These problems were largely overcome after the publication in the Journal of Advancement in Medicine in 1993 of a study by L.T. Chappell et all, who looked at the effects of chelation therapy on nearly 23,000 patients. Of them, more than 85% showed an objective benefit from chelation therapy. Since that time, the number of success stories has continued to increase.

Unfortunately, the problem of toxins such as heavy metals accumulating in our bodies has also been increasing. We are repeatedly told by environmentalists that planet earth is getting more and more poisoned from the build up of toxins including lead, mercury, aluminum, cadmium, arsenic and others. The adverse effect on human health of these heavy and light metal poisons has become so great that a name has been assigned: Toxic Metal Syndrome. It has been estimated that more than 90% of all the people living in the industrialized world have at least one of the health problems associated with living in a toxic environment.

Listed below are only a few of the behavioral, structural and functional abnormalities linked to three of the most problematic toxic heavy metals:

Mercury
Depression, hallucinations, obsessive-compulsive behavior, chronic fatigue, suicidal and aggressive behavior, anxiety and attention deficit disorder.

Lead
Spinal cord alterations, kidney damage, increased heart rate, suppression of the immune system, birth defects.

Copper
Skin problems such as eczema and rashes, headaches, muscle pain, decreased red blood cell count, cirrhosis of the liver, hepatitis, convulsions and seizures.

Detoxamin EDTA works differently from traditional chelation therapies, in that it does not have to be administered as an intravenous drip in an outpatient environment by trained nurses or other medical personnel. Instead, Detoxamin EDTA is available in a suppository form that can be used in the privacy of one’s own home. In severe cases, it is recommended that one suppository be taken every night for 90 days.

For less severe cases, such as individuals who are interested in chelation therapy for prevention or anti-aging, Detoxamin should be taken every other night for 180 days. In addition, supplementation with vitamins, minerals and trace minerals should also be taken on a daily basis.

Author: Robert Scheer
About the author: Robert Scheer works as a free lance writer as well as consulting for the Detoxamin EDTA Info web site.

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/martin_heigan/458939532/

NaturalNews) When Ron and Nadine from the Living Libations beauty care and chocolate company (www.LivingLibations.com) attempted to fly to the United States in August of this year, they ran into something completely unexpected: Drug-sniffing dogs at the Toronto airport. When their dogs took a special interest in their raw, unrefined chocolate with hemp seeds and superfood extracts, they were arrested, handcuffed and put through hours of tortuous interrogation. Such begins the journey of Ron and Nadine, the chocolate freedom fighters from Canada.

Accused of trafficking two and a half pounds of hashish (which was really just raw, homemade chocolate), Ron and Nadine were arrested, physically separated into interrogation rooms and handcuffed to chairs. Their six-month old baby was forcibly taken from them, and they were immediately subjected to intense interrogation.

Their chocolate looked suspicious, they were told, because it wasn’t in a commercial wrapper. If it’s not Hershey’s, it must be drugs! An on-the-spot drug test from the NIK company (which makes portable drug testing kits) returned a positive result, the Canadian police claimed, and that’s all the evidence they need to arrest anyone.

As you’ll learn later, however, it turns out the NIK drug testing kits return false positives nearly 100% of the time if the results are interpreted incorrectly, as they were in this case… (see photos below).

Is this Canada, or Gitmo?
Emboldened by the positive drug test on the two pounds of raw chocolate, Canadian drug agents scrambled to action. They hadn’t seen a big drug bust in a long time, and excitement was brewing over the possibility of nabbing someone with a whopping two pounds of hashish! Thus, the tyrants of law enforcement went to work on Ron and Nadine, using Guantanamo Bay tactics to try to force them to admit to being hashish drug traffickers.

Over the next several hours, Ron and Nadine were interrogated by the Canadian equivalent of FBI agents who verbally assaulted them using every lying, deceitful police interrogation tactic in the book. They screamed at Ron and Nadine, threatened them with years in prison and even told each of them that the other had already confessed to drug trafficking, trying to trick them into admitting to crimes they never committed. (There is no law that says police have to tell the truth when they are interrogating you, even for false arrest, by the way.)

Through the entire episode, Ron and Nadine resisted the tactics, held their ground and continued to hold positive intentions. “As I was sitting in the cell,” Ron told NaturalNews, “I kept focused on light and truth. I felt like no matter what was happening around me, I was opening up a gateway of light and total truth.”

After the interrogation, the threats of “life in jail” and other dishonest tactics used by law enforcement to try to get them to “admit” to drug trafficking, they were finally released on bail. Their baby son was returned to them, and they went home. For the next 30 days, they were subjected to surprise visits by Children’s Aid employees (the Canadian version of Child Protective Services), who were told by law enforcement authorities that Ron and Nadine were drug smugglers.

Over this 30 day period, as felony drug trafficking charges were pending against them, Ron and Nadine managed to connect with legal help. Their lawyer, Marcy Segal, was able to persuade the Crown Attorney to send the chocolate “hashish” sample to a proper lab for testing. And wouldn’t you know it: The test showed that chocolate is chocolate, not hashish.

The charges were dropped, but no apology was ever offered to the couple. Instead, Canadian law enforcement authorities declared, “You must have been smoking something before you came to the airport.”

(No doubt someone in this story was on crack, but it doesn’t seem to be Ron and Nadine…)

NaturalNews has acquired the actual document delivered to law enforcement official in Toronto, declaring there to be absolutely no drugs in Ron and Nadine’s possession. You can view the PDF of this document here:

http://www.naturalnews.com/investigatio…

Let’s try this again
Following their being cleared by the lab tests, they were determined to return to the United States and attend the Raw Spirit Festival in Sedona Arizona. Their lawyer had contacted U.S. authorities in advance, advising them that Ron and Nadine were bringing chocolate through their security checkpoints as they crossed from Canada to the United States. “Watch out, it’s chocolate!”

They were told everything was understood, and the chocolate would be allowed through. Imagine their surprise, however, when Ron and Nadine were once against arrested at the airport and accused of — guess what? — smuggling hashish disguised as chocolate!

U.S. law enforcement authorities boost their careers when they take part in big drug busts, and 2.5 pounds of hashish was a huge bust by anyone’s accounting. So they had every incentive to try to make this bust stick.

Desperate to prove themselves right, the American drug enforcement police ripped though Ron and Nadine’s luggage and clothing, opening every vial, asking questions about all the “strange” things they found there.

What kind of strange things? Sea salt. Zeolites. Tea tree oil. Essential oils. Hemp seeds. Probiotics. Raw cacao nibs. You know, dangerous superfoods and supplements.

They were questioned at great length about all these “strange” substances. Apparently, law enforcement personnel have actually never seen superfoods! Subsisting on a diet of processed foods and diet soda, they apparently believe real food is a foreign substance… a criminal substance, in fact. It is a strange world, indeed, when those who claim to uphold the laws of the land have zero familiarity with food harvested from the land…

The field kit drug tests produce false positives!
So why did the NIK drug test reveal a positive result when the cacao was tested?

To answer that question, NaturalNews purchased a portable narcotics drug test kit from CopQuest.com, an online supply source for law enforcement. The product we purchased is the Narcotics Identification System, part # 6060. It is manufactured by NIK Public Safety, Inc. in Jacksonville, FL.

The test we used is test “E” — which claims to offer “presumptive identifications of Marijuana, Hashish, Hash Oil and THC.”

According to the instructions, the test reveals a “positive” for Marijuana (or the other substances listed) when it turns purple. As is stated on the NIK Instructions for Use, step 5:

“5. Break middle ampoule and agitate gently. A blue-violet (or purple) color will develop within a few seconds to a minute if Marijuana, Hashish, Hash Oil or THC is present. Allow sufficient time for the blue-violet (or purple) to develop for a positive test.”

Visit Natural News to see the original article with detailed description and images of the kitchen “drug test”.

That’s all it takes, folks: Just one person shaking this plastic test kit and believing he sees a “purple” or “bluish” color. And this is the test the border police are using to arrest raw foodies and charge them with felony crimes! Anything they don’t recognize gets put to the NIK test, and just about everything I’ve found produces a similar result.

Here’s another important point: Color is a SUBJECTIVE thing. One person might say it’s dark blue, another could say it’s brown, and a third could say it’s purple. All it takes is one crack-smoking idiot with a badge to utter the word, “purple” and suddenly you’re arrested at gunpoint, thrown into a jail cell and interrogated for ten hours. Welcome to the USA!

It is the belief of NaturalNews that the NIK Narcotics Identification products produce false positives or, at the very least, misleading results that are frequently misinterpreted by law enforcement authorities as positives.

NaturalNews has learned that NIK drug tests show positive results for THC for all the following natural substances:

• Organic tea tree oil
• Frankincense oil
• CoQ10
• Raw chocolate

It is important to note that NIK tests carry zero weight in a court of law. But they have the power to arrest, and law enforcement authorities are now openly abusing that power, using these “false positive” to arrest and detain anyone they wish to target (such as raw foodies).

$22,000 in legal bills and growing
After being charged with felony crimes, accused of trafficking illegal drugs, interrogated, isolated from his family and denied the right to travel as a free citizen, Ron Obadia is now facing over $22,000 in legal bills.

Even after the real drug test conclusively proved there were NO drugs in the raw chocolate, there was no apology from Canadian law enforcement officials. No offer to reimburse Ron and Nadine for their legal expenses. They were simply let go and told to go home. Charges are still pending from the American side (they were about to board an international flight), and it may require another $10,000 in legal bills just to clear their names in America.

As a result, Ron and Nadine are virtual prisoners in their own country. Accused of crimes they did not commit, these raw foodies only committed the “crime” of daring to carry real food that wasn’t packaged in a brand-name wrapper.

At one point, one of the police officers screamed at Ron, saying, “If you wanted chocolate, why didn’t you just buy a Snickers bar!” The proper answer to that question, of course, is so far beyond the intellect of typical law enforcement personnel that I won’t even bother explaining it here. To these cops, Burger King is fine cuisine, candy bars are superfoods and hashish is anything that looks brown and unusual.

Ran and Nadine were never able to attend the Raw Spirit Festival. They spent the day being interrogated for crimes they did not commit.

Buy Chocolate for Freedom!
Ron and Nadine desperately need your support to not just pay off their legal bills, but to sue Canadian law enforcement officials for false arrest.

We need to raise $50,000 in order for this to be pursued. It’s an important mission, and if successful, it could send a message to border agents everywhere to keep their hands off the chocolate!

SunWarrior (www.SunWarrior.com) has already pledged $1,000 in help. You can help support Ron and Nadine by buying their delicious chocolate from www.LivingLibations.com

It doesn’t actually contain hashish, by the way. It’s made from wholesome superfoods and delicious, raw ingredients! They also carry some outstanding beauty products made with high-grade essential oils and all-natural ingredients. Check it out.

Please Buy Chocolate for Freedom and help support Ron and Nadine right now: www.LivingLibations.com

Get Ron and Nadine’s story out to the world
The next thing you can do is help get Ron and Nadine’s story out to the world! If you’re an author, website owner or radio show host, contact them for an interview, and help them get the word out about this tyrannical attack on raw foods by ignorant law enforcement personnel.

You can contact them at:
ron@livinglibations.com
416-920-8471

You also have permission to copy and post this story everywhere. Simply give credit to NaturalNews for this investigative story, and you can openly post it on your website, use it in your book, quote it in a documentary, newspaper or magazine.

Donate money to help Ron and Nadine pay their legal bills
The third way you can help is to directly donate money to Ron and Nadine.

To help provide publicity to those individuals or companies willing to support Ron and Nadine, NaturalNews will publish a follow-up article listing the names, websites and donation amounts of all individuals and companies donating $1,000 or more.

I’m willing to bet Nutiva will likely be on that list, and perhaps even Ruth’s Hemp Foods from Canada. Get the word out, and ask companies for generous donations. We need to help protect our natural foods community from police state tactics.

Here’s how you can donate right now:

Send via PayPal to: chocolate@livinglibations.com

Donate via ChipIn.com at: http://livinglibations.chipin.com/super…

Why the War on Drugs is out of control
What Ron and Nadine experienced here is just one symptom of a War on Drugs that’s utterly out of control. While completely ignoring the real drug dealers (Big Pharma and psychiatrists who put kids on amphetamines), tyrannical law enforcement personnel target innocent natural health advocates who refuse to eat Snickers bars and Big Macs.

Carrying “unusual” food with you at the airport is now a crime that can get you thrown in jail and cost you $20,000 or more in legal bills. And that’s when you’re innocent!

The War on Drugs has done virtually nothing to stem the tide of illegal street drugs, but it’s sure given lots of money and power to another group: The DEA and other drug enforcement tyrants whose careers (and paychecks) depend on continuing their politically-motivated crusade against innocents.

Marijuana arrests are out of control, with nearly 8 million Americans having been arrested for pot possession over the last decade (http://www.projectcensored.org/top-stor…). Meanwhile, the U.S. spends between $10 and $12 billion a year enforcing those laws, and that doesn’t count the exploding prison population, where now an astonishing 11 percent of all black men between the ages of 30 and 34 are in prison. (http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2008/06…)

A startling 2.3 million Americans are sitting in prison cells right now, and many are there for victimless crimes such as smoking marijuana. And yet, amazingly, powerful institutions in society directly promote highly addictive drugs to virtually everyone:

• Daily caffeine through coffee and energy drinks for teens
• “Speed” amphetamines for children diagnosed with ADHD
• Highly addictive painkillers like Oxycotin, which are now openly abused by teens
• Over-the-counter cold medicines, now widely used to manufacture meth (crank, ice, etc.)

The real point to all of this, of course, is not to stop Americans from using drugs; it’s to force Americans to use patented drugs that earn profits for powerful corporations. The job of the DEA is primarily to eliminate Big Pharma’s competition by criminalizing non-patented drugs while protecting patented ones.

In order to concentrate power into their own hands, they must create fear and terrorize the population, which is why the DEA keeps raiding California medical marijuana clinics, by the way… even though they are legal in the State of California!

Who are the real criminals?
The real criminals in society today are not the lazy pot heads toking up a joint in the basement. The real criminals are those who terrorize us, take away our freedoms and steal our money while bailing out the rich. And guess who does all three? Your government, of course!

Ron and Nadine are unwittingly playing a Ghandi-like role in this grand governmental comedy. By perservering their arrest and interrogation and proving their obvious innocence in the face of outrageous stupidity, they bring focus to the idiocy of modern law enforcement and the real threat posed to innocents by our nation’s ill-fated War on Drugs.

Real power comes from health and wisdom, and yet the people running our governments today have neither; so they must fabricate false power through the use of firearms, fear and intimidation. These are the weapons of the weak, and they will ultimately fall to the strength and courage of enlightened, health-infused individuals like Ron and Nadine from Living Libations.

Because when this whole grand house of cards comes crashing down, with systemic financial collapse, crop failures, water depletion, and infectious disease, all those parasitic employees of the federal government are going to find themselves utterly incapable of surviving in the real world. Without their diabetes meds, diet sodas and processed junk foods, they will quickly find themselves irrelevant to life on Earth, swept under the carpet of life like the dust from which they came.

Those who are too stupid to recognize real food are ultimately doomed to become food. For the worms, that is.

Resources
See related Counterthink Cartoons:

“Meth Labs”
http://www.naturalnews.com/021943.html

“Mental Treatment”
http://www.naturalnews.com/021430.html

“The Birth of Big Pharma”
http://www.naturalnews.com/020840.html

Additional Resources for Ending the War on Drugs

www.StopTheDrugWar.org

www.MPP.org

How to contact Ron and Nadine

ron@livinglibations.com
416-920-8471

Garlic is an Ayurvedic herb that is truly multipurpose. Since prehistoric times, garlic has been used in treating number of diseases. Garlic is part of every Indian kitchen due to its healing properties. Garlic is supposed to be a divine herb and is a part of many classical Ayurvedic medicines. It is considered as one of the best herbs for maintaining the digestive tract to the optimum level.

Below are the some of the various applications of garlic.

· Cholesterol - Garlic is very helpful in lowering the cholesterol levels. It assists in lowering the LDL (low density lipoprotein). LDL is considered as the bad cholesterol as it deposits in the arteries that might lead to a condition known as atherosclerosis. Arthrosclerosis is a disorder in which plaque gets deposited in the arteries thereby blocking the normal flow of blood eventually leading to heart attack. Garlic is responsible for increasing the levels of HDL (high density lipoprotein). It is known as a good protein that helps in pacifying the affect of bad protein and helps in protecting us from major heart related troubles.

· Common cold and flu - Garlic is one of the best remedies for treating colds and the flu. It is a time tested remedy and has been used for this purpose for centuries. Garlic is highly potent and is a powerful agent that aids in suppressing any kind of infection present in the body. It improves the immunity of the body and is very helpful in protecting body from various ailments. It is also blessed with the properties that make it a mucolytic agent thereby expelling out the extra mucus that gets accumulated in the body.

· High blood pressure - Garlic is considered as the boon for people suffering from hypertension or high blood pressure. It is very helpful in maintaining the normal levels of blood pressure and also facilitates the proper circulation of blood throughout the body. It is also helpful in cleaning the plaque formation that occurs in the arterial walls in the body and is the root cause of heart attack. It is also very helpful in decreasing the increased lipid in the body their by manages triglycerides and cholesterol in the body.

· Natural mosquito repellent - Garlic contains a very peculiar smell that is due to presence of certain chemical agents that act as a natural repellent to mosquitoes. This property of garlic was widely used in India in ancient times to avoid mosquitoes interfering in the life of humans by causing disease like malaria, sickle cell anemia and various other disorders

· Powerful antibiotic - Garlic is well known for its antibiotic activities. Garlic is very helpful in suppressing any kind of infection present in the body especially in the blood. Though researches have also proved the action of garlic as aIn addition to being a broad spectrum antibiotic, garlic also has antiviral properties. In addition, bacteria will not become resistant as they tend to do with pharmaceutical antibiotics.

· Skin related ailments - Garlic is also helpful in treating the skin related problems as it is a good agent that curbs the infection in the body. It is also helpful in reducing any kind of pathogens in the blood and also improves the circulation. Due to this increased blood circulation the vital tissues and the skin gets fully nourished that leads to the good and glowing skin.

Author: Dr John Anne
About the author: Read more about the benefits of Holy Basil & Garlic - World’s Finest Portal on Ayurveda and Herbal Remedies

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/christing/150532387/

The human skin has many important functions such as:

1. Protection: Your skin is an anatomical barrier between the internal and external environment in bodily defense.

2.Sensation: Your skin contains a variety of nerve endings that react to heat, cold, touch, pressure, vibration, and tissue injury.

3. Heat regulation: Your skin contains a blood supply far greater than its requirements which allows precise control of energy loss by radiation, convection, and conduction. Dilated blood vessels increase perfusion and heat loss while constricted vessels greatly reduce cutaneous blood flow and conserve heat.

4. Control of evaporation: Your skin provides a relatively dry and impermeable barrier to fluid loss. Loss of this function contributes to the massive fluid loss in burns cases.

5. Storage and synthesis: Your skin acts as a storage center for lipids and water, as well as a means of synthesis of vitamin D and B by action of Ultra Violet energy on certain parts of the skin. This synthesis is linked to pigmentation, with darker skin producing more vitamin B than D, and vice versa.

6. Excretion: The concentration of urea is 1/130th that of urine. Excretion by sweating is at most a secondary function to temperature regulation.

7. Absorption: Oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide can diffuse into the epidermis in small amounts. Skin is an important site of transport in many other organisms.

With such diverse roles, it is no wonder that the skin is subject to constant attack and can be afflicted by numerous ailments. The skin is the barrier between the world and our own body, between the outer and inner environment. There are many elements in the outer environment that can cause inflammation or breakouts. There is now no question that these accumulated toxins are behind nearly every disease, symptom, injury, and malfunction of the body.

Free radicals are highly reactive chemical molecules and participate in unwanted reactions, causing tissue damage, and destructive effects on the human body. Free radicals attack protein, lipid, and nucleic acids and lead to a reduction in their respective functions, thereby decreasing cell function, and finally causing organ failure. The road to disease can be paved with a slew of toxins and free radicals that can bind to enzymes at a cellular level and inactivate them so that the cell no longer functions optimally. When toxins are not eliminated, they are reabsorbed back into the liver.

The liver works by filtering toxins directly as well as altering them so that they can be removed during the various stages of detoxification. The liver filters toxins from about 1 liter of blood every minute. Some of these endotoxins (produced in the body), exotoxins (from outside the body), and wastes are sent to the kidneys or the colon. Other toxins, made up of compounds that are difficult for the liver to filter, must be broken down with enzymes so that they can be removed. A properly functioning liver is vital to your health.

Western medicine relies on aggressive prescription drugs and surgery to deal with many problems related to health and aesthetics. Unfortunately, these methods often result in unwanted and even dangerous side effects. And natural pills provide fleeting, inconsistent results.

Ayurveda, the science of life, prevention, and longevity, is the oldest and most holistic and comprehensive medical system available. Its fundamentals can be found in Hindu scriptures called the Vedas - the ancient Indian books of wisdom written over 5,000 years ago. Ayurveda uses the inherent principles of nature to help maintain health in a person by keeping the individual’s body, mind, and spirit in perfect equilibrium with nature.

India Herbs has a seasoned group of Ayurvedic doctors specialized in Vajikarana, one of the eight major specialties of Ayurveda. Vajikarana is “a process or a drug, which make a man as healthy as a ox and able to undergo many hours of physical rigors.” Vajikarana prescribes the therapeutic use of various herbal and tonic preparations for enhancing the condition of your hair, nails, and skin while strengthening your body and overall well-being.

India Herbs’ Vajikarana scientists combine a proprietary herbal formula based on centuries old wisdom with advice on diet, exercise, mental training, and relaxation to address the native inhibitory causes that affect hair, nail, and skin growth while helping both men and women reach their peak health and beauty through safe and natural means.

Results: The precise combination of ingredients in Radiancio along with a mind-body focus precisely addresses your health and beauty needs!

Author: S.A. Wilson
About the author: If you want to maximize your beauty or suffer from dull and fatigued-looking skin tone, acne, dry and lackluster hair, or weak and cracking nails, there is proven help available. India’s men and women have been reaping the powerful benefits of Ayurveda Medicine for the past 5,000 years!

http://www.india-herbs.com/aff/moremojo/radiancio

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/thebeesinmyribcage/1685094175/

You are a toxic cesspool of the lifetime accumulation of chemicals from air, food, and water. These accumulated toxins contribute to nearly every disease, sickness, and malfunction of the body.

Your body is like a city where the sanitation units are on strike. As the garbage bags pile up, the city slows down and if the situation were to continue to crisis proportions, unsanitary conditions would cause widespread illness, disease, and death among the population. The sanitation officers in our body that find and eliminate toxins comprise our excretory system (kidneys, intestines, lungs, skin, and liver). When they are severely overworked, they go on strike. When this occurs, waste and toxins buildup in your body, channeling of nutrients becomes inefficient, the situation compounds itself, and various disease states become inevitable.

The largest internal organ in the body is the liver. It performs many functions in addition to body detoxification. The liver works by both filtering toxins directly and by altering toxins so that they can be removed at other stages of detoxification. The liver filters toxins from about 1 liter of blood every minute. Some of these toxins are endotoxins (produced in the body) and exotoxins (from outside the body). These wastes are eliminated the kidneys or the colon. Other toxins, composed of compounds that are difficult for the liver to filter, must be broken down with enzymes so that they can be removed. A properly functioning liver is vital to your health.

Serious toxin overload can easily occur. Toxins released from the liver must leave the body through the colon. If a person is constipated, the toxins are not eliminated and are instead reabsorbed back into the liver. This occurs while new exotoxins are continually introduced into the body through medication, pesticides, cigarette smoke, pollution, impurities in food, bacteria, and other problematic substances in the environment; and new endotoxins are created in the body due to stress and lack of exercise. The road to disease is soon paved with an improperly functioning liver, gummed up excretory system, and a slew of toxins that bind to enzymes at the cellular level and neutralize them, so that cells no longer function optimally.

Western medicine relies on aggressive prescription drugs and surgery to deal with many problems related to body toxicity. Unfortunately, these methods often result in unwanted and even dangerous side effects. Natural pills provide only fleeting, inconsistent results.

Ayurveda, the science of life, prevention and longevity, is the oldest and most holistic and comprehensive medical system available. Its fundamentals can be found in Hindu scriptures called the Vedas - the ancient Indian books of wisdom written over 5,000 years ago. Ayurveda uses the inherent principles of nature to help maintain health in a person by keeping the individual’s body, mind, and spirit in perfect equilibrium with nature.

India Herbs has a seasoned group of Ayurvedic doctors specialized in Vajikarana. Vajikarana is “a process or a drug, which make a man as healthy as a ox and able to undergo many hours of physical rigors.” Vajikarana prescribes the therapeutic use of various herbal and tonic preparations for enhancing the capabilities and vigor of the your body’s detoxification system while strengthening the body and overall well-being.

India Herbs’ Vajikarana scientists combine a proprietary herbal formula based on centuries old wisdom with advice on diet, exercise, mental training, and relaxation to help men and women reach their peak and overcome their toxicity concerns through safe, natural means.

Results: The precise combination of ingredients in Ayurtox along with a mind-body focus precisely addresses your natural detoxification needs!

Author: S.A. Wilson
About the author: If you want to enjoy optimal health or suffer from fatigue, loss of energy, depressed appetite, allergies, muscle cramps, digestion problems, frequent headaches, and poor general health,
there is proven help available. India’s men and women have been reaping the powerful benefits of Ayurveda Medicine for the past 5,000 years!

http://www.india-herbs.com/aff/moremojo/ayurtox

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/skasuga/139035993/

As our environment becomes increasingly toxic, and with the average American battling obesity, IBS, infertility, fatigue and countless other problems caused by lifestyle, it is no surprise that experts are calling for us to cleanse and detoxify our bodies.

Cleansing is the elimination of toxins, stored wastes and other unwanted substances from the body. Detoxification is the body’s natural process of changing these harmful toxins into a less harmful form. Cleansing & detoxification are total body processes. A healthy body will cleanse and detoxify by utilizing the seven channels of elimination: liver, lungs, lymphatic system, kidneys, skin, blood, and bowel.

Each organ of elimination requires specific tools to properly function. For example, the liver uses amino acids and sulfur compounds. The colon is helped by our consumption of fiber, which promotes regularity and absorbs excess toxins, eliminating them in a healthy bowel movement. Sadly, due to relatively recent changes in our environment and diet, our body does not always get the nutritional support or tools it needs to successfully detoxify and eliminate properly.

For the bulk of our history, humans have practiced cleansing, fasting, and purification rituals to rid their body of toxic buildup due to lifestyle and environment. Historically, our ancestors not only recognized the need to cleanse and detoxify, but they would also address their diet and nutrition as a means of providing nourishment both during and following periods of cleansing.

For example, Europeans and Americans traditionally drank tonics, such as fortified vegetable juices and fermented drinks like Beet Kvass and Rejuvelac. They would take these tonics to support their health and wellbeing, as well as to provide energy during times of fasting or seasonal change. In the Ayurvedic tradition, they refer to their cleansing method as Pancha Karma, a seasonal dietary rejuvenation program. Individuals partake in Pancha Karma while simultaneously taking herbs and making lifestyle adjustments.

Digestive care experts encourage individuals to consume a well balanced diet, rich in whole foods. Such a diet favors fare high in macronutrients, vitamins and minerals, as well as phyto-nutrients and antioxidants. In the modern age, we can apply the lessons from our healthy ancestors, and adjust our diet so that we too can support our channels of elimination.

So choose a salad with your entrée or a smoothie for breakfast. Take supplemental fiber to assist your colon to cleanse and detoxify. These are simple changes that will go a long way to promote good health. They will help strengthen and nourish the constitution, as well as assist your body in the cellular processes required for health and survival.

Author: Cassandra Cox
About the author: Cassandra Cox is a 10-year veteran of the natural products industry. Having received her credentials as both a Nutritional Consultant and Digestive Care Specialist, she is passionate about nutrition and digestive care.

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/debrisdesign/411833565/

Depression is a common condition, affecting millions of Americans across all walks of life. Many are seeking relief through natural remedies for mild to moderate depressive states; healing from, or transforming through, these states can be effectively supported with ‘alternative’ medicine, especially when precisely applied. Pure essential oils have been studied in clinical arenas for their efficacy in lifting mild to moderate depressive states, with promising results.

Clinical research has shown that natural, pure essential oils stimulate multiple regions in the brain, including those controlling endocrine, immune, and limbic (emotional center) functions. Essential oils have a direct and profound effect on the deepest levels of the body, emotions, and psyche. Through inhalation, essential oils have a strong and immediate influence. Passing through the capillary beds of the sinuses and activating the olfactory nerves, the oils’ vapor, produces direct and powerful effects - the most immediate being on the emotions. Our emotions and our sense of smell have very strong ties - perhaps more than with any other of the other four senses. It is said that your body will react to a smell on a physiological level (excitement, sedation, etc.) before you can even think about it!

In both Naturopathy and Ayurvedic Medicine, essential oils are considered to enhance the flow of essential life force (the’Chi’) and brighten mental clarity and luminosity. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, essential oils in general are medicines for the Shen, the spiritual essence that resides in the heart. Used consciously, essential oils positively enhance mental and emotional states. Further, the medicinal properties of essential oils, through their ability to support healing of the physical body, can also be of great benefit to the heart and mind. A study on the effect of aromatherapy on pain in patients with arthritis found that receiving massage with essential oils significantly decreased both the pain AND depression levels.

Following are some oils that have a reputation for positively affecting Chi and Shen, directly influencing the state of the psyche and emotions. The oils may be used in aromatherapy massage blends (a particularly effective method incorporating the support of a caregivers’s touch), and diffused into any space for activation of the brain’s limbic centers.

Bergamot (pressed from the peels of bitter oranges) has a strong reputation for its ability to uplift the mind and emotions. In Chinese medicine, this is a result of balancing the liver energy or Chi; this organ being considered the center of the eternal soul. Bergamot has the ability to both relax the nerves and invigorate the spirit; with these actions, this important oil can be helpful for a variety of depressive condtions. Sweet orange, a close relative, works in a similar fashion, with a slightly sweeter aroma.

Neroli, distilled from the flowers of the tree producing the Bergamot fruit, also regulates the Chi - and like Jasmine oil, inspires a feeling of comfort. Neroli is called for where the depression is a result of nervous and emotional exhaustion. The aroma of Neroli may help access and release repressed emotions. Neroli is additionally indicated for individuals who, in order to escape from emotional pain and suffering, cut themselves off from their feelings and senses.

Chamomile is wonderful to use when the depression manifests in a moody, irritable, dissatisfied outward expression - generally ‘cranky’ - associated with stagnant liver-chi. This flower oil is earthy, rich, and grounding with subtle uplifting qualities. Chamomile can be most effective as a small component of other blends, creating a synergy of anti-depressant action.

When depression is of a Fire (overly aggressive) nature, it often involves an imbalance of (or distinct lack of) joy and love - the root emotions of the heart and mind. Joy is an extension of spiritual essence’s innate sense of harmony and perfection, an experience of emotional and spiritual well-being. Rose oil may have a profound effect on this state, and is thought the premier heart opening aromatic, bringing joy, uplifting and restoring balance.

The evergreen oils are freqently very pleasing to men. Black and Hemlock Spruce, Balsam Fir, Juniper and Pine essential oils are centering and inspiring to the mind and emotions. Diffusing these oils alone or in combination creates a welcoming, relaxing atmosphere, and many find these aromas help motivate them in completing otherwise arduous tasks at home or in the office.

What follows are a few recipes for uplifting and releasing depressed emotional states - use your intuition to find the right one. Most often in the therapeutic use of essential oils, the oil or blend you find most attractive will be the one that serves you best. Don’t be afraid to try new things, have fun, and enjoy yourself!. These blends may be used in a diffuser or in a massage base at 5% concentration (unless where a carrier oil is indicated) - blends with carriers are intended specifically for aromatherapy massage.

• For opening the heart:
  1 part Rose 3 parts Sandalwood 1 part Sweet Orange or Bergamot; also 3 parts Jasmine, 1 part Ylang Ylang, 1 part Sandalwood.
• For invigorating and inspiring:
  3parts Bergamot, 1 part Ylang Ylang, 1 part Grapefruit; also 2 parts Bergamot, 2 parts Clary Sage, 1 part Frankincense; also 3 parts Bergamot or Sweet Orange, 2 parts Clary Sage 2 parts
  Frankincense; also 1 part Lemon 1 part either Jasmine or Neroli.
• For nourishing or ‘comforting’:
  1 part (Roman) Chamomile 1 part Vanilla 10 parts in the carrier oil of choice.
• For uplifting and softening with a floral and earthy aroma:
  1 part Neroli 1 part Vanilla 1 part Orange 1 part Sandalwood; also 1 part Chamomile 1 part Bergamot 1 part Helichrysum.
• For depression with negativity, try Bergamot, Chamomile, Helichrysum, Neroli, Orange, or Spikenard.
• If there is a marked lack of joy, try Rose, Jasmine, Melissa, Patchouli, Rosemary or Ylang Ylang.
• If over-thinking and worry are causing blockage, try Cardamom, Frankincense, Lemon, Marjoram, Myrrh or Vetiver.
• For overwhelming regret and remorse, try: Clary Sage, Cypress, or Pine.
• For inability to cope with overwhelming situations, try: Rose Geranium, Ginger, Juniper or Thyme.

While aromatherapy can provide support in many cases, it may not be the answer for everyone. Seek professional assistance in any case where one is losing the will to live, or any other seemingly impossible situation. Aromatherapy has few contraindications, and can be used effectively as an adjunct to other treatments; one should consult their care giver to ensure there are no contraindications with any prescribed medication.

About the author:
More information on a great variety of aromatherapy applications is available at the author’s website: http://www.anandaapothecary.com/essential-oils.html

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A diet comprised of 100% uncooked food when used for the purpose of detoxification of the body is referred to as a raw food detox diet. Detoxification or detox refers to the process of elimination of toxins - produced either internally from metabolic wastes or coming from external sources such food and environment - that get accumulated in the body over a period of time, giving rise to a host of diseases.

A raw food detox diet primarily includes vegetarian or vegan foods, though sometimes meat and fish may be allowed too if one can manage to eat them raw. Such a diet promotes the elimination of harmful substances from the body through the body’s excretory organs like kidneys, bowel and skin.

How a raw food diet detox works
The principle behind a raw food detox diet is the belief that food in its natural uncooked form has all the vital nutrients and enzymes intact, whereas cooking by conventional methods devitalizes the food due to breakdown of these substances. In a sense, raw food is a kind of living food, with a latent life force that under appropriate conditions facilitates germination and growth of a new plant from a seed.

Advocates of the raw food diet detox believe that when the body is fed with foods that are rich in life force, digestive enzymes, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, while at the same time being deprived of devitalized and toxin-laden foods, it gets into the self-detoxification and cleansing mode.

The problem with cooked foods
When food is heated to temperatures above 117 ºF (47 ºC) for more than a few minutes: (i) a substantial amount of vital digestive enzymes and nutrients get destroyed; (ii) proteins get denatured and coagulated, causing deficiency of many amino acids; (iii) fats when overheated result in the formation of carcinogenic substances.

When the food is cooked in water, the water-soluble minerals get lost due to leaching (even more intensely if one adds salt while cooking), unless one uses the leftover water for gravies or soups. In fact, scientific studies have shown that many of the vegetables lose their antioxidant benefits when boiled or microwaved.

It only gets worse when it comes to ready-to-eat commercially manufactured foods, which may even contain highly detrimental substances like acrylamides. It is for all these reasons that a
raw food diet has emerged as the favorite detox diet.

What constitutes a raw food diet detox
The following foods should be eaten while on a raw food detox diet:

• Whole organic fresh fruits and vegetables(preferred over juices)
• Herbs and wild greens
• Sprouted grains, pulses and seeds
• Nuts soaked in pure water for 12 hours * Sea plants like Nori, Dulse, Kelp, Algaes
• Foods dehydrated at room temperature so as to preserve life force, enzymes and nutrients
• Herbal teas, preferably organic

What to expect while on a raw food detox diet
There could be many health reasons for which people go on a raw food detox diet: e.g., weight loss, general health improvement, and chronic health problems arising from accumulation of toxins in the body (such as joint pains, headaches, chronic fatigue, constipation, etc.).

During the first two weeks of the raw food diet detox when the process of detoxification starts, initially one is likely to experience some negative detox reactions, such as nausea, headache, tiredness, coated tongue, foul breath, skin eruptions, depression, etc. This is because of the released toxins; it is very important to drink lots of water, take plenty of rest, and resist cooked food - otherwise, detox will discontinue. In the next phase, one starts experiencing the benefits of detoxification.

Benefits of a raw food detox diet
The following benefits are experienced after going on a raw food detox diet:

• Feel rejuvenated and energetic with increased stamina
• Improved digestion and stable blood sugar levels
• Reduction in joint and muscle pain
• Improvement in concentration

Conclusion
Sticking to a raw food diet detox plan is not difficult: a whole range of raw detox foods are available in health stores and farmers’ markets. And there is a wealth of information available
on the Internet, books/magazines to motivate and help you. Learn more about detoxification in my brand new free ebook at http://www.thedetoxspecialist.com

Author: Sandy Halliday
About the author: Sandy Halliday, a former nurse, is a nutritionist and health researcher with over 20 years experience with many different types of detoxification. She is passionate about the role of nutrition and detoxification for the prevention of illness and aging as well as the improvement of many health conditions.
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