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Take Control
of Your Life
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HERE TO FIND NATURAL TREATMENTS BY CONDITION
Disease Prevention Comes Naturally
Have you been diagnosed with, or have the symptoms
of, asthma, diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, cancer, chronic pain,
depression, allergies, arthritis, HIV / AIDS, anxiety problems, autoimmune
disorders, or any one of the myriad of chronic illnesses
that have become part of a global epidemic of disease? If so, you are
obviously not alone.
Unfortunately, traditional
Drugs and medications do not cure.
Drugs such as anti-depressants, cholesterol-lowering
statins, antihistamines, and most other drugs
only treat the symptoms by altering the body's natural response system, while
they usually aggravate the underlying condition and cause frequent unhealthy and
dangerous side effects. (See Death
by Medicine)
Orthodox medicine focuses on finding cures, like
the cure for cancer, with little success, instead of trying to find and
eliminate the causes. There are alternatives -- natural healing
alternatives that don't just treat the symptoms, but attack the underlying root
causes.
What is the cause? Even if there is a genetic
predisposition, usually a combination of exposures to toxins and other stressors
in the environment will trigger the condition -- whether it be foods stripped of
nutrients, foods tainted
with pesticides, preservatives, and other poisons, chemicals and pollutants that
we breathe in at our work and home,
viruses
and bacteria that can run rampant when your body is weakened, or other
contaminants in our environment
that overload our bodies.
Since every person is unique, their reactions may be
unique, their level and combination of exposure may be different, and their
symptoms can vary. But the underlying culprits are related -- they are the
unnatural products of mankind.
As with a drug
addiction, our bodies may have also become accustomed to, and crave, unhealthy foods
tainted with chemicals. Always ask the question: "Is it natural AND
is it being used as nature intended?"
We believe it is critical that we educate people so
that they can make informed lifestyle decisions, learn how to cleanse the body
of toxins that cause disease and
viruses that invade when the body is in a
weakened state, and minimize future exposure to the multitude of
health threats that exist today. NatureGem is here to help you make the
best natural food and lifestyle choices to improve and maintain you and your
family's health.
Read the following information carefully, and work with your
natural practitioner to
help you decide what is best for you and your family. Your body has been
battered for years, therefore healing cannot happen overnight. Recovery
involves:
1. Changing your diet and environment (as
outlined below) so as to avoid toxic elements
2.
Working towards helping your body repair years of damage (Click here to learn more about your
condition and healing treatments)
3. Then living your
life as naturally and positively as possible so as to prevent disease and
maintain health for life Many people also lack necessary
oxygen in their bodies at the cellular level due to pollution and depleted
foods, which can allow disease to progress. Bacteria, viruses, and fungi
are believed to flourish in low-oxygen environments. Increase oxygen to
your body through moderate aerobic exercise, raw foods, deep breathing,
distilled or oxygenated water, and other natural means such as oxygenating
supplements like
sea
silver to speed
healing.
Remember, much of what we find in our food supply
today is not food, but poison. What we're recommending is not a diet. It's a way of life -- the way we were
naturally meant to eat. Feel free to print out this page to use as your
guide. If you do not have access to healing products in your area, you may click on
the following links to wholesome food,
beverages,
herbs, vitamins, and supplements, personal and home products
,and other healthy products
to purchase recommended and affordable natural and
organic products online. We appreciate any purchases you make online, as
they help pay for the costs associated with maintaining the NatureGem web site,
performing research, and keeping the information as updated and as valuable as
possible.
PRODUCTS TO AVOID
No White, Non-Whole
Grain, or Processed Breads, Noodles, Cereals, and Grains -- Avoid
bleached, enriched (with synthetic vitamins), products that don't say "whole" on the label or products
with a long list of ingredients you don't understand. Semolina, durum, and
"pearled" barley
are not
whole grain.
Click here to learn why white flour used in white breads and pastas is dangerous.
Limit Intake of
Unnaturally Raised and Fatty Meats -- Fats store toxins.
Look for low-fat meats that don't have antibiotics, hormones, and other
preservatives or additives, and have not been irradiated.
No Sugars or Artificial
Sweeteners -- Artificial sweeteners
(Aspartame,
saccharin,
neotame, etc.) can be extremely dangerous as
they convert chemically to formaldehyde and other neurotoxins when heated, as at body
temperature, in hot beverages, and baked foods.
Processed sugars such as white sugar, brown sugar, cane
sugar, turbinado sugar, powdered sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, corn starch,
and molasses (a by-product of refined sugars) have little or no nutritional value and
aggravate yeast and bacteria in the body. The manufacture of sugar from
sugarcane juice is a process that involves a cocktail of chemicals.
Sulphur dioxide, lime, phosphoric acid, formic acid, bleaching agents and
viscosity reducers are just some of these. Moreover, the processing of
sugar is carried out in mild steel equipment, which leads to a high dosage of
Nickel in the mother liquor. Read the labels on gum,
toothpaste, vitamins, children's aspirin, and other products carefully, as
manufacturers are beginning to slip toxic artificial sweeteners into non-diet
products because it's cheaper than sugar. Also avoid non-nutritive simple
"ose" sugars in packaged foods that are synthetic, have been chemically
manufactured, or have been processed (cooked) and refined such as dextrose,
fructose, glucose, maltose, or sucrose. These sugars may be naturally
present in unrefined foods, such as glucose and fructose in raw honey.
No Foods Fried at High
Temperatures -- One order of fast food french fries was found to
contain 300 times more
acrylamide -- a carcinogenic water treatment chemical --
than is allowed by the EPA in one glass of water.
Oils change chemically
at high temperatures.
Avoid Coffee
-- Although coffee is natural and does have some benefits, it should be strictly
limited or avoided because coffee
overworks the adrenal glands, has been show to interfere with the absorption of
nutrients, can aggravate existing heart and nervous conditions, can contain
bacteria, and helps toxins absorb in the body. As long as we live in a
toxic world, NatureGem recommends avoiding coffee, or limiting it to very
occasional use. There are several delicious grain-based and plant-based
coffee substitutes available nowadays, but read the ingredients for additives
and sugars. The healthiest and best tasting coffee substitutes contain
chicory, dandelion root, carob, and other healing plant ingredients.
No Margarine or
Partially Hydrogenated Oils -- Margarine contains trans-fatty
acids, and is not in a natural state that the body can process. Read labels
carefully as partially hydrogenated and hydrogenated oils are being used extensively in many products.
No Low-Fat or Diet Products
-- The body needs the right fats, such as fats from plants -- olive oil,
safflower oil, nut oil, etc. eaten raw or lightly heated, not fried. Many products labeled low-fat or diet
actually contain fats that are not required to be reported as such by the FDA,
contain unnatural ingredients, and toxic artificial sweeteners. When you
eat only whole grains and all-natural products, you will usually lose fat naturally
with little exercise.
No Soda Pop
-- The average can of soda pop contains 12 teaspoons of sugar, which aggravates
yeast and bacteria in the body, and has no nutritional value. Diet soda
contains
artificial sweeteners that are toxic to the brain and nervous system.
No Excitotoxins
-- Stay away from
excitotoxins in food and beverages that overstimulate the brain and can
cause brain damage such as aspartame, aspartic acid, cysteine or cysteic acid,
monosodium glutamate
(MSG), any ingredients that are listed as hydrolized or autolyzed, sodium or calcium
caseinate, carrageenan, yeast extract or yeast nutrient, "seasonings", "spices",
gelatin, bouillon, vegetable protein, texturized protein, plant protein extract,
natural flavoring, and commercial soup, which often contain
excitotoxins/MSG, but are not required to be reported by the FDA.
Also, MSG may be in malt extract, malt flavoring, broth, and natural beef or
chicken flavoring.
Avoid Unnatural Personal
Products -- 70% of what you put on your skin absorbs directly
into the blood stream. As with everything else, read the labels.
Anti-perspirants that contain
aluminum compounds
and prevent natural sweating and
elimination of toxins (read
about aluminum in antiperspirants), self-tanning products with unnatural dyes, and shampoos
full of artificial ingredients and unrecognizable additives are only a few
examples.
Shop for Natural Personal Products.
Avoid Genetically Engineered Foods
There are about 40 varieties of genetically engineered crops approved for
marketing in the U.S. As a result,
60-75% of the foods on your grocery shelves
contain genetically engineered (GE) components. To be safe, buy organic
whenever possible. Genetically engineered foods (commonly non-organic
corn, soy, canola and cotton, and soon-to-be wheat if steps aren't taken) contain substances that
have never been a part of the human food supply. They are not subjected to
rigorous pre-market safety testing. And THEY ARE NOT LABELED.
Learn More.
Minimize Exposure to
Electronic Devices -- Avoid harmful radiation
from
cellphones, televisions, and computers
whenever possible. The least expensive and most effective EMF neutralizer
to stick on cellphones and televisions that I have found is by Aulterra.
You can't block radiation or the phone won't work, and you can't absorb it
or it would overload the device, so the neutralizer changes the frequency of
the signal to assimilate natural frequencies that don't harm the body.
If you
are going to use an electronic device, choose to listen to music on the radio,
as listening to positive music can be very therapeutic to the brain.
Far-Infrared from the sun penetrates deep tissues to help force out toxins.
Far-infrared therapeutic devices are believed to supply more potent and
effective doses that help correct damage caused by exposure to electromagnetic
fields.
Limit Exposure to
Artificial Environments -- Limiting exposure is tough, but be
aware that indoor air can be 100 times more polluted than outdoor air. For
example, we are bombarded from outgassing of formaldehyde and glues in our new
carpets and walls, our offices have fluorescent light bulbs, our car interiors
outgas a huge amount of chemicals, and the list goes on. If you can't
control your work, at least try to control your home. Open windows, use
natural carpets, walk frequently in the fresh air and sunshine. People
weren't intended to be sedentary or cooped up indoors in air-tight homes or
offices for an extended period of time. Don't wear tinted or dark
sunglasses or contacts, as
natural sunlight provides nutrients through the eyes
(never stare directly at the sun). Moderate
exercise, fresh air, trees, lukewarm bathing (preferably in non-chemically
treated water), infrared from the sun, and distilled
drinking water are all natural
detoxifiers.
Don't Smoke or Drink
Excessively -- Smoking is poisonous to all. The toxins
cumulatively store in the fatty tissue in the body. Smoking affects everyone differently
depending on what other levels of toxic exposures they've had and their genetic
makeup. Wine in moderation when taken with a meal or in cooking can be beneficial, but if
alcoholism runs in your family, or you have trouble with sugar levels frequently
being too high or too low, you may want to avoid it at all times.
Avoid Microwave Ovens
-- NatureGem does not recommend the use of
microwave ovens. Microwave
ovens have been shown to alter the molecular structure of food, and the food in
turn has been shown to affect the molecular and cellular structure of blood and tissue in
the body.
Avoid Tap Water and Unpurified
Bottled Spring and Other Waters --
Tap water can contain harmful particles such as heavy
metals, chlorine, arsenic,
aluminum, nitrate, pesticides, bacteria, and viruses. Chlorine and other
chemicals in tap water are believed to
react with cholesterol in the body, creating a gummy substance that sticks
to the arteries, possibly leading to heart disease. Several studies show
that long-term consumption of chlorinated or fluorinated tap water can double
the risk of rectal and bladder cancers in humans, and lead dissolved in tap
water from old pipes can cross the blood-brain barrier and cause neurological
problems. Spring water and other bottled waters often aren't tested for
contaminants, and can contain caustic pesticides that have leached from
neighboring farmlands and groundwater. Try to opt for distilled water (at
least short-term or occasionally as it lacks minerals and trace elements), a
reverse osmosis filter system, or bottled water that specifically indicates a
good method of purification. If you must use tap water, try to use cold
water and let it first run several minutes to help flush potential contaminants
from the pipe walls and water tank.
Avoid Unripe Foods
-- Unripe foods cannot be processed by the body and usually interfere with the
effectiveness of other foods. Food is best picked ripe, but food companies
often pick them early and ripen them unnaturally while they are transported.
Bananas with any green on them are not yet at the digestible 25% grape sugar
stage, green peppers should be avoided -- eat red or yellow peppers, and use
cayenne pepper instead of unripe black or white pepper. Whenever possibly
buy organic fresh picked fruits and vegetables, untreated produce from your
local farmer's market or roadside stand, or preferably organic frozen fruits and
vegetables that are picked fresh, frozen immediately, and therefore have no need
for any added preservatives or other ingredients.
Avoid Products with Added
Nutrients -- Stay away from products that have
added minerals such as calcium and vitamins that shouldn't normally be in the
product. Although calcium sounds great added to orange juice, often when
you combine elements that don't normally go together, or in a ratio unnatural to
the food, it can be counteractive, canceling out
each other's nutritive properties. Eat and drink foods as they were
intended to be taken in. Unfortunately, many non-organic foods are
depleted of nutrients, because our over-chemically processed soil is very
depleted. If you eat a wide variety of whole-grain, wholesome, and pure
foods, and you take a potent multi-vitamin to compensate for the lack of
nutrients in our soil, you will be less likely to have deficiencies.
Avoid Store-Bought Condiments
-- Mustard, vinegar (except for alkalizing apple cider vinegar), and other common ingredients in condiments may cause
fermentation in the stomach. These elements often are intended for more
external medicinal uses. Minimize the use of processed salts, salts with
preservatives, and salty spices -- use
sea salt and fresh and bottled organic herbs, packed with
antioxidants, for seasoning. Avoid store-bought condiments and read the labels.
Natural healthy condiments can be made fresh from scratch using horseradish,
eggs, organic sour cream, herbs, vegetables, plant oils, lemon, and other healthy ingredients.
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Do It Yourself! Make Your Own
Inexpensive & Healthy Products
Healing Foods & Products to Use:
-
Whole Grain Breads, Cereals, & Pastas
-- Whole
grains
bind toxins and fat and remove them from the body.
Some good
choices include whole wheat, whole rye, millet,
flaxseed, whole oat, wild rice
(really a grass), brown rice, corn, spelt, and quinoa, to name only a few.
Proteins & Low-Fat Meats from Naturally Raised Animals -- Consume meats with no
antibiotics, hormones, preservatives, growth stimulants, or other additives.
Avoid fatty meats, as fats store toxins. Look for meats from animals that were fed natural organic products and raised free, rather
than caged. When selecting seafood, choose small non-fatty northern deep
sea fish that are least exposed to
mercury.
Mercury can also come from fallout from
power plants,
vaccines (including flu shots),
dental amalgam fillings, and
other sources. Cilantro
is a simple natural chelator for removing
heavy metals. Chelation therapy is a
good way to remove mercury, other heavy metals, and contaminants from the
body, and break down plaque in the arteries. But don't chelate at the same time you take vitamins or you'll
chelate them out, and removing metals may strengthen any bacteria or
parasites, so take
acidophilus to build up your good
bacteria that may have been destroyed by the use of antibiotics and other
unnatural substances. Consume lots of legumes and a moderate amount of shelled
unsalted nuts and natural nut butter without hydrogenated oils or additives.
Eat brown eggs from naturally raised cage-free chickens. Eggs are an
excellent source of nutrition and, contrary to popular belief, will not raise
cholesterol levels. Cholesterol is produced within the body as a defense
mechanism to combat oxidation. Eating the right foods will help prevent
oxidation and whole grains will help bind out the fat and toxins that cause
disease. To speed the lowering of your cholesterol, you might want to
try natural cholesterol binding supplements such as
policosanol or
red yeast rice.
Only use until you reach the optimal cholesterol level, as some cholesterol in
the body is beneficial and
too low of cholesterol can be dangerous. Also,
cholesterol is believed to react with chlorine and other additives you drink in tap water,
forming a gummy substance that sticks to arterial walls and leads to heart
disease. For this reason, try to use lots of distilled water for at
least drinking (at least short-
term or occasionally as it lacks minerals and trace
elements), use mineral supplements, and/or buy good water filters or spring
waters purified by reverse osmosis, carbon, or other effective means.
Fresh
Fruits, Natural Sweeteners, and Desserts
-- Fresh, preferably organic, fruits are the best natural sweetener.
Fresh-picked frozen is next best. Other natural sweeteners that should
be used in moderation include brown rice syrup, Jaggery
, raw cane sugar, barley malt
syrup, pure
maple and other tree syrups, stevia leaf, and raw honey. Cocoa and carob are
great in desserts. Avoid unnutritional processed sugars that aggravate
yeast and bacteria in the body, and contribute to
chemical imbalances in the brain.
Processed honey is unhealthy for anyone to eat, but raw honey is excellent for
anyone over a year old. Honey can
sometimes contain Clostridium botulinum spores, the bacterium that
causes botulism. Heat treatment is not sufficient to destroy C. botulinum
spores, but the high sugar content of the honey prevents the spores from
germinating, thus preventing the risk of deadly botulism. Normal adults are
not at risk of botulism from eating honey; however, the gastrointestinal
tracts of young infants (under one year of age) may promote spore germination.
For this reason, infants under one year of age should not consume honey in any
form. Watch out for sulfured wines or dried fruits, like raisins -- read
the label. Applesauce made of only apples and water can substitute
directly for sugar in baking. Non-organic fruits can be soaked in a
gallon of water and cup of vinegar for 15 minutes and scrubbed to remove some of the toxic
pesticides.
Fresh
Vegetables -- Choose fresh, preferably
organic, vegetables of all colors that will be eaten within a few days.
Green, leafy vegetables are the best. Otherwise choose fresh-picked
frozen. Vegetables should be either eaten as raw foods, baked, cooked in as little
water as possible at low temperature or enzymes will be destroyed, lightly
steamed, sauteed, or broiled. Do not fry in oil as oil
undergoes chemical changes at high temperatures. If desired, add a good nut or
vegetable oil when done cooking. Use garlic and onions regularly, as they
possess excellent
antibiotic, immune-building, and healing properties. Limit
canned and boxed foods and carefully examine the labels for added salt and
preservatives.
Beverages -- Drink a wide variety of hot or
iced herb teas, fresh fruit
juices, low-fat non-homogenized
organic milk with the cream intact, purified water, and natural coffee substitutes that contain chicory and other beneficial
plant ingredients. Water is one of the best detoxifiers, so drink a lot
of it. NatureGem recommends distilled water for drinking, which is closest
to nature (at least short- term or occasionally, as it lacks minerals and
trace elements), take mineral supplements, or use a spring water purified by
reverse osmosis, carbon, or other effective method. If you must drink and bathe in tap water,
use a good filter that removes chlorine and other chemicals (which
are believed to react with cholesterol (cholesterol oxidation), forming gummy
plaque that sticks to the arteries,
possibly leading to heart disease) and other additives or
contaminants. Fluoride
can also damage nervous tissue. If you don't like water, squeeze a little lemon in it. Also bathe
frequently as 70% of what you put on your skin absorbs directly into the
bloodstream, whereas only 30% absorbs directly when ingested. Let fresh
air into the shower and avoid too hot or steamy conditions, as you'll be
breathing in the chemicals from the tap water. Many bottled spring waters actually
contain contaminants such as pesticides from agricultural runoff. The
labels should tell if they used a good purification process.
Oils, Butters, and Condiments
-- Use extra virgin pressed olive oil, nut oils, plant oils, and vegetable
oils in moderation. Butter should be real, natural, and organic with no
additives, and also used in moderation. Do not heat to a high temperature to avoid chemical changes. Add oils to
foods when done cooking. Unnatural margarine with its trans-fatty acids
should be avoided at all times, as it is viewed as axle-grease to the body --
the body cannot process it properly. Add oil and lemon to salad for a
healthier and delicious dressing. Avoid store-bought condiments with
vinegar and mustard which cause fermentation in the stomach, hydrogenated
oils, and artificial ingredients. Make your own fresh natural
condiments.
Dairy Products
-- Choose all natural, low-fat cheeses and use in moderation. Dairy
products from naturally raised animals without antibiotics, hormones, and
preservatives are preferred. Select the lowest fat organic milk.
We do not recommend the use of soymilk, as soy
contains detrimental properties when not fermented properly (only use soy
in the form of tempeh or miso). Buy plain yogurt and add your own fresh fruit or honey.
Yogurt has amazing properties -- the live culture can help replenish the good
bacteria in your body that has been destroyed by antibiotics and build your
immune system. Ice cream typically contains processed sugar or
artificial sweeteners. Make your own ice cream by whipping
chilled heavy cream in a chilled bowl, adding fruit, nuts, and/or honey, and
freezing.
Vitamins, Herbs, and Supplements
- Because
of contamination in the water, air, and earth, even the best foods have
diminished nutritional value. This is why we believe a potent daily
vitamin, herbs specifically chosen for your needs, and nutritional supplements
help promote healing. Plants, berries, bark,
and leaves are our natural and best medicine, but be very careful with herbs
-- read the labels, research each product as it relates to your condition, and
be aware of any interactions with medications you may be taking or other
herbs. There are herbs for every ailment, including ones that bind
toxins and ones that relax and heal the nerves naturally. Bee Pollen
is one of
the best natural foods you can eat -- it is virtually a cure-all and tonic to
the body. Fatty acids such as EPA/GLA's will help the vitamins and
nutrients you take in absorb properly. Ask your natural
practitioner if you are unsure. NatureGem can help you find a reputable
alternative medicine practitioner in your area, research products, and
purchase the best healing products online at reasonable prices.
Personal, Cleaning, and Home
& Garden Products --
Select products that are all natural and contain no chemicals, glues,
solvents, or other unnatural ingredients. Use full spectrum light bulbs
to simulate natural sunlight or leave your lights off and open the windows.
Clothing, bedding, carpeting, and walls often contain
toxic chemicals that outgas
and are inhaled and absorbed by you and your family. Plastics may leach
into your food when plastic containers are heated. Deodorants,
hairsprays, soaps, and medicines may contain harmful unnatural substances.
Search for Natural and Organic Personal, Cleaning, and Home & Garden Products.
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