“Hello, my name is Wendell, and I’m a tea-a-holic”. A hot cup of an assortment of delightfully delicious, medicinal, herbal, steeped teas has become my constant companion once I experienced their ancient health-creating and sustaining benefits.
 
     Regarded for eons in the East as a key to good health, happiness, and wisdom, steeped leaves, sticks, roots, and herbs have captured the attention of researchers in the West, who are realizing the numerous health benefits of different types of the brewed beverages of our ancestors. Not just a hip trend, but these ancient healing tools are re-entering our modern culture as more beautiful soils are returning to nature’s original apothecary.
 
     Recently while watching Outlander and The Good Witch, it struck me that herbal teas have been used for centuries as healers’ tools. The University of Minnesota explains, “It’s likely that humans have used plants as medicine for as long as we have existed. Archeological excavations dated as early as 60,000 years ago have found remains of medicinal plants, such as opium poppies, ephedra, and cannabis.

     What this teacup-toting writer is talking about is much more than green and black teas. Through the lens of my research, steeped tea can be from herbs, roots, sticks, leaves, and mushrooms too. There’s tulsi (holy basil), oolong, antioxidant chai, chamomile, spearmint, stinging nettle, lemon balm, hibiscus, rooibos, ginger, sage, echinacea, dandelion, echinacea, lion’s mane and reiki mushroom tea, and the list goes on and on. For consuming instant or bottled tea, one deserves a good flogging with a used tea bag. Nutritionists agree any tea is good tea, still, they prefer brewed teas over bottled to avoid the extra empty, non-nutritive calories, inflammatory sugar, dubious artificial sweeteners, flavors, and coloring.

     Green tea has been used for ages in traditional Chinese medicine for its therapeutic values. Healthlinne.com states green tea may improve brain function, increases fat burning, contains antioxidants that may lower the risk of some cancers, protect the brain from aging, treat bad breath, prevent type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. According to Food & Function, black and green tea may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke by 10% to 20%.  Drinking more than four cups of green tea can also speed-bump cancer growth.
​
     Chamomile tea is known for its calming effects and frequently used as a sleep aid. PubMed reports peppermint tea supports digestive tract health and has antioxidant, anticancer, antibacterial, and antiviral properties. Ginger tea fights inflammation, stimulates the immune system, and is effective for relieving nausea caused by cancer treatments and motion sickness.

     Hibiscus tea, one of my favorites, may help lower high blood pressure and fight oxidative stress. However, it shouldn’t be taken with a certain diuretic medication or at the same time as aspirin. Several NIH studies found sage tea improves cognitive function and memory and may benefit colon and heart health.
Rose hip tea. made from the fruit of the rose plant is high in vitamin C and anti-inflammatory plant compounds. Several studies have investigated the ability of rose hip powder to reduce inflammation in people with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

     The leaves stems and flowers of the passionflower plant are traditionally used to relieve anxiety and improve sleep, and studies have begun to support these uses. For example, one study found that drinking passionflower tea for one week significantly improved sleep quality. Therapeutic uses of holy basil herbal tea or tincture, or essential oil are to help skin, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and joint conditions.

     WebMD shares that research on holy basil (tulsi) supports potential health benefits which include reduction of respiratory issues, stress and anxiety regulation, and improved dental health. Holy basil contains bioactive compounds like eugenol, camphene, cineole, and camphor that may help to open your airways and improve breathing. These compounds may also have antimicrobial and antiviral activities that help reduce the duration of common cold and flu symptoms. 

     Many mainstream pre-bagged teas contain ingredients the health-conscious need to be aware of before their next purchase. Be mindful, most major brands use chemicals to bleach the bags, and the leaves very well could have been be sprayed with carcinogenic pesticides. Read labels, preform due diligence, and ask questions. Organic free trade, non-GMO is a safe bet.

     When I’m cold, a brewed tea warms my weary bones; if I’m sad, it uplifts me, and when strazzled, tea comforts me; moves my soul; a stand-up celebration of simplicity. Japanese culture describes preparing tea as a meditative ceremony of pouring all one's attention into a predefined, patient method.
In modern times, it might befit us returning to nature’s generous apothecary of medicinal, steeped medicinal leaves, sticks and roots and become happy, healthy tea-a-holics.
 
 
 

​             A ‘shroom boom is transpiring, suggesting the fungus among us is substantially more
than delightful food. Not so much for medicine, we’ve been eating earthy mushrooms on
pizza and burgers, in Asian food, soups, risotto, stir-fries, and gourmet foods most of
our lives.
            Today, what our ancestors used as medicine for thousands of years, an array of mushrooms is showing up in coffee, supplements, mushroom broths, tinctures, skin care, and chocolate.
            The fleshy, fruiting, spore-bearing body of a fungus, mushrooms moved to land at about the same time as plants, about 460 million years ago. Fossils of land fungi date to almost 400 million years ago. For many millennia, mushrooms have played an important role in human history as food, poison, medicine, in folklore, legends and religion. Ancient Egypt hieroglyphs indicate mushrooms were being consumed with meals 4,500 years ago. The Greek physician Hippocrates classified the amadou mushroom as a potent anti-inflammatory.
            Mushrooms, grown in nutrient-rich compost, are undeniably engineering masterpieces of mother nature’s benevolent cupboard and contain some of the most potent natural medicines on the planet. The overnight appearance of the fruit body is wondrous, with the rise of millions of pre-formed cells extending the stem, pushing warm earth aside, and unfolding the cap.
            Abundant fungi, not a vegetable, are responsible for life on land as we know it. Their activities are essential for the operation of planet earth. From helping plants colonize terrestrial earth to treating human disease, fungi were some of the first complex life forms on land, mining rocks for mineral nourishment, slowly turning them into what would become soil. To support everything is connected, the human gastrointestinal tract, microbiome, is host to immense populations of microorganisms including fungi, bacteria, viruses, single-cell organisms.
            Only the commonly available white button variety have been popular, but there are many edible varieties: oyster, shiitake, reishi, portobellos, beech, chaga, Lion’s Mane, cremini, cordyceps, turkey tail, porcini, chanterelles, ceps, maitake, chicken of the woods, enoki, chestnut, Ganoderma, morel, truffles, “magical” psilocybin mushrooms, and more.
            Mushrooms are considered as the best alternative for meat as they are high in fiber, protein, low in fat, and cholesterol free. Mushrooms provide many of the same nutritional benefits as vegetables, meat, beans, and grains, and have virtually no fat or cholesterol. Mushrooms exposed to UV radiation synthesize vitamin D2, making mushrooms the only known non-animal source of dietary vitamin D.
            The Mushroom Council explains, “Mushrooms are the leading source of the antioxidant selenium that protects body cells from damage that might lead to chronic diseases and help to strengthen the immune system.” In the pandemic era, shiitake also supports immune health as they are rich in polysaccharides like lentinans and other beta-glucans, according to WebMD. Scientists at City of Hope discovered mushrooms could suppress growth of breast cancer and prostate cancer cells in cell cultures and in animals.
            The Mushroom Council states toadstools possess B-vitamins, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, selenium, copper, soluble fiber beta glucan, which scientists say boosts immune function. A single portabella mushroom can contain more potassium than a banana. Additionally, wcmushrooms.com says mushrooms provide ergothioneine, a naturally occurring antioxidant that may help protect the body’s cells.
            As a defense against bacterial invasion, fungi have developed strong antibodies, which also happen to be effective for us humans. Penicillin, streptomycin, and tetracycline all come from fungal extracts.
            Regarding Lion’s Mane, NIH research reveals, “The evidence so far has shown that Lion’s Mane, enriched with its active compounds, can delay neuronal cell death in rats with neurodegenerative diseases, such as ischemic stroke, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and depression. I regularly consume Lion’s Mane for cognition and can validate its cognitive-enhancing benefits.
            Certain mushrooms may improve human skin conditions, including acne, redness, and eczema, Dr. Gary Goldfaden told Women’s Health in a 2019 interview. The reason is because they contain antioxidants and vitamin D, both "work to protect the skin against environmental stresses, discoloration and fine lines," Goldfaden said.
            No longer stigmatized, Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research is focusing on how psychedelic mushrooms affect behavior, mood, cognition, brain function, and biological markers of health to determine the effectiveness of psilocybin, the psychoactive ingredient, as a new therapy for opioid addiction, Alzheimer's, PTSD, post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, anorexia nervosa and alcohol use in people with major depression.
            In understanding the enduring positive effects of psilocybin, Johns Hopkins asserts, “Our research has demonstrated therapeutic effects in people who suffer a range of challenging conditions including addiction (smoking, alcohol, other drugs of abuse), existential distress caused by life-threatening disease, and treatment-resistant depression.” Illegal in most states, Wikipedia says the movement to decriminalize psilocybin in the U.S. began in the late 2010s.
            Clearly, we cannot go wrong exploring the extensive world of edible mushrooms in different recipes. The revival of nourishing, edible mushrooms can please taste buds while delivering one of earth’s original plant medicines.

​From which all was created, mankind, flora and fauna sprang from seeds. Our species (sperm and eggs) and earth to which we’re all intimately connected, is perpetuated by the small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering. We mustn’t underestimate the mighty seeds potential, since without seed plants, life wouldn’t be possible. 

​A miracle of life, small, nutrient dense seeds are an eternal yes to life and considered sacred in indigenous circles. A vast majority of seeds have the opportunity to keep millions of earthlings from starvation: the potential to save our delicate, mutual, future world.  Seeds are of immense biological and economic importance. World blight can befall us if we continue depending on limited varieties of corn, soy and wheat.
 
Seeding plants provide shelter to many life forms, as well as food for herbivores, thereby indirectly feeding carnivores. Plants play a key role in the maintenance of terrestrial ecosystems through stabilization of soils, cycling of carbon, and climate moderation. Large tropical forests release oxygen and act as carbon dioxide sinks. Plant secondary metabolites are used for medicinal purposes and industrial production.
 
Often hard, very small, or large, there are many different kinds of seeds. Some plants make a lot of seeds, some make only a few. Un-containable, abounding seeds are fertilized, mature ovules—the result of sexual reproduction in plants. Not all plants produce seeds, but those that do often rely on these seeds to replicate themselves over successive seasons and years. They contain high protein, starch and oil reserves that help in the early stages of growth and development in a plant.

Not only for planting and harvesting alone, seeds are also eaten alone for supreme nutrition. Chia, hemp, flax, quinoa, and pumpkin brim with wholesome protein, vitamin and mineral nutrition, and essential fatty acids. Seeds are the source of some medicines including castor oil, tea tree oil.
 
Plants play a significant role in the maintenance of earthly ecology's through soil maintenance, carbon cycling, and climate control. Tropical forests release oxygen and act as carbon dioxide sink.
 
Fighting for the cause of seeds, “sow, grow, unite” and reap peace is the mantra of The Cooperative Gardens Commission (CGC) a grassroots project of the Experimental Farm Network Cooperative, a Philadelphia-based) non-profit organization working to increase local food production in response to both the COVID pandemic and persistent inequality.
 
The CGC is composed of hundreds of volunteer organizers from across the US and Canada working as a collective to increase community food production, facilitate resource-sharing, help first-time gardeners succeed, build more resilient communities, and support existing food sovereignty projects and networks, especially in communities that were already struggling before the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
CGC includes everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexuality, survivor status, economic status, immigration or documentation status, nationality, language, appearance, age, religion, ability, background, health, etc. “We are here to share knowledge and skills with our community. No one knows everything. Together we know a lot.” CGC attempts to create a community that holds space for the wisdom and experience of black, brown, indigenous folks, immigrants, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, women, elders, chronically ill, disabled, immune-compromised people, and all others whose voices and experiences are far too often marginalized by our society.
Violence or oppressive behavior in any form will is not tolerated. Growing food is not easy, especially for first time growers, so CGC urges anyone who wants to spread the news, sow seeds of peace on earth and help neighbors grow food. To unburden Gaia.
 
“A seed is a mysterious miracle of life. Both beginning, end, life and death, nothing and everything. A seed sits in the palm of the hand, yet grows into a living structure which can be tall as a building. It’s a single grain, yet it’s the source of a thousand grains. Seeds can be stored for many years, then stirred into life in days. A seed is the whole universe in a grain of sand.” Simon Marshall

For easy recipes to boost your immune system in pandemic Times.... visit my books link.





 
.
 

Lub-dub, lub-dub… the heart starts pumping blood before we were born and will continue pumping throughout our lifetime keeping us above ground.

The average heart beats 80 times per minute, about 4,800 times per hour, squirting crimson life force throughout. That's 115,200 times daily and about 42,048,000 times a year! At 80, approximately a staggering 3,363,840,000 times! To provide oxygen, nutrients, and carry away waste, before each beat, the heart fills with blood, contracts and squirts it along: like squeezing the hand into a fist, so it supplies blood nonstop, all day, all night, all the time.
However, the heart, our second brain, can’t operate without gas or oil in the crankcase. We ask it to do a lot for us, but, like any muscle (or machine), it requires maintenance such as vitamin nutrition, daily exercise, and calming spiritual balance to do its job or it breaks down; struggles mightily, weakens, breaks, and becomes susceptible to dis-ease or a premature nap under the sod.

This grateful writer learned the hard way. At 17, I watched my 47-year-old father die from a massive coronary. Later on, at 44 weighing in at 300 pounds, I was bluntly told by a cardiologist to “get prepared, you’re going to die… soon”.  My clueless in Indianapolis lifestyle of sloth, booze, butts, gravy, fast food, sugar and animal fat took its toll and my gelatinous, un-exercised heart doubled in size, congestive heart failure set in, and my electrical system went haywire causing atrial-fib. Previously, I’d made absolutely no connection between food, lifestyle, and disease. Food was merely for quelling a rumbling tummy and a pleasurable indulgence,

After waltzing out of the hospital with a miraculous, rare second chance, I took compassionate self-control of my health, joined a gym, gradually evolved into a sustainable, plant-based diet, and lost 125 pounds. After reading Hippocrates’s quote, “Let food be thy medicine”, the journey back to my original wholeness a lecturing and writing career began. (Optional) Thirty years later, I remain mentally and physically fit, spiritually grounded in the karma of a plant-based lifestyle.

Harvard Medical School wants us to know however, “The types of plant foods and their sources are important. For example, white rice and white bread are plant-based foods, so you’d think they're good to eat. But they’re highly processed, depleted of many heart-healthy nutrients, and have a high glycemic index, which means they can spike sugar levels and increase hunger, leading to overeating.”

Evade dead, processed foods, unhealthy saturated animal fats, trans fats, hydrogenated fats and oils, (margarines), pasta, white rice, processed breads and cereals, French fries and potato chips. Walk away from and never look back at sugary soft drinks and fruit drinks. Nearly half of all deaths in the US caused heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes, have been linked to substandard eating habits, according to a study published in JAMA and funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health. And don’t smoke cigarettes that damage heart and blood vessels.

Can’t rely on pharmaceuticals delivered by a magical Unicorn to save us. WebMD warns: “Statins are effective at lowering cholesterol, protecting against heart attack and stroke, although they may lead to side effects for some people. These include muscle pain and damage, liver damage, increased blood sugar or type 2 diabetes, and neurological side effects. More alarming, The American College of Cardiology warns of statin intolerance that can cause risk of suicide, aggressive behavior, headache, asthenia, dizziness, fatigue, depressive disorder in stroke patients, risk of hemorrhagic stroke, severe irritability, insomnia, somnolence, agitation, confusion, hallucinations, and nightmares.

Keep the heart beating for a long time to come by eating the rainbow of heart-healthy plant-foods: at least 7-9 servings or more of fruits and vegetables daily. Salad bars, sans Ranch Dressing, are an easy way to achieve this. Can’t eat that much? Dairy-less fruit and vegetable smoothies and juicing are excellent ways to drink our produce. Meditate, sit in total stillness, or do yoga as often as possible. Ditch negative energies. Live an active, present, loving lifestyle and get physical at least 30 minutes to an hour every day in ways that get that beautiful body huffing, puffing, and sweating.

Our modern diet is killing us slowly with its fries, and so we must re-learn our inborn behavior of eating local, organic, non-GMO, highly-vibrational, vitamin-dense plant-foods still tingling with the energy of the sun, rain, wind, earth, because when nutritional needs aren’t met, the human body is ill equipped to fend off largely preventable diseases of the heart.

There’s another level of feel-good waiting for those choosing to control their destiny in this realm with a plant-based diet from mother earth’s lush pharmacopoeia rather than nutritionally diminished, fake food and synthetic chemicals.
Just as we were not born to hate each other, we weren’t born to hate plant foods either, we were taught. Give the heart the love it deserves.
 

​

​
We don’t take sleep serious enough 

We sleep one-third of our existence. Sleep plays a vitally important biological, physical, and psychological / spiritual role. How we eat, think, maintain ourselves, and the ability to have a rejuvenating night's sleep are intimately related, according to the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research.

Contrary to popular opinion, seniors don't need less sleep than the average person. In fact, adults require about the same amount from their 20s into old age, according to WebMD. "   
According to the National Sleep foundation, skimping on sleep can lower sex drive, weaken the immune system, increasing risk of colds and flu, cause certain cancers, heart attacks, diabetes, depression, ADHD, blunts mental acuteness (dementia), memory, creativity, causes car accidents, our skin and physical aesthetics suffers, and leads to weight gain.

Don’t nod off here, but modern science defines sleep deprivation as sleeping six or fewer hours a night. Alas, The American Academy of sleep medicine report roughly 1 in 3 Americans isn’t getting enough sleep. In 2013 (the last year measured by Gallup), the average American got 6.8 hours of shuteye a night with 40 percent less than six.

Waking up and going to bed at the same time daily keeps the circadian rhythm functioning normally, helping reduce chances of insomnia. Circadian rhythms regulate nearly all of the body’s processes, from metabolism and immunity to energy, sleep, and sexual drive, cognitive functions and mood.  “Insomnia is more common for seniors, partly because of health issues, partly because of the anxiety and the concerns of aging, and sometimes because of medication," says Jack Gardner, MD, a neurologist certified in sleep medicine at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in Waxahachie, Texas

Slumbering, the body and mind shuts down to take a merited breather, but the subconscious that influences 95% of your daily thoughts, awakens. Ergo, quality sleep is significant. Author John Steinbeck stated, “It is a common experience that a problem difficult at night is resolved in the morning after the committee of sleep has worked on it.”

Many find it difficult quieting their Monkey Mind’s non-stop chatter when they need to rest or sleep. Many sleep authorities suggest hushing it with rhythmic breathing exercises and chant a mantra, like “I am love, I am light”, and soon, blissful, dreamy sleep sneaks in on cat paws. Not an over-the-counter sleeping aid. Drugs.com states that Ambien may cause dizziness with long-term use in some patients. This occurs because Ambien acts on the central nervous system, which may affect receptors in the brain that are related to dizziness. Dizziness may occur in the middle of the night the next morning or during the next day, depending on the person.

The University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine study shows an association between what we eat and how we sleep. For effective digestion, nutrient uptake, and quality sleep, it’s suggested not eating 3 hours before bedtime. If you must satisfy the munchies, have a small snack such as hummus and veggies, a banana, sprouted grain bread with almond or peanut butter, kale chips, air-popped popcorn with virgin olive oil, Himalayan salt, and nutritional yeast flakes, or local apple sauce with raisins. So, drop the chocolate cake and no one gets hurt.

Too much animal protein can be unfavorable to good sleep health. Studies indicate excessive protein intake is associated with difficulty in staying asleep. During the day, stick to a moderate consumption of low-fat protein sources, such as real turkey breast (not deli cuts), Wild caught salmon, dark leafy greens, tempeh, quinoa, hemp, chia, and flax seeds, and creamy nut butters. Avoid munchies pitfalls at night by spreading out the caloric intake throughout the day, not skipping meals and choosing plants over processed foods. Coffee, soda, and chocolate should be avoided before bedtime as they contain caffeine that increases energy levels, the opposite of what we need. Alcohol is the most common sleep aid—at least 20 percent of American adults rely on it. But the truth remains, drinking regularly—even moderately—is much more likely to interfere with your sleep than assist it.  Frequent urination and arthritis rob seniors of sleep too.

The miraculous human body loves you. I mean it really, really loves you. From birth to death, awake or asleep, it works 24-7-365 keeping you alive by preforming 1000’s of cellular functions. The take home: As ye eat, drink, and think… so shall ye sleep. A good night's sleep is astonishingly important for your holistic health. Goodnight and sweet dreams.
 

Did you ever consider you might be a Jack Sprat and not be eating enough fat, asked no one ever? Always hungry, depressed, anxious, frequently fatigued, joints ache, skin is dry, brittle finger nails, a confused and foggy brain? Take a look at what you're eating to see if the culprit may be eating too little “good fat” suggests GBhealthwatch.com
 
Dietary fat is an enigmatic concept; hence Americans have had a confusing relationship with fat throughout the years. Since the 1930s, scientists have suspected that fat and cholesterol (a fat) could cause atherosclerosis, heart disease and stroke. However, later research has shown that judging all fats together — even all saturated fats — is a mistaken generalization
 
The war on fat began with the rise of heart disease during the 50s as all fats took the wrap for this attack and trusting, obedient consumers were discouraged to eat fats that provide get-up-and-go and energy-dense macronutrients. Remember the fat scare craze of the 70’s and 80’s: all fats are bad for our health!? Americans reacted and for decades many needlessly avoided all “evil” fats. Wildly unhealthy and unjustified, considering good fats support cognitive health, provide energy, assist absorption of vitamins, aid skin health and balances hormones. Our body’s cells are held together by fat, need it to function properly, but not greasy fat oozing out of chili fries.
 
Gentle readers, there are good fats and there are bad fats. Some whole, unprocessed fats are vital for overall nutrition, others cause diseases of modern society. It’s quite simple: good fats are found in nature’s plant foods, and are minimally processed. Bad fats are man-made, high-heat treated, processed and refined. DOA.
 
Fat can be divided into three major groups: saturated, unsaturated, and trans: saturated fats are solid at room temperature, with the exception of unrefined coconut oil. Good unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature, and trans fats (a.k.a. partially hydrogenated oils) are primarily artificial fats. It’s important to distinguish “good” unsaturated fats and “bad” trans fats found in highly processed foods like margarine, vegetable, corn oil, canola, sunflower, safflower, soybean, grapeseed oils, shortening made from any of the above and hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated anything. Unless they’re hydrogenated, all coconut oils have medium chain fatty acids that are healthy and do not break down when heated. PubMed shares that several populations around the world have thrived for multiple generations eating massive amounts of unrefined coconut.
 
Cholesterol, a good fat, is not necessarily our enemy but we’re not suggesting anyone stop taking their statins. Although, it's misleading to call cholesterol an evil, artery-clogging fat because it’s a useful fatty substance with many important jobs in our body. Every single cell in your body needs cholesterol to survive. Some MDs and scientists are now saying that levels of 150 and below can cause psychological side effects. The brain needs cholesterol to grow new nerve cells and for these nerve cells to work properly. So, when their brain is deprived of cholesterol, things don’t go so well up there. In fact, without enough cholesterol, you may even develop serious brain diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. AARP.org reports if our cholesterol is too low, we can experience depression, violent and aggressive behavior, fatigue and Lethargy. Cholesterol is like ice cream: good in moderation.
 
Mayo clinic says the omega-3 fatty acids in fish are good for your heart. Just ask the Eskimos. Fatty fish such as wild caught salmon, mackerel, sardines, and plant foods such as walnuts, chia, flax, and hemp seeds, Brussels sprouts, all have abundant omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids proven to improve health in a wide variety of ways according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
 
Harvard Medical School advises omega-6 fatty acids have also been linked to protection against heart disease. Foods rich in linoleic acid and other omega-6 fatty acids include reasonable consumption of unrefined, cold-extracted vegetable oils such as safflower, grapeseed, soybean, sunflower, walnut, and corn oils. However, our American diet is omega-6 heavy as it is used in many popular heavily processed snack foods. The ratio of omega 3 to 6 should be 1:1. In the processed American diet, it’s more like 25:1 and this disproportionate ratio causes disease-generating inflammation.
 
These good essential fats boost energy levels, mental clarity, curb cravings, and support immune response. In addition to reducing blood pressure, raising HDL, and lowering triglycerides, polyunsaturated fats may help prevent lethal heart rhythms. Evidence also suggests omega-3 may help reduce the need for corticosteroid medications in people with rheumatoid arthritis. Studies also link omega 3 to reducing risk of dementia.
 
Regarding omega-3 supplements: a 2019 NY Times article suggests, “Omega-3 in fish oil is said to improve arthritis and reduce the likelihood of heart attacks. But the science suggests: Maybe just eat a fish once in a while.”
 
Avocado oil has been shown to help decrease triglycerides, lower blood pressure, and reduce risk of cardiovascular disease. The most abundant fatty acid in avocado oil is oleic acid that provides numerous health-creating and sustaining benefits. According to the USDA, one whole raw avocado contains 4.16 milligrams of alpha-tocopherol one of the several forms of vitamin E. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin E boosts the immune system and reduces inflammation in the body and plays helps reduce risk for cataracts and prevent cognitive decline.
 
Fatphobes… don’t be a Jack Sprat. It’s never too late in life to eat needed fat to bolster mental, physical health and energy. Just ditch industrial-strength bad fats and embrace good fats from nature.
 
 

Weary of cosmetically hiding physical flaws and imperfections to create and retain a youthful look? Spackle, dye, spray or cosmetically augment, but Naturopaths agree natural, authentic, physical beauty is the result of eating a plant-based diet. (PBD).

Looking in the mirror, are there grey-green circles under dull eyes; pale, ghostly, blotchy, dry skin, age spots, dull hair, brittle nails, low energy levels and extra chunk in the trunk?
All the diet fads, expensive lotions and man made elixirs promising lasting youthful looks don’t hold a candle to the ultimate cosmetician, Mother Earth.

It’s human yearning to stay young and ageless. America is infatuated with their exterior appearance: more concerned with the outside than inside where all the beauty happens. Natural beauty comes from within, but cannot fully surface until each healthy cell is content with a belly full of energetic, plant-based vitamins, trace minerals, good fats, enzymes, and plant compounds.

Mayo Clinic stresses regular aerobic exercise teamed with a PBD diet as the perfect anti-aging, youthful approach to awakening your natural beauty. Sparkling eyes, shiny hair, glowing, alabaster skin, healthy nails and teeth, a trim physique, and mental clarity are Mother nature’s gifts to us.

As a rule, PBD followers don’t eat processed foods that damage their skin, and instead subsist on healthier plant-based nutrients that ensure glowing health. The healthier the diet, the healthier we look. How can anyone enjoy their birthright of health and beauty when the trillions of cells that repair, rebuild and sustain are corrupted by poor nutrition? Can’t build or maintain a house without tools. So, to speed bump the aging process, we might consider evolving to a plant based diet.

A PBD does not include red meat, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs, refined grains, sugary pastries, candy, booze, tobacco, diet sodas, fast food. refined AP flour, sugar, white rice and hydrogenated oils (trans fats). It does Included an occasional local egg and raw honey.

It’s not, however, the same as a vegan diet, which is defined only by what it eliminates. A PBD focuses on a large, colorful variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, dark leafy greens and green herbs, herbal and chai tea, berries, nuts and seeds, beans, fermented foods, healthy fats, filtered water, reasonable sunshine, sleep, meditative practices and surrounding one’s self with a supportive community.

The American College of lifestyle medicine explains: “phytonutrients in plant foods counteract age, deeply nourish our cells, and reduce inflammation leading to chronic illness. Unstable free radicals damage our cells, contributing to wrinkles, blemishes, age spots, and other signs of aging. Lack of proper plant-based nutrition can bring on other symptoms of premature aging, like hair loss, grey hairs, sagging skin, obesity, and more. Mother of four and grandmother of seven, author of LIVE RAW, organic, vegan raw food enthusiast Mimi Kirk shares, “I’m more of an inside girl than an outside one. I believe diet is key for good skin, and I use 100% organic coconut oil on my face and body.”

Neal Barnard, MD of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine states, “A vitamin and fiber-rich PBD can help anyone lose weight. We believe if people focus on what they’re eating and not how much they’re eating; they will have weight loss with a plant-based diet.”  

The Global Healing Center adds, “Based on everything we have learned about the beneficial properties of the phytochemicals found in plant-based foods, we should not be surprised a vegetarian or vegan diet can improve overall health.” Large studies published by The American College of lifestyle medicine, also found those who followed a healthy PBD had a significantly lower risk of developing heart disease, cancer, cognitive decline, stroke, diabetes, depression, and anxiety.”
​
To receive mankind’s gifts of health and beauty, we can let nature do its thing only after we release our grip on the health-depleting American diet of processed, vitamin-deficient foods.(JAMA) Reconnecting to earth will set us free from the daily spackling drudgery and chronic disease. We just need to get out of our own way.

More than ever, folks are supporting community farmer’s markets peaking with a kaleidoscope of garden goodness straight from the local vine, pleading to be consumed as vitamin nutrition, energy and medicine. Perhaps now might be the ideal time to embrace the beauty-creating benefits of a plant-based diet.

Join me on Instagram: chef.wendell.fowler
 
 
 
 
 
 

​
At the gym, a curmudgeonly 60’s something gentleman was overheard grumbling, “Aww…  I don’t take vitamins. They are a bunch of hogwash. Just gimme a pill. My grandparents didn’t take vitamins and they lived to 104, smoke Camel non-filters, and drank whiskey!”  

Well, the times they’ve been a-changin’. Due to monocrop farming, modern industrial agriculture, genetic manipulation, processing, and agrichemicals like Roundup’s carcinogenic glyphosate, todays distorted plant-food has but 50% of the nutrients there were 50 to 100 years ago.

Our body intelligence cannot synthesize everything it needs to function, ergo essential nutrients we must supplement through plant food to maintain optimal health. Plant based vitamin nutrition is compulsory to sustain human life, growth and mind-body development; the language our cells and DNA speak fluently.

They are called supplements because as we age, our bodies can no longer produce what we lack. Therefore we ‘supplement’ what we’re lacking. Colligan for aging skin, hair, nails, and joints, B-12 for red blood cell formation and cancer prevention, DNA synthesis, nervous system and brain function, omega 3 and 6 for brain and joints, and the micro-nutrient magnesium for the heart and prostate is involved in hundreds of biochemical reactions in your body. Most “vegephobic” Americans are significantly deficient in these nutrients—malnourished.Scientific America reports, “Because of soil depletion, crops grown decades ago were much richer in vitamins and minerals than the varieties most of us get today. Modern intensive agricultural methods have stripped increasing amounts of nutrients from the soil in which the food we eat grows. Sadly, each successive generation of fast-growing, pest-resistant carrot is less good for you than the one before. So even if we ate bushels of today’s organic produce and such, we’d still need to supplement to fill our daily RDA’s.

Since childhood, we were programmed to pop a pill to cure our ills, and to dutifully take our daily 1-A-Day multiple or Flintstone’s chewable. Even Wonder Bread advertised it replaced the 7-10 vitamins destroyed during manufacturing. Suggesting there are more vitamins available in unprocessed food than processed, high-heat-treated, preservative-laden machine cuisine.

Fresh garden produce is naturally rich in vitamins, fiber, and minerals. Processing fruit and vegetable DNA in a laboratory diminishes vitamin, mineral, and digestive enzyme content, making them less healthful than their fresh, energetic counterparts.

We’ve heard about the disease-preventing abilities of certain vitamins, antioxidants, digestive enzymes, amino acids, probiotics, and trace minerals. But, are pharmaceutically grade, synthesized supplements effective as Earth’s apothecary? Synthetic vitamins contain chemical compounds not meant for human consumption and don’t occur in nature. The Global Healing Center proclaim, “Evolution dictates we eat food we can gather from the earth, not food created in a lab.” https://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/synthetic-vs-natural-vitamins/

With the medical fraternity warning vitamins are useless, in today’s social media world, it’s easier than ever to find “facts”, but increasingly difficult to figure out which are actually true. Indeed, there are many bad vitamins out there, but some good ones too. Anti-supplement crusades will never be in the best interest of American health.

The Washington Post reported GNC, Target, Wal-Mart, Walgreens were accused of selling adulterated herbals. Of the four retailers, Wal-Mart was the worst offender: None of its six supplements that were tested was found to contain purely the ingredient advertised. Target’s supplements were the least misleading of the lot — though that isn’t saying much, since tests on six of the brand’s products resulted in only one unqualified positive. Two of Target’s other supplements contained DNA from other plants alongside their purported ingredients, while the remaining three tested negative.

To insure the multi or individual vitamin is safe and effective, make a friend at the locally owned vitamin shop, ask questions, and preform your own due diligence.

Individual supplements can also put us at greater risk of overdose. In a society where more is better, striking mindful balance between all nutrients is crucial. This is automatically done for you when you take food-sourced multivitamins, which usually includes a cornucopia of necessary vitamins.

Convenient multivitamins cost less. Taking individual smart-bomb vitamins is much more expensive than a multivitamin, plus, unbalanced, over and above what a multi offers, excessive nutrient intake can be harmful.
Some people ask why vitamins are bad for us. Actually, it's not vitamins per se - it may be too much of a good thing and cause harm.

• Vitamin A overdose can cause severe abdominal pain, mood swings, exhaustion, decreased appetite and if not corrected, can lead to serious liver problems.
• Vitamin D overdose may result in excess calcium. Calcium deposits can form in the lungs, heart and kidneys. Kidney stones or other conditions may develop. Symptoms can include bone pain, muscle loss, sudden weight loss, and extreme fatigue.
• Extremely high doses of vitamin E can cause diarrhea and stomach cramps. The most severe side effect is an increased risk of bleeding, since too much vitamin E can interfere with your blood's ability to clot. Sometimes people who overdose on vitamin E need medication to prevent bleeding problems.
• Seniors and infants may be especially prone to vitamin K overdose, so do not give excess vitamin K supplements unless under the supervision of a physician. Symptoms may include profuse sweating and jaundice. The skin can also flush and turn bright pink, Seniors taking coumadin warfarin know K is a clot coagulant and must consider K-rich plant foods.

Annual reports of the American Association of Poison Control Centers clearly show nutritional supplements are much safer than over-the-counter drugs, even aspirin. Vitamin supplements aren't harmful like drugs. Even though vitamin supplements are not regulated as drugs, vitamin supplements also don't cause deaths.

“So, the claim that vitamin supplements are a significant danger to public health is wrong,” asserts Andres W. Saul’s book, "No Deaths from Vitamins. None."  Research each vitamin supplements origin. China’s top vitamin and supplement production areas are among the most polluted. Epoch Times reports most vitamins are from China—it’s a bigger problem than we realize. 

Taking a reputable, made in America, third-party inspected, quality supplement and eating a healthy plant-based diet are relevant to good senior health. Whether or not to take extra vitamin supplements is a personal choice, but most of the time, mindfully researched vitamins will do no harm in proper dosage and moderation, and can potentially do much good to ward off everything from the common cold to many of today’s disease of vitamin deficiency.

If experiencing an energy shortage and think it might be from a supplement, stop taking it immediately and call your doctor. Vitamins alone are not a panacea. We must live symbiotically with nature as well as vitamin supplementation. We live in different times than our ancestors. So, taking vitamins is a thing but more is unquestionably not better.
Listen to or podcast, "Live Right Now."  #LIVERIGHTNOW