1 pound sunflower seeds, 1/4 pound almonds, 1 pound wheat.  Grind up and eat 2 heaping tablespoons a day.

Barley and Coconut                                                                                                                                                                                         Brain cocktail: 1 cup barley, 1 cup coconut juice, 1 tablespoon lecithin.  Add honey if desired.

Coconut                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Coconut is brian food.  Eat the meat and drink the milk.

Cardamom                                                                                                                                                                                                              Cardamom is an eye and brain food.

Leek                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Cut leeks, boil and use in soups and salads.

Kroeger Herb’s Brain Care Blend is also on sale now and would be a great complement to these brain food suggestions.

Share on Facebook

You can control the amount of pesticides that invade your body by paying attention to how you purchase your fruits and veggies.  The Environmental Working Group has put together a list to help shoppers buy produce with the least amount of pesticides present.  The lists below shows the top 12 foods with high levels of pesticides which should be bought from the organic section and the top 15 which are lowest in pesticides and do not necessarily need to be organic.

Dirty Dozen – Buy These Organic

1. Celery
2. Peaches
3. Strawberries
4. Apples
5. Blueberries
6. Nectarines
7. Bell Peppers
8. Spinach
9. Kale
10. Cherries
11. Potatoes
12. Grapes

Clean 15 – Lowest in Pesticides

1. Onions
2. Avocado
3. Sweet Corn
4. Pineapple
5. Mango
6. Sweet Peas
7. Asparagus
8. Kiwi
9. Cabbage
10. Eggplant
11. Cantaloupe
12. Watermelon
13. Grapefruit
14. Sweet Potato
15. Honeydew Melon

Print out this list for your next grocery visit and remember that calories should not be the only concern next time you are filling the cart.  The organic section can be a bit pricier, but it’s a small price to pay to stay clear of known toxins.

Check out EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides for more information.

Share on Facebook

Celiac Disease can be defined as a permanent intolerance to the gliadin fraction of wheat protein and related alcohol-soluble proteins (called prolamines) found in rye and barley. Celiac Disease is found in genetically susceptible individuals who eat these proteins, leading to an autoimmune disease, where the body’s immune system starts attacking normal tissue. This condition continues as long as these food products are in the diet.   

For those who have been diagnosed with the disease or intolerance there are many resources today to help in all aspects of living with celiac/gluten intolerances. Blogs are dedicated to gluten-free recipes  and living tips.  You can also add gluten-free cookbooks to your kitchen , ask local restaurants for gluten-free items as many now can accommodate if they do not already have a separate section on their menu, and  gluten-free iPhone apps  are available and this one is on sale for May in recognition of Celiac Awareness Month.

Hanna Kroeger  developed a formula many years ago that promoted good digestive system maintenance and to keep the intestinal wall and villi healthy.  People with Celiac Disease can have damaged intestinal walls resulting from auto-immune disorders that attack the intestinal lining and villi.  Since this is where nutrients from our food intake are absorbed it is essential to a healthy system to maintain functioning intestines.                                                        

Whether your friends, family or you have or have not had experiences with gluten issues please take some time to spread the word  and do your part.

Share on Facebook

The World Health Organization says a person needs 30 grams a day to maintain health. This is a MINIMUM daily requirement, your body functions much more efficiently with a higher intake.
                                                                                                                                                                         Well then, how much should a person be eating? This will vary depending on your weight and activity level, but in general 100 grams or more a day is a good baseline. Heavier individuals and athletes may require even more, up to 1 gram per pound of body weight a day! This can be difficult to achieve. A full pound of ground beef has roughly 80 grams of protein in it. How many people eat even that much? Well, I do, but that is a whole other story. I find it easiest to eat a good portion of meat with every meal, and supplement with protein powders.
                                                                                                                                                                    So what sources are the best? Animal products provide by far the most complete and bio available proteins. As a benefit, wild caught fish and grass fed animals are also a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids. It is possible to get enough protein from plant sources, but it is much more difficult. Non-animal proteins include rice, quinoa, yellow pea, and soy. However, many people now suggest you stay away from soy, as it can interfere with digestion and nutrient absorption.
Diet is the foundation of health. If you aren’t giving your body the basic components it needs to function, any number of problems can arise. So, as Hanna Kroeger used to say, “Eat your meat!”

Share on Facebook

Spearmint is used in Healthy Gut for cooling, soothing and keeping the digestive sysytem healthy.

Did you know that you have space inside your body that is not “inside” your body? That’s right, your entire digestive tract is a sealed “pipe” running right through the middle of you. As strange as this idea may sound, this process is a very important feature of the human body and essential to proper digestion. Everything you eat and drink is broken down in this system, scrutinized by your immune system and then filtered through your liver and kidneys before it is allowed “inside.” This process is designed to screen out viruses, bacteria, parasites and numerous other components of food that the body cannot use or sees as harmful, as well as pulling out nutrients for the body to use.

So what happens if your “pipe” has holes in it? There’s a medical term for this issue called “leaky gut syndrome.” The most common cause in western society is overuse of anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen. These drugs are also called NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and they effect the production of something in your body called prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are chemicals that are responsible for inflammation, but also happen to regulate the process of repairing many tissues. When the body doesn’t have enough of these chemicals, the lining of the intestines has tissues that are not always repaired properly. This lining consists of a layer of tightly packed cells called “villi.” They are very robust, but never the less are constantly dying due to the harsh environment caused by digestion. Under normal circumstances the tiny holes they create as they die are filled in and repaired almost instantly by the surrounding live villi. However, things such as NSAIDs, some other over the counter drugs and some medical conditions can cause this process to be impaired. This contributes to a more permeable intestinal lining, creating the opportunity for foreign organisms and rogue proteins to escape your digestive tract.

It’s needless to say you don’t want any creepy crawlies getting out of there, but why care about the proteins? Undigested proteins floating around in your body can be bad news. Your body will recognize them as an invader and launch an immune response to attack them. The problem with this is that once the attack has started, your body may not be able to distinguish between your own tissue and its original target. This can be a contributing factor in many auto-immune disorders.

So what to do about all this? First, try to limit your anti-inflammatory use. An ibuprofen here and there is fine, but for those of you who take a “vitamin-I” every day, you may want to reconsider. To repair your digestive system, nutritive teas of calendula, plantain, licorice, gentian and angelica can be wonderful. L-Glutamine, an amino acid, is known to have many gut-healing properties. We here at Kroeger make a fantastic Licorice Root Tincture, our STM (Stomach) tea can be soothing and we’re about to reintroduce Healthy Gut, a Hanna Kroeger original formula! Our FML and FRD teas, while used for other things, also contain ingredients that can be beneficial for stomach health.

Be cautious of what you put in your body, and keep your gut healthy!

Share on Facebook

Cinnamon Bark-Photo Courtesy of FotoosVanRobin

It’s nice to know that many of the solutions to our biggest health problems are within our kitchen cupboard. I think most of us realize that the food choices we make impact our health in a very powerful way. Reducing saturated fats reduces our risk for heart disease. Watching how much sugar we eat can help keep us from problems like obesity or diabetes.

Cinnamon is an herb that most of us have smelled coming from the kitchen over the holiday season informing us that something delectable will soon make its way to our table. Did you know that this pungent herb, in addition to stimulating our appetite with its delicious aroma, also helps us with our body’s ability to process sugar?Studies by the USDA have shown Cinnamon can naturally boost insulin sensitivity.

What does this mean for our health? This means that less insulin is needed to assist the sugar in your blood with crossing over the cellular membrane, which is beneficial in many ways. The longer sugar remains in your body before processing the more likely it will be converted to fat for long term storage. This obviously can lead to unhealthy weight gain. If your pancreas is forced to produce more and more insulin it is taxing on that organ and can lead to diminished functionality which is a pre-diabetic condition.

The studies have shown however that when we eat cinnamon, some of the active constituents are damaged by our digestive process. Because of this, a supplement using a powerful extract from the herb, swallowed in a capsule can much more efficiently deliver these amazing compounds to where they are needed. Be sure to choose wisely and question whether or not the supplement you decide on is naturally produced using safe processes and containing only necessary ingredients instead of fillers that can interfere with your ability to absorb the benefits of this familiar old friend.

Share on Facebook

Hanna Kroeger had some great guidelines for food combining, which you can find in her books Cookbook for Electro-Chemical Energies, Help One Another and God Helps Those Who Help Themselves.  Here’s a quick summary:

• Proteins and vegetables can be eaten together.

• Carbohydrates and vegetables can be eaten together.

• Proteins and carbohydrates should be eaten separately.

• Fruit is ideally eaten alone and should not be eaten with protein or vegetables.

• Apples and rice are universal and can be combined with other foods.

Enjoy your holidays and enjoy your food!

Share on Facebook

The FDA article Food Safety Tips for the Holidays covers some basic tips to keep your next feast free of any bacteria.

Some key points include:

Clean – It is important to keep your hands and cooking materials clean.  Always wash your hands before and after handling food.  This also goes for cutting boards, knives and anything that comes in contact with the food.

Separate – It is very important that you separate foods from ones that are being cooked and those not being cooked.  The juices from eggs and meats can spread on to foods not being cooked and easily spread bacteria.  It is suggested to use different cutting boards, knives and to keep them separated through out preparation to keep from spreading bacteria.

Cook – One of the easiest ways to incur foodborne illnesses is eating uncooked meats.  Use a thermometer!  Follow this guide for cooking temperatures to be safe.

Chill – The last thing to remember when finishing your meal is to refrigerate your leftovers before it has a chance to grow any bacteria.  When defrosting food thaw in the refrigerator, under cold water or in the microwave and do not thaw at room temperature.

I hope these tips are helpful and that you all have a safe and delicious holiday season.

Share on Facebook

So what kinds of fats should you eat? Omega-3’s from fish oil and grass-fed animals are the most important. These fats make your cell’s run smoothly, keep your brain working sharply, and help control inflammation. Omega-6’s from vegetable sources like coconut help balance Omega-3’s. Omega-9’s from special plants like Borage and Primrose help your body maintain healthy hormone levels. Our company, Kroeger Herbs, manufactures a wonderful Evening Primrose Oil soft gel. We also carry quality fish oil supplements and coconut oils at Hanna’s Herb Shop. Viva healthy fats!

Share on Facebook

This is a great resource to use when writing your grocery list, planning dinner, or to help you choose healthier alternatives to improve your lifestyle.  What we put into our bodies everyday is important in order to give us sufficient nutrients so that we can perform at the highest level at whatever we are doing.  Take advantage of having a website such as this to help us make those healthier decisions at the grocery store and in your everyday life.

One of the features I really like is the nutrient search tool, which allows you to search for foods that contain or are high in certain nutrients and are low in other nutrients.  Another interesting feature is the tracking software which you can use to track your intake and help you attain your goal whether it is to eat healthier, incorporate more of a specific nutrient into your diet or weight loss.

Take a look around the site and see how you can benefit from knowing what you are eating and how you can improve your daily intake.

Share on Facebook