Flax Seed

You've likely heard that flax seeds are good for you, and flax seed oil is important, ... and if you are like I was a few years ago, that's about all you've heard. It's sad that flax seeds don't get a bigger pat on the back, because they really do so very much for you. Let's pull out important points:

Vitamin Content
Flax seeds are so nutritious! They contain many vitamins and minerals, particularly B vitamins and magnesium. That alone makes them a great food, but that's not all....

Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3's are crucial! They are a key force that fight against inflammation, and inflammation is a key force in many diseases, such as arthritis and certain cancers.

High Fiber
You can get the omega-3 and vitamins/minerals from taking flax seed oil, but by consuming the flax SEEDS, you also get fiber. Fiber is an important part of the diet that helps stabilize blood sugar, improves elimination, reduces bad cholesterol, and prevents certain illnesses. The average American diet is generally very low in fiber, making the addition of flax seeds to the diet a valuable consideration.

Now of course, you should not rely totally on flax seeds to cover all the bases. You need other sources of fatty acids in your diet (such as those found in fish oils) and you need a variety of vitamins and minerals. You can get too much fiber at one time too, which can influence the bowels rather suddenly - not a pleasant experience normally. Fiber consumption without adequate water poses an opposite difficulty too. So wisdom is important in this case. That doesn't mean be afraid of flax seeds. They are amazing and very versatile. Grinding your flax seeds gives you a fabulous addition to homemade breads (and with the invention of bread machines, making bread is a snap). Sprinkle a tablespoon of ground flax seeds into your morning smoothie and see how great your day goes!

Notice the improvements to mental function, joint discomforts and skin condition after making flax seeds a part of your regular diet.

Find more information on flax seeds online at sites such as About.com

Are you pH balanced?

At the herb shop, we hear a lot of stories from customers who suffer from inflammation, joint pain, weight problems, yeast and low energy. We also hear customer concerns about heart health, acne, blood sugar, allergies and infections. Of course, there can be numerous causes to some of these difficulties, but one thing they have in common is pH. All of these conditions are supported by an acidic body.

There are many foods that are alkalizing and can help to reverse the affects of an acid pH. Things such as cabbage, peas, spinach, carrots, green beans, lemons, tomatoes and cucumbers are all beneficial in this way. The body has defense mechanisms to protect itself, but it can be overwhelmed if it doesn't have enough help from time to time. When our diet does not consist of enough alkalizing foods and has an over-abundance of acidic foods, then those defenses get out-numbered and symptoms begin to show. The acid culprits are meats, sugars, dairy products, coffee, alcohol, sodas, artificial sweeteners, eggs, vegetable oil and others.

We all know processed foods take a toll on our bodies, but if we realized just how much, perhaps we would reconsider the menu one more time before ordering. Trying to organize our plate so that 70-80% of the meal is alkalizing foods and 20-30% is anything else can alter that pH balance of our body.

So what are those foods?

Alkaline Foods

Asparagus Artichokes Cabbage Lettuce Onion Cauliflower Radish Peas Red Cabbage Leeks Watercress Spinach Turnips Chives Carrots Green Beans Beetroot Garlic Celery Grasses (wheat, barley, kamut, etc) Cucumber Broccoli Kale Brussels Sprouts Lemon Lime Avocado Tomato Grapefruit Rhubarb Watermelon (is actually neutral) Fresh Vegetable Juice Pure water Lemon water Vegetable broth Almond milk Non-sweetened soy milk Almonds Pumpkin Sunflower Seeds Sesame seeds Flax seeds Buckwheat Groats Spelt Lentils Cumin Seeds Any sprouted seed Flax oil Hemp oil Avocado oil Olive oil Evening primrose oil Borage oil Coconut oil Hummus Tahini

Acidic Foods

Pork Lamb Beef Chicken Turkey Seafood (apart from occasional oily fish such as salmon) Milk Eggs Cheese Cream Yogurt Ice Cream White Pasta White bread Wholemeal bread Biscuits Soy Sauce Tamari Condiments (tomato sauce, mayo, etc) Artificial Sweeteners Honey Fizzy Drinks Coffee Tea Beer Fruit Juice Dairy Smoothies Traditional black tea Sweets Chocolate Microwave Meals Canned foods Powdered Soups Instant Meals Fast Food Saturated Fats Hydrogenated Oils Margarine Corn Oil Vegetable Oil Sunflower Oil Peanuts Cashew Nuts Pistachio Nuts

Of course, you can take supplements that assist your body in balancing out, so stop in and ask about those too!

Candles

Have you seen the table with candles at the shop? If not, take a look the next time you are in. These candles are made by Mesa Bailey, a young girl learning about natural methods of good health. Some of the candles are actually recycled, while others are made from soy wax, a renewable resource.

Currently, the candles are on sale to make room for new stock in this fall. Take advantage of the 20% discount while it lasts and support a local youth at the same time.