The Wonders Of Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera, that cactus-looking plant that is actually a succulent, has more benefits than you probably realize. It is has anti- bacterial, anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties.

Normally thought of as a wonderful salve for skin problems, it also helps with many health issues when ingested in  juice form.

During some past flare-ups of my Ulcerative Colitis (UC), I drank aloe vera juice as part of my healing regimen. That, along with Robert's Formula (the brand I used is no longer available) and a product called Intestinew, quickly brought me back into remission.  Not all aloe vera juices, however, are the same. Some contain aloe latex (aloin) which can exacerbate problems with diarrhea if you have Crohns or UC, although if you have constipation it might be useful. Check the label to make sure it is aloin and preservative-free if you have bowel or other issues.  I used a product called George's Road Runner, expensive, but it is distilled and tasted like water- a quarter of a cup was all I needed. (Remember to always comparison shop when you purchase supplements in retail venues and online.)

The juice and gel can help with many health problems including:

Canker Sores
Crohns
Diabetes (can help manage)
Digestion (it's a great cleanser and detoxifier)
Heartburn
High Blood Pressure
Immunity
Irritable Bowel Syndrom
Sunburn
Ulcerative Colitis
Ulcers
Weight loss (can help)

Personally, I wouldn't make my own juice from whole aloe plants, unless you know how to remove the aloin, but I have cut open a leaf and used the gel with success for skin troubles.

Remember to always research how to use supplements, and ask your health practitioner if aloe is right for you.  Since it is a potent medicinal plant, I would use it only as long as you are in the healing process, and not on a regular basis.

Lavender And Its Many Health Benefits

Besides smelling wonderful, Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) actually has many healthful benefits. You'll probably be surprised by how many, I know I was. Used as aromatherapy, a tea, and with dried or fresh buds it can help with a myriad of health issues. Lavender is a calmative, and has antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, antifungal  and disinfectant properties. It contains antioxidants (polyphenols) and is chock full of phytonutrients for good health.

Lavender oil should always be diluted and used sparingly.  It is very potent.

ANXIETY, STRESS, TENSION, DEPRESSION-  Rub some essential oil into your temples and/or under your nose. Or soak in a hot bath that you've added flower buds or oil.

APPETITE LOSS- Breathing lavender aromatherapy for 15 minutes can stimulate the appetite.

DEMENTIA-  Lavender oil has been found to lower aggressiveness and 'agitated behavior' in dementia patients when used as part of massage therapy.

HAIR TROUBLES-

    a. Alopecia (hair loss): When rubbed into the scalp. Combine with oils of cedarwood, thyme, and rosemary. Could increase hair growth by 44% in 7 months. The WebMD recipe is as follows:

For bald spots (alopecia areata): one study used a combination of essential oils including 3 drops (108 mg) of lavender, 3 drops (114 mg) of rosemary, 2 drops (88 mg) of thyme, and 2 drops (94 mg) of cedarwood, all mixed with 3 mL jojoba oil and 20 mL grapeseed oil. Each night, the mixture is massaged into the scalp for 2 minutes with a warm towel placed around the head to increase absorption.

  b. Dandruff: Steep flowers in hot water, cool, and use as a rinse until the flakes disappear.  You can also add 15 drops of lavender essential oil to 2 tablespoons of almond, olive or white sesame seed oil,  microwave until warm (about 10 seconds or so), massage scalp with the concoction, put on a disposable shower cap, let sit for an hour, then shampoo out.  This also might take a few goes to notice a difference.  You could also add some essential oil to your shampoo or conditioner.

  c. Lice and Nits: Apply oil to a comb and comb through hair. It supposedly kills the nits.

INSOMNIA-  Inhale some lavender essential oil before bed time, or put some on your pillow. You can also steep some lavender flowers in hot water to help relax and promote sleep, drink before bed. Adding some chamomile to the lavender could double the effect. Turn on a diffuser with lavender oil at night. Place a vase of dried lavender next to your bed.

PAIN- When inhaled, it can also help reduce pain, probably by reducing anxiety. Massaged, it can  help with joint pain, and headaches.

SKIN TROUBLES- 

   a. Mosquito Bites: Get rid of the itch with essential oil. Dab a few drops of essential oil on the bite, wait 15 minutes.  Then reapply every 6 to 8 hours for 24 hours.  If the skin gets irritated within the first 15 minutes, stop using.

  b. Burns or Irritations: Add some oil to moisturizer or hand lotion, or to some water in a spray bottle.

TUMMY TROUBLES- Add food-grade dried lavender to some yogurt to help with bloating and poor digestion, especially from antibiotic use. The polyphenols help with the bad bacteria in the gut.


Besides the above, it has been known to help with many other ailments including acne, asthma, colic, cuts, flatulence, hay fever,  nausea, vomiting,

SIDE EFFECTS AND INTERACTIONS: Although lavender is generally safe, there are some potential issues you should consider before using.  If you are trying to lose weight, you should probably stay away from lavender since it can stimulate the appetite. It can also cause constipation, headache, and skin irritations. Stop using lavender in any form at least two weeks before a scheduled surgery since it can slow down the central nervous system too much when used in conjunction with general anesthesia.  Apparently, it's also not a good idea to use on  pre-pubescent boys because of hormonal issues: it can cause gynecomastia (abnormal breast growth). It's probably best to not use on any young children. Diabetics should also stay away from lavender use. And as always, pregnant and lactating women should stay away. And here is some important information on interactions.

Unless you know for sure the lavender is safe to ingest, do not take orally.

Please remember always check with your doctor or health practitioner before you use any herbal remedy.


Sources: HuffPo, Marks Daily Apple, Health Cave, WebMD,

Giving From A Pure Place- Tyler Perry

I was perusing my Facebook news feed and noticed a friend had liked a post on Tyler Perry's fan page, and just had to share.

Prolific entertainer, actor, director, producer Tyler Perry of "Madea" fame, is also a man of faith.  Take note of the last paragraph- he's absolutely spot on. Call it what you will- karma or reaping what you sow- however you look at it, giving (like loving) unconditionally, and from a pure heart, will reap many benefits, if nothing else creating peace and joy within your heart. Everything else is icing on the cake.

IT MAY TAKE A WHILE

It's funny how a song, a taste, a scent, or something as simple as a change in weather can trigger a memory. Certain times of year make me think about when I was homeless. Especially the winter. I started thinking about this one lady in particular who helped me out during that time. She was a good soul who saw me in need and gave me money and food. She didn't have much but what she had she shared out of the kindness of her heart. I told her that when I got successful I would pay her back. She smiled and said, "You don't have to pay me anything. I just felt led to help you."

I couldn't stop thinking about her the other day so I did some research and found her. Imagine her shock when I called her. She didn't even think that I remembered her. It's funny how something that was a small gesture to her was a huge blessing to me. As we went on talking, she reluctantly told me that she had just lost her job and was facing foreclosure. Of course, I did some things to help her out.

Why am I telling you this? I'm glad you asked. She gave to me out of the kindness of her heart. She gave to me from a pure place and expected nothing in return. The thing that brought tears to my eyes and blessed me so about this situation was this: this woman planted a seed in my life almost twenty years ago. But what she didn't know at the time was that the seed she planted would one day come back and bless her life just when she needed it most.

So what am I saying? I'm saying that if you are a giver of whatever you have... time, money, love, help, whatever it is... if you plant it in pureness it has got to come back to you. It may take a while but you will reap a harvest from that seed. Don't be weary in well-doing. It will come back to you. I know sometimes it may seem that all the good you do goes unnoticed by people, but if they don't notice, it doesn't matter. If they don't acknowledge your kindness, it does not matter. You know why? Because I promise you God sees it all and He is the only one that matters. And He is bound by His word, and that word says you will reap what you sow. So sow on, sow good seeds. They will grow and come back to you when you least expect it.

God bless you today.

Give A Little Love, Get A Little Love- Viral Pay It Forward Video

This has apparently been around for several years, but seems to only have gotten traction recently, especially on Facebook. Another lovely pay-it-forward-type ad that seems to have gone viral. It's a lovely reminder that it doesn't take much to be kind or loving. And we  reap what we sow when it comes to love.

The credits at the end include the following in both English and Czech:

"If you give a little love, you can get a little love of your own."

and a biblical reference to Matthew 22:39 "Love your neighbour as yourself"

and Křižovatka which appears to be a Christian organization based in the Czech Republic. But no-one quite knows who created it.

Music is by Noah and The Whales "Give A Little Love"

Food Fraud- Buyer Beware - Diluting Foods With Cheaper Ingredients

One of the major reasons to buy whole foods and bulk spices is that you are guaranteed to be getting what you buy, for the most part. Otherwise, you might not be getting what you paid for, or more importantly what you expected.

Food fraud is up 60%- everything from diluted pomegranate juice and olive oil, to lawn grass in tea bags, to escolar replacing white tuna fish, which can cause stomach issues in some. Apparently, 7% of the food we buy in stores is fraud food.

The U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) has been conducting research and it isn't pretty.

In a new database to be released Wednesday, and obtained exclusively by ABC News today, USP warns consumers, the FDA and manufacturers that the amount of food fraud they found is up by 60 percent this year.

USP, a scientific nonprofit that according to their website "sets standards for the identity, strength, quality, and purity of medicines, food ingredients, and dietary supplements manufactured, distributed and consumed worldwide" first released the Food Fraud Database in April 2012.

The organization examined more than 1,300 published studies and media reports from 1980-2010. The update to the database includes nearly 800 new records, nearly all published in 2011 and 2012.

The worst offenders:

100% lemon juice is rarely over 35% of actual juice. Some were found to contain less than 10%. The rest is water and sugar.
Olive oil is not always pure. That expensive Extra Virgin Olive oil is oftentimes mixed with cheaper  oils.
Pomegranate juice was found to be be diluted with pear or grape juice, and in some cases no pomegranate juice at all.

Tea can contain fern leaves or lawn grass. No wonder some are so tasteless.
Coffee, honey, milk and maple syrup can also be easily diluted with other ingredients.

Be warned that if the cost of something that is usually expensive is cheap, walk away. It's more than likely adulterated in some way. Not that buying something expensive will guarantee you are getting the pure product.

Unfortunately, it's almost impossible to tell if something is mislabeled, so if you want lemon juice, buy a bag and juice them yourself. That's what we do.


In case you want to check a particular food, USP has a searchable database.

Martin Luther King, Jr Day 2013 - memorable quotes

It's Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr's birthday. He had an amazing way with words, and an incredible gift to inspire with those words.

Here are some of the most memorable.

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."

"History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people."

"A nation or civilization that continues to produce soft-minded men purchases its own spiritual death on the installment plan."

I say to you that our goal is freedom, and I believe we are going to get there because however much she strays away from it, the goal of America is freedom.

Cowardice asks the question, "Is it safe?" Expediency asks the question, "Is it politic?" And Vanity comes along and asks the question, "Is it popular?" But Conscience asks the question "Is it right?" And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must do it because Conscience tells him it is right.

"Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better."

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

"Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think."

"Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness."

"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."

"Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed."

"Have we not come to such an impasse in the modern world that we must love our enemies - or else? The chain reaction of evil - hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars - must be broken, or else we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation."

"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear."

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

"Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'"

"Never forget that everything Hitler did in Germany was legal."

"The time is always right to do what is right."

and last but not least:

"From every mountainside, let freedom ring. When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

H/T HB

Crossposted on my other blog.

Runner Ivan Fernandez Anaya's Good Deed Inspires Many

It often takes Facebook and/or Twitter to bring recognition to worthy stories. Like the generous gesture of 24-year-old Basque cross-country racer Iván Fernández Anaya.

In the lead during a race last December, Kenyan Abel Mutai- the London Olympics winner of the bronze medal for the 3,000 meter steeplechase- made a huge mistake as he approached the finishing line. Anaya was coming in second when Mutai thought he had crossed the finish line about 10 meters before he had. As Anaya caught up he lagged behind Mutai gesturing him on to win. Anaya could easily have taken advantage of Mutai's mistake, but made the conscious choice not to.

"But even if they had told me that winning would have earned me a place in the Spanish team for the European championships, I wouldn't have done it either. I also think that I have earned more of a name having done what I did than if I had won. And that is very important, because today, with the way things are in all circles, in soccer, in society, in politics, where it seems anything goes, a gesture of honesty goes down well."

The story took a month to gain traction:

"..unfortunately, very little has been said of the gesture. And it's a shame. In my opinion, it would be nice to explain to children, so they do not think that sport is only what they see on TV: violent kicks in abundance, posh statements, fingers in the eyes of the enemy ..."

Of his actions, Anaya said:

“I didn’t deserve to win it." “I did what I had to do. He was the rightful winner. He created a gap that I couldn’t have closed if he hadn’t made a mistake.”

As for what Mutai thought of Anaya's kindness:

“We talked a little bit but we didn’t understand each other much,” the Spaniard told Catholic News Agency. “He thanked me for allowing him to win.”

Anaya has had a ton of positive response for what he did, his coach on the other hand wasn't too thrilled.

“The gesture has made him a better person, but not a better athlete,” Martin Fiz told El Pais. “He has wasted an occasion. Winning always makes you more of an athlete. You have to go out to win.”

He's wrong, it was the right thing to do and just proves that sometimes it's far more important for humanity to trump competitiveness. This is how we win the hearts and souls of the people we share this planet with. He did a good deed, and that will go much further when he meets his maker than any amount of medals or trophies would. What he did will not only have a positive impact on Mutai, but everyone who watched it first hand, and those of us who are reading about it now.

Ten Ways To Love- From the Bible

From Words To Inspire The Soul on Facebook.

But I think the most inspiring of them all is 1 Corinthians 4-8:

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

Love freely and unconditionally. It truly is the source of all good.

Source: Bible Gateway