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A Natural Way to Treat H. Pylori

Mon, 05 Jan 2015 19:28:18 +0100

H.Pylori (Helicobacter pylori) – a bacteria, that is found in the stomach, and may be present in other parts of the body, such as the eye. It is present in patients with chronic gastritis and gastric ulcers, conditions not previously believed to have a microbial cause. It is also linked to the development of duodenal ulcers and stomach cancer. However, over 80% of individuals infected with the bacterium are asymptomatic.

More than 50% of the world's population harbor H. pylori in their upper gastrointestinal tract. Infection is more prevalent in developing countries, and incidence is decreasing in Western countries. H. pylori's helical shape is thought to have evolved to penetrate the mucoid lining of the stomach. Acute infection may appear as an acute gastritis with abdominal pain (stomach ache) or nausea. Where this develops into chronic gastritis, the symptoms, if present, are often those of non-ulcer dyspepsia: stomach pains, nausea, bloating, belching, and sometimes vomiting.

Individuals infected with H. pylori have a 10 to 20% lifetime risk of developing peptic ulcers and a 1 to 2% risk of acquiring stomach cancer. H. pylori has also been associated with colorectal polyps and colorectal cancer.

The standard first-line therapy is a one-week "triple therapy" consisting of proton pump inhibitors such as omeprazole and the antibiotics clarithromycin and amoxicillin will leave your immune system and intestine flora compromised.

If you were diagnosed with H. pylori and would rather opt for a completely natural, safe approach, read on…

You will need:
Mastic Gum (e.g. Nutricology Mastic Gum, 120 Vegetarian Capsules on Amazon.com)
Tripala poweder (e.g. Banyan Botanicals Triphala Powder- Certified Organic on Amazon.com)
Cat’s Claw ( e.g. Cat's Claw Inner Bark Powder Wildcrafted on Amazon.com)

Morning:
1 tsp of Cat’s Claw mix with ½ of cup of hot water. Let it steep for 15 min, add 2 tsp of lemon juice. Drink on empty stomach.
Take one capsule of Mastic Gum

Evening:
Mix 1 tsp of tripala in warm water. Drink before bedtime.
Take one capsule of Mastic Gum

Continue for 2 months. After one month you can add another capsule of Mastic Gum at lunch time.

During the treatment, increase intake of garlic, broccoli and green tea. Ask your doctor for an H. pylori blood test to verify that your treatment has been successful. Good luck!

Citrine - Third (Solar Plexus) Chakra Stone

Tue, 17 Dec 2013 19:18:56 +0100

Stimulating Citrine is an energizing yellow stone that carries the power of the sun. Citrine does not hold negative energy, and never needs cleansing. It dispels anger and cleanses the aura. It energizes, increases motivation, and heightens self-esteem, personal power, and creativity. It brings happiness and generosity, promotes inner calm, and balances yin yang energy. Citrine may enhance concentration, and is excellent for overcoming depression, fears and phobias. It is a good stone to use for manifesting your desires and creating optimism.

Also known as the "Stone of Prosperity" or the "Merchant Stone", Citrine attracts wealth and success and helps one maintain it. It can also be used to help sell houses. Place this stone in a cash drawer of a business, or in the wealth corner of your house to draw abundance.

Physically, Citrine resonates with the 3rd, or Solar Plexus, chakra. It is good for the digestive system, spleen and pancreas.It is an excellent stone for motivating, recharging and energizing, and is also a good blood detoxifier. It helps to activate the thymus and balance the thyroid. Citrine is useful for eye problems, reverses degenerative diseases, eliminates constipation, and alleviates fatigue.

Citrine is a yellow, golden, or lemon variety of quartz. It is mostly transparent, but may be cloudy. Citrine will fade if placed in direct sunlight. This crystal is easily obtained, and can be found in Brazil, Russia, Britain, France, Madagascar and the United States.

Carnelian - Second Chakra Stone

Tue, 03 Sep 2013 17:38:24 +0100

Energetic Carnelian is gently grounding and anchors you in your present surroundings. Resonating with the second chakra, this gemstone is wonderful for creativity, and is a useful stone for live performers and those with dramatic pursuits. Carnelian is also a power stone and is useful for courage, personal power, success and abundance in all areas. It increases vitality, and enhances motivation and focus.

The ancient Egyptians believed that Carnelian assisted and protected the soul on its journey to the afterlife. This stone helps in the acceptance of the cycle of life, and removes fear of death. Carnelian helps you trust yourself while clarifying perception. It overcomes negative conditioning, and calms anger, jealousy, and envy. This is a helpful stone for meditation as it helps to clear extraneous thoughts and balance the emotions. Carnelian also relieves laziness and apathy and promotes positive life choices.

Physically, Carnelian enhances the life force and stimulates metabolism. It activates the base and sacral chakras and helps with frigidity, impotence, lower back disorders, kidneys and arthritis. This stone is also beneficial for blood and circulation and it enhances memory and alleviates depression. It can be helpful for tissue and bone regeneration and appetite disorders.

Placing a piece of Carnelian by the front door brings abundance into the home and invokes protection. Carnelian also has the ability to cleanse other stones. Carnelian is a form of chalcedony and exists as orange, red, pink or brown translucent pebbles. It is abundant in nature and can be found in India, Brazil, Uruguay, Peru, Russia, Romania, Czech Republic and Iceland.

Amber - The Second (Sacral) Chakra Stone

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 16:00:08 +0100

Beautiful Amber is not actually a crystal, but is solidified tree resin that has become fossilized. This stone was used to protect warriors in ancient times, and the oldest amber beads were found in graves dating back to 8000 BCE. Amber unites the warming energy of the Sun with strong connections of the Earth to provide a potent grounding and cleansing energy.

A powerful protector, Amber guards against psychic vampirism and provides a protective shield to prevent healers from taking on a client's pain. It is a wonderful healing stone for drawing disease out of the body and assists in revitalizing tissue. Amber cleanses the environment and the chakras. This stone supports clearing of problems associated with the second (sacral) chakra. It draws negative energy away from the body so that it can heal itself.

Emotionally, Amber eases stress, aids depression, and stimulates memory and decision-making. It brings about a positive mental state, and helps fulfill dreams and goals. Physically, Amber is wonderful for vitality and self-healing. It helps heal throat issues, and aids the stomach, spleen, liver and kidney. It can also alleviate joint problems and strengthen mucus membranes. The gem elixir has antibiotic properties, and is excellent for wound healing.

Amber is opaque or transparent with insects or vegetation trapped inside. It is available in yellow, orange or golden-brown, and can be found in Poland, Italy, Lithuania, Britain, Romania, Germany and Russia.

Black Tourmaline - Root (First) Chakra Stone

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 16:16:29 +0100

This crystal, commonly known as Schorl, is the most effective blocker of negativity, curses, and psychic attacks. A highly protective stone, Black Tourmaline picks up any negativity or disharmony in the environment, and transforms it into positive energy. This gemstone resonates with the root chakra and provides a wonderful grounding energy, while increasing physical vitality.

Black Tourmaline is an excellent deflector of electromagnetic energy, radiation, and cell phone emanations. Wear this stone as jewelry, or place it between yourself and the electromagnetic source for the most beneficial protection. It clears blockages and draws off negativity by placing the point of the crystal away from you. You can also use this gemstone in protective grids around the house.

Black Tourmaline clears tension, stress and negative thoughts. It relieves anxiety and helps with embarrassment. This stone brings about a positive, laid-back attitude no matter what the circumstances. It also promotes clear thinking, creativity, practicality and an objective attitude.

Physically, Black Tourmaline strengthens the immune system, helps arthritis and detoxification, and defends against debilitating disease. It balances male-female energy and helps hand-eye coordination. It is also good for realigning the spinal column and for pain relief, and can help treat dyslexia.

Black Tourmaline is the black form of Tourmaline which also comes in a variety of other colors including green, pink, watermelon, brown, red, yellow and blue. It is a shiny, opaque, striated crystal that is commonly found in Sri Lanka, Brazil, India, Africa, US, Australia, Italy and Afghanistan.

Hematite - First (Root) Chakra Stone

Tue, 28 May 2013 14:47:10 +0100

Grounding Hematite is said to be a great protector and it strengthens the body and improves resistance to life's stresses. Resonating with the root chakra, Hematite encourages one's survival instincts. Hematite also inspires inner life and helps to keep inward peace. It enhances personal magnetism and dissolves negativity while also preventing negative energies from entering the body.

Hematite harmonizes the body, mind and spirit. It protects the soul and grounds it back into the body during out of body journeys. Hematite balances meridians and protects the aura. It is good for legal situations, and improving relationships. It gives strength, supports timid women, and boosts self-esteem. Hematite may also be useful in overcoming addictions and compulsions. This stone aids focus and concentration and is good for stimulating the memory and working through problems.

Physically, Hematite has a connection with the blood. It aids anemia, regulates blood supply, and helps with circulatory problems such as Reynaud's disease. This stone can also be used to help broken bones, backaches, leg cramps and insomnia. Hematite should not be used for long periods of time, or where inflammation is present.

Wearing a Hematite ring on the left hand (in right-handed people) helps boost intuition and metaphysical awareness. I also like to use Hematite rings as stands for my crystal spheres because of its grounding and protecting qualities.

Hematite, also known as Iron Oxide, can be red, silver, or gray, and is shiny when polished. It can have magnetic properties, and is readily available in Britain, Morocco, Italy, Sweden, Brazil and Canada.

Red Jasper - First (Root) Chakra Stone

Thu, 16 May 2013 13:36:24 +0100

This wonderfully calming stone is a staple in Native American medicine bags, and makes an excellent worry stone. Jasper is known as the "supreme nurturer". This family of gemstones provides support during periods of stress, enhances dream recall and shamanic journeying, and offers protection.

Red Jasper resonates with the root chakra and brings grounding energy. It connects one to the Earth and can bring a better understanding to the necessity of natural events. It is gently stimulating and helps to rectify unjust situations. It can also shed light on problems and provide insight on how to handle them. This gemstone helps with quick thinking and organization, imparts determination, and helps transform ideas into action.

Known as "a stone of health", Red Jasper cleanses the aura and aligns the chakras. It strengthens and detoxifies the circulatory system, blood, and liver. It can also aid in dissolving blockages in the liver and bile ducts. This stone helps to balance the mineral content in the body, and can prolong sexual pleasure. Red Jasper is an opaque, patterned variety of quartz that is colored red by inclusions of iron oxide. It is fairly common and can be found worldwide. Jasper is available in other colors including brown, green, blue, purple, and yellow. It can also be found in banded and patterned varieties such as Leopardskin Jasper, Mookaite Jasper, Orbicular Jasper and Picture Jasper.

French sorrel, nettle... the spring is here!

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 18:20:18 +0100

Back in the days when vitamin supplements were not available and fruits and vegetables weren't dragged over the Equator, people really looked forward to spring and first vitamin packed greens: spinach, French sorrel, nettle... French sorrel is a very unique plant with quite a bit of pleasant tartness, similar to lemon. If you find it in a garden store, plant it in full sun and it will keep coming back year after year. In addition to having a pleasant taste, it promotes digestion. Sorrel is great in sauces, pies (think Rhubarb!) and salads.

If you lucky enough to find nettle growing wild ( Appalachian Trail /Broadwalk in Warwick! ) - bring along some gloves: raw nettle can sting your skin. It's not harmful, just a bit unpleasant.

Light nettle and sorrel soups are very popular in Europe. Here is one version for you. My kids call it French Egg Drop Soup... If you don't know what French sorrel or nettle is and don't want to find out, then use organic spinach instead.

French Sorrel Spring Soup

6-8 cups of organic vegetable broth
3 medium potatoes, cut into small pieces
Large bunch of French sorrel, nettle or spinach, chopped. Nettle and spinach are not as tart as sorrel.
2 eggs, beaten with a 1 ts of apple cider vinegar

Cook potatoes in the boiling broth until done - don’t overcook. Add sorrel and then slowly add the eggs, stirring all the time. Done!
This is almost as easy as opening a can!

Classic Russian Sour Cabbage (Sauerkraut) and How to Make it

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 18:25:13 +0100

What do yogurt, kefir, kombucha, kimchi, and Sauerkraut have in common? They all are fermented, pro-biotic foods that contain live culture. For all of us out there who have depleted the levels of "good" bacteria in our bodies due to the use of antibiotics, or poor eating habits, these foods are great to restore the balance.

It's easy- although a bit time consuming - to make Sour Cabbage at home. It tastes way better than the mushy store bought kind, and most importantly, it has all the good bacteria that makes it so healthy and good for you.

You'll need:
A gallon size jar, a large dish for mixing
About 6.5-7 Lbs of cabbage (late harvest type if possible)
50-60 grams of salt - non-iodized!
Gray salt is the best
You can add carrots (can be up to 1/4 of the cabbage weight),
Bay leaves, caraway seeds- optional
For a spicy kind: garlic, pepper, etc - optional

Slice the cabbage thin, leaving the center part out, grate the carrots if using, mix all the ingredients together in a large open dish or basin. Keep mixing and squeezing by hand until juices run. When done, place in the glass jar (you can use an enameled bucket - not plastic), pack it tight. Make sure you do not fill the jar all the way to the top - the juices will need room. Cover with clean whole cabbage leaves, then cover with cheese cloth, then put a press on top (another jar filled with water will do). Place the jar onto a plate (again, since the juices may run over the top) and keep at room temperature for about 3-4 days. On the next day (or when the foam forms on the top), you'll need to puncture the cabbage all the way to the bottom in several spots with a knife or a rolling pin or a long wooden spoon handle. This is a very important step. You'll need to do it 3 times a day. Then you can move the jar to a cooler place for about 2 weeks. Or you can keep it in the warm place and once it's done, cover with a lid and put into a fridge. The Sauerkraut is ready when the foam is gone and the juice are gone and the top layer is slightly wilted.

The process of Sour Cabbage making requires a presence of a "good" bacteria. Sometimes a wrong bacteria gets in and the cabbage comes out slimy smelling funny. You can still use the final product, however, it will have to be rinsed first and then cooked (in soups, stir-fries, etc)

Here is a quicker version of Sour Cabbage:

For 1 gallon jar of Sauerkraut:
1 head of cabbage,
3 large carrots,
2 tbSp salt
1 tbSp sugar - optional, but that's what speeds up the process
700ml of warm water

Slice and grate cabbage and carrots, mix it up. Dissolve salt and sugar in water. Pack cabbage into a jar and pour the liquid over. Keep at a room temperature for 3 days, puncturing all the way through daily. After 3 days transfer to the fridge. It's done!

Foods You May Not Know About: Kefir

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 19:19:39 +0100

In our last blog we talked about Kombucha - a very powerful probiotic. What are probiotics and why they are so important?

Probiotics are friendly bacteria similar to those found in people's guts, especially in the guts of breastfed infants who have been provided this natural protection against many diseases by their mothers. Most friendly bacteria come from the Lactobacillus or Bididobacterium groups. There are several different species of bacteria in each group. Some probiotics are also friendly yeasts.

Taking probiotics is a way to keep your friendly bacteria population up to full strength so it is always at the ready to defend you. It is a way to replenish the bacteria that are killed off by the pesticides and chlorine. If you have taken antibiotics, taking probiotics is even more important because you probably have unfriendly microorganisms living in your gut that your reduced levels of friendly bacteria are having difficulty handling. Taking probiotics will increase and strengthen your friendly bacteria population to a level that will allow it to oust the intruders.

Kefir is another probiotic and may be the best one out there! It is a creamy, drinkable yogurt style fermented milk. Kefir is believed to have its origins in the Caucasus Mountains. It is prepared by inoculatin cow, goat, or sheep's milk with kefir grains. Traditional kefir was made in skin bags that were hung near a doorway; the bag would be knocked by anyone passing through the doorway to help keep the milk and kefir grains well mixed. Marco Polo mentioned kefir when recounting his travels.

Kefir tastes something like buttermilk. Before you say "yuck" please note that is available at health food stores in natural fruit flavors and sweetened with evaporated cane juice, as well as in a plain, unsweetened variety. If you make it at home, it can be made to taste like whatever appeals to you and out of whatever type of milk you like, such as almond milk or coconut milk. It's full of naturally occurring bacteria and yeast living in symbiosis as the result of the fermentation process. Kefir is loaded with vitamins, minerals and easily digested protein. It can even be consumed by the lactose intolerant because the yeast and bacteria provide the enzyme lactase, an enzyme which consumes most of the lactose left after the culturing process.

Kefir is fermented by kefir grains that contain the bacteria and yeast mixture clumped together with casein (milk protein) and complex sugars. The bacteria and yeast mixture can actually colonize the intestinal tract, a feat that yogurt cannot match. Several of the strains of bacteria in the kefir culture are not found in yogurt. The yeast in kefir is able to deal effectively with pathogenic yeasts in the body. The bacteria/yeast team cleanses and fortifies the intestinal tract making it more efficient at resisting pathogens.

The health benefits of kefir are almost too numerous to relate, as it is something of an original “superfood.” It is teeming with billions (yes, billions) of probiotic cultures and bacteria (the happy healthy kind) and is a tremendous source of protein and calcium.

Because kefir is a balanced and nourishing food, it has been used to help patients suffering from AIDS, chronic fatigue syndrome, herpes, and cancer. It has a tranquilizing effect on the nervous system and is beneficial for people with sleep disorders, depression and ADHD. Kefir promotes healthy bowel movements when used regularly, and helps reduce flatulence. It also helps reduce food cravings by allowing the body to feel more nourished and balanced.