Health Benefits of Jerusalem Artichoke

Today I found myself outside in 40 degree weather pulling Jerusalem Artichoke tubers out of the ground. As I was in the midst of pulling, small raindrops started coming down, making it almost hard to bear! At that point, I had to remind myself why I was pulling these in the first place.

This amazing plant is one of the oldest medicinal plants used as a natural remedy, dating back to fourth century B.C., and was used to treat liver disorders and jaundice. Jerusalem Artichoke actually comes from the Sunflower family and has many nicknames, including Sunroot, Earth Apple, and Sunchoke. It grows up to ten feet tall and appears very similar to a sunflower stalk. When you pull these in the fall, you will see the roots and tubers as white, red or purple. They resemble a potato, and are extremely tasty! 

Jerusalem Artichoke can be cut up and eaten raw on salads, can be steamed or boiled, or added to soups or stews. These tasty tubers contain many different vitamins and minerals, including:
Vitamin A, B-vitamins, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc, Copper, Manganese, Selenium, and many more! The leaf provides many more nutrients and added benefits as well, and is even said to be more medicinal and potent than the tubers. As you can see, both are packed with nutrients and provide a great food for the entrance into the winter season.





There are also many different benefits that this food brings, including:

• Regulates energy usage
• Supports healthy heart function
• Supports and nourishes the muscular system
• Supports nervous system
• Reduces fatigue
• Lowers chances of infections
• Supports healthy hair and nails 
• Decreases the risk of depression
• Improves digestion
• Helps with liver function (extremely good for the liver)
• Significantly lowers LDL (AKA bad) cholesterol

Jerusalem Artichoke offers a great list of benefits, and is especially good for the liver and cardiovascular system (especially the tincture of the leaf).

I love to eat any root vegetable during the early winter months, and all throughout the winter too. They are not only beneficial foods, but they also provide warmth for these very cold months to come!

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Svea is a traditional Naturopath, classical homeopath and holistic doula. Her private doula practice can be found here. 

Natural Treatments for Plantar Warts

For the last few years I have struggled to find a natural treatment for plantar warts (warts on the feet). It seems like I tried everything, from Oregano essential oil to duct tape to potato peelings. NOTHING WORKED!

Now, if you know me, and you know my background, then you know that I do not like to use any chemicals or toxic substances, pharmaceuticals included. It seemed like I was at the end of my threshold with these warts. They were growing in number and increasing in size.... and boy did they ever hurt!

The highlighted portion below is my original post on using Apple Cider vinegar for plantar warts. Since I wrote this article, I have learned some very key facts on plantar warts. If suppressed, they will come back with a vengeance. Just like acid from a pharmacy, apple cider vinegar suppresses the warts. For some people the warts fall off, only to come back a few years later.  If you truly want to get rid of your plantar warts - DO NOT use acid, apple cider vinegar or anything else that you apply topically. I strongly strongly advise against this. After you read below, you will see my story with the use of apple cider vinegar. After I stopped using it (and boy was it painful), the warts grew even bigger (instead of falling off like they do for some people). I also learned that we do not want to suppress these things - because they are an external manifestation of what is happening on the inside. If you have a lot of plantar warts, then you have the virus inside of you. The apple cider vinegar will not kill the virus internally - it will only remove the external plantar warts - which will come back later if not treated appropriately.

I have found the best medicine to be Homeopathy for plantar warts. It's very important to see a Classical Homeopath who will find your constitutional remedy - this remedy will knock off the warts (without all the pain of the other "natural" treatments), as well as kill the virus internally so the plantar warts will not come back.

I was reaching the point of going to the pharmacy and getting a wart remover, even knowing how toxic these really are, until I found a very simple home remedy that was reported to have great results. Some of the comments in the forum were similar to mine... they tried everything (including medication), but nothing seemed to work...until finding Apple Cider Vinegar!

I was immediately excited to hear the results of using this simple home remedy. I am always pleased to find simple solutions that are very inexpensive compared to conventional medical treatment.

Since I use Apple Cider Vinegar to make tinctures, I had some in the cupboard and began using it that night. In order to get the apple cider on my toes (which is where the majority of my plantar warts are), I dipped a cotton ball into the apple cider vinegar and secured it with first-aid tape. I left this tape on throughout the night.

On the forum that I read, I learned of a lot of people who said it is very painful. After this first night, I would have to agree.... VERY PAINFUL! From my understanding most wart treatments hurt, and maybe even hurt worse than this natural treatment. The pain wasn't unbearable--it was worse in the morning right after I took off the bandages, and lessened throughout the day. I also took some pictures of my toes after the first day.  I wasn't sure if I wanted to share those pictures on here because it looked so terribly gross, however, for the purpose of science (hehe), I will post them below.

Warning: If you do not like gross images, please skip the image below and scroll down to the text.

After the first night, all of my plantar warts expanded to about 50 times their normal size. These warts were hardly detectable on my toes before the apple cider vinegar treatment. As you can see here, they are large and completely disgusting. I feel brave for sharing! After removing the bandages, the warts shrunk back to their normal size, and again, were hardly detectable.

I continued to do this treatment every night for four nights. By this time, all of these plantar warts had turned black and became much harder. This 'blackening' indicates that the roots of these plantar warts were dying. Many times, the roots are very deep, and very difficult to kill as well. By this time I wanted to give my toes a rest, since the apple cider vinegar is very acidic. I allowed these roots to fall out, and then continued to do the treatment. Each person is different for the amount of time they need to apply this natural treatment. I am still working on mine now, after a month. I have noticed a considerable decrease in size (and some are even gone already). Other people report that after a week their warts disappeared and never reappeared again. Apple Cider Vinegar can be used on any wart on the hands and feet.

I must say something else here now. Since I know much more about Natural Health and Alternative Medicine, I must point out the significance of these warts. All of the plantar warts that I had developed over time are on both the medial and lateral (inside and outside) portion of my big toe. In Chinese medicine, these are the Spleen and Liver meridians. So, this indicates that I have some sort of dis-harmony in those meridians and those organs.  Secondly, plantar warts are a type of Human Papillomavirus, which most people think is a sexually transmitted disease, however, can be picked up from floors, showers, shoes, swimming pools, the air...basically anywhere (so, afterall, not all strands of HPV are sexually transmitted).

Since I have plantar warts (caused by a virus) along these meridians, this might signify that I have to kill viruses in my system, especially in my liver and spleen. Knowing this, I have incorporated an herbal program that will target these viruses and kill them.

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Svea is a traditional Naturopath, classical homeopath and holistic doula. Her private doula practice can be found here. 

Are you suffering from Mercury and/or Heavy Metal Poisoning?

Today was my final dentist appointment to remove the silver amalgam fillings from my teeth. For those of you who know what these fillings contain, I am certain that you can sense my excitement to have these gone!

For those of you who do not know what these silver fillings are, I will explain now.

Throughout my childhood I had a "good" dentist. A dentist who filled my teeth every time he found the smallest cavity (even a tooth that looked like it could develop a cavity in the future). When I was 19, I had 11 fillings, all dark silver amalgam fillings. Since I switched dentists, I have not had one cavity, and certainly no silver fillings. So, was my dentist as "good" of a dentist as my parents may have thought?

The silver fillings that they put in your teeth, and the teeth of your children, is also known as amalgam. These amalgam fillings contain different metals, including extremely toxic Mercury.  Dentists try to tell you that these metals trap mercury completely and that none is allowed to escape from the filling, however, this has been proven to be incorrect numerous times. If you want to see for yourself go to the following link: smoking tooth video.  This video shows a tooth with an amalgam filling that is around 25 years old, that is still releasing mercury fumes. He also shows that fumes increase each time the tooth is tampered with (ie, chewing, drinking coffee, etc.). So, if these fillings are in your mouth then mercury is surely poisoning you very slowly (or quickly with some people).

Mercury / Amalgam Filling

I was surprised to hear about a story of a woman who had a mouth full of amalgam fillings. This woman was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis last year. In the conventional world, this "disease" is said to be incurable. During her quest for healing, she found information on the link between mercury and multiple sclerosis. She went to a holistic dentist and had all of her amalgam fillings removed...and guess what!?!??!

She no longer has multiple sclerosis! This woman was misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis. She should have been "diagnosed" with heavy metal poisoning instead.

Mercury destroys the myelin sheath on the nerves and contributes to a whole host of problems. Some other symptoms of heavy metal/mercury poisoning are:

• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Nervous shaking
• Poor Memory
• Autism 
• Headaches
• Fibromyalgia
• Headaches
• Skin rashes
• Muscle weakness
• Alzheimer's Disease
• Parkinson's Disease
• Irritability
• Suicidal Tendencies (did you know that dentists have the highest suicide rate? interesting, huh?)
• Depression
• Insomnia
• Autoimmune Disorders
• AND MANY, MANY MORE!

If you have silver amalgam fillings, I suggest getting them removed as soon as possible.  You must find a holistic dentist that properly removes amalgam/mercury fillings. Before you make your appointment, you should make sure that your dentist offers a special ventilation system, a special shield for the mouth, oxygen masks, and more. If you need assistance in finding a holistic dentist, please contact me and I will give you information for your area.

You should also bring some important things with you to these appointments. If you are nervous or anxious about this removal you could immediately take Rescue Remedy (which is a Bach Flower Essence). You should also bring Bentonite Clay. You should swish with this immediately following your appointment, as well as swallowing 1/4 cup. Bentonite Clay will attach to Mercury and pull it out of the body safely.

After you have all of your amalgam fillings removed (and this also includes root canals, caps, and others...most will have mercury in them) you should start a heavy metal cleanse. It is very important to get Mercury out of your body in a safe and healthy manner. You will immediately experience healthy results. I have noticed that my trembling hands are no longer shaking (I noticed this a year ago at my last appointment). I have also noticed that my memory has improved significantly. These are very good changes, and I am excited to see what happens after my heavy metal/mercury cleanse!

If you think that you are experiencing mercury toxicity, contact Sacred Healing Traditions for more information.

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Svea is a traditional Naturopath, classical homeopath and holistic doula. Her private doula practice can be found here. 

Natural Treatment for Pink Eye (Conjuctivitis)

A couple of days ago I woke up with a pink and itchy eye.

I have only had pink eye one time in my life, and I was shocked to find that I had it again! I live a very active and healthy lifestyle and haven't been in contact with anyone who was infected. Usually when people have pink eye, they run to their doctor and ask for antibiotics. I, on the other hand, was excited to test my knowledge of natural cures!

Through my family line, I learned of a folk remedy that is reportedly good for pink eye... a tomato.

So, I decided to try it. I sliced a juicy tomato and let it rest on my eye for about 10 minutes. It didn't feel irritating to my eye, but instead, felt very cooling and helpful.

The next day my pink eye was still there, but this time with a little bit of puss too. I wasn't too sure if the tomato actually helped or not, but it sure felt good when I did it. On this day, I decided to try out another natural remedy for pink eye.

Colloidal silver has been found to be very successful for the treatment of pink eye (especially if it is a bacterial infection). Colloidal silver is a good supplement to take around the "flu season" as it helps to rid your body of those "bugs" that make you sick!

I dropped some colloidal silver (which is actually a liquid solution...it looks just like water) into the top of a cap and then dropped it into my eye. I thought this might burn a little bit, but it just felt like water drops. This liquid felt soothing to my irritated and itchy eye. I also avoided contact with my infected eye, although it was itchy and irritated.

The next day my pink eye was mostly gone, and the day after it had completely disappeared. This was a very successful case of a natural treatment for pink eye.

Antibiotics are way overused in our society. Why not try a very cost effective, natural remedy that works just as well, or better, than antibiotics!

To your health!

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Svea is a traditional Naturopath, classical homeopath and holistic doula. Her private doula practice can be found here. Her Montreal Natural Fertility site can be found here. 

Are Microwaves Destroying Your Health?

While I was walking in a bookstore the other day, I noticed a cookbook for microwave cooking. I began laughing as I pictured a young couple preparing a five-course meal in the microwave. The reality then set in... do these people really know what they are doing to their health by cooking in a microwave oven?

In 1991, there was a lawsuit in Oklahoma. A woman who was having a hip replacement was killed by a simple blood transfusion because the nurse warmed the blood in a microwave oven. Oftentimes in these procedures they warm the blood before a transfusion, but obviously not in a microwave. Most of us think a microwave only warms food, but this shows that it is doing something completely different to our food.

When I was growing up, I remember my mom telling me not to stand too close to the microwave, because it would "hurt" me.  I have also observed many different people saying the same thing.  Logically, if we can't stand too close to the microwave because it is bad for our health, then why would we eat the food that was directly inside of the microwave?

Surprisingly, there is little research on this topic, however, I was able to dig some up. Two different researchers, Blanc and Hertel researched the effects of microwave food.  They found that food is significantly changed after it is warmed in a microwave oven. They also measured blood samples directly after eating and found that haemoglobin levels decreased (resulting in anemia)... and this was only an 8 day sample! What are the long term effects? Is this a cause of the ever-increasing prevalence of anemia? Researchers reported that the results became even more pronounced during the second month of the study.

Microwaves cause a violent change in food and causes its molecules to form new life forms called radiolytic compounds. These mutations are unknown in the natural world and wreck havoc within the body, causing deterioration in the blood and immune system.

More research has been conducted in Russia from 1957 until now, showing that when ingesting food from a microwave, more cancerous cells are found in the blood, a higher incidence of stomach and digestive cancers are found, food is extremely altered and destroyed, and many, many more.

Because of this research, microwaves were banned in Russian in 1976. There is also advice out there to NOT heat a baby bottle in the microwave, since the microwave will destroy some very essential nutrients for the child. If nothing else speaks to you, then hopefully this does!

I know how my body feels after it eats microwave food....NOT GOOD! I have avoided microwaves for about three years now, cooking in toaster ovens or regular ovens. One month ago I ate at a restaurant and right after eating I felt like my throat and stomach had been burned (although my food was not hot). I was a bit confused as to why I would feel this way until the waitress came over and said she had burned her hand on the plate that came out of the microwave!

OOOOHHHH BOOOOYYYYY WAS I UPSET!!!!! Most people don't know the effects of microwaves, but folks, this is NOT acceptable to me! Since when do we not have enough time to cook a meal in the oven and sit down to enjoy it with our family?

Under NO circumstance would I suggest heating ANYTHING in the microwave (including water). Take a little bit of extra time to warm your food the old fashioned way... in an oven.  If you do not have access to an oven, eat your food cold.  Some people think that skipping a meal is "bad for you", but I say, if the only options are to microwave food or not eat, I would say DON'T EAT!

So, are microwaves destroying your health? Some symptoms could be:

Headaches
Sore Throats
Hypo/hyper-thyroidism
Cancerous growths (especially in the esophagus, stomach and/or digestive system)
Acid reflux
Ulcers
Any many more...

To counter the effects of microwave food, make sure that you are eating plenty of raw fruits and vegetables! STOP MICROWAVING YOUR FOOD.... IMMEDIATELY! Better yet, get rid of yours entirely!

Till next  time,

Sacred Healing Traditions---Signing out! :)

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Svea is a traditional Naturopath, classical homeopath and holistic doula. Her private doula practice can be found here. Her Montreal Natural Fertility website can be found here. 

The Truth About the Flu Shot

Now is the time of year where we see "Flu Shots Here" all over the place. It is the time of changing seasons, and also the time of "catching" the flu. Many people live in fear of the flu and get a shot to protect against the virus, but are they doing anything else to protect themselves?

Since this is my blog, I am going to express myself openly and freely about vaccines, specifically the flu vaccine. If you know me, then you know that I am against all vaccines.  I believe in your body's innate ability to fight these diseases and also to be protected against them (as well as the healing power of nature medicine).

First, in my experience with this specific vaccine, I have noticed that although people get the vaccine, they still get the flu. Doesn't this seem ironic? They get a vaccine to protect against the virus and then get the virus anyway. We also see this with many other vaccines, including the chickenpox vaccine. The vaccine companies never claim to protect against all strains of flu virus.  In fact, they state that their vaccine doesn't protect against all strains of the virus, but instead only a select few they think might be popular that year.

In 2009, we experienced the H1N1 flu "outbreak" hype. In Michigan (and I'm sure other states too), many schools were closed because so many children were infected with a flu virus. Many people were weary of getting the vaccine since it was such a "new" thing and they didn't know what it would do for their health (the vaccine). Many other people lined up in herds to get the vaccine. I, on the other hand, did not get the vaccine. Local health departments experienced shortages and some people were even turned away.  I'm sure you all remember this experience.  So what happened with the H1N1 hype?

Well... nothing, really. Some people died, yes.  But, less people died from this flu than the regular seasonal flu.  I also saw a tremendous amount of people that were affected or injured by the flu vaccine. People developed neurological disorders over night and some pregnant women lost their babies. To me, the injury from the flu vaccine was worse than the actual flu.  And, drug companies made WAY more vaccine than what was actually used, so they had to deal with the excess vaccine. Guess what folks.... THEY ARE PUTTING THESE EXCESS H1N1 VACCINES IN THE SEASONAL FLU VACCINE.

Also, vaccines are very toxic substances.  There are many different ingredients, including egg proteins, polysorbate 80 (carcinogenic), formaldehyde, Triton X100 ( a strong detergent ), sucrose, gentamycin (an antibiotic), and thimerosol.

Thimerosol is the ingredient that contains high amounts of mercury. If you know anything about health, then you know that mercury is toxic to your system... this is one reason why they no longer have mercury thermometers, or other products with mercury. The mercury in one vaccine is enough to shut down a 10 acre lake (if found in the water). This mercury is also a huge culprit in the cause of autism, and other neurological disorders that children are developing.

Essentially, autism was unheard of 20 years ago, even 10 years ago.  When I was in school, I didn't know one student who had autism.  If you go into a public school now, many children have autism and the numbers are growing. The beautiful thing about the human body is that it can regenerate. Most doctors tell you that autism is not reversible, however, I know that it is. If you are a parent of a child with autism, remember, there is hope. I see many parents who think there is no hope, but by fixing the diet and doing simple cleanses, their children begin to speak, begin to interact, and begin to heal.

The flu is a virus that is contagious.  We all know that.  But, why do some people get the flu and others do not? If your immune system is strong enough, it will fight the flu virus right away. You might have the virus on you or inside of you, but the body will destroy it immediately.  If your immune system is worn down, the virus might have more time to incubate in your body and replicate.  After a few days the body will recruit its helpers to get rid of the foreign pathogen.  It is at this time that you will begin to feel sick...when the body is in full attack mode. This is a common misunderstanding about the flu, most people think it is the virus that is causing you to feel so bad, but, it is the body's immune system attacking the virus and killing it. 

This process requires a strong immune system, and unless you are eating healthy, exercising, and stress-free, then you probably have a weakened immune system.  The immune system can become weakened from many different things, including: stress, environmental toxins, heavy metals (like mercury in the flu vaccine), prescription medications, poor mental attitude, fear, unhealthy food, and many more.

There are natural things that you can do to prevent the flu!

 First and foremost, do not live in a state of fear.  Do not fear the flu! Incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet (raw and local preferably) and exercise daily. Echinacea is a big immune system herb and will help to protect you in this season of the flu. Astragalus is also great for an immune boost, as well as wheatgrass juice.  If you do start feeling ill, you can take goldenseal to help your body get rid of the virus immediately. If you are in the midst of the flu virus, you can turn to homeopathy for quick relief.  Homeopathy is another topic for another time, but is available.  It was the only treatment that provided relief during the time of the 1918-1919 Spanish flu (many homeopaths did not lose any of their patients during this very deadly flu!).

And, always remember, if you take care of your body, it will take care of you!

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Svea is a traditional Naturopath, classical homeopath and holistic doula. Her private doula practice can be found here. 

The Joys of Juicing

In our busy society and culture, we find ourselves on the go most of the time.  When we are thirsty we stop at convenience stores and buy soda, or pasteurized juice with sugar added.  The healthiest beverage you could buy from a convenience store would be pasteurized 100% juice... and this isn't even that healthy for you.

The pasteurization process uses heat to destroy the bacteria in different substances, like juice or milk. In this process, many vital nutrients are destroyed, as well as beneficial enzymes. When we eat a raw apple, we receive enzymes from the apple to help us digest that specific fruit.  The same goes for any raw fruit or vegetable out there...they all contain these very beneficial enzymes.

If you look at the ingredient label on juice, you might find that they add "ascorbic acid", and that the juice contains 100% Vitamin C. To me this is a false concept... the natural vitamin C that the juice originally contained was killed in the pasteurization process, so the company adds "ascorbic acid" which is vitamin C--making it seem like the product is a whole product.

In knowing this, why wouldn't you want a product that is whole and healthy? A product that contains many vital nutrients... a product that contributes toward your health? Juicing your own fruits and vegetables provides all of these things for you... enzymes, vitamins, minerals, increased energy and endurance throughout the day, and MUCH MORE!

The first step in making your own fresh juices is to purchase a juicer. My preference is for the Champion Juicer (and no, I'm not a salesman for the Champion Juicer). This juicer runs around $300, but is well worth it if you are planning on juicing every day or every other day. If this does not fit into your budget, you could purchase a smaller, less efficient juicer from a superstore like Meijer or Walmart. Next, you need to purchase your favorite fruits and vegetables (which should preferably be ripe, organic, and locally grown).

Juicing is simple and there are MANY different recipes.  One of the simplest and best tasting juices contain:

1 apple
3 carrots
1/2 red beet
1 stick of celery
1/4 cup water

Raw juices are very easy to digest by the body, and the amount of nutrients absorbed is much greater than solid food. There are many benefits, which include:

• Anti-Aging Benefits
• Cellular Cleansing
• Increased Immunity (less sickness throughout the year)
• High antioxidant content
• Increased energy
• Healthier skin
• Whole-body regeneration
• Helps with constipation
• 
  ...and MANY, MANY MORE!

Juicing is something that you can add to your daily life.  You should juice every morning if possible, as it will prepare your body for food intake.  It is also easily digested in the morning... much easier than a big breakfast of solid food. Raw juices contain many natural medicines that will help with many different conditions, especially if you focus on choosing the proper fruits and vegetables for your condition.

More tips on juicing:

-Make sure you drink the juice right away.  Some vitamins and minerals are destroyed with heat and light, and the longer you let it sit out, the more you will lose. Try to drink your juice within 15 minutes of making it!
-Clean your juicer right away.  When the fruit/vegetable pulp dries on the juicer it is very difficult to clean.  Do this immediately! Also, this pulp is great to put into your compost bin!
-Add bee pollen if you would like.  Bee pollen is "nature's perfect food" and contains everything to sustain your life.  It is one of the only foods that contain everything that you need to survive. This substance can be found at most health food stores and online.  Make sure that you can find "local" bee pollen... this will be the most beneficial for you! Check back later for an entire article on bee pollen (it is one of my favorite!).
-Buy a variety of fruits and vegetables so you can try different recipes! Always try to add at least one vegetable, if not the majority.  Carrots make a great juice that tastes sweet too!
-Add raw honey.  This will not only make your juice sweet, but it will also provide you will many more vitamins and minerals! This might even help your allergies!

I encourage you all to add fresh, raw juice to your daily diet! You will see MANY benefits when you begin to do this.  Children also love raw juices (although you should water their juices down a bit more than yours).

To your health!