The Benefits of Sourdough Bread

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A simple mixture of flour and water--a 6,000-year-old discovery in ancient Egypt--is all it takes to create sourdough starter. Left at room temperature, wild yeasts and the bacteria, Lactobacillus, from the grain and the air, jumpstart the process of fermentation, which gives the dough its sour flavor. After "feeding" it with more flour and water for about a week, the starter can be used in place of yeast in bread and other recipes. The starter may be kept alive for an indeterminate period--many trace back over 160 years.

Foods For Brain Health + Memory

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What you eat does more than influence your gut. It also may affect your brain. Increasing evidence shows that mom was right: You should eat your vegetables, and your blueberries and walnuts, too.

50 Ways to Love Your Liver

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Did you know that the liver affects nearly every physiological process of the body and performs over 500 different chemical functions? And that the liver filters over a liter of blood each minute? 

The liver is amazing organ that we take for granted. I'm sharing a great piece called, "50 Ways to Love Your Liver," by raw foodist Shazzie. Her website is here.

Jim Morris, 76-Year-Old Vegan Bodybuilder

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At age 76, Jim Morris is a striking example of the power of a vegan diet, exercise and a positive mental outlook. 

A former Mr. America and Mr. U.S.A, Jim has been bodybuilding and training people since 1954. He has been a vegetarian for 26 years, and a vegan for 11 years. In 1996 at the age of 61, Jim celebrated his 30th year of competition by entering the Mr. Olympia Masters and winning the over 60 class.

Study Accidentally Finds Chemotherapy Makes Cancer Far Worse

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Chemotherapy has long been looked at as an aggressive and painful form of cancer therapy, but was also considered necessary, and the most effective treatment.

Now a recent study has shown that chemotherapy actually heavily damages healthy cells and subsequently triggers them to release a protein that sustains and fuels tumor growth. Beyond that, it even makes the tumor highly resistant to future treatment. Researchers were initially attempting to determine why cancer cells are easy to kill in a laboratory, but so hard to stop in a human body.

Reporting their findings in the journal Nature Medicine, the scientists report that the findings were ‘completely unexpected’. 

Raw & Fresh Whole Food Companies for Dogs

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Our companion animals deserve real food too!

Many people can't imagine another way of feeding their dog besides dried kibble or canned "meat" produced by pet food companies. Since the popularity of pet food exploded after World War II, commercial dog food has become the norm. Today, even the best intentioned of pet owners can unknowingly find themselves feeding their dogs and cats the toxic residues of factory-farmed, antibiotic-fed, hormone-laced cows and chickens and sheep, mixed with spoiled grains and some rancid oil. Many are also feeding their pets preservatives and sweeteners. 

Fortunately though, many people are educating themselves and changing the way they feed their dogs and switching to a healthy whole foods diet, and it has become easier than ever now with companies coming out with raw, whole foods in a bag.

There are a few vegetarian options available in this list, and be sure to read the section, "Can My Dog Be A Vegetarian?"

Create a Natural First Aid Kit

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These are my favorite remedies — the ones I consider indispensable for a natural first-aid kit. All of the remedies are available at any well-stocked health-food store or over the internet.

83 Incredible Before & After Photos From Plant-Based Diets

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Change your diet, change your life!

In this post I've compiled a great list of before and after photos; people who have made substantial diet changes, and gained tremendous health benefits in the process. They have transformed not only their health, but the way they feel, look, the way they think, and basically every aspect of their lives. I hope these can be as much of an inspiration to you as they are to me! And for you to live to your fullest potential, if you are not already.

The purpose of this article is to reinforce through real life stories, the great importance of plants for health, no matter if you choose to accompany them with animal products or not. The more plant foods in your diet, the better. Plant foods are bursting with tons of nutrients, healing and anti-aging substances. They will make you healthy and beautiful.

I wish you good luck in your transformation, whether small or large.

Natural Health: "9 Mistakes That Are Aging You"

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The recent article in Natural Health magazine was so right on, helpful and accurate, I needed to share it here with you all in case you didn't see it:

Getting older. it’s a universal truth that many of us don’t entirely embrace. And so, as the years march on, we spend a lot of time and money trying to look and feel younger. But for all of our efforts, we’re still making some mistakes, often without realizing it. “I see it all the time in my practice,” says ob-gyn Jennifer Ashton, M.d., the Englewood, N.J.-based author of Your Body Beautiful: Clockstopping Secrets to Staying Healthy, Strong and Sexy in Your 30s, 40s and Beyond (Avery) and co-host of ABC’s The Revolution. 

Seaweed Found to Stop Tooth Decay

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Microbes found on seaweed could provide an unexpected weapon in the fight against tooth decay, scientists have said.

A group of UK scientists are experimenting with enzymes extracted from seaweed microbes that may be able to remove the microbes in dental plaque. Their lab tests suggest the microbe's enzyme cuts through plaque, stripping it of bacteria that cause tooth decay.

They used an enzyme isolated from the marine bacterium Bacillus licheniformis which they were originally researching for cleaning ships’ hulls. Professor Grant Burgess, who led the research, said: “It’s an amazing phenomenon. The enzyme breaks up and removes the bacteria present in plaque and, importantly, it can prevent the build-up of plaque too. 

New Study, High Protein Diet is Linked to Heart Risk

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According to a new study [here] published in the British Medical Journal, adherents to a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet have a significantly increased risk of suffering from a cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack or stroke.

For the study, researchers tracked the health of 43,400 middle-aged Swedish women over a 15 year period.

The study found that individuals following a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet are 28 percent more likely to suffer from a heart attack or stroke while following the diet. Researchers also found that even a simple swap to incorporate additional animal-based protein in the diet can have negative health impacts. For example, replacing a daily serving of bread with an egg can raise the risk of dying of a heart attack or stroke by five percent.

Spotlight On: 86 Year Old Gymnast Johanna Quaas

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An 86-year-old woman from Germany recently set a world record after she competed in the 2012 Cottbus World Cup, wowing judges and earning the title of world’s oldest gymnast.

Source: Raw Story (http://s.tt/1dc7z)

An 86-year-old woman from Germany recently set a world record after she competed in the 2012 Cottbus World Cup, wowing judges and earning the title of world’s oldest gymnast.

Source: Raw Story (http://s.tt/1dc7z)

An 86 year old woman from Germany, Johanna Quaas, recently set a world record after she competed in the 2012 Cottbus World Cup wowing judges and earning the title of the world's oldest gymnast.

Almost daily, Quaas practices on the parallel bars and has already won 11 gymnastic medals in the German senior citizen championships.

9 Factors That Make People Age Faster

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According to a new study published this month, phobic anxiety, which is triggered by intense fear, contributes to aging more quickly. [source]

Although phobic anxieties are especially common in women, 8 percent of Americans have at least one, whether it's a specific fear such as arachnophobia -- fear of spiders -- or an overall uneasiness in certain situations like agoraphobia or social phobia. Researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital analyzed survey results and blood samples from 5,243 women, ages 42 to 69, finding that intense phobic anxiety leads to faster biological aging.

7 Foods to Eat Right Now to Strengthen the Thyroid

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Eating fresh, whole foods without additives is considered to be one of the best things you can do to stay healthy and improve your thyroid health (your other organs and glands will thank you as well!)

Let's look at some specific foods that you can incorporate now to nourish your thyroid gland. 

Organic is Healthier, More Nutritious, and Tastes Better

 

Studies show that organic food is more nutritious than non-organically produced. 

They may also contain higher concentrations of antioxidants which ward off cancer and heart disease. Apparently, "the health benefits were so striking that moving to organic food was the equivalent of eating an extra portion of fruit and vegetables every day."

12 Foods That Increase Your Energy

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Being tired is no fun at all. You can't concentrate at work, you exercise less, and getting out of bed takes a lot of effort. It's a miserable way to trudge through life. But did you know that having more energy may be as simple as choosing the right foods?

Overall, the key is to focus on low-glycemic foods (because they release energy slowly) that are high in complex carbohydrates and low in excess fats. Iron is also very important because it produces red blood cells that carry blood to exercising muscles. A first step is to eliminate "quick-fix" foods that contain simple carbohydrate foods, like candy bars and soda, which spike your energy level before it plunges quickly. Next, start incorporating these 12 foods into your diet.

Tepezcohuite, An Ancient Mayan Skin Secret

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Tepezcohuite (pronounced “Te-pez-co-whee-tay”)(or mimosa) is a long held beauty secret by the Mayans that is derived from Mexico’s “skin tree”.

Tepezchohuite is a perennial evergreen tree or shrub native to the northeastern region of Brazil and found as far north as southern Mexico. 

Actor Salma Hayek considers it her and her families' beauty secret and has added this healing bark to her beauty line, Nuance. She is quoted as saying, “because my grandmother, who was a beauty, she died at 96 with no wrinkles. And you should see my mother! We have some family secrets. . . Have you heard of Tepezcohuite?"

Glycolic Acid for Youthful Skin

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Glycolic acid is a natural ingredient derived from sugar cane known to reverse sun damage and help in anti-aging of the skin, though it is now often made synthetically. It falls into the set of ingredients called AHA's, or alpha hydroxy acids. Glycolic acid is probably the most common alpha hydroxy acid and has the reputation of being one of the safest forms of alpha hydroxy acid. 

Used over time, glycolic acid will start working beneath the skin's surface to produce youthful skin. 

Vitamineral Green Ingredient Breakdown

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Vitamineral Green is an incredibly  nutritionally dense, therapeutic green superfood powder which nutritionally supports blood sugar, detoxification, the immune system, liver, kidneys, blood, bones, colon, pancreas, muscles, brain, regularity, circulation, and longevity.

It's formulated by Jameth Sheridan (Naturopath, Doctor of Holistic Medicine, and Hard-Core Herbal Medicine Researcher), and is considered to be the elite in green powders by many.

Proof That the Sun Does Indeed Cause Skin Damage

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Published in the New England Journal of Medicine, this man's face, especially the left side (which received more sun), is possibly the most compelling argument for wearing sunscreen. Every day, all day, and lots of it (but also being conscious of vitamin D levels). If anyone every doubted that the sun causes skin damage, here is proof right here that it does, especially for individuals who may be more sensitive to the sun's damaging rays.

Read on to find out exactly why the left side of the man's face is dramatically more aged.

7 Natural Ways to Lighten Your Hair This Summer

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Do you want to add beautiful highlights to your hair this summer? There are a number of ways to naturally lighten your hair without going to the salon. Here are some ways to naturally lighten your hair color using natural methods.