Blogs

My younger sister is famous for telling me in a half-menacing, half-joking tone: "Ben, don't judge me!"

And I'm just as famous for responding with "Sarah, aren't you judging me right now in thinking and saying that I'm judging you?

My sister thinks that it's wrong to judge others. I think that we judge each other all the time, and that this is a good thing, as we need to judge others to make good decisions on how to use our time and other resources. Read more

On days when I feel like having an all-raw and relatively light meal, I turn to some type of salad with a handful of raw nuts. Yesterday, I found a recipe for baby spinach salad with pecans and Bosc pear in a wonderful raw foods cookbook called Living Cuisine. I tweaked the recipe a bit, taking into account the ingredients that we had on hand in our kitchen, and proceeded to have a truly memorable salad meal.

If you enjoy healthy salads that provide a number of contrasting textures and flavors, I encourage you to give the following recipe a try. Did I mention that it's really good for your health? It's rich in calcium, iron, folate, healthy fatty acids, healthy protein, and complex carbohydrates, including fiber. Read more

Before you use a conventional lice-treatment shampoo for yourself or your children, consider this: Many lice-treatment shampoos contain ingredients that have been banned as agricultural insecticides and are extremely toxic. For instance, the insecticide lindane, once used to protect crops such as barley, wheat, and corn from pests, is no longer used by farms in Canada, and has been banned in over 50 countries around the world. But it can probably still be found at your local drug store, in bottles of lice shampoo.

In 2002, the state of California in the United States banned lindane from being used in pharmaceutical products due to reports that the chemical was causing skin irritations, dizziness, headaches, convulsions, and even death. Read more

For most of us, there's no denying that mayonnaise makes everything better. And if you make healthy, homemade mayonnaise using extra-virgin olive oil, organic eggs, and other simple ingredients, you can continue making everything better with mayonnaise without compromising your health.

If eggs aren't your thing, a great alternative to egg-based mayonnaise is the following vegan mayo made with avocados and basil. Read more

If you want to significantly lower your risk of developing cancer, consider eating cabbage at least a few times a week. Cabbage belongs to the Cruciferous family of vegetables - other vegetables that belong in this family include broccoli, cauliflower, kale, collards, Brussels sprouts, Bok Choy, watercress, and arugula.

Phytonutrients found in cabbage and other Cruciferous vegetables stimulate your genes to increase production of enzymes that detoxify your cells, resulting in elimination of free radicals, toxins, and potential carcinogens from your body. Read more

Last week, I received a 15-minute video on Operation Shanti called GOODNA, which was produced by a not-for-profit Canadian organization called Reel Youth.

GOODNA provides an up-close look at some of the street children that Operation Shanti has been reaching out to.

Please feel free to view GOODNA here: Read more

When eaten together, carrots and avocado provide a combination of nutrients that can strengthen your immune system and support your vision.

The carotenoids in carrots and healthy fat in avocado can contribute to healthy vitamin A status, and vitamin A serves your immune system in the following ways:

1. Vitamin A and its metabolites help to maintain the structure and function of your skin and the mucosal cells that line your respiratory tract, digestive tract, and urinary tract; your skin and mucosal linings are barriers that act as your body's first line of defense against harmful microbes and substances.

2. Vitamin A plays an important role in the development and differentiation of your white blood cells, which play essential roles in your immune system.

One of our readers, a professional photographer named Julia Mazza, surprised me a short while ago with a gift of several photographs of our Authentic Tibetan Goji Berries and Raw Chocolate (Cacao) Nibs.

Nutrient-dense foods never looked so beautiful, wouldn't you say? Many thanks to Julia for generously sharing her work with our readers. Read more

What you don't know about vitamins and minerals may destroy your health. I don't make this statement lightly, as I have worked with enough people who have hurt their health with synthetic vitamin and mineral supplements to know that experiencing vitamin and mineral toxicity is far more common than you might think.

Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble vitamins, meaning that these vitamins can be stored in your fat tissues. Even if you are super lean, your body has significant fat stores in and around all of your organs, as well as in the layer of fascia that lies between your muscles and skin. When consumed in excess, fat-soluble vitamins can cause a number of symptoms related to toxicity since they are easily stored in your body. Read more

If you already know that 100% whole food vitamin and mineral supplements are far better for your health than synthetic vitamin and mineral supplements, you know more about how to healthfully take vitamins and minerals than the vast majority of conventional health care practitioners.

While I firmly believe that regular use of whole food supplements can ensure optimal health, I also believe that your primary source of natural vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients and macronutrients should be fresh, whole foods (locally grown, whenever possible). Read more