In fact, many academics, scientists, environmentalists and even the man in the street believe urban farming could be the green solution to future food shortages instead of relying on the worrying and downright dangerous GMOs as a way to resolve such shortages. It is all about trying to become more self sufficient and less reliant on others to provide for you. It is also about eating a more health-promoting and organic diet and even caring for a few chickens who will reward your devotion with a regular supply of free range eggs. Urban farming could be the answer to so many modern problems.

Only last year, there was a huge outcry on the internet when Julie Bass of Oak Park, Michigan was facing 93 days in jail after being charged with a misdemeanor. Her crime was planting a vegetable garden in the front yard. Julie explained that she planted the garden after her front yard was torn up for some sewer repairs. Rather than wasting the opportunity to start with a clean slate by planting a lawn, she decided to really put the area to use, and plant a vegetable garden. Her garden consists of 5 raised beds, where she grows a mix of squashes, corn, tomatoes, flowers, and other veggies. She was threatened and persecuted by her local council but in the face of such opposition, the council soon backed down. In her own small way, Julie was instrumental in sowing the seed (pun intended) whereby people were encouraged to start their own vegetable gardens or fruit orchards in place of water guzzling and labour intensive lawns.

Urban farming is generally practised for income-earning or food-producing activities, though in many communities the main impetus is recreation and relaxation. In the UK, town and village allotments have been popular for decades. An area of land is divided up into small plots and rented to interested people to grow veggies and fruit. Such urban farming can contribute to food security and safety in two ways: firstly, it increases the amount of food available to people living in cities and secondly, it allows fresh vegetables fruits, eggs and even meat products to be made available to urban consumers.

While there many urban farming schemes, you can also benefit from growing your own city vegetable garden. All you need is a window, balcony, patio, deck or roof that receives six or more hours of sun together with a few containers. These can produce an adequate supple of produce for you without the need for a large garden plot. With containers, you can grow anything from lettuce and tomatoes to beans and peppers. You can even grow potatoes and vine crops, such as squash and cucumbers. As long as there is adequate drainage, nearly anything can be used to grow vegetables.

Just remember that:

1. Smaller containers are used for more shallow-rooted crops like carrots, lettuce, and radishes. Vegetables like tomatoes, potatoes, and beans will benefit from using containers that are big enough to accommodate their larger root systems. In fact, the use of five-gallon buckets is not uncommon. To make use of all available space, consider growing vegetable plants in hanging baskets too.

2. In order to help improve drainage and airflow, it may be a good idea to raise your containers about an inch or two off the ground with blocks. Place vegetables in a sunny area that is well protected from wind, which can dry out plants. Container plants usually require daily watering particularly when it is dry, hot and sunny.

I live in a mostly warm and sunny climate but only have a small city courtyard garden. In spite of this, we manage to have a successful urban mini farm! We have 4 blueberry bushes in containers, raspberry and gooseberry canes, a prolific lemon tree plus newly planted grapefruit and tangerine trees. We have a container garden for herbs plus two large deep containers for growing spinach, carrots, shallots, lettuce, cucumbers, radishes, bell peppers and cabbages. The tomato plants have their own 5 gallon pots. Everything is organic including compost (we make our own in 2 compost bins) and fertilizer. It is great fun and very satisfying. The image for this post is our very own first cucumber!  The image for the front page of the blog shows the wonderful veggie garden of my friend in Maine.

If you plan on starting your own city vegetable garden, you will find so much help and advice on the internet. There are even specialist web sites and magazines devoted to the urban farmer so there is no excuse not to get going.

If you would like to make your own sauerkraut, here is the recipe from a friend. She is a mine of information for all those good and healthy recipes we should all be using but so often don’t have the time or the inclination.

You will need:

1 half gallon glass jar for storage

1 medium sized cabbage shredded (preferably in your food processor)

Optional extras: half a daikon raddish, shredded carrots, juniper berries plus a tiny amount of red pepper flakes.

half cup of pure filtered water with 1 tablespoon of natural sea salt dissolved

1 cup water kefir as a starter (although not absolutely necessary, this will help to speed up the process). Incidentally, water Kefir is a lacto-fermented beverage made from sugar water, juice or coconut water. Here is a link to how to make your own http://www.culturesforhealth.com/water-kefir

Method

Pack all the cabbage and optional extra ingredients into the jar as tightly as possible using 2 or 3 cups at a time. Between each addition, use a potato masher to compact the cabbage even further before adding more and compacting again. Carry on until the jar is completely full.

Mix the salt water and water kefir and slowly pour over the cabbage mixture, giving it time to soak all the way through until the top of the cabbage is completely covered. Cap the jar with a plastic lid so that it is not quite air tight and place it in a pan (because the jar will leak) and cover with cloth to block out the light. Leave it on the kitchen counter for 3 days but check daily and add more water as necessary to ensure the cabbage is covered. After 3 days in the summer or 4 to 5 days in the winter, place in the refrigerator for another week or two. You can start to eat it as soon as it is in the refrigerator but if left a bit longer, the flavor develops more.

Don’t be put off by the fact that naturally occurring bacteria on the surface of the cabbage leaves thrive in this environment, chemically changing the cabbage and increasing its B vitamin content. We all know how long fresh cabbage can last in the refrigerator. Fermented cabbage lasts much longer than that – for weeks if not months.

The ideal way to serve sauerkraut is as an accompaniment to cold beef or sausage or as a side dish to pork chops or a pork roast. Another way is to brown pork chops in a pan and place on top of the sauerkraut in a casserole dish before baking at 320 degrees until the meat is tender.

Healthy sauerkraut is tasty, very low in calories, with no fat and no cholesterol but with plenty of fiber. Serve it at least once a week and you will get all sorts of nutrients – vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B6, folate, iron, potassium, copper and manganese.

And if you want to get hold of ready made sauerkraut, you need to look for unpasteurized fermented cabbage. It is harder to find but you may be lucky at a health food store or you can order online.

Image via Wikipedia

Popular opinion has always carried a lot of weight and when combined with the fact that money talks, it should not be impossible for consumers to convince both themselves and their main food suppliers that a healthier diet is needed by everyone. A growing rate of a 70% overweight and obese population in the US just cannot continue – it is unsustainable. To become a healthier person while putting less strain on the environment can and should be the goal of us all.

Here are 6 ways in which you can help

1. By cutting your meat consumption. At present, US meat eaters swallow 4 times as much meat as the rest of the world does. If you can cut your consumption in half, you can then easily afford to buy healthy grass fed organic beef or free range chicken and you will be cutting any damage to the environment by at least 50%. Factory farmed meat is very damaging both to the environment and to our health with 90% of meat currently coming from CAFOS and factory farms. Move away from all factory farmed meat, eggs and dairy and create a new demand for grass fed beef and free range chicken and eggs along with raw or at the very least organic milk, butter and other dairy products and farmers will change from dangerous, unhealthy industrial agriculture practices to sustainable organic techniques with more local production.

2. By avoiding so much waste in our food supply from start to finish in the food chain. More than a third of all food in the US gets thrown away. This is a terrible indictment on us all when others in the word are starving.

3. By ditching all the processed and refined foodstuffs too. That means white bread, white flour pastas, corn, processed salts instead of healthy natural salt, sugar, sodas and artificial sweeteners. With the US diet comprising more than than 80% processed, junk and fake foods, a natural, wholefood diet would vastly improve both our heath and our negative impact on the environment.

4. By supporting and buying local and seasonal produce wherever and whenever we can. Food supply transport equals 20% of food-based greenhouse gas emissions so consumers can greatly reduce the CO2 emissions they are responsible for by purchasing their food from local organic growers. Local food from a farmers’ market or a veggie box scheme travels a much shorter distance than supermarket food from all over the world. Remember that even when supermarkets display “local” food, it has often travelled further than you might think because it still gets packaged centrally. Genuine local food often has a lot less packaging and if it’s from a market, it can often go straight into your bag.

5. By showing concern about the number of bees that have been dying off around the world for a decade now from a phenomenon called Colony Collapse Disorder or CCD. A third of the US food supply depends on the honeybee. The collapse of bee colonies is probably multifactorial rather than a response to one type of toxic assault but one major factor is the toxicity of systemic pesticides such as Clothianidin (made by Bayer). Do your bit to raise awareness of this worrying trend.

6. By learning to cook from scratch instead of relying on convenience ready-to-eat meals or take outs. Remember that the more ingredients in a meal, the higher the emissions from processing the food. This means it is better to cook your meals from scratch – something everyone would have done automatically in the past. This is where eating local food really wins out as most processed and ready-to-eat meals have ingredients that come from all over the world. If we want to be sure of eating local food, we need to cook more from scratch. We should also consider including more raw food in our diet – I try to have at east one raw meal per day.

Support the organic food and farming movement and at the same time drastically reduce your carbon foot print by changing the way you shop and eat with these 6 tips. Become part of a mass consumer demand for farm products that are organic, locally or regionally-produced and of course also climate friendly.

The expert in the case of canned tomatoes is Fredrick vom Saal, PhD, an endocrinologist at the University of Missouri, who studies bisphenol-A.  He quotes the problem as being that the resin linings of tin cans contain Bisphenol-A, a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to ailments ranging from reproductive problems to heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

Most of us have heard of BPA in plastics.

Unfortunately, and because tomatoes are high in acidity, this causes BPA to leach from the resin lining of the tin can into your food. Studies show that the BPA in most people’s bodies now exceeds the amount that can suppress sperm production or cause chromosomal damage to the eggs of animals.

Fredrick vom Saal says: “You can get 50 mcg of BPA per liter out of a tomato can, and that’s a level that is going to impact people, particularly the young,” says vom Saal. “I won’t go near canned tomatoes.”

http://www.ecokaren.com/2010/02/7-foods-even-food-safety-experts-won-t-eat/

So what is the solution?

Change from canned tomatoes to buying those in glass bottles or jars (or if you get a large crop of tomatoes in your own garden, how about preserving your own?). Brands such as Bionaturae and Coluccio supply jars of tomatoes while Trader Joe’s and Pomi provide tomotoes in Tretra Pak boxes as an alternative.

For the cream of the crop, both in product and packaging, you can go to Eden Foods. They have recently announced the launch of their protective amber glass 14 and 25 ounce jars of organic crushed tomatoes and sauces in their line of shelf stable organic tomatoes. Apparently, they are the only tomatoes in the USA packed in amber glass to protect both the flavor and nutrients from light damage.

These products include:

- Organic Spaghetti Sauce
- No Salt Spaghetti Sauce
- Pizza Pasta Sauce
- Crushed Tomatoes
- Crushed Tomatoes with Sweet Basil and
- Crushed Tomatoes with Roasted Onion & Garlic

They are all now available in these new, protective amber glass containers.

Eden Foods decided to change to amber glass jars in order to avoid the presence of bisphenol-A (BPA) in high acid food cans because of the failure of the can manufacturers to make BPA-free cans specially for tomatoes.

Evidently, light can cause discoloration and affect the flavor of the tomatoes through chemical changes in food when they are in plain glass. Photo-oxidation (light damage) is systemic in food stores. This is because fluorescent lighting, in particular, reduces food quality. Amber glass is difficult to get and more costly, but offers the best protection for food. Of course, amber glass is also free of the endocrine disrupter chemical bisphenol-A (BPA).

And to add to your enjoyment, Eden Foods tell us that their organic crushed tomatoes and sauces are made exclusively from fresh, red, ripe, unpeeled Midwestern organic Roma tomatoes (also known as Italian plum) along with 100% organic herbs and spices – some with no salt added. While most sauces are made from tomato concentrates, Eden tomatoes only have to travel 45 miles before they are washed, hand sorted, cooked and jarred (all within hours of harvest) ensuring maximum flavor, aroma and nutrients. And of course it goes without saying that no processing aids or additives are used. All ingredients are listed on the label.

Roma tomatoes are ideal for canning and using in delicious sauces because they have few seeds. Worldwide, Romas are prized for their deep color, rich mild sweet flavor and low acidity while their dense, meaty flesh and low moisture content make them feel heavy for their size.  Added health benefits to enjoy are that they are the highest in the antioxidant lycopene. Organic versions are higher still in lycopene, giving the customer up to 14.4 milligrams of this highly acclaimed and protective antioxidant per serving.

Don’t forget to look out for fresh organic Roma tomatoes too as they are usually available in the USA from early November to the end of May from your local Farmers Market or the fresh produce department of your local store. The sweeter varieties are perfect for eating fresh or adding to salads or recipes.

Image via Wikipedia

Most children love these juicy fruits that taste as good as sweets or candies – but are a thousand times more healthy for them to eat. Usually round or slightly egg shaped and the size of a walnut shell, the lychee has a thick textured skin that pops open to reveal a glistening, moist and translucent ball of almost jelly-like flesh covering a shiny brown seed.  Children enjoy opening lychees and they make the perfect lunchbox accompaniment.

The lychee is a fruit native to China that grows well in humid, subtropical climates free of frost and can now be found in Florida, USA, Natal in South Africa, Queensland in Australia and elsewhere.

These delicious fruit treats also offer several health benefits:

-  Lychee fruits are low in calories, contain no saturated fats or cholesterol, but are rich in dietary fiber which can be very important for those individuals concerned about excess body weight.

-  Rich in vitamin C (as much as 49mg per 100g) and a good source of dietary fiber, eating a few lychees can also help to soothe an irritating cough. The consumption of any fruits rich in vitamin C assists the body to develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals.

-  Lichees are a good source of potassium, calcium, phosphorus, copper, magnesium, zinc, iron and selenium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids, helping control heart rate and blood pressure to offer protection against stroke and coronary heart diseases. Copper is necessary for the production of red blood cells while calcium, phosphorus and magnesium help growing bones

-  Lychees nourish the skin’s oils, often helping to reduce the appearance of acne – if eaten in moderation.

-  Lychees are a very good source of B-complex vitamins such as thiamin, niacin and folates. These vitamins are essential since they function by acting as co-factors to help the body metabolize carbohydrates, protein and fats.

When cultivated, lychees are produced on tropical evergreen trees which grow to ten to twelve metres. The parent trees have a short trunk with low spreading branches. Their shiny, leathery, green leaves are composed of several smaller long, thin leaflets which are grouped together in pairs. Long sprays of green-white to green-yellow flowers turn into bunches of fruit following fertilisation.

The bunches of lychees are harvested by hand when ripe and often ladders are needed especially on the older, taller trees. Lychees are ready for harvesting in early summer.

When choosing this fruit at your local produce store, select those with fresh looking, firm skin without any cuts or molds and with some stem still attached. Lychees do not ripen after harvesting so the skins should be a robust red rather than green. Litchis have a very good shelf life as fresh fruits can be kept at room temperature for up to five days and can be stored for up five weeks in the refrigerator. They can also be frozen or dried and canned for export purposes.

 Make sure you give your family this juicy treat the next time lychees are in season in your part of the world.

Second only to the banana in the tropical fruit popularity stakes with Americans, the pineapple has many health benefits too making a bowl of fresh chunks of pineapple a great idea for a refreshing snack at any time of the day.  Best eaten on its own between meals without other food because pineapple is a great aid to digestion.

-  Fresh pineapple is full of bromelain which is a sulphur-containing, protein-digesting compound and the most important of the enzymes.  Enzymes are effective in reducing swelling and inflammation while assisting in the treatment of such conditions as acute sinusitis, sore throats, arthritis and gout. Enzymes in pineapple are used for treating rheumatoid arthritis successfully while also speeding up the tissue repair associated with general surgery, diabetic ulcers and injuries.

-  Pineapple also reduces blood clotting and aids in removing plaque from the arterial walls.

-  Those suffering from angina can consume pineapple because it enhances blood circulation in narrowed arteries.

-  Pineapple is a useful aid in building up healthy bones.

-  A good source of vitamin C, pineapple makes a welcome change to citrus and other vitamin C-rich fruit while offering an excellent protection againsts free radicals. Vitamin C (which is your body’s vital water soluble antioxdant) is invaluable for fighting and treating colds and flu as well as atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease, asthma attacks and even the risk of certain cancers.  As pineapple is so rich in vitamin C, it means it is also good for oral health, helping to reduce periodontal disease and gingivitis.

-  Pineapple provides a rich source of manganese plus vitamin B1 which  are essential minerals and vitamins for energy production.

-  We all worry about our eye health especially as we age and along with other fruit, pineapple has been shown to help protect against macular degeneration.

For your information, these are the the nutritional values of pineapple as present in 100 grams:

Dietary fiber – 1.4 g
Sugar – 9.5 g
Vitamin E – 0.62 mg
Vitamin B6 – 0.111 mg
Vitamin B5 – 0.205 mg
Vitamin B3 – 0.495 mg
Vitamin B2 – 0.031 mg
Vitamin B1 – 0.079 mg
Vitamin C – 37.2 mg
Fat – 0.12 g
Protein – 0.54 g
Carbohydrates – 13.2 g
Zinc – 0.11 mg
Phosphorus – 10 mg
Iron – 0.29 mg
Potassium – 110 mg
Calcium – 13 mg
Calories – 50

So next time you see pineapples in the fresh produce aisle of your local store, go ahead and buy one or two.

Pineapples should feel heavy for their size and should look, feel and smell clean with no bad or mouldy marks on the outer surface. So give them the “feel in the hand” and “the sniffing test” before choosing. Remember that a pineapple stops ripening when picked so don’t select any that look too immature. Pineapples can be stored at room temperature but don’t wait too long before you enjoy their juicy sweet taste because they can spoil easily if left and forgotten.  You can wrap in a plastic bag and store in the fridge for up to 5 days or if you have cut up your pineapple, you can store unused pices in the fridge for a further day or two in an airtight container. Freezing pineapple will change its flavour.

You can cut and prepare your pineapple ready to eat by using a sharp knive and a cutting board.

Turn the pineapple on its side and slice off the top and the bottom of the fruit. Then turn it back up so the top is facing the ceiling and slice down the side rough skin all the way round until you are left with a juicy cylinder of fruit. Turn it on its side again and cut into slices. If the core of each slice is hard rather than soft, use the sharp point of your knive to make little cuts around the edge of the core and push it out.

Your pineaple is now ready to eat. Enjoy!

These 14 signs are:

1. Often fidgeting with hands or feet, or squirming while seated.
2. Having difficulty remaining seated when required to do so.
3. Being easily distracted by extraneous stimuli.
4. Having difficulty awaiting turn in games or group activities.
5. Often blurting out answers before questions are completed.
6. Having difficulty in following instructions.
7. Having difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play activities.
8. Often shifting from one uncompleted task to another.
9. Having difficulty playing quietly.
10. Often talking excessively.
11. Often interrupting or intruding on others.
12. Often not listening to what is being said.
13. Often forgetting things necessary for tasks or activities.
14. Often engaging in physically dangerous activities without considering possible consequences.

While there are children who struggle with serious inattention and hyperactive or impulsive behaviors around the clock, so that they might be considered definitely ADD or ADHD, this label is frequently given to many other children as well without just cause.

In spite of the trend for several past decades to prescribe drugs for treating this disorder, it has been found that such stimulant drugs provide no lasting improvement.

Many parents, concerned about the long term use of prescription drugs on their children, look for other ways to help them.

Dr Mercola has this to say to parents on this subject:

“Drugging children with narcotics to treat behavioral problems should be a very last resort, only implemented after all other options have been exhausted – if they are regarded as an option at all. Other options exist that are far safer, and involve no drugs whatsoever! So before you consider drugs, please consider implementing the following strategies first, in addition to making sure that your child is assessed in an age-appropriate manner before labeling him or her with ADHD:

-  Eliminate most grains and sugars from your child’s diet. Grains and sugars both tend to cause allergies in sensitive individuals. Even organic, whole grain can cause problems in many children so it would be wise to give them a grain holiday and see if their behavior improves. A 2006 study showed that ADHD is markedly over represented in those with untreated celiac disease, indicating that wheat may be an especially problematic grain worth eliminating as a precaution.

-  Replace soft drinks (whether diet and regular), fruit juices, and pasteurized milk with pure, clean non-fluoridated water.

-  Increase omega-3 fats by taking a high quality animal-based omega-3 fat such as krill oil. Research has confirmed that animal-based omega-3 fat can improve the symptoms of ADHD more effectively than drugs like Ritalin and Concerta.

-  Consider a natural drug alternative such as the pine bark extract known as pycnogenol. It is one of over a dozen natural substances that have been studied to reduce the symptoms of ADHD in children.

-  Minimize your use of nearly all processed fats, especially trans fats as they disrupt nerve cell intercommunication.
Avoid all processed foods, especially those containing artificial colors, flavors and preservatives, which may trigger or worsen symptoms.

-  Clear your house of dangerous pesticides and other commercial chemicals. Pesticide exposure has been linked with ADHD.

-  Avoid commercial washing detergents and cleaning products used on clothes, and replace them with naturally derived cleaning products with no added perfumes, softeners, etc. Permanent press or stain-resistant products also contain chemicals that can initiate ADHD-like reactions in sensitive individuals.

-  Spend more time in nature. Researchers have found that exposing ADHD children to nature is an affordable, healthy way of controlling symptoms.

-  Investigate sensory therapy and emotional wellness tools. Instead of looking for a quick fix, encourage ADHD sufferers to talk, and find out what emotions are causing issues. Stress is the frequently unappreciated and overlooked variable that can easily worsen ADHD. If the parents are having trouble in their relationship this can easily influence the child’s behavior.”

A recent study in Holland put half of the ADHD children on a strict diet while the other half ate their normal diet. The strict diet comprised: rice, turkey, pear, vegetables and water only for 2 weaks. Then one food was added back every week. Some 67% of those children on the strict diet were back to normal after just 5 weeks. It was found that different children could not eat different foodstuffs. The trial is published at www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/…/21296237

“Phosphatidylserine” is a supplement worth investigating (which includes natural amino and fatty acids such as docosahexaenoic acid) and could be helpful in cases of ADHD as it seems to strengthen memory, increase vigilance and attention, boost learning, increase mental acuity, intensify concentration, relieve depression and improve mood as well as decrease stress. It has also been found to work on adults and children alike.

- You can buy rice milk from a health store for every day use.

- You can use coconut oil instead of butter. My grand daughter has a milk intolerance and when we were switching her over to new things instead of dairy, we called the coconut oil “magic butter” because it disappeared when we spread it on her toast or her bread. She was tickled pink to watch this happen and quickly ate up all her food!

- You can buy delicious organic, raw chocolate when you have a craving for a chocolatey treat. You can use this to make homemade healthy chocolate spread or in fact any recipe that calls for chocolate. Substitute any sugar with stevia and you will have a much healthier dessert, confectionery and other chocolate treat.

- Another suggestion is to use raw nut milk made from almonds or cashews instead of dairy milk.

To make 6 cups of milk you will need these ingredients and equipment:

1 cup raw almonds or cashews.

2 cups of filtered water for soaking.

6 cups filtered water for blending.

1 quarter cup of honey, some dates or some stevia (as an optional extra if you feel the need for sweetening).

A fine mesh filter for a smoother consistency.

A blender.

Method

Soak the almonds or cashews in 2 cups of filtered water overnight or up to 24 hours before draining them under water.

Blend the nuts plus the 6 cups of water on high until you get a smooth mixture.

Add your optional sweetener and blend for a further few minutes.

Pour the liquid through a mesh filter into a jug for storage in the refridgerator for up to a week.

In addition, you can ring the changes with these extra flavors:

- A few tablespoons of carob or cacao power for a delicious chocolate nut milk drink.

- A cup of strawberries.

- Some vanilla beans.

- A couple of bananas for a banana milk shake

- Or bananas and raw cacao for a banana chocolate nut treat

One word of warning:  nut milk is so delicious, you may well become addicted, so ration your intake! Although it is quite high in calories, nut milk does have a very high nutrition value so is a wonderful food for a growing child either with cereal or as a drink on its own.

For a hot chocolate dairy free recipe go to http://drbenkim.com/hot-chocolate-smoothie-recipe

There is a helpful guidebook available called Dairy Free Made Easy by Alisa Fleming which has recently been updated and expanded in paperback format at a very reasonable price of $10.

Within this complete dairy-free living resource, you will discover over 225 different dairy-free recipes with numerous options to satisfy dairy cravings, while focusing on naturally rich and delicious whole foods.  In addition, there is a comprehensive guide to dairy substitutes which explains how to purchase, use and prepare alternatives for butter, cheese, cream, milk and much more – from scratch. Grocery shopping Information is in another section to give you suspect ingredients lists and label-reading assistance as well as food suggestions and money-saving tips.   A detailed calcium chapter identifies calcium-rich foods and supplements while helping you to understand other factors involved in building and maintaining strong bones. Finally, an in-depth health section explains dairy, details the signs and symptoms of various dairy-related illnesses, and thoroughly addresses protein, fat, and nutrient issues in the dairy-free transition.

Please be aware that some people only find they have a problem with pasturized dairy and not with unpasturized (or raw) dairy.  So this is worth investigating.

Starting a new year off on the right foot could mean a change in diet and what better than adding more raw food either by having a higher component of raw food included in each and every meal or by making one meal every day wholly raw.  There is a huge and growing movement towards eating raw with many Hollywood celebrities joining in.

On the rawfoodlife.com website, they explain the science of a raw food diet:

A raw foodist is someone that eats 75-100% living, nutritionally-dense organic uncooked and unprocessed food (and drinks pure, live water), enjoying delicious meals that optimize your health by alkalizing your body. At that rate your elimination system can get rid of the toxins created when you cook. But when you eat more cooked food you are consuming acidic toxins faster than your body can eliminate them so they back up, disrupting your body’s delicate acid/alkaline balance, a major cause of excess weight and disease. Heating food above 118 degrees F. causes the chemical changes that create acidic toxins, including the carcinogens, mutagens and free-radicals associated with diseases like diabetes, arthritis, heart disease and cancer. Cooking also destroys the live enzymes that aid in digestion and health.

A high raw diet includes:

-  Raw honey, coconut oil, raw dairy butter and cheese or almond butter used as a spread.

-  Bowl of raw cereal – oats, seeds, nuts and dried fruit with almond milk or raw dairy milk.

-  Lots of green juices or smoothies – see a great recipe below.

-  Rich raw salads full of different types of lettuce, rocket, celery, carrots, tomatoes, onions, grated raw beetroot, peppers and more.

-  Coleslaw salad with chopped up raw cabbage, grated carrots and apples, a hint of raw onion, some raisins and mixed with a home made salad cream.

-  A wrap “sandwich” with lettuce wrapped around avocado, raw hummus and other raw veggies.

-  Nuts and nut cheeses but no more than a handful of nuts a day because too many can make you feel sluggish. This is because nuts are rich in oils that can slow down the cleansing properties of other foods.

-  All kinds of seeds both sprouted and unsprouted.

-  All types of raw fruit as well as ice cream made with just pure fruit.

-  Raw chocolate desserts.  One of my favorite is to melt a bar of dark organic chocolate and when it has cooled, beat in 4 free range egg yolks.  In the meantime, whip up 4 egg whites until stiff and then fold in the chocolate mixture.  Pour into 4 bowls and leave in the refrigerator to chill before serving.

If you don’t know where to start, then one way is by drinking a daily green smoothie. They are so delicious and are almost a meal in themselves. Here is the recipe to get you going on your new road to raw!

Ingredients

4 apples.

3 to 4 large spinach leaves or a handful of baby spinach which has been rinsed well. If you can use organic then so much the better. Spinach is so good for you and full of nutritions and yet you will not even notice the taste of the spinach – excellent for any anti-veggie children (or adults) who will be none the wiser! Spinach has concentrated health-promoting phyto-nutrients to provide powerful antioxidant protection.

1 pear.

3 ripe bananas (this is a good way to use up bananas that are a little bit past their “sell by date”).

Half an avocado.

1 cup of freshly squeezed apple juice or 1 cup of coconut milk or 1 cup of unsweetened organic plain yogurt.

Add a cup of crushed ice when the weather is hot.

Method

Clean, peal and chop all the ingredients into chunks before adding to your blender. Use on high speed until your smoothie is really smooth. You can always add a bit more liquid if it seems too thick. Pour into glasses and enjoy with friends or family.

Once you have got used to this recipe, you can ring the changes with other raw ingredients to build up your own repertoire. You will soon find that raw food meals leave you feeling vital and full of energy.

1. Always cruise the outer aisles of the supermarket to pick up the fresh produce and other items and steer clear of the center of the store where all the processed and convenience foods are housed and which are not going to give you or your family a healthy diet. Try to stick to fresh organic produce whenever you can but if not, go for the freshest, locally produced fruit and veggies you can find. Farmers Markets are often the best place to go for seasonal and reasonably priced items. Veggies should be light steamed or eaten raw in salads or juiced.

2. Go smaller on the meat, fish and chicken portions for your supper dishes. One portion of meat for example should be no bigger than the palm of your hand and no thicker than your thumb. You may find you have been eating far too much meat. For example, bulk up spaghetti bolognaise with the addition of legumes, eggplant, grated carrot and chopped celery.

3. Always avoid pre-packaged produce that has been cut up and bagged ready for you. Rather go for the whole living food and do the preparation yourself. It is healthier, fresher and usually less expensive.

4. Breakfasts are one of the most important meals of the day and free range eggs are so useful and economical to cook at this time. Soft boiled eggs, scrambled eggs or poached eggs with a slice of organic bread gives an excellent start to the day. Oatmeal is another reasonably priced standby. Make a big pot of oatmeal so everyone has their own bowl with a little milk added and cinnamon or raw honey to sweeten. You can add nuts or dried fruit for an extra treat.

5. Provide lunch boxes for everyone – using your own healthier ingredients rather than commercial snacks and sodas which are often the only things on offer when you or a family member starts to feel peckish at work or at school.

6. Look out for a local bakery that offers fresh, organic bread but minus the bleached white flour or bromides (bromine) as these are both unhealthy. Organic sourdough and sprouted grain breads are the healthiest. Look into the cost of buying your own bread making machine to keep your family fed and to fill the kitchen with the lovely scent of freshly baked bread. You can often buy your ingredients from bulk bins.

7. Grains and legumes or rice and beans will add lots of bulk for hungry tummies. Look out for organic rice and beans from bulk bins which are healthy and often cheaper. Add good oils such as coconut oil or olive oil, lemons and spices for tasty flavor. If you buy bulk dried beans, they should be soaked overnight for boiling the next day while organic lentils, black or turle beans and garbanzo or chick peas do not require any soaking time.

8. Make your own soups by slow cooking in the old fashioned way with lots of veggies, potatoes, onions and even meat bones. A huge pot will mean you have further servings stored in the refrigerator for other meals.

9. Sprouting is a great way to start providing your own food. Broccoli or lentil sprouts from seed give you a great organic boost. Here is how to do your own sprouting http://www.amoils.com/health-blog/growing-sprouts-at-home-for-your-own-superfoods/

10. Don’t allow yourself or your family members to be swayed by aggressive advertising. The International Association for the Study of Obesity reported last June that children continue to be inundated with advertising that promotes an unhealthy diet. Educate and be a good role model yourself. Eventually, they will come around from your influence!

Delicious, fleshy, succulent plums are low in calories and contain no saturated fats but offer all these health benefits:

1. They are a great source of vitamin C, helping your body fight infection, as well as increasing your iron absorption. Vitamin C is also a powerful natural antioxidant. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps your body develop resistance against infectious agents, counter inflammation and scavenge harmful free radicals.

2. High in fiber, plums along with other high fiber foods can help towards the prevention of diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, colon cancer, obesity and of course conditions like hemorrhoids and anal fissures which are often caused by constipation. Along with dietary fiber, are sorbitol, and isatin that are known to help keep you regular. Both plums and the dried version – prunes – act as an effective and natural laxative.

3. Fresh plums, especially the yellow Mirabelle type, are a very good source of vitamin A and beta carotene, giving your eyesight a boost. Vitamin A is essential for vision. It is also needed to maintain healthy mucus membranes and skin. When we eat natural fruits rich in vitamin A, we help to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.

4. Plums are also good in health promoting flavonoid poly phenolic antioxidants such as lutein, cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin in significant amounts. These compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging and various disease processes.  In addition, zeaxanthin (an important dietary carotenoid) can be selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea where it is thought to provide antioxidant and protective light-filtering functions.

5. Plums are rich in minerals like potassium, fluoride and iron. Iron is required for red blood cell formation. Potassium in an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure.

6. Plums are also rich in the B-complex group of vitamins such as niacin, vitamin B-6 and pantothenic acid. These vitamins act as cofactors to help our bodies metabolize carbohydrates, proteins and fats. They also provide about 5% RDA levels of vitamin K which is often called the forgotten vitamin. Vitamin K is essential for many clotting  functions in the blood as well as in bone metabolism while helping reduce Alzheimer’s disease in the elderly.

I love to munch on fresh and raw plums whenever they are in season but here are a couple of delicious plum recipes for you to try out. While both contain sugar, you could always substitute the sugar ingredient with some safe stevia instead.

Honey Roasted Plums with Thyme and Greek Yogurt (from Joy the Baker)

Ingredients

1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

4 Tbs or half stick unsalted butter

1/2 cup fresh thyme sprigs

2 pounds of plums , halved and stoned

Garnish – Greek yogurt, crème fraiche or whipped cream

Method

Preheat oven to 475°F. Stir first 4 ingredients in large ovenproof nonstick skillet over high heat until butter melts. Leave the thyme leaves on the sprigs so they’re easier to remove once cooked. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly (mixture will bubble vigorously). Add plum halves, cut side down. Cook plums without stirring for a further 2 minutes. Turn plums over and transfer skillet to oven. Roast until caramel is deep brown, checking frequently to prevent burning, about 4 minutes in total. Divide plum halves among 6 plates. Spoon sauce from skillet over plums, leaving most of thyme sprigs behind. Drizzle plums with yogurt, crème fraiche or whipped cream, garnish with additional thyme sprigs and serve.

Poached Plums with Cinnamon Cream (from the Cape Deciduous Fruit Unifruco Promotions)

Ingredients

2 pounds of plums, halved and stoned

Half cup of sugar (or stevia equivalent)

Grated rind and juice of 1 orange

Cup and a quarter of thick cream

2 tsp of warmed apricot jam’

1 tsp of ground cinnamon

Method

Place plums with sugar, orange rind and juice and enough water to cover in a suacepan. Simmer until just cooked (approx 10 to 15 minutes) and chill. Beat cream with jam and add cinnamon. Spoon plums into 6 to 8 wine glasses and top each with a swirl of cinnamon cream.

Serve and enjoy.

For a safer treat, look out for organic plums from your local store or farmers market.

1. Green tea which has 10 good reasons to drink this beverage all of its own because: it is an excellent source of anti-oxidants to protect against cancer and other diseases; it prolongs your life; lowers stress but boosts brain power; reduces high blood pressure; if you have bad habits, it helps protect lungs from smoking and your liver from alcohol; helps preserve and build bone; boosts your immune system; rehydrates even better than water; and prevents tooth decay and cures bad breath.

2. Apart from green tea, other sources of anti-oxidants (which have been shown to help slow down carcinogenesis – the process of cancer cell formation) include blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and other brightly coloured fruits and veggies. Go for fresh fruit and veggies in every color of the rainbow and as raw as possible.

3. A diet rich in fiber is another important tool in preventing cancers. Once again eat plenty of fresh vegetables and certain fruits such as raspberries and strawberries, bananas and oranges as well as apples and pears (with their skins) as these are invaluable for fiber along with oatmeal, nuts, whole grains, beans, peas and lentils.

4. Turmeric and ginger are two powerful spices that have been used widely throughout history for both culinary and medical purposes. Although they are used in many different types of cuisine for their flavor, these spices may also provide a number of health benefits. According to a 1999 study published in the “British Journal of Cancer” by researchers at the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia, extracts of ginger and turmeric have been found to inhibit the growth of cancerous tumors. In this study of human cancer cells, turmeric was found to completely inhibit further growth of cancer cells. Ginger was also found to inhibit tumor growth. In 2006, an additional study by researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center showed that ginger has further benefits for women suffering from ovarian cancer, as it kills ovarian cancer cells.

5. Garlic and onions and mushrooms are all easily accessible vegetables that are proven to be great for cancer prevention. Include them in your daily diet as often as you can – and in their raw state if possible.

6. All vegetables are the superfoods which we should all be eating. Go for fresh, raw and organic where possible. Cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower, cabbage and broccoli are especially high in potent anti-cancer properties.

7. Pumpkin seeds are rich in essential fatty acids, protecting against serious health diseases such as high blood pressure, arthritis and cancer while promoting healthy skin and improving brain power.

8. Red Clover is a traditional herbal treatment for cancer due to its ability to stimulate the immune system with recent research finding evidence that it prevents the growth of cancer cells and is highly effective in treatment for prostate and liver health.

9. Vitamin C lowers cancer risk with recent research on over 800 men with lung cancer during a 25 year period showing a 64% reduction by taking only 83 mg of vitamin C a day. Further research has shown a 50 to 75% reduction in cancers in laboratory mice when vitamin C was added to their diet. This has prompted the National Cancer Institute to recommend 5 to 10 servings of vegetables or fruits each day. Because vitamin C cannot be manufactured in the human body, intake from foods or supplements is vital. Vitamin C is easily sourced from citrus fruits, as well as cherries and many other fruits and vegetables. Additional supplementation is also recommended.

10. Vitamin D can decrease your risk of cancer by up to 50% if you can get your levels sufficiently high. Achieve this by getting optimal sun exposure year round for 20 minutes or so in those 2 hours either side of 12 noon several times a week by exposing as much of your body as possible and staying in the sun until your skin starts to turn pink. Avoid putting on sun block or showering off with soap straight afterwards as this undoes all the good. If you cannot get sufficient sun exposure because of the climatic area where you live, you need a good dose of vitamin D3 supplement. The average adult needs to take 8,000 IUs of vitamin D per day in order to elevate their levels above 40 ng/ml (the absolute minimum for disease prevention) but if you can aim for 75 to 100 ng/ml even better.

The symptoms of acid reflux include:

-  Asthma (gastric juices seep upwards into the throat, mouth and air passages of the lungs)
-  Chest pain (part of the heartburn sensation)
-  Dental erosion
-  Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)
-  Heartburn (a burning feeling rising from the stomach or lower chest towards the neck)
-  Hoarseness
-  Regurgitation (when food is brought back into the mouth)

Fortunately, there are many natural home remedies and lifestyle changes that can be utilized to improve the situation.

1. Take a spoonful of pure raw honey at bedtime for a soothing and good night’s sleep. It will help to adjust the body’s pH to neutralize those stomach acids. Honey is very rich in enzymes which help digestion of foods in the fundus part of the stomach.

2. A spoonful of apple cider vinegar before every meal will increase the acid levels of the pyloric part of the stomach to ease any symptoms of acid reflux. You can take an apple cider vinegar tablet instead or you can combine apple cider vinegar with avocado or ginger.  Lemon juice is an alternative.

3. Pineapple and papaya are extremely rich in enzymes so that any excess of enzymes, after being used for indigestion, are absorbed into the body where they have anti inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

4. Most of us have a basil plant growing on a window ledge or in the back yard. Make a tea of fresh basil leaves in some boiling water and sip slowly to soothe the digestive tract. Alternatively, you can chew on a fresh basil leaf.

5. Another home remedy to try is the use of licorice root which is also soothing and best taken as a tea. Just be wary about using it in large quantities as it can raise blood pressure levels. The licorice root creates mucilage to coat the lining of the esophagus and prevent damage from those stomach acids. Slippery elm has the same effect and sucking on a lozenge will help to relieve heartburn.

6. The use of bromelain, which is an enzyme that aids the breakdown of proteins and provides digestive support, will lead to faster digestion and improved motility so that food does not stay longer than necessary in the stomach.

7. Aloe vera juice, cayenne pepper, and ginger juice are 3 other suggested home remedies to try that may well work best for you.

8. Take care to eat smaller but more frequent meals while chewing your food thoroughly.  The chewing process is very important. When you chew, saliva mixes with your food to predigest it and signals the stomach to prepare for action ahead. Eating natural whole foods rather than convenience and processed foods will also help. You are what you eat.

9. At the same time, loosen clothing around the waist after every meal and do not put any strain on your abdominal area by bending over or lifting heavy objects for at least an hour.

10. When you go to bed, raise the head and upper body into an elevated position by at least 4 to 6 inches, providing relief for any breathing problems. Alternatively, make it a habit to sleep the first half of the night on the left side because the esophagus enters the stomach on the right side of the body. Some people find this relieves the pressure even better than elevating the upper body.

Do not be tempted to purchase those over the counter antacids. They actually produce greater amounts of stomach acid, increasing the likelihood of food putrefaction in the stomach and pain.

In addition, drugs for Alzheimer’s disease work in fewer than 30% of patients.

Fortunately, there are many studies being carried out on Alzehimer’s with suggestions as to what could be the cause and how you can help prevent or treat this condition. A neurology study, recently released, points to a diet rich in vitamins and fish could well protect the brain from ageing but that eating junk food has the opposite effect.

According to an article on the BBC Health Website - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-16344228 – the study found that elderly people with high blood levels of vitamins and omega 3 fatty acids had less brain shrinkage and better mental performance while trans fats found in fast foods were linked to lower scores in tests and more shrinkage typical of Alzheimer’s. Researchers found those who had more vitamin B, C, D and E in their blood performed better in tests of memory and thinking skills. People with high levels of omega 3 fatty acids – found mainly in fish – also had high scores. The poorest scores were found in people who had more trans fats in their blood. Trans fats are common in processed foods – including cakes, cookies, snacks and fried foods.

The researchers – from Oregon Health and Science University, Portland; Portland VA Medical Center; and Oregon State University, Corvallis – also carried out brain scans on 42 of the participants. They found individuals with high levels of vitamins and omega 3 in their blood were more likely to have a larger brain volume while those with high levels of trans fat had a smaller total brain volume.

At present, Alzheimer’s Research UK advise eating a balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables, not smoking, taking regular exercise and keep blood pressure and cholesterol in check.

However, there is much more you can add to this.

1. Increasing your intake of nutrients and vitamins. Margaret Traber of the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University is a firm believer in taking nutrients and vitamins from a wide range of fruits, vegetables and fish as they have a strong potential to protect the brain and make it work better. Raw nuts of all types give you a good helping of vitamin E, boosting your memory powers. Broccoli is a great source of vitamin K which is known to enhance cognitive function and improve brain power as well as being linked to the prevention and control of Alzheimer’s.  Eggs and oily varieties of fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel and herring) are an excellent source of EFAs or essentially faty acids for the creation and maintenance of memories, improving our learning powers and memory.

3. Increasing your vitamin K2 levels. Research has also shown a deficiency of vitamin K occurs in those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease while other research studies show that vitamin K helps protect the liver and spleen from cancer. It also helps diabetics and obese people by reducing glucose intolerance and promoting insulin regulation controls in the body.

4. Increasing your vitamin D levels. Vitamin D has been found to alter the development and progression of many diseases including including cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Alzheimer’s disease can now be added to the list and in fact obtaining vitamin D from natural sunlight or supplementing with the pro-hormone should be mandatory for all health-minded people wishing to lower chronic disease risk. It can be more difficult to absorb vitamin D as you age so regular testing is advised. Scientists have observed that vitamin D levels are typically low in aging adults when diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and can now make the connection between blood saturation levels and the disease.

5. Getting rid of fluoride in your water supply. Sodium Fluoride is a synthetic waste product of the nuclear, aluminum and phosphate fertilizer industries. This fluoride has an amazing capacity to combine and increase the potency of other toxic materials. The sodium fluoride obtained from industrial waste and added to water supplies is also already contaminated with lead, aluminum, and cadmium. It damages the liver and kidneys, weakens the immune system (possibly leading to cancer), creates symptoms that mimic fibromyalgia, and performs as a Trojan Horse to carry aluminum across the blood brain barrier. The latter is recognized as a source of the notorious “dumbing down” with lower IQ’s and Alzheimer’s being among the effects of fluoride. You can rid you body of most fluorides with some easy natural remedies.  http://www.hawkeshealth.net/community/showthread.php?t=2502&highlight=alzheimer%27s

6. Adding coconut oil to your diet.  Take two tablespoons daily with food but start off with just a teaspoon of coconut oil and gradually build up as the raw oil might be tough on your stomach.  Just make sure it’s organic virgin coconut oil. If you need to cook food in oil, coconut oil may be the best as it is more resistant to heat, since it has saturated fatty acids. Just keep the flame low and use as little as you can.

7. Recently, the medical world has become interested in a supplement known as Ehos Endymion, which contains l-carnosine, a strong antioxidant which appears to have dramatic results for brain boosting. Other good things to come from this supplement include help for cataracts, improving skin tone, speeding up wound healing, and protecting the brain from plaque formation that may lead to senility and Alzheimer’s.  Apart from taking a supplement, l-carnosine is found in chicken and lean red meat.

The more we can understand about this ageing condition, the more we can do to prevent its onset.

1. Increasing our intake of vitamins C and E are important for our skin because they help reduce the damage caused by free radicals (those unstable molecules in our body). Such free radicals destroy both collagen and elastin. Although vitamin C can be found in citrus fruits and lots of veggies such as peppers, broccoli and cauliflower, you can do yourself a great favor, and additional health benefits, by adding a generous dosage vitamin C supplement to your daily diet too. Lots of leafy greens, nuts, olives and asparagus will give you a good source of vitamin E.

2. Another nutrient to add to your daily diet is zinc with its anti-inflammatory and healing properties to help keep any skin blemishes at bay. Seeds are a good source, apart from supplements, so include a tablespoon daily with your food.

3. Moisture is so vital for a healthy skin but did you know that sleeping in a room that is too hot or too dry will mean that your skin loses valuable moisture while becoming redder because of an increased blood flow. Whatever the weather, allow fresh air to come in through an open window and don’t set the temperature artificially high or low. If dry skin is a real problem for you, install a humidifier next to your bed. Our skin does its restoration work during the night so this makes the quality of air around us even more important. Look for a natural night cream for your face and choose one that includes peptides and anti-oxidants to restore moisture and nutrients to your skin while you sleep. Don’t forget to include a natural eye cream too.

4. If your skin is fair, you could be more prone to irritations resulting in deeper damage and earlier wrinkles. Pale skin has a weaker moisture barrier than darker skin. Keep your skin well moisturized with a natural moisturizer and while we all need some sunlight to top up our “more than likely vitamin D deficiency levels”, those with pale skin need less sun exposure than those with darker skin. You can safely stay in the sun (minus any sun block) until it your skin starts to change to a light pink shade. The two hours either side of 12 noon are best for absorbing vitamin D and expose as much of the skin area as possible. Don’t go rushing to the shower and slather on lots of soap for a couple of hours afterwards as this can then undo the good of the sunlight.

5. Acne is a common skin condition and studies have pointed out that milk or lactose intolerance could be a link to adult acne. This is worth looking into if acne is a problem with you. Look for dairy-free alternatives such as coconut oil instead of butter and almond or rice milk instead of cow’s milk.

6. Our lips can be especially vulnerable to dryness as they have no melanin. The first sign of dehydration in the lips is flakiness, meaning there is insufficient fatty acids and omegas in your diet. Remedy this with a suitable supplement and protect your lips with a product such as natural lip balm.

7. Part of eating a healthy diet for a clear and blemish free skin is to include lots of fresh vegetables and fruit (eat as many of these in their raw state if possible), free range chicken and eggs, grass-fed beef, and of course sustainable, safe fish. Know your fish because unfortunately many are full of toxins. It is probably safer to stick to Alaskan salmon and small fish like sardines and mackerel. 8 glasses of filtered water is also a given!

8. Whether it is winter or summer, you should be looking after your skin both on your face and of course all over your body. Keep it cleansed, moisturized and fed on a daily basis.

9. Exfoliating is a good thing to get rid of dead skin cells but be careful not to over do it as you can end up stripping the skin. Papaya is an excellent ingredient to look out for because it exfoliates enzymatically rather than mechanically as a gritty scrub would do. If you notice any milia (those tiny white bumps on the skin) this is a sure sign that you could be over-exfoiatiing.

10. We all want to avoid and/or get rid of  Circulation is an all important way to flush out all those toxins and unwanted fats. At the same time we need lots of regular exercise to help our lymphatic system – walking, swimming, cycling and just about any form of exercise is good. In addition, another method is to regularly massage the buttocks, legs and thigh areas of the body. You can use an essential oils product such as H-Cellulite to great effect. Use a body brush to aid circulation or try alternating hot and cold bursts kjof water. Diet plays a huge role in cellulite prevention and/or treatment so give up all sugar, processed salt, dairy products, meat, sodas and alcohol and eat nothing but raw food for a week and see the difference.

Here’s wishing you a new and improved skin for the rest of the year.

There are three types of acne skin conditions that can lead to scarring:

-  Acne vulgaris is the most common form of acne and includes blackheads, whiteheads, papules, pustules, nodules and cysts. It is the papules that you have to be careful of for scarring. Resist the temptation to squeeze them. If you only have a few red or brownish colored marks on your face after an acne outbreak, it is highly likely that these will fade away in a matter of months.

-  Acne rosacea can be confused with the acne vulgaris. Rosacea affects millions of people and appears as a red rash normally on the cheeks, nose, forehead and chin. As the redness is often accompanied by typical acne symptoms of bumps, pimples and skin blemishes, you can see how the two conditions can be confused. Blood vessels can become more visible on the skin in the affected area and if left untreated, rosacea can lead to more advanced stages where the vision is affected and there is swelling of the nose together with the growth of excess tissue. Acne rosacea scars are also a possibility.

-  Cystic acne is one of the more severe types of acne and almost always leaves some degree of scarring behind. Such a cystic acne scar takes a long time to heal and at worst can leave behind a permanent reminder with pits and marks which in some cases can stretch across a wide area of skin. Prevention is best with this type of acne. Avoid touching or picking and follow a healthy lifestyle so that the skin has the very best chance of rejuvenating and healing itself.

Always adopt a healthy regimen to look after your skin:

Cleansing is top of the list to reduce latent bacterial on the skin’s surface. Two or three times a day, the skin should be gently washed with cool to warm water (not hot) and a soft soap or cleanser to get rid of any extra sebum on the skin’s surface and to discard the dead skin cells and debris, making sure to always use a clean cloth and never to scrub the skin. Always remove all make-up very gently. Those who have a job where they might be in contact with oil, or exercise or play sport, should wash their face even more frequently.

Second on the list is to use one of the many natural acne treatments as these are safer and much more gentle than any over-the-counter or prescription medications. Suggestions include Lemongrass, Olive Leaf, Tea Tree Oil or other essential oils (H-Acne or H-Rosacea from Healing Natural Oils).

And finally, there are other helpful lifestyle changes you can follow such as drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water daily; taking plenty of vitamins A,C and E as well as Zinc; including lots of leafy vegetables and fresh fruit in your diet; checking labels of any make-up or sunscreen carefully as these should read “noncomedogenic” or “nonacnegenic” and be water-based; keeping the use of any hair sprays or gels well away from your face; and washing long hair or a fringe frequently so there is no oil build- up that can get on to your face.

In spite of taking great care and using preventative measures, you can still be left with acne scars. It is wise to consult a dermatologist as to the various methods of scar removal so that the right one is chosen for you.

Here are some of the options available:

-  Laser resurfacing where the damaged top layer of skin is removed while the middle layer is exposed and firmed to reveal a smoother skin.

-  Dermabrasion where a rotating wire brush or spinning diamond instrument wears down the surface of the skin to reveal a new and smoother look.

Both these methods of acne scar removal can leave the skin red which may continue for up to several months. The methods cannot be utilized if there is an active acne outbreak.

There is a further option and this is the use of a formula made with pure essential oils. This 100% natural formula will treat scars without surgery and without any side effects so that they fade and visibly improve. Such a product has powerful skin regenerative properties to encourage new cell growth while diminishing the size of scars, improving natural skin color and restoring skin tissue elasticity.

This means that when someone is infected with the HIV virus, and the immune system is weakened, the helpful bacteria in the body which would normally keep thrush under control are in short supply. These are the conditions in which thrush loves to thrive.

You don’t catch candida as it is already present in us and on us, and it has to compete with other micro-organisms including bacteria. Such bacterial are harmless but good at keeping yeast numbers down. Unfortunately, if we have to take antibiotics to fight infection, these antibiotics will kill off the good bacteria along with the bad bacteria so that candida takes the opportunity to start multiplying and, if it multiplies sufficiently, can cause pain and inflammation and affect the external surface of the skin or that of the vagina, the penis or even the mouth. In rarer cases, the candida can infect the blood stream, liver or spleen.

This is why candida can be such a serious health threat to those with HIV and AIDS. They do not have a strong enough immune system to fight off the candida.

HIV and AIDS is of course responsible for weakening and damaging the immune system thereby putting anyone with HIV or AIDS so much more at risk to candidiasis and yeast infections. Thrush in the mouth is extremely common in those people with HIV when their CD4 cell count is between 200 and 400.

They will also be prone to candida on the gums, tongue, inner cheek and / or the upper throat which is known as oropharyngeal cadidiasis. In such areas, the candida will grow in white clumps (which can be scraped away) or the candida will appear as red patches. When candida affects any of these places, it can be painful to eat or drink.

A more serious candida yeast infection in HIV/AIDS patients is oesophageal candidiasis. This appears in the gullet, also making it very painful to eat, and is actually considered to be one of the symptoms of AIDS.

While candida can appear in different parts of the body including the vagina in females and under the foreskin of the penis in males, when someone has an advanced HIV infection, candida can start occurring in different parts of the body at the same time including the lungs. Such an infection in the lungs is known as pulmonary candidiasis.

If you have AIDS, it is very likely that you may have another opportunist infection or be taking drugs to prevent one. So apart from antibiotocs, steroids and even cancer drugs have been found to cause candidiasis. There is more likelihood of this if these drugs have been taken for a long period of time.

You can improve the situation and prevent an outbreak of candidiasis by ensuring that your CD4+ count stays high by boosting the immune system with a combination of anti HIV drugs and good lifestyle choices such as eating nutritious, healthy food including plenty of fresh vegetables (raw whenever possible and especially lots of raw garlic) plus protein foods (grass fed beef, free range chicken and eggs, fish), live yogurt cultures (both dairy and non-dairy), FOS or fructo-oligosaccharides that are nondigestible dietary fibers that help to keep the stomach and bowels healthy, whey, acidophilus, green algae (such as spirulina and chlorella), raw nuts, seeds and oils, and non-glutenous grains (like millet, rice, rice bran and oat bran); getting regular exercise; avoiding stress; cutting down on alcohol intake and not smoking; ensuring regular and good quality sleep; and making sure your vitamin D levels are topped up by getting plenty of direct sunlight every day and taking a vitamin D3 supplement.  At the same time, avoid aged cheeses, chocolate, dried fruits, fresh fruits, fermented foods, mushrooms, vinegar, glutenous foods (wheat, rye, barley), all sugars, honeys and syrups and foods that contain yeast or mold.

In fact excellent nutrition and good lifestyle choices can go a long way to help the HIV/AIDS too.

Eating out usually means that we have little control over how the food is prepared or how large the portion is. The foods we are offered often tend to be higher in the bad fats as well as sugar and processed salt. In addition, studies have also shown that eating with friends can tempt us to overeat. Meals with multiple courses eaten over longer periods and with alcohol are all associated with overindulgence plus large serving bowls and spoons increase the likelihood of piling more food on your plate than you usually eat. Restaurant food does not have to provide nutritional information and so opting for the healthiest option might not always be obvious or easy.

It would seem that everything is stacked against you!

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

So what can you do so that you still enjoy the party but not feel guilty afterwards?

-  If you are eating out at a restaurant, go for smaller portions or opt for the starter as your main course.

-  Be on the look out for the least processed option and go for whole foods whenever you can.

-  Be extra careful what you eat during the day before your meal out.

-  Don’t be shy about asking the waiter, the waitress or the chef about the ingredients of a particular dish.

-  Drink plenty of water before you even start your meal. That will immediately make you feel less hungry.

-  Soup is a good choice to start with.

-  Don’t be tempted to eat lots of bread or bread sticks before your courses arrive from the kitchen.

-  Don’t feel you have to eat more than you need just to be polite.

-  Consider ordering a starter (with its smaller portion) as your main dish.

-  Don’t be shy about suggesting sharing a course with a companion if the restaurant is inclined to serve large portions.

-  Think about asking for extra vegetables or salad for a healthier option.

-  Choose dishes that are grilled, baked, steamed, poached or cooked in their own juice rather than less healthy cooking options such as fried or deep fried.

-  Be wary of sauces and dressings.

Specialist restaurants may prove difficult to choose a healthy option but here are some suggestions:

Mexican
Be careful of fully loaded burritos, hard tacos, quesadillas and enchiladas.

Thai
Avoid Pad Thai which is a traditional noodle dish that is high in fat as well as be wary of too much coconut milk or cream in rich curries and soups. Go for a smaller portion along with veggies or salad.

Chinese
Choose side orders of salad or vegetables to fill up on.  Avoid dishes described as deep-fried or battered – deep-fried spring or egg rolls, sweet and sour pork or chicken and fried rice, prawn crackers and crispy seaweed dishes. Rather opt for stir-fried chicken or vegetables. Choose plain boiled rice rather than fried rice.

Indian
Avoid those pre-meal poppadums and chapattis while bhajis and naan breads are also surprisingly high in carbs. The best dishes to limit fat and calorie intakes are oven-cooked tandoori and tikka dishes along with Madras, jalfrezi, balti or dupiaza or choose tandoori or “dry” sizzling dishes, plain boiled rice and dhal.

Italian
Go for the thin crust pizzas rather than the deep-pan or filled crust options and ask for less cheese. Choose vegetable and fish-based toppings or pasta dishes served with a tomato or vegetable-based sauce.  Enjoy minestrone soup or fresh green salad with dressing on the side in place of a heavy appetiser.  Keep away from the garlic bread or focaccia and choose a mixed salad instead. Choose fruit or plain ice cream rather than fancy desserts.

Burger or fish and chip joints – these should really not be on your radar but if in an emergency:
Forget the chips and when choosing fish, eat the fish and leave the batter behind.  Be aware that small fried items such as scampi are high in fats.  If you must have a burger, keep it small and plain with just a salad accompaniment.  Definitely no doughnuts!

When sharing a meal with family or friends in their home, use the same sensible choices as you would in a restaurant so that you eat, enjoy but never offend.

Image via Wikipedia

One rich and natural source of this is raw milk as well as raw butter, raw cheese and grass fed beef – at least three to five times as much CLA is found in grass fed beef than in grain fed beef.

Conjugated linoleic acid is made up of a group of polyunsaturated fatty acids. As well as being found in grass fed beef and dairy products (which is the best way to increase your CLA levels), it can also be taken in the form of supplements. CLA is an antioxidant with the potential to affect health positively by incorporating itself into cell membranes and exerting health benefits.

Cancer prevention is probably considered to be CLA’s greatest potential health benefit.

A study in the 2003 “World Journal of Gastroenterology”, led by researcher B.Q. Chen, investigated the effects of CLA infusions on gastric cancer cells to determine ways to prevent spread of cancer cells. In this study, CLA stopped cancer cells from adhering to proteins in cell membranes which prevented the spread of cancer. This is just one example of CLA’s role in cancer prevention. There are many others. Animal studies show as little as 0.5 percent CLA in your diet could reduce tumors by over 50% while other animal studies have shown that CLA can reduce the risk of several types of cancer including:

Breast - Colorectal - Lung - Skin – and Stomach

Other benefits from raising your CLA levels include :

• Increasing metabolic rate

• Enhancing muscle growth

• Reducing food-induced allergic reactions

• Promoting a healthy heart by lowering cholesterol and triglycerides. CLA is thought to be beneficial to cholesterol levels

• Lowering insulin resistance

• Enhancing the immune system

Other studies suggest that CLA also helps with weight control. Not only does it appear to reduce body fat, but it does so while preserving muscle tissue. This is why it is so widely sold as a dietary supplement to both body builders and dieters. CLA has been shown to cause the death of fat tissue in mice as well as in humans. A 2000 study in the “Journal of Nutrition”, led by researcher Henrietta Blankson, examined the effects of CLA supplementation of various doses in the overweight and obese over the course of 12 weeks. It was found that body fat mass decreased in people who took doses of 3.4 g per day or less.

If you decide to boost your CLA levels with supplementation, this should be viewed as a long term supplement. Similar to vitamins or minerals, CLA is something you take everyday and, over the course of a few months, you could well start to notice health improvements. It takes at least some six weeks before a noticeable change. If you do start to notice good results in six weeks, continue to take CLA on a daily basis but use the natural source from food whenever possible.

Of course CLA supplementation is not a miracle pill and should always be used in conjunction with beneficial and healthy lifestyle changes. No side effects have been recorded from taking CLA supplements apart from an occasional upset stomach from large amounts. Obviously, cutting back on the dosage would soon sort that problem out.

Image via Wikipedia

Many of us love to eat and cook with cheese. With its rich flavor, it can be considered one of life’s enduring comfort foods – but processed cheese originating from milk from a factory farm “type of dairy cattle set up” is not going to be the healthiest type of cheese for us to consume.

So much better is raw cheese from grass-fed cows.

When a cow is not grass fed but grain fed and confined to stall instead of being able to graze freely in pastures, it is not going to be as healthy. Many factory farms utilize Bovine hormone injections to increase the cow’s size and weight while powerful antibiotics are used to keep infectious bacteria at bay, creating an even lower natural immunity while contaminating the dairy products themselves.

There are lots of health benefits to eating cheese from grass fed cows:

–  Grain-fed cows produce dairy and cheese that is very high in omega 6 fatty acids, leading to inflammation. Cheese from 100% grass-fed cows has a perfect omega 6:3 ratio of 2:1. This is anti-inflammatory.

-  Raw cheese contains five times the amount of CLA which is an extraordinarily powerful cancer fighting nutrient. CLA is an essential fatty acid, and is right up with omega 3 for the good of your health, because of its anti-cancer and fat-fighting properties.

-  Cheese from raw milk is also a great source of highly bioavailable calcium and magnesium, amino acids and vitamins A, D3 and K2. –  Raw cheese has a richer and deeper flavor than pasteurized dairy.

-  A moderate amount of raw cheese every week along with other dairy products (preferably raw but otherwise organic) and leafy greens should give you enough calcium via your diet.  But if you are female and in doubt, then take 500 mg of calcium daily.  When taking calcium supplements, they must be in balance with other nutrients and magnesium in particular.  Ideally, take magnesium, vitamin D, vitamin K2, a small amount of calcium and 3mg of boron daily.

An alternative to cheese from cows is goat’s cheese.

Many people, who do not like the taste of goat’s milk, will find goat’s cheese to be very pallatable. Interestingly, it is estimated that around three quarters of the milk consumed worldwide comes from goats and not cows – most of these consumers are not fat and do not have allergies or digestive complaints.

Here are some of the health benefits of cheese made from goat milk:

1. Naturally anti-inflammatory.

2. Environmentally friendly as goats requires far less space and food than cows. Typically, you can comfortably raise six goats on the same acreage as two cows.

3. Studies have linked goat’s milk and cheese to an increased ability to metabolize iron and copper, especially amongst individuals with digestion and absorption limitations.

4. One of the main health benefits of goat milk cheese is that it is closer to human mother’s milk than cow’s milk is, with its chemical make up, making it easier to digest and assimilate in the human body.

5. Goat’s milk cheese is a good option for people wanting to lose weight as it has less fat while still maintaining high levels of proteins and essential amino acids.

6. Goat’s milk cheese has roughly twice as much fatty acids, making it more nutritionally wholesome. Many people with a lactose intolerance to cow’s milk can easily digest goat’s milk and cheese especially when raw.

7. Goat’s milk and cheese offer high levels of calcium plus the amino acid tryptophan.

8. Dairy products from cows are often responsible for allergies and excess mucus. Goat’s milk and cheese will not cause these problems. Selenium is also present to boost the immune system.

9. Goat’s milk and cheese are extremely nutrient-dense being high in calcium, riboflavin, phosphorous, Vitamin B12, protein and potassium.

10. If you only have access to pasturized milk products from cows, then not only is goat’s milk and cheese more nutritious for you but also less toxic because goats are rarely treated with any hormones nor antibiotics.

So go ahead and enjoy your cheese on a regular basis – just make sure that it is from a raw milk or organic source for dairy or make a change to goat’s milk cheese instead.