dessert recipe contest reminder

In case you were wondering, there's still time to get your dessert recipe in. This is the last weekend, so post it soon.

And speaking of recipes, our deli staff cooks up some delicious treats every day. My favorite is the chicken, white bean chili. Made with shredded, free range chicken, this soup stands above all others.

I need to mention the streusel bars. They're wheat free, since I can't have wheat. Instead, oats are blended with organic fruit. You won't find any corn syrup or white sugar in these tasty pastries. I consider this to be a serving of fruit, or, at least that's what I keep telling myself.

We also have the best smoothies in town. Once again, we use only organic fruit, yogurt, and local honey. Sorry, Smoothie Queen, your drinks lack nutrition.

And don't forget, we bake vegan and gluten free desserts every week.

Come in and try something new!


...................Matt

Pet Supplements

Animals need supplements too. I have a three year old Australian Cattledog that keeps me very busy. I've always fed him the most nutritious dog food on the market. But even with a balanced diet, there are still certain supplements that will greatly improve your pet's health.

The first one is garlic oil. Garlic is an effective antibacterial, and it keeps fleas and ticks away. It must be garlic oil. Supposedly, the dry garlic powder doesn't work very well. A couple of pills a day is sufficient. If your dog spends most of the time outside, then you need to consider this.

Of course, I have to bring up wild oregano again. Wild oregano oil is one of the best antiviral and antibacterial herbs around. It also kills parasites, which is a real concern during the summer months. It has the ability to kill the parvovirus which is usually fatal. I always give my dog, Dingo, oregano oil before and after his trips to the kennel.

I also feed him flax oil and yogurt. You can't go wrong with omega 3 and probiotics. As you can see from the picture, he's a real happy dog.

.................Matt

Don't You Love Pictures

Does anybody know of an herb that can grow hair? As you can see from these truthful, yet horrible pictures of myself, I still have not figured out anything that can cure baldness. You would think, that after years of research, I could get back my golden, Samson-like locks..........Matt

meet some of our staff

Roger Hutchinson, General Manager, in the red shirt. One of the friendliest business executives you'll ever have the pleasure of meeting. Say hello to Roger the next time you're in the store!




Dawn & Mike Hintz with their two children. Dawn is the daughter of the owner, Lona Hudson.




Ethel has been working at Naturally Yours Grocery for 17 years and is a highly valued expert on many healthy living topics. Feel free to ask her any question you may have!




Matt Kowal, the CBO (Chief Blog Operator) of Naturally Yours. Matt is another rich source of completely devoted, healthly living information. Here he is holding a bottle of Noni juice, one of his favorite health beverages.






She said, "What do you want me to do?" I said, "Just be yourself." She complied quite satisfactorily. Nice pose!




Matt was explaining how the camera could click at any moment. This was the moment.




Here we see the CCO (Chief Chef Officer -- that's hard to say!) of Naturally Yours Grocery. You really owe to yourself to try some of the Naturally Yours entrees and sandwiches. I'm hopelessly hooked on the Veggie Hummus sandwich. Drooling over it right now, as a matter of fact, just from blogging about it! Man, it's good!



The kitchen is so clean, you could eat off it! (Not sure if this is funny, or just a failed attempt at a clever caption...?)

Good Books

Steve, I've read many natural health books, but never "Back to Eden".

It sounds like I need to get this one too.

A reference book in your home is great advice.

................Matt




Matt: Excuse me for invading your post, but here are some photos of books you recommended this afternoon when I was in the store.

~~~~~~ Steven E. Streight, SpyderHost.net

Back to Eden by Jethro Kloss

This is my #1 favorite health book, that I bought when I was just 19 years old: Back to Eden by Jethro Kloss. (Be sure to read the Amazon customer reviews.)

Now, many years later, I still refer to it as my first line of information, whenever I have a health question or problem.

Back to Eden is a comprehensive guide to herbal and natural cures. If you don't yet own any books on this topic, this would be the ideal first book to buy. I'm a big believer in reading about a topic to gain inspiration, motivation, and dedication.

Quote from Amazon customer reviews:

"Back to Eden is a classic whole-foods, natural health book that was written in 1939. Jethro Kloss ran santitaria (we'd probably call them spas or detox centers today) in Wisconsin and Minnesota.

He lectured, wrote and founded a whole-foods manufacturing company in Tennessee.

If you read Back to Eden, you'll see that Jethro Kloss was way ahead of his time. He advocated a diet high in fruits, vegetables and grains and with minimal meat, caffeine, fat and sugars. Some of his treatments will seem dated (fomentations or hot packs) but some are still in use in holistic healing centers around the world today.

He also recommended living a spiritually healthy life, realizing again that health comes from a totally integrated lifestyle, where body, mind and spirit are in harmony.

This is a great book to have if you like reading Dr. Weil, Deepak Chopra, or other current popular health authors. It gives perspective into health ideas that have stood the test of time. The home remedies are helpful, too. This is still a great reference for home health and has many good recipes for salads, soups and breads."

Every home needs at least one good reference book on natural remedies and herbs. I strongly urge you to obtain this book ASAP. You'll be glad you did.


~~~Steven Streight, SpyderHost.net

Check your Vitamins

When choosing a multi-vitamin, pay attention to which forms of each vitamin and mineral are used. I will briefly cover vit A, B-12, D, and E. This will be a good way to tell how effective your supplement is.

The form of vit A which is the best, is beta carotene or mixed carotenes. These are plant derived sources. Anything else will be synthetic or animal derived. Too much of this form of vitamin A can be toxic. A common form used in many multi's is palmitate. You don't want this one. Some brands combine beta carotene with palmitate. Sorry, it's still not as good as straight beta carotene.

A form of B-12 that is cheaper and inferior is cyanocobalamin. Cyanocobalamin has to be converted to methylcobalamin. Methylcobalamin is the actual form used in the human body. So find a multi that contains B-12 as methylcobalamin. I hope that's clear.

Vitamin D is gaining more recognition. Again, there is a difference between forms. Most multi-vitamins use D2 or ergocalciferol. Ergocalciferol comes from fungal or plant sources, and is not produced by the human body. The form you actually want is D3. This form is known as cholecalciferol. It is derived from animal sources and is made in the skin from a chemical reaction with sunlight. D3 is 3-10x more effective than D2.

I could spend a whole post comparing different forms of vitamin E. The most important thing to remember is this. The "D" in front of alpha tocopherol is the natural form. If it is the "DL" form of alpha tocopherol, then it is synthetic. "D" is good. "DL" is bad.

Just thought you might want to know some facts before you make a purchase. ...............Matt

Black Circles

Since I've already explained how to keep that youthful appearance, I thought it would be a good time to give some quick tips on black circles.

There can be many reasons why a person develops dark circles under the eyes. They can be caused by depression, sorrow, or lack of sleep. Food allergies and anemia can also play a role.

Usually, black circles are caused by your adrenal glands. Try to get to the root cause. Applying cream topically is only half the battle. Here are three herbs that should make a difference. Select a supplement that contains ashwagandha, holy basil, and rhodiola. These herbs nourish the adrenal glands and help it to function properly. And like I said in the previous post, use a cream that contains alpha lipoic acid, DMAE, and hyaluronic acid. GAIA has a good product, but I'd take it for at least three months. At the very least, you'll feel less stressed and energized.

Staying Young

Everybody is looking for the fountain of youth.

Instead of botox injections and pulling your face back, try optimum nutrition, and some of these respected supplements.


Royal Jelly - Bees have the amazing ability to create this special food. Scientists don't even really understand how it works. This honey-like substance is full of B-vitamins and amino acids. It's fit for a king, but made for the queen. (in case you didn't know, royal jelly is the only food the queen bee eats, and she lives for a long, long time)

Alpha Lipoic Acid- The most powerful antioxidant you can think of. It's fat and water soluble, and recycles other antioxidants. Always take with a multivitamin, and 300-600mg is the desired amount.

Hyaluronic Acid- This is found most abundantly in cartilage, synovial fluid and skin. It regulates moisture in the tissues. In other words, it holds water. HA is the most important thing you can take to get rid of those wrinkles and crow's feet. Yes, your joints will feel much better too.

DMAE- The skin tightening benefits of dimethylaminoethanol have been proven. DMAE reduces facial sag, and increases cognitive ability and memory. If you're tired of looking at those bags, then this is the supplement for you.

Goji Juice- My favorite exotic fruit. It is probably the best berry on the planet. Goji berry increases the body's growth hormone while you sleep. As you age, your own growth hormone declines. This is what keeps you young.

All of these products can be taken orally.

For topical use, try to use a cream or moisturizer that contains alpha lipoic acid, DMAE, and hyaluronic acid. These are the best anti-aging supplements out there.


...............Matt

Eat Organic

This is a little something from Michael Goode called "What Makes Organic Fruits & Vegetables Different?

They contain no harmful, pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, fertilizers, or any other additives that could harm you: This also means no wax, fumugants, or any other post-harvest treatments. They are certified organic.

They are nutritionally superior.

They are fresher: Nothing has been artificially added to extend the life of the product.

They taste better: The product is picked at the peak of freshness.

They are good for the environment because their production does not pollute the soil and is in harmony with nature.

He wrote this back in 1991. Now, you have to worry about eating genetically modified food. ........Matt

Hayfever Response

It sounds like it could be hayfever. I sneeze constantly, my nose drips like a leaky faucet, and of course, the congestion issues. If it's allergies, the mucus will be clear. If you have a cold or sinus infection, then the color will be dark greenish/yellow. You can always get checked to see if you have a ragweed allergy, but the timing is right. You'll know for sure if your symptoms stop around the 3rd week of Sept or the first frost.

Boost their immune system, and they should be fine. Mold is a little different. I'd start off with andrographis paniculata and oregano oil. Follow up with immune building supplements mentioned in the earlier post. .....................Matt

Breast Cancer

To the lady I talked with yesterday about her breast cancer... I didn't get your name, but I hope to see you for years to come. Your healing process will start soon. Be positive and don't give up. Read as much as you can, and contact me if you have any questions.

...........Matt

Food Response

I like your dessert recipe. Sounds tasty. It could be an easy victory.

As you know, the food supply is really unhealthy. It's another example of the F.D.A. looking the other way. The ingredients should be removed, because they're almost impossible to avoid. Buy organic and always read the label. And the most important thing... educate people. Tell everybody you know. The public will demand a change once the information is presented.


................Matt

Hayfever

In case you didn't know, hayfever started last week. It's going to be a miserable six weeks for many people. If you have it as bad as I do, then you might want to try a couple of supplements that work great for me.

The first one is IP-6 with inositol from Enzymatic Therapy. It is an antioxidant with immune enhancing properties that boost natural killer-cell activity. The product originally came out as an anti-cancer supplement. IP-6 plus inositol yield IP-3, which helps to regulate cell growth. That's why it is so effective in fighting cancer.

I found out last year that it boosted my immune system enough to stop all hayfever syptoms. It is much more effective than any of the common anti-histamines on the market. I'm using the powder form because it absorbs rapidly.

I also use a product from Pure Essence Labs, called "Immune". We don't carry this supplement yet, but I received a free sample from the company. I'm a big fan already. It contains a beta glucan complex consisting of different mushrooms including reishi, maitake, and shiitake etc. It also has aloe vera, colostrum, astragalus and andrographis paniculata.

This powerful synergistic blend works just like IP-6. Until we carry this product, I would use "Host Defense" from New Chapter. Both of these alternative treatments work for 3-4 hours before you need an additional dose.

So there you have it. A strong immune system can stop your allergies, and prevent other undesirable health problems. Go outside and cut your grass. The summer is almost over.



....Matt

Get those dessert recipes in. There's only a couple of weeks to go. It's an easy $25 for the best one. The deadline is September 3rd. ..........Matt

Food Ingredients to Avoid

Sick people come into the store every day.

Everybody is looking for one supplement to cure everything. What you don't understand is most of your problems are caused by your diet.

The foods you consume will eventually make you sick, if they contain hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, and sodium nitrate. Failing to eliminate these ingredients will prevent your supplement's effectiveness. These three ingredients should be banned, but the food industry doesn't consider them to be unhealthy. They rely on misinformation and conflicting evidence to confuse the public.

Refined flour, refined sugar, and hydrogenated oils create a perfect environment for obesity, heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Avoid the ingredients, and achieve optimum health.

..................Matt

Medicinal Weeds

I walked around my neighborhood today, to take some pictures of those pesky weeds that everybody loves to hate. Before you grab the weed killer and machete out of the garage, do a little research on these plants. Burdock, red clover and milk thistle have blood purifying, tumor shrinking, and liver regenerating properties that are effective against everything from cancer to hepatitis. Learn about each herb today, because you may need them tomorrow. .....Matt

Migraine Relief

I could spend all day telling you about the benefits of noni juice. However, this post will just cover the effects of noni juice on PMS.

My wife has been plagued by migraine headaches every month for most of her life. Her PMS symptoms were out of control. She used to eat Midol like candy. The cramps were a burden, but the monthly migraines prevented her from functioning as a normal person. I looked and looked for any supplement that could stop her attacks. Nothing worked, until I brought home a bottle of noni juice.

The bitter taste of the noni fruit makes it hard to stomach, but I convinced her to try it for a couple of months. Noni juice has the ability to balance hormones, so I thought it might work to keep her estrogen levels from spiking. My prediction was correct. Now, she does not suffer from migraines, and her PMS symptoms have reduced dramatically. She's much happier, and I am too. You don't need to suffer anymore. Consider trying noni juice for 2-3 months. I know you'll get the results you're looking for. .......................Matt

Dessert Recipes

Post your dessert recipes here. If it looks as good as this picture, I'm sure you'll win. You can use the $25 gift certificate to purchase some fat burners after you eat something like this. The winner will be chosen on September 4th. What are you waiting for?.................Matt

Candida

Candida yeast is a real problem for many people. Sometimes you don't even know when you have a yeast overgrowth. Here are some natural remedies you can use to take care of this growing problem.

The foods you eat play a big role. Eliminate sugar from your diet. Try to eat items that are low in carbohydrates. Yeast thrives in a sugary environment, so put those cookies down and back away slowly. Avoid yeast or mold containing foods like cheese and alcoholic beverages.

Common alternatives to this problem include caprylic acid, pau d'arco, grapefruit seed extract, garlic, and wild oregano oil. You must kill the yeast and replace it with good bacteria. A good probiotic is vital to eliminating this condition.

We have some excellent products at the store that combine most of these supplements. Three that I recommend are Yeast Cleanse from Solaray, Candistroy, and CandiGone. They contain all of those ingredients mentioned above, except for the wild oregano oil. Oregano oil is a very strong antifungal and antibacterial herb. You will get better results by adding this supplement to your regimen. All of these products cost about $30.

You can also take enzymes to digest the yeast. The most effective two are cellulase and protease. Once you destroy the candida, you must get it out of your body. If you have regularity issues, add more fiber to your diet. One other thing. Many people take antibiotics for a yeast infection. Remember, it will kill the good bacteria too. That's why you must include a probiotic. Otherwise, the bad bacteria will flourish, and a reoccurrence is likely. ..........Matt

Recipe Contest

Get your favorite dessert recipe out. It's time to see who has the tastiest dish.

Starting today, post your best dessert recipe on this blog. It can be pies, cookies, cakes, or anything that fits in that category.

The person with the best recipe will receive a $25 gift certificate. Don't wait too long.

The winner will be announced September 4th.


..........Matt

DMSO Pictures

The DMSO result pictures are up. I know you're excited. Try not to focus on the receding hairline. I still can't find a supplement to grow my hair back. Anyway, I can honestly say it was a total success. The sunspot on the upper, middle portion of my forehead is not quite healed, but it is gone. I used the 90% DMSO gel which runs about $17. I applied it twice a day for 8-9 days. The longer you use DMSO in the same area, the more sensitive the skin becomes. So, you hardly feel any pain the first day, but it eventually starts to sting. I rate it a "2" on a pain scale of 1-10. The area will swell up a little, become dry and flake off. You have to go through a couple layers of skin, which is why it takes over a week. You can speed up the process if you like to pick at scabs. I probably used about 25 cents worth of DMSO. Try to find something more effective and economical. .........Matt

Other Ingredients

It's in very small print on the back of every OTC medication and supplement. A list of inert ingredients at the bottom of the label forgotten by most consumers.

That's right...it's the infamous "other ingredients". They're known as the binders and fillers. They're additives used to convert and bind compounds in supplements. That doesn't sound so bad, but here's the problem.

Most people don't even look at these ingredients, and some are considered toxic. Today, I'm going to talk about two commonly used toxic excipients.

The first one is called dicalcium phosphate.

It is a binder with terrible nutritional properties. Dicalcium phosphate will not absorb water, which makes it nearly impossible to break down when there is limited amount of hydrochloric acid. It is inorganic calcium, which may contain lead, or even cause kidney stones. The bottom line is this. It is cheap and poorly absorbed.

Check your supplements. If it's listed, throw it out.

The second one is pharmaceutical glaze, or vegetable coating.

This one is also known as shellac. This is used to improve the products appearance, extend the shelf life, protect it from moisture, and mask unpleasant odors. Pharmaceutical glaze is insoluble in stomach acid, which makes a tablet difficult to break down. And guess what? It usually contains acetone.

Do you really want to put fingernail polish remover in your body? Once again, if it's in your supplement, it's junk.

Both of these binders are mainly found in tablets. Don't support companies that use these. When I buy a supplement, I look at the other ingredients first. Now, maybe you will too.


...............Matt

Cholesterol Response

Thanks for the comments. Yes, Big Pharma is a major problem. They have no desire to help anybody. You've heard it before...doctors and pharmaceutical companies treat the symptoms, not the cause.

Think about this. Scurvy, pellagra, beri beri, and rickets are all diseases caused by a vitamin deficiency. Do you really think that those are the only conditions caused by a lack of nutrients? If the whole world didn't know that a little vitamin C cured scurvy, we would all be on scurvy pills. That's their goal. Get everybody on multiple prescription drugs. Doctors, who have no education in nutrition, can never really help you. It's about how many drugs they can sell, and how much money they can make off you. Sad but true.

Prescription drugs are for the uneducated, uninformed, and people unwilling to change their lifestyle. Drugs should always be a last resort. The so called experts never want to admit that alternative remedies not only work, but are far superior. Doctors used to say that glucosamine, fish oil, and reservatrol had no benefit to the human body. There's no scientific proof, they scream. The fact is...the scientific proof has been covered up. If you can't synthesize it, bury it.

All alternative medicine goes through three stages: denial, ridicule, and acceptance. You don't need to wait for them to accept it. Sorry, I'm starting to get all worked up. I want to cover this conversation at a later time. Steve, I had no idea "deviltry" was a real word. I can't wait to use it. Jennifer, your husband has made the right choice. Try the red yeast rice, and see what it can do. I still think that he should switch to folic acid at some point. ......Matt

Lower Your Cholesterol Naturally

Is everybody over 50 on a statin?

That's all I hear at the store.

Please think twice about taking these prescription drugs, unless you love side effects. Recently, a regular customer told me that her husband had to stop taking his cholesterol medication because he was bleeding out of his rectum.

Sorry for being so graphic, but how does the FDA even approve this stuff? You should know by now that it's always about the $$$$$. So if you don't like the muscle pain, liver damage, and minimal benefits, then here's a couple of supplements that can really help you out.

The most popular, and maybe the most successful alternative is red yeast rice.

Red yeast rice is rice that has been fermented by the red yeast, monascus purpureus. It lowers total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. Basically, it prevents the body from absorbing cholesterol, much like a statin.

After only one month, people come in and tell me how much their cholesterol has been lowered. You can see the excitement on their face. No more medication. You need to take about 1200 mg per day, along with 30 mg of CoQ10. Long term use will eventually deplete your body of CoQ10, just like a statin. Some of the products have CoQ10 added for your convenience. Your cost will be $20-$30 per month depending on the brand.

Another excellent choice is policosanol. Policosanol comes from sugar cane, beeswax, and wheat germ. It lowers total cholesterol, and raises HDL cholesterol. This supplement inhibits cholesterol formation in the liver. Once again, I have been approached by multiple customers with their success stories. Normally, 5-20 mg per day will drop your cholesterol to a desirable level. This product has a reasonable price of $25 a month.

One other thing. Many customers use fish oil and garlic to lower cholesterol. Both help, but it's a slow process. Use red yeast rice or policosanol to get it down faster.

Sorry, there is one more supplement that is probably the best overall when it comes to lowering cholesterol. It's the cheapest and the healthiest for your body. The answer is folic acid.

I can write a whole page on folic acid, but I won't bore you. Read about it. It takes a few months to get the results you're looking for, but it really is very important. It only costs $6 for 2-3 months.

I believe that a lack of folic acid is the real cause of high cholesterol.

Well, that and a very poor diet. I suggest taking red yeast rice or policosanol for 3 months, followed by long term folic acid supplementation.

As I said before in my blood pressure post...change your diet.

More fruits and vegetables, and much less of everything else.


.............................Matt

Lower Your Blood Pressure

There are many herbs and supplements that lower your blood pressure naturally. You don't have to suffer from side effects of different prescription drugs. Here are a few things you should read about on the internet.

Customers give the best reviews to a supplement called nattokinase. Nattokinase is a product created through the fermentation of soy. It takes about 2-4 weeks before you start achieving good results.

The two brands that I recommend are Rutozyme and Natto-K from Enzymedica. Both supplements contain other enzymes, but Rutozyme has white willow bark. Aspirin is the synthetic version of white willow.

I'm sure you've heard your doctor tell you to take an aspirin every day. Now you know why. Nattokinase is still a fairly new remedy, so it costs a little more. Rutozyme will set you back $45 for 120 tablets.

You need to take four a day for a therapeutic effect the first month. Hopefully, you can get down to two a day for maintenance.

Natto-K costs $23 for 30 capsules. Take three per day for the first month. Add that up. It will cost you about $70 for four weeks. Once again, two a day would be the maintenance dose after you get it down to acceptable levels.

If you decide that nattokinase doesn't fit in your budget, then try these other supplements. Hawthorn berry extract is very good for your heart. Many customers use garlic, but it's a longer process and not quite as effective. Beta-sitosterol complexes are gaining in popularity, along with olive leaf and l-taurine.(amino acid)

Please remember this. You have high blood pressure because of your diet. Eat lots and lots of raw fruits and vegetables. Meat, dairy, and sugar will not help anything.

If you don't change your lifestyle, then expect this problem to be permanent.

........Matt