Welcome to the Table of Mother Earth

[Teresa]

Merry Meet & Greetings Forum Members!

I hope you like the first of what I hope becomes a wonderful place to get together and learn about what God has handed to us on a platter off Mother Earths table.

I get people all the time asking to sign up for my weekly or monthly newsletter or they ask me to do a monthly newsletter on health issues and vitamins etc.
I would love to .. but I don't have the time..
But I do pay for and subscribe to so many health newsletters and information.. and when I have the time,  I will start passing the information on to you ..

I can use THIS forum as a newsletter of sorts and add information as I find it.   IF anyone is interested.

Being a massage therapist I consider myself a naturalist. A healer of sorts.  I mean ..come on... God didn't put the plants, trees and grasses on the earth just for us to have pretty landscape. And yes.. the weeds are a big part of the healing world too. ( And you thought that they were just here to annoy us, didn't you ? ) .I am not a die hard in natural remedy's.  I do use prescription medicines and I think that they have their place.  .. but I also am leaning more and more to "things in the cupboard and in the pastures".  Natural items sometimes take a bit longer to work than man made chemicals.. but in the long run is most likely much better for your body to absorb and  tolerate.

There are so many natural properties and  medicines of the earth and  that are at our fingertips that the FDA and the AMA DOES NOT want us to know about. The poor FDA and AMA is just constantly frantic trying to keep God's medicine out of our hands and trying so hard to convince the public that natural remedy's " just don't work" .. ( Because ..supposedly..( and this is what they tell us) THEY haven't done enough research on them to PROVE that they are SAFE for the public)  They're working very hard right now to make it "illegal " to buy vitamins and anything herbally medicinal  without a prescription. Why? The answer is obvious. People are reporting success with natural products and are feeling better..
Hence?  No dollars $$ in the bureaucrats pockets.  I mean .. how in the world can they fund their cruises, their million dollar homes and high living standards if  people are actually not getting sick and dying?  And to  have a chance to feel good and get well??!  Oh My! Now THAT would put the drug companies out of business. 

So for the past 15 years or so, I have constantly accumulated health information and storing it for use. I come across information that is "for the now". In other words, I read it.. remember it, but don't store it for future reference because it is only "for the now" and doesn't hold any long term need to have to go back and check properties etc..
( Did that make sense?)

Long term memory things that I need to have backed up to check on is......Example.. herbs and their properties. Vitamins and their properties, Essential oils and their properties. New properties of foods and what they are finding that they can cure and relieve symptoms etc...Natural remedies.. ( like the cinnamon and honey thread )


Here is something that I got this morning.. it is " for the now". Just an interesting tidbit of food for thought, and one that we are all familiar with that is on our shelves at the grocery stores. . I will rewrite it a bit to make it more interesting. 

A couple of weeks ago, the FDA announced a permanent injunction against two food companies that were making claims such as: "Chemicals found in cherries may help fight diabetes."

Two different studies – one a lab study and one an animal study – have shown that anthocyanins (antioxidant compounds found in tart cherries) may help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. But the FDA has ordered the companies to stop making the claims "...until the products are approved by the FDA as new drugs..."

That's right: as new drugs. Cherries.

Meanwhile, if you go to the web site for Kellogg's Smart Start cereal, you'll find these impressive claims, which (we can assume) the FDA is just fine with: "Smart Start® Healthy Heart has ingredients that can help lower BOTH blood pressure and cholesterol, and it tastes great."

Tastes great? Okay, but does Smart Start taste as great as, say, Honeycomb cereal? But that's not fair, because Honeycomb is just a sugar-laden kids' cereal, right? Well, let's compare a few items on the nutrition labels.

Calories
Smart Start: 190
Honeycomb: 120


Carbohydrates
Smart Start: 43
Honeycomb: 27


Sugars
Smart Start: 14 grams
Honeycomb: 10 grams


High Fructose Corn Syrup
Smart Start: HFCS appears in the ingredients list
Honeycomb: Zero HFCS
--------------------------------------------
Back up the syrup truck
--------------------------------------------

Now how in the world could Smart Start, a cereal that's pitched to adults with a strong heart health slant, fall short in every one of those categories when compared to a cereal that has cartoon figures on the packaging?

And ESPECIALLY in the category of high fructose corn syrup! Steady HFCS intake has been linked to weight gain, higher triglyceride levels, higher LDL cholesterol, and a decrease in insulin sensitivity – not really what you're looking for when you want to help your heart.

And here's the kicker: All the amounts listed above are for one cup of Smart Start and a cup AND A HALF of Honeycomb. The kids' cereal simply blows Smart Start away!

The Smart Start web site poses this question: "Ever wonder how you can have a healthier breakfast without sacrificing taste?"

Sure. You can choose Honeycomb over Smart Start. Or you could even choose Froot Loops: One cup contains 120 calories, 1 gram of fiber, 26 grams of carbs, 13 grams of sugars, and...zero HFCS.

But of course, I'm not suggesting you choose any of these cereals for breakfast. Fourteen grams of sugars? That's equal to three and a half teaspoons of table sugar! Eat that every morning and you'll be laying the foundation for insulin resistance, which lays the foundation for type 2 diabetes, which lays the foundation for heart disease.

Want a genuine smart start? Eat fresh whole foods with a minimum of processing.  And zero HFCS. If you love your cereal's like I do, lean more towards shredded wheat, grapenuts, cheerios, total, cornflakes. Hot cereal is excellent.
Oatmeal. malt-o-meal... any grain cereal is wonderful.

[Judy Harder]

Bring it on Teresa,

I have always thought that there are cures for all of our illnesses (sp)
After all when God made the earth and the things on it, He made sure each was good for some part of out lives.

Maybe the killing of the rain forests have caused the herbs to be lost.

I too feel that if they even let the common cold be cured the  drug commissions and the doctors
would be out a big pile of money. Not to mention people selling tissues and the like.

I like to read about the mountain lore that with exception, after all I know we humans are our own worse enemies....pollution don't you know.............and well, You start anytime you wish.

I will be here.

AOYP

[indygal]

Thanks for this thread, Teresa. My biggest peeve right now regarding processed foods is all the corn syrup they put into things where people don't even think to look for it. Case in point is spaghetti sauce. Consumers think they're choosing a healthy food -- tomatoes are good for you, right? Vitamin C and lutenes and beta carotenes? Read the label and you'll likely find corn syrup listed there. Why? Is it really necessary?

In fact, read the labels of all the foods you buy, from bread to peanut butter to ketchup and salad dressings. This is especially troubling for diabetics who try to avoid eating high-carb foods. I have no doubt there is a direct link between HFCS in our foods and the growing rate of diabetes.

Terrell and I have started using our bread machine again just so we can control the amount of sugar (and other ingredients) that we consume.

[Teresa]

Thanks for the interest! 
I moved a few of the other threads to this space, so they can be all in one place for those who maybe hadn't read them the first time in the other board.
Here is some research that I did a few years ago. It is  on muscle and bone problems and why it seems that vitamins and natural homeopathic remedy's are not doing all that they should be doing.
I was wanting to get off my muscle prescription medicine... so I really researched alternative's.

This information makes total sense to me as I take huge amounts of calcium and just recently ( for some reason ) have started bumping up on my magnesium. ( still in pill form) I have not changed the potassium levels ... I am going to follow up on some powdered products.. I will keep you informed.

This will make a big difference in how people feel and how their bones and muscles feel..

Very few people are aware of the enormous role magnesium plays in our bodies. After oxygen, water, and basic food, magnesium may be the most important element needed. It is so vitally important, yet hardly known. Magnesium is by far the most important mineral, activating over 300 different biochemical reactions, all necessary for your body to function properly.

Among these functions are: digestion, energy production, muscle function, bone formation, creation of new cells, activation of B Vitamins, relaxation of muscles, the functioning of your heart, kidneys, adrenals, brain, as well as the nervous system.
Magnesium deficiency to any extent, will interfere with any of these factors.

Can you see how many things can go wrong if you run too low on magnesium?
Once magnesium is deficient, dozens of processes are disturbed, and many minerals and nutrients can't function. The body goes out of balance with these problems:

Fatigue and low energy - Magnesium plays a key role in the energy process and is vital for the maintenance of adequate energy levels.

Nervousness and Insomnia - Magnesium deficiency can cause insomnia, as well as waking up with muscle spasms, cramps, tension, and feeling uncomfortable. It is also necessary for the proper function of the nervous system. Imbalances in this mineral causes a person to become highly sensitive and highly nervous.

Muscle Disorders - Muscle spasms, muscle cramps, muscle jerks, muscle tics, eye tics, hiccups are all caused by a magnesium deficiency. It is not calcium that handles these difficulties; it is magnesium. It is often the problem of EXCESS calcium in the body that is causing them.


Questions:

What causes Magnesium to deplete? Mental stress, coffee, sugar, high sodium diet, alcohol, cola-type sodas, tobacco, high perspiration, medical drugs of all types, low thyroid, diabetes, chronic pain, diuretics, a high carbohydrate diet and a high calcium diet.

Can too much Calcium be a problem?
Yes!  More than you ever thought in your worst nightmare.
Excess Calcium is a vastly widespread problem, this is because most often doctors recommend calcium as an important supplement not realizing the delicate Magnesium/Potassium ratio necessary for proper assimilation etc. Because using excess Calcium DEPLETES magnesium from the body (the body needs magnesium to assimilate Calcium so it draws from the bodies reserves), the result brings about all the symptoms of magnesium deficiency.

What if think I am depleted in Calcium? Taking more calcium will not necessarily fix a calcium deficiency. It is magnesium that will handle the calcium deficiency (as well as the magnesium deficiency) as it will dissolve any excess calcium from the body for use, while helping any needed calcium to assimilate.

What is the best way to take this? The best way to take Magnesium is in a form where it is completely dissolved in water. In this form the magnesium assimilates fast into the body producing almost instant relief.
Taking it this way handles the excess calcium in the body and gradually dissolves the calcium deposits and the calcified body parts giving a new lease on life.

What are some of the ailments Magnesium supplementation may help?
PMS & Osteoporosis: PMS is mostly a magnesium deficiency. Too much calcium and not enough magnesium causes PMS. Instant relief can be obtained by taking the magnesium drink. When it comes to Osteoporosis, magnesium is crucial in regulating bone density, as it is magnesium which allows calcium to assimilate. Calcium alone is useless and potentially dangerous.

The Heart Connection Did you know that without sufficient magnesium you would actually die? Your heart will stop beating and the doctors will then call it "a heart attack" (#1 cause of death in America). Never do they say he "died of a Magnesium deficiency". This is how critical it is to have proper levels in the body. Due to lack of magnesium the heart muscle develops a spasm or cramp and stops beating. This is because there is insufficient magnesium to relax the heart ready for the next contraction.

Headaches, Diabetes, High Blood Pressure Asthma, migraines, seizures, pregnancy related symptoms, depression, anxiety, fibromyalgia, hyperactivity, ADD, arthritis, kidney stones all get worse when sufficient magnesium isn't consumed.

Overview of Applications: *
Trouble Sleeping, Restless sleep, Back pain, Neck pain,, High Blood Pressure, Fatigue, Joint Pain, Diabetes, PMS, Headaches, Kidney disorders, Nervousness, Irregular Heart Beats, Stroke Risk, Muscle Spasms, Muscle cramps, Seizures, Hyperactivity, Depression, Arthritis, Bones keep going out of alignment.

More About Magnesium
The improper use of magnesium among health professionals and the population in general, is deeply responsible for many of the failures encountered daily in treating chronic health conditions nationwide.

Discovery Number 1:The symptoms listed above are normally caused by MAGNESIUM deficiency, NOT calcium deficiency.

Discovery Number 2:
Calcium needs magnesium to assimilate, and will naturally deplete magnesium storages. Magnesium, on the other hand, does not depend on calcium and works on its own. Magnesium is FAR more important than calcium.

Discovery Number 3:
Excess calcium in the body is, as a result, one of the major causes of magnesium deficiency and disease. Excess calcium is responsible for many of the above-mentioned conditions!
Lack of sufficient magnesium in the body will make calcium toxic and disease causing (magnesium has 16 major factors that deplete it). Excess calcium is today one of the major causes of heart difficulties, kidney malfunction, fatigue, sleep difficulties, muscle cramps, weakening of bone structure, accelerated aging, moodiness, and much more.

Discovery Number 4:
Sufficient magnesium will allow calcium to assimilate, as well as dissolve and discharge calcium deposits in the body.

Discovery Number 5:
Most magnesium calcium supplements on the market are incorrectly proportioned and only make things worse.

Discovery Number 6:
Nothing will work faster in bringing relief to the conditions listed above as will water-soluble magnesium powder taken WITHOUT any calcium. 
   

[flo]

HELP - I need magnesium in a big way.  Of the symptoms, I have 15 of them.  Waiting right now on test results for part of the problems.  Wouldn't it be great if a daily dose of water-soluable magnesium was all I needed? Have taken calcium w/Mag since I quit the HRT for obvious reasons, and thot I was doing good.  A lot of these problems starter after my hystorectomy, but HRT became scary and then worried about osteoporosis.  I shall pay heed to this article and keep your knowledge coming our way.  Think of the money I can save on medical bills if I can fix the problems myself with simple homeopathic remedy's.

[Teresa]

Flo.. I know that you and probably many others struggle on getting a good nights sleep.
There's no question that getting a good night's sleep helps you function better .. in most areas. But there is some studioes that have  found that there's one instance where that may not hold true. They discovered that melatonin, the primary hormone responsible for sleep, may actually inhibit you from forming new memories.
I myself have used melatonin and have actually recommended this natural sleep aid to a few clients. I liked it because I could wake up feeling refreshed and NOT groggy or have that drugged up feeling like you get with Tylonal PM etc.

I didn't know this other until I came across this information.

They conducted their experiment in zebrafish, whose circadian rhythms are similar to humans (meaning they're at rest during the night, and awake and active during the day). In both zebrafish and humans, levels of melatonin are naturally higher at night. So to test whether the hormone had any effect on the fishes' ability to learn, they treated the fish with supplemental melatonin during the day.

The researchers found that the melatonin didn't necessarily affect overall learning but did negatively impact the fishes' ability to form new memories:
They performed similarly to fish trained only at night -- when melatonin levels are naturally higher -- on tests designed to measure 24-hour memory.

Their next step was to inhibit nighttime melatonin formation in the fish and then test their memory capacity. The difference was, as the lead investigator put it, like "night and day": The fish showed dramatic improvements in nighttime memory formation. The same thing happened when the researchers removed the pineal glands, which are the primary sources of melatonin, from some of the fish.

Of course, it's important to keep in mind and know that melatonin is a natural substance present in all of our bodies... and sleep is something we need in order to survive.

The main take home message here is not to expect too much of your memory once the sun goes down.

If things like night classes and shift work are part of your daily life, try to do most of your studying or training for new job tasks during the day when the lessons are more likely to "stick."
And if you find yourself in either of these situations, you may want to think twice about taking melatonin to help you sleep.

Although I  am a night person and work very late into the night ( basically sometimes cause I am not sleepy and can't sleep) I don't  have personal experiences in this area to say whether it had any effect on me or not.,, but if you are concerned , then there's no use in putting yourself at an even greater disadvantage.
In these cases, you may want to opt for another natural sleep aid, like valerian root, instead.
You can buy it in liquid and powder form.. ( it tastes HORRIBLE) and in pill form. ...which is tasteless of course ( That is the way I have used it before. ) 

I don't have trouble sleeping now. I don't know what changed, but I still go to be later than most, but I go right to sleep. I also find that drinking a cup of warm water before I go to bed really helps. 

[Teresa]

While I was writing about this.. mama sent this information..

((Weird how I never could do anything that she didn't know about.. ))   
I'll share it with you..

This is a very good article. Not only about the warm water at bedtime but also after your meal , but about heart attacks.
The Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals, not cold water, maybe it is time we adopt their drinking habit while eating.

For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you.
It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion. Once this "sludge" reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine.  Very soon, this will turn into fats and has a possibility of leading to cancer.
It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.

A serious note about heart attacks - You should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting.
Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line.

You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack. Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms. 60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know, the better chance we could survive.

I have read this many times. Maybe that is why I drink warm water at night and also first thing in the morning.
But I am ohh so guilty of drinking ice water or tea with my meals. I will try to wean myself off that. But I LOVE cold water.. when I eat.. but..I will try!~~~

[Lookatmeknow!!]

I have never heard this before.  But it makes very good sense.  Ok, well, I try and drink a glass of water before I eat, so that of course I don't eat as much, but should that water be warm, too??  I also drink try to drink water after I eat, too, which it needs to be warm.  I drinking just tap water considered warm? 

[Teresa]

Yes it actually is. I think that the ice water is what junks up the arteries.. so tap water is fine.

[Roma Jean Turner]

  The magnesium I use and recommend is a powdered magnesium called CALM.  All the health food stores here carry it but you can order it from the company. The company is Natural Vitality,  www.VitaminsThatWork.com , 800-446-7462.  They also have a Calcium Magnesium blend.  You mix it with water and drink it.  Its rate of absorbtion is very quick.  I rarely have angina symptoms if I take this along.  I have stopped an angina attack with this product more than once.  So I really promote it.  I agree with Teresa, magnesium is so overlooked in the mainstream.  My experience is that if someone is deficient in magnesium you will never get the results from treatment with them that you can get if you clear up the deficiency.   Now....the only side effect of too much magnesium is diarrhea.   So start with a smaller dose and work your way up.  I take a coffe cup of water, hot/warm, mix in one teaspoon.  Since I like cold drinks ,(even though they aren't good for us), I pour this over ice in a regular sized tumbler.  I have had people who decided to just throw some in a little bit of hot water and drink it down.  Well they were not very happy for a few hours.   You can elevate the dose every couple of days, when the stool gets loose, drop the dose back, that is how you gauge the amount.  (AS always, if you are on a lot of medication, check with your prescribing doctor, because his product can make changes).

I first heard about this product from a man in his late 30's.  He had osteoarthritis so bad that he had been in a wheel chair at a young age and was disabled.  Nothing helped him until he stumbled across this product.  He started out taking it a teaspoonful at a time.  He said he was up to nine teaspoons a day before he developed any loose stool.  But....by then he get up and walk.  Now I decided right then I wanted to try this product and I have not been disappointed in it.  His was an extreme case to be sure but a powerful example.