Pure Water

Pure water, organic foods, no preservatives or chemicals… sounds good, right? A good pathway to healing and health! Well, pure water is getting harder to come by, so I would like to recommend something I use, (and I have no personal financial stake in, by the way!) I use a “ZeroWater” pitcher at home to filter tap water and reduce dissolved solids. It may not be the “be all and end all,” and I know may will say I should just use distilled water, but Zerowater is easier, and I have found that in my case, at least, if it isn’t easy to do, I sometimes just won’t do it!

So, check out Zerowater… I can personally recommend it, and it is the only water filtration system that has been certified, see the link below:

Offers Concerned Households an Alternative to Bottles or Expensive Filtration Installations

“In response to the study released on Monday by the Environmental Working Group (EWG,) Zero Technologies, LLC announces that its ZeroWater filtration system is the ONLY simple pour-through filter certified for chromium reduction per NSF/ANSI Standard 53. As the EWG sheds the light on the presence of cancer-causing hexavalent chromium – also known as chromium-6 – in the drinking water of 31 out of 35 US cities selected for the study, concerns have been growing regarding the safety of tap water across the country. ZeroWater has developed its five-stage, Dual Ion-Exchange water filter specifically to remove/reduce dissolved solids found in tap water, like – as in this case – chromium.

Doug Kellam, CEO of Zero Technologies, LLC, remarks, ‘We, at ZeroWater, are encouraged to see groups like the EWG raise awareness of potential issues with drinking water. Households concerned with the safety of their tap water are then faced with the dilemma of ‘what to do?’ Historically, you would need to buy an expensive built-in reverse osmosis system or bottled water. Since our product is designed to remove contaminants just like Hexavalent Chromium, our hope is to provide a more economical and environmentally sound alternative.’

The ZeroWater filtration system is unique in that it is designed to specifically remove virtually all total dissolved solids (TDS) from tap water. While most of these TDS are harmless and just make water taste ‘off,’ some, clearly, are harmful – such as lead or chromium-6. ZeroWater is the only simple pour-through filtration pitcher that is certified by the National Sanitary Foundation (NSF) to reduce Chromium (Hexavalent), Chromium (Trivalent), Lead and Mercury.

According to the EWG news release, ‘The authoritative National Toxicology Program (NTP) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has said that chromium-6 in drinking water shows ‘clear evidence of carcinogenic activity’ in laboratory animals, increasing the risk of gastrointestinal tumors. Just last October, a draft review by the EPA similarly found that ingesting the chemical in tap water is ‘likely to be carcinogenic to humans.’ Other health risks associated with exposure include liver and kidney damage, anemia and ulcers.'”

High Fiber Diet and Your Colon

In a story that makes me say, “Well, we could have told you that!” WebMD has a note about the benefits of a high fiber diet and colon disease.

High-Fiber Diet Linked to Lower Colon Cancer Risk – Research Shows Fiber From Whole Grains and Cereals Associated With Reduced Colon Cancer Risk

“Nov. 10, 2011 — Eating a high-fiber diet is linked with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer, according to new research that analyzed 25 different studies.

Total fiber intake, as well as fiber from whole grains and from cereals, was most strongly linked with a reduction in colorectal cancer risk, the researchers say.

The evidence was weaker for fiber from fruits, vegetables, and legumes, says study researcher Dagfinn Aune, a research associate at Imperial College London.

‘It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t eat your fruits and vegetables,’ he tells WebMD. He found fewer studies on the impact on colon cancer risk of fiber from fruits, vegetables, and legumes than studies looking at the other foods, he says. ‘It’s possible that we did not have enough statistical power.’

He says, too, that the study looked only at the effect of fiber.

Overall, the link found between fiber intake and risk reduction was small. Aune’s team found a 10% risk reduction in colorectal cancer for each 10 grams of fiber eaten a day. However, the more fiber people ate, the more risk reduction was found.”

Natural health practitioners have long known the benefits of fiber from natural foods, and the impact that they can have on colon health. For instance check out the recent article on psyllium for more information.

Coconut Water Reduces Blood Pressure Effectively!

I am always pleased to see articles like this! A natural food that reduces Blood Pressure as well as any pharmaceutical drug! When my own BP was higher than I liked, I started taking an Ayurvedic herb called, Coleus Forskohlii. Now, it is important to point out that I am not on ANY pharmaceutical drugs! Coleus Forskohlii is very effective at lowering blood pressure, so it would NOT be appropriate to take it while on a blood pressure reducing drug! Anyway, my blood pressure came down to textbook normal levels, with NO side effects, or adverse interactions. To me, this is a great example of using an herb, which is basically just a food, to address an issue in the body. Now, coconut water shows just as much promise! This is awesome!

Coconut water shown to significantly reduce high blood pressure

“(NaturalNews) While doctors may be quick to write a prescription for blood pressure medication if your numbers are a little high, research shows coconut water is a highly effective natural remedy for lowering blood pressure in patients with hypertension.

A study published in the West Indian Medical Journal looked at whether coconut water and mauby (a tropical drink made from buckthorn tree bark) were effective in treating high blood pressure. Researchers tested the blood pressure of twenty-eight individuals for two weeks without treatment, and then again for two weeks during treatment.

Participants were divided into four groups: one control group received only bottled drinking water; one group received coconut water; one received mauby; and the last was given a combination of coconut water and mauby. Each participant drank about 10 ounces of their assigned formula twice daily.

Although it’s easy to tell the difference between drinking water and coconut water or mauby, none of the participants knew exactly what they were drinking or that it could have an effect on their blood pressure.

The findings revealed interesting results. In the coconut water group, 71 percent of participants showed a marked decrease in systolic blood pressure and 29 percent showed a significant decrease in diastolic pressure. The group drinking mauby or the combination of coconut water and mauby also showed significant improvement.

The group drinking ordinary water actually showed an increase in systolic pressure in 57 percent of the participants, with no significant change in diastolic pressure.

These results may be explained by coconut water’s unique nutritional content. Coconut water is rich in potassium, magnesium and vitamin C. All of these nutrients are linked to health benefits, including lowering high blood pressure. They also make coconut water an excellent way to hydrate your body without depleting vital minerals. Many health-conscious athletes choose coconut water over commercial sports drinks to replenish water, minerals and glycogen lost during heavy exercise.

The best coconut water is found in fresh young coconuts, which are green in color. This coconut water is fresh and raw, retaining its natural benefits in the purest form. Young coconuts can often be found in health food stores and international markets, but of course are most readily available in tropical regions. Commercial packaged coconut water is available as well, but these products are processed and pasteurized, and should be considered inferior to fresh coconut water.”

US Government Attacks Organic Farmers in Nevada

What could possibly be wrong wrong with farm-fresh, organic, direct from nature food? Well, obviously, the ‘Big Food’ lobbies have apparently convinced “Big Brother” (otherwise known as the US government) to support the food industry by helping destroy local, organic farms! This is ridiculous!

Health department tyrants raid local ‘farm to fork’ picnic dinner, orders all food to be destroyed with bleach

“(NaturalNews) It is the latest case of extreme government food tyranny, and one that is sure to have you reeling in anger and disgust. Health department officials recently conducted a raid of Quail Hollow Farm, an organic community supported agriculture (CSA) farm in southern Nevada, during its special ‘farm to fork’ picnic dinner put on for guests — and the agent who arrived on the scene ordered that all the fresh, local produce and pasture-based meat that was intended for the meal be destroyed with bleach.

For about five years now, Quail Hollow Farm has been growing organic produce and raising healthy, pasture-based animals which it provides to members as part of a CSA program. And it recently held its first annual ‘Farm to Fork Dinner Event,’ which offered guests an opportunity to tour the farm, meet those responsible for growing and raising the food, and of course partake in sharing a meal composed of the delicious bounty with others.

But when the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) got word of the event and decided to get involved, this simple gathering of friends and neighbors around a giant, family-style picnic table quickly became a convenient target for the heavy hand of an out-of-control government agency. And Monte and Laura Bledsoe, the owners and operators of Quail Hollow Farm, were unprepared for what would happen next.

Laura Bledsoe explains in a letter to her guests written after the fact that two days prior to the event, SNHD contacted the farm to say that, because the picnic was technically a ‘public’ event, the couple would have to obtain a ‘special use permit,’ or else face a very steep fine. Not wanting to risk having the event disrupted, the Bledsoes agreed to jump through all the demanded legal hoops even though their gathering was really just a backyard picnic.

But the day of the event, an inspector from SNHD, Mary Oaks, showed up and declared that all the food the Bledsoes would be serving was ‘unfit for consumption,’ and that it would have to be destroyed. Though there was no logical or lawful reasoning behind this declaration, and the Bledsoes had complied with all the requirements, Oaks insisted that the food be discarded and destroyed using a bleach solution.

One of the so-called reasons for this action included the fact that some of the food packaging did not contain labels, even though labels are not necessary if the food is eaten within 72 hours. Oaks also cited the fact that some of the meat was not US Department of Agriculture (USDA) certified, that the vegetables had already been cut and were thus a ‘bio-hazard,’ and that there were no receipts for the food (which was all grown on the farm, not purchased from a grocery store).Unaware of their rights, the Bledsoes initially complied with Oaks’ unlawful demands and destroyed the food. But shortly thereafter, Laura’s husband Monte remembered that they had an emergency contact number for the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund (FTCLDF) on their refrigerator.

Shocked that they even had to resort to this desperate measure, the Bledsoes called FTCLDF for advice and spoke with General Counsel Gary Cox, who instructed them to ask Oaks for a search and arrest warrant, which of course she did not have. The Bledsoes then asked Oaks to leave the property, upon which she allegedly stormed off in anger and screamed that she was going to call the police.

Police eventually arrived, but unaware of why they had been called and what the alleged crime was, they, too, left and offered their apologies to the Bledsoes. Fortunately, the Bledsoes were able to improvise with the chef to create a whole new meal for their guests, which ended up turning out to be a type of blessing in disguise, according to Laura.

The entire shocking incident serves as a reminder to know your rights when it comes to food and health freedom. Without a proper search or arrest warrant, so-called health inspectors or law enforcement officials have no business on your property. And if they ever try to pull a stunt like what happened at Quail Hollow Farm at your gathering, you have every right to demand that they vacate your property as well.”