Organic Candy.....What's the point?

Someone would SeRiOuSlY search out a "healthy" version of candy? Isn't ALL CANDY UnHeAlThY for you?

IMHO, Candy doesn't HAVE to be "unhealthy"...it could just be "not healthy"! YES, there is a difference. Let me explain....

When you look at the ingredients on a 'typical' package of candy you might see as an ingredient any of the following: hydrogenated oil, artificial dyes/coloring, artificial flavoring, artificial sweetener, preservatives.

All of these ingredients can be considered 'unhealthy' or ANTI-NUTRIENTS (substances that, when consumed increase the body's need for more nutrients) These substances take so much extra energy for the digestive tract to process and eliminate, that the body is left with more nutrients burned up than are taken in. They also increase the appetite because the body is not getting the nutrients it needs. My advice is to steer clear of most anti nutrients if you want to maintain optimum health. Some commonly considered ANTI-NUTRIENTS : hydrogenated oils, white flour products, low-fat milk products (skim and 2%), processed meats (hot dogs, lunch meat), pastries, or anything that contains added sugar, fast food anything, chemical anything in foods.

• HYDROGENATED OILS "are naturally healthy oils such as palm, kernel, soybean, corn oil or coconut oil and they heat it anywhere from 500-1,000 degrees under several atmospheres of pressure. They then inject a catalyst into the oil for several hours (nickel, platinum or even aluminum). The molecules in this new product are now closer to...plastic than to oil. In fact, hydrogenated oil is only one molecule away from being plastic. When you eat anything containing this material, just as the oil is now thicker...so too does your blood become thicker...right along with it. If un-hydrogenated oils are put into foods they would go bad very fast. This would increase the cost to the manufacturer. In fact the faster a food goes bad, the healthier they usually are. That's because the enzymatic activity which causes the foods to rot at room temperature also means that the enzymatic activity within your own body will be greater as well. Food is basically meant to digest itself so eating foods high in natural enzymes such as fresh vegetables, fruits and other raw foods means less stress on your own digestive system." Source: http://www.naturalnews.com/024694_food_hydrogenated_oils_health.html

• ARTIFICIAL DYES are used in candy because they are CHEAP, plain and simple. Cheap isn't necessarily bad....until you examine closely the side effects of artificial dyes in children. Colorings in candy and foods used to be made out from natural resources: cherries-RED, blueberries-BLUE, tumeric-YELLOW and so on. "By the time the early 1900's hit, there were more than 80 types of dyes, none of them having been tested for short/long term affects. The dyes created were, and still are, derived from PETROLEUM ANILINE, and were first named coal-tar colors because the starting product was taken from bituminous coal. Laws were eventually made to attempt to control the extent and identify the colors, but nevertheless, very little research done on the safety of putting them in the human body." (http://www.fennogold.org/)

Check out my BLOG posting on chemical colorings and side effects.

• ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS: SPLENDA is a chlorinated sugar that is about 600 times as sweet as sugar. http://www.truthaboutsplenda.com/ (taken from my BLOG posting) "When the temperature of ASPARTAME exceeds 86 degrees F, the wood alcohol in ASPARTAME coverts to formaldehyde and then to formic acid, which in turn causes metabolic acidosis. (Formic acid is the poison found in the sting of fire ants). The methanol toxicity mimics multiple sclerosis. ASPARTAME changes the brain's chemistry (by) changing the dopamine level in the brain. Dr. Russell Blaylock, neurosurgeon, said, 'The ingredients stimulates the neurons of the brain to death, causing brain damage of varying degrees.'" http://www.earthclinic.com/CURES/aspartame.html

Candy containing naturally-based sugar and natural food coloring are not healthy by any means, but at least they are not as "unhealthy" as candy containing the "anti-nutrients" listed above! If there are occasionally times when you will want to celebrate something, and you don't want your child to take a hit on their immune system, I have found a couple of sites that we will occasionally be visiting for rare holiday treats. They use natural, food-derived colorings & flavors. The sugar sources in these treats/candies are not as processed as most candy (the more naturally-derived the ingredient; the easier it is on the immune system & digestive system!), contain no chemical dyes or preservatives and are made with natural flavorings. My daughters have chemical and processed food allergies, so I was absolutely ecstatic to find less "unhealthy" candy/treats!

This Christmas season we'll enjoy a healthy (quick mix) chocolate pudding made from REAL cocoa and natural sweeteners, this summer my daughters will enjoy roasting fruit juice based marshmallows over a fire, and we'll be bringing organic jello made from cherry juice and organic gelatin to potlucks through the year instead of just fresh fruit. (Organic Gelatin consists of up to 84% high-quality protein and is great for lubricating joints from the inside!) The natural candy store link actually has a candy breakdown list for children on special diets (no-soy, non-dairy, gluten-free, vegan, organic, or Feingold) more on Feingold for children with special needs: http://www.fennogold.org/

NATURAL CANDY/TREAT WEBSITES:

http://www.gobiofood.com/store.php?osCsid=7947f6e03189c839f17656dd40b7a417

http://www.naturalcandystore.com/category/organic-candy

Thanks for reading!

In Christ, Ms. Salubrious

******None of the above statements have been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. All of the information in this BLOG is strictly for educational purposes. This BLOG should not be used to treat, diagnose, or prescribe for a condition you feel you may have. If you have any health concerns, you should see a competent practitioner. ******

Pumpkin Pudding (Variation) Dessert Sauce

2-3 cups of pureed pumpkin,
1/3 cup organic half & half
1/4-1/3 cup REAL maple syrup
a pinch-1/4 tsp Fresh ground Nutmeg
MIX TO TASTE! Warm on stove to set ingredients and serve either: cold w/whipped cream
or warm w/sprinkles of nutmeg on top

****ADD homemade granola for a pumpkin pie-ish treat at Thanksgiving!****

A NEW MOVEMENT

PLEASE PAUSE MUSIC PLAYER TO LISTEN, scroll down, right column. Thank You!

A Wake-Up Story from Healthy Child Healthy World on Vimeo.

The Woman's Herb: RED RASPBERRY (and LEAVES!)

Red Raspberries are well-known for their sweetness--just pop one in your mouth to enjoy a mouth savoring experience! Not only are they delicious though--they are equally as healthy. The vivid fruit is rich in antioxidants that help neutralize free radicals in the body, preventing cell membranes damage. Raspberries are a valuable source of quercetin, an antioxidant that halts the release of histamines thus, minimizing allergic reactions. Being one of the FEW fruits that have low Glycemic index (3.8 g natural sugar per cup), the sweet fruit has virtually no effect on blood sugar levels, making it a sweet snack with minimal side-effects on those with high concentrations of yeast or pancreatic weaknesses. Benefits don't stop there though--many people overlook one of the most beneficial parts of the plant. The leaves!

"Some herbs seem to have a specific attraction to specific organs, in this case, raspberry leaves have an affinity for the female reproductive system, stimulating, toning and regulating the female organs more effectively than any other known herb. The tea is considered the supreme tonic for women to consume during their nine months of pregnancy to tone the uterus, nourish themselves and the growing baby, prevent miscarriage, and facilitate birth and placental delivery. English herbalist Henry Box praised red raspberry as the best gift that God ever gave to women. He said, "If the pains of childbirth are premature, it will make all quiet. If the mother is weak, it will abundantly strengthen her, cleanse her and enrich her milk." The first recorded use of Red Raspberry was in the 1500’s. Red raspberry leaf tea (Rubus ideas) has been used for centuries in Europe, China, and both North and South America. This popular tea has earned the reputation of "herb-supreme" among pregnant women. According to folklore it can relieve almost any discomfort of pregnancy from morning sickness to leg cramps." (BACK TO HERBS E-FLASH on Raspberry)

The leaves of a raspberry plant are probably one of the most beneficial plants for the human female body. Ranging in health benefits for women from childhood to pregnancy to menopause; the leaves have a multitude of healing properties. The leaves contain high concentrations of Vitamin C, E, A and B complex, all vitally important for the various stages a woman goes through in life, therefore helping those with most vitamin deficiencies. Since beauty to most woman is important, they will find impressive that raspberry leaf is an effective tonic on irritated skin--tightening the skin membranes effectively reducing secretions, inflammation and irritation, leading to tissue firmness. Doing the same thing on the inside of the body, raspberry leaf will curb diarrhea, intestinal and stomach upsets, along with nausea and flu symptoms. Raspberry Leaves contain the nutrient fragrine, an alkaloid which helps tone the muscles of the pelvic region so that the process of menstruation and pregnancy/delivery is easier, faster and less painful. "Red raspberry leaf tea does not induce labor directly. Instead, it strengthens the muscles of the pelvic and uterus, so that they can contract more efficiently during labor which is why there is widespread use of red raspberry leaf tea to induce labor" (BUZZLE.COM: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/red-raspberry-leaf-tea-benefits.html)

Here is a list of traditional uses of Red Raspberry:

• PMS symptoms
• Menstrual pain
• Regulate irregular menstruation cycles
• Ease the symptoms of morning sickness
• Soothe and prevent bleeding gums, which many pregnant women often experience
• Relax the smooth muscles of the uterus when it is contracting
• Assist with the birth of the baby and the placenta
• Calm cramping of the uterus
• provide a rich source of iron, calcium, manganese, and magnesium

Traditional uses of Red Raspberry Leaves:

• A valuable source of vitamins B1, B3, and E, which are valuable in pregnancy to help eliminate magnesium deficiency symptoms, common during pregnancy
• Aid fertility
• Promote a plentiful supply of breast milk
• Help stop excess bleeding after birth
• Treat diarrhea
• Regulate irregular menstrual cycle and to decrease heavy periods
• Relieve sore throats
• Reduce fever

I personally have found Raspberry to be a most important asset to our family, beings that I have gone through 4 pregnancies, with 3 of them being girls. It is something I take in addition to my weekly vitamins by either popping in a couple of herb capsules, or making it as my choice flavor of tea for the day. In fact, it is the ONLY TEA I have so far found that my daughters do not insist me add raw honey to. After first hand experiencing the healing properties that Red Raspberry Leaf has to offer--it would be the ONE HERB I would use to prepare my body for pregnancy, and use it to recouperate with until fully healed. (most studies say your body takes 18 months to fully recover all nutrients lost to the baby during a pregnancy; assuming you take good qualitiy vitamins and eat a diet full of high quality protein and raw dairy, vegetables, nuts and fruit)

In Christ, Ms. Salubrious

******None of the above statements have been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. All of the information in this BLOG is strictly for educational purposes. This BLOG should not be used to treat, diagnose, or prescribe for a condition you feel you may have. If you have any health concerns, you should see a competent practitioner. ******

SOURCES:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_raspberry_leaf
• http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080105190141AA62xdl
• http://www.buzzle.com/articles/red-raspberry-leaf-tea-benefits.html
• BACK TO HERBS E-FLASH EMAIL

In the Eyes of the Beholder

Mark 8:25 Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly

Ezekiel 47:12 Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing."

• Half of the U.S. population ages 20 and older has poor eyesight, according to a study in the August Archives of Ophthalmology.


• It is estimated that more than 150 million people in the U.S. use corrective eyewear (Prevent Blindness America, 2002).


• Among all individuals who report "serious difficulty seeing, even when wearing glasses or contact lenses," 33% live in cities, 37% live in suburbs, 28% live in non-metropolitan areas (e.g., small towns) and 1% live in farm areas (Schmeidler & Halfmann, 1998b).
  

What can one collectively presume looking at the 3 above statistics?

Perhaps that "most people lose their eyesight as they grow older, needing corrective eyewear from something that rural living has to offer"?

Am I suggesting that one move to the "country" if they have poor eyesight? Absolutely not! But I will attempt to suggest a reason as to "why" the considerably higher percentage of people are from non-rural areas. Perhaps the people on farms having good eyesight have lived on a diet mostly of freshly picked vegetables and fruit that help them to nourish their sightseeing organs. Most people know that Vitamin A (from orange vegetables) helps to "feed" the eyes, but are there others? I ran across a great article at:

http://www.treelite.com/articles/nf/natures-field---july-20-2010.html that I'll share some excerpts with you:

"The sad thing is that one simple nutritional change could save many people's vision. That change is to get more antioxidant nutrients into the diet. Antioxidants are extremely critical to eye health because the eyes are extremely prone to oxidative stress and free radical damage. In fact, oxidative stress is the underlying cause of cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration."

Many people do not make the connection between diet and nutrition (me being one of them in the past. I found I needed glasses after my mom went back to work, with my diet offering meals with considerably less vegetables, being sacrificed for a busier, but comfortable lifestyle). Others may think that vegetable flavored chips, synthetic meal replacements, and fruit flavored cereals / fruit roll-ups make an exceptional form of a daily vegetable and fruit intake. I'll be the first to admit that I didn't even try THAT hard, but completely threw any diet-to-eyesight connections out the window! YES...I wear glasses now and have for over 15 years now. I'm trying to play "catch up" for those years 'lacking' in my diet, but it's VERY hard to do! I have found by not trying CONSIDERABLY hard (other than upping my raw vegetable intake) that I have for the first time in 15 years not gotten worse when I had my eyes checked, but even improved by a degree! After I heal fully from our latest addition to the family, I plan to travel down the road of improving my eyesight naturally. Here are some more tips I'll be following from the above article link:

• Lutein and xeaxanthin, are yellowish pigments found in foods like spinach, kale, green beans, corn and egg yolks. They are also antioxidants that protect your eyes from the blue and near-ultraviolet wavelengths of light. Protecting the eyes from these wavelengths of light reduces the risk of macular degeneration.
• Carrots are high in beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A. Both vitamin A and beta-carotene are very critical antioxidants for the eyes, meaning there is some truth to the popular belief that carrots are good for your eyes.
  There are other carotenoids that protect the eyes, too. For instance, lycopene, a carotenoid that contributes to the red color of tomatoes, helps protect eyes from light and oxygen damage. It also protects the prostate and blood vessels.
  The dark purple color of blue berries, huckleberries and bilberries is due to the presence of anthocyanodins. These compounds protect blood vessels in the eyes (and throughout the body) and enhance night vision.
  The bottom line is that our eyes can help to guide our nutritional choices, so we obtain the nutrients our eyes need to stay healthy. An ingenious system, don't you think?
  

Find yourself living a busy lifestyle and plan to slow down later to a life with more vegetables and fruits?

Look for a supplement offering carotenoids, which are so important for the eyes! NATURE's SUNSHINE offers a product with beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, lutein, lycopene, and zeaxanthin called: CAROTENOID BLEND. NATURES SUNSHINE was the first company to encapsulate herbs, back in 1972, and have thus been known for their disease-fighting properties. You might also search for a health product containing the herbs BILBERRY and TUMERIC, which have powerful anti-inflammatory properties that protect the eyes, liver, blood vessels and other tissues from damage. NATURES SUNSHINE also offers as a product: PERFECT EYES, which contains the carotenoids lutein, xeaxanthin, beta-carotene, lycopene, along with bilberry and turmeric.

Desire to see God's pathway clearer? Use His creation as an investment in your vision by increasing your raw fruit and vegetable intake. Your eyes may thank you come 40 years from now, and you're not needing to wear those unsightly senior citizen SUNGLASS BLINDERS for extreme sunlight sensitivity!

In Christ, Ms. Salubrious

******None of the above statements have been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. All of the information in this BLOG is strictly for educational purposes. This BLOG should not be used to treat, diagnose, or prescribe for a condition you feel you may have. If you have any health concerns, you should see a competent practitioner. ******

Antibacterial soap....Et cetera

Antibacterial soap is a better defense against infection than normal soap, right?

Unfortunately, that's false.

Three years ago, a University of Michigan team reviewed data and reported that antibacterial soap products in which TRICLOSAN is the active ingredient is no better than normal soaps at preventing infection. (triclosan is the big dog of antibacterial products)

According to a 2004 report in the journal Pesticides and You (yes, there really is a journal for everything!), triclosan is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent that's used in hundreds of products. But not just soaps. The chemical also shows up in Colgate Total toothpaste, Right Guard Sport Deodorant, and Solarcaine First Aid Medicated Spray.

And here's where things take a very dark turn: Triclosan may promote antibiotic resistance, which would actually make you MORE vulnerable if exposed to infections and hospital superbugs like MRSA and C. diff.

Early this year, Representative Edward Markey (chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment) asked the FDA to update the scientific review of triclosan.

In their response, FDA officials noted that recent research raises "valid concerns" about triclosan safety. In addition to antibiotic resistance, concerns include animal studies that suggest the chemical may interfere with hormone regulation.

So the FDA has started a new review of triclosan safety. Ready for a laugh? Agency officials say they'll have their report ready in the spring of 2011. D'oh!

Want to avoid triclosan right now? Why not? It's apparently not doing anyone any good. Just Google "triclosan-free" and you'll come up with thousands of websites that carry soap and other products that leave triclosan out of the mix.

And if you're wondering just how serious the problem of antibiotic resistance really is, consider that this danger was first recognized more than 80 years ago by one of the foremost medical scientists of the 20th century. His name: Alexander Fleming.

---ABOVE ALL TAKEN FROM HSIALERT.COM (The Health Science Institute)

My thoughts:

If you look under Antibiotic Resistance in the Wikipedia, it says, "Household use of antibacterials in soaps and other products is discouraged (as not being effective at infection control)" Makes you wonder if the use of antibacterial agents in common household products is either effective or harmless?

I first became aware of the potential downsides of antibacterial soaps from Dr. Mercola (The world's number 1 free natural health Newsletter resource), here's a similar article to the one I first read: Dr. MERCOLA ANTIBACTEIAL DANGER NEWSLETTER.

So, everyone wants to keep their family and children safe from harmful bacteria that can cause illness, right? What's the SAFE alternative you ask?

NATURAL, God designed antibacterial agents which have NO NEGATIVE effects on the human body:

• VINEGAR -- as a spray on counter surfaces, toys, and bacteria-laden places. Article on vinegar's effectiveness: VINEGAR AS A BACTERIAL, MOLD, GERM KILLING PRODUCT. It's very inexpensive at the grocery store--give it a try!
• LIQUID SILVER -- Practitioners in burn wards have known for a very long time that soaking bandages in a low concentration silver solution inhibits infection in burn victims; it literally saves their skin. Silver has long been used as an anti-infection agent with bandages or other medical supplies all around the world. VIEW SILVER BAND-AID PRODUCTS. Silver is also coming out in cleaning products/cloths: NORWEX SILVER CLEANING PRODUCTS.

Here's what our family uses as a quick antibacterial handsanitizer when out and about: SILVER ANTIBACTERIAL GEL HAND GEL. A little more spendy...but saves you from taking a chance with using TRICLOSAN on your kiddos!! They also sell a liquid version for antibacterial washings and for using with eye infections: LIQUID SILVER.

In Christ, Ms. Salubrious

******None of the above statements have been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. All of the information in this BLOG is strictly for educational purposes. This BLOG should not be used to treat, diagnose, or prescribe for a condition you feel you may have. If you have any health concerns, you should see a competent practitioner. ******

Little Djoulissa's Story

I would like to share the story of the Meyers so that you can join me in praying for them. We go to a homeschooling academy/CO-OP and the mom, Mae, is one of the parents there so we have had many good faith/family/friendship talks over the past 2 years. I consider Mae a close friend of mine, being there for me with advice, love and encouragement when she knows I need them. She has such a loving and caring heart, and has such faith and strength in her times of trial, that I sooo admire.

This year the Meyers Family was approached to adopt a beautiful 2 year old named Djoulissa from a couple that was hosting her during her stay in the U.S. for her medical visa. This precious child has been diagnosed with Moebius Syndrome (including facial paralysis), CLUB FEET, malnutritio​n, and has severe development​al delays. The Meyers knew it was their calling to have her as a part of their family.

Here's a portion of their announcement e-mail:

"We are very excited to announce that we have a new addition to the family. Djoulissa -pronounce: jew-lisa (given name-not sure if we are changing it yet) was brought to our attention on Feb. 20th. God had put our family on someone's mind who knew that Djoulissa needed a home. They contacted us and asked if we were interested in adopting her. To say we were blown away would be an understatement-especially since we were not even thinking of adopting at this time. We said that we would pray about it and see where God was leading us-it is hard to ignore when God is opening doors all around you! We really felt that God had prepared us for her and her special needs over the last couple of years and that He is calling us to adopt her."

The Meyers family brought her home at the beginning of April, and started visits with doctors to diagnosis, treat and improve Djoulissa's health condition. Here is her excerpt from Djoulissa's CARING BRIDGE SITE (<--Click for link to site):

Wednesday, April 28, 2010
"Djoulissa was admitted to the hospital today. We went in for a feeding clinic and they took one look at her and said she is going up to a room! That was not in the plan today :) Right now she has a tube through her nose to feed her. The dr. said this is going to be a long stay. When I asked what 'long' meant he said that on the short end it will be 2 weeks. Plea​se pray for her sweet little spirit and that she can put up with all this testing and that Doug and I will have the emotion and physical strength."

Friday, April 30
"They did find a bit of fluid by the heart and a vessel that they really don't want there. We will do another heart echo next week to check on things. I was a bit worried tonight with her being so lethargic and quiet. I bought her a couple of balloons (which always make her giggle) but she didn't even really look at them. I was telling a nurse about it and that she really is a fiesty girland I want to see that again. She sat up on my lap and preceded to hit the heck out the balloon. Never thought violence could bring such JOY to my heart :)"

"If I have not mentioned it before...th​is little girl is such a sweetie. She has the most beautiful eyes that smile even if her face can't. I am so very humbled and blessed to be this little girl's mother that it brings me to tears whenever I think about it. To be perfectly honest I worry. I worry about being a good mother to her, worry about providing everything she is going to need, worry about being a mother to SIX kids (I am so outnumbered​), worried about stupid stuff that satan plants in my head --Then I read in this really great book that tells me that I should NOT worry-for what good does it do? Pretty good book and it hasn't failed me yet so I am trying really hard to follow its guidance. I still am not sure what God was thinking when He chose me to be her mother, but I know that He is a GREAT Father and He can use even the likes of me. Thank-you again for all the prayers. God has His hand on all of this and I really am excited to see where He takes us! "

Please visit the site regularly for updates, prayer requests and to show support to this loving family. We are so blessed to know them, and would encourage you to be a part of their journey God has for them! Thank you for reading.

In Christ, Ms. Salubrious