If You Want to Avoid the Pain of Arthritis, Get More Sun!

According to a study released November 21, 2017 by the University of Birmingham, healthy vitamin D levels are associated with inflammation prevention. Inflammation is a key cause of diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, and other inflammatory diseases. Vitamin D is popularly known as the vitamin that is made by our bodies when exposed to sunlight, and appears to be a major factor in preventing arthritis. The study found that maintaining vitamin D levels, prevents inflammatory disease, but does not suggest that vitamin D helps to cure once arthritis has set in.

This is not a new idea, previous studies have lead to the same conclusion that Vitamin D does inhibit inflammation, the most recent study however seems to suggest that Vitamin D will not help to heal inflammation once it has already become chronic.

A study produced in 2012 in The Journal of Immunology, discovered the specific functions by which vitamin D appeared to inhibit inflammation. Though the 2012 study was not the first to associate Vitamin D levels with inflammation, it did make some key findings. In the words of Elena Govela:

"This study goes beyond previous associations of vitamin D with various health outcomes. It outlines a clear chain of cellular events, from the binding of DNA, through a specific signaling pathway, to the reduction of proteins known to trigger inflammation," She continues "Patients with chronic inflammatory diseases, such as asthma, arthritis and prostate cancer, who are vitamin D deficient, may benefit from vitamin D supplementation to get their serum vitamin D levels above 30 nanograms/milliliter."

Since the time of the 2012 study, and long before, there has been a debate about the proper amount of Vitamin D one should take on a daily basis, this discussion has continued on to the most recent study which resolved recently in 2017.

Vitamin D is a well-established vitamin, it has long been known to be an effective modulator for the immune system. Vitamin D, in particular can suppress inflammation associated with autoimmune diseases. Those found to have rheumatoid arthritis have often been found to be vitamin D deficient. The biggest discovery from this recent study is that sensitivity to vitamin D decreases in an immune system already afflicted with inflammation, and thus vitamin D may not be an effective means to cure inflammation once it has occurred. In the words of the Senior Author Karim Raza:

"Our findings were unexpected as we initially thought that cells from the inflamed rheumatoid joint would respond just as well to vitamin D as cells from the blood. The fact that they don't has important implications for how we think about using vitamin D to treat inflammation.

"Unlike previous studies we isolated different immune cell types from the actual site of disease to determine whether specific subsets of immune cells (specific T cell groups) have equal sensitivity to vitamin D."

There are only a few things that have remained consistent throughout the myriad of studies that have been conducted which is; getting sun produces vitamin D in the body, and maintaining sufficient levels of vitamin D inhibits and prevents inflammation and inflammatory disease. The best wisdom anyone can get from these studies is to get at least 30 minutes of sunlight everyday (if you can), this is not medical advise, just a natural suggestion.

References:

1. ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/11/171121123308.htm.

2. ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120223103920.htm.

Intense Exercise Boosts Memory

Though many of the benefits of intense exercise have long been known, a new study has found one more. A new study by McMaster University posted in the “Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience” suggests that short bouts of intense exercise can improve high-interference memory. This new finding may have great benefits for those suffering with dementia, and other cognitive function issues.

In the study each of the 95 young adult were placed in one of three groups exercise only group, exercise and cognitive training group, and the control group which neither exercised or mentally trained. The test took place over a 6 week period, each day the two exercise groups would participate in brief intense periods of intense exercise.

Both the exercise, and exercise/cognitive training group showed improvements in their high-interference memory performance, and no difference was noted in the control group. Though there was no noticeable improvement in overall memory performance, high-interference memory, which is associated with the hippocampus was noticed.

Some participants were found to have better results than others. These “high responders” also showed an increased benefit in the exercise/cognitive training group, whereas most participants in both exercise groups showed similar results. The high responders were found to have increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is a protein that supports performance, growth and survival of brain cells.

"Improvements in this type of memory from exercise might help to explain the previously established link between aerobic exercise and better academic performance," says Jennifer Heisz, lead author of the study.

Studies on older participants have been planned to discover if the same benefits can be found in elderly participants.

"One hypothesis is that we will see greater benefits for older adults given that this type of memory declines with age," says Heisz. "However, the availability of neurotrophic factors also declines with age and this may mean that we do not get the synergistic effects."

References:

Heisz, J. J., Clark, I. B., Bonin, K., Paolucci, E. M., Michalski, B., Becker, S., & Fahnestock, M. (2017). The Effects of Physical Exercise and Cognitive Training on Memory and Neurotrophic Factors. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 29(11), 1895-1907. doi:10.1162/jocn_a_01164

Just in time for Winter, Cinnamon Burns Fat Cells New Study Suggests

Just in time for the cold months, new research shows that cinnamon can be effective in culling obesity. Previous studies had shown that cinnamaldehyde, an essential oil which gives cinnamon its flavor, was found to protect the mice in the study from obesity and hyperglycemia. However, the previous studies had not demonstrated the mechanisms which allowed these processes to occur.

The findings of the study put forth by the University of Michigan – Life Sciences Institute, were published in the December issue of the “Metabolism” journal. Jun Wu, professor at LSI sought to find the mechanics behind the previous study and to see if the same results would occur in people.

"Scientists were finding that this compound affected metabolism," said Wu "So we wanted to figure out how -- what pathway might be involved, what it looked like in mice and what it looked like in human cells.”

Testing adipocyte (a type of fat cell) from the participants from a wide range of body types, ethnicities and ages, Wu and the other researchers treated the fat cells with cinnamaldehyde. When the oil was applied to the cells expressions of several genes and enzymes which have been found to aid in lipid metabolism. An increase in proteins Ucp1 and Fgf21, which are important regulators in the process of thermogenesis, or the process by which cells produce heat.

Adipocyte are the cells that store excess energy in the form of fat. This process is useful to store energy in the body for long periods of time when food is scarce, or when the weather is cold. However, in modern times food scarcity is more scarce than food, so these cells continue to store excess energy which is rarely needed. In the words of Wu:

"It's only been relatively recently that energy surplus has become a problem," Wu said. "Throughout evolution, the opposite -- energy deficiency -- has been the problem. So any energy-consuming process usually turns off the moment the body doesn't need it."

The process of thermogenesis uses energy, and can thusly be a good way to increase fat consumption in the body. Utilizing cinnamaldeyde to activate thermogenesis in fat cells, can be a useful tool in the battle against obesity. Cinnamon's current common use could make it an easy method for fat reduction which patients can easily be convinced to take.

"Cinnamon has been part of our diets for thousands of years, and people generally enjoy it," Wu said. "So if it can help protect against obesity, too, it may offer an approach to metabolic health that is easier for patients to adhere to."

Cinnamon, an herb renowned for its delicious spicy flavor, can also be a useful tool in battling weight gain and even obesity. The next time you are tempted to add extra cinnamon to your coffee or tea, remember that is not only great for flavor, it can help you keep in shape too. 

Reference:

1. Juan Jiang, Margo P. Emont, Heejin Jun, Xiaona Qiao, Jiling Liao, Dong-il Kim, Jun Wu. Cinnamaldehyde induces fat cell-autonomous thermogenesis and metabolic reprogramming. Metabolism, 2017; 77: 58 DOI: 10.1016/j.metabol.2017.08.006

Meditation may Reduce Risk of heart Disease, Says the AHA

Meditation has long been considered a healthy lifestyle practice, many people swear by its ability to reduce daily stress, and improve all around health. Among many of meditation's uses, meditation for heart health has long been practiced, and believed by many to be a strong supplement to modern medicines.

Recently the American Heart Association (AHA) has reviewed dozens of studies on how meditation impacts heart health. This report supports the ideas that many have long believed may be true regarding the healing effects of meditation. With more than $200 billion spent annually on heart disease it would certainly serve humanity well to find inexpensive, healthy, and readily available alternatives to the modern medicine.

By helping to avoid stress, and many other common diseases risk factors, is science finally catching on to ancient healing properties meditation has held all along?

Meditation for Heart Health: A Statement by the AHA-

In the Journal of the American Heart Association a scientific statement was released on September 28^th, 2017 entitled “Meditation and Cardiovascular Risk Reduction: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association”. In their release the AHA, for the first time, has issued a statement in regards to meditation, and heart health. The experts at the AHA have reviewed dozens of studies which were conducted on meditation. The studies reviewed covered eight forms of meditation and theirs effects on heart disease risk factors, and the recovery of those that had suffered heart disease, such as heart attacks. The risk factors studied included stress, smoking, high blood pressure and atherosclerosis.

The breaking review set forth by the AHA is an innovative scientific review, that incorporates long held beliefs about meditation's healthful benefits, with a modern scientific, fact based view. The AHA's new finding may be a window into an entirely new field of medical developments when it comes to improving the health of the heart that can may help people in all walks of life.

The Conclusions of the Review-

For many years it has been speculated that mediation for heart health may be a possible alternative to modern standardized medicines, and the new findings by the AHA show support for this ideology. Dr. Glenn Levine Chair of the American College of Cardiology task force on clinical practice guidelines, says that the studies have shown encouraging results. Dr. Levine also suggests that the data is not yet conclusive enough for a justified recommendation for the treatment of meditation for heart disease. For now, he suggests that mediation for heart health can be considered as a supplemental to the standard treatments available. Though the results were promising, Dr. Levine's group still encourages existing treatments other than meditation for heart disease, such as losing eight, quitting smoking and lowering cholesterol.

“Our clear message is that meditation may be a reasonable (additional) intervention, but we specifically do not want people to rely on meditation or other such adjunctive interventions in place of proven therapies,” States Dr. Levine, “Meditation should be considered as a potential lifestyle modification, but should not be used to replace standard and proven treatments such as smoking cessation, blood pressure control and treatment of high cholesterol levels,” Levine continued.

Most of the studies conducted that were included in this report were of relatively small groups, most without relative control groups. Many of the studies covered the effects of meditation on reducing several of the factors common in heart disease, such as meditation and lower blood pressure. Both of these factors are widely suggestive as risk factors in heart disease, despite the small groups and lack of controls in the studies, the studies do suggest that meditation at the very least reduces stress and blood pressure, which are both considered strong risk factors in general heart disease.

Addressing stress concerns can reduce stress hormones which have been linked to higher risks of hear attack, as well as lowering blood pressure can damper the risk of general heart disease.

What You Can Take from the Report



Meditation, can be included as part of your daily heart-healthy strategy, so long as you understand that the data has not yet conclusively proven that mediation for heart health has tangible benefits. Though meditation for heart disease, does not appear to be a cure all, the report put forth by the AHA certainly suggests that it may have strong benefits as part of a daily routine, not only by possibly reducing stress, and lowering blood pressure, but also by encouraging a more mindful, healthful lifestyle. As with many holistic treatments for disease it can be very difficult to prove whether meditation for heart health is effective, or just how effective it may be.

The AHA and Dr. Levine, state in the report that they believe that people interested in improving their hearts health should certainly consider meditation for heart health, so long as they are also including other “scientifically proven” techniques to reducing risk of heart disease. Levine says “we are extremely encouraged by the findings.”, and that more studies will be necessary to definitely prove the practice of meditation for heart health works.

Meditation to Improve Health and Wellbeing

Meditation, and mindfulness practices have been long touted by many as a means to all around improved health, and life well being. These practices come in a variety of forms including breathing, sustained focus on an image or sound, and quiet contemplation. Meditation, and mindfulness practices can help you to feel more calm and to let go of stress. Stress in a way acts as your bodies alarm system, stress causes adrenaline to be released into your body which in turn can speed up your heart rate, raise blood pressure, and cause breathing to become more rapid. These natural processes are often refereed to as the fight or flight reaction, which is useful when you need to get away from danger or fight of an attacker. However, stress can take a toll on your body if it occurs too often or for long periods at a time. Meditation, and mindfulness practices help to reduce the occurrence, and duration of stress which can help prevent diseases that stress can cause.

According to the AHA several studies suggest a range of healing benefits. The benefits of meditation appear to include an increased ability to process information, slowed cognitive effects of aging, reduced inflammation, supporting the immune system, reduced symptoms of menopause, a controlled response to pain, and improved sleep.



Types of Meditation or Heart Health.
There are many forms of meditation including compassion or metta, insight or Vipassana, mantra, relaxation, transcendental, zen meditation, chi gong, Tai Chi, yoga and many more. Mediation can be as simple as sitting in a quiet space and focusing on your breathing, as your mind wanders simply bring your focus back to your breathing. As you practice you will gradually increase the length of time you are able to focus on your breathing.
Perhaps the most popular form of meditation is transcendental meditation. Transcendental mediation was made popular by American authors Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson. This form of meditation is a practice that allows you to focus inward on yourself, the technique when practiced allows you to mindful of the thoughts going through your mind and the sounds from your outside environment, without directly engaging with the stimulus. Typically done in a seated position with your eyes closed for 20 minutes, practiced twice a day.
A third form of meditation called mindfulness meditation can use and object, sound or thought to focus on. Rather than focusing on no thought in general like transcendental meditation, you focus on one though, sound or phrase and maintain your focus a single thing and maintain that focus.
Each of these forms of meditation appear to reduce stress, and lower blood pressure, by training you to be more aware of your thoughts, surroundings, and actions. If done daily meditation can be very transformative.



In Conclusion

Strong evidence shows that meditation for heart health as a daily practice can reduce the risk factors associated with heart disease such as stress and high blood pressure. Reducing these risk factors for heart disease through mediation may promote heart health, and reduce the risk of heart disease. The AHA suggests adding meditation to your daily routines as an easy, low-cost preventative to heart disease. Though the AHA in their new report find that meditation for heart health appears to be effective, they say you should be mindful to continue using time proven methods of heart disease prevention such as losing weight, quitting smoking and lowering cholesterol.

Daily meditation has long been used for reducing stress, and improving general lifestyle improvements. Now, we are one step closer to having proof of what has long been speculated about meditation and improvements to our daily lives and our bodies.
----

Successful Gene Therapy Delivery to the Brain, Through the Eyes-

Introduction-

While looking into treatments for a mouse's eye infection, I happened to run across a study from 2015. The study entitled “Eye Drops Deliver Gene Therapy for Brain Disorders”, was enacted on mice. The study used eyedrops to deliver a genetic growth factor directly to the brains of mice, through the eye. Needless to say the study caught my eye and I wanted to look further into the study, and where it has lead.

Mouse Study using G-CSF-

In 2015 a group of scientists funded by the National Institute of Biomedical Engineering developed a method of delivering, and monitoring the effects of a certain genetic growth factor in brain disorders. Previous studies utilizing the same method had been conducted on humans, but the method for tracking the growth factor had not been developed, and therefore the human trial effectiveness was difficult to determine. The mouse study sought not only to determine the effectiveness of the growth factor but to also track its location.

The study used a special formula in the form of eyedrops filled with a genetic growth factor called Ganulocyte² Colony Stimulating Factor (G-CSF). The growth factor was designed to increase blood flow in mice afflicted with ischemia¹ of the brain. The eyedrops containing the growth factor were dropped into the eye of the mice. From the eye the G-CSF was tracked by MRI scans as it entered the brain.

The treatment lead to a significant reduction in neurological defects, brain atrophy, and death of mice normally caused by ischemia. This study showed promising results and may be implimented in further human studies.

Human Studies using G-CSF-

G-CSF treatment has been looked at as a form of treatment for various diseases caused by ischemia, not only in the brain, but in other organs such as the heart as well. Getting G-CSF to the brain is considered a possible treatment for diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and ALS. There is speculation that a G-CSF treatment, or a similar formula could be carried on emergency vehicles in an eye drop form. The eyedrops would be kept on hand in cases where lack of blood flow to the brain may be of concern in cases of stroke for example.

Studies have been held on humans, but the technique for monitoring the G-CSF expression did not exist, prior to the mouse study of 2015 discussed above. In a human study of over 400 stroke patients, G-CSF eye drop treatments did not improve outcomes of patients, or reduce the effects of stroke. This failure had long diminished enthusiasm about the treatment. Without being able to track the G-CSF after it entered the body, it could not be determined whether the growth factor either had no effect on the human brain, or if it the brain simply never received the growth factor in significant doses. Some doctors still see the promise of such a therapy, and believe that using the MRI techniques developed in the mouse study could help to establish whether the therapy is reaching the human brain, and if it may ever be affective.

In the words of Richard Conroy, Ph.D., Director of the NIBIB Division of Applied Science and Technology:

“This new, rapid, non-invasive administration and evaluation of gene therapy has the potential to be successfully translated to humans,” Conroy says “The use of MRI to specifically image and verify gene expression, now gives us a much clearer picture of how effective the gene therapy is. The dramatic reduction in brain atrophy in mice, if verified in humans, could lead to highly effective emergency treatments for stroke and other diseases that often cause brain damage such as heart attack.”

Thoughts in Review-

As someone generally skeptical of genetic modification, or alteration I was inspired to research deeper into this study and type of therapy. I could not have imagined a genetic therapy with as many possible implications as this one carries. This type of therapy, though it can certainly be used in a beneficial manner, can also have unforeseen side effects, and may not always carry a formula meant to help. If a drop in the eyes can send genetic growth factors to the brain directly, we must realize that this type of therapy has risks, and could be implimented on a massive scale quite easily.

Though the human studies showed no effect, it can not be disregarded that the mice study proved successful at delivering genetic therapy directly to the brain using only the eyeball as a vector. These same techniques could be possible in people as well, and what is delivered may not always be beneficial to us.

Similar News-

A drug called Luxturna, used to treat a rare eye condition called Leber's congenital amaurosis, has recently been recommended for approval by the FDA. The FDA will decide final approval of Luxturna by January 12^th of 2018. Luxturna is a genetic therapy that is injected into the eye (with a microscopic needle), and alters the genetics of the retina using a virus to modify the gene attributed to the retinal disease, using a virus to spread genetic information. Luxturna began testing on human participants in 2012, and has shown to improve the vision of those with Leber's. I hope to cover this topic deeper in a future article, stay tuned for more.

Footnotes-

1. Ischemia or ischaemia- is a restriction in blood supply to tissues, causing a shortage of oxygen and glucoseneeded for cellular metabolism (to keep tissue alive) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ischemia

2. Ganulocyte- “Granulocytes are a category of white blood cells characterized by the presence of granules in their cytoplasm.”- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granulocyte

References-

1. "Eye drops deliver gene therapy for brain disorders – NIH mouse study." National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering. November 03, 2015. Accessed October 28, 2017. https://www.nibib.nih.gov/news-events/newsroom/eye-drops-deliver-gene-therapy-brain-disorders-%E2%80%93-nih-mouse-study.

2. "ClinicalKey." ClinicalKey. Accessed November 04, 2017. https://www.clinicalkey.com/#!/content/playContent/1-s2.0-S0140673617318688.
3. Taylor, Phil. "Spark Therapeutics' Luxturna advisory committee vote sets gene therapy landmark." FierceBiotech. October 13, 2017. Accessed November 04, 2017. http://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/spark-therapeutics-luxturna-adcomm-vote-sets-gene-therapy-landmark.

If Vaccines Work Then Why Does Everyone Need One?

Children's Measles Vaccine Pandemic of California

California Children on the verge of a Vaccine Pandemic

To all seeking vaccination for their children in response to media attention, Slow down and Think!

In the hypothetical fear based reality of the vaccine demanding media, if everyone doesn't get vaccinated, it is as if the world will cease to exist.  I fail to see how not getting vaccinated endangers the life of one of another who is vaccinated, if the vaccination works then whats the worry.  Demanding all people to get vaccinated for fear that an unhealthy individual may get sick, is the equivalent of the cliche of demanding something of others because you refuse to make a change in your own life.

I have been following vaccine related news, especially regarding vaccines and children, starting with the Janurary 7th Appelete case decision in New York, regarding the constitutionality of mandatory vaccination of children and immunization laws in public schools. The vaccine related news has flown through the roof through the last month especially the last few days, there is certainly a big push to vaccinate and this started before the "disneyland measles outbreak". It is important to remain calm and make informed and intelligent decisions before getting vaccinated.

Measles has been around for 1000's of years and certainly we as a humanity made it through, unvaccinated, without any major repercussions. I am not a "doctor" however I have studied and experienced 1st, 2nd and 3rd hand the credible ability of whole foods healing and healthy diets. There is no cure all one time deal for any disease that may manifest in our lives.  Vaccinations are like a get rich quick scheme, they seem like such a great thing, but in the end you are no better off than when you started, and the scam artist has a few more dollars in his pocket. 

The media has been targeting not only New York, but also Californians, especially those that don't want to vaccinate. I for one whole heartily know that a strong plant based diet protects and enables the body to defend itself from unwanted invaders as well as internal conflict. It was in California that this information really sunk in for me, some Californians may be perceived as "liberal hippies" or whatever, for their passion for natural healing, but it is certainly not in vain.

The media is clearly implementing a vaccination campaign, why I can't be sure, but more than likely someone is make a few dollars from the ordeal, I wouldn't be surprised to find the Disney CEO's own a few pharmaceutical based shares relating to the measles vaccine. Measles has been around your entire life, let the "ebola crisis" rest in your mind as an example of what the irrational fear based campaigns of the media create and then compare it to the reality that less than 10,000 people world wide have ebola! Every year there is some new outbreak or crisis that pushes own to get vaccinated, this year they are off to an extra early site, and I am certain that this type of media behavior will continue throughout the year. 

Calm down, take a deep breath and evaluate your citation, is a vaccine actually going to benefit you? unlikely, if you truly feel that vaccines are against "system of faith" or religion then don't do it. That is your choice and it doesn't make you irresponsible to do so. Standing up for what you believe and living by it makes you a stronger person, one who is able to do what is right, and we need more of this in the modern day and age. If vaccinations were truly effective, then why would everyone be required to have one in order for it to be effective, sounds like a scam to me. Do what's right and stand strong in nature, Thank you.

NY State Exemption Law and the January 7th, 2015 court decision:

"This video was made in response to a recent appellate court decision made on January 7th 2015, affirming that the mandatory vaccination law of New York State is constitutional. Although the law, which requires vaccines in children attending public schools,  is "constitutional" New York goes above and beyond what is constitutional by allowing exemption of vaccinations based on religious grounds.  In this video the case is reviewed and immunization exemption is clearly defined."

"This measles outbreak does not pose a great risk to a healthy child, and quite frankly I don't think it poses any risk to any healthy child."

Dr. Jay Gordon

New York State Vaccine Exemption Information-

New York State Vaccination Law 

Immunization Exemption information for NY State

There has been a lot of controversy regarding the facts about "mandatory Immunization Laws" in the State of New York.  Regardless of what may appear to be going on in regards to the appellate courts decision made in January of 2015, the fact of New York State Law is that one can exempt their children from Immunization based on religious grounds.  For more information visit the links below, that contain more on vaccination exemption laws.  

If you do not want your kids vaccinated this site has some information that may help:

http://www.vaclib.org/exempt/newyork.htm

This site above includes links to law and forms and information on NYS laws regarding vaccine information.  This information may help you assert your rights and protect your children from vaccination.


For a review on the appellate courts decision and what it means watch this video and read the decision for yourself:

This video was made in response to a recent appellate court decision made on January 7th 2015, affirming that the mandatory vaccination law of New York State is constitutional. Although the law, which requires vaccines in children attending public schools,  is "constitutional" New York goes above and beyond what is constitutional by allowing exemption of vaccinations based on religious grounds.  In this video the case is reviewed and immunization exemption is clearly defined. Vaccination Exemption by religious rights is a basic human right that needs to be observed. 

Ancient Secret of Youth

This common organic household and culinary spice has been lurking around kitchens for quite some time. It's vibrant yellow properties and flavor have been used for both it's color and flavor, and is used in 1000's of products in the US alone. Yet many of use are still unaware of it's natural healing powers, in fact it was largely ignored in western culture until the 1970's, when research confirmed it's abilities as an anti-inflammatory, an antioxidant, and even possible anti-cancer properties.  Many household herbs have an exceptional medicinal purpose, many ward off infection and disease, but not all are quite as powerful as this unique herb of which we will be discussing. 

This relative of the ginger root has made quite a name for itself over 1000's of years usage.  In many eastern countries this root has been a common tool in medicinal culture. Used for many centuries in India as a blood purifier,  a treatment for skin conditions, morning sickness and liver disorders.  In China it is known as jiang huang, or yellow ginger, and is considered a cure, in that country for abdominal pain, jaundice, bloating and more.  In modern uses this root is recognized for it's beneficial effects in treating upset stomachs, joint pain, and several digestive disorders.  

Modern science has discovered the healing properties of this herb are link to what are called currcuminoids, one of which, perhaps the most prominent of these curcuminoids is known as curcumin.  Curcumin is shown to increase the bile production and flow from the  liver, which leads to a quicker breakdown of fat, and this may even protect from liver damage caused by alcohol (although I would not test this).  When studied on animals it was also found to reduce stomach acid secretions and this could protect the lining of the intestines and stomach.  However, the most powerful purpose of this herb may be it's ability to alleviate pain, especially pain related to joint-inflamation, a.k.a arthritis.  Curcumin not only alleviates mild pains similar to aspirin (which was derived from white willow bark), curcumin has also been found to thin the blood in much the same way as aspirin as well, and it is less likely to have the long term side effects of aspirin.* Beyond thinning the blood and relieving mild pain, this root is also an anti-inflammatory and appears to be as effective as NSAID's and cortisol** at reliving inflammation.

Ok if you haven't figured it out by now I will share with you the name of this powerful herb, I am sure the suspense has been getting to you.  The name of this herb is Turmeric root, and you more than likely have seen this herb in your kitchen or in the kitchen of someone you know, perhaps you even used it today. 

Many of my friends and family have used this herb and seen amazing results in joint pain, even without a change in diet.  It's effectiveness in pain relief is not only due directly to it's ability to relive mild amounts of pain, but is also due to it's anti-inflammatory properties, as inflammation often leads to pain.  It's important to note that the properties of turmeric are only supplementary and the only way to permanently reduce inflammation and joint pain is an all around change to diet.  A diet which avoids inflammatory foods all together will lead to a permanently "uninflammed" body.  Inflammatory foods include but are not limited to; meats, animal milk, oily and greasy foods, and even too much cooked food. And, hey spring for the organic food, in the long run you will thank yourself.

Although it is modernly taken in capsules, my favorite way to use this herb is in a coconut milk mixture, recipe below:


TURMERIC COCONUT MILK-

1. Coconut Milk-                             3/4 cup
2. Turmeric Root Powder -             1-1/2 teaspoons 
3. Cinnamon-                                  1/2 teaspoon 
4. Raw Honey-                                1 teaspoon 

Place coconut milk,Turmeric Root, and Cinnamon in a small sauté pan and heat till warm, while constantly whisking with a fork. Once warm turn off burner and whisk in honey and pour the mix into your favorite mug, and your done!  If steam begins to rise the milk is getting too warm, and use a mug with some dark color as turmeric tends to stain.  Do your best to get organic as well, especially wight the Turmeric Root, it is typically much fresher than its conventionally produced counterpart.

I use this recipe a few times a week right before bed, especially when I am experiencing muscle pain or even stress. 


Turmeric root is a powerful medicine and it is important to note that it should not be taken with blood thinners or pain killers as they can interact and cause too strong an effect on the body. If you are taking ANY medications you need to discuss with your doctor about supplementing turmeric root or any medicinal herb into your diet as the interactions can be serious!




If you would like to purchase some turmeric capsules you can find them at my store here. 



*Although turmeric has less side effects than synthetic medicines, it does has a few of it's own when used to often or for too long. Turmeric is only a supplement, a supplement to what? A healthy diet, without a healthy diet the healing effects of turmeric (or any herb or medicine for that matter) will not   remain.  Supplement require a change in the lifestyle patterns that caused to disease to begin with or their effects will not last!

** From Complementary and Alternative Medicines, page 781, written by Doctors of Pharmacy C.W. Fetrow and Juan R. Avila.

The Herb of Creativity - A Winter Depression Solution

St. John's Wort A Winter Depression Solution

Winter can be tough; less work, more time indoors, less sun, cold and money can often be tight.  All these different factors that winter brings can be overwhelming and cause depression, anxiety and a myriad of other mental disabilities.  There are many ways to deal with the winter blues, but one of my favorite time proven methods of improving mental health is St. John's Wort.  I take St. John's Wort during the winter to stimulate creativity and to help organize my thoughts and put them motion.

The first time I tried St. John's Wort I was suffering from the heaviest depression I had ever experienced,  I had been hitchhiking the country for 2 years and when I started to setts down and make a home it was not an entirely pleasurable experience to say the least. I had been studying herbalism during my travels and decided to give St. John's Wort a try.  Within 1 hour of taking St. John's Wort I was inspired to start writing poetry, I hadn't been inspired to do such a thing in such a long time.  I continued to take it everyday for 3 months during and after that time my depression vanished.   Now that I am older I still take St. John's Wort to inspire creativity during the winter months as it is not easy for me to keep myself occupied for hours at a time.

Don't take my word for it though, clinical studies have shown St. John's Wort is as powerful as leading antidepressants at relieving mild to moderate depression.  For severe depression studies suggest that St. John's Wort is as ineffective as leading antidepressants, neither appear to have a strong effect on this kind of depression.  I would suggest that improving diet by intaking less sugar and caffeine as well as other factors, as well as increased exercise (even just a brief daily walk outside), and mental training, in conjunction with St. John's Wort would inspire creativity in even severe depression, although I can not prove this, it's just intuition. 

Beyond clinical studies St' John's Wort has been in use for 1000's of years and is very well known for it's effects.   Dr. Jonathan Zuess, in his book, “The Natural Prozac Program,” states:

 “In the crumbling pages of ancient texts on healing, hidden amongst the dusty basement shelves of a neglected Old World library, there are stories of a flower whose tears are magical.”

Even the slightest scent of St. John's Wort was said to scare off evil spirits.  Although the terminology has changed over time there is no doubt in my mind that St. John's Wort is a powerful medicinal herb that has helped me overcome my depression (evil spirits) by inspiring me to express myself creatively. 

St. John's Wort is a medicinal herb that can inspire  creativity within yourself, which enables YOU to overcome mental disorders. I do not suggest that it directly cures depression.  

______________________________________________________

Disclaimer- Do not take St. John's Wort with antidepressants or if you are taking any medications ask your doctor for his or her permission before taking any herb classified as medicinal. 

3 Healthy/(er*) Recipes

Healthy Recipes
that are "The Cream of the Crop"

After reviewing a number of recipes, I have found a few recipes that are the cream of the crop and most importantly healthy/(er*).  

If any thing interests you, click the title which is linked directly to the recipe and blog from where the recipe. Always **. 

Sweet Sunflower Green Beans

Provided by The Healthy Apple Find them @TheHealthyApple

Brief Review
Prep-time-  25 minutes

Oven Baked green beans and onions rich in spice. Light amount of salt and quick to create.

Ginger Lime Edamame Sweet Potato Burgers**

Provided by Choosing Raw Find them @choosingraw

Brief Review

Prep-time-  Prep- Bake 35 minutes

Prepared in a food processor then baked for 35 minutes. 

Dill Mashed Potatoes

Provided by I Love Vegan find them @ilovegan

Brief Review

Prep-time-  Prep- Bake 60 minutes 

40 Minute Prep, Cook Time 20 minutes. What can I say, its mashed potatoes and dill.

____________________________________________________________
Who is the traditional cream of the crop?

****Bambara Groundnut****
                                                        -Found at FAO.org
__________________________________________

Be sure to share your favorite recipe or this blog on twitter or leave a comment in the blog below :) Thank you!

Find me @FinanciarPrimo

*Healthy/(er) because raw fruits and veggies are the healthiest, however a diet with a few cooked meals may still be healthy  provided it is balanced with plenty of fresh produce**.

**Disclaimer: Be sure to get organic, especially when non traditional crops*** are involved. 

***Traditional crops have a long history of being hand selected over generations.  These crops are from have been grown for centuries, and bearing the name of tradition and are backed by our ancestors wisdom. 
---
 Disclaimer 2: none of these photos or recipes are my own they have been duplicated from the sites where the recipes originated. These recipes can be found at their sources with the links included in their respective titles or in their captions below each photo. 

The Vegan Christian That Innovated Soy --

This is an article I wrote and submitted to Wikipedia--

Jethro Kloss - was a notable healer that lived from the year of 1863 til his death in 1946. Jethro was an herbalist and healer, who cured many of vile illnesses during his time. Mr. Kloss was a strong advocate of what he called old-fashioned remedies. With no formal medical education Kloss healed the lives of many with herbs, food, fresh air and sunshine, people continue to be healed by his teachings many years after his death. As a writer the most notable of his publications was "Back to Eden", a very thorough publication that covers the uses of several hundred herbs, trees and plants. Jetho was an innovator in the world of soy, he conducted many experiments and most notably popularized the modern dairy alternative, soy milk. This man did many great things in his life and is certainly a notable figure.

History and Influences - Being born on a farm in Northern Wisconsin, Jethro grew up being accustomed to always having fresh food, including fresh berries, grapes, currants, apples etc. After leaving home Jethro moved into boarding houses where he ate poor "devitalized" foods until his health began to deteriorate. He was in terrible pain for some time, and visited many physicians that could not seem to improve his health. He was losing hope that he would ever get better until he ran across a book written by E.G. White, a missionary, which brought to his attention that the foods he was eating were in Mr. White's words "robbed of it's life-giving elements". It had never occurred to Kloss til reading the words of White that the food he was eating was what was causing him to be ill.

With this new perspective Kloss was returned to his child hood, he remembered the illnesses that struck his community and how the people were often treated through various means of plant and herbal medicine. Through continued reading of E.G. Whites books Jethro was able to mend himself back to good health. After returning to good health, Kloss continued to study "God given remedies", and began to apply his learning into the sick and ill around him.

"Back to Eden" As someone who did not consider himself a good writer, Jethro wrote one of the most informative and through books on natural health from a western perspective. In his book "Back to Eden" Kloss covers the 100's of herbs, plants, barks, their uses and how to use them. In this book herbs are categorized in alphabetical order by name of the herb, and they are also sorted alphabetically by the diseases they are used to treat. Kloss also covers many diseases and their causes along with the treatments. Also included in this one book is a list of vitamins and minerals, their purposes and the foods that contain them. Also included is a list of many recipes and food preparations. Finally, Kloss includes a wide range of non-food based treatments, including fresh air treatments, water treatments and massage techniques.

An Innovator of Soy- During the period of his life from 1924-1938, Kloss experimented with soy foods. He worked on making various meat alternatives with soy, one of his most notable innovations was that of soy milk. Kloss was a strong advocate of soy milk and soy based products, he is much of the reason soy milk is available in stores today.

If you know of Jethro Kloss please feel free to recommend and details of importance that I may have missed as I will edit them in Wikipedia.

Thanks for reading :)

Enzymes- Diet, Disease and Health

Enzymes and Nutrition 

One of the most important improvements one can make to their health, is to simply get enzymes from the food they eat instead of forcing their body to produce them.  Enzymes are the protein based  molecules that do countless processes in the body.  The most important functions of the enzymes available in the food you eat is to break down the food you eat.  In this article we will take a look at why we don't get enough enzymes, why this is important, and how to get more enzymes in ones diet.

Why Aren't We Getting Enzymes in the Food We Eat?

The answer is quite simple.  Enzymes are destroyed by heat, and loss activity over time. Even slight variations of temperature can begin to make changes in enzymes.  When we cook food in a saute pan, microwave, boiling water, or the oven, we can say goodbye to all of the wonderful enzymes that food contained.  This process is known as denaturing, and it is the reason that nearly all Americans have a lack of enzymes in their diets.

So What's the Big Deal About Getting Enzymes from the Food I Eat?

Ah, that's a good question.  If your body can produce the enzymes needed to break down the food you eat, then why should you need to get them from your food?  Your body is not built to handle the amount of enzymes required to break down the foods we eat on a daily basis. Because our bodies are dependable and adaptable it can produce the extra enzymes needed to eat denatured food,  this process is called The Law of Adaptive Secretion.

Although the body can produce these extra enzymes, it does not mean that it is meant too. The long term results of the body needing to produce and store excess enzymes enlarges the liver, and taxes the adrenal glands, the stomach, pancreas and multiple other organs. Lack of enzymes in food causes the bodies organs to wear and prematurely fail.  One of the large reasons people suffer from a larger number of diseases that isn't even present in wild animals, is due to the lack of enzymes in our food.

How Do I Get More Enzymes in the Food I Eat?

By eating more raw foods.  Anything when eaten raw has enzymes in it; fruits, veggies, cheeses, even meat, however remember that even low amounts of  heat kills enzymes.  One great source of enzymes is Wheat grass, nearly all sprouted veggies are a great source of enzymes. Eating fresh vegetables and fruits with every meal can help your body digest your food, which in turn leads to less stressed organs.

In Conclusion 

Everyone knows that a stressed heart or a heart that had to work harder is more likely to encounter problems than one that can do it's job with little effort.  The same goes for all of your organs, and getting proper enzymes is a great way to ease your bodies work load so that it can focus on things like fighting diseases like cancer and basic body up keep.   I believe there are benefits to cooking food especially for the digestion of certain vitamins and minerals, which may be particularly helpful during deficiencies and sickness. For long term health however it is best to "Eat Like an Animal" do it raw... that will be the name of my next article. Have a great day and thanks for reading, keep researching your health and body!
............................................................................................................
If you want to learn more about enzymes their is an excellent book called "Enzyme Nutrition -- The Food Enzyme Concept" By Dr. Edward Howell.  This boom was the inspiration for this article.

 I will leave you with a quote from his book-

"The length of life is inversely proportional to the rate of exhaustion of the enzyme potential 

of an organism. The increased use of food enzymes promotes a decreased rate of exhaustion 

of the enzyme potential" 

-Dr. Edward Howell

Chaga Mushroom - Recommendation for Usage -- Heat and Enzyme Destruction

Benefits of Cold Water Extraction Method for
Chaga Mushroom

Introduction-

Chaga Mushroom is a great healing American medicine.  It is a mushroom that typically grows from birch trees high in the mountains. Chaga is a hard, wood-like mushroom (similar to the texture of reishi).  This mushroom grows very slowly, it takes about 5 years to become of a size that can be harvested.

The point of this article is not necessarily to educate on the uses of the Chaga although it will contain a minute amount of facts regarding the mushroom.  My primary concern in regards to writing this article is to present a fact that I believe has been over looked perhaps due to  the commercialization of this mushroom as a substitute for coffee.

The Point

My point is as follows:

The typical method I see recommended is a hot water extraction. Here's the thing though, the most recognized unique active component of Chaga is an enzyme known as superoxide dismutas which is a powerful antioxidant. Now Chaga is new to me, however the information I stumbled upon from various sources, is that ALL enzymes are destroyed by heat. Therefore I fell that doing a hot water extraction of Chaga destroys a great deal of it's potential. 

In Conclusion-

The common method of hot water distillation is destroying the most potent component this mushroom has to offer in terms of healing.  I don't believe there is anything wrong with commercializing a natural medicine, but with a fungus that takes years to grow it is important that it is used to it's full potential when it is simply used as a coffee substitute. With a fungus that is fairly rare and take a long time to propagate I believe it is important that it is used to the fullest extent it has to offer,  but with the current hot water extraction method that seems to be so popular today I feel that we are losing most of what Chaga has to offer. 

Once again,  I would like to make the point that using even mildly hot water can destroy much of the potential Chaga has to offer. A hot water extraction can certainly be useful after a cold water extraction and may pull out nutrients that the cold water extraction does not.

Recommended Extraction Process-

After steeping in cold water for several hours much of the melanin,

and nutrients have seeped into the water, it is now ready to drink,

Take a sterile 64 ounce mason jar or any glass jar of this size, place1 - 2 Ounces of Chaga in the water for 12-24 hours.  After 12- 24 hours (when water is very dark) you may drink the tea,  one cup a day should be efficient, but more can be taken as desired.   Refrigerate all left over tea and use whiten one week. The same 1.5 Ounces may be used in a cold water extraction 2-3 times (until the water no longer turns dark.  I would recommend that the Chaga not be in one jar for more than a few days.

After several cold water extractions the distillation process may be used to extract the residual vitamins, minerals and various compounds.

Have a great day, enjoy nature, respect yourself and treat yourself to good health.

-Douglas Dedrick

............................................................................................................................................................

I do sell Chaga at my Etsy store here is the link:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/101506223/chaga-mushroom-12-pound-half-pound-wild?

Why Buy Organic?

It has recently come to my attention (again) that a majority of my fellow Americans are misinformed about the prospects of living an organic life.  I recently read an article on Yahoo called "Organic Food No Healthier than Non-organic Food" in which the writer informs use that there may be no more vitamins or minerals in organic food than there is in non-organic.  That may very well be true, but then the article continues to say but eating Organic food MAY reduce exposure to pesticides.  MAY! are you kidding me it is a scientific fact that organic food contains fewer pesticides and that is precisely why it IS healthier.  Sure a little poison meant to kill weeds or bugs won't kill you, but do it day after day meal after meal and it beyond a shadow of responsible doubt will effect your
body.

Buying Organic doesn't make me high and mighty it means that my dollar doesn't go to the mighty corporations like Monsanto who has genetically modified more seeds than any other company, among their other lovely products are RGBH a growth hormone for cows, Round-up amount other commercial herbicides, and their latest GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) corn that contains insecticide whiten it's cellular structure! How is that even deemed safe!?

Buying Organic means that I support the companies that are run by people who sacrifice larger profits for righteous and healthful products, it means that my monetary vote goes to the family growing a healthful farm and not one owned by a greed-ful company.  I don't only buy organic for myself I buy it for the little farmers, for small even large businesses fighting to succeed over large corporations, I do it for my friends and family, and much more I do it for those who have yet to be born!

Going Organic is expensive! But it is literally the difference between Right and Wrong, black and white.  So will you spend the extra dollar to support tomorrows generations or will you wait for someone else to save you?  Do use all a favor and stop buying CRAP it won't just kill you it will consume you and it will assist greed filled businesses in consuming more people!

Stop supporting companies that put money over the health of their customers! I can't even convey in one year how important going organic is for EVERYTHING.  I urge you strongly to do the same, before the option is no longer available.

INFORM YOURSELF ABOUT WHAT YOU EAT AND WHERE IT COMES FROM!!!!

Health Over Wealth- Lowering Healthcare Costs

Lowering the Cost of Health Care

There has been a lot of debate in congress about how to lower the cost of healthcare, the most likely option is to make everyone pay for insurance, this will bring about a lower overall cost. However, this entire debate is revolved around the ideals of wealth, it is not truly for reasons of health that they do this. If it is about Health it's about the health of the economy, not the health of the people. If we want to lower healthcare costs we must first go to the root of the problem, which is people are getting sick too often. Lets clear up one thing, accidents happen and it is sometimes necessary to go to a hospital or a doctor and the patient needs to be cared for fully, but a majority of doctor and hospital visits come from self neglect (meaning the individual has neglected to take precautionary measures to ensure their own health). That is not to say they should not be covered anyhow, we all make mistakes, but a majority of the costs are due to neglect and not to a random accident or injury. For example, the leading cause of death in the United States is heart disease. Massive amounts of research have shown that heart disease is caused by an unhealthy lifestyle, whether it be eating too much fat or not getting enough exercise. This means that through changes in lifestyle heart disease can be prevented if not completely eradicated.

Eliminating the leading cause of death in the United States would certainly lower the overall cost of health would it not? 616,000 people died from heart disease in the United States in the year of 2008. Nine in ten had at least one of the following risk factors; high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, obesity, poor diet, and were physically inactive or drank alcohol. This is straight off of the CDC website. Every one of those factors (with the arguable exception of diabetes which only accounts for 11%) is preventable through proper dieting. 1 in 6 dollars spent on health care goes to heart disease, which cost an estimated 414 billion dollars in 2010. That is about $1380 dollars a person for that one year!

In general we tend to be cautious about our safety and the safety of others and maybe it's due to a lack of education on the importance of proper eating, but so many people are not concerned about what foods or nutrients they intake until major disease occurs. Even then so many of us will take the prescription route instead of eating right and seeking a more permanent measure. We take the pills, because it is easier than changing what we eat and how we behave. This is understandable, but could there be a better way? It is not fair that all the people devoted to taking responsibility for their own health should have to pay a tax so that those that don't take the preventative steps should get a lower rate at the expense of those who actively participate and invest money to their health. This like many solutions a partial one and it is not the best option available. The fore fathers had the guidelines right, they knew that by the time it came down to a socialized healthcare system something went wrong along the way, but what did we do wrong....

To be continued...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stay tuned for more updates on this article.   It is quite long and will cover a dynamic range of information on  living a health oriented life.  You can sign up for automatic e-mails by entering in your e mail address in the space to the right. Please tell me what you think in the comments below, I would love to hear your ideas and maybe talk about them.

Improving Health Education

Why do we need education of health?

Every time I say that we need to educate people on health I get the response from someone they already are educated, they just don't have the time and money to eat right.  This upsets me for a second, but every time I recover from my lapse of emotional comfort,  I begin to propose the following:

Education

First of all, people are hardly educated about their health whether it was on TV or in schools, the American approach to health is quite as well established as it could be.  The extent of what people know about their health is what we learn in health class throughout school, and perhaps brief snippets here and there online and on TV.  This brings me to the question so what did you learn about eating in health class?  The answer I always receive is "the food pyramid" which would be my answer as well, as I learned little beyond the food pyramid in health.  So what is missing from this education?  Health class wasn't actually a full on class we had it once every month for a week each time, and that was only when we were assigned PE, which was one year in high school for me.  In that health class we mostly covered mostly sex ed, drugs (and what they do) and exercise.  Those are both important, but when it came to health it was usually based on the food pyramid.  This is not to say there is no importance in the pyramid, but really it does not cover anything about what foods are actually beneficial and why.  In fact we spent more time in school discussing different diseases and how we get them then we did learning how eating right to prevent them.  We learned that breathing in someones cough could make us sick, but not that Vitamin C and a multitude of other vitamins prevent sickness, much less the foods that already contain these vitamins.

For instance we learn that we need 2-4 (broad number) servings of fruit, but what we don't learn is that fresh fruit is optimal, that canned fruit is loaded with sugar, frozen fruit loses nutrients, and so on.  Health is a multi-dimensional topic and the aspect of food cannot be covered solely by the food pyramid. Food education alone should be a full on class, not only should we be covering what foods we should be eating daily, but also why we should eat them.  What do vitamins and minerals do for the body, which ones in specific affect the brain, which ones do we need everyday and why.  Other issues to be covered would be; where to find healthy foods, what form of food should you eat and why (fresh, frozen canned etc.), why  over processing food kill it's nutritional value.  I could go on but I think you see the point that I am getting at, there is a lack of food education.  Later I will cover each one and it's importance in detail, but for now I have a different task at hand.

We need education throughout school about health to integrate it into our lives.  The only other chance people have to learn about health is from their family, which in most cases they know what was taught to them.  There is a chance to learn about health after high school, but so many of us get so wrapped up in the working world we don't take the time to learn about it.  People don't not eat well because they don't care too, they don't know how to.  People, much like dogs, are conditioned, meaning we form habits, habits we get from others, people don't eat right because they aren't conditioned to.  We need an education system that conditions people to be concerned about what they eat in the same way they are conditioned to wear a seat belt.

Time

The second excuse for poor eating behaviors is lack of time. Well the first thing I have to say to that is eating right gives you time, not only does it give you a longer life expectancy, it clears your mind so you can more clearly pre-meditate your ideas more fully, and taking the little bit of time it takes to prepare the food will make you happier through the  time you "don't have".  There is a quote I read once "You don't have the time? You make the time.".  It isn't that difficult to pick up an apple and eat it unprepared, nor is it difficult to spend Sunday evening making your meals for the week.  I'm not going to go into recipes right now, but there are ways to eat healthy with little time.  I will not be going into this issue any further at the moment.

Money

Let me get this straight, you don't have the money to eat right?  That is the lamest reason of all, I'm sorry but if you can afford to eat already then you have enough to eat well.  I make 60 dollars a week and I still eat healthy, on top of it I help feed one other person on that budget.  Even on this tight budget I eat well,  I buy whole wheat bread $2.50 I buy whole wheat noodles and sauce $2.50 that is like 6 meals worth of food for 5 dollars.  Yes there are ways to eat cheaper with un-nutritional foods , but is the tax it takes on your body worth it.  Some of same the people who tell  me they can't afford to eat well are the same people that support Obama's new forced tax plan on healthcare.  I am of no political affiliation, but this bill is ridicules and there are better options.

Do you want lower healthcare?  Then invest in your health, everyday!  Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States it cost 414 billion dollars in 2010, but in almost every case it was PREVENTABLE.  Nine out of ten people that die from this disease have 1 or more of what the CDC considers risk factors, these factors include; smoking, drinking, malnutrition, diabetes and in most cases obesity.  Only one of those may not have been the choice of the individual that died and that diabetes, but despite popular views there are many plants that lower blood sugar in the body some include, cinnamon, turmeric, and dandelion root.   That 414 billion equates to over 1000 dollars a year per every person alive in the US.  It is not fair that people that care for their own health should have to pay a tax for those who don't.   So if you want to lower the cost of healthcare quite eating food that isn't good for you, quite smoking, quite drinking so much, and by God stop with the lousy excuses and do something for your health!

You have the ability to live a healthy life,  you live in the United States where healthy food is massively abundant utilize these resources.  You have the internet, what you don't know can easily be found on the internet. There are many people out there including me willing to work with anyone to improve their health turn to them and ask what it is you need to know.  Don't be afraid to learn something that contradicts the norm, listen to your heart and it will tell you "you are what you eat".

<----- "That's not such a bahhhd idea."
              -Goat

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------