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First proposed by the German physician Samuel Hahnemann in 1796, homeopathy, a form of alternative medicine, uses potentized preparations which are thought to produce effects similar to that of the presenting symptoms.  Homeopathic remedies for patients are selected through not only symptoms, but in the physiological and psychological states as well.

Homeopathy sees disease and sickness as disturbances in the natural life force of an individual. It proposes that the life force has the ability to react and adapt to problems which occur inside or outside of the body. It is referred to as the “law of susceptibility”, which implies that a negative state of mind can attract entities called “miasms” to invade the body and produce symptoms. Hahnemann conceived the idea for the law of similars, which is the base for homeopathy today.

To learn moreabout homeopathic remedies, contact Carolyn at Natural Choices for Healthful Living in Columbus, IN.

The moon has four phases which it goes through as it orbits around the earth. Beginning with the new moon, the cycle enters the waxing crescent phase where the moon is visible on the left side with the rest being darkness. When the left half of the moon is visible, it has entered the waxing gibbous stage which lasts until the full moon. From the full moon to where only the right half is visible is called the waning gibbous stage. After the waning gibbous phase comes the waning crescent phase where only the right side is visible in the the form of a crescent. The two periods are waxing and waning, where as the waxing period has the moonlight increasing as compared to the waning period which has it decreasing.

With moonlight increasing during the waxing period, it is better to plant plants which grow above ground: lettuces, cabbage, tomatoes, etc. The reason the waxing period is good for above ground plants is because when the moonlight is increasing the sap in the veins of the plants flows more strongly upward toward the sky which in turn make the plants grow faster and maintain a rapid growth rate until harvest.

The waning period is the exact opposite of the waxing period because the moonlight is decreasing which in turn diminishes the fluid force-field making the sap inside of the plant non-important causing the plant to go more earthward.

For generations before and in the present mothers have told their children to drink a warm glass of milk before bed because it would help put them to sleep. Today the theory is being put to the test, and the outcome is to be highly regarded.

In America over 30% of percent experience chronic insomnia, while almost 60 million people experience difficulty falling asleep in a year’s time.  Health risks related to insomnia include chronically elevated levels of cortisol (the stress hormone), insulin resistance, and increased fat storage to greater risk of mortality from all causes, including cancer and cardiovascular disease.

In Europe the people use a proprietary set of bioactive peptides derived from milk, which have been identified to operate along the same neurological pathways as anti-anxiety drugs — without the side effects.

Milk peptides decrease the amount of time it takes to fall asleep, improve sleep efficiency, and increase daytime wakefulness. By improving several aspects of healthy sleep, milk peptides may offer protection against many health disorders associated with sleep deprivation.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit on September 30, 2010 ruled in favor of the Organic Trade Association (OTA) in a landmark case that would have prevented consumers in Ohio from knowing whether products on grocery store shelves were produced without synthetic growth hormones.

“The OTA believes consumers have a right to know how their food was produced, and organic farmers and manufacturers should be allowed to tell them,” said Christine Bushway, CEO of OTA, the leading voice for the $26.6 billion organic industry in North America. “We are pleased the court agrees,” added Bushway.

In order to qualify for the organic label, organic farmers are prohibited from using synthetic growth hormones (rBGH), genetically engineered organisms (GMOs), antibiotics and toxic, persistent, synthetic pesticides.  The standards also mandate a rigorous system for inspection, certification and verification of organic practices, all of which protect consumers who choose organic foods.

The court’s decision upholds consumers’ rights to receive truthful information about organic production practices on the labels of their milk and other dairy products.  Additionally, it recognizes the rights of organic dairy farmers and processors to communicate truthfully with consumers regarding federally regulated organic production practices under the USDA Organic seal.  As a result of this victory for organic, consumers will continue to see truthful information on organic product labels in Ohio and across the country.

The Organic Trade Association and its members, including Horizon Organic, Organic Valley, and Stonyfield Farm, filed the appeal in conjunction with the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA).

The overwhelming majority of Americans seeks this information on product labels.  The Consumer Reports National Research Center polled more than 1,000 people nationwide on various food labeling issues; some 76% of those polled were concerned with ‘dairy cows given synthetic growth hormones’ and 88% agreed that ‘milk from cows raised without synthetic bovine growth hormone should be allowed to be labeled as such.’

The United States is in the minority among industrialized nations by allowing the use of synthetic growth hormones to artificially stimulate milk production in dairy herds.  The practice is already prohibited in Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and in the 27 countries of the European Union.

The best way for consumers to be sure they are choosing products produced without the use of synthetic growth hormones (rBGH), genetically engineered  organisms (GMOs), antibiotics and toxic and persistent pesticides is to look for the organic label.

As many of you are aware, the USDA released its final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on Dec. 16th of 2010 regarding the potential impact of genetically engineered (GE) alfalfa.  The USDA received many comments from concerned citizens and demands that a review, of the impacts not considered previously, be conducted.

One of the major concerns is the contamination of organic crops.  The Organic Trade Association (OTA) has taken the position that regulatory/policy decisions should move the costs associated with GE contamination ( contamination of Non-GE crops) from the organic or natural farmer to the GE patent holder.  Additionally, non-GE crops should be protected from GE pollution. Today this is not the case.  The organic farmer is liable for the contamination.  How can an organic farmer possibly bear the expense of defending him/herself against biotech giants with access to legions of attorneys?

The movie/documentary Food Inc. has offered great insight into these very topics. It is available at most video stores for rent, if you are willing to further your interest in the subject.  Both Natural Choices and Healthy Communities have sponsored the film at YES cinema in Columbus, Indiana.  These issues are important to our community as well as the nation.

The OTA has outlined the requirements for co-existence of GE and organic crops, but it is important to point out that not only organic farms are impacted.  There are large agricultural segments that have an interest in access to unadulterated seeds.  The population has several masses who are sensitive to foods made with GE, which have a need for food items which are not produced with non-GE products.

Food for Thought:   The European Union has not approved GE crops nor does it seem likely that they will anytime in the near future.

Let us think of the future and its generations to come.  How can we ensure the survivability of our descendents?  My vote is whole foods! What is yours?

Combating diabetes through the abilities of blueberry polyphenols first gained popularity over 80 years ago. It came into view in 1927 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), which is mainstream medicine’s upheld basis of knowledge in the medical world. The article, when it first came into print, showed that one particular blueberry extract was found to effectively reduce blood sugar levels. The evidence was so compelling one doctor called it the only compound known to almost cure diabetes.

Up to date data is proving that blueberry polyphenols can effectively battle key factors which further lead to the deadly metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome manifests with the co-occurrence of insulin resistance, hypertension, abdominal obesity, and abnormal blood lipid profiles, which increases the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Blueberries can boost insulin sensitivity, lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, and improve leptin sensitivity, which is associated with reduced appetite and body weight.

There is also evidence of blueberry polyphenols halting the progress of the disease in humans who are already diabetic. And there is now detailed evidence of the potential of blueberry extract to combat multiple forms of cancer- for which metabolic syndrome sufferers are at a greater risk than the general population.

The next article in this series will cover more specific studies that confirm what has been stated above.

To learn more on this subject contact Carolyn at Natural Choices for Healthful Living.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is considered to be a key marker of aging by scientists today. In one instance, researchers found that 50% more mitochondrial damage in human brain cells in subjects over age 70 when compared to middle-aged subjects. Due to the evidence found, mitochondrial dysfunction and death are linked conclusively to the development of virtually all of the killer diseases of aging, such as Alzheimer’s, Type-2 Diabetes,  and heart failure.

It has been found that mitochondrial dysfunction can be reversed. Studies documenting the supplementation of COQ10 show that degenerative diseases can be thwarted by boosting mitochondrial health and bioenergetic, or energy-producing, capacity.

The latest advances in mitochondrial bioenergetics is the coenzyme pyrroloquinoline quinone or PQQ. Its critical role across a wide range of biological functions is gradually emerging. Like COQ10, it is a micronutrient whose antioxidant capacity provides extraordinary defense against mitochondrial decay.  In recent studies, it has been shown to not only provide defense mechanisms against mitochondrial decay, but also to stimulate growth of new, fresh mitochondria.

To learn more about the benefits of the coenzyme PQQ, contact Carolyn at Natural Choices for Healthful Living.

• Serotonin is a brain biochemical that promotes restful sleep, well-being, and satiety. When serotonin levels are low, people often experience depression, anxiety, insomnia, and the urge to overeat.
• The amino-acid tryptophan is needed to produce serotonin in the body. While foods contain some tryptophan, the diet may not provide enough tryptophan to make adequate amounts of serotonin. Additionally, enzymes that are influenced by inflammation and aging can break down tryptophan before it converts to serotonin.

• Inflammation is intimately involved in aging and the manifestations of age-related diseases- in fact, the two processes are so closely intertwined they have been recently dubbed inflammaging.
• Many dietary approaches to countering the effects of inflammation are effective, but the emerging science of nutrigenomics offers insight into highly targeted nutritional supplements such as the theaflavin family of molecules extracted from black tea.
• Theaflavins, like other nutrigenomically active molecules, exert their powerful effects by promoting activity of genes involved in controlling inflammation, and suppressing activity of genes involved in promoting inflammation.
• Highly purified theaflavin extracts have been shown to reduce damage caused by inflammation-based diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other age-related conditions.

• One in three Americans now suffers from the stealth condition known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, or NAFLD.
• NAFLD may go undetected for years, and may progress to liver inflammation and scarring (cirrhosis) or full-blown liver failure.
• While chiefly driven by poor dietary choices linked to metabolic syndrome and “diabesity,” genetic factors can also play a role in NAFLD’s progress.
• Medical science has proved relatively helpless at preventing or treating NAFLD and NASH, leaving millions of Americans vulnerable to their effects.
• A host of nutritional interventions have proven effective in combating NAFLD, complementing one another as they fight the oxidative stress, insulin resistance, and fat accumulation and abnormal lipid profiles, also known as “lipotoxicity.”
• Vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids, and the anti-diabetic weight loss-inducing drug metformin each work by different but complementary mechanisms to improve liver chemistry, ameliorate liver cell damage, and improve blood flow to liver tissues in early NAFLD and even in NASH.