Habe Naturals | Dr christopher | Herbal remedies

The Ten Most Important Herbs
Dr. Christopher's Newsletter 1-3
by Dr. John R. Christopher There are well over three hundred thousand herbs--many of them have been life-savers over the years. Can we, then, list the "Ten Most Important", which should be kept on hand at all times for health or survival emergencies? This is a hard one--choosing the names of ten of my top friends, our herbs. Perhaps the best way to proceed is to choose one herb from each of ten major herb categories of which there are many more.

Hippocrates used twenty-nine herbs and their combinations to help keep the people of the Isle of Cos in a healthy condition. In our practice we use approximately one hundred common herbs to take care of any malfunction that has been brought to our attention. We will, therefore offer you a tithe of our herbs. One herb cannot be said to be superior to another, as each has its own specific use, so we will list the categories from which each herb was selected alphabetically.

1. ALTERATIVE HERB: Plantain (Plantago major; lanceolata, Plantaginaceae)

Parts used: root, leaves, flower spikes, seeds.
Medicinal uses: poisonous bites and stings, boils, carbuncles, tumors, inflammation, scrofula, eczema, frog or thrush, blood poisoning, malignant and bleeding ulcers, bleeding and minor wounds, diarrhea, piles, cuts and scratches, erysipelas, burns, scalds, leucorrhea, lumbago, bedwetting, syphilis, dropsy, toothache, worms, running sores, itch, ringworm, mastitis, poison ivy, bruises.
Preparation: fluid extract, infusion, powder, tincture.

2. ASTRINGENT HERB: Oak, White Tanners, Scrub, etc. (Fagaceae).

Parts used: mainly the inner bark, also leaves, acorn, acorn cups.
Medicinal uses: internal and external hemorrhage, leucal diarrhea, dysentery, prolapsed uterine, prolapsed anus, relaxed vagina, sore mouth, spongy and bleeding gums, ulcerated and inflamed throat, frog or thrush, diphtheria, seminal emissions, ulcerated bladder, bloody urine, pin worms, inflammations, burning fevers, infection, uterine troubles, piles, varicose veins, kidney and liver problems, goiter, ringworm, scaly eruptions, catarrh, colon troubles, gonorrhea, gleet, stomach troubles, relaxed tissue, cholera infant, hemoptysis, intermittents, phthisis, prolapsed uvula, gangrene, tooth powder, washes, poisoning.
Preparation: decoction, fluid extract, infusion, powder, tincture.
3. CATHARTIC HERB: Mountain Flax (Linum catharticum, Linaceae).

Part used: whole herb.
Medicinal uses: torpid liver, jaundice, obstinate constipation, digestive problems, gravel, dropsy, muscular rheumatism, catarrhal affection.
4. DIAPHORETIC HERB: Yarrow (Achillea millefolium, Compositae).

Part used: whole herb.
Medicinal uses: fevers, eruptive diseases (measles, chicken pox, smallpox, etc.), hemorrhage of the lungs and bowels, dyspepsia, jaundice, piles, mucoid bladder discharges, incontinence of urine, chronic dysentery, typhoid fever, diarrhea (including infants), uterine problems (amenorrhea, menorrhagia, leucorrhea), suppressed urine, scanty urine, wounds, ulcers, colic, diabetes, Bright's disease, stomach gas, piles, relaxed throat, sore nipples, rheumatism, flatulency, fistulas, influenza (flu), congestive headaches, ague, loss of hair.
Preparation: decoction, fluid extract, infusion, oil, powder, tincture.

5. DIURETIC HERB: Parsley (Apium petroselinum, Petroselinum sativum, Umbelliferae)

Parts used: whole herb, root, leaves, seeds.
Medicinal uses: Dropsy, gall bladder problems, gall stones, gravel, aches in the lumbar region, menstrual obstructions, jaundice, enuresis, kidneys (congestion, irritation, inflammation), amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, nephritis, cystitis, intermittent fevers (Fresh juice, seeds), hepatitis, obstruction of liver and spleen, female problems, insect bites and stings, swollen glands, swollen breasts, cancer preventative, difficult urination, strangury (painful urination), syphilis, gonorrhea, dry up nursing mother's milk, catarrh of bladder, anemia, tuberculosis, rheumatism, arthritis, acidosis, obesity, high blood pressure, catarrh, dyspepsia, halitosis.
Preparation: decoction, infusion, fluid extract, oil

6. EMMENAGOGUE HERB: Squaw Vine or Partridge Berry (Mitchella repens, Rubiaceae, Ericaceae).

Parts used: herb or vine.
Medicinal uses: childbirth, uterine troubles (menorrhagia, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, leucorrhea, etc.), dropsy, diarrhea, suppression of urine, sore eyes, urinary complaints, dysentery, gonorrhea, sore nipples, gravel, rheumatism, etc.
Preparation: decoction, fluid extract, infusion, powder, tincture.

7. EXPECTORANT AND DEMULCENT HERBS: Comfrey (Symphytum officinale; Boraginaceae)

Parts used: root (more powerful) and leaves.
Medicinal uses: cough, ulcerated and inflamed lung conditions, bronchitis, hemorrhage, asthma, (excessive expectoration), tuberculosis, pleurisy, pneumonia, inflamed stomach or bowels, ulcerated kidneys, sooth gravel, bloody urine, diarrhea, dysentery, bruises, sprains, swellings, fractures, cancers, torn ligaments, ruptures, broken bone, cuts, gout, gangrene, heart problems, ulcerous wounds, hemoptysis, catarrh, scrofula, anemia, leukorrhea, female debility, boils, gum boils, sinusitis, burns and insect bites.
Preparation: decoction, fluid extract, infusion, powder and tincture. The comfrey root contains a large amount of mucilage that is best extracted by water.

8. ANTISPASMODIC HERB: Lobelia (Lobelia inflata)

Parts used: herb and seeds (the latter are much stronger)
Medicinal uses: abscesses, adynamic (weakness), angina pectoris (heart excitability), asthma, blood poisoning, blood circulation problems, boils, bronchial problems, bruises, catarrh, chicken pox, cold sweats, colds, colic, congestion, constipation, convulsions, cough, cramps, croup, digestive disturbances (nervous dyspepsia, acute indigestion, etc.), drowning, dyspnea, diphtheria, earache, eczema, epilepsy, fainting, febrile trouble (fevers). Felons, female problems, heart weakness, hepatitis, hydrophobia (mad dog bites), hysteria, inflammations, insect stings and bites, laryngitis, measles, meningitis, nephritis, nervousness, palpitation, peritonitis, periostitis, phrenitis, pleurisy, pneumonia, poison ivy, poison oak, rheumatism, ringworm, scarlet fever, smallpox, spasms (spine, muscles, chest or genital organs), sprains, stomach irritation (small doses), tetanus (lock jaw), vomiting (small doses), whooping cough and zymotic diseases.
Preparation: Decoction, fluid extract, infusion, pills, poultice, powder, syrup, and/or tincture. Do not use lobelia tincture from drug stores, as it is extracted with an etheric menstruum.

9. STIMULANT HERB: Cayenne (Capsicum Minimum, C. Fastigiatum).

Parts used: fruit (oil is in the seeds)
Medicinal uses: Apoplexy, arrest gangrene or mortification, arthritis, asthma, asthmatic asphyxia, atonic gout, bleeding, bleeding of the lungs, chilblains, chills, colds, cold extremities, congestion, constipation, cough, cramps, debility, delirium tremens, diphtheria, dyspepsia, emesis (strong dose), functional sluggishness, fatigue, heart trouble and heart attacks, hemorrhage, hemorrhoids, high and low blood pressure, indigestion, inflammation, kidney and related problems, lethargy, low fevers, lumbago, menorrhagia, neuralgia, offensive breath, pains in the stomach and bowels, palpitation, pleurisy, profound shock, quinsy, rheumatism, scarlet fever, strokes, tonsillitis, toothache (oil), typhoid fever, ulcers, vomiting, wounds, yellow fever, cayenne (as a stimulant) is an activator, carrier and accentuator.
Preparation: Cayenne is prepared into decoctions, infusions, ointments, powder and tinctures.

10. TONIC HERB: White Poplar (Populus tremuloides)

Parts used: inner bark, leaves and buds.
Medicinal uses: articular swelling, burns, cancer, cholera, infantum, cuts, cystic catarrh, debility, diabetes, diarrhea (sub-acute, chronic), eczema, faintness, flu, gangrene, gleet, gonorrhea, hay fever, hysteria, indigestion, inflammation, intermittent fever, jaundice, kidney complaints, liver problems, neuralgia, purulent ophthalmia, acute rheumatism, strong perspiration, sciatica, syphilitic sores, bad ulcers, urinary complaints and-weakness, infected wounds.
Preparations: various forms

These ten herbs may be stored in any number of forms, bulk, capsules, tablet, tincture, concentrate, etc. Tinctures, syrups, concentrates and ointments if properly sealed can last twenty or more years and not lose potency. The bulk dry herbs should be put into cans such as the type in which bulk honey is often sold. The lid should be pressed in tightly and sealed carefully with a paraffin wax. All stored herbs should be sealed in this way with paraffin.

The diaphoretic herbs are the ones to be collected in the largest amounts. A pound per person of these herbs in their dry form is not out of line.

If the dry herbs, capsules or tablets can be sealed hermetically so much the better. It would be wise to store the seeds from as many of these herbs as possible. Label them well and seal them up for use in times of natural disaster.

We will be discussing more on this subject at another time. We will then clear up further any questions that have not been answered in a short discourse on a very important subject.

by Lindsay Wolsey, MH

Since I have a new baby, I’m a little concerned about treating earaches.  Only a little, because I already know what to do for an earache.  Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it) I’ve been working at The School of Natural Healing for quite a while, and I’ve been telling people what Herbalists would do for things like this for quite some time.
 
A couple of years ago a neighbor of mine expressed frustration that babies didn’t come issued with an Medi-Scope (you know, that device the doctor uses to look into kids ears to see if there is an infection).  She was so tired of having to haul her kids to the doctor’s office to find out if they had ear infections.  I replied, “why should babies come with a Medi-Scope, when you can buy one at the local drug store for $13?”  And besides that, why not just give them what the body needs for healing an ear infection, regardless of whether or not you’re sure that’s what the problem is?  Is garlic oil going to hurt anyone?  No.  Is it going to cause an anti-biotic resistant strain of ear infection?  No.
 
What is an Ear Infection?
 
There are actually different variations of ear infections, depending on the location of the pain.  The most common, and the one that usually affects children, is a middle ear infection, known as otitis media.  The Eustachian tubes in children are shorter, more horizontal, and can easily be blocked.  Ear infections often accompany colds or other respiratory infections.
 
Who Gets Them?
 
Everyone can get an ear infection, but they seem to mainly affect children.  Particularly those who consume a high amount of dairy.
 
When I was about 6 months pregnant (and on vacation no less), I got a doozy of an ear infection.  Being an herbalist, I knew what to do for it.  Being a pregnant woman, I had forgotten to pack garlic oil.
 
My brother Ryan got a really bad ear infection when he was about 15, and instead of calling me, my mom took him to the doctor.  And they gave him anti-biotics, and they did nothing.  So then I got the phone call, dropped off some garlic oil and mullein and lobelia, explained how to use it—within two days, the ear infection was gone.  Calling me would have saved the $20 co-pay, the $10 prescription, and the friendly flora.
 
Treatment
 
When I was a kid, when you got an ear infection you also got a prescription for anti-biotics.  Fortunately, that has changed.  Today, you are only going to come out with a prescription for anti-biotics if your doctor is a dinosaur, or if you are at risk for a secondary infection.  Otherwise, you will most likely be told to deal with this on your own.  The good news is, 80% of ear infections clear up on their own with no intervention.  Allopathically, you’re going to be told to use painkillers, heat, and rest.  Occasionally, the doctor will insert tubes in the ears to release the pressure and drain the infection.  Which is really silly, when you think about it.  Why put a hole in the ear to prevent a hole in the ear?  But how else would an Allopath open the Eustachian tubes?
 
An Herbalist will tell you to use garlic oil, and mullein and lobelia oil in the ear.  When I got my ear infection when I was out of town, my first stop was to an herb shop, where I picked up some garlic oil and some garlic capsules, to help boost the immune system internally.  We happened to be driving home at the time, and believe me, the pressure changes were not fun to deal with.  When I got home, I did a little research, and discovered that if you add some essential oils to the garlic oil, it can take out that ear infection a lot faster.  I like a combination of tea tree oil, rosemary oil, and thyme oil in a garlic oil base.  Yes, you will smell like Italian food, but you’ll cut a few days off your recovery.  Sometimes the garlic oil can clear up an earache in just one day!  Just put a few drops of this combination in your ear, put a cotton ball in it to keep it from leaking all over your clothes, and you’ll be comfortable again in no time.
 
You could also apply a hot compress to the ear.  And definitely cut back/eliminate the dairy.
 
Nathan, our old student advisor, used onion juice to treat an ear infection in one of his kids.  He said that green stuff came out of his sons ears, but that the onion juice took care of it just fine.  David Christopher says that using an onion poultice over the years has worked great when dealing with ear infections.
 
My neighbor Gigi, who would see less ear infections if she gave her kids more orange juice and less chocolate milk, actually took my advice on earaches, and was extremely amazed at how well the garlic oil works.
 
Recovery
 
Depending on how you treat the ear infection, it should be gone within 1-3 days.  It is important to note that fluid behind the ear drum is normal after an ear infection, and will clear up in about 3 months.  I’ve noticed that myself—I keep wondering when it’s going to start draining.
 
Prevention
 
No dairy.  Dairy causes mucus, which leaves the body open to infections.
 
Breastfeed.  Breastfed babies experience fewer ear infections than babies fed with bottles.
 
Stop smoking.  Ear infections are more common in children who are exposed to cigarette smoke in the home.
 
Wash hands regularly.  This is just an all around, good way to prevent the spread of infection.
 
Boost immune system.  Instead of relying on anti-biotics, have your body do the work for you.
 
One I hadn’t heard of was having your children chew gum sweetened with Xylitol, instead of sugar.  Children who chew this type of gum experience half as many ear infections as those who chew regular gum.

October 2005

by Lindsay Wolsey, MH

I was going to send out a newsletter this month on Brigham Tea, but James Duke derailed me at the seminar when he told me that Brigham Tea has no Ephedra in it. So, I needed a new topic. And since this is October, and many people celebrate Halloween by getting loads and loads of candy, what could be a better thing to write about than Diabetes, the fruit of eating so much candy.

My dad has Type II diabetes-which is now behaving like Type I diabetes. We kept him from having to take insulin for about four years-which is a pretty good amount of time. Last year at this time, he started having to take extra care of his dad (my grandpa, who was also a Type II diabetic), and stopped taking care of himself. I don’t think he was taking his supplements the way he should have been, and I know he wasn’t getting the right amount of sleep, exercise, or the correct amount of food. To make a long story short, by the time Grandpa died, my dad’s body had shut down and was eating muscle. He is now on insulin.

Unfortunately, my dad is an incurable person. He has talked to me, has talked to David, has watched the diabetes videos from the course, has attended classes on Diabetes, and has read Eat to Live by Joel Fuhrman. And now that he is on insulin, he figures that if he gets low he can have a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. My dad’s fate does not need to be anyone elses.

There are three main types of Diabetes-Type I, Type II and Gestational. There are other types of Diabetes, such as Bronze but for our purposes we are going to discuss Type II. But before we can get into the specifics of Type II, we need to understand what Diabetes is.

So, what is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a metabolism disorder - the way our body utilizes glucose. Glucose is a form of sugar in the blood, and the main source of fuel for the body. In order to get glucose into the cells, insulin must be present. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas. When we eat, our pancreas will automatically produce the right amount of insulin to move glucose from the blood into the cells. But for diabetics, the pancreas could produce little or no insulin, or the cells might not respond correctly. Glucose will build up in the blood, and overflow into the urine. So, the body loses its main source of fuel, simply because the body cannot use it. Hmm…sounds similar to the way we can get osteoporosis even if we consume large amounts of calcium.

Okay, what is the difference between Type I and Type II?

Type I is an auto-immune disease. There are several theories out there on what causes Type I-foreign proteins getting into the pancreas, heredity, viruses-scientists can’t say for sure. What we do know is that for some reason the body attacks the beta cells. Without having a cause, there really is no way to avoid Type I diabetes-it just strikes at random. It is also harder to treat, both allopathically and vitalistically. For information on getting off insulin, see Eat to Live by Joel Furhman.

Type II, on the other hand, is entirely avoidable. Type II is the most common form of diabetes, striking all age groups, including children. About 80 percent of people with Type II diabetes are overweight. With Type II diabetes, the body is producing enough insulin-it just isn’t using it correctly.

What are the Symptoms?

We figure that my dad had Diabetes well before we (or the doctor) figured it out, because of his lifestyle. Dad likes his sweets, and was raised to have a dessert every night at dinner, and sometimes in place of dinner. Even last week, he was trying to drum up support for making rice pudding after dinner. He was voted down, because he is the only one who likes rice pudding, he’s a diabetic, and we know he’s going to eat the whole thing himself. If we had been watching for the symptoms, maybe we could have done something sooner.

Symptoms of Type II diabetes include: nausea, fatigue, frequent urination, unusual thirst, weight loss, blurred vision, frequent infections, slow healing of wounds or sores. Some people have no symptoms. Some of these symptoms might make you think you were pregnant-maybe that’s why I didn’t figure that out until I was 10 weeks along. Maybe I thought I had diabetes-nausea, fatigue, weight loss. It all fits.

What causes Type II?

You just have to look at the people who are prone to Diabetes. This form of diabetes is associated with older age, obesity, family history of diabetes, previous history of gestational diabetes, physical inactivity, and ethnicity. About 80 percent of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight. Hmm…physical inactivity and overweight. What could cause that? In my dad’s case, I’m figuring he was eating at least a cup of sugar every day. Here in Utah, we lead the nation in cases of Type II diabetes. We also lead the nation in Jello and Ice Cream consumption-at least, we did a few years ago.

What’s so bad about Diabetes?

To start with, it is one of the leading causes of death and disability in the United States. It is the leading cause of amputation. It can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. In fact, 65% of people with diabetes die from heart disease or strokes. It can lead to blindness (my Dad’s mom went blind from diabetes), kidney failure, nerve damage. This is nothing to mess around with.

The Good News

The good thing about Type II diabetes is that it is very manageable with diet and exercise, and if you throw herbs into the mix - well, you should be fine.

Exercise: Whether you’re trying to prevent diabetes, or manage it, exercise has to be at the top of your list. We found with my dad, if he would exercise, his high blood sugar would come down. Plus, exercise helps you lose weight, which also helps prevent diabetes. It is recommended that you get at least 30 minutes of exercise a day. Note: taking your kids trick or treating does not count as exercise.

Diet: Change your diet before you have to! I think that the hardest thing for my dad has been the dietary changes that have been imposed upon him, both by me, and the doctor. And let me tell you, the doctor is a lot more lenient than I am. The doctor will tell you to limit your carbs. An herbalist will tell you no dairy, no white flour, limited grains, limited meats, but you can have all the green vegetables that you want! We even limit my dad’s fruit - and he does not get to have any juice - it just hits his blood too fast, and since he isn’t willing to chew his juice, he can’t have any. An herbalist will also say no diet sodas, no artificial sweeteners, and no Angel food cake, regardless of how many carbs or how much fat it has. Sometimes dad will humor me, and we’ll get the salad bar at Sizzler. Other days, he decides he’s tired of being diabetic, and he’ll get a steak, baked potato, and shrimp, with his Diet Coke. If dad had made the decision to change what he was eating himself, it would be so much easier for him to deal with the dietary restrictions! I know I say it a lot, (the hazards of working for David Christopher) but read Eat To Live by Joel Fuhrman.

Dietary Changes:

60% Vegetables
20% Whole Sprouted Grains
15% Fresh (only) fruit
5% Nuts and Seeds

Supplements: Diabetics get a long list of supplements. Topping the list is Vitalerbs, at approximately 18 capsules a day. Then the Pancreas Formula, also at 18 capsules a day. And let me tell you, the Pancreas formula alone does miracles. We kept my dad on a lower dosage of Glucophage for four years just using the Pancreas Formula. Then Liver Gallbladder, with 12 capsules a day, and 6 capsules of Adrenatone. We can’t forget about the Lower Bowel formula, as needed.

Additionally: Oat bran and other fibers, Wheat Germ Oil, Evening Primrose Oil, Nutritional Yeast, Garlic & Onions, Spirulina, Olive Oil, Chromium and Vanadium, Plant Enzymes, Vitamin A.

Conclusion

Diabetes is not fun to deal with, but you can treat it with diet, exercise and the correct supplementation - and you can stay away from insulin. My dad is now looking at getting an insulin pump - because you only have to prick your finger once a week instead of five times a day. If only he had stuck with the program!

September 2005

by Lindsay Wolsey, MH

When I went in for my first mid-wife appointment after discovering I was pregnant, they took blood and ran a bunch of tests.  It turns out I have no immunity to Rubella, even though I had the MMR vaccine as a child (I did not have the booster in high school).  I was told that Rubella can be very dangerous during pregnancy, and that I should probably get vaccinated against it.  I told the mid-wife that I didn’t think Rubella was too common anymore, that I had avoided it so far, and that I wasn’t really concerned.  Fortunately, they didn’t pressure me to get vaccinated until after my baby was born, and by then I was well-armed with facts and figures showing that I didn’t need the vaccine.
 
On March 22, 2005 I read an interesting article in the Salt Lake Tribune.  It said that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) declared that Rubella was no longer a major health threat in the United States.  “Rubella has not cropped up naturally in the United States since 2000,” said Steven Cochi, acting director of the CDC’s National Immunization Program. Of the nation’s nine rubella cases in 2004, all either came from other countries or spread from those imported cases. No cases have been reported in Utah in the past five years.
 
What is Rubella?
 
Rubella, also known as German measles, can cause rash, mild fever and arthritis in adults.  According to WebMD.com, it is a mild illness that does not result in long-term problems.
 
How Do You Catch It?
 
Rubella is spread through droplets of fluid from the mucous membranes—sneezing, coughing, talking, sharing food or drinks.  You could become infected if you touch a surface with infected fluid on it, and then touch your eyes, nose, or mouth.
 
What are the Symptoms?

You may experience a mild fever, swollen glands (especially behind the ear and at the back of the head), and a skin rash that starts on the face and spreads to the neck, the chest, and the rest of the body. Older children and teenagers may have fever, eye pain, sore throat, and body aches. They may or may not develop a rash.
 
Why Worry?
 
According to the CDC, one of the most significant Rubella outbreaks took place in 1964 and 1965 when an estimated 12.5 million cases occurred in the United States. That outbreak led to more than 11,600 babies being born deaf, 3,850 babies born blind and 1,800 babies developing mental retardation. Rubella also caused more than 11,000 fetal deaths and 2,100 deaths shortly after birth.
 
Why Get Vaccinated?
 
Doctors developed a rubella vaccine in the late 1960s, mainly to prevent birth defects from contracting the disease in utero. Today, more than 93 percent of U.S. children under 2 are given the MMR vaccine, which is supposed to include protection against measles and mumps. More than 95 percent of kids entering school are vaccinated with the MMR shot, the CDC reported.
 
Utah has been monitoring for birth defects since 1995.  Since that time, the state has not seen any babies born with rubella-related defects, said John Carey, medical consultant with the Utah Department of Health’s Birth Defect Network.  So, in the last ten years, since they started looking for this, no babies have been born with any defects related to Rubella.  So why are we continuing to be pestered to be immunized against it?  The new reason for continued vaccination is that people from other countries could spread it.  The CDC is recommending continued vaccination for children at the age of 12 months and before entering school, and for women planning to get pregnant.  Just when you think a victory is coming, they continue the same old line.
 
Then there are the risks associated with the Rubella vaccine.  In 1982, several separate studies showed that the Rubella vaccine was a cause of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.  A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1981 reported the OB-GYN’s were the least likely of all doctors to get the Rubella vaccine.  Fewer than 10 percent were inoculated.  Do they know something we don’t?
 
In 1993, two of the three MMR vaccines in use in England were pulled because there was a “slight” risk of  “transient meningitis”.
 
Currently, several studies are being done to determine if there is a link between the MMR vaccine and Autism.  The official line is that there isn’t, but I have talked to more than one parent of an autistic child who said the symptoms showed up right after the MMR vaccine was given.
 
How Do You Prevent It?
 
So, if you looked at the side effects of the vaccine, and decided that wasn’t for you, how do you prevent Rubella?  The same way you protect against colds and flus—wash your hands, and avoid sick people.  Also, drink a lot of Red Raspberry tea.  If you’re pregnant, you should be drinking a lot of Red Raspberry tea anyway.
 
How Do You Treat It?
 
If you are an allopath, you would treat this disease with bed rest, fluids, and fever management (acetominaphen).  If you are an herbalist, you would give the patient plenty of fluids, such as Red Raspberry tea, Yarrow tea, Chickweed tea.  You would definitely let the patient get a lot of rest, but you wouldn’t try to suppress the fever—you would try to help it, so that the toxins get out of the body and the patient can get better faster.
 
General Instructions: This disease must be brought to the surface through the skin as rapidly as possible. Diaphoretic herbs such as yarrow and raspberry leaf are excellent. Use vapor baths (such as ginger, mustard and cayenne) which bring the toxic wastes to a head quickly. Moisture is required or the organic calcium will turn into inorganic calcium because of the feverish dry body heat, which causes further tissue damage. Rheumatic fever is often the aftermath of diseases such as chicken pox and measles. Take care of the bronchi and the eyes. Avoid bright light, since the eyes are weak at this time. The bowels should be kept open with the lower bowel tonic [Fen LB]. A catnip enema is soothing and beneficial. Ripe fruits will assist in the cleansing process. [SNH p.36]
 
Especially for Children: If the child is slow in breaking out, give a good hot bath. It is important to clean out the bowels, so give the patient a warm catnip (tea) enema each day. Put him to bed and give a tea made of equal parts of yarrow, pleurisy root and lady’s slipper (use valerian root or catnip if lady’s slipper is unavailable). Give this tea freely to produce perspiration which will also lower the fever. (Red sage, red raspberry leaf or camomile teas are also excellent for a patient with measles.) Also, a pleasant herbal tea made of equal parts catnip, raspberry leaf, peppermint leaf, can be given freely throughout the day. It is best to keep the room dark so that the eyes will not become irritated. In the event the child’s eyes do become sore, bathe them two or three times a day with a solution (tea) made of equal parts of eyebright, raspberry leaf, and golden seal. If the child complains of itching, bathe or sponge the skin with a tea made of yellow dock and burdock root and/or golden seal. Adding a little apple cider vinegar to a tub of bath water is also helpful. Guard the patient against bronchial troubles and earache and have him drink plenty of liquids (distilled water, herbal teas, as recommended, and fruit juices). The diet should be simple–plenty of fresh ripe fruit, fruit juices and fresh vegetable juice. One very good combination is carrot juice with celery, spinach and parsley juice added to taste. [HHH p.105]
 
For Itching: Use a fomentation over the irritated area made with chickweed tea and/or plantain, burdock root, Oregon grape root, and echinacea–covered with plastic. Or, bathe the area with the tea a number of times during the day. Chickweed or plantain ointment is an aid for small outbreaks. Drink a cup of the tea two or three times or more a day. To each cup of the tea you drink add three to six drops of tincture of lobelia.
 
Conclusion
 
So, while I didn’t just tell the midwife to take the Rubella vaccine and stick it, I also didn’t let them give me a shot.  The risk of this disease is so low that I’m just not worried, and the risk of side effects from the vaccine is so high that I just don’t think it’s worth it.  As with all vaccines, it is important to study the facts out for yourself and make your own decision.  Don’t let someone else make it for you.

by Lindsay Wolsey, MH

We have had a lot of people calling our office wanting information about Gout. We have also discovered that there are several misconceptions about gout, and some triggers that you wouldn’t necessarily think of. So, it wasn’t too hard to select this months topic.

What is Gout?

Gout is a form of arthritis that causes sudden, severe attacks of pain in the joints. Gout attacks can occur from time to time, lasting anywhere from a week to six weeks. An attack can last for a few weeks if left untreated. Ninety percent of people who have a gout attack will have another attack.

What are the Symptoms?

Pain and swelling, usually in the big toe, although other joints can be affected, such as the knee, ankle and foot. It can also cause tenderness, redness, and warmth.

What Causes Gout?

Gout is caused by a build-up of uric acid in the blood. Uric acid comes from the natural breakdown of the genetic material in cells (RNA and DNA). Because our body is constantly breaking things down, there is always uric acid present. Some foods contain large amounts of pre-cursors to uric acid, called purines. Purines are particularly high in red meats, organ meats and shellfish. Astonishingly, purines are also fairly high in spinach, asparagus, legumes, and broccoli. When uric acid levels rise beyond a certain point, uric acid crystals form and collect in the joint or joints, causing pain. These crystals can also build-up in other organs of the body, causing damage.

Am I at Risk?

Over 1 million Americans suffer from gout. Men are more likely to have gout than women, especially men over 30. When gout does affect women, it is usually during menopause. Other people who are likely to get gout are people who are overweight, people who consume a lot of alcohol, people who use diuretics to lower blood pressure or treat heart failure. When gout affects younger people, it is generally those who have been taking certain medications for a long time, consume a lot of alcohol, or have a genetic predisposition to gout.

Some medications can make it difficult for the body to flush out uric acid, and can lead to a gout attack. These include: Anti-inflammatory medications made from salicylic acid, such as aspirin; Cyclosporine, a medicine used to suppress the body’s immune system (Cyclosporine often is used to prevent the rejection of transplanted organs); Levodopa, a medicine used to treat Parkinson’s disease; Niacin, a vitamin that is part of the vitamin B complex and sometimes used to treat high cholesterol.

A recent rise in gout cases may be linked to the Atkins diet, which relies on a high-protein, low-carbohydrate, low-fiber diet. First, many of the foods promoted by these diets, such as bacon, organ meats, and some types of seafood, are high in purines and cause uric acid levels to rise. Second, low-carbohydrate diets put stress on the kidneys, which might make them more sensitive to changes in uric acid levels.

Allopathic Treatment

Allopathically, medications are used to control the symptoms of gout. This is generally done with an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug), such as ibuprofen or naproxen. Side effects of ibuprofen include stomach upset, indigestion and headaches. If people cannot take ibuprofen, they might get a prescription for a corticosteroid, which could be given as a pill or as an injection to the afflicted joint. Side effects include weight gain, increased appetite, and mood swings. For someone who has experience multiple gout attacks, a doctor might prescribe a medicine that lowers uric acid levels, such as allopurinal or probenecid. Side effects include upset stomach, diarrhea, headache, dizziness, and skin rash. Allopurinal is not very effective during an attack, and is a preventative drug. Another drug that is used by allopaths is colchocine, which dissolves uric acid crystals. Colchocine is highly toxic, and is derived from a very toxic plant. Currently, researchers are studying urate oxidase, which is an enzyme in other mammals which converts purines to allantoin.

Herbal Aids

Celery seed extract: James Duke, one of our instructors at The School of Natural Healing, swears by celery seed extract, which can help eliminate uric acid. In fact, one of the questions on his section of the exam at The School of Natural Healings Master Herbalist Certification Seminar is: what supplement did James Duke take before he left his hotel this morning? He also said you can eat stalks of celery to help keep gout at bay.

Cherry juice: Cherries contain flavanoid compounds that may lower uric acid and reduce inflammation. Many people have said that drinking tart cherry juice has helped ease gout attacks.

Uric Acid formula: Master Herbalist David Christopher recently put together a formula that combines celery seed, nettles, licorice, white willow, hydrangea, apple cider vinegar and cherry juice. Many people are currently using this formula to help prevent gout attacks.

Turmeric: One of the compounds in Turmeric, curcumin, inhibits the synthesis of prostoglandins in the body that are involved with pain. It is similar to the effects of aspirin, only a little weaker. At high doses, curcumin stimulates the adrenal glands to release the body’s cortisone, which is a potent pain reliever.

Oats: Teas made from the silica rich green tops of the oat plant are said to have a diuretic effect on uric acid levels.

Apple Cider Vinegar: Dr. Christopher recommended drinking apple cider vinegar with honey and bathing the afflicted area in apple cider vinegar.

Other Treatments

Diet: Uric acid is caused by purines. Foods that are high in purines are things like liver, kidneys, anchovies, sardines, cod, trout, venision, turkey, alcohol. Foods that contain a moderate level of purines are duck, chicken, ham, beef, lobsters, lima beans. Foods that contain little, if any, purines are fruits, most green vegetables, grains, tomatoes. If you are inclined towards gout attacks, you might want to watch what you eat.

Avocados: Avocados are believed to treat gout, at least in the Amazon. It reportedly lowers uric acid levels. This may or may not be true, but avocados are tasty enough to be included in any diet.

by Karen Saura, MH

Childhood obesity is rapidly becoming a major health issue for American children. Because children spend so much of their time in schools and so many of our children attend school through out national public school systems, school food programs stand out as a natural place to look to if we want to shift this national trend in a more positive and healthy direction. Exploring the role food programs in the public schools play in childhood obesity is a good place to begin, both as a part of the problem and as a part of the solution.

The factors that indicate the need for change are found in the health baseline of our children today. The Centers for Disease Control has declared that there is an epidemic of child and adolescent obesity in the United States. California is no exception. Statewide, 30% of children are at risk or already overweight; in some school districts, 40-50% of children are overweight. Childhood obesity is on the rise, and disorders like ADD have been linked to what children eat (Crane, 2005: 1).

The Harvard Magazine examined the evolution of humans and our diet in an article titled “The Way We Eat Now”. “The obesity epidemic arrived with astonishing speed” (Lambert, 2004: 51). According to John Foreyth of Baylor College of Medicine, “Childhood obesity, once rare, has mushroomed: 15% of children between ages six and 19 are now overweight, and even 10% of those between two and five” (Lambert, 2004: 51). In the 1990’s physicians began to report an alarming discovery of children being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, which often accompanies obesity. Type 2 diabetes was previously found only in adults (Nestle & Dixon, 2004:132).

Yale psychologist, Kelly Brownell, attributes this alarming trend to what she calls “a toxic food environment of cheap fatty food, large portions, pervasive food advertising and sedentary lives” (Nestle & Dixon, 2004:132). Steven Gortmaker, professor of society, human development, and health at the Harvard School of Public Health, observes that the “convenience-food culture is so ubiquitous that even conscientious parents have trouble steering their children away from junk food”. In researching children’s diets and comparing caloric intake on days when children ate in a fast food restaurant to days they did not, “they soaked up 126 calories more on fast-food days, which could translate into a weight gain of 13 pounds per year on fast food alone” (Lambert, 2004: 52).

For the most part, the current trend in public school food programs is to cut costs by using cheaper pre-packaged government subsidized foods and to look to outside vendors to increase revenues by making brand name fast foods available for consumption on campuses. It is clear that the factors which drive the eating pattern of most American children are greatly influenced by media, corporate advertising, and the availability of poor quality fast food with limited nutritional values.

The government subsidizes low-quality foods, corn and wheat for example, while neglecting far healthier items such as fruits, vegetables, beans, and nuts. Pediatrics specialist David Ludwig gives his assessment. “It’s a perverse situation. The foods that are the worse for us have an artificially low price, and the best foods cost more.” This in turn impacts school lunches. When districts find their budgets cut, the impact is seen in the cafeterias. Most schools are serving up more and more fast food, and make soft drinks and candies available through school vending machines (Lambert, 2004: 98). This shift in food availability has an immediate and devastating impact on the quality of our students school-day, their ability to concentrate and perform academically at their best, and on their immediate and long-term general health and well-being.

An alarming trend is emerging in many of our nation’s larger school districts. It is becoming common for companies to cut deals directly with schools in fiscal straits, offering their products at a discount, sometimes with a percentage of sales flowing back to the districts, in order to get directly at their target market, our kids. In 2003, New York City’s school district agreed to give the Snapple company exclusive rights to sell water and fruit juice throughout the district. The deal is estimated to generate up to $225 million depending on the thirsts of the City’s teachers and students. On campuses throughout the nation, kids can choose from Taco Bell, Burger King, Pizza Hut and Coca Cola to appease their daily hunger pains (Woodend, n.d.: 2). According to Eric Scholsser, author of Fast Food Nation, “Fast food chains don’t make an enormous profit selling fast food in the schools, but it’s a way of creating brand loyalty among these kids. And once these kids have the taste for the food, it’s a lifelong taste” (Woodend, n.d.: 1).

This lifelong taste can lead to a lifelong addiction to the very foods fueling our spiraling national obesity numbers. These foods do not necessarily have to measure up to established federal nutritional standards. Even for schools with a strong school lunch program, the presence of these often high sugar, high fat foods and sodas severely undermine the school’s attempt to provide and maintain a healthy food environment for their students and contribute to the epidemic of overweight and obesity in our nation’s youth.

While the federal government has established nutrition standards for school meals, there are no effective standards for competitive foods - foods and beverages sold a la carte, in vending machines, in school stores, or as part of school fund-raisers in the schools. Simultaneously, school food service operations have increased the availability of less healthy foods in an attempt to maintain a financially stable food service business (California Center for Public Health Advocacy, 2002: 1).

The causes of this epidemic are complex and multifaceted, resulting from changes in eating habits (increased caloric consumption) and decreased physical activity (decreased caloric expenditures). Efforts to address these factors must be comprehensive and must engage communities, schools, families and other institutions in supporting healthy diets and physical activity for all children.

Historically, school meals have been developed around the traditional nutritional guidelines such as the Food Guide Pyramid and the Dietary guidelines for Americans. These guidelines are based upon the assumption that people eat whole meals and that the content of those meals can “balance out” over time. Perhaps in an earlier era these guidelines served their purpose - but in today’s world of packaged and fast food menus, these guidelines can no longer be looked to for an adequate and balanced nutritional baseline.

Prevention is key

In 1999, the California Center for Public Health Advocacy established mandatory minimum standards for elementary and secondary schools. These standards addressed beverages, fat and saturated fat, sugar, portion sizes, and the availability of fruits and vegetables. They are guided by the following ideas:

* Food is meant to be enjoyed; a healthy diet can include snacks, deserts, side dishes and reasonable sized portions of most of student favorite entrees;

* Schools should be adequately funded, eliminating any incentive schools have to raise funds to support student programs by selling foods and beverages that compromise children’s health

* Schools should be a safe haven where students can learn to make healthy food choices outside the usual unrestricted marketplace with its intense marketing and ready availability of less healthy foods;

* Schools should not contradict health and nutrition messages taught by parents and teachers; and

* Children, schools, manufacturers, and growers can all win by promoting the sale of healthy foods (California Center for Public Health Advocacy, 2002: 2).

These recommendations are solidly founded in the current nutritional research and information and if implemented in the schools will begin to impact and improve the health of the students. As nutrition is improved, over time, the incidence of childhood obesity and its related conditions should diminish.

California created SB677: The California Childhood Obesity Prevention Act of 2003 to establish guidelines to further address these nutritional and health issues (Strategic Alliance, n.d.: 1). SB677 is directly aimed at preventing obesity. It bans soda sales in California schools, emphasizes good nutrition without breaking the bank, and proposes a statewide solution to phase in a statewide soda ban and keep up obesity prevention programs (Oritz, 2003). These measures are all sound nutritional steps whichserve as a model both to institutions and to individuals of the most basic step we can all take towards greater health and vitality. Eliminate foods which are empty nutritionally and reach for healthy foods instead.

Many health researchers are now advising that to be healthy we must also consider the quality of the soil that our food grows in. Pesticides and chemical fertilizers kill the vital qualities of the soil. They are found in the foods we eat and have been linked to many health conditions. Healthy, rich, live soil grows nutritionally rich foods. Many nutritional educators encourage eating organic fruits and vegetables whenever possible, both to avoid the dangers of pesticide residues in our foods and to take advantage of the most nutritious foods available.

Considering how many of our nation’s children are involved in the public school systems, public schools is a logical place to start to shift the relationship our kids have to the foods they eat. We should look to bringing organic foods into school cafeterias wherever possible. This is already being done in many schools throughout the nation. In 1994, the Berkeley Unified School District began to support an organic foods and garden program called the Edible Schoolyard at Martin Luther King Middle School. This school garden program has become a model for schools seeking to bring nutritional and environmental awareness onto their campuses both nationally and worldwide.

In the 1999-2000 school year, the Berkeley Unified School District took their innovative approach a step further with the adoption of a district wide Food Policy that emphasized making available organically grown produce in the district lunch program (Martin Luther King Middle School, 2002: 1). Many of these organic foods come from school gardens where children are involved in the production of their own food through the Edible Schoolyard and other school gardens in the district.

Now, parents and school administrators may ask, “How does an Edible Schoolyard tie into childhood obesity?” According to Alice Waters, owner of Chez Panisse restaurant and champion of the locally grown, fresh food movement, we need to be looking for comprehensive solutions for obesity. “People should know that just upgrading food in the cafeteria is not going to do it. Kids eat junk food before they get there… We know from the Edible Schoolyard experience that if they grow it and they cook it, they eat it. They will eat it if they have the pride of making it” (McManus, 2004: 2).

More recently, in July 2004, the Berkeley Unified School District unanimously agreed to approve a district-wide garden/food curriculum that begins in kindergarten and goes through high school. In a revolutionary move, the school district agreed to offer academic credit for lunch (Center for Food and Justice, 2005: 2). The curriculum will be developed with the collaboration of Alice Waters of the Chez Panisse Foundation, the Center for Ecoliteracy, Children’s Hospital of Oakland and Berkeley Unified teachers and staff. This will result in a nutrition curriculum which is to be implemented throughout the district over the next five years. This curriculum aims to reconnect food to culture and agriculture, to teach kids where food comes from and to empower them to become stewards of the land which sustains us all. When the program is complete, every school in Berkeley will have its own garden and full service cafeteria where students will be directly involved in their food production and nutritional needs (Artz, 2004: 1).

The Berkeley Unified School District can be used as a model for what is possible on a district level. On an individual level, many smaller strategies can be implemented in any school district which will begin to impact the awareness of the faculty, staff, students, parents, and community as to the importance of shifting the foods available to our students for their health, well-being, and quality of life - both present and future. A key component in any nutritional education program is to keep to the forefront of the dialogue the idea that every time we reach to put something into our mouths, we have a choice-a choice between something which supports our health and something which doesn’t. All of these little choices through the day add up to what we eat in a day, week, month and year. Who we are and how we feel is a direct result of all of these little choices. The place to begin to make them healthy ones is right now!

Creating a nutritional awareness and education program for the parents, students, staff and administration is a key starting point. Parents can be educated about nutrition and involved through newsletters and information sheets and look to nutrition for the stage of growth and development of the children and changes to come. Every parent wants what’s best for their kids if they know what that is and have the support to provide it. Begin with basic nutritional suggestions.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

* Avoid sodas and candy.
* Eat fresh fruits and vegetables every day.
* Choose sandwiches and fresh salads instead of “fast food”.
* Drink plenty of pure water every day.
* Get at least 20 minutes of exercise every day.
* Take your kids to the market and teach them about their food.
* Have them help in the kitchen. Involve them in healthy menu planning.
* Plant a garden, make a compost pile, watch your food grow.

These shifts in diet and lifestyle are most effective if there is a community of like-minded individuals supporting one another. Clearly, in the case of childhood obesity, prevention is the key and shifting food choices in a healthy direction is a great place to start. Creating community around healthy eating practices and lifestyle choices strengthens the program while creating a group support system which helps to hold the dietary and lifestyleshifts in place.There are many ways to create community which supports healthy lifestyle choices. Join or form a food/garden club in the local school. Start a recycling or composting program. Share food tips through the school newsletters. Gather with other parents and share health and nutrition information. Create agreements to support each other in creating a nourishing community for the children. Look to the Edible Schoolyard model to bring a school garden program into your local schoolyard. Through making every choice we make a choice towards greater health and wellness, we create a bridge into a healthier and more vital future for our children, ourselves, and our communities.About the Author

Karen Saura is a Master Herbalist graduate of The School of Natural Healing, teacher and holistic nutritional counselor. She emphasizes the use of whole, organic foods, nutritive herbs and supplements to promote optimal health, prevent disease, manage chronic illness and to rediscover the joy of healthy eating. Phone consultations are available. To set up an appointment with Karen, leave a message at (925) 286-2445 or e-mail: rainbowdreamspeak@yahoo.com .

References

Artz, M. (2004) Organic school lunch program expands in California. Berkeley, CA: Berkeley Daily Planet. Retrieved, February 13, 2005 from http://www.organicconsumers.org/school/school-lunch.cfm

California Center for Public Health Advocacy, (2002). National consensus panel on school nutrition: recommendations for competitive food standards in California schools. Davis, CA: California Center for Public Health Advocacy.

Center for Food and Justice. (2005). Media Coverage. Occidental, CA: Occidental College. Retrieved February 13, 2005, from http://www.farmtoschool.org/ca/media.htm

Crane, E. (2005) The incredible edible schoolyard. District Administration. Retrieved February 2, 2005, from http://www.districtadministration.com/page.cfm?p=434

Lambert, C. (2004). The way we eat now. Harvard Magazine (May-June 2004), pg. 50- 58, 98.

Martin Luther King Middle School (2002). The edible schoolyard - history. Berkeley, CA: Edible Schoolyard. Retrieved February 2, 2005, from http://www.edibleschoolyard.org/history.html

McManus, R. (2004). Interview: Alice Waters. Sierra Magazine, Nov/Dec2004. Retrieved February 2, 2005, from http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/200411/interview.asp

Nestle, M., Dixon, L. (2004) Taking Sides: clashing views on controversial issues in food and nutrition. New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

Oritz. (2003). En-act-2003. California Center for Public Health Advocacy. Retrieved February 14, 2005 from http://www.cfpa.net/ENACT/SB677factsheet.PDF

Strategic Alliance (n.d.) Environmental nutrition and activity community enactment strategies: schools. Oakland, CA: Strategic Alliance. Retrieved February 13, 2004 from http://www.preventioninstitute.org/sa/enactpriorities_S_2b.html

Woodend, D. (n.d.) Food for thought. England: Organic Food.Co.uk. Retrieved, February 2, 2005 from http://www.organicfood.co.uk/stories/foodforthought.html

by Lindsay Wolsey, MH

It seems like we’ve had a lot of people lately attributing things to Dr. Christopher that he didn’t necessarily teach.  For example, we’ve had people asking us about Dr. Christopher and food combining.  Dr. Christopher said that you shouldn’t need a Pittsburgh Attorney to help you put a meal together.  Dr. Christopher certainly never worried about this—in fact, if you asked him, he would tell you to “Ask any gorilla what he eats.”  Gorillas are big and strong, and they certainly don’t worry if you can have carrots and lettuce and peanuts all together.  They’re not going to look at a chart and say “Well, I just had peanuts, so I’d better not eat any cashews for four hours.”  Dr. Christopher did say that sometimes you need to eat fruit by itself—because some people are so toxic it that eating more than one type of fruit at once will throw them into a cleanse.  And in the Regenerative Diet book, he does talk about a mono diet as a type of cleansing—but this is not a lifelong change, and only lasts for a few weeks at a time.  People who are not toxic should have no problem eating several types of fruit together.  In fact, my favorite way to have fruit is mixed in a smoothie.
 
No Meat?  Another situation that comes up quite frequently is the misunderstanding that the Mucusless diet is a Vegan or vegetarian diet.  It’s not.  Not that Dr. Christopher had anything against vegetarians—in fact, at our Master Herbalist Certification Seminar we serve all vegetarian food—but the Mucusless diet does mention having a little fish or young chicken once a week.  It’s not a requirement—but it’s not forbidden.  It also says a little.  Not a pound, not 8 ounces with every meal, but a little once a week.  The Mucusless diet is also not Vegan—not only due to the fish, but also due to Dr. Christopher’s use of honey.
 
Raw.  The Mucusless diet is not a raw diet.  It incorporates a lot of raw foods—in fact, Dr. Christopher mentions in the Regenerative Diet book to cook one food and base the meal around that—meaning surround it with live and fresh foods.  We know many raw foodists who are in great shape—and in fantastic health!  We also know other raw foodists who look like walking corpses.  David Christopher says that the bare minimum of raw food in a diet should be 50%.  That’s the bare minimum, not the optimum amount.  He also says that should vary throughout the year—during the spring and summer and fall when we can get fresher food, our percentage of raw food should go up.  We emphasize enzyme-rich foods, and you cannot get enzymes from dead foods.
 
Dr. Christopher said that no two individuals are alike, and no one diet is going to fix everyone—that some judgment is needed while tweaking the diet to the individual.  We experience that every year at our Master Herbalist Certification Seminar.  The majority of our students get by quite well with the lunches we provide—but we always have some who get thrown into a cleansing crisis because the food is so fresh, and not what they’re used to!  We even have sandwiches a couple of days, and it’s still too fresh!  We have to walk a fine line at the seminar—because people who don’t eat all raw get very sick if that’s all they have for a week.
 
Dairy.  The Mucusless Diet prohibits dairy, because dairy causes mucus.  This includes milk, cheese, sour cream (sob), cream cheese, cottage cheese, ice cream, butter, most yogurts, and so on.  You would not believe how many phone calls we get from people who wonder why they are congested, why they have asthma, allergies, etc., and when we ask them if they have dairy, they say no!  And then they admit to eating ice cream four times a week.  My neighbor consistently asks me what to do for her 2 year olds earaches.  I have given her garlic oil and mullein and lobelia oil, explained how to apply it, and have repeatedly explained that if she would stop giving her daughter so much milk the earaches would stop.  Not only that, her daughter’s nose would stop running.  Does she listen to me?  No, of course not, and the next month rolls around and there’s another earache to deal with.  No dairy means no dairy, period.  (Yes, I still struggle with putting sour cream on my baked potatoes.  The non-dairy soy and tofu-based products just don’t taste the same.)  Milk and cheese tend to generate excessive mucus in the intestines, sinus and lungs.  This translates to poor absorption, which means fatigue, constipation, and other problems.  There is good news, however—butter is almost entirely mucus free.  Just don’t use it in excessive amounts.
 
Flour.  Flour, when baked and heated at high temperatures, changes to a mucus forming substance.  This is no longer a food—there is no life remaining.
 
So, What Can I Eat?
 
 It’s easy to get discouraged and wonder, what I am supposed to eat?  All of the foods I love are forbidden!  And you know that whatever you’re picking up at McDonald’s or Wendy’s definitely does not fit on the Mucusless Diet, Low-Carb or not.  But when you look at the big picture, whole grains, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits are encouraged. 
 
Vegetables.  This means avocados and potatoes and cauliflower and broccoli and carrots and celery.  Who doesn’t love to eat squash and zucchini in the summer (besides my mom)?  And I know plenty of people (not me) who love a fresh tomato (technically a fruit).  And don’t forget about asparagus—a key ingredient in Asparagus Soup (yes, it does call for butter, but butter is the least of the dairy evils).  Fresh salsa, made from onions, peppers, garlic, and yes, tomatoes, has to be one of the most delicious concoctions ever created.  My dad has been known to sneak raw turnips into the movie theater.  You can eat your vegetables raw, lightly steamed, or even baked once in a while–no one likes a raw potato.  And contrary to what Homer Simpson would tell you, you can win friends with salad.  So load up on the romaine, green leaf, and red leaf lettuce.
 
Fruit.  Raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, apples, oranges, pears.  What about pineapples, kiwis, lemons?  There is a whole list of fruits.  Put some lemon juice or lime juice in your water or tea.  My favorite smoothie is Orange Banana Strawberry.  You take fresh or frozen strawberries, depending on the season, and frozen bananas, and orange juice, blend it all up, and voila, you have an excellent smoothie.
 
Nuts.  Cashews, almonds, brazil nuts, walnuts, macadamia, pine nuts, pistachios, peanuts, to name a few.  You can even make your own nut butters using a Champion Juicer and some nuts.  Wendy and I can’t agree on if you need to add some oil to the nut butter—Emeril says use vegetable oil.  I confess—I buy mine already made up.  You can also make Nut Roast.   And don’t forget about Cashew Cheese.  That should help if you need something to put on top of your baked potato.
 
Seeds.  Sesame, pumpkin, sunflower, poppy, flax.  Raw, sprouted, seasoned or plain.  Put them in your salad, soak them and blend them with spices into dips.  There are a ton of recipes for sunflower seed dips on the Internet—raw foodists use them a lot.  I’m partial to a Southwestern Style Dip.  You can even make flax seed crackers to go with your dip.
 
Legumes.  Kidney beans, navy beans, garbanzos (Hummus, anyone?).  Don’t forget pintos, and black beans, and peas.  Fresh green beans, right off the vine.  There are so many different ways to eat them, and they are so good for you!
 
Grains.  This is where a lot of people run into trouble with the Mucusless Diet—does anyone really want to eat sprouted grains?  We get a lot of phone calls to The School asking us how to low-heat the grains, so apparently some people are trying it.  It appears the easiest way to low-heat grains is the thermos method.  Take a thermos bottle, fill it in the early afternoon or evening one-third full of grain, then finish filling the thermos bottle with boiling water. Turn the thermos over two or three times to mix the grain and water. The next morning the grain is ready for consumption.
 
This is an area where I do have a weakness—I love bread.  Even whole grain bread is not quite in the Mucusless Diet, but it is part of a transitional diet.  So, we’re talking barley, rye, oats—maybe some Easy Breakfast?
 
Conclusion.  It’s hard to eat healthy 100% of the time, but almost everyone could do a little better.  I certainly could, especially after all that holiday food.  After writing up this article I started craving some steamed yellow squash with zucchini and fresh thyme.

March 2004

by Lindsay Wolsey, MH

Osteoporosis is a major health threat for more than 28 million Americans. One of the main allopathic reasons for this is that you do not get enough calcium. But Americans lead the world in calcium consumption. The rest of the world consumes about ¼ of the amount of calcium we are told we need, yet Americans lead the world in Osteoporosis. Why?

“American women have been consuming an average of two pounds of milk per day for their entire lives, yet thirty million American women have osteoporosis. Drinking milk does not prevent bone loss. Bone loss is accelerated by ingesting too much protein, and milk has been called “liquid meat.”

In order to absorb calcium, the body needs comparable amounts of another mineral element, magnesium. Milk and dairy products contain only small amounts of magnesium. Magnesium is the center atom of chlorophyll.” (Robert Cohen, NotMilk.com)To start with, we need to look at the Standard American Diet (SAD). The majority of Americans eat meat, dairy, sugar, and some vegetables and fruit. The majority of these foods are processed, and most of the nutrients are gone, or replaced with synthetic vitamins and minerals. A typical fast food combo meal of a burger and fries and a soda is a good example. Where is the organic calcium, silica, and magnesium? In fact, is there anything organic in this meal? And let’s not forget that fact that sugar leaches calcium out of the body. Why are we surprised that we lack calcium, after what we put into our bodies?

Recently at The School of Natural Healing, we had a woman call in to ask what type of calcium she needed to take, as she had just gotten the results from her bone density screening, and had been diagnosed with Osteoporosis. As we tried to explain about getting calcium (and the necessary nutrients that it needs to be utilized), she explained that she had been drinking 3 large glasses of milk everyday for the last 30 years, in addition to taking an inorganic multi-vitamin, and an inorganic iron tablet. She had been trying to prevent Osteoporosis, but got it anyway. She also has had two bone spurs removed from her feet. If the body had enough calcium to form bone spurs, she should have had enough calcium to prevent Osteoporosis. So why did she get it?

The body cannot assimilate inorganic vitamins and minerals. So, when the body receives a type of calcium it can’t use, it simply stashes it somewhere. Bone spurs and kidney stones are common symptoms of inorganic calcium stores.

Taking in inorganic calcium, or protein-laced calcium, is equivalent to pouring water into a bucket with a hole in it. How much of the water stays? The protein in milk cancels out the calcium. So, you took it in, but the calcium’s not sticking around to do you any good. However, the fat and the things that cause mucus in the body will stick around for awhile.

The body needs organic calcium, from green leafy vegetables, so it can use it. Dr. Christopher put together a fantastic Calcium Assimilation Formula that helps the body use the calcium it already has.

Copyright © 2004 Christopher Publications. All rights reserved.