Thursday - August 26, 2010

Uptight? Tense? Upset? Can't Sleep? Take a Lesson from the Polynesians and Use Kava Kava to Relax and Sleep Better

by Steven Horne, RH(AHG)

Today, almost everyone is subjected to conditions that cause far too much stress and anxiety. One possible answer for reducing nervousness, insomnia, anxiety, muscle tension and other symptoms of stress is the Polynesian herb, kava kava.



This plant is native to the South Pacific islands where it has been cultivated for over 2,000 years. If you think of the “laid back” energy of the Polynesian people, kava kava may play a role in creating that mellow and relaxed “island” feeling.

Wednesday - August 18, 2010

Are You Too Tired to Sleep? Adrenal Exhaustion and Insomnia

by Steven Horne, RH(AHG)

Have you ever been so tired that you couldn’t sleep?  It sounds like a paradox, but the body need energy to be able to relax and fall asleep and when energy levels are too low, sleep is disturbed. 

Most parents have seen this happen with their children. The children get so tired and agitated that they won’t go to bed, but when you finally have a confrontation they drop from exhaustion.  They were tired, but their stress level was too high to allow them to fall asleep.

Wednesday - August 11, 2010

Be Quiet So I Can Sleep! Calming the Mental Chatter That Keeps You Awake

by Steven Horne, RH(AHG)

Most of us have experienced being kept awake by too much noise, but what happens when it's your own mind chatter that keeps you awake?  Sometimes, especially when you're under a lot of stress, you just can't make your brain "shut up" so you can sleep.  You lie awake, thinking about your problems, or worse yet, drop to sleep exhausted, only to wake up a few hours later with your brain churning with worries and fears.



So, what do you do when you just can't get your mind to quiet down so you can sleep? You can take your herbs, of course!

Wednesday - August 04, 2010

Turn Out the Lights and Let Melatonin Lull You to Sleep

by Steven Horne, RH(AHG)

Insomnia is widespread in America. About one-half of all Americans suffer from some degree of insomnia and about one-third suffer from life-disrupting insomnia.

There are many causes of insomnia, but one of the reasons why insomnia may be such a big problem in modern society is artificial lighting. To understand why, let's take a look at how we fall asleep naturally.

Monday - August 02, 2010

Lemon (Citrus Limon)

Lemons  are a great medicine, and one of those foods that show that the difference between food and medicine isn’t always that distinct. Lemon is a very popular remedy in Spanish medicine, where whole books have been written about its use.

Monday - August 02, 2010

Hot August Nights - Remedies to Help You Beat the Summer Heat

by Steven Horne, RH(AHG)

I don't know how hot the weather is where you live, but here in St. George, Utah, it's really hot. Most days in July and August are over 100°F degrees.  That's why the early pioneers who settled this area called St. George "purgatory" and Leeds (where I live) "north purgatory."  Thank goodness for air conditioning.

When I have to work outside in this heat, I can get tired pretty fast, but fortunately, I've learned a great way to help "beat the heat" using Nature's Sunshine's Thai-Go.  You see, Thai-Go is loaded with sour, antioxidant-rich fruits and berries that not only reduce free radical damage, either, they actually reduce thirst and help you feel cool.

Tuesday - July 20, 2010

Perfect Eyes

There are many causes for the various eye conditions. Sometimes an eye condition can be related to another medical condition. Some eye conditions are caused by stress placed on the eyes. Some are inherited.



However, as people age, the problems they develop with their eyesight are primarily caused by free radical damage. Free radicals can damage the retina of the eye, the light sensitive layer at the back of the eye, causing macular degeneration. Inflammation of the blood vessels coming into the eye will cause cellular debris that congests the eye fluids causing the pressure build-up in glaucoma. Cataracts are most likely caused by free radical damage to the lens.

Tuesday - July 20, 2010

Eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis)

One of the biggest problems with many herb books is that they simply list a bunch of diseases that herb has been used for without telling you important information such as 1) what part is used, 2) how it is prepared and 3) how it is administered.  All of these things make a difference in how the herb works.

Eyebright is a perfect example of a plant that has fallen victim, not so much to misinformation, but rather to a lack of important data about how it is most effectively used. Most people who are familiar with herbs, will immediately connect eyebright as an eye remedy, and they would be partially correct.

Tuesday - July 20, 2010

See Your Way to Better Vision with Antioxidants

by Steven Horne, RH(AHG)

Millions of Americans have sung the question, "Oh say, can you see?"  Unfortunately, for many millions of senior citizens, the answer to that question is, "No."  That's because diseases like cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration rob thousands of people of their vision every year.

The sad thing is that one simple nutritional change could save many people's vision.  That change is to get more antioxidant nutrients into the diet. Antioxidants are extremely critical to eye health because the eyes are extremely prone to oxidative stress and free radical damage.  In fact, oxidative stress is the underlying cause of cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration.

Friday - July 09, 2010

Nervous System Support

The nervous system is a complex system that regulates and coordinates body functions, including the coordination of muscles, the senses, speech, memory, thought and emotion. Nervous system health, especially brain health, becomes a common concern as we age. As we get older, physical changes occur in the brain that can lead to cognitive decline, including a decrease in levels of neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine, which plays a large role in memory and learning. Other factors that can adversely affect cognitive health include alcohol abuse, chronic inflammation, vascular diseases and stress.

Saturday - July 03, 2010

This Single Cell Plant Actually Expels Mercury from Your Body…

A study shows that chlorella, a single-celled organism that has been used for many years as a nutritional supplement, can help flush methylmercury from your system. Mice fed methylmercury were given chlorella, and the amount of methylmercury excreted in their urine and feces was approximately twice the amount excreted by mice not treated with chlorella.

Saturday - July 03, 2010

Natural Solutions to Endometriosis

by Steven Horne, RH(AHG)

A common cause of pelvic pain, endometriosis is a disorder where endometrial (uterine) tissue is found outside of the uterus.  This tissue responds to hormonal changes in the menstrual cycle just like the uterine lining.  It falls apart at the same time the uterine lining sheds causing menstruation.  This can cause internal bleeding that results in swelling and inflammation of surrounding tissues. It may even cause scar tissue to form.

Saturday - June 26, 2010

Honey, It's Not Me, It's My Liver!

PMS and Your Liver by Steven Horne, RH(AHG)

Jokes help us defuse difficult and painful situations, which is why PMS is the brunt of many jokes.  It’s no fun for women, or their family members, when PMS creates feelings of anger, irritability, depression, moodiness  or emotional sensitivity.  I know we typically blame it on hormones, but I have a new excuse—blame it on the liver.

Most of the women I’ve seen who have serious problems with PMS have underlying health issues with the liver.  This doesn’t come as a surprise, as many symptoms of PMS are identical to symptoms of liver imbalance, both physically and emotionally.

Friday - June 18, 2010

Emotional Issues Associated With PMS and Menopause

How Your Mind and Emotions Affect Hormones And Things You Can Do About It

by Steven Horne, RH(AHG)

In modern medicine it’s popular to view mood changes as being caused by biochemical imbalances.  It is believed that problems with messenger chemicals like hormones and neurotransmitters create mental and emotional health problems.  That’s why the most popular treatment for problems like depression, anxiety and moodiness are drugs that mimic hormones and neurotransmitters. But, what if the reverse were true?  What if the mental and emotional issues are actually the cause of the imbalances in the body’s messenger chemicals? This is a perfectly valid hypothesis, too.

To understand how hormonal imbalances can be the result of mental and emotional issues, it’s important to remember that the endocrine system and the nervous system are intimately connected via the hypothalamus. A part of the brain, the hypothalamus sends messengers to the pituitary that trigger the release of hormones that regulate the rest of the endocrine system.

Thursday - May 27, 2010

A Helpful Guide For Storing And Saving Produce

When fresh fruits and vegetables are in season it’s a good idea to stock up on nutritious foods… but what’s the best way to maintain shelf life without throwing away unused or ruined produce?

It’s best to eat your foods fresh, but sometimes storage is necessary, especially if you buy items in bulk from farmers’ markets or the grocery. This guide from Raw Food Health online should help you determine how best to store your fruits and veggies.

Wednesday - May 26, 2010

Health Tip: Understanding Organic Foods

And whether they're healthier for you

Organic foods must meet certain standards established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

They must be produced without the use of hormones, herbicides, pesticides, antibiotics or fertilizers created with sewer waste or ingredients that aren't natural, says the Nemours Foundation.

Tuesday - May 25, 2010

Legislation Could Restrict Your Access To Nutritional Supplements

Many of our readers may already be aware of the amendment in the United States House of Representatives' version of the recently passed Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2009 (H.R. 4173). This amendment was introduced by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.).

It would give the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) the authority to require nutritional supplement companies to perform at least two human studies before making any claims for their products, according to the Alliance for Natural Health (ANH). Currently, supplements are regulated under the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA).

Tuesday - May 25, 2010

Dark Chocolate Guards Against Brain Injury

Researchers have discovered that epicatechin, a compound in dark chocolate, may protect your brain after a stroke by increasing cellular signals that shield nerve cells from damage.

An hour and a half after feeding mice a single dose of epicatechin, animals that had ingested the compound suffered significantly less brain damage following an induced stroke.

Thursday - May 20, 2010

Drug Company to Pay Half a Billion Dollar Fine for ILLEGAL Marketing

Drugmaker AstraZeneca has agreed to pay $520 million to settle federal investigations into marketing practices for its schizophrenia drug Seroquel. This makes AstraZeneca the fourth big drug company in the last three years to admit to federal charges of illegal marketing of antipsychotic drugs.

The company was accused of misleading doctors and patients by spotlighting favorable research while failing to adequately disclose studies showing that Seroquel increases the risk of diabetes.

Thursday - May 20, 2010

Drinking Green Tea May Protect Eyes

Researchers confirm that beneficial ingredients penetrate eye tissue

Beneficial ingredients in green tea penetrate into the tissues of the eye and may help protect against glaucoma and other eye diseases, says a new study.

Researchers analyzed eye tissue from rats that drank green tea and found that the lens, retina and other tissues absorbed significant amounts of green tea catechins, which are antioxidants believed to protect the eye. Catechins include vitamin C, vitamin E, lutein and zeaxanthin.