. . .  but is their commitment to safety more than skin deep? Bodycare products are a significant source of toxins in modern life. Many people will use as many as 8 different bodycare products in the course of a normal day, each one laden with several toxins which penetrate our tissues and readily enter the bloodstream. Since the industry is essentially unregulated, toxins like formaldehyde and 1,4 dioxane can be unlisted on product labels because they’re not technically considered ingredients. While unwilling to say that ingredients they’ve been using in their personal care and baby care products are unsafe, Johnson & Johnson is yielding to consumer discomfort with ingredients like phthalates, triclosan, parabens, 1,4 dioxane, fragrances and formaldehyde with a mix of empathetic public relations (“we hear your concerns”) and changes in product formulations But are they truly committed to safety, or merely engaged in placating the public? Their new website, www.safetyandc…

. . .  minimize toxins coming in; maximize toxins going out You may ingest only small amounts of toxins when you use conventional toothpaste, drink tap water, or eat inorganic food, but at the end of the day, these small amounts can add up to an alarming total. The liver is our main organ for detoxification; it processes toxins for elimination. Once your liver’s capacity is exceeded, you begin storing toxins in your tissues. Some toxins can accumulate in fat cells for decades, doing more and more damage year after year, causing fatigue, diminishing resilience in dealing with stress, and causing, contributing to and exacerbating all types of disease. Scientists estimate that everyone alive today carries within their bodies at least 700 chemical contaminants, leading Doris J. Rapp, MD, past president of the American Academy of Environmental Medicine, to observe, “We’ve all become toxic waste dumps!” You can learn about sources of environmental toxins and how to reduce or eli…

High quality ingredients make these simple soups gourmet delicious! SPLIT PEA SOUP Ingredients: 3 cups dry split peas (green, yellow or both) 5 cups of purified water 1 bay leaf 2-3 tablespoons coconut oil Raymond’s Roasted Salted Flaxseeds and/or Celtic Sea Salt to taste Makes 6 servings Split peas are a rich source of fiber at over 16 grams per cup, cooked.  Soak 3 cups of dry split peas overnight, or longer if you prefer.  If soaked longer, change the water twice a day.  Foods that are high in insoluble fiber, like grains, beans, seeds and nuts, also tend of be high in phytates. Phytates combine with minerals and chelate them unused out of the body.  While phytates are hard to avoid altogether, they can be minimized by soaking, which removes them. Rinse the soaked split peas and put them in a pot with 5 cups of pure water and 1 bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then simmer until the water has been absorbed. Remove the bay leaf, mix in 2-3 table…

. . .  flaxseed supplies both soluble and insoluble fiber, and more Another outstanding source of fiber is the fabulous flaxseed. All nuts and seeds provide fiber, but none compare to flax, which supplies 9 grams an ounce. That’s almost 3 times as much fiber as the next highest nut/seed, almonds, at 3.3 grams an ounce. There are two kinds of fiber, and flaxseed supplies generous amounts of each. Insoluble fiber doesn’t dissolve in water, while soluble fiber does.  Both slow down glucose absorption, which keeps blood sugar and insulin levels low (and helps to prevent diabetes). Both, but especially insoluble fiber, add bulk and softness to the stool, helping to move it along and making elimination easier. Both dilute carcinogens and other toxins so they have less contact with the intestinal mucosa and less chance of being reabsorbed. Both provide a feeling of fullness and satisfaction that may prevent obesity and help weight loss. Soluble fiber has been shown to lower cholesterol;…

. . .  one for your juicer, another for your blender Consuming lots of green vegetables is one of the best ways to alkalize and detoxify your body, and green vegetable drinks are highly recommended. But how can you make them palatable without adding a lot of fruit, which raises blood sugar and insulin levels? Here are some tips for delicious, low-glycemic green drinks. Adding the juice from a lemon, lime or grapefruit goes a long way to improve the taste of many green drinks. Avocados create a creamy texture as well as making the drink filling and sustaining.  Coconut meat is another addition that can add richness and satisfaction. Although they’re not included in the following recipes, tomatoes, moderate amounts of the sweet vegetables like carrots and beets, green apples and any of the good oils along with a sprinkle of Celtic sea salt can all add appeal to a green drink while maintaining a relatively low glycemic index.  You can also have your green drink with a handful of raw…

. . .  Stanford study claims no difference between conventional and organic – but don’t believe it! Do you fork over your hard-earned cash for organic versus conventional produce because you believe it’s healthier?  If so, you may have been dismayed by headlines announcing that a Stanford University review of almost 300 scientific studies found no difference between conventional and organic food in terms of either safety or nutrient value. Well, I’m here to tell you that there IS a difference: organic produce is higher in nutrients, much lower in toxins and well worth the added expense. The Stanford scientists’ findings are very much at odds with a growing consensus that pesticides in conventional agriculture are harmful, and that organic foods are far healthier. Even the President’s Cancer Panel, which is part of the National Cancer Institute, recommends eating organic food as one step to take in preventing cancer. Besides cancer, many other degenerative diseases, such as heart…

. . .  what they are and why you probably need more of them  One of the reasons fruits and vegetables are so healthy for us is that they supply lots of antioxidant chemicals. And these days, we can all use all the extra antioxidants we can get.  What exactly are antioxidants, and why do we need more of them now than ever? To understand antioxidants, it’s first necessary to understand free radicals. A free radical is an atom or molecule with one or more unpaired electrons.  Because electrons like to travel in pairs, unpaired electrons are chemically unstable.  They are apt to attack the nearest stable molecule and steal an electron from it, creating a new free radical from the previously stable molecule.  This process is called oxidation, and the best example of it outside the body is the formation of rust. Oxidation can initiate a chain reaction of molecules stealing electrons from each other that ends up damaging cells and body tissues, ultimately causing disease and aging. Whe…

. . . Thermography is safe and more accurate than mammography October was Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and women everywhere were prompted to run out and get mammograms “to prevent breast cancer.” However a December 2011 report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) warned women to avoid ionizing radiation (which mammograms expose them to) if they wanted to prevent breast cancer! What to make of this conflicting advice? It would seem to be a no-brainer: skip the mammogram and get tested with thermography, which is completely safe and more accurate.  But conventional medicine is still recommending mammograms! Based on the IOM report, a recent article in the Weill Cornell Medical College newsletter, Women’s Health Advisor, advises women to avoid unnecessary x-rays and CT scans. However, elsewhere in the same newsletter women are advised that getting mammograms is still worth the risk! They argue that radiation exposure from mammograms is very small compared to naturally occurring…

. . . few foods beat the beet for nutrition! Beets are a wonderful vegetable that we should all try to include frequently in our diets. High in glutamine, an amino acid that feeds and strengthens the intestinal lining, beets also contain a number of compounds that make them a tonic for both the liver and gallbladder and promote the activity of various antioxidant enzymes. The effect beets have on the liver is especially helpful to women since the liver metabolizes female hormones; many hormone problems are solved when the liver is detoxified and strengthened. Recent studies have also found beet juice boosts stamina and endurance during exercise, at least partly because it widens blood vessels (increasing blood flow and lowering blood pressure) and enables muscles to work more efficiently. In addition, beets are thought to fight cancer, help stabilize blood sugar and protect the heart. Normally, beets (both roots and greens) can be added to vegetable juice combinations, and shredd…

. . .  for elegant dining during the holidays or any other time of year! Whether you want to lose a few pounds, prevent or reverse diabetes, protect your bones, reduce blood pressure and heart disease risk, or boost your immunity and fight cancer, balsamic vinegar can help. But what you’ll love our balsamic for during this holiday season (or at any time of year) is its rich, complex taste that complements just about any fruit or vegetable. Here are just a few of the many ways balsamic can turn ordinary fruits and vegetables into something extraordinary and memorable: *Spoon balsamic vinegar over baked pears, or fresh strawberries or peaches. *Add to steamed vegetables in place of butter and salt. *Combine tomato wedges with strawberries, fresh basil and balsamic vinegar. *Blanch spinach, drain and shock in ice water. Squeeze dry, chop and toss with toasted pine nuts, raisins, olive oil and a tiny bit of balsamic vinegar. Add capers if you like. An especially winnin…

. . . but it’s just one more cost of doing business When GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) paid the government a record $3 billion last July in settlement of numerous violations of the False Claims Act (FCA), including concealing data on fatal cardiovascular side effects of their diabetes drug Avandia, it was just business as usual. In fact, Sidney M. Wolfe, MD, of Public Citizen, reports that on the heels of the huge pay-out’s announcement, GSK’s stock price rose to a near 52-week high. Investors knew that even billion-dollar fines are a drop in the bucket compared to the multi billion-dollar profits enjoyed by the drug industry. According to the US Department of Justice, the pharmaceutical industry is the biggest defrauder of the federal government under the FCA, as measured by the size of civil and criminal settlements reached yearly. Consumer advocate organization Public Citizen, which has been tracking fines paid by Big Pharma, found that the amounts of these fines have been escalating…

. . .  35% of breast cancer goes undetected in women with dense breasts! Do you or a loved one have dense breasts? A 2010 Harris Poll found that 95% of women haven’t a clue, and that very few doctors discuss breast density with their patients. However about 40% of women have “dense breasts,” which some studies indicate may increase their risk of breast cancer. What exactly makes breasts “dense?” Whereas most breasts are composed of 75% or more fatty tissue, dense breasts contain more milk-producing glands and connective tissue than fat. Mammograms are not very good at detecting cancerous growths in women who have dense breasts.  A 2007 study found that as breast density goes up, the accuracy of mammograms goes down; as a result, about 35% of breast cancer in women with dense breasts goes undetected. While fatty tissue appears dark on a mammogram, dense tissue appears white. Since cancerous growths also appear white, according to Kemi Babagbemi, MD, at Cornell Medical College,…

. . . our products are chosen for their safety and effectiveness For more than twenty years, I’ve looked for exceptional skincare products that first do no harm and second achieve claimed results. While most skincare product manufacturers use inexpensive short-cuts – toxic chemicals that can add to your overall body burden of toxins and be directly harmful to your skin, our products contain only ingredients that benefit and nourish both the body generally and the skin specifically. It costs more to do it right, but we believe the results are worth it. We offer 4 different options in bars of soap – 3 kinds of Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Soap (Citrus Orange, Lavender and Unscented) and Olivella Fragrance Free Soap. What these four soaps have in common is the complete absence of harsh chemicals that dry the skin and the presence of nourishing oils that plump up skin cells to produce a silky-smooth skin surface. While Olivella is 100% pure olive oil, the Dr. Bronner’s soaps combine or…

. . . diet is by far the most important factor in keeping your skin hydrated, smooth and supple In winter, we may go from icy cold winds outside to dry, forced air heat inside. Extreme temperatures – both hot and cold – dry the skin. Add age to the mix (as we age, our skin becomes less efficient at producing lubricating oils), and it’s not surprising that many people suffer from dry skin during the winter months. Dryness intensifies fine lines on your face, making you look older; the skin can feel rough and appear dull and flaky. In some people, skin dryness gets so bad that the outer skin layer becomes leathery and cracks, especially on hands and feet. Apart from being quite painful, these lesions compromise the skin’s barrier function, permitting entry to germs and other irritating substances, often leading to infections. Here are 8 ways to keep your skin soft, supple and well-hydrated, even during winter: 1.  First and foremost, consume enough healthy fat, especially ess…

. . . it can save your brain Here’s a reminder that something as simple as brushing your teeth after meals can have a significant impact on your health. Researchers followed more than 5,000 older adults for 18 years, and found that people who brushed their teeth less than once daily were up to 65% more apt to develop dementia than those who brushed three times daily. Although they weren’t sure why this was so, the researchers hypothesized that it was related to bacteria that accumulate on the teeth and gums. Oral bacteria have been previously associated with increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke. While I don’t want to discourage good oral hygiene, I can’t help but think of Weston A. Price.  Dr. Price was an American dentist who spent his retirement years in the 1930s traveling the world with his wife in search of answers to questions about diet and dental health. He was especially interested in people living in traditional cultures and those who had transitioned…

Kale is a sturdy winter green that is chock full of nutrition. Combining olive oil with kale is a nutrient bonanza! Both supply lots of phytonutrients (kale alone provides over 45 different flavonoids) and antioxidants. As well as being higher than most green vegetables in vitamin C, kale is rich in carotenoids, like eye-healthy lutein, zeaxanthin and beta-carotene, and in vitamin K; olive oil facilitates the absorption of these fat-soluble nutrients. Kale also contains several times as much calcium as milk per calorie, and about half as much per unit of volume; the bioavailability of calcium from kale is better than from pasteurized milk. SIMPLE KALE SALAD Ingredients: 1 bunch of dinosaur kale (it’s less bitter than curly kale). 3 tablespoons Beyond Health Olive Oil Pinch or two of Selina Celtic Sea Salt Juice from 1 lemon Serves 2 unless you add more ingredients In a large bowl, combine kale, olive oil, lemon juice and sea salt. Massage kale with your hands for a few m…

. . . time to retire this old saw Although you’ll still hear the old saw about getting all the nutrition you need from food, in fact it’s virtually impossible today. (For the reasons why, see my report, The Roadmap to Choosing Supplements.) More and more establishment sources are calling a multivitamin a necessity. Case in point is the lead researcher in a new study from Harvard on multivitamins and cancer, J. Michael Gaziano, MD, MPH, who said in a recent news briefing, “Our main message is that the main reason to take a multivitamin is to prevent nutritional deficiency.” This study, by the way, which followed 15,000 men over the age of 50 for four years, found that taking a low-cost multivitamin reduced their risk of getting cancer by 8% (prostate cancer by 12%). Those are good results, but just imagine what that percentage could be on one of our high-quality multis plus the vitamin C and essential fatty acids found in the Basic Wellness Kit! In addition to a world-class…

. . . a rebounder could be just what you need! Some of you may have conditions that greatly limit your ability to exercise. Arthritis, a “bad back”, sciatica, severe fatigue, frailty, considerable excess weight and other handicaps can make you feel that exercise is beyond you. In such cases, doing infrared saunas can provide some of the benefits of exercise, not just the sweating, which is so beneficial to detoxification, but also by dilating blood vessels, saunas improve circulation and reduce blood pressure. If you’re trying to lose excess weight, saunas can burn up to 600 calories in just half an hour! Meanwhile, they can improve energy and alleviate joint stiffness. But no matter what condition you’re in, moving is still important for you. Spending a few minutes several times a day moving what you can move comfortably and easily – never pushing yourself into pain – is extremely valuable and can lead to gradually extending your range of movement. If you’re able to stand, I’…