Tag: ginger roots

Best Natural Remedies For Rheumatoid Arthritis

Alternative Treatments To Pharmaceutical Drugs For Arthritis

Ginger roots,  Comfrey, Feverfew herb, Bromelain from pineapple, zinc, L–tryptophan, Vitamin B6 and 12, Vitamin E, megadoses of Vitamin C in the form of calcium ascorbate, and castor oil are all effective in helping to reduce pain and the inflammation which results from rheumatoid arthritis.

Many conventional medical drugs, used for treating rheumatoid arthritis, have proven to be either ineffective or harmful in the long run.  In fact, some doctors maintain that there has never been a pharmaceutical drug which improves the condition of rheumatoid arthritis.

Treat The Deficiencies and Detoxify:  The best way to treat rheumatoid arthritis is to treat the deficiencies in the body, and by using natural methods to detoxify.  As some doctors have said: There has never been found a pharmaceutical substance which has been proved necessary to the body’s function.  But minerals, vitamins and proteins, etc, are all vital to life and to the preserving of health.

The Efficacy Of Drugs such as prednisone, gold injections, methotrexate, sufasalazine and hydroxychloroquine, commonly prescribed as ‘anti-rheumatics’,  is debatable.  An international medical congrss held in Europe in the 1990’s decided that none of the drugs used for rheumatoid arthritis should be classified as ‘disease modifying.’

These very drugs which were meant to prevent joint destruction and deformity either did not work, or they made the condition worse. After ten years, most patients had given up on their medications because of the unsatisfactory nature of these so-called  ‘anti-rheumatic’ drugs.

Why is it then that these ineffective or harmful drugs for treating rheumatoid arthritis were made available to us  in the first place?

Answer: Because the American FDA, who approve these drugs for the use of Americans, and everybody else in the world, it seems, accept the findings of research done by the pharmaceutical companies themselves.

There is no neutral body which examines the findings of the pharmaceutical companies.

Their word is taken as fact, which means that many potentially harmful drugs go onto the market without their having been tested properly, or because the research findings conveniently overlook the possible side-effects.

This is why drugs come and go so frequently.  Often they only go when the disastrous effects of using them becomes common knowledge.

Fosamax is an interesting example of a drug still in use.  Yet in America there are lawyers who solely dedicate their work to people claiming damages from the drug companies making this drug and others like it. There are ‘Fosamax’ lawyers!!!!!

(see page 208 of Dr Toni Jeffreys book ‘Your Health At Risk’ to check out her argument against the FDA’s monopolization of the drug industry)

Natural Remedies are safer alternatives than most pharmaceutical drugs.

The two most important remedies in my estimation are Ginger Roots and Vitamin C in the non-acidic form. And I would have to add Castor Oil as a third essential remedy for helping to cure the condition of rheumatoid arthritis.

Ginger Roots For Treating Arthritis:

Ginger is one of the best known natural remedy for inflammation of any kind, including the inflammation from rheumatoid arthritis. Dr Toni Jeffreys believes that it is a top-notch herb for this disease.

Ginger is totally safe to use.  It is good for the digestion, is a mild natural anti-biotic, and a natural blood-thinner. It is very useful for treating cancer as well as other degenerative diseases such as arthritis.

Ginger is an anti-inflammatory and a pain reliever. According to Dr Toni Jeffreys, ginger is probably more likely to be effective in treating rheumatoid arthritis than any prescription drug you might take.

The other important reason as to why you should consider ginger above pharmaceutical preparations, is that it will not cause any adverse side-effects, which may be the case with medical drugs.

It can be used in powdered form, or the fresh ginger root can be grated and eaten or made into a tea. Take some after each meal, or have a cup of ginger root tea at each meal.

Calcium Ascorbate Vitamin C  

Non-acidic vitamin C such as calcium ascorbate would be at the top of my list.

Calcium ascorbate is easy on the stomach, since it has been neutralized and is not acidic.  It aids digestion and helps to remove toxins from the body.  This is important, because it will actually dissolve harmful toxins around and within the joints over time.

Some people have had a reversal of their condition due to the fact that they took megadoses of calcium ascorbate over a period of time – say 6 months or longer.

The other bonus from taking calcium ascorbate daily is that it is a mild pain reliever.  Take 1000mg at night before you go to bed and you should sleep better than you have in a long while.

Depending on the severity of the condition, I would take between 2000mg to 8000mg per day, in separate doses of 1000mg each.

The idea would be to work up to the higher dose.  Begin with 2000mg per day and build the dose up after a few days.

Castor Oil:  This also helps in reducing the inflammation and pain of rheumatoid arthritis.

Using castor oil as part of his natural treatment, Dr Max Gerson cured many people of cancer and other degenerative conditions such as rheumatoid arthrits.

Dr Gerson used 2 tablespoons every second day for treating cancer and other diseases.  With this treatment, enemas must be used, and a diet of 80% or more raw foods and their juices are taken daily for a long time.

See my other posts on how to take castor oil for cancer and other diseases.

 

Homemade Gluten Free Pickled Ginger (Uncooked)

Herbal Recipe:  How To Make Your Own Gluten Free, Uncooked, Pickled Ginger.

This easy recipe can be used as a condiment and as an herbal remedy.

Making your own pickled ginger is a rewarding exercise. Apart from the creative process of making it, you can also gain satisfaction from the knowledge that your homemade product does not contain any added harmful preservatives which a commercial product might use.

Homemade pickled ginger is useful as an addition to curries, meat, fish or vegetarian dishes, and can also be used as a medicine, taken a teaspoon at a time.

Ginger has been used in traditional Chinese and Indian ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years.

Ginger is an amazing herb:  In modern language, it is known as a ‘blood thinner’, as a heart and circulation booster, as a digestive aid, as an antidote to nausea and food-poisoning, for motion sickness, as an antioxidant and detoxifyer of poisons in the liver, and as a catalyst for other herbs and nutrients to be assimilated efficiently.  It is a common ingredient of many traditional herbal remedies, because of its ability to increase the effectiveness of herbs and nutrients in foods.

So – here is how to make your gluten-free,  homemade pickled ginger.

Take fresh, peeled, ginger roots. Grate up enough to fill two cups.

Pour boiling water over the grated ginger, and leave to soften for one minute.

Strain the ginger and reserve the water for tea,

Into a glass jar which has a good fitting lid, put:

1 cup wine vinegar or cider vinegar

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt

Stir the sugar and salt into the vinegar.

Now pack your grated and softened ginger into the jar, making sure that the ginger is covered with the vinegar.  Top up with a little more vinegar if necessary.

Put on the lid and shake for a minute or so.

Leave the jar on the window-sill for two days, shaking every day.

After two days, put the pickled ginger into the fridge and use as needed.

This is best if it is used within two weeks.

A slice of pickled beetroot added to the jar will give the ginger a pinkish colour. Alternatively, you can buy some shiso leaves from an Asian grocer, and add a little to the pickle mixture.  These will give your homemade pickle a pink colour.

As a digestive tonic, take one teaspoonful per day at mealtimes.  Note:  Do not use ginger in your food, or as a herbal remedy if you are taking a chemical blood thinner such as warfarin.  Ginger, like Vitamin C, and Vitamin C rich fruits such as grapefruit,  is a natural blood-thinner, so if you take it along with a prescribed medicine such as Warfarin, then you will be doubling up on the blood-thinning effect.  Use only one or the other – traditional remedies, or the medication prescribed for you.

Personally, I think it is better to use herbal remedies, and eat the appropriate foods, so that the blood is thinned naturally, rather than take pharmaceutical preparations.  Drugs which are commonly prescribed often turn out to have very deleterious effects on the vital organs and nervous system of the body.  The side effects of warfarin are not so pleasant, and it can even induce a stroke, the very thing it is meant to prevent.  But if you have decided on the standard medical approach for preventing strokes, then do not use ginger as well.

Merrilyn’s new book is available on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.ca/Cancer-And-Good-Health-Notebook-ebook/dp/B01DHMH6DG

Recipe Leek and Ginger Soup Good For Colds and Flu

Gluten Free Recipe For Lentil-Leek and Ginger Soup

WOW.  Nothing like having a hot, freshly-made soup in the winter to antidote the flu.  This is my own peppered-up version of leek soup which helps to drive those bugs away.

Note:  If you are on blood thinners such as Warfarin, then you should not indulge in this soup.  Leeks and Ginger are both natural blood thinners, so if you have any quantity of these foods and combine them with artificial blood thinners, you could end up being over-dosed on blood thinners.  A nose bleed may result.  Far better to get your health requirements from your diet, in my estimation, than to take the artificial replacements.  It would be a better thing if doctors would work out an appropriate diet which includes the remedial substances that their patients need, rather than resort to prescribing artificial blood thinners, etc, instead.

Leeks Are Good For The Immune System: The vegetable basis of this soup recipe is leeks, which are a classic herbal remedy for colds and flu, as well as being an anti-cancer food, and good for the eyesight because of their high Lutein and Zeaxanthin content.

Fresh Ginger Roots Are Good For The Immune System:  This soup also contains another great remedy for colds and flu – ginger roots.  The active ingredients in fresh ginger are the Terpenes and Gingerols which have powerful germ-destroying properties.  Ginger is also noted as an anti-cancer agent, as an anti-inflammatory for arthritis,  a remedy for nausea, and an enhancer of the digestion.

Gluten Free Brown Lentils Are Nutritious and have Anti-Cancer Components:  The main protein content  in this gluten free soup recipe comes from the brown lentils whcih also have anti-cancer properties.  They are one of the few foods which have good quantities of Folic acid, and Zinc.

Lentils are a favourite food for vegetarians and for people on gluten-free diets.  They are not only delicious, but are rich in nutrients such as protein, fibre, B Vitamins, Folate, Iron, and Zinc.  Their high Zinc content boosts the immune system so that your system can fight those bad germs better.  Lentils also contain Isoflavins and Lignan, which help in keeping cancer at bay.

This recipe also uses one unpeeled grated apple, seeds and all.  Apples are another healing food, rich in pectin, Vitamin C, and fibre.

Recipe For Leek-Lentil-Ginger Soup

You will need:  Dry Lentils, One Leek, Fresh Ginger Roots, One Apple, One Carrot, Sea Salt, Red Paprika, Mild Curry Powder.

Take One and a 1/2 cups of dry lentils.

Add Lentils to a litre of water.

Bring to the boil.  Simmer gently for half an hour.

Add one whole chopped leek to the lentils after half an hour of cooking.

Peel a good chunk of ginger.

Chop the ginger up finely – enough to fill two tablespoons.

Add the ginger to the soup.

Chop up three cloves of  garlic and add to the soup.

Grate the carrot and add to the soup.

Add also one desertspoon mild curry powder.

Add half a teaspoon red paprika powder and one teaspoon sea-salt.

Cook altogether for another half an hour on low heat.

Add one whole grated apple five minutes before the end of the cooking, as well as a half teaspoon of cinnamon powder.

You may need to add a little more water to the soup after the leeks have been added.  Use one or two cups of extra water – enough to make it soupey and not too thick.

The soup can be served as it is, or with an added lump of butter or some grated cheese.

Alternatively, ground sesame seeds could be added to substitute the dairy food.

If you have the flu, or a cold, then it is best to eat the soup without any dairy added.

I think that this is a great food for people wanting to lose weight.  If it is eaten as the main meal, without added dairy, or bread,  then you can eat as much of it as you like without fear of putting on weight.

 

 

List Of Approved But Maybe Harmful Food Additives And Their Numbers

Some Food Additives , such as Riboflavin and Ascorbid acid, can have a beneficial effect on the health. These things are food components.

However, many chemicals added to our food, such as preservatives, colourings and flavourings,  are extremely harmful.  Some are proven carcinogens, while some are suspected of causing things like high blood pressure, migraines, alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, diabetes, and even obesity.

I made sure that I never gave my children commercial products which had any chemical additives in them when they were young.  I think that this is very important in bringing up children today – there is an even greater use of preservatives in food nowadays than there was when I had my children at home.  These poisons are extremely deleterious to the health, and especially to the growing child.

At the very least, some of the  food additives  listed below can have an immediate negative effect on your emotional and mental function.  They can so easily upset the balance of bacteria in the bowel, leading to the proliferation of the ‘bad’ organisms, such as candida albicans which causes yeast infectins.  They can lower your immunity to disease.

Nowadays, as I have just discovered,  I find I cannot eat quantities of cottage cheese because of the preservatives and thickeners which are added to most brands.  Even a well-known Aussie ‘naturally brewed’ has preservatives added to it, which I have found cause headaches and fluid retention.

Recently, I sampled some ginger beer and cottage cheese at a friend’s picnic party. The result next day was similar to a hang-over, with a massive headache, slow brain function and a slight puffiness of the flesh which warns me that the kidneys have taken some punishment.

I am now fasting on home made lemon and ginger root drinks, with some of my cousin’s beautiful New Zealand bush honey added to them. (Actually – cousins’ – there are two of these lovely people who have a farm down at Waikino, where you will find the proverbial ‘land of milk and honey’)

Merrilyn’s new book is available on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.ca/Cancer-And-Good-Health-Notebook-ebook/dp/B01DHMH6DG

So – what was in these two foods which I had yesterday?  I see immediately that the cottage cheese and the ginger beer both have the same preservative added.  So that probably means that I have consumed much more than what would be considered to be a ‘safe’ dose.

The Ginger Beer Contains good things such as root ginger, natural flavours, and Ascorbic acid, or Vitamin C.  But it also contains some harmful things, which would negate the ‘goodness’ of the ginger, etc. – These potentially harmful chemicals are the preservatives  202 and 211.  202 is Potassium sorbate.  211 is Sodium benzoate.

The Cottage Cheese Contains the same preservative –  202,  which is Potassium sorbate, and Thickeners 407 and 1422.  407 is the thickener Carrageenan which is a natural product, but which causes reactions in some people, so I have read.  The thickener 1422 I am unfamiliar with at this stage.

Anyhow – I am reminded of the fact that it is still imp;ortant for me to be vigilant about keeping foods which have harmful preservatives in them out of my diet.  When you are looking after young children, I think it is easier to remain conscious of food additives, and to keep them out.  When you get older and have no dependents any more, then it is easy to become slack and think that a little bit of this or that will not hurt.  But this is a bad attitude, I know.

So – A List of Common Food Additives and Their Numbers, taken from Rosemary Stanton’s ‘ ‘Health & Energy Cookbook’ with added information from other sources.

Colourings – generally, these are the numbers from 100 through to 163.  Many colourings can contribute to hyperactivity in children, attention deficit disorder, and depression in adults.  They are best avoided.

100 – Curcumin

101 – Riboflavin (natural vitamin)

102 – Tartrazine

107 – Yellow 2G

110 – Sunset Yellow FCF

120 – Cochineal, carminic acid  (Cochineal is a colouring which used to be derived from the cochineal beetle, but now it is an artificial form which may have side effects)

122 – Carmoisine

123 – Amaranth  (This used to be from the plant itself, but I think it is now a synthetic form,  which is not good)

124 – Brilliant scarlet 4R

127 – Erythrosine

132 – Indigo carmine

133 – Brilliant blue FCF

140 – Chlorophylls (natural)

142 – Green S

150 – Caramel

151 – Brilliant black BN

153 – Cholcolate brown HT

160 – Carotenoids (natural)

160-a – Carotene, alpha-, beta-, gamma-

160-b – Annato (bixin, norbrixin)

160-e – Beta-apo-8′ carotenal

160-f – Ethyl ester of beta-apo-8′ carotenoic acid

161 – Xanthophylls

161-g – Canthaxanthine

162 – Beetroot red, betanin (I think this one is also synthetically produced now, which may have side effects)

163 – Anthocyanins

170 – Calcium carbonate

171 – Titanium dioxide

172 – Iron oxides and hydroxides

Preservatives – generally, the numbers from 200 to 250 are the common preservatives:

200 – Sorbic acid

201 – Sodium sorbate

202 – Potassium sorbate

203 – Calcium sorbate

210 – Benzoic acid

211 – Sodium benzoate

212 – Potassium benzoate

213 – Calcium benzoate

220 – Sulphur dioxide

221 – Sodium sulphite

222 – Sodium bisulphate

223 – Sodium metabisulphite22

224 – Potassium metabisulphite

234 – Nisin

249 – Potassium nitrite

250 – Sodium nitrite

251 – Sodium nitrate

252 – Potassium nitrate

260 – Acetic acid

261 – Potassium acetate

262 – Sodium acetates

263 – Calcium acetate

270 – Lactic acid (natural food acid)

280 – Propionic acid

281 – Sodium propionate

282 – Calcium propionate

283 – Potassium propionate

290 – Carbon dioxide

296 – Malic acid

297 – Fumaric acid

300 – Ascorbid acid (a natural food component)

301 – Sodium ascorbate

306 – Tocopherol-rich extracts from natural food sources – a safe additive

307 – Synthetic alpha-tocopherol

308 – Synthetic gamma-tocopherol

309 – Synthetic delta-tocopherol

310 – Propyl gallate

311 – Octyl gallate

312 – Dodecyl gallate

320 – Butylated hydroxy-anisole (BHA)

321 – Butylated hydroxy-toluene (BHT)

322 – Lecithin (from natural food source – usually soy beans – egg yolk are rich in lecithin)

325 – Sodium Lactate

326 – Potassium lactate

327 – Calcium lactate

330 – Citric acid (naturally occurring)

331 – Sodium citrates

334 – Tartaric acid

335 – Sodium tartrates

336 – Potassium tartrates

337 – Sodium potassium tartrate

339 – Sodium orthophosphates

340 – Potassium orthophosphates

341 – Calcium orthophosphates

350 – Sodium malates

351 – Potassium malates

352 – Calcium malates

353 – Metatartaric acid

354 – Calcium tartrate

355 – Adipic acid

363 – Succinic acid

380 – Tri-ammonium citrate

400 – Alginic acid

401 – Sodium alginate

402 – Potassium alginate

403 Ammonium alginate

404 – Calcium alginate

405 – Propylene glycol alginate

406 – Agar (from sea-weed)

407 Carrageenan (naturally occurring in moss)

410 – Locust bean gum (natural)

412 – Guar gum (natural)

413 – Tragacanth (natural)

414 – Acacia

415 – Xanthan gum (natural)

416 – Karay gum (natural)

420 – Sorbitol

421 – Mannitol

422 – Glycerol

433 – Polyoxythylene (20) sorbitan mono-oleate

435 – Polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan-mono-stearat436 – Polyoxythylene (20) sorbitan tristearate

440-1 – Pectin (naturally occurring in apples and in the seeds of pip fruit, and citrus fruit)

442 – Ammonium phosphatides

450 – Sodium and potassium polyphosphates

460 – Microcrystalline cellulose (powdered cellulose)

461 – Methylcellulose

464 – Hydroxypropyl-methylcellulose

465 – Ethylmethylcellulose

466 – Sodium carboxy-methylcellulose

471 – Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids

472-e – Mono and diacetyltartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids

473 – Sucrose esters of fatty acids

475 – Polyglycerol esters of fatty acids

476 – Polyglycerol polyricinoleate

481 – Sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate

492 – Calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate

491 – Sorbitan monostearate

500 – Sodium carbonates

501 – Potassium carbonates

503 – Ammonium carbonates

504 – Magnesium carbonate

508 – Potassium chloride

509 – Calcium chloride

529 – Calcium oxide

536 – Poatassium ferrocyanide

541 – Sodium aluminium phosphate

551 – Silicon dioxide

553-b – Talc

554 – Sodium aluminium silicate

558 – Bentonite

559 – Kaolins

570 – Stearic acid

572 – Magnesium stearate

575 – Glucono deltalactone

621 – Monosodium glutamate

627 – Sodium guanylate

631 – Sodium inosinate

637 – Ethyl maltol

900 – Dimethylpoly-siloxane

901 – Beeswax (safe)

903 – Carnauba wax

904 – Shellac

905 – Paraffins

902 – L-Cysteine and its hydrochlorides

924 – Potassium bromate

925 – Chlorine

926 – Chlorine dioxide

Note:  Since this list was approved by the National Health and Medical Research Council in Australia, some of these items may have been deleted from the ‘safe’ list.

 

 

 

List of Herbs To Stimulate Circulation

Improve Circulation With Herbs: Some people feel the cold so dreadfully, and they can do nothing to keep warm.  In extreme conditions, this is called ‘Raynaud’s Disease’.  Some medications can cause ‘Raynaud’s Disease’.  Remember that it  is essential that adequate exercise is taken, to stimulate the blood flow.  But here are some herbal suggestions, to add to your exercise regime,  which might help you to feel warmer.DSCO 1672

Cayenne Pepper: This is one of the best herbs for circulation problems. Just a little  Cayenne Pepper can be sprinkled into the socks, or into the shoes.  Believe me, this works very well to increase the warmth in the body.  Too much for too long can cause sweating and over-heating, so use it very moderately.  The over-heating effect of Cayenne  can be very useful if you are doing a detox, as this aids the removal of toxins through the pores of the skin, and stimulates the other organs to eliminate waste, and function as they should.

Other, similar herbs which have a similar effect to Cayenne pepper, and which can be sprinkled into the shoes to improve circulation are Black Pepper and Ginger.

Ginger Tea For Circulation:  Ginger tea is another easy and simple method to stimulate circulation and promote good general health.  You can use either powder ginger, or root ginger to make your tea.  Ginger tea is safe to drink, and four or five cups of ginger tea can be taken each day.  Use half a teaspoon of ginger powder to one cup of tea, or more if you like.  With fresh ginger, chop up a tablespoon of ginger roots, put into your cup, and pour boiling water over.  Infuse for several minutes, until it has cooled, then drink.  You can use these ginger roots later in the day, as there is still goodness left in them after making one tea.

The Ginger Foot Bath: This is another simple remedy for improving the circulation, and stimulating the digestion.  Put a tablespoon of powdered ginger into a couple of litres of hot water.  Cool until the ginger foot bath preparation is a comfortable temperature.  Soak the feet for 10 minutes in the foot-bath, topping up with more hot water if necessary.

Garlic is one of the best home remedies for improving the circulation.  Use garlic every day in your cooking.  Fresh garlic is really best, if you can handle it.  Chop up a teaspoon of garlic very finely and take as you would a medicine, with a glass of water or your favourite milk. Some people find garlic just too strong for their delicate digestive systems.  If you are one of these, then use another remedy instead of garlic.

The List of Herbs Which Aid Circulation Are:

Black Pepper

Cayenne Pepper

Cinnamon

Clary Sage

Garlic

Geranium

Ginger

Hyssop

Lemons

Rosemary