Herbal Legacy Articles

From Dr. Christopher’s Guide to Colon Health

Apple cider is both oxygenating and alkalinizing to the gastrointestinal system.  It helps stimulate digestive enzyme production in the stomach and intestine as well as alkalinize the rest of the body.  Many have used the combination of apple cider and honey to lose weight, alleviate arthritis, dissolve bone spurs, and rid themselves of kidney and gall stones.  Mix one tablespoon of apple cider and one tablespoon of honey in a glass of distilled water.  Do this three times daily.  For the best results use organic, raw, and unfiltered apple cider and honey.

Printable Version http://www.herballegacy.com/ACVHoney.pdf

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Yvonne L. Salcido MH

Today there is a myriad of ideas on food storage and many are lacking in sufficient nutrition. Who wants to just survive and be sick? The best plan for storage includes a high density of vitamins, mineral, proteins, and essential fats in the foods you store for optimum health. The following is a list of things I store.

Basic Storage for one person for one year:

300 lbs. Organic wheat (kamut, spelt)

155 lbs. A combination of organic grains (brown rice, buckwheat, oat groats, millet, quinoa, barley, corn, triticale, spelt, kamut etc.)

50 lbs. Raw nuts (25 lbs almonds, 5 lbs of additional favorites such as walnuts, cashews, pecans, pine nuts, etc.)  Can use almonds to make nut milk.

20 lbs. Raw seeds (flax seeds, sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, chia, etc.)

75 lbs.  Organic beans (pinto, black, red, white, garbanzo, lentils, mung beans, peas, soybeans, etc.)

60 lbs. Raw honey (also store some black strap molasses and agave – I use agave for special treats)

20 lbs. Oils (Olive oil, coconut and wheat germ oil)

10 lbs. Salt (vegetable, potassium based or sea salt)

60 lbs. Sprout mix (2 parts wheat, 1 part of the following:  triticale, lentils, adzuki beans, mung beans, peas, then add 2 c. of fenugreek to the 60 lb. bucket)

5 lbs. Seed Sprout mix (alfalfa, radish and red clover)

Garden seeds (A good variety!)
Spices (You will want some different flavors)
Recipes for sprouting, live bread cracker, raw meals etc.
                       
Expanded Storage

Fruit and vegetables (dried from your garden) – for an example see http://www.herballegacy.com/Zucchini_Chips.html

Squash, potatoes, onions, apples can easily be stored through the winter in a basement. The great advantage is these will be fresh yummy all winter long and through part of spring.

I also have some frozen fruit and vegetables in my freezer. I also have bottled fruit and vegetables without any sugar, but since I have gone to a more raw food diet, I now dry foods at 105 degrees to maintain the live enzymes, vitamins, and minerals.

You can purchase good quality freeze dried foods to expand your storage even more. Make sure to check the ingredients for just whole foods without any additives.  Purchase your basic storage FIRST!!  Don’t worry about getting a certain amount for each person on the fruit and vegetables – just get started after getting your basic storage and soon you will have a nice supply. Fall is a great time of year to find many good deals, so have fun.

www.herballegacy.com/Food_Storage.pdf

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by James A. Duke, Ph.D.
from The Green Pharmacy

Being a botanist, I have a particular interest in herbs that can hold back the aging process.  But I’m forced to admit that I think lifestyle changes are a whole lot more important than herbs.

Not being a doctor, I don’t prescribe, but I would not hesitate to suggest the following to my 30-year-old daughter so she could hold on more tenaciously to her vibrant youth.  Come to think of it, this is good advice for men and women of any age who are trying to hold back the clock.

Drink two antioxidant herb teas a day.  Good research suggests that oregano, rosemary, bee balm, lemon balm (also known as melissa), peppermint, sage, spearmint, savory and thyme contain significant levels of antioxidants.

Eat at least one big salad a day.  You can use both wild greens – things like purslane, if you have access to them – and a variety of domestic salad vegetables, such as spinach and chicory.  Green leaves are chock full of antioxidant nutrients that help protect you from heart disease, cancer and other degenerative diseases that tend to come on as we age.

Eat one or two Brazil nuts a day.  The average Brazil nut contains more than the Daily Value of the antioxidant mineral selenium – 70 micrograms.

Eat a handful of sunflower seeds a day, along with a sprinkling of other nuts.  Among nuts and seeds, sunflower seeds are one of the better sources of Vitamin E.  They’re also cheap.  One caution, however: If you’re watching your waistline, don’t eat more than an ounce of nuts a day.  Nuts are high in fat.

Eat at least one broccoli spear, carrot and celery stalk a day.  They’re all high in fiber.  Broccoli and carrots are also high in beta-carotene, the powerful antioxidant that the body transforms into vitamin A.  Celery is high in apigenin, a chemical that expands (dilates) the blood vessels and may help prevent high blood pressure.

Drink a fruit smoothie every day.  Take any fruits that appeal to you – apples, oranges, bananas, grapefruit, melons or berries – and run them through a blender.

Replace one meat course a day with a vegetarian dish.  One of my favorites is guacamole – mashed avocado.  You can lace your guacamole with onion, hot chili peppers, garlic and lemon juice and sprinkle it with chopped nuts such as hazelnuts, macadamias, pistachios, cashews, peanuts or Brazil nuts.

Use olive oil.  Corn oil and other vegetable oils are polyunsaturated oils.  Olive oil is a monounsaturated oil.  There is a complex chemical explanation for how these differ, but all you really need to know is that there’s a good reason to believe that monounsaturated oils are a lot better for you.  In salad dressings, replace polyunsaturated oils with olive oil.

Eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.  Also eat a good selection of herbs, legumes, nuts and spices.  These are the foods that our ancestors consumed back in the days before the invention of burgers, hot dogs, pizza, ice cream and all the junk we eat today.  They ate more nutritiously than we do.

Make love regularly with someone you love.  There’s no explanation needed here except that it’s good for you.

Go for a walk every day.  Weather permitting, get outdoors and take a vigorous half-hour walk.  Use the time to unwind and commune with the natural world.

Don’t smoke.  This goes without saying.

Don’t drink alcohol. 

Don’t sunbathe – ever.  You probably get enough sun to produce a healthy amount of vitamin D with moderate outdoor activities that don’t involve actively seeking the sun.
NOTE: Dr. Christopher felt it was healthy to get sun every day.  For more information see this article: http://articles.herballegacy.com/sun-exposure-how-much-is-too-much/. The School of Natural Healing advocates Dr. Christopher’s approach.

Don’t take life or death too seriously.  That can age or kill you.

Don’t be a dietary faddist.  It’s never a good idea to base your diet on just a couple of foods, even fruits or carrots.  Vary your diet, your food sources, your mode of preparation and even the company you keep when you dine.

Don’t let industry outvote the environmentalists.  If you do, we’ll all pay the price eventually.

NOTE: The School of Natural Healing recommends you also take the 5 supplements every day that Dr. Christopher recommended.  You can find those here: http://articles.herballegacy.com/supplements-for-maintaining-good-health/.

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by James A. Duke, Ph.D. from The Green Pharmacy

In addition to many herbs that you can buy in bulk or standardized form, there are many spices that double as medicines.  You probably already have some of them in your spice rack.

Allspice: This tropical herb has a complex aroma and is useful for indigestion.

Cardamom: An expensive spice, cardamom can be a mild stimulant.

Cinnamon: This common, tasty spice has potent antimicrobial action and can settle an upset stomach.

Cloves: Cloves have proven pain-relieving and antiseptic properties.

Garlic: Deservedly called Russian penicillin, this pungent bulb in useful in preventing our major killers – heart disease and cancer.

Ginger: The world’s best nausea preventative, ginger is also useful in treating arthritis.

Red pepper: This native American spice works on pain by three different mechanisms.

Sesame: The seeds of this plant are a great source of antioxidants and other therapeutic chemicals.

Turmeric: This yellow spice shows great promise in treating arthritis and diabetes.

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Quinoa (pronounced Keen-wah) was originally cultivated by the Incas who called it the “mother of all grains.”  However – it isn’t actually a grain, but a seed.  It has been called a “pseudograin”, though, because it cooks much like a grain.  It is often used as an alternative to rice or couscous.

Health Benefits

Quinoa has 12-18% protein content, which is much higher than most grains.  It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest.

Not only is quinoa high in protein, but the protein it supplies is complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids. Not only is quinoa’s amino acid profile well balanced, making it a good choice for vegans concerned about adequate protein intake, but quinoa is especially well-endowed with the amino acid lysine, which is essential for tissue growth and repair. In addition to protein, quinoa features a host of other health-building nutrients. Because quinoa is a very good source of manganese as well as a good source of magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus, this “grain” may be especially valuable for persons with migraine headaches, diabetes and atherosclerosis.

In comparison with wheat, barley and yellow corn, quinoa was found to be higher in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, iron, copper, manganese and, zinc and was lower in sodium than the other grains.

Preparation

Before cooking or sprouting, the seeds must be rinsed to remove their bitter resin-like coating, which is called saponin. Commercially produced quinoa is generally rinsed before it is packaged and sold, but it is best to rinse again at home before use to remove any of the powdery residue that may remain on the seeds. The presence of saponin is obvious by the production of a soapy looking “suds” when the seeds are swished in water. Placing quinoa in a strainer and rinsing thoroughly with water easily washes the saponin from the seeds.

Quinoa may be germinated in its raw form to boost its nutritional value. Germination activates its natural enzymes and multiplies its vitamin content.  In fact, quinoa has a notably short germination period: Only 2–4 hours resting in a glass of clean water is enough to make it sprout and release gases, as opposed to, e.g., 12 hours overnight with wheat.   After soaking for 2-4 hours drain and rinse the seeds twice a day for 2 to 4 days. When the sprouts are about 1 inch long, place them near a window for chlorophyll to develop, which will give them a vibrant green color.

Quinoa can serve as a high-protein breakfast food mixed with honey, almonds, or berries.

Quinoa’s flavor is generally regarded as nutty with a texture similar to North American wild rice. The grain has been used in soups, pasta, as puffed cereals, as desserts and side dishes. Its flour works well with wheat flour or grain or corn meal.

Please share your favorite quinoa recipes below for other readers!  Just leave your recipe in the comment section.

Printable Version: www.herballegacy.com/Quinoa.pdf

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=142
http://www.chetday.com/quinoa.html

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by Yvonne Salcido, MH

Interestingly enough the impetus for Dr. Christopher’s beginnings in the health field was his study of nutrition.  He was searching for correct principles to regain his health and did so by studying the holy word of God.

He learned that there are immutable biological laws that govern cellular health, and when these laws are broken disease will eventually follow. We reap what we sow. The thing that is hard for most of us to swallow, is the daily choices we make do affect are health.  Are we digging an early grave with our teeth?

There are so many conflicting messages on the subject of nutrition all around us. You can hear something on the news one week and the next week exactly the opposite.  I remember in college a totally opposite perspective given in lectures by two different professors in Nutrition.  At the time I thought the professor that agreed with my taste buds must be teaching truth because it was the “norm.”  Finally thru life’s experiences (“the school of hard knocks”) learned correct principles thru The School of Natural Healing. My taste buds have greatly improved and I have seen marvelous healing take place in myself and many others thru these correct principles. The foundation truths Dr. Christopher taught are timeless and provide a sure foundation for nutrition. 

Dr. Christopher taught that our food should be what our creator intended. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. Most people think we have to have meat and dairy to survive. Dr. Christopher taught that meat is to be used sparingly in winter or time of famine. In Webster dictionary the definition of sparingly is “hardly ever”. I must admit I was surprised when I first looked it up. Most Americans think that sparingly means two-three times a day. We have been taught so many incorrect principles thru the media.

We are the only nation that weans its babies and then puts them on another mammal’s milk. We have the highest incidence of osteoporosis in the world. Harvard University did a study that proves dairy causes osteoporosis. It is a bad choice if you want to get your calcium. How about eating broccoli, celery, and almonds these are packed with more calcium than milk. Vegetables are loaded with minerals, vitamins, anti-oxidants, and phyto-nutrients in abundance! Since I have given up dairy I don’t have hay fever, sinus infections, and laryngitis constantly.

Let me suggest five things to improve your daily nutrition. First, let your foods be in their wholesome state the way nature made them. Ezra T. Benson said “Let your food be as close to nature as possible.”

Second, avoid anything toxic or habit forming such as: Coffee, carbonated drinks, teas that have habit forming properties such as caffeine, tobacco, drugs and any addictive foods, sugar etc. Processed foods are highly addictive.

Third, “Fresh Is Best” - live foods beget health and vitality whereas dead, over-cooked foods beget disease and death. The average American only consumes 5% of total dietary intake in the form of fruits and vegetables. No wonder many complain of lack of energy!

Fourth, the “Staff of Life” (wheat) was not meant to be ground to powder and cooked at high temperatures. Try low-heated, sprouted, or dried breads, cereals, and cracker recipes. You will feel so much better. Remember a staff is to support not the mainstay of a nutritional program.

Fifth, eat “in the season thereof” - nature really knows what foods are best for you in each of the beautiful seasons. This prepares you for the next season ahead in the perfect way. Plant a garden -  this a great way to enjoy all the delicious fresh fruits and vegetables you desire.

Adherence to these correct principles will give you a life of health and happiness!

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by Yvonne Salcido, MH

HISTORY: Sprouts have been used for thousands of years. The Chinese have records of using sprouts 5,000 years ago for nutrition and healing. The Roman soldiers used them in the long journeys. In the Bible Daniel used pulse, which was a mixture of grains and sprouted seeds. This is how he and his companions increased their health and wisdom.

BENEFITS: Scientific studies have shown that by sprouting grains, beans, seeds, and nuts the nutrition levels of proteins, vitamins and minerals increased 300-1000%.  By sprouting you have released the protective coating of the grain so the digestive enzymes are released. This makes them easily digestible for babies and the elderly.

FACTS: By sprouting your grains and beans you can remain healthy and strong having fresh food with high protein, vitamin and mineral content.  If you are short on storage space you can have one 45 lb. bucket of sprouting mixture and have a year supply for one person.

Sprouting is easy and you can have fresh produce in 3-4 days!!!

HOW TO SPROUT: Place seeds in glass quart jar or sprouter.  Cover with water, let sit for 24 hours.  Then drain and rinse 3 times a day for 3 days. During this time cover with towel to keep in the dark for 2-3 days, then you can remove the towel and let them green up. They are good by the handful or in salads, sandwiches, or your favorite recipes.

Printable Version: http://www.herballegacy.com/Sprouts.pdf

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from Original Fast Foods by James & Colleen Simmons
http://www.christopherpublications.com/OriginalFastFood.html

Let’s talk for a moment about the benefits of withholding nutritional inputs from time to time in our lives, or in other words, the practice of fasting.  Fasting is an essential component to good health.  It is a vacation from digesting food, the most energy-demanding activity of the body, and can be a beneficial part of the healing and energizing process.  One third of the body’s energy supply is used during digestion.  While fasting, energy used for digestion is redirected to restorative processes.

Unsupervised fasting once a week or once a month for 24 hours is a wonderful and safe lifetime habit for most people.  Fasting regularly enhances one’s health more than any other single activity.  Even after a person reaches ideal body weight, unwanted substances that are hard for the body to eliminate enter the body through the foods we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the hectic lives we live.  Fasting helps to release unwanted substances, toxins, and other wastes from the fat and tissues and helps to restore and maintain vitality and strength.

Great insights and accomplishments may occur while fasting regularly – as well as great advances toward developing a healthier body.

Ending a fast properly is as important as the fast itself.  For one-day fasts come off the fast by consuming whole ripe fruits or a green smoothie.  A few hours later consume a large pulse salad (see recipes below for green smoothie and pulse salad).  Be careful not to overeat in your first post-fast meal; however, do consume enough fruit to be able to easily experience a bowel movement.

Some individuals should not fast because of unusual biological conditions they have inherited from birth.  Additionally, fasting is unadvisable for anorexic or bulimic individuals, or for any person whose body is emaciated or in a state of starvation.  Neither nursing nor pregnant women who are diabetic should fast, nor should anyone with anemia (clinical or congenital) or those who have an intense fear of fasting.  Except for these few conditions, fasting is considered extremely safe.

Those who should never fast without supervision include infants and young children, pregnant women (non-diabetic), those with serious disease conditions, type 1 or type 2 diabetics who are using insulin or those with histories of recreational drug abuse.

Over time, most people include a higher intake of sugar, salt, fat, and animal-based foods in their diet.  The most practical way to reset the body’s appetite toward more healthful food choices is by fasting 24 hours.  A periodic 24 hour fast is an extremely beneficial habit that will help you enjoy more healthful foods.

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excerpt from “Original Fast Foods – A Groundbreaking New Dietary Lifestyle Guide” by James & Colleen Simmons

Through the use of concentrated sugars, fats, proteins, and artificial colors and flavorings, food scientists have perfected the art of keeping us coming back for unhealthful foods of all kinds.  We become stimulated and enamored by the very foods known to most successfully promote heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and so forth.

The many refined and processed foods of today each stimulate the pleasure center of the brain.  Nutrition is stripped during the processing and refining, and then harmful and disease promoting substances are added to foods which were once healthy in their nature and constitution. 

A full 51% of the foods eaten in America today are processed and refined.  As such, they are denatured foods lacking in real nutrition.  Choices are made for the quickest source of pleasure rather than for nourishment.  By including in foods substances such as sugar, fat, and animal-based products – that stimulate the pleasure center of the brain – food scientists can guarantee that we become addicted and that we are driven to consume more and more of what they produce.  We choose a physical response in the brain, a release of dopamine, followed by pleasure rather than choosing true health and vitality.  This cycle has led our nation to the highest rates of degenerative diseases in the world.

There are a few important steps that individuals must follow in their daily regimen in order to permanently overcome damaging food seductions.

1. Start each day with a good breakfast [Dr. Christopher recommended starting the day with fruit or soaked grains].  Stabilizing blood sugars is the first step to controlling and eliminating cravings.
2. Throughout the day include foods that steady your blood sugars.  Fruits, green vegetables, and legumes (beans) help prevent blood sugar dips that can lead to cravings.
3. Eat at least 10 calories per pound of your ideal body weight.  If you eat too little food, your body stops making leptin, a natural appetite-controlling hormone.  Under normal circumstances, don’t eat fewer than 1500 calories per day and never under 1200 calories per day, except when fasting.
4. Eliminating the intake of animal proteins and fats helps significantly to reduce hormone swings, which lead to cravings.
5. Exercise moderately six days a week to build physical resilience.  Include strength-building exercise such as lifting weights; include aerobic exercise such as bicycling, jogging, walking, and swimming; and include flexibility exercises to remain limber.
6. Go to bed early and obtain an adequate quantity of restful, undisturbed sleep each night.
7. Turn off the television and develop worthwhile hobbies and activities that take your mind away from food.  Television is known to be a powerful trigger for one’s appetite.  The American Academy of Pediatrics has specifically associated childhood obesity with television viewing.
8. Plan ahead if you will be travelling or eating out.  Most restaurants today accommodate a plant-based diet upon request.
9. Fast periodically, up to 24 hours once each week or month, if possible.  Fasting from food helps to reset the body’s natural preference for healthier foods.
10. Ask for the help and support of friends and family and find motivations to succeed (love, children, to live life fully, and to fulfill your important purposes on earth).  Make it very powerful.

These suggestions may appear to be an over-simplification of the sensitive nature of food addictions, but they are not.  They are powerful recommendations that are reliable and effective.  Food seductions and pleasure releases are real.  Recognizing the pleasure triggers in your life and intelligently working with them are required if you wish to achieve and maintain ideal health.

Printable Version: http://www.herballegacy.com/Food_Seductions.pdf

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Earlier this week a story broke from the University of Rochester Medical Center that people with cancer can reduce post-chemotherapy nausea by 40 percent by using ginger supplements before undergoing treatment.  This was an unexpected find for the researchers: “We were slightly beside ourselves to see how much it helped” said study leader Julie Ryan.

The study involved 644 cancer patients, and the ginger worked best when taken three days before chemotherapy started (to read the entire study visit http://esciencenews.com/articles/2009/05/14/ginger.quells.cancer.patients.nausea.chemotherapy).

While the researchers were surprised at the finding, it is no surprise to herbalists, who have used ginger for nausea, stomach pain, cramps, indigestion and more for hundreds of years.

Dr. Christopher tells a story about when a lady called from Salt Lake to his home in Cottonwood at three o’clock in the morning.  He had just finished his night calls and had barely retired to bed; the woman insisted that he come help her daughter, who was screaming in the background with terrible stomach pain.  He said, “Take some Ginger and baking soda.  The pain will stop.  You will be able to go back to bed.”  But the lady insisted that he come.

Dr. Christopher pulled on his clothes and wearily set out for the lady’s house.  The daughter’s pain had become so acute that the mother finally decided to follow Dr. Christopher’s counsel.  When he arrived the daughter herself opened the door, all smiles.  She had no pain.

Dr. Christopher gave the following recipe for making ginger tea: Grate one ounce of the fresh root in a pint of boiling water.  Add honey and lemon if desired to make a nice drink.  This tea is also helpful if you have a cold or the flu.

If you don’t have time to make the tea he reported that two capsules every few hours will help relieve nausea.

Printable Version: http://www.herballegacy.com/Ginger_Study.pdf

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