Hanna Kroeger taught that exercise was so important because it is the vehicle to move the lymphatic system, which is a major player in the function of the immune system. The circulatory system has a pump: the heart, but the lymphatic system needs the body to move for it to circulate. Hanna said: “The lymphatic system is extremely important. It has its own channels and disintegrates at death. When you have a hard, callous ring around your heel or foot, you have a lymph problem. The lymphatic system is pumped by movement. It does not work when you are at rest. Running and working out moves the lymphatic system. Since we have little opportunity for outdoor activity, we should have a small trampoline rebounder in our houses. Just a few minutes’ workout on a rebounder 2 or 3 times daily will activate the lymphatic system which is so very needed for good health.”

Not only does exercise affect our physical bodies, but studies have shown that exercise makes us happier and improves the quality of life  and is even being found to help people who suffer from depression.  Other researchers are finding that the chemicals produced in the brain from exercise are actually lowering anxiety levels and there’s good reason to exercise if you have insomnia since exercise helps regulate sleep patterns.  The list of reasons to exercise go on and on. Whatever your reason, make sure to add a little more movement into your day!

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Multiple times each week we will fill the herb basket with one item from our store and offer it to you at an outstanding low price.  Now, waiting anxiously for the next monthly eNewsletter will not be so difficult because there will be something new on sale almost every day. 

We recommend checking Hanna’s Herb Shop frequently so you do not miss the opportunity to get your favorite product while it’s on sale or to take advantage of a free shipping day.  As always we love to hear from you so please post comments with your favorite product that you would like to see on sale and your wish just may come true.

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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.

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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.

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You might have heard about a new product that Kroeger Herb is introducing.  The moment is here and Kroeger is pleased to announce Healthy Gut to the world at Expo West in Anaheim, CA today.  Healthy Gut is an original Hanna Kroeger formula previously known as Tumee, which we are re-introducing to the world.  With an increase of health problems related to unhealthy digestive systems today, Kroeger Herb Products knows this product can do great things for many people.

The combination of chamomile, spearmint, gentian, wintergreen, slippery elm, marjoram and meadowsweet in this product does wonders to maintain a properly working digestive system.  Many times the system will fail to function properly due to years of consuming over-the-counter medicine and processed foods.  These toxins can eventually damage the intestinal wall and allow undigested foods and toxins to leak into the bloodstream which may cause severe health issues including auto-immune conditions.

It is important to maintain a healthy system so it can digest and absorb all proteins and nutrients properly.  With the increase of issues such as celiac and fibromyalgia which have been associated with improper protein digestion this product is available at no better time so people will realize how important it is to keep their digestive system functioning as it should.

Stay tuned on Hanna’s Herb Shop  to order your bottle of  Healthy Gut next week.

Click here to see more information on HealthyGut

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Hands on Heart Health-Photo by kortini

February is Heart Health Month. Everyone is getting on the bandwagon ranging from the Centers for Disease Control  to college students. It helps to bring awareness to the issue with all of the Valentine’s Day hearts in abundance everywhere we look. Of course we like the attention as well since we are “The Heart of Herbal Health”.

I recently did a radio interview for a great local health food pioneer based out of a tight knit community in southern Pennsylvania.  Sonnewald Natural Foods is one of the original American health food stores in the great family run tradition.  Willa Lefever was interested in helping people learn about our great heart health product, Circu Flow and how Hanna Kroeger was able to come up with the formula when it was needed most. Hanna’s strong medical and folk healing background combined with a strong religious faith is a story that many people find personal resonance with. It was a relatively short time slot for the interview so we didn’t really get to cover as much as we would have liked to but you can always contact us here and we would love to answer any questions you might have.

Our heart is a tireless organ that can never stop its very important work and it is a blessing to be able to do what we can to assist in its healthy function.  Heart disease is the number one killer but happily it is often preventable.  Remember the old adage “ an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” and its words were never more relevant than they are today.

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Companies that might need to reassess what “being green” really means are now touting themselves as environmental leaders or at the very least as having products that are totally green. There isn’t any escape from the media blitz. It’s impossible to escape the march to green that is sweeping the country. The grassroots movement of “environmental sustainability” has now turned to a more common approach and we have dropped the long name for a simpler easy to identify one, “Green”.

It wasn’t very long ago that environmental sustainability was the catch phrase. Now renewable energy, carbon footprint, and resource conservation are all a part of our everyday vocabulary. There was a time when we needed Sierra Club, Greenpeace or Friends of the Earth to tell us who was really contributing to the cause. How much of an impact did Earth day have on us? Some of these leaders inspired a lot of us to take up the cause for ourselves. The people who had the passion to lead us here need our help though.

Many of us have moved past the simple rewards of recycling and water conservation. The opportunity to keep the pressure on the decision makers to make going green a real, long lasting decision is at hand. We all have a vote and it’s one that gets heard every time we make a purchase. So make sure everyone who is telling you they are green can back it up. Make sure you don’t settle for contributing to the cause because you buy a product Madison Ave. tells you is green. Now more than ever the everyday consumer has a chance to be heard. It’s not time to relax because we are all going green. It’s time to demand accountability and keep the momentum towards real environmental sustainability.

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I started reading the article in the New York Times, “Study Weighs Risks of Vaccine for Cervical Cancer” about the new study performed by the “Center for Disease Control and Prevention along with the Food and Drug Administration”. I was confused at what I read. This is an approved vaccine for young girls to prevent them from getting cervical cancer, which can be detected by screening at the doctor’s office. The vaccine causes a multitude of side effects even causing death. To gather more information on gardasil I decided to search the web for information. I was amazed at the volume of articles available. Most not favorable towards the vaccine but too many for me to pass judgment on the subject. The amount of reading that can be done on the vaccine is more than enough to help anyone decide whether to give it to a daughter or granddaughter. So rather than pass judgment on something as important of a matter as this I will encourage you all to research the subject as I have. Read all you can, the web is full of information. Someone you know may be just about to receive this vaccine and the information you find may just make you feel better about the decision you make. Don’t make this decision without tapping into the knowledge available and after you have, please write me and let me know your experiences. We all need to approach this one with our eyes wide open.

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Photo by hipsxxhearts on Flickr

Since the mid 90’s there has been rapid growth in the prescriptions, misuse and deaths caused by pharmaceuticals used to treat ADHD symptoms.  Doctors are readily prescribing more kids and teens with these stimulant medications such as Adderall and Ritalin.  An 86% rise in ADHD medication prescriptions from 1998-2005 and a dramatic increase of poison control calls related to ADHD medicine during that same time period.

It seems like any kid today that may have a hard time focusing in school can attain a prescription to these medications and it is disturbing how many parents have let their children rely on these pills to get make the grades.  I remember the abundance of Adderall in school which which in time led to those with the prescription selling it to others for cramming during exam week or to use as a drug.

I understand that these medications do work and there are cases where an ADHD medication might be the best option for someone, but this tendency of over prescription in the past decade has made many people reliant on the drug and has led others to abuse it.  All I am saying is that there are other natural ways to help yourself and your children concentrate other than using these prescribed drugs which can often produce negative side effects and lead to abuse if not from the prescription holder then from others.

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