Grow-It-Yourself Alfalfa Sprouts More Fun Than They Sound

An ACHS student post on our Facebook has prompted us to update an earlier post about sprouts.

Alfalfa sprouts are a valuable source of vitamins A, C, E, and K, and the minerals calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and iron[1]. Sprouts have also been shown to include concentrated amounts of phytochemicals, which support optimal health and wellness.

Alfalfa sprouts are easy to grow and make flavorful additions to raw-food meals like salads, sandwiches, and main dishes like quinoa tabouleh. Other kinds of sprouts, like broccoli sprouts and Brussels sprouts, make crunchy, flavorful additions to cooked dishes (or roasted in a little garlic, olive oil, and sea salt as a side dish).

Read directions for how to grown your own alfalfa, in our earlier post here.

For more tips about how to eat sprouts and fun, family-friendly growing projects (like broccoli sprouts) download your free copy of the ACHS Wellness Guide here.

[1] For a clinical summary of the health benefits and potential contraindications of sprouts, read the Sloan Kettering website here.

Practical Aromatherapy: Using Aromatherapy to Help Attract Home Buyers

Experts say selling your home takes a little luck and a lot of preparation. With a gaggle of homes currently on the market, spending that extra time to make the best first impression may make all the difference. It certainly couldn’t hurt!

To prepare your home, realtors suggest taking several steps to present an organized, clutter-free and clean home, including cleaning out your drawers and cabinets, making minor repairs, and deep cleaning.

Part of deep cleaning is scent. For example, it’s important to clean out drains so they look nice, but also because hidden debris can encourage mold and an accompanying musty smell. A little tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) essential oil diluted in water can be an effective, chemical-free alternative to more traditional cleaning products. Plus, it smells better than synthetic cleaners and room sprays used to mask odors.

You may also want to diffuse some essential oil into the air before you show your home. This can help to freshen the air and to encourage a positive first impression. There are many essential oils to choose from, but you may want to select an oil that has general appeal, that is a familiar, and that is uplifting, such as bergamot (Citrus aurantium var. bergamia), geranium (Pelargonium graveolens), mandarin (Citrus reticulata), neroli (Citrus aurantium var. amara), and ylang ylang (Cananga odorata).

Watch Aromatherapy Blending from ACHStv next!

Electrical Products And Accessories: A Brief Introduction

Electrical ProductsElectrical products and accessories include the various electric articles which help in facilitating the working of other major electric appliances and products. Thus, these products together, actually play a vital role in each and every electronic product, no matter how big or small. Cable joint kit, connectors, junction box etc. all are a part of the electronic accessories. Discussed here are few electrical gadgets and accessories. Have a look:


Electric Circuit Connectors
Electric circuit connectors are the small connectors used for joining different kinds of electronic circuits. These can be used for temporary as well as permanent electric attachments.

Electric Insulators
Electric insulators refer to the element which blocks the flow of electric current around it. These are basically used for insulating electric conductors amongst one another to restrict electric currents within specified pathways. These are popularly used in electric switch gears, insulation of wires and electric components.

Electric Switches
Electric switches refer to the mechanical or electric instrument which facilitates the breaking or changing of connections in an electronic circuit. Now-a-days electric switches are available in a number of innovative designs and styles.

Junction Boxes
Junction boxes are the containers used for covering electrical connections. These also prevent deter tampering and safeguard the open connections from rain, etc. One can even get them custom made as per the required terminals for joining.

ACSR Conductor
Aluminum clad steel reinforced core or ACSR conductors are generally used for overhead power distribution. Places where it is difficult to set in underground wires, ACSR conductors are used as worthy alternatives. It is relatively easy to install them in various geographical terrains like forests, hills or sea coasts.

Lamp Poles
Lamp poles and lamp shades form an integral part of the electrical accessories. These are the structural frames on which the light bulbs are fitted for utility as well as decorative purposes. The designs are thus, crafted in tandem with the latest trends and fashion. Also, the electric accessories manufacturers constantly work towards innovating better utility products for the customers.


Quinoa: A recipe for health

Is quinoa (KEEN-wah) the new couscous? Seems to be. It’s all over the Web—quinoa, the new must-have ingredient. And why not? It has great flavor. It has great texture. It has a simple no-fuss, no-muss presentation and is easy to make.

Why not?, indeed. No reason we can think of! Quinoa is a rich source of fiber, higher in protein than many other grains, and a good source of iron and magnesium. Plus, it cooks quickly, is relatively inexpensive, and is versatile—you can make quinoa as a side dish or add savory ingredients for a main dish. You can even use quinoa in place of rice, as the American Dietetic Association recommends.

Far from “new,” quinoa is native to South America and the “Andean Indians who first cultivated it call it ‘the mother grain,’” the Atlantic explains in a recent article, “Quinoa: The Story of a Cursed Crop.” Quinoa, the article explains, “provides 50 percent more energy than potatoes” and “is the only staple crop that provides a full suite of amino acids.” But the journey from ‘mother grain’ to American staple was not an easy one. Click here to read the Atlantic’s two-part article about quinoa’s journey from South America to our dinner plates.

Also, check out Well, The New York Times health and wellness blog, for the September 24 post “There’s Something About Quinoa.” Blogger Tara Parker-Pope includes several links to quinoa-based recipes like stir-fried quinoa with vegetables and tofu.

One small note: The American Diabetes Association (ADA) website warns that for people with Celiac disease, “quinoa may not be entirely safe.” Instead, the ADA suggests a rice-based pasta or a potato-rice pasta.

What are your favorite quinoa recipes? Post them here and together we'll build a Healthy Cooking with Quinoa collection!

*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This article has been provided for educational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Ben & Jerry's Has Opted to Remove "All Natural" Label

A short news article announced that Ben & Jerry's has opted to remove the "All Natural" label from their products.

Though the company, which has more than a 30 year history, does use hormone-free milk and cage free eggs, and has reportedly committed to using only fair trade products by 2013, a spokesman for the company "told Shots, the company pulled the labels to avoid engaging in a debate over what's natural and what's not."

The FDA does not expressly define what 'natural' does and does not mean. Rather, they say on their website Q & A that "it is difficult to define a food product that is 'natural' because the food has probably been processed and is no longer the product of the earth. That said, FDA has not developed a definition for use of the term natural or its derivatives. However, the agency has not objected to the use of the term if the food does not contain added color, artificial flavors, or synthetic substances."

The Center for the Science in the Public Interest, however, who contacted Ben & Jerry's and requested the label "All Natural" be removed, noted in their press release that there are "plenty of ingredients that really are 'natural' are still bad for your health, such as the artery-clogging cream that is the main ingredient in Ben & Jerry's ice cream."

So the question seems to be, how are we defining 'natural'? When it comes to our food, does the label 'natural' reflect origin or a relative lack of potential "bad for your health" properties?

> Read the full-length NPR article "Ben & Jerry's Takes 'All Natural' Claims Off Ice Cream Labels" here.

> Here is a link to the FDA Q & A website "What is the meaning of 'natural' on the label of food?".

The Essentials of Starting a Small Business

Small BusinessPeople often tend to set up small businesses after retirement for a regular source of income in the dusk of their lives. In fact, most of the entrepreneurs start small with their enterprises and then bloom it up slowly and steady into a bigger firm. Though, there are certain cardinal pointers which one should follow to start up a successful business. Mentioned here are few suggestions which can help in setting up a small business while simultaneously minimizing the risks associated with it.

Starting Small Is Wise
It is always wise to start up a business with small capital. No matter how much money you have at your disposal, but start by investing a small amount as gambling with huge amounts can be too risky.

Have a Job to Lean Back
As a first timer in business, the safest bet is to have a secure job in hand so that if the business does not work out, you have a regular supply of money as a financial back up thorough your job. Also if you plan to start a business after your retirement, it rather wise to start it few years before the retirement for, the business would be would be up and running by the time you actually retire.

Prior Industry Research
Try to grasp as much as you can about the industry you are getting into as it would obviously help in broadening your mental horizons and understanding the business better. Get to know the ins and outs of the industry and brace yourself to dive into the business world.

Proper Filing of Documents is Necessary
It is rather essential to put the documents separately for personal expenses and business expenses so as to track them conveniently when required. Same should be followed for income files as well.

Have an Eager-Beaver Attitude
At the start of every business one needs to put in extra efforts to inculcate the nitty-grtties of that particular field into the day to day operations. It is the craving for learning which actually takes people to places. Hence an eager-beaver attitude is necessary while setting up starting up a new business.


B2B Business Resources:

Trade Leads | Business Directory | Product Catalogs

Bee Venom Therapy for Scars | scartreatmentblog.com

A short article - look at the before and after photos at the end of the article - impressive!

Bee Venom Therapy for Scars | scartreatmentblog.com

"According to limited sources* bee venom therapy (BVT) is an effective scar treatment. * (Singh, Ratner et al and Lee)
Having scars stung by bees resulted in improvement of scar appearance by reducing, soften, and flatten scar tissue, and toning down the color of the scar.
Of the 18 substances present in bee venom the enzyme hyaluronidase is mainly held accountable for these results. Also internal scar tissue is thought to benefit from this alternative therapy.
“Charles Mraz, a beekeeper in Middlebury, Vermont who has popularized bee venom therapy for the past 60 years, says that it is reasonable to try bee venom therapy in any clinical situation where nothing else works.” [...] “Keloids and other scar tissue are broken down and softened by the substances in the venom, and can flatten out and fade in color.” source: CareCure Forums
This alternative scar treatment isn’t suitable for people who are allergic to bee stings so the first step should be an allergy test.
More info and before and after photo’s of someone who has actually applied bee stings to a scar here: before and after."
  

Bee Products Used to Treat Ulcers, High Blood Pressure, Acne, Constipation, Allergies

Just in time for the cold season - "A study by Pennsylvania State College of Medicine in the US found that honey outperformed over-the-counter cough medicine."

Apitherapy News: Bee Products Used to Treat Ulcers, High Blood Pressure, Acne, Constipation, Allergies


Honey is Nature's Gold
By Gloria Havenhand, Daily Express (UK), 9/21/2010

MOTHER Nature has made honey so sweet and comforting, so thick and syrupy with such a soothing texture that we often don’t give its medical qualities a second thought.
Yet its sweetness is one of its healing secrets. It contains the dynamic duo of glucose, which is an instant energiser, and fructose, which builds reserve energy. The bee delivers energy to us in a concentrate that is pre-digested, ready to act on our metabolism. According to research on athletes it provides energy within seven minutes. 
Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, prescribed honey for cleaning wounds and healing ulcers in 400BC but it fell out of favour following the discovery of penicillin in 1928.
In recent years the growth in superbugs such as MRSA has seen honey come to the rescue for everything from abscesses and fungal infections to post-surgery wounds. Many of its medicinal, antibacterial and healing properties still baffle scientists but as a general immune-booster and a remedy for coughs, colds and sore throats it is well known.
A study by Pennsylvania State College of Medicine in the US found that honey outperformed over-the-counter cough medicine.

Here are some ways honey can help us:
Wounds
Not only does honey stop cross-infection, it also prevents contamination moving on to other wounds.
Research by the University of Sydney in Australia in 2007 concluded that honey dressings should be used as a first choice, although the type of honey used is important as some have up to 100 times more antibacterial properties than others.
At the Children’s Hospital in Bonn, Germany, MRSA infection of a wound in one child was treated for 12 days with an antiseptic which saw no improvement. Australian antibacterial honey cleared it after two days.

Blood pressure
Borage honey contains the herb borage, which works in a similar way to statin drugs prescribed to lower blood pressure. Borage widens the arteries and the engorged blood supplies deliver feelings of wellbeing and energy.
Take two teaspoonfuls whenever the mood takes you but remember, a teaspoon of honey contains 22 calories, whereas the same amount of sugar contains 15.

Gastric (peptic) ulcers
This painful condition is caused by a bacterium attacking the stomach wall.
Honey sticks to the lining of the stomach preventing further damage.
Two teaspoons of honey up to three times a day stops ulcer damage according to research published by the US National Library of Medicine in Maryland.
Constipation
Liquid honey has a mild laxative effect, especially appropriate for constipation associated with ageing and bloating caused by a diet rich in processed food.

Healthy heart
Honey has minute traces of acetylcholine which helps transmit nerve impulses throughout the body.
Measure your pulse, then take two to three teaspoons of honey 30 minutes before bed for two to three weeks.
Take your pulse again and you should notice the difference. Your pulse should be lower and more stable.

Here’s how the other bee products can benefit us:
PROPOLIS
Bees decorate the insides of their hives with a protective “wallpaper” called propolis.
It is an effective healer, germ-buster and rapid rescue treatment and is available in cream, liquid essence, spray and capsule form. Propolis cream can be applied to skin to treat psoriasis, eczema, acne and allergy rashes.
Mouth and gum infections can be alleviated by taking 30 drops of propolis essence, three or four times a day.
Dilute in warm water and gargle for sore throats and laryngitis. One drop a day during autumn and winter can act as a preventative measure against colds and flu.
Propolis also has an anti-inflammatory effect and three or four capsules a day can reduce joint pain.
POLLEN
If bees put their heads down millions of flowers, why don’t they get hay fever? The answer is because they are surrounded by nature’s own antihistamine, bee pollen.
Once bee pollen is inside your bloodstream, your body starts developing immunity to it. Adults should take four to six pollen capsules a day from March to September or two to three teaspoons of pollen-laden honey per day. This type of honey looks cloudy around the rim and may marble the whole jar.
ROYAL JELLY
This white, creamy substance, responsible for giving the queen bee an elegant, long body and long life, has a list of nutrients but scientists can’t work out its complete formula.
Royal jelly may help the brain stay young. It contains a compound called acetylcholine, which is used to send messages through the nerve network.
Levels of this transmitter decrease as we get older causing memory loss and a lack of concentration.
It is also a good source of vitamin B5, which is held in high esteem for both its de-stressing and its anti-ageing effects.
BEESWAX
This expensive wax is high in beta-carotene, a bioflavonoid that is converted by the body into vitamin A, good for skin conditions such as acne.
Beeswax also contains antibacterial, anti-fungal and antioxidant properties, which is why it is applied to wounds and sores as a barrier against further injury.
It is used in medical lubricants applied during clinical examinations and for protective coverings.
Slow-release coatings on pills are often made of beeswax. They stop drugs from being digested in the stomach so they reach the intestinal tract where they can be more effective.
Extracted by KATE BOHDANOWICZ from Honey by Gloria Havenhand (Kyle Cathie £12.99). To order with free UK delivery, call 0871 988 8367 (10p/min from BT landlines) with your card details, send a cheque payable to Express Newspapers to: The Express Bookshop, PO Box 200, Falmouth TR11 4WJ or order via www.expressbookshop.co.uk

Moroccan Argan Oil Antioxidant-Rich, Potential Skin and Dietary Support

Do you use argan (Argania spinosa) oil?

Also called Morocco ironwood, argan oil is from the soapwood family and has a history that can be traced back more than two million years.

Argan is a culinary oil and a cosmetic oil, and has traditionally been used in both skin and hair care. Medicinally, argan oil has been used to help heal wounds and with rheumatism and arteriosclerosis.

The oil, pressed from the trees’ kernels, contains more than 80% unsaturated fatty acids, vitamin A, and large quantities of vitamin E antioxidants and sterols; it may be very nourishing when used on the skin and may be effective as a dietary supplement.

Currently, there are about 50-60 women’s cooperatives in Morocco producing argan oil the traditional way. These cooperatives are growing in number as a resource for Berber women to revive the traditional hand-pressing method of extracting argan oil and to ensure an income. Read more about the women’s cooperatives on the Targanine website.

Traditionally, argan oil is hand-pressed by the Berber women. First the trees’ fruit pulp is allowed to dry; then it is removed. The remaining nuts are cracked between two stones so the kernels can be used undamaged. The kernels are lightly roasted and then ground by hand. An oily paste forms and the oil is removed through the use of lukewarm water and constant kneading. It is then decanted.

The picture in this blog post is from ACHS President Dorene Petersen, who recently hiked through the Atlas Mountains in Morocco and watched the women hand pressing the oil. Check back with ACHS Facebook for more info from Dorene about the medicinal properties and products of argan oil, and pictures from the women's cooperatives.

Here are some links to recent research articles about potential medicinal properties and uses of argan oil that you may find interesting:

1. Effect of dietary argan oil on fatty acid composition, proliferation, and phospholipase D activity of rat thymocytes

2. Consumption of argan oil (Morocco) with its unique profile of fatty acids, tocopherols, squalene, sterols and phenolic compounds should confer valuable cancer chemopreventive effects

3. Effect of Argan Oil on Platelet Aggregation and Bleeding Time: A Beneficial Nutritional Property

Share your experience using argan oil. Do you prefer it to olive oil? Is it more moisturizing than your traditional skin care base oil?

Sunday is World Heart Day. Take Responsibility for Your Heart Health.

This Sunday, September 26, the World Heart Federation (WHF) celebrates their 10th annual World Heart Day, encouraging everyone to take responsibility for their heart health.

Heart disease and stroke remain the leading cause of death: 17.1 millions lives each year. The WHF launched World Heart Day to inform people of this statistic and to create awareness that "at least 80% of premature deaths from heart disease and stroke could be avoided if the main risk factors, tobacco, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity, are controlled."

"Building on last year and to ensure sustained change," the World Heart Foundation explains, "the World Heart Federation is targeting the workplace to promote heart healthy messages. The Workplace Wellness initiative aims to use the workplace to promote long-term behavioural changes that will benefit employers, employees and communities."

Read through the WHF list of 10 Simple Steps to help live a healthy life and make your workplace healthier.

Then take responsibility for your heart health and initiate a workplace conversation about how to make healthier choices together. An educational approach may be effective. Go into the conversation with a discussion topic, like hawthorn.

Did you know that hawthorn has been shown to help regulate the cardiovascular system? Or that hawthorn berries are harvested in the fall? Our Apothecary Shoppe offers a free, downloadable hawthorn monograph you can share with your friends, family, and coworkers. Download it here.

Live with heart!

Got Drugs? Don't Flush. Drop Them Off at a DEA Take-Back Site.

Got drugs? Perhaps you have some old prescriptions lurking in your medicine cabinet or stuffed into the kitchen junk drawer? Resist the temptation to flush your old medicines. Drop them off instead.

The Drug Enforcement Administration has organized a National Take Back Initiative for this Saturday, September 25. Find a local drop site in your area on the DEA website here.

The FDA says some medicines can be disposed of in the trash by mixing with a substance like coffee grinds and sealing in a container. But many medicines can be harmful, if not fatal, if consumed by someone to whom they have not been prescribed. And flushing medicines down the toilet can also be harmful for the environment and leech into our water supply.

The FDA does have a list of medicines they feel are safe to flush. You can download the list here. But recent studies also suggest that pharmaceuticals can find their way into our lakes, streams, and drinking water. The effect on people and wildlife has yet to be determined. Why take the risk?

Play it safe. Gather your old medicines tonight and drop them off at a DEA take-back location tomorrow morning. We thank you!

What is the Importance of Online Product Catalogs?

A business selling wide range of products understands the importance of a product catalog. When your business gets listed at top business directories and b2b marketplaces, the interested buyers wish to learn more about the products and services your business offers. Product catalogs are expected to solve the purpose of providing product information in a product directory.

Besides, there are many things that make product catalogs important business entities. The digital product catalogs offer a number of advantages that are not offered even by the printed product catalogs. The following sections should help you learn the importance of a product catalog.

Displaying Products in Quality
Printed product catalogs suffer from their expensive nature. A colored catalog may add significantly to the business costs. On the other hand, digital product catalogs allow the businesses to display their product information in color, along with images and other ingredients. So, the importance of a digital product catalog lies in the fact that it displays product information in impressive quality and that too in an inexpensive manner.

Helping Buyers to Serve Their End-Users
In a b2b marketplace, wholesalers and retailers purchase products and services from the manufacturers and suppliers and sell them further to the end-users. A product catalog offered by a manufacturer further helps a buyer to serve his clients and customers in a better way. For example, a furniture seller can download and print the manufacturers’ catalogs and show them to the customers to help them make the right choice. So, product catalogs trigger a chain that offers benefits to all.

Product Information Update
The product catalogs are important as they help the manufacturers and businesses to immediately update their product information. Whenever a new product is introduced by a business, it can be easily added to the online product catalog and it becomes immediately visible to the prospective buyers.

Offline Viewing
Another advantage of product catalogs is that one can download and save them on the hard disk to view later on. In this way, the product database of a business is permanently stored with the intended buyers. And this not only helps in generating sales at present but in future as well.

Increase in Sale
It has been reported by many businesses that product catalogs ultimately lead to increase in sale. The buyers are more convinced with the product information a product catalog offers. Moreover, ordering through product catalogs help the purchasers to save god amount of money. So, more orders are received by the businesses through low-cost product catalogs.

Marketing of Other Products
Even if a buyer search for a business’s product catalog for a particular product, he comes across other products offered by the business as well. This will encourage the buyer to contact the same business if he wishes to buy other products in the future.

A product directory is a place for online marketing and product catalogs are the right marketing tools. You must design attention-grabbing and informative product catalogs that are placed at b2b marketplaces to aim at good exposure for your products and services.

Online Business Opportunities: The Considerations

Online Business OpportunitiesIf you plan to start a business with minimal capital investment, then internet indeed is the medium for you. There are a plenty full of business opportunities that internet offers, that too at the cost of a dime. One can sell a number of tangible products online like dresses, shoes, machines etc. while at the same time one can also find equal amount of exposure and popularity to his or her innovative, idea based services like celebrity haircuts etc. But, selling products online once in a while and creating a permanent, long running business on internet are two different things. Though, whatever the online business opportunity is, there are certain cardinal rules or trends which a start up businessman should ideally follow. Take a look:

-Worthy and Innovative Ideas
Worthy idea is the foundation stone of a successful business. Try and look for a business opportunity in something which people might need. The best way to find a business idea is by keenly observing the day to day activities around you. This might help you identify a problem and come up with an innovative solution to it, thereafter. Well now, this solution or answer to the problem can serve as a business opportunity for you which can easily be cashed in online.

-Apt Platform for the Idea
Searching for an apt platform for your product or service should be a well thought after decision. If you are into bulk buying or selling then registering with an online B2B marketplace can be a great idea. Such platforms are quite successful in providing a bundle full of trade leads to the suppliers and thereby, practically expanding the business on the global level while reaping more and more profits to the businessman. In a B2C case, one can use e-shopping sites or other such platforms for business leads. Hosting an independent website for the product with proper promotion can be all the more better.

-Latest Online Marketing Tools and Trends
To make the most of an online business opportunity, one has to keep himself updated with the latest tools and tactics of online marketing media. Internet being a highly dynamic medium, one has to be on the toes to follow the latest strategies in the industry and reap highest possible benefits from your business.

Apart from the basic online business ventures, there are a number of other business opportunities that can be explored as a viable commercial prospect on internet. Some of them are discussed as under:

Freelancing- This is probably the best suited opportunity for people who do not have much of a business sense but can indeed render a set of quality services to people who need it. Let your services be hired and earn money while sitting at home.

Affiliate Marketing- Affiliate marketing refers to the promotion of various products and services of other brands and earning commissions while making referred sales. This is one of the most popular business concepts on internet today.

Copywriting- If you have a knack for writing then you can actually be loaded with a pile of offers to write for various sites, products and services. Copywriters are always in demand in the online scenario and are paid well too. All one need to do is sit at home and let your writing skills play and articulate with words.

MMR jab resulted in autism symptoms says US court awarding high compensation

The splendid WDDTY emag reports

Childhood vaccines are linked to autism - and here's $20m to prove it

15 September 2010
Vaccines we give to our children are definitively linked to autism. A US court has this week awarded a family a payment of up to $20m as compensation for their daughter who suffered autism after she was given multiple vaccines, including the MMR. The parents of Hannah Poling, now a 13-year-old girl, will receive an immediate $1.5m compensation payment followed by annual sums of $500,000 to pay for her care. The award could easily reach $20m, say prosecutors. Hannah was a normal and healthy child until she was given five vaccinations, including the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) shot, in 2000. Her health declined rapidly and she developed fevers, stopped eating, didn’t respond to stimulus, and started to display symptoms of autism, her parents said. Although the US government accepted liability in 2007, the settlement figure has only recently been agreed. Pro-vaccine groups are quick to point out that Hannah’s is a special case, and that it doesn’t prove an MMR-autism link. They say that Hannah suffered from a rare mitochrondrial disorder that predisposed her to autism. The condition was the result of the vaccine, but was not caused by it, they say. However, there are around 4,800 other vaccine-damage cases waiting to be heard in US courts and, as Time magazine once suggested, it’s not unreasonable to assume that some of the other children could also have Hannah’s same underlying problem. (Source: CBS News, September 9, 2010)

Well, to anyone with half a brain and at least one ear it's been obvious for years that multiple vaccine jabs taken over a short period, or "multi-vaccines" (many vaccines in one jab like the MMR or DPT), are in themselves such a violent assault on the immune system compared with a single vaccine that they are likely to have awful side effects for a percentage of the recipients. That's not to say that I approve even of single vaccines in most cases; many vaccines, for more people than realise it, come at a high price down the road (permanently lowered general immune system), as well as at best conferring only a temporary protection for some of those jabbed.

Any chance of the troglodytes in the BMA conceding that anytime soon and apologising to Dr Andrew Wakefield for hounding him for so many years? Not an earthly.

Oh, and did the statement above - "(the autism) condition was the result of the vaccine, but was not caused by it" - get a hollow laugh from you? That sort of wordsmithing generally comes from a law school or political spinmaster training.

This all comes in the same week as we hear that the UK medical system is planning to use up unwanted stocks of its untested swine flu vaccine on the elderly this winter. The same stuff that contains thiosermal, a mercury-based preservative which GPs practice staff said patients reported to have "caused headaches, sleeplessness and stomach cramps" (and how many not immediately obvious other disorders?)last winter. Come on, the UK's GPs. Take some time to read up about the poisons inside vaccines, and how the stats reveal conclusively that due to better hygiene the diseases being targeted were already largely on their way out BEFORE those vaccines were introduced.

Battlefield Acupuncture: A quick solution to pain


On attending the 2010 American Academy of Medical Acupuncture Symposium, I happened to attend Dr. Niemtzow's presentation of Battlefield Acupuncture. He published a paper dealing with the basic principles of Battlefield Acupuncture in 2001.

This auriculotherapy technique produces a significant attenuation of pain when tiny gold ASP needles are inserted into specific points in the ear following a prescribed sequence: Cingulate Gyrus, Thalamus, Omega 2, Shenmen, and Point Zero.

When Dr. Helms, my Acupuncture Teacher began his course, back in 2004, he told us that after the course, we would never see medicine the way we used to to. And he was right, or course. Physician Acupuncturists such as myself have a broader perspective of medicine than traditionally trained docs. However, what I saw that afternoon in Orlando, Fl was very impressive. In front of hundreds of Physician Acupuncturists he did treatments on about 6 of us, pain went from moderate to severe ( variety of conditions, such as headaches and backpain ) to gone in seconds after Battlefield Acupuncture was tried on them.

At first, I was very incredulous ( I should know better by now! ). I brought the system to my acupuncture practice in Bandon and it worked like a charm. It is impressively effective in eliminating pain.

Dr. Niemtzow's explanation upon how this works is by neural pathways that actually connect the ear to the central nervous system. There needs to be further clinical trials, but the way it looks now, it does offer a great potential to help treat pain.

For more information about Battlefield Acupuncture visit us in our clinic if you live in Oregon. If not, visit your Medical Acupuncturist closer to you trained in it.

Carlos A. Suarez MD, DABMA

Visit Dr. Niemtzow's WEB: www.n5ev.com

Using Aromatherapy in Fall: Bring the Spirit of the Season Indoors

Fall has arrived! And, right on its heels, cooler weather. The good news … there is a lot to love about the fall: pumpkin patches, rich colors, root vegetables, warm herbal teas, and essential oils.

Just as nutritionists recommend eating with the seasons, there are aromatherapeutic essential oils that complement the seasons too. Select spicy, earthy, rich aromas to bring the spirit of the season indoors and to create feelings of warmth. We suggest a blend of sweet orange, cinnamon, ylang ylang, and lemon (the Festive Spice blend from our Apothecary Shoppe).

Sweet orange Citrus sinensis essential oil helps to support emotional well-being and has a sweeter, fruity scent. It blends well with basil, cinnamon, clary sage, clove, lavender, neroli, lemon, and nutmeg. For more information about sweet orange visit here.

Cinnamon Cinnamomum zeylanicum essential oil supports healthy digestion and stress management and has a spicy, earthy aroma. It blends well with ginger, nutmeg, rosemary, frankincense, and the citrus oils. For more information about cinnamon, visit here.

Ylang ylang Cananga odorata essential oil is attributed with analgesic, antidepressant, and aphrodisiac properties. It has a sweet aroma with long-lasting woody undertones and blends well with lavender, bergamot, the citrus oils, and sandalwood. For more information about ylang ylang, visit here.

Lemon Citrus limonum essential oil supports a healthy respiratory system and has a refreshing aroma. It blends well with cedarwood, chamomile, clove, eucalyptus, fennel, juniper, lavender, neroli, oakmoss, petitgrain, pine, sandalwood, and ylang ylang. For more information about lemon, visit here.

Festive Spice Blend
6 drops Sweet Orange
1 drop Cinnamon
2 drops Ylang Ylang
1 drop Lemon

We hope your first day of fall is fantastic and look forward to hearing more about your fall aromatherapy blends. Post any blending tips, photos, recipes …. here!

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Planting Herbs in the Fall: Which Herbs Are Best for Your Zone?

It’s the first day of fall (already!). Can you believe how quickly the seasons are passing? Of course, it may feel a bit more of a dramatic shift here in Portland, Oregon, because we had a short summer. Cooler temperatures than normal and more rain.

But it looks like fall is here. The leaves are turning from crisp greens to fiery jewel tones and the air has more moisture. The rain in coming! But before the weather turns for good, it’s time to plant our fall herbs. Planting in the fall gives herbs the chance to root so they are ready for harvest in the spring.

The best herbs to grow depend on the grow zone you live in. Before you make your selection, we suggest you find your climate zone on the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map to ensure what you want to grow is compatible with your zone. Here’s the link: http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html

Portland, for example, is hardiness zones 8-9. There can be lower levels of light here in the fall (and certainly in the winter), so Portlanders may want to select shade-loving herbs, such as parsley and peppermint.

Or, if you live somewhere that gets too cold for herbs to thrive and/or does not get enough direct light, consider growing your herbs in containers, so that you have the option to move them around (or even take them indoors, if needs be).

You also may want to concentrate on bulb herbs—like garlic, fennel, and saffron—which should be planted in the ground in the fall at least six weeks before the first freeze.

If you live in the Pacific Northwest, you may find this Monthly Garden Calendar from the Oregon State University Master Gardeners Program: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/calendar/ - september

You may also enjoy the article “The best herbs to grow in fall” for ideas about which herbs to plant: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/calendar/ - september

We hope your first day of fall is fantastic and look forward to hearing more about your fall herb garden. Post any planting tips, photos, suggestions …. here!

We’ve also started the discussion “What’s your favorite thing about fall?” on Facebook. Join the discussion here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Portland-OR/American-College-of-Healthcare-Sciences/99091122240

Health Benefits of Parsley Returns to Headlines

Last March we posted about the health benefits of parsley. Happily, parsley has made headlines again. This time in The Oregonian article "Make parsley the main attraction on your dinner plate."

For fun, here's an excerpt of our original post:

Perhaps our most well-known garnish, in other parts of the world parsley serves a heartier function. Leafy and a bit whispy, parsley can be used to make several sauces, including pesto, and is added to many grain and salad dishes, such as tabbouleh.

Plus, the rumors are true ... parsley does help freshen breath after eating more pungent foods like garlic!

Here's a link to a study[2] about how the antioxidant capacity of culinary herbs, including parsley, is affected by various cooking and storage processes: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18224444

You can read the full post here:http://achsnews.blogspot.com/2010/03/health-benefits-of-parsley-featured-in.html

Sara Bir, Portland food writer and cooking instructor, has a delightful discussion about flat or curly, the eternal question, in "Make parsley the main attraction on your dinner plate." For example, flat is "grassier" and curly "brighter," and when chopped, flat has a universal look but curly gets "fluffy."

Which do you prefer? Help us promote good health ... Post your favorite parsley recipes here!

Essential Oils May Be Effective with Lice

Creepy crawly lice torture school-aged children. It can be hard to rationalize with kindergartners, to make them understand why they really don't want to touch their hair or scratch or share their personal hygiene products with friends.

Instead, it may be more effective to focus on prevention. Check your children regularly. Because lice can be spread person-to-person without physical contact, the USA Today article "Lice: Any kid can get 'em, so comb early, comb often" recommends 1. maintaining appropriate personal space; 2. having shorter hair, and; 3. checking your child's hair regularly.

If it's too late, however, you will want to check everyone in the house, select some kind of product to help rid the lice, and wash all clothes and furniture.

There are many products on the market, including chemical shampoos. But before you use chemicals, you may want to consider essential oils. Evidence suggests essential oils--specifically cinnamon, peppermint, and eucalyptus[1]--may effectively kill lice.

Natural Health Magazine suggests you "mix 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon leaf oil and 1/8 teaspoon of peppermint oil with four ounces of a basic shampoo. Apply to your child’s head, leave on for 20 minutes, and rinse. Don’t leave on overnight: Essential oils are too concentrated to be used for that long."*

If you have used essential oils with lice, we want to hear your story. Please post any suggestions you can share and/or essential oil recipes!



[1] Toloza AC, Lucía A, Zerba E, Masuh H, Picollo MI. 2009. Eucalyptus essential oil toxicity against permethrin-resistant Pediculus humanus capitis (Phthiraptera: Pediculidae). Parasitol Res. Jan;106(2):409-14. Epub 2009 Nov 10.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Have You Seen Numen? It's the first feature-length film to explore traditional herbal medicine use in the US!

Have you heard of the new documentary Numen: The Nature of Plants? If not, you may want to check out the film's website. Numen--or, the animating force in nature, as defined in the film--is the first feature-length film dedicated to the exploration of traditional herbal medicine in the United States.

In addition to footage of medicinal plants, the film features interview spots with herbal medicine leaders, including Drs. Tiearona Lowdog and Larry Dossey, and Bioneers Co-Founder Kenny Ausubel (and many others!) on whole-plant medicine, ecological medicine, environmental toxins, the limits of allopathic medicine, and spirit and healing.

Watch the 10-minute preview here: http://www.numenfilm.com/ The film's website also includes links to info about the film, the filmmakers, and a resource guide.

We added Numen's Facebook page to our favorites. Here's the link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Portland-OR/American-College-of-Healthcare-Sciences/99091122240

Apitherapy News: Meet the Beekeeper Who's Championing the Healing Power of Pure Honey

Apitherapy News: Meet the Beekeeper Who's Championing the Healing Power of Pure Honey

One of the good things about being a beekeeper is that the "all-natural pharmacy" is just in the backyard. In fact, yesterday, I stung my left elbow with 2 bees. Why, you ask? Because I want to eliminate the localised pain that I've noticed, won't go away. It's been there for over 6 weeks. And as Charlie Mraz often said, "if you've got an ache, just sting it. The worst that can happen is nothing or just a little swelling. But the upside is that, the pain may disappear." And thanks to my personal experiences, I'm willing to continue trying a natural approach...

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Scratch 'n Sniff Internet a Reality?

One of our Facebook fans posted the comment "scratch and sniff internet would be great right now" in response to the "Uplifting" aromatherapy blend we shared. That got us thinking ... what does the world have to say about the possibility (and how great would that be for sharing aromatherapy blends!)?

Believe it or not, if you type "scratch and sniff internet" into Google, several pages of results come up. Now, we're not saying these results are necessarily "realistic," but you have to take pause and marvel at the idea of it all.

Here's a blog we found that explores the trends in digital scent technology (a step up from scratch and sniff) ... decide for yourself ... Digital Scent Technology Blog

To download our "Uplifting" aromatherapy recipe, visit ACHS on Facebook here!

Antiviral Activity of Essential Oils: It's Never too Early for Good Health

It's started to rain here in Portland, a not-so-subtle reminder that fall is on the way. It seems this time of year usually comes with a spike in seasonal colds and flu, as well as the gray-scape of clouds. Not so fun!

Before the season sets in, you may want to take stock of your essential oil inventory at home. Do you have the basics--like eucalyptus, lemon balm, and peppermint--which are thought to help kill airborne viruses when diffused into the air? These essential oils can also be added into hand creams to help stop the spread of infection through person-to-person contact.*

For more health-promoting tips this pre-fall season, check out ACHS Academic Dean Dr. Arianna Staruch's article about the antiviral activity of essential oils: http://www.achs.edu/news/news-detail.aspx?nid=193

You also may want to visit the Apothecary Shoppe, where most essential oils have posted information about their traditional use and wellness support, and some even include blending formulas.

Here's the recipe to prepare an inhalation from the eucalyptus webpage:

Alcohol, 90%: 4.5-cups
Eucalyptus Eucalyptus globulus oil: 6-t
Thyme Thymus vulgaris oil: 3-t
Pine Pinus sylvestris oil: 3-t
Lavender Lavandula angustifolia oil: 2-t
Lemon Citrus limon oil: 2-t

Mix all ingredients. To prepare as an inhalation, add 3-t to 6-cups of boiling water. This mixture can also be added to the bath water or to footbaths. Use 3-drops in the bath or 1-2-drops in a footbath.

* This information is provided for educational purposes only. It is not intended to treat, diagnose, or prescribe.

Aromatherapy Essential Oils Help Reduce Stress

We spotted this article on NaturalNews.com and thought you'd find it interesting, "Use Aromatherapy to Reduce Stress." Though the information is fairly introductory, the author does makes some useful suggestions for simple ways you can start using aromatherapy as part of your everyday health routine.

The ACHS Wellness Guide includes some more specific information for how to use aromatherapy essential oils. You can download it here: http://www.achs.edu/news/news-detail.aspx?nid=225

You might also be interested in this free download, What is Aromatherapy?, by ACHS President Dorene Petersen. The lecture was originally presented at the Portland Chinese Gardens as part of their Festival of Fragrance, and there is a lot of useful information about how essential oils are produced and how they can be used to support optimal health. Here is the link from the ACHS website, under News and Events: http://www.achs.edu/news/news-detail.aspx?nid=224

To get you started, here's the recipe for our Calming and Relaxing Herbal Bath Blend. You can download more recipes from our Apothecary Shoppe. Select "Free Downloads" from the left-hand toolbar and click on ACHS Holiday Recipes:

Calming and Relaxing Herbal Bath Blend

Use 2-10 drops of essential oil per bath. Use equal parts of spearmint leaves, comfrey root, chamomile flowers, and valerian root. For a foot bath, use 10 drops of essential oil per 1⁄2 gallon of water.
 
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