Friday, February 6, 2015

10 RECIPIES for a HEALTHIER LIVER

The liver is the vital organ that filters and detoxifies the blood that comes through the digestive track before it reaches the rest of the body. Basically, it figures out what is beneficial and what's waste from all the stuff you consume. This is no small feat, which is why it's nice to help the liver out from time to time with foods that aid its detoxifying powers. Enter the beet.
Beets are a high-antioxidant vegetable that contain a number of nutrients that have been shown to be cleansing and detoxifying. A few of these include betaine, which helps the liver cells eliminate toxins; pectin, a fiber which clears the toxins that have been removed from the liver so they don't reincorporate back into the body; and betalains, pigments with high anti-inflammatory properties to encourage the detoxification process.
Plus, they're delicious. And versatile. From juicing them for a cleansing morning tonic to roasting them for a salad, and even baking with them for a natural red velvet experience, here are 10 delicious recipes that will make it easy for you to get your daily dose of beets.
1. Detoxing Beet Salad - Beets are chopped into easy-to-eat matchsticks in this simple salad
2. Raw + Roasted Kale + Beet Chopped Salad - Get your alkaline on with this cleansing salad with roasted kale and beets from our warming 3-day superfood detox.
3. The Easiest Beet Smoothie - Blend your beets with almond milk, greens and fruit for a powerful, potent smoothie, like this one.
4. Beet Quinoa - A pretty change up to the everyday grain is this beet quinoa with a hint of orange.
5. Roasted Beetroot + Brown Lentil Salad - This beet and lentil salad with nuts and goat cheese is a perfect combo of filling protein and cleansing veggies.
6. The Easiest Beet Chips You'll Ever Make ~ Thinly slice your beets real thin and roast them with coconut oil (then be generous with the sea salt) for a tasty, healthy snack.

7. An Inflammation-Busting Beet Juice ~ Juice 'em.
8. Beet Burgers ~ This vegan beet burger is made up of all good stuff (no fillers).
9. Spring Detox Beet Soup ~  This detox beet soup was made light for a spring detox, but coconut meat and oil add a nice amount of plant-based decadence.
10. Red Velvet (Beet) Brownies ~ These beet brownies are a natural (and vegan and gluten-free) way to get your red velvet on.
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SOURCE: http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-17222/the-cleansing-power-of-beets-10-delicious-recipes-for-a-healthier-liver.html

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

KIDNEY STONES: Warning Signs and Remedies

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Three Warning Signs

Most kidney stones pass through the urinary tract with no trouble. Unfortunately, some do not. Left untreated, they can result in terrible pain. Of course, you do not want to wait until that happens, so knowing early symptoms can save you some real misery. Here are 3 signs that you may be developing a stone.

1. Urinating Frequently

Men are much more likely to suffer from kidney stones, so many men try to ignore frequent urination because it’s also a symptom of prostate problems, something that many men find difficult to face. Do not ignore frequent urination. Not only is it a nuisance that can interfere with your daily activities, it can also be a flag for a serious problem. If it proves to be caused by a kidney stone, catching it early may save you from incredible pain. [2]

2. Blood in Urine

Blood in the urine can have many causes, including infections. But don’t make any assumptions about it. If your urine is discolored pink, red, or brown, it could be caused by a kidney stone. If you try your favorite home remedy for urinary infections and it doesn’t work, do not ignore the problem, try another[3]

3. Repetitive Urinary Tract Infections

Kidney stones can cause urinary tract infections (UTIs). As a result, if you’ve recently healed one, only to realize that you are getting another, it may be because of a stone. Do not simply repeat treatment of a UTI, or you may end up with another horrific kidney stone experience!
If you experience any of these indications, don’t ignore it! The earlier you discover kidney stones, the more likely it is that you will be able to take care of it with natural methods.
Of course, don’t forget about supporting the health of your kidneys. We hear about the benefits of liver cleansing all the time, but the kidneys are the other major organs for toxicity removal. Keep in mind that certain foods and herbs can help clean your urinary tract and prevent stones from forming. Finally, do not forget to drink water! Remember that a primary cause of stones is concentrated urine, so keep yourself well-hydrated.


Lemon Juice for Kidney Stones


1. Lemon Juice, Olive Oil, and Raw Apple Cider Vinegar

This is one of my favorites and easily one of the most effective remedies for kidney stones and the pain they cause. At the first symptom of stone pain, mix 2 oz of organic olive oilwith 2 oz of organic lemon juice.
Drink it straight and follow with a 12 ounce glass of purified water. Wait 30 minutes. Then, squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon into 12 ounces of purified water, add 1 tablespoon of organic raw apple cider vinegar and drink. Repeat the lemon juice, water and apple cider vinegar recipe every hour until symptoms improve.

2. Uva Ursi

Uva Ursi is a common folk remedy for kidney stones. Not only will it help fight off infection in the kidneys, but it may also help reduce pain and cleanse the urinary tract. 500mg three times a day is recommended for kidney stones.

3. Dandelion Root

Organic dandelion root is a great kidney tonic and cleanser. Taking up to 500 mg twice a day may be beneficial.

4. Kidney Beans

Kidney Beans for Kidney Stones
The shape of this bean may be indicative of its healing potential. An effective urinary home remedy for kidney stones, traditionally the pods were used as a medicinal tonic.
Try removing the beans from inside the pods, and then boil the pods in purified hot water for six hours. This liquid can be strained through cheese cloth, cooled and taken throughout the day for one day to ease kidney stone pain.

5. Horsetail

Horsetail tea is an effective natural remedy for kidney stones. Drink up to 3-4 cups of horsetail tea daily or 2 grams of the herb in capsule form daily.

6. Pomegranate Juice

We’ve all heard that pomegranates have many health benefits. But, more specifically, the seeds and juice of pomegranates can be considered another natural remedy for kidney stones. This may be related to their sourness and astringent properties. I prefer eating organic pomegranates and drinking freshly-squeezed pomegranate juice.

7. Magnesium

Studies show that people with recurrent kidney stones who took magnesium supplements had a 92.3 percent improvement rate in reduction of kidney stones. 300 mg of magnesium orotate is recommended daily for prevention and reduction of stones.

8. Organic Celery

Celery for Kidney Stones
Celery in vegetable form and celery seed are great urine-promoters and kidney tonics. Regular use of celery seed, as a spice or as a tea, may prevent kidney stone formation.

9. Basil

A kidney tonifier, basil tea can be taken throughout the day for overall kidney health. If you have kidney stones, try taking one teaspoon each of basil juice with raw honey daily for up to six months. It’s believed that folk remedies with pure basil juice can help induce stone expulsion from the urinary tract.

10. Change in Diet

Unhealthy food intake is a primary cause of kidney stones. Cut down on the amount ofsoda and energy drinks you consume. Avoid processed foods and alcoholic beverages. Add more fruits and veggies to your diet, especially those listed above.