When I was pregnant, just the thought of food was enough to make me sick. I knew that I needed to eat healthy foods for the baby, but some days healthy went out the window and the baby was just lucky that I ate anything at all. Then I discovered Luna Bars. Luna Bars can only be described as little pieces of heaven. They are decadent and they are good for you. How many things can you say that about?

Amazingly, they make Luna Bars in about every flavor imaginable. Perhaps I should rephrase that. They make Luna Bars in every flavor that a normal non pregnant person could imagine. Even though I ate a lot of Luna Bars when I was expecting, they didn't make the flavors I was really craving. Sure they make flavors like caramel nut brownie, lemon zest, and my personal favorite chocolate peppermint stick, but they don't make flavors like chocolate pork rinds or strawberry tomato.

If I had been in the test chef department of the Luna Bars company when I was pregnant, you would see grocery store shelves lined with the oddest assortment of Luna Bars that you can imagine. Blueberry jalapeño, bologna banana, and vanilla tuna are the first flavors I would want to market. After that I might concentrate on things like pepperoni, pickles, and even ice cream. I think that most of the people in America are glad that I didn't work for Luna Bars during my pregnancy?

Since I had no power to market my personal flavor preferences, I did a little snack doctoring in my own kitchen. Some days I spread a key lime pie flavored bar with peanut butter. Other days I dipped my cookies and cream delight bar in salsa. My favorite concoction was slathering miracle whip on an iced oatmeal raison Luna Bar.

I know it sounds weird, but compared to what some of my pregnant friends have eaten, it wasn't really that bad a craving. I had one friend that ate dirt while she was pregnant. She would go out into the garden and chew a handful of potting soil while she weeded her flowers. I wouldn't ever do that. I wouldn't even dip one of my Luna Bars in dirt. But I would definitely dip a Luna Bar in a chocolate shake. That actually sounds pretty good to me. I wonder if that means I am pregnant.

Tags: alternative treatment, health, natural treatment, herbal, herbal treatment

 

In a day and age of increased awareness of "living healthy," attention has naturally turned to the use of whole foods as part of a healthy lifestyle. More and more people are reducing the use of processed foods and instead focusing on natural foods – in their whole form. As part of this process, it seems inevitable that those in search of a healthier lifestyle turn their attention to using herbs for health.

It's no secret that herbs have been used for centuries to enhance food, increase and sustain health, and remedy a host of ailments. Since prehistoric times herbs for health have been part of the human experience. And as more and more herbs were discovered to have healing principles, herbs for health were soon organized into a classification system that allowed people to take full advantage of their properties in food and medicine.

Some herbs for health that are used today include ginger root for help combating nausea, blackberry root in treating diarrhea, sore throat, and cough, ginseng to increase metabolism, and even dandelion to treat eczema. Many a culture – including the Native Americans and Chinese – have made a study of the way in which herbs can be used to increase overall vitality and treat minor ailments as well as disease.

Additionally, the use of herbs for health extends to their use in all types of cuisine. Natural herbs enhance flavor and do so without the use of added fats, preservatives, and salt. For those looking to focus their diet on natural foods, the use of natural herbs in their diet will go a long way to enhancing their lifestyle.

Using herbal treatment can be as convenient and as simple as you make it. An array of natural herbs can be found as close as your local grocery store; as well as in farmers markets and health foods stores. But for those who want herbs at their fingertips for a variety of uses, it may be beneficial to plant your own herb garden.

Either way, a little bit of research will yield an enormous amount of information about the uses of herbs for health. With some planning and simple integration of herbs into your everyday routine, you may be surprised with how your overall health and vitality begins to improve.

For easy to understand, in depth information about herbs visit our ezGuide 2 Herbs.

Zandra Jones, RN BBA is a alternative health advisor and owner of Alternative Herbal treatment

Tags: herbal, alternative treatment, herbal treatment, natural treatment, health

Herbs are one of the best sources of all natural medical and nutritional ingredients around, and everyone using herbs will want to learn more about the golden flower Chinese herbs. Herbs from China have been handed down from generation to generation along with the teachings of how herbs can help us maintain our health and beauty. The billions of lives that have lived under Chinese teachings are a testament to the everyday tasks that herbs can be used for.

Herbs can be drank in teas for their medical effects, rubbed on the body for their fragrance, used to flavor foods, or crushed so their oils can be used in aromatherapy. The golden flower Chinese herbs have a multitude of uses just waiting for you to discover. You may find that this one group of herbs has the power to reinvigorate your body, relax your mind and keep you smelling fresh all day long. Where can you find these rare wondrous herbs? They are easier to locate than you might think.

To find the best places to order your golden flower Chinese herbs, search on the internet for sites that specialize in products for all natural lifestyles. These sites will more than likely have a better selection of the herbs you need, and they will also have them in most popular forms, such as tea for drinking, or with the oil already extracted from the plant. If you are interested in learning how to process herbs, you may be able to buy the raw plant at a much cheaper price, and then you would be able to use create the tea packet, aromatherapy oil, or food flavoring as you need it.

Another great source of information about herbs would be an internet forum. Here you will find friendly people that are always happy to answer questions about golden flower Chinese herbs. Many have probably been living an all natural lifestyle for many years and can probably suggest different ways to apply the herbs that you may not have thought about. They may even be able to suggest the best place to purchase your herbs, or give you ideas about where to get more information on them.

Tags: golden flower herb, herbal treatment, chinese medicine, chinese herbs, natural remedy, chinese tea

 

There is a great tradition in different cultures around the world about the use herbs, for their flavor in cooking and for their healing properties for the mind and body. The monks and nuns in early England were amongst the first people in the West to learn about herbs. They experimented with herbalism in their gardens and soon became experts in dispensing the appropriate treatment.

It's important when learning about the usage of herbs for medicinal purposes, to choose the correct dosage and to make sure of the purity of the herb. Many people who don't know about herbs think that they are completely harmless because they grow naturally. This is not true, as herbs can have side effects just as much as drugs can if not administered correctly.

If you are not sure about herbs, seek advice and go to a licensed herbal practitioner. This is particularly important if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or receiving treatment by drugs. Taking both a herbal treatment and a drug can double up on components and flood the body too much.

The use of herbs and their effects is well documented. A lot of medical professionals from conventional backgrounds are beginning to give herbal remedies more respect as they learn more about herbs. The Chinese have already had herbal medicine as part of their everyday treatment for a very long time. Different ailments have their own treatment solutions, with many herbs duplicating each other.

Aloe Vera is a multi purpose herb, treating many ailments including arthritis, acne, warts, and allergic reactions. Lavender can also help with arthritis. Nigella Sativa (Black Cumin), is another herb that is used for a variety of patients, treating influenza, stomach ache, and pulmonary infections. St. John's Wort (one of the more dangerous herbs in incorrect doses), has been tested in medical trials for the treatment of mild to moderate levels of depression. Results showed that the herb performed better than a placebo.

A lot of people suffer from acute insomnia but don't want to take sleeping pills. In studies about herbs, it's been found that Valerian root is a good alternative and doesn't cause drowsiness in the morning. General fatigue can be helped by periwinkle or dandelion. Periwinkle can also ease the symptoms of the menopause, as can fennel.

Many gardeners get a lot of pleasure from growing a herb garden, providing wonderful scents and flavor for the pot. A stock of mint, basil, oregano, sage, thyme, and parsley will give you the basic supply needed for most dishes. Add some rosemary and chives and you're well set up. You'll have fun learning all about herbs and their uses in the kitchen, whether you follow advice in cookery books or do some experimenting of your own.

Tags: herbal, lavender oil, fennel, aloe vera, herbal tea, lavender, periwinkle, herbal remedy

If you've ever had kidney stones you know the gut wrenching pain that comes with the territory. If you've had one kidney stone, you have a forty to fifty percent chance of a second kidney stone showing up later. Kidney stones are one of the most common and painful urinary tract ailments. Your chances of getting a kidney stone are higher if you are a male. Knowing this, you may ask yourself is there a natural kidney stone cure I make use of to participate in my healing?

The cure is prevention. Ninety percent of all kidney stones are due to dehydration. Because of this fact, the best and most common kidney stone cure is drinking plenty of water. To prevent kidney stones, you need to drink at least enough water to produce two quarts of urine in twenty-four hours. Cranberry juice however, is an ineffectual kidney stone cure. Cranberry juice does prevent a urinary tract infection but it is a fallacy that it also prevents kidney stones. Lemonade however, in addition with water is an excellent kidney stone cure. The citric acid in the lemonade inhibits kidney stone formation. Thus the drink is good for a kidney stone cure. Drinking two glasses of lemonade a day along with regular water intake reduces the risk of a subsequent kidney stone infection to about 5 percent.

One of the minerals that kidney stones are made up of is calcium oxalate. If you have an excess of this mineral in your urine, you may want to avoid foods that have calcium oxalate as a kidney stone cure. Foods that contain calcium oxalate are: beets, chocolate, strawberries, rhubarb, wheat bran, coffee, cola, nuts, spinach, and tea. You may also be advised to steer clear of foods with vitamin D and antacids with a calcium base.

Because the stones are made up of calcium oxalate and other minerals from a person's diet, patients in the past were counseled to refrain from dairy products as a kidney stone cure. New research suggests however, that a diet rich in foods with high calcium content such as cheese and milk may actually prevent kidney stones. Supplemental calcium pills conversely, help very little in a kidney stone cure and may even cause harm due to the fact that they increase the odds that a kidney stone will take root.

Another problem that causes kidney stones is overly acidic urine. Hence of if this is true in your case, you may be counseled to eliminate or cut back on your meat, poultry and fish consumption. These foods have a tendency to increase the acid levels in urine. There are some studies that show a vegetarian diet can act as a kidney stone cure.

Not all of these suggestions may be for you; however some of them may be quite helpful in your quest for a kidney stone cure.

Tags: herbal treatment, alternative treatment, herbal, natural treatment, health

Many of the longest lasting diet crazes in recent years have been carb diets. Atkins was probably the most popular, but South Beach and others have gained in popularity. While these are not as popular as they once were, they are still used by many dieters. The basic idea of carb diets is that if you reduce your carb intake, your body will have to resort to using proteins and burning stored fat for energy. This type of diet is said to stop the cycle of storing carbs and sugars as body fat, which is a huge problem for some people.

Carb diets can be dangerous if not done correctly. It is never advisable to start any of the carb diets, or any diet for that matter, without talking to your doctor. There may be risks you may not be aware of, and certain medical conditions may make it impossible for you to follow one of the carb diets without some sort of unhealthy side effect.

When I first heard of Atkins, they advertised all the foods you could eat on their plan. Eggs, steak, and cheese were all foods that you could eat. Many people dove into this diet with great delight, without bothering to read up on the particulars of the diet. As with all carb diets, you have to watch your fat intake. Eating tons of greasy steaks, and foods fried in fat, will clog your arteries. These carb diets don't actually say you can do this, but many don't realize this. In most cases, you need to choose lean meats, watch the grease, and take in carbs in the form of veggies.

You don't have to follow one of the mainstream carb diets in order to benefit from the idea behind them. You can cut carbs from your own diet, and make healthier choices without falling headlong into a fad diet. Take some time to learn the difference between what are considered good carbs and bad carbs. Good carbs include fruits and veggies, and whole wheat breads and cereals. Bad carbs are mostly refined sugars and white breads. Carb diets urge you to take the natural approach, eat more protein and stay away from refined and processed foods. This is good advice for anyone, but you should talk to your doctor about the particulars, and make sure you are healthy enough to follow the diet you have in mind.

Carb diets may never go away, and with good reason. Many have lost weight on them, and continue to keep that weight off. Just remember to get all the information you can, and talk to your doctor before you begin. You may even want to join a community or online weight loss program to keep you motivated and on the right track. The best of the carb diets won't help you if you can't stick with it.

Tags: natural treatment, herbal, herbal treatment, health, alternative treatment

Most people know that a well-balanced diet is essential to good health. Understanding what your body needs and the health food that will sustain it is the first step towards living a more vital life.

Health food has been used synonymously with bland, tasteless fare, but this need not be the case any longer. More and more, healthy eating options are being offered that are more accessible to the palate. Eating foods that provide energy, nutrients and other building blocks to keep your body at its optimum level has never been so important, and health food is gaining in world-wide popularity as people become more aware of what they eat.

In our modern times, the stresses of everyday living means that meaning people do not have the time nor inclination towards eating foods that are good for them. Instead of choosing different types of health food that is packed with nutrients and provide long-term energy, many people opt for fast food or snacks that provide nothing but quick energy and empty calories. Not only do this foods lack any nutritional value, they also place you at risk of becoming ill from not getting enough vitamins in your diet.

Doctors and nutrition experts tell you to eat a "balanced diet" which includes a mix of complex carbohydrates, proteins, fruits and vegetables, dairy products and a little amount of fat. All of these can be found in the vast amounts of health food offered in supermarkets today - and these have become tastier, more digestible and less expensive than ever before.

Most supermarkets nowadays offer bins where people can choose the amount of health food they want. These often contain dried fruit, nuts and whole grains that can be purchased more cheaply than pre-packaged food. Introducing raw foods into the diet, such as including food found in its most basic state (such as fruit, vegetables, and whole wheat options) increases the chances of retaining more vitamins and minerals.

If improving your diet is a priority, the first step is to learn how to read food labels. Often products labelled as "health food" contain little or no elements necessary for health. Hydrogenated fats and oils, sugars and a host of chemical additives such as nitrates must now be placed on labels, and it is advisable to check these before purchasing any item that claims to be health food. With a little research, it is easy to find which products offer a more honest itemizing of ingredients that will benefit you.

Finding the right combination of foods to eat may take time, but in the long-term you will benefit in the prevention of disease and illness. Not all health food is alike, and wise consumers should check labels thoroughly and buy food as fresh as possible. Slowly introducing more health food into the diet will allow you to make small changes at first, allowing your body to adjust to the taste and texture of unprocessed food. Over time, you will soon find that your tastes will change, for the better - and that fast food will not taste as good as it once did.

Tags: natural treatment, herbal treatment, alternative treatment, herbal, health