike pharmaceutical antibiotics, which destroy beneficial enzymes, colloidal silver leaves these tissue-cell enzymes intact, as they are radically different from the enzymes of primitive single-celled life. Thus colloidal silver is absolutely safe for humans, reptiles, plants and all multi-celled living matter.
Truman Berst, Master Herbalist, has written a book called Colloidal Silver Facts, which begins:
Imagine having your own doctor on call 24 hours-a-day. Not just any doctor either. After all, the mortality rate generally drops when doctors and hospitals go on strike. Death due to toxic drugs, unnecessary treatment, rampant ignorance and a sea of antibiotic-resistant bacteria make most hospitals the Devil’s own playground. No, I’m talking about a doctor that makes people well again. Now, imagine that your new doctor is essentially cost free, works anywhere and is the size of a transistor radio, neatly fitting in your shirt pocket. Impossible? Not at all. The only thing unbelievable about it is that everyone doesn’t already have one. The doctor I am talking about is a Colloidal Silver Generator. Silver is a powerful, natural prophylactic/antibiotic, used for thousands of years. Ancient Greeks lined their eating and drinking vessels with silver, as did many other cultures throughout the world. Pioneers of the American West would put a silver dollar in a jug of milk to keep it fresh without refrigeration. Did you ever wonder why silverware was made from silver? One of the properties of silver is that it kills bacteria on contact in six minutes or less. It may be that gold and silver were first used as valued currency because of their medical properties.
He continues:
Colloidal Silver is a powerful, natural antibiotic. It is the most usable form of the most effective disease, germ, virus and fungal killers known. It has been found to be both a remedy and a prevention for colds, flu, all infections and all fermentation due to any bacteria, fungus or virus, especially staph, and strep, which are often found in disease conditions. It has been reported to rapidly subdue inflammation and promote faster healing. The body needs Colloidal Silver to fight disease-causing organisms and to aid healing. Taken daily, Colloidal Silver provides a second immune system resulting in more energy, vitality, vigor, relaxation, and faster healing and reduced bodily toxins. Artificial antibiotics kill, on average, 6 different disease organisms, but Colloidal Silver is known to kill over 650 diseases without any harmful side effects or toxicity.
The following is a partial list of the more than 650 diseases that Colloidal Silver has been successfully used against: Acne, Arthritis, Athlete’s Foot, Blood Poisoning, Burns, Cancer, Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis, Candida, Cholera, Colitis, Conjunctivitis, Dermatitis, Diabetes, Diphtheria, Dysentery, Enlarged Prostate, Excema, Fatigue, Fibrositis, Gastritis, Gonorrhea, Herpes, Hepatitis, Infantile Diseases, Impetigo, Keratitis, Leprosy, Lesions, Leukemia, Lupus, Lyme disease, Pymphagitis, Malaria, Meningitis, Neurasthenia, Pleurisy, Pneumonia, Prostate, Psoriasis, Pruritis Ani, Ophthalmia, Rheumatism, Ringworm, Rhinitis Rosacea, Scarlet Fever, Seborrhoea, Septicemia, Shingles, Skin Cancer, Cystitis, Staph Infection, Strep and Strep Infections, Stomach Flu, Stomach Ulcers, Herpes Virus, Ulcers, Thyroid Conditions, Tonsillitis, Toxaemia, Trench foot, Tuberculosis, Virus Warts, Whooping Cough, and Yeast Infections.
With this kind of amazing properties, and the fact that it can be manufactured so inexpensively, no wonder the pharmaceutical companies are trying to dissuade us from using this medicine. There are just as many anti-colloidal silver articles as pro-colloidal silver, but they seem to forget about word of mouth. People tend to believe what they see with their own eyes, and when they see their friend’s health improving dramatically, the evidence speaks for itself.
There are some who state that one can easily over use colloidal silver resulting in a silver hue to their skin, but it seems that those who have had this reaction were using a product whose quality was lacking, or who had taken very large amounts over a very long period of time. This problem is alleviated if one purchases from only reputable sources or by manufacturing the colloidal silver at home, thereby guaranteeing the quality of the ingredients used, and by remembering to use moderately.
We have all heard of the benefits of consuming additional fiber these days. Most of us don’t eat enough fiber in our busy day to help keep things moving along properly, so the idea of being able to consume additional fiber in the form of pills and drinks has much appeal. But we must be careful to read the ingredients. It might be cheaper to go to Wal-Mart and buy their brand of fiber mix, but there is more sugar than fiber in those mixes. Even the mixes found at the health food store may not be what we think they are. If they contain any type of flavoring, check the label for either sugar (or a form of sugar like fructose) or aspartame (or some other artificial sweetener). So, as with all other foods, when purchasing a good fiber source make sure to check the labels. Pure psyllium husks, although slightly more expensive, is really the only thing we need.
The major tea companies are presently advertising the fact that tealeaves are naturally high in antioxidants, but did you know that the antioxidant level in fresh brewed tea is anywhere from 10 to 100 times higher than bottled tea? Traditionally we have always drunk black tea (think Boston tea party). Lately we have been hearing quite a bit about green tea, and now white tea as well, but what is it?
Green tea is used more heavily in Asia than in western cultures, which tend to drink black tea. The leaves are light green and are not fermented, like black tea, giving the tea a grassier flavor. There are two types of green tea, steamed, which is less bitter, and Kiln-roasted. White tea is made from the tealeaves before they are fully opened, when they still contain little white hairs on the buds. This gives the tea a light, sweet flavor. It is believed that the lighter the leaf, the higher the antioxidants, and the better the tea is for us.
I remember when our oldest child was just a little baby and we took her to a pediatrician who had been in practice since before I was born. I told her that the baby had loose stools and a bad case of diaper rash and I didn’t know what to do. Well, instead of simply saying, “Put this on her,” she asked me a very important question, “What does she drink?” Mostly juice and water, was my reply. “There is your problem,” she stated matter-of-factly, “you need to give her some tea to help bind her up.” I’ll tell you what… it worked like a charm. As did the limewater we put in her bottle. What is limewater? It is water made using pickling lime and when added to water it will change the ph level in our child’s urine, eliminating the diaper rash. An old-time doctor or pharmacist (or even a good midwife) knew all of these little tricks that are not taught in medical school.
Even the cleaning supplies we have around our house are so toxic now that we have to keep them under lock and key. How did we ever survive before Mr. Clean and Lysol and Ajax? Before bleach and ammonia? What did Great-grandma use? Ever heard of Fels Naptha soap? One hundred years ago it was the staple of just about every home in this country, yet so few stores even carry it these days. It is laundry soap, in bar form, which is wonderful for treating poison ivy, oak and sumac. All the best home made laundry detergent recipes start with Fels Naptha soap. Colloidal silver water can even be used to make sure that surface germs in our kitchen have all been eliminated.
Another detergent that no home was without was 20 Mule Team Borax, which is much more readily available than Fels Naptha. Borax is a naturally occurring mineral and a salt of boric acid. It is a natural detergent with anti-fungal properties and is one of the few products that will remove mold and mildew from fabrics. It is often used with Fels Naptha to make laundry detergent or dissolved in water as a multi-purpose cleaner. Another handy laundry booster is Washing Soda, because it is known to cut through grease. In fact, Washing Soda is the perfect cleaner for kitchens for just that reason. This stuff works so well that one really should use gloves when cleaning with it.
This, naturally, takes us right into baking soda. How many uses can we list? I’m sure we won’t list them all. This is one product that no home should be without. Add a little water and make a paste for instant relief of a bee sting. More people have traditionally used baking soda to brush their teeth than with any other product, including toothpaste. Can you think of anything that handles refrigerator smells better than baking soda? If grease catches on fire, for what does the smart cook grab? Baking Soda, of course, because it is non-flammable and smothers flames quickly.
Not only does baking soda clean and deodorize, it can be used to keep our drains clear. Just pour some down the drain, add some vinegar and watch out! These two ingredients also make a wonderful volcano for a science experiment with the kids. But just what is baking soda anyway? Well, when most people think baking soda, they think Arm and Hammer, so lets see what their website (www.armhammer.com) has to say:
Baking Soda, alias sodium bicarbonate, is a naturally occurring substance that is found in all living things, where it helps regulate their pH balance. ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda is made from soda ash, also known as sodium carbonate. To make ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda, the soda ash is mined in the form of an ore called trona. The soda ash is then dissolved into a solution through which carbon dioxide is bubbled and sodium bicarbonate precipitates out, forming "Pure, Safe and Natural" ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda. You remember that from chemistry class, don't you?
The list of its uses just goes on and on. There are many highly toxic substances that we could do without if we knew all of the wonderful uses of baking soda. One old fashioned recipe for bug spray called for mixing mineral oil with baking soda. The best part of using baking soda as a cleanser is that there is no toxic residue left behind, which makes it a perfect kitchen cleaner. With all of the additives already in our foods, do we really want to add all the chemicals left behind by modern cleaning agents?
The sooner we rid our homes of the toxic chemicals to which we have become accustomed, the better off we will all be. Major chemical corporations manufacture these cleaning products and they leave a film behind that will naturally seep into our foods. We need to get back to more efficient ways of doing things and more natural products to do them with. One hundred and fifty years ago a woman would take a bar of soap, shred it, add it to boiling water and then wash all of her laundry, starting with the whites and working her way to the dirtiest clothing, using the same soapy water for all of the clothing. When she was done the laundry she would take that same soapy water and use it to scrub the floors in her house, finally using the dirty water to water her garden without fear of harming her plants. You could do that with all natural ingredients.
Lemon juice is another staple of the well-stocked pantry. It can also be used for many different cleaning needs, from keeping silverware sparkly to adding brightness to whites hung in the sun. Some folks swear that it will help get teeth whiter when used with baking soda. It has been long known that lemon sooths sore throats, as many vocalists will drink lemonade prior to a concert. Given with honey at the first sign of a cold, the symptoms quickly disappear.
There are so many uses for vinegar that I know I won’t even scratch the surface here. Vinegar is a wonderful fabric softener, leaving clothes smelling clean, not like vinegar or any other fragrance. It will also prevent clothes from freezing too hard on the line, for those who like to hang their laundry outside to dry. Years ago mothers used to rub it on the hands and feet of their feverish children to reduce their temperature, which is much safer than using pain medication. Fevers are necessary, but must be kept in check or the body may get too weak to fight.
Vinegar is one of the few fermented foods that we still use regularly. There are different types of vinegar, depending on what was the source, with varying degrees of flavor. The average white vinegar is actually quite tasteless, while the apple cider vinegar is robust and is perfect for salad dressings. It is also good for coughs. This is from the book Home Remedies from Amish Country: Mix ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup water, ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper, 2 tablespoons honey. Take as needed.
Essential oils… what are they? This is a term that often comes up when researching the natural ways of doing things, often in association with aromatherapy, but do we know what they are? According to Wikipedia:
An essential oil is any concentrated, hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aroma compounds from plants, which are called aromatic herbs or aromatic plants. They are also known as volatile or ethereal oils, or simply as the "oil of" the plant material from which they were extracted, such as oil of clove. The term essential indicates that the oil carries distinctive scent (essence) of the plant, not that it is an especially important or fundamental substance. Essential oils do not as a group need to have any specific chemical properties in common, beyond conveying characteristic fragrances. They are not to be confused with essential fatty acids.
Essential oils are generally extracted by distillation. Other processes include expression, or solvent extraction. They are used in perfumes and cosmetics, for flavoring food and drink, and for scenting incense and household cleaning products.
Basically, these oils are the essence of the plants, containing the flavors and aromas of the plant without the bulk of the plant. These oils can be added to soaps, cleaning formulas, and foods without fear of harmful side effects because the source is the plant itself, not a bunch of chemicals mixed together in a laboratory. These fragrances can actually help to aid in our healing.
Aromatherapy, according to www.aromaweb.com, is defined as, “The use of volatile plant oils, including essential oils, for psychological and physical well-being.” It has been known for thousands of years that aromas can affect our moods. Certain smells will bring back fond memories of times gone by while others will turn the stomach, making us run for the door.
The chemical companies have discovered that if they can make something smell really good that people don’t care what the ingredients are. They understand that food purchases are often based on smell alone (ever walk through the mall and be hit by a smell that causes you to go and buy whatever it was that you smelled?) Retailers have discovered that certain aromas will relax their shoppers, causing them to spend more time in the store and therefore purchase more goods.
We too can use this information to our advantage. Instead of buying expensive cleaning supplies full of toxic chemicals we can make our own and add some essential oils and get the clean we want with a pleasant aroma as well. I have one friend who can’t wait for soap making day because she loves to try different fragrances each time. Her friends enjoy that day as well because she loves to share her treasures.
With all the stress and pressures of daily life, we need all the help in the relaxation department that we can get. Purchase a couple of scented candles that have a soothing aroma and place them around your house for those really stressful days. Even the smell of chicken soup somehow makes us feel better.
This stress often leads to digestive troubles, and as we have seen, these can be quite debilitating. One of the resources we have is something called “bitters,” which are extracts of bitter, mineral rich herbs. These herbs stimulate bile production, which increases digestion. Could these herbs be the bitter herbs that Adonai told His people to eat while observing the Passover? The stress that night might have made it hard to digest dinner and the herbs surely helped.
There are so many tried and true ways of cleaning, eating, and healing that we have totally ignored in our quest for that which is new and improved. We need to realize that new does not necessarily mean improved. Sometimes older is better. Just because someone tells you that something is true, that does not mean that it is true. Often people exaggerate. Sometimes people lie. It is amazing what people will do for money.
Do not take what I say as gospel truth. Check it out for yourself. Investigate green tea and see that when it is mixed with ginseng it actually can increase the friendly flora in our digestive system. Look at the effects of chlorine on our bodies and see if you are still willing to go swimming in the local pool. When we look for natural remedies to our illnesses we can see how Adonai provided for our every need, even before we knew the need existed.
All of these wonderful products of nature are only a fraction of those available for our use. Herbalists can mix together herbs that can help almost any disorder. A good chiropractor can also relax our bodies, bringing them back into alignment, allowing them to function as designed. He or she may also be able to help determine what vitamins and minerals are lacking so that we can adjust our diets accordingly.
Not all of these will work for all of us. Remember, we are unique individuals and our diets should reflect our uniqueness. I can’t tell you what will work best for you, and neither can you or your doctor. Only One knows what you need and what will do more harm than good. Please, seek His counsel before trying anything.
“For I will restore you to health and I will heal you of your wounds,” declares the LORD, “because they have called you an outcast, saying: ‘It is Zion; no one cares for her.'” (Jeremiah 30:17)