When I was in college I worked in a warehouse for a huge retail company.

One of the fork drivers was a man in his mid thirties who had dandruff so bad that he combed his hair every ten minutes. It was sad that he didn’t know what to do and he was obviously self conscious about it.

I’ve also known people with itchy scalps, split ends and brittle hair.

Fortunately, there are simple nutritional suggestions that will help.

Your Hair, Inside and Out

There are two ways to approach hair and scalp problems — inside and out:

From the Outside there’s certain chemical components to avoid.

From the Inside there’s what you’re eating.

If you concentrate on both sides of the issue, so to speak, you’ll have more success.

Outside: Watch What You Put Up There

Be careful what you put on your head.

Obsession with appearance is a disease in this country and millions of people put chemicals on their heads without thinking twice.

They believe that if they go to a hair salon or a store the products have been approved by the FDA and are safe to use. Not true!!

Unnatural chemicals are never safe. They always create side effects and they accumulate in your body as toxins. This is bad for your hair, not to mention the rest of you.

So don’t poison your head with artificial ingredients in gels, dyes, straighteners, curlers, shampoos, conditioners, toners, softeners lighteners or darkeners.

Switch to organic soaps, sprays, gels, shampoos, conditioners and other hair products that contain herbs, not artificial chemicals.

Inside: Feed Your Hair Through Your Mouth

What you eat affects the quality of your hair and scalp.

If you eat foods that unbalance your hormones, your hair suffers. Among these are bad fats, fried foods, junk food and artificial ingredients.

Good fats and oils

Bad fats and oils can cause dandruff and do not feed your hair.

Eat the right fats and oils for a positive impact on your hair:

• Unrefined, organic olive oil
• evening primrose
• borage oil
• flax seed oil
• And, above all, organic COCONUT OIL.

Excellent Sources of many of these can be found here.

Substances that should be cut out of your diet:

• vegetable sprays
• margarine
• canola oil
• trans fats
• potato chips
• french fries
• fried foods of all kinds

Sugar is Terrible for Your Hair

Sugar is awful not only for your hair, but also your skin, scalp, fingernails, and hormonal system. Don’t eat sugar if you want to help your hair.

Adding more seeds and nuts to the diet also helps, because they contain not only good oils, but also vitamin E, which is a great hair helper.

Additional Nutritional Supplements for Your Hair Health

Taking daily whole food supplements and essential oils can give your body the nutrients it needs to improve your hair luster.

This excellent supplement regimen (combined with the dietary suggestions above) can make a big impact over the course of a few weeks and months:

Wheat Germ Oil: 1 capsule a day

ProMin Complex: 8 tablets a day

Borage Oil: 4 capsules a day

Coconut Butter: for all your cooking

All of the above are available in our Online Store click here to buy.

photos:
© 2005 Tudor

Winter brings cooler temperature, as we all know, but what most people don’t realize is that the air becomes drier. And this causes skin problems for millions of people. Drinking lots of water isn’t quite enough.

Mirroring our great planet, our bodies also contain mostly water. So when the outside air gets drier, our bodies begin to lose more water through evaporation. If we lose too much water, this creates itchy skin, dry skin, flakiness and even rashes. Making things worse, for sensitive people, foods that cause inflammation or irritation can set off even more skin problems such as rashes, eczema and cracking. Chapped lips are most prevalent.

Drinking lots of water is important, but when you also take certain oils, your skin will retain the water you put into your body. Therefore, the key to chapped lips and dry skin is to do the water and oil combination. Internally and externally.

Now that it’s winter, at my house, we are all taking three capsules of FishOils and three capsules of Borage Oil every day along with at least six glasses of water. To add even more elasticity and moisture to your skin, you can rub it down with organic Coconut Oil, which is one of the most healthful oils of all, not just for your skin, but for your entire body. It’s one of the most recommended cooking oils because of the way it holds up to heat.

Curaderm and the Skin Cancer Connection…

For decades, Dr. Bill Cham has been perfecting a cream made of an eggplant active ingredient to treat and cure a variety of skin cancers and Actinic keratoses (pre-cancerous skin problems). Now his formula has been given the thumbs up by a number of prominent physicians in the field of natural health care, including author and natural health expert Jonathan Wright, MD.

The product is called curaderm and it works, in layman’s terms, by seeping into the skin between the skin cells then dissolving the cancer cells and causing death of those cells. It is applied by smearing a thin coat of the cream over the affected area and covering it with micropore tape a couple of times a day. It stings a little and can take between a week and a couple of months, but Dr. Cham boasts a 78% success record.

The advantages are many. Curaderm is an alternative to expensive and problematic surgery. Curaderm is something people use at home and apply themselves. And, according to company reports, the cream doesn’t leave scarring or affect non-cancerous areas. Lastly, the cost of a tube is less than $150, which is less than a tenth of the cost of surgery to accomplish the same goal.

Curaderm is reported to work on non-melanoma skin cancers, including the squamous and basal varieties, as well as Actinic keratoses (pre-cancerous lesions).

Actinic Keratosis

Actinic keratosis (AK), also known in layman terms as sunspot, is a pre-cancerous skin condition that appears as a dry, scaly sometimes hyperkeratotic lesion as a result of prolonged and repeated sun exposure. The typical AK lesion is a dry, scaly, skin-coloured, reddish-brown or yellowish-black lesion. The onset of AK is subtle and therefore often passes unnoticed for sometime before diagnosis. AK lesions are usually found on chronically sun-exposed sites of the head and neck and the dorsa of the hands and forearms.

If left untreated, AKs can progress into thickened lesions and subsequently develop into invasive Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC). There is an emerging view that AK is an intra-epidermal malignancy and it exists in a continuum with squamous cell carcinoma, the second leading cause of skin cancer deaths in the US, so AK will become SCC when dermal invasion occurs. The American Academy of Dermatolgy reports that 40% of all SCCs begin as AKs.

The majority of patients who have an AK lesion will have multiple lesions and further lesions will become clinically evident in future. Thus an AK patient can face a life time of treatment. AKs are the most common pre-cancerous skin lesions worldwide and the treatment of AKs is the most common dermatologic procedure performed in the out-patient setting.

In the US each year there are 8.2 million office visits for the treatment of AK and AK affects more than 58 million Americans. The annual cost to the US healthcare system for the treatment and management of AK is US$1.2 billion.

ONE MAIN PROBLEM: The people at Curaderm seem to be completely unreachable as of the date of this article. They do not answer the phone or emails. This isn’t to say the product does not work as promised, but it is my opinion that if you decide to use it, you’ll be without technical support, which can be troubling when you need direction and monitoring. There are “normal” reactions to be expected when using this product, including redness, swelling, burning, some pain, inflammation and even ulceration of skin. However, without technical support, these kinds of situations may keep people from continuing their treatment, out of fear, to its conclusion.

Dandruff may signal a need for good oils while eliminating bad ones.

Adjunctive Nutritional Schedule
Borage Oil: 4 capsules a day
FishOIls: 3 capsules per day
GreenNutrients: 8 tablets per day

The key to getting rid of dandruff is in the diet. Begin with an Alkaline Diet. Certainly, there are many foods (and nonfoods) that cause problems, including dandruff. They are:
• All artificial ingredients
• All bad oils, including margarine, fried foods, partially hydrogentated and hydrogenated oils
• Ice cream, milk, cheese (raw cheese is okay)
• All refined sugar. See Sugar article.
• A lack of foods in the diet that contain minerals
• Allergies
• Skin irritants

Give the supplements above a chance for at least two weeks. Also, maintain the diet for at least two weeks, and be strict about it. Do not use any hair products and resist the urge to scratch and rub your scalp.

When cooking, only use these fats and oils:
Coconut butter
Organic butter
Organic olive oil

Modern medicine has gone crazy with its use of antibiotics. The main problem, though, is that antibiotics cause all kinds of side effects, including the killing of “good bacteria” in the intestines, yeast overgrowth, yeast infections, growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and a suppressed immune system. Nature may have the answer. There are many natural substances, foods and herbs that kill fungus and bacteria, but chief among these is Olive Leaf Extract. This is good to remember if you’re suffering from yeast infection, jock itch, toenail fungus or vaginal yeast problems.

The olive tree is ancient in man’s repetoire of medicinal arsenal. The fruit of the tree — olives — have been eaten for thousands of years, but the leaves are of special interest to anyone looking to kill bacteria and fungi in and on their bodies. Olive Leaf Extract (the main ingredient in Ultimate Defense Formula) has been shown to be useful with:

• Viruses
• Bacteria
• Fungi
• Colds and Flu
• Jock itch
• Vaginal Yeast Infections
• Nail fungus infections

The Die-Off Effect

It’s helpful to know that if you’re using olive leaf extract internally, there’s something called a “die-off” effect. This means that when the olive leaf extract kills off bacteria and fungi, the body will suddenly have to handle the dead substances and their toxic wastes. This may cause temporary effects that can range from headaches to fatigue, to rashes to aches. In essence, when the bacteria and fungi die off, you feel worse before you feel better. There are a few ways to handle the die-off effect: reduce the dosage of the supplement, drink a lot of water or bear with it. Many natural health practitioners feel that when the die-off effect takes place and you get the symptoms then you know you’re having success in your treatment.

Side effects and interactions

Olive leaf extract expands the blood vessels, so if you are on a medication of any kind, discuss matters with your physician. OLE should not be taken along with antibiotics, additional amino acids or any other mold or fungus derivatives because OLE will see them as foreign invaders and kill them.

There may come a time in the very near future where curing a sore or cut could be as simple stepping out the back door–if you are in France.

Two scientists at the ASU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences are examining the antibacterial properties of French green clay. Clay has been associated with home cures since Roman times. But there have been very few scientific studies to investigate such claims.

Shelley Haydel is an assistant professor in the School of Life Sciences (SOLS) and an expert in the study of tuberculosis. Much of her research is done at with the Center of Infectious Disease and Vaccinology at the ASU Biodesign Institute. She is testing the antimicrobial qualities of French green clay on various strains of pathogenic bacteria – with astounding results. One particular clay actually kills the bacteria.

Lynda Williams recruited Haydel to the project. Williams is a geochemist and associate research professor with the School of Earth and Space Exploration. She is an expert on clay mineralogy.

Williams has been studying the properties of clay for decades. Strangely, it was the Internet that set the two ASU scientists on their present path. Williams says that a message posted by a French humanitarian on the Clay Minerals Societies’ list serve caught her eye.

Scientists are showing that French Green Clay has antibiotic potential, which explains why it has been a part of spa treatments for thousands of years.

Many Chemicals Detected linked to Serious Health Problems Among Teenage Girls Using Cosmetics & Body Care Products. The Best Idea? Switch to Non Toxic Brands While You’re Still Young and Healthy!

— Environmental Working Group, EWG Public Affairs

OAKLAND, CA – Teenage girls across America are contaminated with hormone-altering chemicals found in cosmetics and body care products, confirms a new study released today by the Environmental Working Group (EWG).

The first-of-its kind study found 16 toxic chemicals in blood and urine samples from 20 teen girls from eight states and the District of Columbia, aged 14-19, including preservatives, fragrance and antimicrobial compounds. Many of these are linked to serious health risks in lab animals, even at low-dose levels.

“Hormone-altering chemicals shouldn’t be in cosmetics, especially in products used by millions of teenage girls,” said Rebecca Sutton, Ph.D, author of the report and Staff Scientist at EWG. “Their bodies are still developing and may be especially vulnerable to risks from these exposures,” added Sutton.

The young women participating in this study were recruited from locations across the U.S. and represent diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds. They used an average of nearly 17 personal care products per day that contain a total of 174 unique cosmetic ingredients.

The study provides the first data available from teens on levels of synthetic chemical musks, common fragrance ingredients that accumulate in people and act like estrogen in the body, and preservatives called parabens that also mimic estrogen.

“The Teen Body Burden Study is proof that something needs to be done. My results serve as permanent motivation to fight the chemical battle and win,” said Jessica Assaf, one of the teens tested.

Federal health statutes do not require companies to test products or ingredients for safety before they are sold. As a result, nearly all body care products contain ingredients that have not been assessed for safety by any federal agency, and are not required to meet any uniform safety standards.

“Most parents don’t know that the eyeliner, lipstick or shampoo they allow their daughters to use probably contains at least one chemical linked to a number of serious health concerns,” said Sutton. “Teenage girls are at a particularly vulnerable age and these exposures could trigger a subtle sequence of damaging effects that leads to health problems later in life.”

Teenagers and their parents can consult EWG’s Skin Deep online database to help them make informed decisions about their products.
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EWG is a nonprofit research organization based in Washington, DC that uses the power of information to protect human health and the environment.

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Editor’s Note: There are many personal care products that DO NOT CONTAIN poisonous, toxic substances. Have your teenage daughter switch to these healthful products. Search our website for an array of good products and look for organic body care and make up at your local health food store. This is a serious issue that few people, least of all teenagers, think about.

Artichoke leaf extracts may lower cholesterol, according to a new study published in Phytomedicine. This study confirms prior research demonstrating that certain plant extracts have cholesterol-lowering, antioxidant, and other health-promoting properties.

High total cholesterol is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease, a serious condition that can lead to heart attacks and stroke. The authors report, “On a global level, the World Health Report estimates that about 8% of all disease burden in developed countries is caused by raised cholesterol levels.” Lifestyle changes such as healthy eating, exercise, and weight loss can help lower cholesterol.

When lifestyle changes aren’t enough, cholesterol-lowering medication may be necessary, especially when there is a need to lower a person’s cholesterol quickly and aggressively (for example, if a person also has severe diabetes, another risk factor for cardiovascular disease).

In this study, 131 adults with mildly to moderately high total cholesterol were randomly assigned to receive 1,280 mg of artichoke leaf extract (Cynara scolymus) or placebo capsules for 12 weeks, while continuing their usual medications, supplements, and diet.

Total cholesterol decreased in the artichoke extract group by more than 4% and increased in the placebo group by nearly 2%. There was no difference between the two groups in their blood levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol, LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, or triglycerides. The authors concluded that artichoke leaf extract has a modest but favorable impact on lowering total cholesterol.

Healthy habits lower cardiovascular disease risk
Here are some tips to help lower your risk for developing cardiovascular disease:

• Keep cholesterol levels healthy—If you don’t know your cholesterol level, see a doctor.
• Follow a healthy diet—People who stick with a low-fat diet that is also low in refined sugar and starches and rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains have a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease compared with people who eat less of these foods and more fat and sugar.
• Exercise regularly—Experts recommend moderate physical activity most days of the week along with three days of more vigorous activity and strength training two to three times a week.
• Lower your stress—People who are highly stressed are more likely to have a heart attack compared with people who have learned to take the trials and tribulations of life in stride. If you are chronically stressed, learn techniques to help you relax.

(Phytomedicine 2008;15:668–75)

New Research Shows Pomegranate Seed Oil’s Benefits as a Skin Treatment

The benefits of pomegranate juice have been getting a lot of press in recent years, and the extract of this juice has been finding its way into many new skin care products. Less well known, but perhaps even more significant, are the benefits of pomegranate seed oil, a key ingredient in Pomega5(TM) skin treatment products recently launched by Pomega, LLC.

Similar to pomegranate juice and extract, the oil from the seeds of the pomegranate provides a powerful anti-oxidant benefit, fighting free radicals that damage and age the skin. But pomegranate oil is also a potent source of punicic acid, an Omega 5 conjugated fatty acid, beneficial phytoestrogen and a rare plant based source of CLA.

A new study from the University of Michigan Medical School, published in the February 2006 Journal of Ethnopharmacology, shows that pomegranate seed oil stimulates keratinocyte proliferation, promoting regeneration of the epidermis. This study joins a growing body of research supporting the benefits of pomegranate seed oil as a skin treatment, including a 2003 South Dakota State University study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food that showed that a topical application of pomegranate seed oil significantly decreased the incidence of skin cancer in mice that had been exposed to cancer causing chemicals.

Pomega5 (TM) is the first complete line of organic pomegranate seed oil skin treatments, capturing the miracle of the pomegranate in products that use 100% pure cold-pressed pomegranate seed oil along with other beneficial plant extracts and oils. The skin treatment line includes Pomega5 Healing Cream, Pomega5 Cleansing Bar and Pomega5 Pure Organic Pomegranate Seed Oil in a 10 ml dropper bottle.

“Only a very small fraction of the world’s pomegranate crop meets the strict criteria set by Pomega5,” explains Tzeira Sofer, President of Pomega5. “The oil used in Pomega5 products comes from the seeds of pomegranates grown organically in the Mediterranean. The ideal blend of climate, soil and traditional farming methods results in pomegranates that are renowned for their very high concentration of punicic acid.”

The seeds from these pomegranates are cold-pressed using a proprietary technique that delivers an ultra-premium grade of oil that has a sweet nutty taste and a clear golden color. The oil is then packed and shipped under the strictest quality conditions. Pomega5 skin treatments are dermatologist tested and pass all stability and purity tests.
* Pomega5 Healing Cream
Pomega5(TM) Healing Cream is made with organic pomegranate seed oil and other pure plant extracts and oils known for their restoring and healing properties, including carrot seed oil, calendula oil, arnica oil and valencia essential oil. It has a light, non-greasy texture, is suitable for all skin types, and can be used on the face and body. It contains no fillers, synthetics or perfumes, and is vegetarian and naturally preservative-free.

* Pomega5 Pure Pomegranate Seed Oil
Pomega5(TM) Pure Pomegranate Seed Oil is used to heal dry, cracked, or irritated skin, and to restore its suppleness and equilibrium. It may be used in combination with Pomega5(TM) Healing Cream or alone. Only a very small amount is needed.

Healing and Support for Skin and Detoxification
French green clay (also called Sea Clay), which is harvested in France, has been used for thousands of years as a mask to support the health of the skin, having been used in ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome.

Researchers at the University of Arizona say “The first proof of the therapeutic use of clays was incised on clay tablets in Mesopotamia around 2500 B.C. However, some scholars believe that prehistoric ancestors such as Homo erectus and Homo neanderthalensis used ochres to cure wounds as well as paint caves. Ochres are a mixture of clay and iron hydroxides. In Egypt, Cleopatra used clays to preserve her complexion. But the Pharaohs’ physicians used the material as anti-inflammatory agents and antiseptics. It was also an ingredient used for making mummies.”

French Green Clay contains a host of mineral oxides such as magnesium, calcium, potassium, dolomite, silican, manganese, phosphorous, copper and selenium. The iron oxides in French green clay is from decomposed plant matter in the earth, as a part of the earth’s regeneration process. Plus, French green clay contains montmorillonite, a clay substance that adsorbs toxins, including heavy metals, and pulls them from the body.

As of recent, university researchers have shown that French green clay has a health effect that is receiving a lot of attention — it kills bacteria that are even resistant to antibiotics. Scientists are still trying to determine whether the way that green clay accomplishes this is physically or chemically. According to some scientists, green clay literally erodes the cell walls of bacteria which causes them to die. Other scientists say that there is some substance within the clay that attacks bacteria. Either way, French green clay is being used to heal skin and illnesses caused by bacteria strains and skin that is affected by impurities, oil, toxins, contaminants and cosmetics.

Cosmetically, French Green clay is revered for its ability to stimulate blood and lymph Circulation, remove dead skin cells, absorb impurities and fats, and tone and strengthen connective tissues. After using French Green clay, skin feels fresh, smooth, radiant, and soft. French Green Clay is also marvelous for helping to clear problem skin areas, and is gentle enough to use weekly, or even daily on problem spots.
French Green Clay helps balance the bodys pH levels. Clays are typically alkaline in nature. Additionally, by removing toxins, which increase the bodys acidic levels, French Green Clay helps maintain a healthy body pH.

This clay may be used internally or externally. In 1986 after the meltdown of the Soviet nuclear power plant, Chernobyl, the Soviet Union put French Green Clay in chocolate bars and dispensed them freely to the masses to remove radiation they may have been exposed to from the nuclear fallout.

For internal use: For detaox program mix a teaspoon of clay in a glass of mineral water using a non-metal spoon. Or, if you do not have mineral water, you may use regular water, but the purer the water (filtered) the better. Always consult with health practitioner before beginning a detox program. For external use, take a small amount and add a little water at a time until it is the consistency of thin mud. Then apply the mud to the skin. Leave on until dry then wash off with water. You may also apply the clay to skin eruptions and/or use it in your bath water.