Weight Loss Research Shows Thunder God Vine Slows Appetite

Natural Remedies

Harvard Medical School has just published a paper in the science journal ‘Cell’ on 20th May, 2015 which indicates the Chinese herb ‘Thunder God Vine’ could be very promising for curing obesity.

Radio New Zealand gave us a report on the new findings today, Saturday 23 May, 2015, just before 1PM.

With the numbers of obesity growing throughout the world now – over a third of the population is supposed to come under the obese category – the need to find a non-toxic and effective remedy for weight loss is becoming urgent.

A selection of herbal remedies, known to be helpful in weight loss, were used in the recent Harvard studies:  The one which came top of the list for its effectiveness was the Thunder God Vine.  It has the remarkable capacity to slow down the appetite because of a compound called Leptin.

Leptin warns the brain that you have had enough to eat. People who are deficient in Leptin eat too much because they still feel hungry, even after eating a full meal.

This ancient herb, which is native to China, Korea and Japan, has been used in Chinese medicine for centuries.

Research on mice at Harvard has proved that Leptin in the Thunder God Vine reduced appetite, causing weight loss.  A reduced food intake resulted in a 45% weight loss over several weeks of taking the herb each day.

And there have been no toxic effects observed in the use of the herb.

The Leptin within the Thunder God Vine looks to be very promising for curing obesity:  It has the capacity to awaken the appetite centre in the brain, so that instead of ignoring those signals to stop eating, when you already have a full tummy, the brain will have the right response.  With the help of Leptin from the Thunder God, you should feel full after a meal, and not want to overeat.

Of course, the herb will not be enough on its own in maintaining a healthy body.  Adequate exercise must be taken.

Food choices should still be sensible ones, with sugary foods, wheat flour breads and cakes all omitted from the diet Yeast products should be avoided too.

It is really best to avoid dairy foods as well, and use soya milk instead of dairy milk. Remember that the pastures where dairy cows graze have been sprayed with many chemicals, and these chemicals get absorbed in concentration in the cow’s milk.  Some of these chemicals can cause cancer and other health problems, such as obesity and depression. See the paragraph on herbicides and pesticides below.

Another negative aspect of dairy milk is that it is spoilt for human consumption by pasteurization. Pasteurized milk is difficult to digest properly, and many people  have a problem with it.  Dairy milk, and especially pasteurized dairy milk, causes mucous to form in the intestines, and this milk makes a home for intestinal parasites, or worms.

If the milk is not digested properly, then it causes bloating in the bowel, which causes the stomach to swell.  Wheat products can do the same thing.  Wheat bread is especially bad when it is made with yeast, as the yeast tends to continue fermenting in the intestines.

Food additives in the way of colourings, preservatives and flavourings, are a must to avoid.  Many of these chemicals have very damaging effects on the health, as well as the appetite.

Another thing to be careful to avoid is herbicides and pesticides, as these can interfere with the body and brain functions in many ways which are damaging to health.  The glyphosphate weedkiller such as RoundUp is very bad, and I believe that the world-wide use of this is one major cause of obesity.  It damages the natural intestinal flora, killing off the beneficial bacteria and increasing others, such as candida albicans, which causes yeast infections.

Basically, RoundUp and many other agricultural chemicals alter the balance of organisms in the bowel.  When candida gets out of control, it means you do not digest your food properly, your immune system is weakened, and you are likely to fall sick.  Deficiencies in nutrients can arise, which can lead you to be continually hungry.

When these chemicals are sprayed continually around your environment, then you really are in trouble.

The other thing that some of these herbicides and pesticides do is alter the hormonal secretions:  The pineal and pituitary glands, I find, are noticeably affected.  These centres seem to become inflamed and disconnected from the brain after exposure to weed-killer such as glyphosphate-containing RoundUp.  These important energy centres can get out of control, doing their own thing regardless of what the body needs. The disturbances in their normal functioning can cause a feeling of alienation from the world, as well as depression and appetite disturbances.

Last, but not least, meditation and yoga can help enormously to de-stress the body and brain.  Yoga Nidra, an ancient practice of relaxation, is a wonderful technique which can relax the brain,  allowing you to reprogramme yourself, devoid of the emotional clutter which prevents you from really enjoying your life.

Natural Remedies

Culpeper says of Sage that it ’causes the hair to become black’.

Garden sage has many therapeutic uses.

In the garden, its flowers provide medicine and nectar for the bees, as well as a herbal tonic to the neighbouring plants.

It is well-known as an aid to oral hygiene.  It has strong antiseptic qualities and is supposed to whiten tooth enamel.

Sage is still used today in some tooth-pastes.  It is reputedly one effective remedy for bleeding gums,  and improving gum health:  The crushed fresh leaves are massaged several times a day onto the gums and teeth.

The tea is gargled to relieve sore throats, colds and flu,  and ulcers in the mouth.

It can be effective to reduce fevers, and has been used in the past for thyphoid fever. (see ‘Herbal Remedies  and Homeopathy’ published by Geddes and Grosset.)

It is a valuable nerve medicine, and is a useful stomach remedy for improving a weak appetite.

Natural Herbal Hair Dye and Tonic:  Sage can help restore healthy hair and improve the colour.

Strong sage tea encourages hair growth and darkens the hair, if it is used on a regular basis. Many herbalists describe it in their writings:  see John Heinerman’s ‘Encyclopedia of Fruits Vegetables and Herbs’.

Rosemary is another wonderful herb which can help hair growth, but it does not have such a darkening effect on the hair, as sage does.

Recipe For Sage Hair Dye:  Here is a simple, natural hair dye and tonic which you can try.  It is perfectly safe to use, as it does not contain any harmful additives such as you might find in commercial dyes for darkening the hair.

Take two cups of fresh sage leaves and put into a stainless steel saucepan.

Add one cup of dry black tea leaves

Add half a cup of cider vinegar and eight cups of water.

Simmer very gently, with no lid, for one hour on a very low heat.  You should have around half the original quantity of liquid left at the end of an hour.  If you need to add a little more water, make sure you do so well before you finish simmering the brew.  If you add more water at the end of the simmering, then your mixture will not keep so well.

Take off the heat after an hour of simmering.  Set aside to cool.

Once your sage mixture has cooled properly, strain it off.

To the liquid remaining add the same amount of vodka.

Put into a bottle with a screw-top lid and store in a cool place.

Massage around a tablespoonful of the sage infusion into the hair each day.  Use more or less, depending on how much hair you need to cover.

Massage the sage tonic well into the roots of the hair as well, so that it feeds the scalp and hair follicles.  Massaging the scalp with the sage tonic will help the hair to grow again.

The oils in the sage leaves will put a natural shine to the hair.

Once the hair is sufficiently darkened, which may take several weeks, you can reduce the amount of applications each week.  Once or twice a week may be enough to maintain the darker colour.

Sage is really very good for the hair in so many ways.

Alternative Sage Tonic Without Alcohol:  You could make up your sage tea without the alcohol if you wish.  Only, remember that your mixture will not keep for longer than a week, and it must be kept in the fridge.  You could make up a lesser amount, enough to last a week, and then make up a fresh brew of tea for the following week.

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Can I Use Apple Cider Vinegar For Weight Loss And Good Health?

Natural Remedy For Losing Weight:

Apples, and Apple Cider Vinegar, are age-old remedies which have been commonly used to help normalize weight, regulate the bowels, strenghten the heart and over-all, to improve the health.

The Apple Diet is a great cleansing techique to follow for a few days.  Eating only raw, grated  apples for three days can help to reduce the weight considerably.

Apples are a wonderful food. They are an extremely nourishing, healthful food which helps the health in a myriad of ways.

However, while eating an apple a day keeps the doctor away, using vinegar made with apples may not suit all people

It is not recommended that people suffering long-standing candida use apple cider vinegar.  They should stick to eating fresh apples, if fruit sugar is tolerated, and most certainly should avoid fermented foods of any kind, including apple cider vinegar.  See the section below for an explanation on how yeast allergies can occur.

What are the healthful effects of eating apples, or using apple cider vinegar?

Apple cider vinegar, which is made from the whole apple, skin, pips and all, contains all of the valuable nutrients inherent in the apple, but you have to remember that it is a fermented food which may not suit everybody.

Apples, or cider vinegar, have the ability to neutralize an acid body and restore the pH level to normal.  They are useful in preventing hypertension and they can help to lower high blood pressure.

Apples have the ability to lower blood cholesterol.

Apples, and Apple Cider Vinegar, are rich in potassium, phytochemicals and other agents which strengthen the immune system and help prevent cancer.

Apples are good for the heart.

The pips of the apple contain laetrile, also called amygdalin, or Vitamin B17, which is used in some natural programmes to treat cancer and other degenerative disease.  You can eat a few pips each day to help prevent such diseases.  Eating some apple pips each day could also be helpful in reducing weight.

For the average healthy person who does not suffer candida problems, cider vinegar does not have any harmful side effects, as do some other methods for reducing weight.  Normal people of a robust constitution can safely use a daily dose of apple cider vinegar for weight control without any fear of adverse reactions.

Cider Vinegar as a daily tonic and remedy to reduce fat: 

It is best to take your apple cider vinegar for weight loss first thing in the morning, before breakfast or coffee. Take two tablespoonsful in a glass of hot water.

Apple cider vinegar, taken each morning, will help to expel any parasites living in the intestines or elsewhere.

It is an acidity regulator which helps to balance the acid-alkaline ratio of the body, known as the pH level.

It helps to neutralize harmful toxins in the vital organs and blood.  The liver, gall bladder, pancreas, kidneys and intestines all benefit from the antiseptic and nourishing effects of apple cider vinegar, taken on a regular basis.

Cider Vinegar is beneficial for all parts of the body:  It helps strengthen the bones and nerves.  It helps eyesight.  It strengthens the brain and it can help prevent and improve alzheimer’s disease.

It is wonderful for the hair.  Taking apple cider vinegar daily, and rinsing the hair with it after each wash, helps encourage hair growth.

Applying it to the hair while wet after washing gives the hair a lovely sheen and helps to prevent head lice from settling in.

When Not To Use Apple Cider Vinegar or Vinegar Of Any Kind:

Having said that, some people are extremely sensitive to yeasts of all kinds, and their systems are not suited to take vinegars of any kind.

An extreme sensitivity and aversion to yeasts can arise if a person has suffered major damage due to toxic chemicals,  such as heavy metal poisoning, or asbestos poisoning, or poisoning from apoxy resin or agricultural chemicals.

This is not a common problem, but if you have been exposed to large amounts of these toxins, or perhaps herbicides and pesticides, then chronic candida can strike, in which case you need to avoid even apple cider vinegar for a while.

Candida feeds on yeasts of all kinds, including those which are used in the making of vinegar.  So, in the case of chemical poisoning, when candida overgrowth is chronic, it may be that you have to wait to detoxify somewhat before cider vinegar can be tolerated even as an external treatment.  Some people may never tolerate it.

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Benefits of Celery

Is Celery Good For You

Celery is one of the most alkaline vegetables.  For this reason, tt is great for getting rid of body acidity. It is also a marvellous blood cleanser and rejuvenator.

Celery can be used to help remove dangerous toxins from the body, and help to restore a person;s health if they have been exposed to damaging poisons.

But remember that expectant mothers should not take too much celery.

The botanical name for celery is Apium graveolens.

Celery belongs to the Carrot Family, Apiaceae.

Celery stalks and leaves are an appetizer, a diuretic and an emmenagogue. The seeds are carminative and have a mild sedative effect.

A diet which consisted mainly of celery, garlic, and tuna fish in oil saved my life once when I almost died due to asbestos and heavy metal poisoning. I believe that this was because the celery neutralized the poisons and the extreme acidic state caused by this poisoning. It helped cleanse the blood and restore it to a healthy state. The high fiber content cleansed the digestive tract and the blood. It provided essential vitamins and minerals, along with the tuna fish nutrients and garlic, to restore the health.

Note: This celery diet worked for me because of the addition of tuna fish and garlic. I have since read about other people having success  in reducing heavy metal poisons in the body by using a tuna fish diet in combination with alkaline greens.

Candida Infections: Celery is the very best vegetable to eat raw for the treatment of candida infections. This is because celery is alkaline and has an antibiotic effect.  Its high fiber make it great for cleaning out the intestines, which is usually needed in candida infections.

Weight Loss: Celery is recommended for weight loss, and overeating.  John Lust lists it as a weight-reducing herb. Try eating a stalk of celery with lunch and dinner every day to help with weight loss.

Vitamin C and Skin Conditions: Nicolas Culpeper, the 17th Century herbalist, said that the leaves, when eaten in the spring, ‘sweeten and purify the blood and help the scurvy’. Celery stalks and leaves, eaten on a daily basis, is helpful for treating skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.

Celery has been used over the centuries as a herb to help gout, rheumatism and dropsy and cases of water retention.

Contra-indications of Celery:  Its diuretic effect make it good for these above conditions. However, John Lust advises that you do not use large amounts of celery if you have acute kidney disease, although he says that ‘moderate use is allowable when kidney problems are chronic’. He also warns that expectant mothers should take only moderate amounts of celery during their pregnancy. Celery has the ability to hasten menstruation, known as an emmenagogue, and any herb of vegetable which does this is usually best avoided during pregnancy. Pregnant women tend to urinate more than usual, so eating a lot of celery will accentuate this aspect of pregnancy.

Celery and Blood Pressure: John Lust also advises that people with high blood pressure should not consume too much celery, because celery has a high sodium content.

The effect of celery as a diuretic – one which makes you urinate more – is interesting, because celery grows naturally in wet and damp places, as it absorbs a lot of water in its stems. This is an example of a ‘like treats like’ effect – a water plant to cure a water problem in the body. The Reader’s Digest ‘Magic and Medicine of Plants’ says that the Latin name ‘Apium’ could be derived from a prehistoric Indo-European word for water. (p.151)

Celery is also beneficial to the health because it is one of the most alkaline vegetables of all our culinary vegetables. Alfalfa sprouts are probably the only thing that compares with celery in alkalinity. Celery’s extremely alkaline nature make it excellent for correcting acidic states of the body: Gout, rheumatism, arthritis and dropsy are often caused by acidic diets – too much wheat, bread, pasta, potatoes, dairy products,meats and fried and fatty foods, and not enough of the alkaline vegetables to balance the diet out.

Uses of Celery Seed:

Homemade Celery Salt:   Save that celery seed. It is a valuable culinary and medicinal item. You can make celery salt by using a 50/50 mixture of sea salt and celery seed.

To Use Medicinally: John Lust recommends one tablespoon of fresh celery juice be taken an hour before each meal.  This will help the digestion.

Decoction of Celery Seed: John Lust says that 1/2 teaspoon of seed should be boiled for 10 minutes in 1/2 cup of water.  Strain and take the decoction for bronchitis, colds and flu. (OF course see your doctor or health practitioner to check out any lung condition and to see if celery is right for you as an addition to your treatment)

Vitamins for Celiacs

Celiac Disease causes  problems in the digestion which leads to malabsorption of essential vitamins and minerals. Celiacs usually suffer from a condition of inflammation in the bowel, which causes nutritional deficiencies, and this condition leads to celiacs being  malnourished:   Weight loss, anaemia, and depression are just some of the symptoms which may accompany the celiac disease.

Cancer and Osteoporoosies and Osteomalacia are conditions which celiac sufferers are inclined to get, because their bodies do not assimilate calcium and other vitamins and minerals  as well as other healthy people do.  It was found in recent research conducted with  celiac patients,  that assimilation of  nutrients increased when gluten was removed from the diet completely.  Removing gluten increased the absorption of  essential nutrients in food and in supplements,  and lowered the  risk of cancer, osteoporosis, osteomalacia, and other disease.  The celiac sufferers had the same incidence of cancer as the rest of the population once gluten was removed. This information comes from “The Natural Pharmacy’, whose address I have given below.

First and Foremost, to ensure that your vitmamin supplements are having the maximum effect,  it is important to eliminate the problematic foods from the diet.   These are wheat, rye and barley, which contain the gluten which is undigestible to celiac sufferers.   In research done recently, 95% of celiac sufferers improved  and became  symptom free, over a period of several months,   once they had removed the problematic gluten from their diets.  That means that all wheat, and products which include wheat, and  barley and rye ,  must be avoided completely. Being totally gluten free is essential in treating the condition of celiac disease.

You should check out your candida status with your doctor or health professional.  Candida needs a special diet devoid of wheat, barley, rye, dairy products, all sugars including fruit, fermented food, fruit juces, alcohol, vinegars,  and yeast products, until you have recovered.  If you have not been diagnosed with celiac disease, it might be that you have candida overgrowth.

So it is important to replace the nutrients which are deficient.

Calcium: It is essential to eat plenty of calcium-rich foods.  Calcium helps to protect the body against cancer, osteoporosis, osteomalacia,  and other disease, as well as keeping the teeth, bones and nails strong.  Diseases which are related to calcium deficiency, cancer, osteoporosis, and osteomalacia, are conditions which celiac sufferers are inclined to get, so it is very important to ensure that the diet has adequate calcium.

Most people  need about 1200mg of calcium a day, but people with the celiac condition need at least twice this amount.  Women need slightly more than this amount to account for the loss in menstruation, and growing children and teenagers also need slightly  more.   One handful of sesame seeds contains about 1200mg of calcium, and a teaspoon of dolomite powder contains about twice this.

Natural Sources of Calcium: Dolomite powder, Sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, sardines, bone broth, broccoli and the other brassicas which include cabbage and kale, coconut and coconut milk.   If your condition tolerates the use of dairy products and soy milk products, then of course these are excellent calcium sources too.  Look up merrilyn’s recipe for natural home-made calcium supplement under the post ‘Best Calcium Supplements’.

Make Home Made Calcium and Magnesium Tonic:  I have a post  entitled Best Calcium Supplement which tells you how to make an entirely natural calcium and magnesium tonic out of egg shells and cider vinegar.  With this calcium supplement, you do not need to take a commercially made supplement.

Vitamin B6 is especially recommended by health practitioners and doctors for the treatment of depression of celiac sufferers.   ‘The Natural Pharmacy’,  a Healthnotes Publication, Three Rivers Press, New York, 2006,  reports favourable results from people using vitamin B6 for depression.

As well as calcium and magnesium supplements, and vitamin B6, some other supplements which might be useful are

Vitamin A

Vitamin B complex (to compliment the B6 taken additionally)

Vitamin C:  Calcium Ascorbate powder, or Ester C, both forms of vitamin C which are non acidic.  You can take anywhere from between 1000mg to 3000mg a day, depending upon the severity of your condition. This is probably one of the most important supplements to take, as it makes the body alkaline rather than acid, helps the absorption of calcium and other nutrients, and works as an anti oxidant. It neutralizes toxins in the body and helps with their elimination.

Vitamin K

Digestive enzymes

Folic Acid

Iodine from eating  Kelp, Agar agar, Fish, or dabbing Iodine on the soles of the feet or the scalp once a week.

Lipase

Selenium

Zinc