Keep Those Annoying Bugs Away, Herbally!

It's that time of the year again. The mosquitos are out in full force around my place and mowing season has just begun. Instead of covering yourself with chemical deterants, try a few herbal ones instead. Basil leaves can be crushed and rubbed on your skin to scare away the pests. Also citronella and citrus essential oils also scare the pests away, however you must first dilute the essential oils with vegetable oil to not irritate your skin. Also, never ingest any essential oil, they can be poisonous!

Foods That Strengthen Your Bones!

Most of the time that you think about bone-healthy eating, you think about milk and dairy products. These contain calcium, which we all know helps our bones stay strong. There are some other foods that provide excellent benefits to your bones, and they may surprise you. Broccoli contains high levels of calcium, as do dandelions and kale. Foods rich in Vitamin D, such as Avocado, helps the body turn calcium into bone. Boron-rich foods, like cabbage and parsley, also help the body maintain bone health. Black pepper is also well-known as a bone-health advocate as it contains many anti-osteoporosis compounds. Hopefully you can find ways to include these foods into your diet and, along with your milk, you will be helping your bones stay strong and healthy!

A Great Home Remedy for Swimmer's Ear

Swimmer's ear is actually a fungal infection in the ear. Swimmer's ear causes pain and discomfort and can cause real damage if left untreated. A simple home remedy can be found using white vinegar. White vinegar is a well-known anti-fungal and has long been a favorite cleaning product of mine. White vinegar mixed with an equal part of lukewarm water can provide quick relief. Place a few drops in each ear one at a time and allow it to work its way in. Swallowing can help work the liquid into the ear. Drain the extra liquid and allow the ear to fully dry. A few applications and your swimmer's ear should be much better. If it does not heal quickly, see your doctor as infections some times like to spread and can become very dangerous.

Foods For Prostate Health

When you look at the statistics about prostate issues with men, the numbers are extremely scary. The number one prostate issue with men is cancer. Over 50% of men between the ages of 40 and 60 have enlarged prostates. One in four men 50 years old have cancerous cells in their prostate. These numbers are extremely scary. Luckily there are many foods that help the prostate. If you are a man with concerns about prostate health, you need to increase your consumption of tomatoes, pink grapefruits, guavas, and watermelon which all contain high levels of lycopene. Lycopene not only reduces tumor size, but also helps reduce the chance of cancer. Also, adding Brazil nuts and pumpkins seeds to your diet can dramatically help. A diet rich in fruits also can provide dietary benefits to the prostate.

One Herbal Remedy For Bronchitis, Ear Aches, and Hemorrhoids...Seriously!

The plant mullein has been a traditional remedy for bronchitis and bad coughs. However, the oil that can be derived from its leaves and flower also have the ability to break up mucous and phlegm. Mullein oil can also be used to help relieve ear aches and can be used on open sores, such as hemorrhoids, to sooth and help aid in healing. Simply place a few drops of the oil on a cotton ball and apply to either area. Make sure that you use a different cotton ball if treating both! The seeds of the plant are toxic, but how often do you come across one plant that can help with bronchitis, ear aches, and hemorrhoids! The leaves can also be used in teas to help with asthma and other lung problems.

Legumes Fight Cancer and Heart Attacks

I hate legumes. I dislike the texture and flavor of almost all of them. I eat my chili bean-less. I even pick them out of dishes that I know that there is almost no chance that I would actually taste them in. I even dislike dips and spreads that are made out of them. I find this very unfortunate, because it turns out that legumes are extremely good for you. They contain genistein which is believed to prevent cancer and they actually help to keep blood flowing by reducing the clotting effects. This causes them to be great heart attack and stroke reducers. If you are at risk for a heart attack or stroke, or have already had a heart attack, definitely add legumes to your diet. If you know of a recipe that legume-haters (such as myself) enjoy, please let me know!

More Reasons To Listen To Your Body

I recently had the opportunity to spend some time with Dr. Goodman, our guest writer. He told me about how the human body will give insight into which elements that it requires and which ones it does not. By placing a single drop of any liquid-delivered nutrient (such as potassium, chromium, and magnesium) under your tongue, you will immediately know whether or not your body needs it. If you do in fact require more of the nutrient, it will have no flavor and seem like a drop of water. But when you do not need the nutrient, you will experience a strong, bad flavor. I tried this with a number of different nutrients. The experience was quite amazing. The nutrients that I did not need instantly gave me a dry feeling in my mouth and I found the taste to range from a strong metallic taste to a strange burned food taste. When I tasted nothing, he put a few drops in a glass and when we were done, added some water and I gave my body exactly the nutrients that it needed right then. It was truly amazing and a great insight into that body's ability to tell us what it needs. Try it, and let me know if you found it as amazing as I did!