Monique Cash

It used to be pretty inconvenient and quite distasteful to open my cabinet to pull out honey for my freshly brewed tea or maple syrup for my hot buttery pancakes to find both products in a sticky-glue like condition. I also did not particularly care for the rich sweet taste of maple syrup although I wanted it to cover every inch of my pancakes. That is until I started using Blue Agave nectar syrup in its place a couple of years ago. Now, not only do I not have to worry about its messiness but I use agave nectar as a lighter and healthier substitute for both honey and maple syrup (among other things), also lessoning the amount of products to buy when grocery shopping.

Agave is best recognized as the plant from which tequila is made. The nectar made from the plant is known in Mexico as aguamiel or “honey water”. The Aztecs prized the agave as a gift from the gods and used the liquid from its core to flavor foods and drinks. Agave nectar is most often produced from the Blue Agaves that thrive in the volcanic soles of Southern Mexico. Agaves are large, spikey plants that resemble cactus or yuccas in both form and habitat, but they are actually succulents similar to the Aloe Vera plant. Continue Reading…

Research has revealed that more than two thirds of all deaths in the United States are diet related. More than 50% of all deaths are caused from coronary occlusion, blockage of blood flow to the heart and/or the brain. These are all preventable deaths according to the Journal of American Medical Association which published in 1961 that, “All coronary occlusion can be eliminated by 97% through a vegetarian diet.” Fourteen hundred Americans are dying of cancer everyday. In the prestigious Advances in Cancer Research, they concluded, “At present, we have overwhelming evidence that none of the risk factors for cancer is more significant than diet and nutrition.”

My purpose is not convince you to reform to a vegetarian lifestyle (although it would definitely be a healthy choice). I would like to introduce you to a “super” food that all would agree on. It is known as the Chia Seed. Once valued so much that it was used as currency, this unique little seed has exceptional nutritious and structural benefits.

Chia, is familiar to most of us as the seed used for the novelty of the Chi Pet, clay animals with sprouted Chi seeds covering their bodies. For centuries this tiny little seed was used as a staple food by the Indians of the south west and Mexico. Known as the running food, its use as a high energy endurance food has been recorded as far back as the Aztecs. Continue Reading…

Oil of oregano is a completely natural substance derived from wild oregano species. The plant grows in remote mountainous regions free of pollution. Being wild, it is a chemical free and the oil is extracted via a completely natural process- no chemicals or solvents are used. The oil is the source of virtually all of the plant’s active ingredients.

The key element in oil of oregano is the oil, which contains carvacrol and thymol as the primary components. These two phenols (carvacrol and thymol) work “synergistically” and is the reason oil of oregano packs a double punch in antiseptic power and explains why it is so potent when taken internally. Wild oregano is rich in a long list of minerals including calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium, boron, manganese, vitamins C, A (beta carotene) and niacin. Judging from its mineral content alone it isn’t hard to figure out why oil of oregano is such a valuable commodity. Continue Reading…

As we continue to add different herbs and remedies to our list in fighting the common cold and flu, you can see that it is possible to ease the pain and discomfort of these symptoms naturally. The time to treat a cold is when you don’t have it! Prevention is always better than cure.

Garlic
No treatment of colds would be complete without Garlic. This pungent herb was highly esteemed by the ancient Egyptians, who ensured that slaves building the Great Pyramids at Cheops were given a daily supply. The Romans also acknowledged garlic’s strengthening powers and fed it to their soldiers before battle. Garlic has anti-bacterial properties that help the immune system to fight infection, it is an excellent boost to the immune system. The reason for this is garlic contains several helpful compounds, including allicin, one of the plant kingdom’s most potent antibiotics. Garlic combines well with echinacea and together they make a strong fighting force against infections. Continue Reading…

Synthetic cold remedies from the druggist shelves do not look as pretty as they did years ago. The warning labels barely fit into the small space on the product box, and it is well known to medical researchers that some of the ingredients in these products, such as aspirin and acetominophen, can cause stomach irritation, bleeding and liver damage at therapeutic levels.

Echinacea is the purple Kansas-coned flower. The plant group Echinacea is made up of different kinds or species, Echinacea purpurea and Echinacea angustifolia which have been popular in American and European medicine for over 100 years. For centuries, they were considered the best remedies available, for rattle snake bites, infections, and colds and flu by the Native American Indians. Pieces of echinacea root have been found in archeological digs from villages that were over 200 years old.

Before synthetic medicine replaced most of the medicinal herbs prescribed by practitioners of “official” medicine, echinacea was included in one of America’s two official drug books – The National Formulary. Continue Reading…

Although we are fastly aproaching the upcoming spring months and moving away from the midst of the heavy cold and flu seasons, it is always important to educate ourselves on how to keep our immune system functioning properly. Over the next few weeks I will be covering different herbs and natural ways to keep our immune system boosted.

Astragalus has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for thousands of years. It was often combined with other herbs to strengthen the body against disease. Astragalus is called an adaptogen, meaning it is thought to help protect the body against various stresses, including physical, mental or emotional stress.

Astragalus may help protect the body from diseases such as cancer and diabetes. It contains antioxidants, which protects cells against damage caused by free radicals, by-products of cellular energy. Astragalus is used to protect and support the immune system, for preventing colds, to treat diabetes and to protect the liver. Continue Reading…

Fellas you asked for it. Now the spotlight is on you and your health and well being. Although there are many beneficial natural products available for men’s health, the key to the best optimum health is preventative care which would require visits with your health care practitioner for necessary screenings and tests.

Recent studies from The American Heart Association and The American Cancer Society have shown higher death rates for men than women. Black men in particular continue to be among the highest ethinic group with long term chronic illnesses or even death due to their misconceptions about doctor visits and annual exams.

According to recent medical studies and polls, black men do not go to the doctor because they do not trust the health care system. “Men’s concepts about what it means to be a “real man” are generally shaped by traditional masculine role norms, which encourage men to be extremely self-reliant and these norms often affect their health behavior.”, says Wizdom Powell Hammond, assistant professor of health behavior and health education at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Men also do not get seen by a physician without prodding from a wife or girlfriend. The most important thing to do when choosing a medical home is to carefully research and find a doctor that you trust and preferrably who knows your medical history. Though you may not need annual checkups as often as women, men do need to be on the lookout for certain conditions as they age. Below, you will find a list of recommended tests that every man should have performed routinely. Continue Reading…