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Articles » Natural Foods

• The Rhus Glabra Plant (Scarlet Sumac, Smooth Sumac)

  The sight of the bright colored leaves and the maroon red clusters of hairy fruit on this ten- foot-high shrub can be found in dry, rocky places over all but the central parts of the United States. It is also a popular shrub in home landscaping.

• Learn About The Sarsaparilla Plant

  Sarsaparilla is a tropical American perennial plant. Its long slender root and short, thick rhizomes produce a vine that trails on the ground and climbs by means of tendrils growing in pairs of the alternate, evergreen leaves. The root of the plant is used for medicinal purposes.

• Kelp: An Herb That Protects You From Radiation, Heart Disease, & Infection

  Kelp is a healing herb today because it contains a chemical (sodium alginate, also known simply as alginate), which is beneficial for health problems unique to the 20th century: radiation exposure, heavy metal toxicity, and heart disease.

• Feverfew: The Most Powerful Herb Used When It Comes To Severe Migraines

  Feverfew, a member of the sunflower family, grows in flower gardens throughout Europe and the United States. The round, leafy, branching stems bear alternate, bipinnate leaves with ovate, hoary-green leaflets. The flowers are small and daisy-like, with yellow disks and from ten to twenty white, toothed rays. The name feverfew is a corruption of the word febrifuge, used to signify its tonic and fever-dispelling properties.

• The Hawthorn Plant

  Hawthorn was a well known plant in the ancient world. The Greeks and Romans linked it to hope, marriage, and fertility. Greek bridesmaids wore fragrant hawthorn blossoms, and brides carried a bough. The Romans placed hawthorn leaves in babies' cradles to ward off evil spirits. Christianity changed hawthorn's image dramatically. Christ's crown of thorns was reputedly made of hawthorn, and as a result, it became a symbol of bad luck and death.

• Sage: 6 Health Benefits Of This Universal Herb

  The generic name for sage, Salvia, comes from the Latin word meaning "to heal." The ancient Greeks and Romans first used sage as a meat preservative. They also believed it could enhance memory, like another powerful preservative, rosemary. The Roman naturalist Pliny prescribed it for snakebite, epilepsy, intestinal worms, chest ailments, and menstruation promotion.

• Goldenseal: One Very Powerful Herb

  Goldenseal is a very powerful herb. Many contemporary herbalists call it one of the most useful herbs while several scientific authorities believe that the herb may cause death from respiratory paralysis or cardiac arrest. On balance, there is no cause for alarm. Goldenseal may be beneficial when used carefully, though keep in mind that harmful effects are possible.

• Chamomile: The 7 Healing Benefits Of Chamomile

  Chamomile is one of the nation's best-selling herbs. It's a very popular tea, by itself or in blends. Its apple scent is the fragrance in many herbal skin-care products. In addition, it has been used in shampoos since the days of the Vikings because it adds luster to blond hair. Contemporary herbalists recommend chamomile externally to spur wound healing and treat inflammation, and internally for fever, digestive upsets, anxiety, and insomnia.

• Chamomile: An Introduction To This Age-Old Herb

  There are two types of chamomile - German chamomile and Roman chamomile. The two plants are botanically unrelated, but they both produce the same light blue oil used in healing since ancient times.

• The Medicinal Value Of Thyme

  Like several other aromatic kitchen herbs, thyme was used as a meat preservative in ancient times. It was sprinkled on sacrificial animals to make them more acceptable to the gods. Thyme was introduced into cooking as an offshoot of its meat-preserving action. The Romans also used it medicinally as a cough remedy, digestive aid, and treatment for intestinal worms.

• A Smelly Herb Chaparral That Just Might Fight Cancer

  The medical literature from the National Cancer Institute contains several case reports of tumor shrinkage in people who used chaparral. One published in Cancer Chemotherapy Reports tells of a man diagnosed by University of Utah physicians with malignant melanoma, the most serious skin cancer. The doctors urged surgery, but the man refused, saying he intended to treat himself with chaparral tea.

• Chaparral: A Smelly Herb That Just Might Fight Cancer

  Chaparral, also known as stinkweed, stinks – literally! And it tastes downright unpleasant. So the herb's major healing benefit comes as something of a surprise - it's a mouthwash. We're not talking minty fresh here. You wouldn't want to reach for it before puckering up for your morning kiss.

• A History Lesson On Licorice: One Of The Most Beneficial Of All Healing Herbs

  Licorice is one of the most beneficial healing herbs. Advocates claim it has been used safely around the world for thousands of years to treat cough, colds, rashes, arthritis, ulcers, hepatitis, cirrhosis, and infections. Critics concede the herb's effectiveness but insist its "potentially life-threatening side effects" make it too dangerous to use.

• The History Of Kelp: A Very Healthy Form Of Seaweed That Is Rich In Iodine

  Kelp, as a source of iodine, used to be the treatment of choice for goiter - a thyroid enlargement caused by iodine deficiency. A few modern herbals still recommend kelp for the thyroid. But today kelp is more known as a protector from radiation, heart disease, and toxic heavy metals.

• The Healing Values Of Mints

  Both spearmint and peppermint owe their value in healing to their aromatic oils. Peppermint oil is mostly menthol. Spearmint oil contains a similar chemical (carvone). These chemicals have similar properties, but as the herbalists of old believed, menthol is the more potent.

• Mint's Arrival As A Benefit To Health

  Have you ever had an after-dinner mint? These familiar candies evolved from the ancient custom of concluding feasts with a sprig of mint to soothe the stomach. Science has lent support to this age-old practice, as well as many other healing uses of these herbs, best known as the source of menthol, which flavors candies, gums, toothpastes, as well as mouthwashes.

• Cinnamon: One Of The World's Oldest Healers

  Cinnamon – a tasty treat – is also known as: Cassia, Ceylon cinnamon, Saigon cinnamon. The parts used is the dried inner bark. We sprinkle it on toast, add it to cookie batter, stir it into hot apple cider, and find it in toothpastes and candies. But cinnamon is more than a sweet treat. It's one of the world's oldest healers. And modern science has confirmed its value for prevention of infection and indigestion.

• 11 Ways To Protect Yourself From Plant Poisoning

  Some plants which are harmful when eaten or touched may be beautiful and useful in the landscape, or some plants when eaten may offer gustatory delights, while parts of the same plant may be highly poisonous. Or again, what is good at one season of the year may be poisonous at another. Examples of these three would be poison ivy, choke-cherries, and pokeweed.

• The Amazing Health Benefits Of The Bilberry - Part 3: Four Additional Healing Benefits

  1. Cataracts: Cataracts are the leading cause of impaired vision and blindness in the United States. Approximately 4 million people have some degree of vision-impairing cataract, and at least 40,000 people in the United States are blind due to cataracts. Cataracts are a source of a tremendous financial burden on our society; cataract surgery is the most common major surgical procedure done in the United States each year (600,000 per annum) for persons on Medicare, at a cost of over $4 billion.

• The Amazing Health Benefits Of The Bilberry: Bilberries & Vision

  Bilberry extracts have been widely used in Europe in the treatment of various eye conditions as well as for vascular disorders, peptic ulcers, and dysmenorrhea.

• The Amazing Health Benefits Of The Bilberry: Medical Bilberry Info

  Bilberry or European blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) is a member of the genus Vaccinium, which comprises nearly 200 species of berries including cranberry cowberry, and American blueberry. Bilberry is a shrubby perennial plant that grows in the woods and forest meadows of Europe. The angular, green, branched stem grows from a creeping rootstock to a height of 1 to 1.5 feet.

• A Powerful FenugreekHerb That Seems To Have Unlimited Health Benefits

  Early settlers brought fenugreek to North America and used it as forage and in folk medicine, where it gained a reputation as a potent menstruation promoter. Modern herbalists recommend fenugreek poultices and plasters to treat wounds, boils, and rashes. They say a warm fenugreek gargle soothes a sore throat. And they recommend the herb internally to treat coughs and bronchitis. But fenugreek is most widely used in the United States today as a source of imitation maple flavor.

• Fenugreek: A Powerful Herb That Seems To Have Unlimited Health Benefits

  From ancient times through the late 19th century, fenugreek played a major role in herbal healing. Then it fell by the wayside. Now things are looking up for the herb with a taste that is an odd combination of bitter celery and maple syrup. In animal studies, fenugreek helps reduce cholesterol levels, and it may well have similar benefits for people.

• Red Peppers: Why Are They Healthy & Where Did They Come From?

  Red Pepper is also known as: Hot pepper, cayenne chili pepper, African pepper, capsicum; green and red bell pepper, paprika, and pimiento. The fiery taste and bright color of red pepper make it one of the world's most noticeable spices. Recently, this herb has become as hot in healing as it is on the tongue. Extracts of red pepper have proved remarkably effective at relieving certain types of severe, chronic pain. It also may aid digestion.

• Never Rule Out Chocolate From A Healthy Diet

  Chocolate is harvested from the pods and beans of the cocoa tree, an evergreen that originated in the river valleys of South America. Native Central and South Americans valued cocoa so highly that they used cocoa beans as currency. Today about 3/4 of the world's chocolate is grown in West Africa and most of the rest in Brazil.

• Learn About The Herb “Gotu kola”

  Gotu kola (Centella asiatica), or centella is an herbaceous perennial plant native to India, China, Indonesia, Australia, the South Pacific, Madagascar, and southern and middle Africa. This slender, creeping plant flourishes in and around water. Although it grows best in damp, swampy areas, centella is often observed growing along stone walls or other rocky, sunny areas at elevations of approximately 2,000 feet in India and Ceylon.

• 9 Amazing Ways The Herb “Gotu Kola” Is Of Great Benefit For Health & Healing

  Below is a list of popular uses of gotu kola (Centella Asiatica.)

• 6 Reasons Why Red Peppers Are Extremely Healthy For You

  Red pepper owes its heat and its value in herbal healing to one chemical found in its fruit - capsaicin. Below is a list of it's many benefits.

• Raw Foods Diet Is Beneficial To Your Health

  The benefits advocated from eating such a diet seem endless: lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels, eliminating cravings, preventing overeating, purging the body of accumulated toxins, balancing hormones, maintaining blood glucose levels and reversing degenerative diseases.

• Jump For Joy And Juice!

  Juice can actually be considered a natural water source and provides the body with protein, carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals that can be absorbed quickly and efficiently. Fresh juice also contains necessary enzymes, and pigments such as carotenes, chlorophyll, and flavonoids.

• Natural Foods For A Superior Thyroid

  An estimated 27 million Americans have thyroid disease, and more than half are undiagnosed. Frequently misunderstood, and too often overlooked and misdiagnosed, thyroid disease affects almost every aspect of health. Taking care of it with good nutrition is a smart step in the right direction. Here are some superfoods that research has shown can nurture a healthy thyroid, as well as some ones to avoid.

• Natural Foods That Get You Moving

  It's no wonder so many Americans suffer with constipation (4 million of us, to be exact). Our diet of meat and processed food contains little fiber. Most of us are lucky if we’re getting in half of the 30 grams of fiber that we should each day. Without that bulk in our diet, it can make bowel movements practically immovable.

• Natural Foods To Combat Cirrhosis Of The Liver

  Cirrhosis refers to the replacement of damaged liver cells by fibrous scar tissue which disrupts the liver's important functions. Cirrhosis occurs as a result of excessive alcohol intake (most common), common viral hepatitis, obstruction of the bile ducts, and exposure to certain drugs or toxic substances.

• Natural Foods For A Spiffy Circulatory System

  Circulation problems can be felt in a number of ways. Some symptoms include fatigue due to poor circulatory function, which may bring on other symptoms such as dizziness and fainting. The inability to concentrate, coldness in the hands or feet, headaches, angina, and high blood pressure are also other signs there could be problems with the circulation system. There are nutritionally-dense foods we can incorporate into our diets to ensure our circulatory system is functioning at its best.

• Natural Foods For Relief From Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

  The main indications of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), on the other hand, are overall general physical and mental weariness. There are many different causes of tiredness. Just because you’re frequently tired doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve got CFS. The condition must persist for more than six consecutive months and include other symptoms such as memory loss, sore throat, headaches and muscle/joint pain without swelling or redness.

• Natural Foods For Super Skin

  It’s been said we are what we eat, and that sentiment definitely holds true when it comes to our skin. It’s our body’s biggest organ, and it deserves all the nutritional TLC we can give it. So take a look at what you’ve been feeding yourself, and therefore feeding your skin.

• Natural Foods For Sinusitis Relief

  Sinusitis simply means inflammation of the sinuses, but this gives little indication of the misery and pain this condition can cause. Chronic sinusitis, sinusitis that persists for at least 3 weeks, affects an estimated 32 million people in the United States and Americans spend millions of dollars each year for medications that promise relief from their sinus symptoms.

• Natural Foods For A Super Pregnancy

  Pregnancy is a wonderful time in your life. It can also be very taxing and exhausting for your body, mind and spirit at times. But by nourishing your body with these great superfoods, you’ll be energized, strong, and sharp, and ready to welcome your pending bundle of joy healthy and happy.

• Natural Foods To Alleviate The Symptoms Of Gout

  Gout, also called gouty arthritis, is caused by an accumulation of uric acid in the blood. The disease usually appears in midlife and primarily in males. It can be hereditary or the secondary to some other disease process. The main symptom of gout is severe pain and swelling in joints, but gout usually effects one joint at a time, then may move from one joint to affect another joint.

• Natural Foods For Getting Over Food Poisoning

  Food poisoning is an all-encompassing term involving the consumption of contaminated food, stomach flu, stress, drug interactions, nutrient deficiencies or their excess. It can come on rather suddenly after eating; diarrhea or vomiting can begin 30 minutes to one hour after eating foods that are chemically poisonous; within one to 12 hours with bacterial poisoning, and 12 to 48 hours with viral or salmonella poisoning. Food poisoning can be serious and a medical professional should be contacted especially if it is accompanied by a difficulty in swallowing, speaking or breathing; if there is a fever of 100 degrees F; if the person can't even hold down liquids; if there is severe diarrhea of more than two days.

• Cranberries- The Superfood To Stave Off Bladder Infections

  Cranberries may help to fight off urinary tract infections (UTIs). They reduce the power of certain E. coli bacteria to adhere to and penetrate the walls of the bladder.

• Natural Foods For Hives Relief

  Hives are also known as urticaria, and they cause raised white or yellow, itchy wheals surrounded by an area of red inflammation. It is an allergic reaction by the skin, causing the body to release histamine into the effected tissues. The size of the wheal itself varies, with the larger ones sometimes joining together in places to form an irregular rash. They usually cause severe irritation and usually appear on the limbs and trunk, but can appear anywhere. Acute urticaria develops rapidly and usually lasts for just as few hours - it is characterized by a feverish, faint feeling and occasionally nausea. Chronic urticaria can persist for a long period of time.

• Natural Foods That Battle The Herpes Virus

  Herpes outbreaks can be embarrassing, not to mention uncomfortable and painful. And sometimes, prescription medication doesn’t fend off the flare ups. But with some consideration and creativity, we can add superfoods to our diet that will help our body fight off the herpes virus.

• Natural Foods To Fight Flatulence

  There are many causes for flatulence, such as overeating, eating too quickly, excessive consumption of refined carbohydrates or artificial sweeteners, food allergies and intolerance, a deficiency of vitamin B, excessive consumption of alcohol, emotional stress and parasites. One of the most common causes can be lactose, found in dairy products such as milk and cheese. Many other healthy foods can also cause gas, such as cabbage, beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, onions, cauliflower, whole wheat flour, radishes, bananas and apricots. Luckily, with some adjustments in our food choices and eating habits, the chances of this embarrassing malady can be greatly lessened or eliminated.

• Natural Foods For Healthy And Natural Conception

  In both the female and male body, the balance of hormones has to be just right for conception to occur and for pregnancy to proceed. Nutrients that are in excess or that are in depletion can throw off balance and disrupt the pregnancy process. When we can choose whole foods for our diet, we are increasing our chances of obtaining the most nutrients we need. Whole foods include fruits, fresh vegetables, unrefined grains, beans, nuts, seeds, eggs, and small whole fish. It’s important to make sure you’re choosing healthy whole superfoods that have an abundant supply of each of the following vitamins and minerals.

• Natural Foods For Erectile Dysfunction

  There are many underlying physical and psychological causes of erectile dysfunction. Reduced blood flows to the penis and nerve damage are two of the most common physical causes. Underlying conditions associated with erectile dysfunction include vascular disease, diabetes, drugs, hormone disorders, neurological disorders, pelvic trauma, surgery, radiation therapy, a venous leak or psychological conditions.

• Natural Foods For A Healthy Prostate

  The prostate gland has a reputation as a health destroyer. Hypertrophy of the prostate gland, which affects nearly every elderly male, strangles the urethra. This troublesome condition makes urination difficult and increases the risk of bladder infections and kidney damage. However, there are many superfoods that may already be a part of your everyday diet that can help thwart the onset of prostate problems.

• Natural Foods For A Smooth Transition Into Menopause

  Menopause is a tough transition for many women. It usually begins to occur in late middle age when the efficiency of the ovaries begins to decline. Problems associated with the related estrogen deficiency that occur may include arteriosclerosis, osteoporosis, decreased skin elasticity and changes in the sympathetic nervous system that result in "hot flashes." However, by including the following superfoods in your everyday diet, symptoms can be alleviated, memory power maintained, and osteoporosis prevented.

• Natural Foods To Help You Manage Menopause

  Including these superfoods in your diet can help to alleviate symptoms associated with menopause, maintain your memory power, and prevent osteoporosis. These superfoods are delicious to eat, easy to prepare, and super-good for you!

• Natural Foods To Help You Manage Your Monthly Menstruation

  Every month it’s the same thing. You’re bloated, tired, cranky, fighting cravings, and trying to get rid of headaches. You wish you could be like your friend or your sister, who seems to just breeze right through her cycle with little or no problem. Take a look at your diet and see if these superfoods are a part of it. If they’re not, they can easily become a part of a well-balanced healthy diet that might just make your cycles to come simple to manage.

• Natural Foods For Super Sex

  Every aspect of a food - its color, shape, scent and texture – can make it sexy. In addition, certain foods contain substances that make us feel good by interacting with our hormones or stimulating our brain. Consider incorporating some of the following into your next candlelight dinner to help you and your partner get in the mood.

• Natural Foods That Fight Depression

  We’ve all had the blues once in while. But when they happen on a more frequent basis, it becomes cause for concern. But there are ways to adjust your diet to help stabilize your mood. It’s imperative to eat meals at regular intervals in order to keep your serotonin levels in check, a chemical in the brain that has a calming effect. Good nutrition is your best defense for managing depression.

• Natural Foods For Healthy Hair

  We’ve all learned through the years that a well-balanced diet is healthy for our body and critical for optimal health and performance. Our hair is no different A mixture of protein, complex carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and iron are all required for healthy, strong hair.

• Natural Foods For A Super Long Life

  Recent research shows that specific chemicals in foods -- such as sulforaphane, a phytochemical in broccoli -- work with your genes to ratchet up your body's natural defense systems, helping to inactivate toxins and free radicals before they can do the damage that leads to cancer, cardiovascular disease, and even premature aging.

• Natural Foods To Fend Of Alzheimer’s Disease

  Alzheimer's disease is a progressive brain disorder that gradually destroys memory and the ability to think and reason. Recent estimates show approximately 4 million people in the U.S. have dementia, most with Alzheimer's disease. By 2050, that number could be as high as 16 million.

• Natural Foods For Conquering The Pain Of Arthritis

  With some thought and planning, it’s easy to make these nutrient-dense foods part of your daily diet. With choices from virtually every food group, you’ll soon be well on your way to arming yourself to battle the pain of arthritis and begin to manage it from the inside out.

• Natural Foods That Fight Cancer

  As the nation’s second most deadly disease, cancer brings with it several risk factors. Therefore, it’s logical that we take a good look at the foods we’re eating, and start introducing nutrient-rich foods that are known to help reduce the cancer risk. A diet rich in fiber, vegetables, and fruits, including juices made from 100 percent fruit juice, can make a big difference in your cancer risk.

• Natural Foods That Have Your Heart In Mind

  Heart disease is number one killer among both men and women in the United States. And though we all realize that eating nutrient-dense healthy foods help reduce the risk, we may not know which foods are the best choices to battle this deadly disease head on.

• Natural Foods For Super Bones

  Many people believe that the primary cause of osteoporosis is the lack of calcium in their diet. However, in the overall picture, calcium is only a small piece of the puzzle. Though calcium supplements can certainly help, there are other dietary concerns that need to be examined.

• Natural Foods For Fighting The Flu

  Breakouts of the flu are responsible for millions of lost hours at both work and home each year, not to mention many miserable days trying to recover. If you’re wondering what you can do to naturally boost your immunity and prepare your body’s defenses, study the foods you’re eating, look at your family’s meals, and make the changes needed to ensure everyone is eating a well-balanced diet abundant in nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables, low-fat proteins, and complex carbohydrates.

• Natural Foods To Stomp Out A Cold

  Not only do healthy, nutrient-dense foods nourish your body and help the cells grow and reproduce, they also help arm your body’s defenses to ward off attacks from germs that cause colds. Low-fat meats, whole grains, fruits, vegetables and whole grains all play a part in preparing your body to do battle.

• Natural Foods That Help Heartburn

  Heartburn and indigestion make millions of people miserable. Continuous digestive problems can be a symptom of overeating, bad food choices or something more serious. Thankfully simple changes in the foods you eat can provide relief.

• Natural Foods To Rejuvenate Body, Mind And Spirit

  When the goal is rejuvenating the body, mind and spirit, the method should be smaller, more frequent snacks and meals. This will help keep energy levels on an even keel, and regulate your blood sugar levels to avoid spikes and dips. When you choose the right combination of foods, your body gets the much-needed boost it needs to sustain itself properly, even through those slumps later in the day. So dump those high sugar junk foods and reach for the following foods and get that boost you need.

• Natural Foods For Your Brain

  We’ve all had days when we didn’t feel like we were ‘on our game.’ And as we age, both our bodies and our brains grow old as well. By making smart food choices though, we can preserve our precious gray matter longer and improve brain function. Here are some brainy choices for keeping our noggins in tip-top shape.

• Natural Foods That Squash Stress

  Life has a way of getting the best of us some days. Whether it’s working too many hours, shuffling your kids all over town for their activities, taking care of your household, or dealing with personal or family matters, stress can take its toll on you physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. But there are simple steps you can take to combat stress, starting with the foods you eat.

• Flush The Fat With Smart Food Choices

  Flushing the fat? As crazy as the concept might sound, the Fat Flush Plan can help you reshape your body while detoxifying your system. This low-carbohydrate, three-phase diet regimen was created by nutritionist Ann Louise Gittleman, Ph.D., C.N.S.

• Natural Foods For Super Weight Loss

  Experts say there are two basic categories of foods that can be considered "keeping it off superfoods" because they fill your tummy without piling on the calories: fruits and vegetables. And the nutrient that gives fruits and vegetables that ‘staying power?’ Fiber. So, if fruits and vegetables are the "keeping-it-off superfood groups," fiber may well be the "keeping-it-off super-nutrient." Protein is another super-nutrient. It's becoming more scientifically accepted that protein may help to curb appetite. Protein also offers staying power, and can slightly boost your metabolism in the process. But it’s imperative that you choose your proteins wisely, because like all other foods, if you’re eating more than your body needs, it’ll show up on the scale as a gain, instead of a loss.

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