Monsanto Companies

Cheap and Safe Weed Killer Recipe

Weed-Be-Gone

1 Gallon Vinegar

2 Cups Epsom Salt

¼ Cup Dawn Dish Soap (The Blue Original)

It will kill anything you spray it on.  Just mix and spray in the morning, after the dew has evaporated.  Walk away.  Go back after dinner and the weeds are all gone!  Cheaper than anything you can buy at the store.  Never buy Round-up again!

400 Companies that Don’t Use GMOs in Their Products

Many large agricultural companies partner with Monsanto and use genetically modified seeds, as well as fertilizers and herbicides that make us sick.  Big businesses are able to do this because people continue to buy their products, and they have the financial backing to do so.  

To avoid GMOs and added chemicals, we can grow our own food, or buy from a local farmer. There are also numerous companies out there who practice sustainable methods and source from farmers that do not use GMO. 

For a complete list, click HERE

Allergy Free Cookbooks

Top allergy-free cookbooks to stock in your kitchen cupboard

Living Without Gluten 
Developed by Peggy Wagener to help others with gluten intolerances.  For more information go to 
livingwithout.com

The Allergy Self-Help Cookbook: Over 350 Natural Foods Recipes; Free of all common food allergies.  This book contains updates nutrition information, recipes, tips and more.  For more information, click HERE

The Whole Foods Allergy Cookbook: Two Hundred Gourmet & Homestyle Recipes for the Food Allergic Family.  This cookbook contains recipes aimed at eliminating each of the 8 allergens responsible for 90% of food allergies.  For more info, click HERE

What to Eat When You Can't Eat Anything: The Complete Allergy Cookbook.  Offers more than 120 recipes for all types of food sensitivities. For more information, click HERE.

Allergy-free Cookbook: No eggs, no dairy, no nuts, no gluten
Alice Sherwood, a former BBC TV producer whose husband and son have serious food allergies, used her degree in chemistry and love of food to write her own cookbook. For more information, click HERE. 

Lavan Cooks Dairy-Free! A Healthy, Simple Approach to Your Favorite Foods
This cookbook contains lower calorie recipes that use natural dairy substitutes such as soy, rice, oat, and almond milks.  For more information, click HERE. 

The Ultimate Food Allergy Cookbook and Survival Guide: How to Cook with Ease for Food Allergies and Recover Good Health.
This cookbook contains more than 500 sugar-free recipes that work for gluten-free or dairy-free diets.  The book also contains a ton of information about how allergies are developed and how they can be treated.  For more information, click HERE.  


*In case you missed it, check out our newsletter, containing feature article in the Vail Daily, "Clean Out for Spring," earth-day tips, allergy blogs, an immune boosting recipe!*

Study Shows Dementia Patients Benefit from Holistic Exercise Program

"Holistic exercise strives to encourage individuals to not only to take part in the physical activities, but also to become aware of their own physical and psychological states"

Dementia patients can often suffer from depression and declining physical and mental ability, however exercise has been shown to help improve both their physical and psychological state. Researchers at Teesside University in the U.K. investigated how the combination of cognitive activities and elements of yoga, tai chi, qigong and meditation affected dementia patients. It was concluded that a holistic exercise program focusing on both mind and body can help improve quality of life for dementia patients.

For this study, conducted in association with the Alzheimer's Society (UK), researchers developed the Happy Antics program, a holistic exercise plan that integrates physical movements with consideration for the emotional, intellectual, social, and spiritual health of the patients. Each Happy Antics session began with a cognitive exercise in which participants were shown a picture of an object while the instructor spoke briefly about it. The patients were then encouraged to discuss the object and ask questions. This activity was followed by warm-up exercises and then physical exercise drawing from principals of tai chi, yoga, qigong, and dance. Each session ended with a short, guided meditation that focused on breathing and mindfulness.

Fifteen participants ranging from 52 to 86 years old attended the program: eight dementia patients, five care-givers, and two volunteers. Some patients said they felt more relaxed after the sessions and experienced some degree of pain relief. Other patients found learning to do the new exercises "empowering," even though sometimes they faced physical difficulty performing the tasks.

"When the wellness approach is applied to exercise, holistic exercise strives to encourage individuals to not only to take part in the physical activities, but also to become aware of their own physical and psychological states, and to perform exercise that is purposeful and meaningful to them," explained lead investigator Yvonne J-Lyn Khoo, BSc (Hons), MS, PhD, of the Health and Social Care Institute, Teesside University.

Top 9 Water Sources

This morning's blog was about the current research on hydrotherapy, and the benefits of regularly soaking in mineral water.  Below are 9 of the most formidable sources for soaking.  

Bad Sulza, Germany

Toskana Therme is known for its natural, warm salt water that springs from an ancient underground ocean, allowing guests to float as if in the Dead Sea.

Ojo Caliente, N.M.

Revered by Pueblo Indians for over 3,000 years, the springs at Ojo Caliente are heated by subterranean volcanic aquifers and fill 11 pools with 80- to 109-degree waters with different combinations of minerals.  One of the pools contains a high arsenic content.  Arsenic is said to relieve arthritis.

Hot Springs, Va.

The Omni Homestead touted as the “oldest spa structure in the U.S,” contains waters that remain a consistent 98 degrees, even in winter.   This spa is where Thomas Jefferson soaked to relieve his rheumatism.  

Saturnia, Italy

Here at the Terme di Saturnia Spa and Golf Resort, the water pours into a large mineral pool fast enough (132 gallons a second) that it is refreshed every four hours.  The spa has been favored by discerning travelers as well as cutting-edge beauty clinics of Switzerland, such as La Prairie. The mineral water is known for having a lot of sulfur which is a building block for collagen and makes skin feel soft and smooth.

Baden-Baden, Germany

Baden means “bath” in Germany, and the old joke is the town is so charming, special and lovely, they named it twice. Situated in the foothills of the idyllic Black Forest, it is one of Europe’s classic spa towns where Roman emperors once came to ease their aches.

The Caracalla Spa is famous for its glass walls.  The mineral waters come in both hot and cold (alternating temperatures are believed to stimulate circulation and build the immune system). The second floor is for those who prefer to go au natural, a common practice for Germans. 

Brittany, France
The Thalasso Center was built by three-time Tour de France winner Louison Bobet after thalassotherapy helped him recover from several surgeries following a car accident. Everything about the property embraces the ocean.

Montauk, N.Y.
The closest the U.S. has to a thalasso center is in Montauk on the tip of Long Island. Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa, pumps ocean water into its heated indoor Olympic-size pool. 

Healing Waters

"The word spa is believed to be an acronym of the Latin phrase ‘salus per aqua’- health through water."

The belief in water’s ability to heal goes back to the ancient Egyptians and Greeks who knew the value of a warm bath to sooth aches and pains.  As the population ages, we are increasingly seeking healing waters.

The Romans are credited with the world’s first spas- elaborate bath houses built near mineral springs.  The word spa is believed to be an acronym of the Latin phrase ‘salus per aqua’- health through water. Doctors in Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries prescribed drinking and bathing at well-known hot springs and seaside towns, such as Brighton, England and Baden-Baden, Germany.

Resorts became fashionable hang outs for monarchs and artists of the day — some for the social scene and others hoping to relieve ailments including infertility, rheumatism and gout.  Seawater therapy was termed “thalassotherapy” (thalassa means sea in Greek) by a French doctor in 1865. Patients were prescribed a strict regimen of ocean water, sea air, algae wraps, walks on the beach, massage and healthy meals.

In the U.S., many thermal springs were held sacred by Native Americans and later frequented by nobility, celebrities and presidents. Franklin Roosevelt enjoyed many a good soak in mineral waters throughout the country to relieve symptoms from his polio. Proponents of the “water cure” believed that it replenished our bodies as we absorbed needed minerals through our pores.

 A growing body of evidence shows that our ancestors may have been right. A study done in Israel in 2008 indicated that soaking regularly in mineral water can relieve pain and improve motor function in elderly adults suffering from chronic lower back pain and arthritis. Another study from the Italian Board of Medicine looked at data from over 23,000 spa goers and found a major reduction in hospitalizations, sick days and pharmacological drug use. It has been found that hydrotherapies help with common health complaints due to aging.  Others conclude that hydrotherapies help us relax more and worry less. 

Study Lists Dangerous Chemicals Linked to Breast Cancer

Certain chemicals that are common in everyday life have been shown to cause breast cancer in lab rats, and are likely to do the same in women, according to some US researchers.

A recent study distinguished 17 chemicals that should be avoided, including chemicals found in gasoline, diesel and other vehicle exhaust, flame retardants, stain-resistant textiles, paint removers, and disinfection byproducts in drinking water. Some of the biggest sources of mammary carcinogens in the environment are benzene and butadiene, which can come from vehicle exhaust, lawn equipment, tobacco smoke and charred food.

Other concerns identified by the study include cleaning solvents like methylene chloride, pharmaceuticals used in hormone replacement therapy, chemicals in nonstick coatings, and styrene which comes from tobacco smoke and is also used to make Styrofoam.

The study provides seven ways for women to avoid these chemicals:

-Limit exposure to exhaust from vehicles or generators, don’t idle your car, and use electric lawn mowers, leaf blowers and weed whackers instead of gas-powered ones.

-Use a ventilation fan while cooking and limit how much burned or charred food you eat.

-Do not buy furniture with polyurethane foam, or ask for furniture that has not been treated with flame retardants

-Avoid stain-resistant rugs, furniture and fabrics

-If you use a dry-cleaner, find one who does not use PERC (perchloroethylene) or other solvents.  Ask for “Wet cleaning.”

-Use a solid carbon block drinking water filter

-Keep chemicals out of the house by taking off your shoes at the door, using a vacuum with a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter, and cleaning with wet rags and mops  

The research was funded by the Avon Foundation. The Silent Spring Institute is a 20-year-old organization made up of scientists who focus on the environment and women's health.

High-Protein Diets and Longevity

A recent study of 6,381 adults aged 50 and over from the NHANES III suggests that whether or not to consume high amounts of protein may vary according to one’s age.

A recent study of 6,381 adults aged 50 and over from the NHANES III suggests that whether or not to consume high amounts of protein may vary according to one’s age.During the study, subjects consumed 1,823 calories on average per day, of which the majority came from carbohydrates (51%) followed by fat (33%) and protein (16%) with most of it (11%) derived from animal protein.  The percent of calorie intake from protein was used to categorize subjects into a high-protein group (20% or more of calories from protein), a moderate-protein group (10-19% of calories from protein) and a low protein group (less than 10% of calories from protein).

Key Findings

Mortality was followed via the National Death Index until 2006, which provides timing and cause of death.  The 18-year follow-up period covered 83,308 total person-years with 40% overall mortality; 10% was due to cancer, 19% cardiovascular disease, and 1% diabetes.   Members of the study aged 50-65 in the high protein category reported a 75% increase in overall mortality and a 4-fold increase in cancer death risk during the following 18 years. These associations were either abolished or attenuated if the proteins were plant-derived. Conversely, high protein intake was associated with reduced cancer and overall mortality in respondents over 65. There was a 5-fold increase in diabetes mortality across all ages for those consuming high-protein diets. These results suggest that low protein intake during middle age followed by moderate to high protein consumption in older adults may optimize health span and longevity.

Practice Implications

These data suggest that people should shift their dietary patterns in two key ways. First, patients younger than 65 should be discouraged from eating high-protein diets, especially diets high in animal protein. They should be encouraged to shift toward vegetable protein. Second, patients over 65 should be encouraged to consume more protein as it reduces overall and cancer mortality unless at high risk for diabetes.

Reference

Levine ME, Suarez JA, Brandhorst S, et al.  Low protein intake is associated with a major reduction in IGF-1, cancer, and overall mortality in the 65 and younger but not the older population.  Cell Metab,  2014;19(3): 407-417

Arthritis Awareness Month

According to research, more than 50 million adults and 300,000 in the U.S. have arthritis, placing them at risk for chronic pain and disability.  Arthritis is, in fact, the number one cause of disability in the U.S. and it impacts the daily activities more frequently than heart disease, cancer or diabetes. 

The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis causes pain and stiffness in the joints and surrounding tissue. It occurs most frequently in the knees, hips, hands and spine. While the normal wear-and-tear of aging is linked to osteoarthritis, other risk factors include having a history of joint injuries and being overweight. 

One of the most serious forms the disease is rheumatoid arthritis. This disease causes the body's immune system to attack the thin membranes that line the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis causes joint pain and inflammation that can be systemic, which means it affects the entire body. Extreme fatigue and, over time, organ damage and immobility can result. Scientists believe both environmental and genetic factors may play a role in rheumatoid arthritis. The disease typically develops between the ages of 30 to 60, and affects women three times as often as it does men.

When arthritis develops in children 16 and younger, it's called juvenile arthritis—an umbrella term for the many autoimmune and inflammatory conditions that young patients suffer. The most common form is juvenile idiopathic arthritis, which is diagnosed when children or adolescents have swelling in one or more joints for at least six weeks. 

May is National Arthritis Awareness Month, sponsored by the nonprofit Arthritis Foundation. Activities are planned to raise awareness of arthritic conditions and encourage support for more research to develop better treatments and prevention measures. To learn more visit www.arthritis.org.

Lentil Dahl recipe

It may technically be spring, but we're here in Colorado, mother nature is giving us mixed signals.  One day the sun in shining and it's 60 degrees outside, the next its sleeting, and the wind is blowing, and all you want to do is go home and curl up on the couch with a warm, fuzzy blanket..and what's that? It's supposed to snow again this weekend?  The following recipe is sure to warm you up on a dreary day.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 small yellow onions, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled, minced
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp tumeric
• ½ tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 cups red lentils, uncooked
• 1 can coconut milk
• 3 cups water
• cilantro for topping

Directions

1. Cook the onions, ginger and garlic in the coconut oil for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Add the spices, coconut milk, lentils and water.
3. Cook for 35-45 minutes until lentils are soft and it's thickened up.
4. Remove from heat and serve topped with cilantro over brown rice, quinoa, or just as is.

Earth Day Tips

Earth Day was last month, but we can celebrate Earth all year round! Here is a list of opportunities for eco-friendliness as we move into summer!

1) Eat fair trade chocolate, and support small farmers

2) Repupose empty tin cans as pencil holders or flower vases.  Visit creatingreallyawesomefreethings.com
Search "tin can crafts."

3)  Donate your old electronics.  See pickupplease.org for details.

4) Buy organic.  For a list of the "dirty dozen" (fruits and veggies with the more pesticides) view our dirty dozen blog

5) When shipping, pack goods in old newspapers, never styrafoam peanuts.

6)  Avoid single servings.  Buy large containers and pack your own.

7)  Use bars instead of liquid soap in plastic bottles.

8)  Make your own non-toxic cleaners.  Get recipes at eartheasy.com

9)  Carry a stainless steel or glass water bottle.  Ty newwaveenviro.com or lifefactory.com

10)  Choose ECO friendly detergents such as Bio Kleen, Laundry Liquid, and GrabGreen 3-in-One laundry Detergent Pods

11)  Place a bin next to the trash can and recycle all office paper.  And buy only recycled office paper.

12)  Stop junk mail.  Visit dmachoice.org and optoutprescreen.com

13)  Invest in solar-powered lamps.

14)  Use rechage-able, not disposable, batteries.

15) Bake in glass instead of metal, and lower the temperature by 25 degrees if possible.

16)  Choose cloth napkins, and towels.

17)  Choose "1" and "2" containers.  They are easier to recycle

18)  If renting a car during travels, choose a hybrid instead of a gas guzzler

19)  Buy produce in season.  Visit localharvest.org to find farmer's markets and fresh fruits and vegetables in your town

20)  Precycle:  buy only what you absolutely need.