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...

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...

Electrical Products And Accessories: A Brief Introduction

Electrical 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 ConnectorsElectric 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...

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...

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 Essentials of Starting a Small Business

People 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 WiseIt 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...

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,...

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, AllergiesHoney is Nature's GoldBy Gloria Havenhand, Daily Express (UK), 9/21/2010MOTHER 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...

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...

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...

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...

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 QualityPrinted product catalogs suffer from their expensive nature. A colored catalog may add significantly to the business...

Online Business Opportunities: The Considerations

If 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...

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

The splendid WDDTY emag reportsChildhood vaccines are linked to autism - and here's $20m to prove it15 September 2010Vaccines 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...

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,...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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 HoneyOne 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......

List Of Top 10 Business Magazines

1) BusinessWeek Magazine2) Fast Company Magazine3) Forbes Magazine4) Fortune Magazine5) Harvard Business Review Magazine6) Inc. Magazine7) Money Magazine8) The Economist Magazine9) Conde Nast Portfolio Magazine10) Worth MagazineB2B Marketplace Resources:Trade Leads | Business Directory | Products Cata...

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 BlogTo download our "Uplifting" aromatherapy recipe, visit ACHS on Facebook he...

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...

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=225You 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...