Allergies? And What's So Important About Your Lymph?

I have lots of new things to share from the homeopathy and herbal worlds. Low energy or seasonal allergies can make you miserable, but there are some great solutions that come in liquid form, so that means less pills. This seems to be a strong pollen year here in many places, so let me know if you need some relief. Allergies can be handled at a root cause level.

You don’t need energy drinks, but you can jumpstart your energy and metabolism at a cellular level using homeopathic remedies, herbal medicine or nutritional supplements. This is one way to handle inflammation. I am using some homeopathy that directly influences the cells to make more ATP, which is cellular fuel for function.

Speaking of inflammation, how about a Lymph detox? The Lymphatic system is the white blood cell system in your body, and you have a number of sites like thyroid, spleen, tonsils and Lymph nodes that have lymphocytes, the cells of the Lymphatic system. It is an integral part of the immune system and carries lymph to the heart and carries away cellular waste products.

In Asia and Europe, lymphatic drainage is ofter performed to clean out the lymph system. There is a homeopathic lymph remedy that will help clear out the Lymph system. This may clear out old “stuff” and maybe even illnesses that have left a residue in the system.

There are reputed beauty benefits because the lymph does help remove toxins that affect skin. The Japanese beauty company Shiseido found a link between lymph and sagging skin. iCongested lymph vessels may cause swelling called “lymphedema” and this may contribute to skin sagging.

Anything that rids the body of waste products is bound to produce healthier skin, and enhanced immunity, so there is no downside to supporting this vital organ system.

Traditionally, lymphatic drainage is performed through massage. But not everyone has access to a massage therapist or acupuncturist trained in the technique. So, I am very excited about these homeopathic remedies to flush out the lymph system. Let me know if you want to find out more and order for yourself.

Happy St. Patrick's Day-How the Potato Became Irish and Changed History

Like many Americans of my generation, I grew up with a number of Irish families with names like Kelly, O’Shea, O’Donovan, and Murray. Our Parish priests were Father Cavanaugh and Father O’Malley. Sure, our Church was full of second and third generation Irish immigrants.

My Great-grandparents met on the Ship that brought them from Ireland to New York in the 1880’s. They were not part of the Great Migration of Irish that saw so many Irish fleeing starvation a few years earlier. The estimate is that one-quarter of the population of Ireland, or2.1 million Irish, left between 1845-1852, and 95% went to America. 70% found homes in northern American states and cities like New York, Boston, and Chicago.i

The Irish of the 1800’s were dependent on the potato crop as their staple diet. Potatoes are not native to Ireland or even northern Europe. Potatoes are native to the Peruvian Andes. They were unknown in Europe until the end of the 16th Century.

In 1589, Sir Walter Raleigh (the famous English explorer who was granted permission from Queen Elizabeth I to explore Virginia) planted potatoes on his estate in Ireland. His chefs did not know how to cook the strange looking tubers and they included the stems and leaves, which are poisonous, and caused everyone who ate the dish to get sick. France went so far as to ban potatoes for a time, blaming them for causing leprosy.

It took another 150 years for potatoes to become acceptable food in Europe. Potatoes are much easier and less labor intensive as a starch and carbohydrate crop than wheat. Wheat must be turned into bread or noodles to be eatable. Potatoes are ready to cook, or even eat raw, right from the ground. A family could raise enough potatoes on an acre of land to feed themselves for a year.

The “blight” that caused the Great Famine in Ireland was a fungus that originated in Mexico, and was carried to Ireland by ship. Shortly after the potatoes were picked they morphed into a black soggy goo. Irish Catholics were forbidden to own land, and were itinerant farmers on English-owned estates. They had no other food, so families starved.ii

Despite the 36 grams of carbs in a medium sized potato, they are surprisingly nutritious. Potatoes have Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Folate, Niacin and many minerals. They have 3 grams of fiber, and many antioxidants. The calories depend on how the potatoes are cooked, but average is 161 calories, if no additional fat is added in cooking.

Of course, potatoes are extremely versatile, and often delicious!

Should you eat potatoes? If you are on a Paleo or Keto regimen, potatoes would be precluded. French Fries, as fried foods, are obviously not the healthiest choice, particulary if fried in vegetable or seed oils. I once ate potato chips fried fresh in Spanish olive oil on the beach in Malaga. It was such a treat that I have never been able to eat a commercial potato chip since.

I do love potatoes in other dishes, and I will indulge on occasion, with no guilt, knowing that they are pretty healthy. Since they aren’t stripped of their nutrients like wheat is, potatoes may be a good choice if you decide to enjoy some carbs.

However, there is a great lesson from the Potato Famine about relying on single foods instead of a diverse and varied diet. Don’t count French Fries if you are trying to eat your five or more servings of vegetables and fruits a day!

Ireland today has some of the riches grassland in the world, and their dairy products are sublime. The country is considered one of the most beautiful in the world. The greens of Ireland seem unique to that land and like no other place on Earth.

If you would like a relaxing peek at Ireland, here is a video to give you a taste. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEZ43nPixEo

Whether you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day or not, I wish you the Luck of the Irish!

ihttps://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/great-famine-emigration-ireland

iihttps://www.sarahwoodbury.com/how-did-the-potato-get-to-ireland/

Herbal Aphrodisiacs For Valentine's Day

As usual, we have been provided with many natural substances to enhance our health and improve our body’s ability to have a full life. Certainly sex is a part of that and a powerful sexual response enhances a relationship. In ancient cultures, where the birth of children was a celebration and future prosperity, enhancement of sexuality was often religious, and attributed to the gods and goddesses of fertility, with a little assistance from the herbal healers.

An aphrodisiac is any plant or food substance that enhances pleasure, desire, or performance of sex. The word comes from Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of Love.

The herbal world provides a variety of choices for both males and females. Some of these herbs were probably discovered when humans noticed how animals responded to plants in the wild. It isn’t surprising that the attributes of plants that made animals frisky were explored by the human observers.

For example, a common male sexual enhancer is Horny Goat Weed. Saw Palmetto helps with male reproductive organs and is often used for prostate health. Panax Ginseng has long been associated with longevity, as well as male reproduction and stamina. Panax means “all healing” in Greek. Tribulus increases testosterone in men and estrogen in women, so it is a general herbal hormone tonic.

For women, Saffron has a history of enhancing female sexual desire. Damiana is another female libido enhancer. Organic Oats milky seed extract improves arousal in women.

Maca, often used as an energy-enhancing herb, also improves sexual arousal in both men and women.

Gaia Professional Formulas has created herbal combinations for both men and women. For women, there is Arousal Restore Formula and for men, Male Libido.

Balancing male and female hormones would be an important component, and there are herbs that enhance testosterone or estrogen/progesterone production.

For men, issues of sexual stamina or arousal may be related to circulation, so improving and strengthening the vascular system may be considered.

Beyond the herbal world there are other natural ways to enhance romance. Don’t forget back rubs with coconut oil, or other raw oils scented with your favorite essential oil scent.

And then there is the time-tested and plant-based reliable; Chocolate. The scent and flavor may be enough for many women!

Happy Valentine’s Day and may you have all the romance you desire.

Dampen The Flames of Inflammation

There are classic signs of inflammation; swelling, congestion, headaches, and pain. This is a sign that there is too much “stuff” in an area, and not enough room for the stuff to fit, so it presses on nerves and causes pain. It’s a dashboard light signaling that something should be done.

Taking pain-killers, without getting to the root cause, is very short-sighted, and may cause more problems in the long run since livers and kidneys have to detoxify from the chemical medication.

Sometimes inflammation is hidden, but it reveals itself on blood tests as elevated CRP or Homocysteine. Then the real detective work has to happen to find out where the inflammation is occurring to the extent that is shows up in the blood.

Allergies are another form of inflammation, whether they are seasonal allergies from the environment, food allergies or sensitivities, or digestive symptoms causing bloating and cramping.

The pharmaceutical answer to high levels of inflammation is steroid drugs that work on the adrenal glands. There are long-term side-effects and this never gets to the real reason for the inflammation. It is sometimes needed temporarily.

Chronic inflammation can be affected by food sensitivities or by any type of protein or particle that passes through the lungs or lining of the digestive tract that the body needs to get rid off. If normal pathways (breathing out through the lungs or normal digestion) don’t work, the body may collect fluids and put out body-chemicals like histamine in the area.

Pathogens can also cause inflammation. Sometimes there is a low-grade viral, parasitical, fungal, or bacterial infection that is keeping you inflamed, but not causing obvious symptoms of illness. These tax the immune system, and can flare up when you are extra-stressed, or exposed to new pathogens.

Inflammation is a pretty natural response for the body and it is not a problem if the body can resolve the situation quickly. It is not always comfortable for us, though. Symptoms may range from uncomfortable to unbearable.

The right way to handle inflammation is always to find out the source of the problem. It is the immune system that is responding to the stimulus, and that keeps the immune system fired up. The immune system should be in a relaxed but vigilant mode, not cranked up on high. Inflammation may be at the root of autoimmune situations that develop, also.

So, if you experience symptoms, or your blood work shows high levels of inflammation, let’s figure out the cause. That will give you a smarter immune system that is not so stressed, relieve your symptoms, and enhance your longevity.