An eye-opening 1949 TV commercial from Camel cigarettes. Makes you wonder what other products we are blindly supporting in the present day, without knowledge on their full effects on our health?

The following is taken from Dr. Mercola's website newsletter: CLICK ON THIS PINK LINK TO SEE IT. Dr. Mercola publishes The World’s Most Popular Natural Health Newsletter, and you can subscribe to it free at his website. He publishes several articles weekly, and sends them right to your e-mail "Inbox" 2 times a week.

"Today we look at it as obvious that smoking is not a particularly healthy behavior. This change in perception didn’t come about until 1957, when then-Surgeon General Leroy Burney reported a 'causal link' between smoking and lung cancer.

But here’s a fact that may surprise you: an English physician by the name of Charles R. Drysdale actually issued a report confirming the dangers of smoking long before that … in 1878! And Drysdale had reportedly been on an anti-smoking crusade since at least 1864, the same year he published a study showing that tobacco could cause jaundice, 'distressing palpitations of the heart,' and other health issues in young men. He even wrote a book explaining the negative impact nicotine could have on your lungs, circulation system, and skin … and also warned people about the risks of second-hand smoke.

Yet as is so common when a health truth is first reported, it is often ridiculed or ignored entirely, and that is what happened to Drysdale’s work. It took nearly a century for people to accept the idea that smoking could be harmful.

Perhaps the biggest mistake is the reliance on pharmaceutical drugs to treat everything from cancer to the common cold, while the underlying reasons why these diseases occur in the first place are completely ignored. There is a surprising lack of knowledge in conventional medicine when it comes to the basic tenets of health, things like proper nutrition, exercise and emotional health, and the massive impact they have on your ability to thrive. All too often the primary focus is on the treatment of disease and relieving symptoms with dangerous and expensive drugs. Meanwhile, the side effects are often dismissed . Little to no attention is paid to optimizing normal healing systems your body has to recover and repair from just about any disease.There are many other errors in judgment going on as well.

Evidence is emerging that RADIATION from CELL PHONES, cell phone towers and other WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES is a REAL HEALTH RISK, yet in the United States public officials continue to assure us they’re safe. In fact the cellular phone threat may be the closest analogy to the tobacco issue in contemporary medicine. Although physicians are not going on TV promoting cell phones, their deafening silence on this important health threat speaks very loudly about their awareness of this health risk. (Please see my BLOG on: Cell Phone EMF (Electro-Magnetic Frequencies)

Similarly, health officials have frightened people into avoiding sunlight to avoid skin cancer, and in so doing have raised the risk of numerous chronic diseases in these people because many are now deficient in vitamin D.

Who Can You Trust When it Comes to Your Health? That is a question only you can answer, but I encourage you to not blindly trust anyone. Your health is too important. Dig a little bit deeper and you may find what appeared trustworthy on the surface may not be so right after all, especially if it came from a source deeply entrenched in the conventional medical system. Remember that even well-accepted health “truths” can turn out to be wrong, and those that are ridiculed can be right. So keep an open mind and, above all else, be your own best ally when it comes to deciding what’s best for your health." -- Dr. Joseph Mercola

I highly value Dr. Mercola's information he provides to the public, it is the number one way I find myself being able to keep track of my own health, of health studies and of health findings. However, as Dr. Mercola tells us to never blindly trust one person, I also read many other natural health newsletters, books, magazines, and articles, along with consulting my Master Herbalist with any questions I have. I feel this to be most effective in keeping me in check with my own health.

Health in Christ,

Whol-E-Herbster

******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. ******

The Future of Food

(if movie stops or gets stuck, click the pause button on the left of video frame, and wait for the red bar to go farther across bottom before playing again)

An important, life changing vote will be happening in less than 1 1/2 weeks, on 2 bills labeled: Bills HR875, S 425. There is an enormous rush to get this into law within the next 2 weeks before people realize what is happening. Main backer and lobbyist is Monsanto – chemical and genetic engineering giant corporation. This bill will require organic farms to use specific fertilizers and poisonous insect sprays dictated by the newly formed agency to "make sure there is no danger to the public food supply". This will include backyard gardens that grow food only for a family and not for sales. Monsanto genetically alters the seeds that are now showing up with unexpected diseases in humans.

In the Bible, it talks about a famine and world dominance controlling money, food and trade. This seed company, Monasanto is pushing for a vote from congress to ban organic growing, private gardens, and huge fines of up to a million dollars for anyone who doesn't adhere to Monsanto's 100-page regulation packet of buying/using their seeds only. What would this ban mean? The inability for anyone to grow plants by themselves, and the ability for Monsanto to gain control of America's food chain. No more variety, no more healthy competition for consumers to benefit from, one step closer to control of the world's food chain as well.

"Monsanto has succeeded in first patenting their own GMO seeds, and then slapping patents on a huge number of crop seeds, patenting life forms for the first time without a vote of the people or Congress.

Terminator technology may be one of the greatest threats to humanity(seeds that terminate after one planting, GMO-Genetically Modified Organism seeds). If it is used by Monsanto on a large-scale basis, it will likely inevitably lead to famine and starvation on a worldwide basis. Billions of people on the planet are supported by farmers who save seeds from the crops and replant these seeds the following year. Seeds are planted. The crop is harvested. And the seeds from the harvest are replanted the following year. Most farmers cannot afford to buy new seeds every year, so collecting and replanting seeds is a crucial part of the agricultural cycle. This is the way food has been grown successfully for thousands of years.

What is most concerning is that the traits from genetically-engineered crops can get passed on to other crops. Once the terminator seeds are released into a region, the trait of seed sterility could be passed to other non-genetically-engineered crops, making most or all of the seeds in the region sterile.

If that is not bad enough, consider this:
Phytochemicals (free-radical and anti-oxidants) are substances that plants naturally produce to protect themselves against viruses, bacteria, and fungi and are essential for the next generation of seeds. The plant creates phytochemicals as it comes to its peak ripeness on the vine.The foods we eat today are already lacking in these essential elements due to the fact that the majority of our foods are picked before peak ripeness for transportation means. The reason it is recommended that we eat several servings of fruits and vegetables a day is because of the health-providing benefits of these phytochemicals.

If the terminator seed prevents the plant from germinating the vegetable or fruit itself will not contain any of these essential nutrients and our bodies and immune systems will be left open for attack from all viruses and bacteria. We will be defenseless, as plants are our only way of getting these essential nutrients.

Remember, the European Union has already BANNED GMO, for good reason, it is unhealthy, NOT safe, and DEADLY!!!

So why is the FDA allowing GMO to move forward in the USA? ... Simple, as the line from Watergate suggested from the shadowy informer called Deep Throat: 'follow the money' ?"

The ABOVE was Taken from: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2007/01/11/the-future-of-food----you-need-to-watch-this-video.aspx

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, write to your congress representative and plee for them to vote against BILL HR 875, which gives Monsanto the right to ban any private, organic growing of anything without the purchase of their seeds and chemicals.

In South Dakota:

For Tim Johson: http://johnson.senate.gov/contact/

For John thune: http://thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Email

For Stephanie Herseth Sandlin: http://hersethsandlin.house.gov/contact2.htm

Online Petition: http://www.leavemyfoodalone.org/forward-this-petition

Let them know you disagree with Bills HR875, S 425 TODAY!!!!

THE POWER OF ZINC

Most all of the following information included in this posting can be found in this website newsletter, published by HEALTH QUARTERS MONTHLY: November 2008 Newsletter. The mission of Health Quarters is one that I highly support and believe in as well, "to help facilitate health, both physical and spiritual, in the lives of God’s people, enabling them to more effectively serve God in His world." Here is their website: Health Quarters Ministries.

The TRUTH ABOUT ZINC:

Without zinc, the functions of your white blood cells cease. These are your immuneforces. They’re supposed to be keeping watchful eye for cancer cells, ready to destroy them along withother foreign invaders like viruses, bacteria and parasites.

HEALTH CONCERNS RELATED TO ZINC DEPLETION :

Prostate Cancer:

Testosterone is vital for male health. It protects the prostate from the wounding, swelling, cancer-causing impact of estrogen on these tissues. Zinc is not only necessary to the production of testosterone, but it keeps an man's fat cells from converting his testosterone into DHT (potent form of testosterone, but weak at protecting prostate gland) and estrogen.

Hair Problems:

A lack of ZINC STORES in the body can be a key contributing factor to a variety of hair and/or scalp related disorders and concerns: brittle, loss, premature graying, slow growth, and even dandruff. The anti-dandruff shampoos on the market are usually high in zinc, but I can't speak for their effectiveness.

Breast, Uterine, Ovarian, Cervical Cancers:

A woman's ovaries are the primary producers of her estrogen and progesterone. When the ovaries are weak (thyroid function problem) or gone (hysterectomy) or retired (menopause), she will not make progesterone to help balance the estrogen that her adrenals and fat cells continue to make. She is now dominated by estrogen, a growth hormone that only stimulates the production of immature cells, which are prone to cancerous mutations, but simultaneously depletes the body of zinc (which is vital for the immune system's ability to fight cancer).

Ear Problems:

The inner ear requires more zinc than any other part of the human body. Insufficient zinc stores in the body may therefore result in inner ear problems, perhaps the most common being ringing--a condition known in the medical world as Tinnitus.

Eye Problems:

When zinc is missing, various eye problems occur. Common ones include: sties, sensitivity to light, inability to adjust to darkness (night blindness), mascular degeneration, and even detached retina or retinal bleeding.

Other problems potentially related to depleted ZINC stores:

• Repetitive yeast infections (vaginal, urinary, intestinal--setting up for digestive diseases)
• Sensory problems related to taste or smell
• Anemia--when zinc is depleted, the body rejects iron....the issue, then, is to supplement with zinc along with iron, or the body will continue to reject the iron!
• Reproductive problems with infertility, irregular female cycles, impotence, reduced sperm count in men

Zinc Depleters:

• Alcohol
• Caffeine
• Drugs (antacids, birth control, cortisone, over the counters,etc)
• Refined grains (flour)
• Processed sweeteners (brown & white sugar, corn syrup, sucrose, dextrose)
• Artificial sweeteners (aspartame, NutraSweet, Splenda)
• Estrogen Dominance ( progesterone production becomes insufficient to balance estrogen, which in turn depletes zinc)

To Replenish Zinc Stores:

Herbal sources whole/capsules: Bee Pollen, Chamomile, Fennel seeds, Milk thistle, Kelp

Food Sources: Alfalfa Sprouts, Nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans, etc), Corn, Garlic, Legumes, Seeds (poppy, pumpkin, sunflower), Leafy Greens (spinach), Onions, Nutritional Yeast, Coconut

Supplementation: Zinc taken by itself is not only poorly absorbed, but can sometimes cause stomach aches. I (Health quarters) often recommend a product by NSP (Natures Sunshine Products) in which zinc is accompanied by various absorption-enhancing substances.

On a final note: Zinc is water soluble, which means it's not stored in fat tissues in the body. It must be replenished daily. Because Zinc is water soluble, much of it in foods is lost during canning or cooking food in water. Here are the 2 Zinc Supplements from Natures Sunshine that Health Quarters suggests if wanting to supplement with it: (click on the links) ZINC -25 MG , and ZINC LOZENGES.

Health In Christ,
Whole-E Herbster

******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. ******

Quotes from "He's Not Autistic, But..." by Tenna Merchent

Some Highlights from the book, "HE'S NOT AUTISTIC, BUT.....HOW WE PULLED OUR SON FROM THE MOUTH OF THE ABYSS" by TENNA MERCHENT http://www.joyousmessenger.com/

"It's also frightening to write about something so unconventional. Many people accept stories of healing in the Bible; nevertheless, most do not believe it can happen today. Healing DOES take place today. God still works miracles. I know, because I've lived them." pg 6

"I became extremely open-minded and would have done almost anything that was moral to find a cure for my son." pg 6

"I knew Clay was very sick, it wasn't just back to back colds-but the pediatrician didn't believe me." pg 3

"Healthy people have a balance of both yeast and good bacteria in their digestive system. The predominant thinking is when a person takes antibiotics, they kill the good bacteria in the digestive tract along with the bad bacteria they are intended to kill. This makes the digestive tract susceptible to a yeast overgrowth. Yeast needs SUGAR (corn syrup is sugar as well!) to GROW and SURVIVE." pg 13

"Aluminum kills bacteria. That's why it's so widely used as a preservative (in foods and medications). When you have aluminum in your system, it kills the beneficial bacteria, allowing a yeast overgrowth. Antibiotics are loaded with aluminum, plus they kill the beneficial bacteria in your system." pg 14

"Aluminum...causes infertility as well. It settles in the solar plexus and causes the organs, including the uterus to drop." pg 19

"Clay was ill most of the time. If he came anywhere near anyone with a respiratory infection, Clay would get it and the next two weeks would be horrible." pg 15

"One of my red flags is the thought, 'I should just get this over with.' That was how I felt about the (immunization) shots and would feel later about other medical interventions. The bottom line for me has been when I ignore them , I regret it. So now, I practice listening to them and pray for relief from my ego, which wants to run the show at my expense." pg 51

"In the world of alternative health care, there are treatments available for toxemia, but i didn't know this at the time (of 1st pregnancy with toxemia). Alternative doctors believe toxemia is simply a magnesium imbalance. When I told my OB this during my second pregnancy, she agreed toxemia is a magnesium imbalance. So why on earth didn't she put me on magnesium during my last pregnancy, when I had toxemia?" pg 20

"Allergy symptoms can be anything that didn't exist before the allergen was introduced, including behaviors like head-banging, foul moods, insomnia, and spinning in circles, to name just a few. Most people think of allergies as mucous and hives, and while they can certainly be an element of allergies, they are by no means the only ones." pg 43

"In the beginning, I didn't tell people about Clay's recovery because it is so far out." pg 94 (How sad not to be able to share a miraculous story of healing because of how skeptical our society can be towards it? Again, we share the same story on this, not many people know or want to know our healing story with our daughters!)

"I thought the Master Herbalist had some magical power. In some respects he does, because he has the power of GOD BEHIND HIM. He would be the first one to tell you that he doesn't do the healing, Jesus does. Anyone can become sensitive to these energies..." pg 96

"My recommendation is, don't go (to an Herbalist) as a patient, but as an apprentice. Put your faith in GOD, and you can (learn to) be a tool for HIS healing." pg 125

"He (the Master Herbalist) already has more business than he needs or even wants. He is a family man who has deep faith in God. He has spent a tremendous amount of time studying herbs and prayer, and now he has students like me taking his work out into the world" pg. 121

"My lack of faith interfered with my ability to help myself and others. (thinking) I am too great or too small for one of God's assignments, which of course, is not true. We are all totally capable of being one of God's tools. His loving power will do great things--things we could never do on our own, like healing." pg 97

"I have been told that my son was sick for my benefit. If it had not been for him, I would have continued my unhealthy lifestyle and never been cured of myself. " pg 98

"....when aspartame (in Diet soda) reaches body temperature, it turns into formaldehyde. What I didn't know about aspartame was that I was highly addicted to it. I really struggled with the decision to give it up. I loved my diet sodas and looked forward to them. I had done the Weight Watchers diet in the past and believed it was a healthy and balanced diet. (Weight Watchers) allows aspartame.... I experienced withdrawal for at least 2 months...the withdrawal I experienced and the mourning I went through over having to give it up just confirmed to me how deeply addicted I was." pg 57, 58, 59

"After getting a clean bill of health on an energy level for my fertility I saw my fertility doctor. He didn't think there was much chance I would become pregnant, nevertheless, he was willing to cooperate with my request. The test was PERFECTLY NORMAL! I became PREGNANT, with NO HORMONES, NO SHOTS, and NO INVITRO FERTILIZATION. I was finally FERTILE at age 43! (my first pregnancy) I had taken so many drugs, months and months of hormone shots. I had numerous blood tests, ultrasounds and repeated disappointments when my cycle started each month. This time I was free to enjoy my pregnancy without the tether of fertility treatment." pg 114

" It seems that everyone I meet is sick or has a sick family member. Crohn's, Cancer, Lupus, and Alzheimer's are all curable, yet many do not want to do what is necessary to heal and recover" pg 4

I'm hoping that if this has peaked an interest, that you might chose to read this overwhelming, inspiring story for yourself! Thanks for reading!!!

HEALTH IN CHRIST,

WHOL-E-HERBSTER

BOOK in REVIEW: "He's not Autistic, But..." by Tenna Merchent

"He's Not Autistic, But...How We Pulled Our Son From The Mouth of the Abyss" by Tenna Merchent, Master Herbalist, Doctor of Naturopathy. Her Website: http://www.joyousmessenger.com/

I am reading the book for my second time through to highlight and make note of comments that stand out and are meaningful to me. The first time I read it, I was trying to absorb it so fast that I didn't want to take the time to highlight or mark pages....I read it completely within a 24 hour time frame! This book is one that gives hope to exhausted parents who battle behavior and medical problems with their children...it helps one to see "the outside forces" acting on our precious little ones from the moment they enter our world. These outside forces are so common in our everyday lives that we DON'T and sometimes even WON'T acknowledge them. Aren't you curious to know about why some babies cry for hours when people dismiss it as simply being "SOME BABIES CRY FOR NO APPARENT REASON"? Or why some children are destined to have poor health for the rest of their lives, and parents write it off as being "BAD GENES or a TOUGH BREAK FOR THE KID"? This book gives immense hope, faith and comprehension to people who are looking for answers about health from our heavenly Father.

After reading the book, you will begin to have your eyes opened to God's perspective on our lifestyles and you may not like it, but if you acknowledge it, your relationship with Christ will bloom--you will forever be changed for the better! This book not only deals with natural healing, but also faith healing--which is something so many people are skeptical about now days because of all of the "false healers". Tenna Merchent teaches you how to connect with your maker in a way that not many people connect now days--through depending on Him and His ways for healing. My faith grew as I turned the pages of this book!

There are a few things from this book that stirred by soul completely down to it's core....

1. The fact that her story was frighteningly similar to my husband's and my experience with our children, except we had all the issues to a slightly lessened degree that she mentioned over a time frame of 4 years between two children. Therefore, it wasn't as drastic as her experience. However, we got answers right away after starting our search, and she unfortunately had to have several bad experiences with natural health practitioners before finding the Master Herbalist who helped her.
2. I know of 3 Master Herbalists now, who all share the same two qualities with one another: DEEP faith in our Savior Jesus Christ whom they give all their healing knowledge and abilities to. Knowledge to turn around almost any health condition to start the healing process. These qualities ALWAYS win people over to Christ's healing methods & the idea that his healing CAN and DOES happen in our times and our country! Master Herbalists seem to have the special gift of healing, so encourage you to find one and learn from them!
3. The courage she has to share her story completely with sparing no details --she took the chance to reach even those who aren't yet "ready" with a "prepared heart and open mind" to receive her story or fully believe it!

Take a step of faith and order the book from Amazon.com for as little as $9.....please join me in changing our lives to living from a whole different perspective! Also, you've done so good with e-mailing me with questions in the past, please feel free to do this if you chose to read the book. I'd love to hear your thoughts and questions--you'll be in my prayers!

HEALTH IN CHRIST,

WHOL-E-HERBSTER

My Natural Health Journal Entry #1

We had a lovely Bacterial strain go through our house--our family went through all winter with no major flu or colds, and here we sat with congestion up to our ears (literally-our girls had ear infections that set in). All 5 of us at one time or another squeezed into our Queen-size bed. My husband and I are softies when it comes to not feeling good, so we let our kids pile on. How do you fit 5 people on that size of a bed? Let me show you! It's a little of this:

& a lot of this:

****(Yes, those are glow-in-the-dark skeleton pajammas that Sophie and Sage picked out --we were studying the human body at our homeschooling group at the time--great find to study bones!)****

It started out with cough fits one evening for Sophie. I got my book: Homeopathic Self-Care: The Quick & Easy Guide for the Whole Family and looked up the remedies listed for coughing. With the symptoms she had (barky cough fits when laying down), I decided to try out the RUMEX REMEDY, so I gave her 3 pellets from the vial in my 30c Remedy Kit . It was 9:30 pm, and we didn't hear another cough out of her mouth until 2 am. At this point, I re-dosed the same remedy, and she fell back to sleep without another squeak until 7:00 am when she woke up for the day. This is how well homeopathy can work with everyday health problems that arise! However, if it something deeper than an everyday cough, there would be more to follow....and there was!

Over the next few days, Sophie's cough got worse, along with a stuffy nose and a sore throat that settled in. The cough remedies from the kit didn't stop the cough anymore, so I knew it was a more serious condition than just a cough. I went on to get her RELIEF for those NEW SYMPTOMS with these other things:

• I made up some SALT PACKS (salt is a nutrient that naturally draws out toxins and infections) to lay on her chest (works as a medicine or nicotine patch would, except for drawing out infection instead of absorbing a drug). To make the salt pack, I put a cup of Morton salt in a zip lock bag and had her lay with it on her chest through the night. (This got rid of my mother's Bronchitis fully in 3 nights time)
• I had Sophie take a bath in EPSOM SALT water to get her bowels moving (illnesses, viruses, bacteria and toxins can slow down the bowls, which causes more congestion, pushing upwards--hers started in the lungs, then to the nose, then to the ears, working upwards)
• I gave her FOOD ENZYMES as well to start breaking up the food in her intestines that seem to hold an illness in place
• I made some THROAT COAT TEA with RAW HONEY and LEMON to soothe her sore throat
• I also gave her the homeopathic remedy "Complete Virus", to see if it would help, if so, we were dealing with a virus.

By the time I got Sophie relief on these things, an ear infection had also settled in, which is something acute and needed to be treated in a very timely manner because of the pain aspect involved. I checked out a BLOG site that I knew had some good information on Ear Infections (Treating Earaches the Natural Way), and decided to try:

• PULSATILLA Remedy from my kit
• FENUGREEK & THYME, which is an herb that naturally thins mucus, and some
• Cold Pressed OLICE OIL Drops directly into the ear.

This completely took care of the ear infection within a matter of an hour, and she settled to sleep for the night. I could then focus again on settling the other congestion down the following day.

The next day, our other children started to develop the same cough fits as Sophie. At this point I wasn't thinking it was a virus, since the "Complete Virus" remedy had not taken care of it-- (From my previous BLOG Homeopathic Remedies to Keep on Hand, I mentioned that if a remedy doesn't work, you may need a different remedy, or it may be something you're continually exposing yourself to.....either one would fit in this case). I decided to call my Master Herbalist Consultant to get a little more insight into what was happening. Through the 15 minute consultation, she helped me to see that it was a Bacterial infection. I would do the following to fight off the bacterial infection by raising the immune system:

• baths with ORGANIC APPLE CIDER VINEGAR mixed in, a natural anti-bacterial nutrient and their bodies would absorb enough through their skin. (YES! VINEGAR makes a great ANTI-BACTERIAL spray alternative to the Harsh and widely used BLEACH--our ladies at church use this in the nursery and kitchen now!)
• ECHINACEA & GOLDEN SEAL drops (a natural "pro"-biotic herb, opposite of anit-biotic) from NATURES SUNSHINE PRODUCTS, and
• the BAC HP (Bacterial Homeopathic) Remedy from Energique.

My consultant also found a really good immune booster that I ordered from a nutrition store called ACF (ACUTE COLD & FLU FORMULA) by Buried Treasure. It contains herbs and nutrients renowned for their antiviral and antibiotic qualities: Echinacea, Goldenseal, Myrrh, Elderberry Extract, Thyme, Osha Root, Usnea Lichen, and Ginger Root, Vitamin C, Bioflavonoids, Zinc, and Colloidal Silver. When I was picking this up from the store, a salesman from another company asked to see it, that he had heard about how good it was through the grape vine. He took one look at the ingredients and said, "Anything with those ingredients has got to be good! I'll have to see if we can market something similar to that." The taste of it alone, would be enough to scare any bacteria or virus away--this product now is a permanent fixture on our refrigerator shelf!

I remember my sister telling me that she once had a cough that stayed around for 3 weeks, and it was her second round of antibiotics that finally got rid of her congestion. The vinegar baths took care of it for the girls--their coughs went away completely! It was a matter of about 1 1/2 weeks to get rid of their coughs altogether--from onset to after the vinegar baths......only because they were being re-exposed to the bacteria and we hadn't found a strong enough IMMUNE BOOSTER in the mean time until using the VINEGAR! The acute symptoms (sinus, ear and respiratory infections) didn't last very long, otherwise we would have made an appt with our Herbalist earlier than we had.

I like to think of Natural Treatments to illnesses as a collective group of things you LEARN to use. This particular method of getting rid of a congestive bacterial infection may or may not work for yours, but you accumulate ideas over the years to use. As you try things, you will get more confidence and will have more methods to tap into before heading to the doctor, or in our case, Natural Health Practitioner! If you get to the point where you can't take it anymore, or you get to a brick wall without any more ideas, it's time to call on someone certified for help. Find someone that is willing to educate you in the process, so you learn what to do if a similar situation arises. My goal was to be able to someday deal with illnesses on our own with only using God's resources. Well, this is the way to do it...by learning through example of someone who cares enough to teach you!

Through ALL of this, we prayed for recovery in our precious daughters and the Lord had brought it upon us by showing us the way. Praise the good Lord for giving our family the resources to fight something like a bacterial lung infection with only his tools of herbs, homeopathic remedies, oils and nutrients. God is amazing and we thank him for blessing our family with the pathway he has led us down. May He also bless your path, and show you His way of healing, as well--He will reward you for your faith you place in Him for healing!

Health In Christ,

WHOL-E-HERBSTER

******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. ******

Book Highlight: He's Not Autistic, But.....

Let me introduce you to the new book that will be on my nightstand in a few days:

HE'S NOT AUTISTIC BUT... HOW WE PULLED OUR SON FROM THE MOUTH OF THE ABYSS By Tenna Merchent.

My Prayer For This Book (by Tenna Merchent)

"Lord, I ask that this book lift the spirits of those who read it. While our journey was a painful one, and it seemed like an eternity at the time, it was only two years. Many families face a lifetime of autism or serious illness. You saved us, and showed us how to become and stay healthy. I thank you for this most generous gift. I request I successfully share it with all those who are interested. "

"I pray people are empowered by this book. Please help them come away from this book seeing. feeling, and knowing how easy it is to be healthy with the tools you have given all of us. Lord, I pray the appendix grows to meet the specific needs of all those who read this book and want your help. Please guide me to answers for them. "

"God almighty, I ask that this book reach people. I pray it communicates the message how damaging aluminum, yeast, and parasites are to our health, both physical and emotional. I pray it warns parents of the immense danger that lurks in each and every vaccine. Lord, please open the minds of all involved to the risk of vaccine damage. (PLEASE VIEW THIS VACCINE WEB PAGE FOR INFO ON THIS TOPIC: http://www.informedchoice.info/cocktail.html, )"

"God, I ask that we find a natural cure to all cases of autism, no matter how severe. Thank You so much God, for the opportunity, blessing, and gift of writing this book. I pray I am forever Your joyous messenger and humble servant."

Tenna Merchent --http://www.joyousmessenger.com/

After hearing the buzzing around, seeing it on another BLOG, and then viewing the website for it, I WILL NOW HAVE TO READ IT MYSELF! It sounds like a story similar to many of the people I know.....turning to natural methods of healing for a child when nothing else has helped. Prayer is the most powerful method of healing there is, and many people are finding natural health to be their answer to their humble prayers.

Here's the excerpt I read from the Oils For Wellness BLOG a friend writes( http://tinyurl.com/aj2qy8 ): "I could not put this book down! (It's) Not on the subject of aromatherapy, but a must-have for any mom to read. The author exudes amazing faith that ultimately leads her and her son to find the origin and cure for their illnesses using natural medicine and prayer. I was greatly inspired by her story and have included the prayer that Tenna penned in her book(above). May your belief in prayer and healing be challenged and bolstered by this mother's journey. "

'He's Not Autistic But...: How We Pulled Our Son from the Mouth of the Abyss By Tenna Merchent. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 166 children is born with autism. Tenna Merchent is only too familiar with this frightening statistic as she feared her own son might suffer from this devastating disorder. When her son was born, he seemed healthy. But by the time he was six weeks old, the infant cried for hours each evening if he wasn't constantly nursed. As the months went on, Clay frequently was seriously ill.

By the time he was two years old, he could say only a few words, would bang his head for no apparent reason, often walked on his toes, was severely allergic to numerous things, constantly sick, and suffered from nose and chest congestion. He had systemic yeast, was terrified by sudden noises, wouldn't sleep for more than two hours straight, and was unhappy most of the time. All of his symptoms pointed to the possibility of autism. And to make matters worse, Merchent herself became seriously ill.

This book describes her journey through traditional medicine, then the move to alternative care. The miracles begin when she discovers a master herbalist who reveals to her the primary cause of their ill health: aluminum. The simplicity of fully curing both herself and her son is astounding, and she illustrates the art of releasing in detail here. Also included is an invaluable list of remedies for common ailments, as well as a section on resources for herbs and homeopathies.

I was absolutely ecstatic to see that Ms. Merchent has experienced similar healing results with her children as we have with ours through Natures Sunshine Vitamins and Herbs! She uses 2 main Herb Companies, one of them being the one we have chosen to stick with, after seeing the phenomenal results. Here's the web address for Natures Sunshine: http://www.mynsp.com/dewittsunshine/Products/Categories.aspx

I was also fascinated with the fact that her miracle story started out reflecting certain aspects of ours with our daughter: (Her child often walked on his toes, was extremely allergic to many things, constantly sick, regressed in communication, sought out sensory stimulants, suffered from severe nose and chest congestion, experienced systemic yeast, was terrified by sudden noises, and there wasn’t a week that went by when she or Clay didn’t see a doctor.) We also share the same story in closure as well: it was a Master Herbalist who finally turned things around for Ms. Merchent's precious child, which was what changed things for us, as well! Ours has not only helped with the few autistic characteristics one of our children had, but she also eliminated the need of insulin for our second child who was born with Diabetes.

Please keep in mind that just because a Health Practitioner uses different methods of testing and treatment, doesn't mean that it's any less effective than medical treatments! (Sometimes even more so, as proven with this particular book!) If we do not fully understand a testing or treatment method of someone who has been educated in Health, then we should educate ourselves on it....not discount it. God puts certain people, ideas, philosophies, methods, knowledge and practices in our path for a specific reason, and we should trust him with it before turning our backs on it. If you do not fully understand something in natural health......please ask more questions until you understand it! It is in times of our trust and curiosity that God can really reveal his miraculous ways and help an individual to find healing.

It is Satan's desire to keep you sick and afraid of other alternatives to effective healing, it is God's desire to get you well to serve him to your fullest potential. If you have not found healing from an ailement, or if you have/know a child who keeps struggling with an on-going health condition.....PLEASE try/encourage them to try something new by searching out a solution....even if it seems wierd, scary or even if you're hesitant...we owe it to ourselves, our family, and our creater to not "deal with" our health problems, but rather "heal with" them! Please pray about a solution and God will help you to find it!

I pray that your heart will be open to reading this book along with me! I have mine on order and plan to review it in a future BLOG. In the mean time, please share with me (thru e-mail, BLOG comment, facebook or by phone!) if you plan on reading this book, too, so that I may pray for you as you read it. Thanks for reading!!!

In Christ, Whol-E-Herbster

WHOL-E-HERBSTER

WEBSITE LINKS / BOOKS PERTAINING TO THIS BLOG:

The Joyous Messanger ,

http://www.informedchoice.info/cocktail.html,

Think Twice (about vaccinations) ,

BOOK: Vaccines by Neil Miller

******The information in this BLOG is strictly for educational purposes. It 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. ******

HEALING

I feel quite selfish at times for writing about what interests me, and not about the real world and the experiences people go through in it. Though, I was told by my friend who had me start writing this, to write what comes easy to me, about "my story" and the things that contribute to it. Christ is my passion, along with natural living and teaching others about it. So spreading the word about why I live life this way and how to do it, is the way that I serve him best. Every week, I glance over my e-mails from natural writers, my handouts from natural classes and seminars, my newsletters from various natural companies and church organizations, and my natural magazines----and I feel overwhelmed with trying to LIMIT my writings to just one BLOG a week. Why do I feel this passion towards something that most people think to be irrelevant in their walk with Christ? One of my dearest friends who has started to share this passion with me told me yesterday that I have a Spiritual GIFT for it. A HUH? There's a spiritual gift for natural living and nutrition? Well, here are my choices of spiritual gifts to choose from, according to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiritual_gift:

Discerning of spirits --- Speaking in tongues ---- Prophecy
Faith ---- Working of miracles -----Healing ----- Apostleship
Prophecy ------ Evangelism ---Wisdom --------- Knowledge
Pastoring ---- Teaching-----Showing mercy ---- Ministry
Teaching ----- Exhortation -----Giving ------- Leading

Interpretation of tongues

My Friend told me that I have an ability to set aside my worldly desires and walk with Christ along a pathway that not many people now days take--everything that goes in my mouth is thought about and considered heavily before entering. I am able to separate myself from the world in what I eat and ingest. I also enjoy passing information onto others when I feel a Holy Spirit prompting to do so. (Since I'm human, I don't ALWAYS read HIM correctly, and have lost friends in this way) BUT, the Lord found someone to explain to me my immense desire to serve others in this non-conventional way....KNOWLEDGE on HEALING.

Here's a test if you would like to discover and use your (click on: Spiritual Gifts . ) However, I encourage you to think out of the box, like I did--not everything in life is an absolute. I am so thankful for my friend's talk, because now I can look at serving God with even more enthusiam than I have ever before. My Spiritual Gifts are a blessing from above and I need to look at it as a just that, A GIFT and nothing less! Praise be to the Lord for friends he sends our way when we need encouragement!

If I HAD to put a label on my gift, I would have to say I'm blessed with KNOWLEDGE on HEALING (of the BODY), but not necessarily HEALING itself. I have wonderful knowledge on what herbs/vitamins/nutrients do to what organs of the body to help it to heal.....but I do not do the healing, myself. I tend to think of myself as a vessel that Jesus works through to heal others, sometimes without my even knowing until months later I get a "thank you". I have found that HEALING can BEGIN when someone chooses not to put processed foods, chemical colorings, hormones from meat and dairy, preservatives, Antibiotics, refined sugar, and soft drinks in their mouth. (A few links to support this: Healing Diet, Healing Foods, Healing Naturally With Food, Diet and Nutrition, Living a Life that Nourishes Health, Health Quarters MinistriesCore Beliefs on Bodily Healing ) It takes a knowledge and understanding of what these types of food do to the various organs in your body to know that they do not promote healing, but rather promote disease. Not always immediate disease, but eventual disease. So, actually all of us can be equipped with this spiritual gift, by trying to "Go Green" like many others are! However, one can only find complete healing or do healing with God's grace to back you up!

I openly profess my desire to serve Christ through the things that I never had much control over before: my diet and health. I aim to help others to serve Christ in this manner as well. After all, when the Bible says 1 Corinthians 6:19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own......is that supposed to be aimed only at tattoos that are satanic? Absolutely not!

Something else that interests me, also has to do with Healing. HEALING of the SPIRIT, rather than the body. I came across a young lady named Bonnie.

She is a Child of God who is trying to pick up the broken pieces after losing her husband to a car accident in January. Here is her BLOG postings from that:"Terrible Tragedy", "Coping", "God's Working", "Challenging days" .

She's currently pregnant with their second child (3 months along) and will be experiencing the remainder of this exciting journey without her husband by her side. She said she a hard time with even checking a "WIDOW" box on her hospital pre-registration form for her upcoming delivery in August. After having some unpleasant signs of concern this past weekend, she went into the ER and discovered what doctors call a Torn Placenta.

I will let you check out the remainder of her story, along with the preceding details of their life, on her BLOG at http://sweetcarolinebaby.blogspot.com/. (just scroll down this page to see earlier postings) Her story is very moving, and she has truly felt prayers during her current recovery/journey! So please join me in lifting up this young lady as she's healing in the loss of her husband, and for the remainder of her pregnancy!

In Christ,

Whole-E-Herbster

Is Banning Nutrition Legal? It is in This Case!

"The primary role of VITAMIN B6 is to act as a co enzyme to many other enzymes in the body that are involved predominantly in metabolism." From Wikipedia, defining the Vitamin that this BLOG is about today.

BELOW: 2 article Titles, one forshadowing the other, and what today's BLOG involves:

On June 25, 2008, there was an article written by NaturalNews called: Drug Company Seeks to Outlaw Vitamin B6 to Protect Pharma Profits

Not a year later, on February 12, 2009, Natural News wrote an article to follow-up this previous one called:
FDA Declares Form of Vitamin B6 a Drug, Effectively Banning (it)Pyridoxamine From Dietary Supplements:
Here is a "condensed" version of the second article from Natural News:

"The FDA has effectively banned a naturally-occurring form of vitamin B6 called pyridoxamine by declaring it to be a drug, reports the American Association for Health Freedom. Responding to a petition filed by a DRUG COMPANY, the FDA declared pyridoxamine to be "a new drug." Now, any nutritional supplements containing pyridoxamine(B6) will be considered adulterated and illegal by the FDA, which may raid vitamin companies and seize such products. Manufacturers of such supplements can be arrested and shut down for engaging in "illegal drug trafficking."

Pyridoxamine occurs naturally in fish, chicken and other foods (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_B6), putting the Food and Drug Administration in the strange position of banning a substance from dietary supplements even though it is already present in the nation's food supply! It's not the first time the FDA has declared a natural nurtient to be a "drug" while attacking nutritional supplements that contain the same nutrient. Such is the nature of the FDA's agenda to criminalize nutritional supplements companies and limit consumers' access to Natural remedies. It would be like Big Pharma patenting vitamin C, then the FDA claiming that all oranges and lemons were adulterated with drugs because they naturally contain their own vitamin C.

So will this ruling on pyridoxamine affect nutritional supplements? Yes, any supplements containing this natural-occuring form of vitamin B6 can now be declared "adulterated" by the FDA. The pyridoxamine "drug," by the way (which is just pyridoxamine), is designed to prevent the progression of kidney disease. Most likely, the FDA will eventually approve the "drug" for that condition, even while claiming vitamin B6 supplements containing the very same element are useless and unlawful.

This is another classic oppression tactic of the FDA: Ban the herb, but promote the drug using the same make-up. The same thing happened with ephedra, a Traditional Chinese Medicine herb known as ma huang. The FDA banned the herb, saying it was "dangerous at any dose," but pharmaceuticals containing the very same molecules (ephedrine) are still being sold over-the-counter as cold medicines, meaning they're available to any child without a prescription. The bottom line is this: FDA approvals and bans have nothing to do with science and everything to do with protecting drug companies profits. If a drug company can make money selling a vitamin as a drug, the FDA will gladly ban the vitamin and protect the drug. If a drug company can rip off a nutrient from Nature and patent it, the FDA will ban that same nutrient found in nature." --maybe even going so far as to say that the vitamin version we are familiar with is "not healthy at any dose" but the patented scientific version is beneficial--which has been done with other nutrients in the past.

So what does all this mean? Well, one can only assume that American Pharmaceutical Companies are out to make a profit, and would like you to have to get a prescription through a doctor to get this Vitamin if you need it for Stomach Metabolization purposes. Basically, not enough people are buying chemically-designed drugs made by PEOPLE, so PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES need to bottle up a valuable Vitamin designed BY GOD with claims of ownership to sell it! All the while, banning the virtually identical version of it that Natural Health Stores have been selling for decades, earning a very little Profit off of it! Why? Well, because there is a possibility for huge profits out there, and the Pharmaceutical Companies want to claim it!

My Grandma, in her final years, needed Vitamin B to be able to tolerate digesting foods on her own. I just put in my order for a few bottles of it from Natures Sunshine--I figure the FDA could decide to enforce their new law days from now, or years from now, but I'm not waiting to find out! I may not need it now, but I may need it many years from now---and then, what if they never made a drug out of it, and it's still banned? Or what if they added chemicals to it to be "more effective" and I have a side effect from the chemicals added to it? Either, way, I'm thinking ahead, and not going to be regretting it later. For those who need it now, or think there are pre-destined genes that may call for it later on....I encourage you to seek out the natural version while it's still in e-stores and on store shelves!

Sadly,

WHOL-E-HERBSTER

******The information in this BLOG is strictly for educational purposes. It 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. ******

Baby Capes for Warmth!

I ran across a fantastic new design for children's warmth when traveling. This one hits close to home, because I usually either opt for a jacket in the car, so that I don't have to adjust straps for winter coat bulkiness, or I adjust the straps and end up re-adjusting them several times in the process! Living in South Dakota, something like this would be very nice to have on hand. These are absolutely adorable, and if God blesses us with another baby someday in the future, I will hopefully be investing in one of these as a baby gift.

This is the web Blog that I found this at: http://www.mommadethat.com/2009/02/bapycapes-review-giveaway.html On the BLOG it says, "Well, let me share some information with you:

• Simple design is quick and easy to put on and take off
• Overlapping back flap allows easy access to car seat straps
• Can be put on or removed while child stays secure and undisturbed
• Easily used without altering car seat, stroller or front carrier straps
• Covers more of child's body and extremities for warmth
• Child stays warm without feeling confined
• Front cozy for tucking in babies' feet or older children's hands
• One size fits newborn to preschooler
• Super soft, luxurious fabrics
• Machine wash and dry

I believe the best, and most important, feature about this product is being able to buckle my child into his car seat, without a big coat on, and just placing the cape over everything. According to the National Highway Transportation Authority, you should "always remove bulky clothing or blankets before you place your child in the seat." The Babycape makes it much safer for your child to travel by car during the cold months, which, alone, makes it worth the $39*-$59* investment. I tried it out on a cold day and it took little effort to buckle my son into his seat, and then drape the Babycape over him. Not only was he super warm and safe, but he looked adorable!
Babycapes are assembled in the USA, and are made of super soft fabrics. I love the suede on the outside of my Babycape, and the inside fabric is so warm and cozy-it's like having your favorite blanket wrapped around you! There are three fabrics to choose from-Minky Sherpa Suede (heaviest weight), Minky Marshmallow (softest fabric), and Minky Cuddle (lightest fabric). There are two slits in the front of each cape for older babies or toddlers to have their hands free, which worked well for my son to drink his bottle and play with toys while sitting in his car seat. One size fits all, so you don't need to buy a winter coat for years! That, too, is worth the investment." Thanks MOMS MADE THAT BLOG!!!

Be sure to check it out, it looks like such a fantastic investment!!!