Do Copper Bracelets Relieve Pain

In this episode I test out copper bracelets and whether they help to relieve pain in the body.

Upon researching this old folk remedy I came upon a few interesting facts.

* Copper has been shown to inhibit bacterial growth

* Used medicinally for thousands of years

* Claims that it relieves symptoms of arthritis, rheumatism, tendonitis, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

* An essential trace mineral present in all body tissue

* Along with iron it helps with the formation of red blood cells.

* Helps to keep the bones, blood vessels, and nerves healthy.

Trace amounts of copper can be found in various foods such as cacao a.k.a. raw chocolate. It's also found naturally in plants that contain vitamin C.

Have you ever worn a copper bracelet, and if so did it relieve any pain or was it just a pretty piece of jewelry?

How to Open a Young Coconut

Ok, we've all been there before, scratching our heads asking how the hell do I open this thing up! Unlike it's mature version though, the young coconut cannot be broken with a few blows to the cement. It takes a little skill and proper aim to crack this baby open. All very easy once you see it done below.

Until recently, coconuts have gotten a bad wrap in the mainstream media. Bashed for being high in saturated fat, the truth is finally coming forth about the many advantages of this delightful nut (or seed or fruit depending on which information you read, though I'm leaning towards fruit). Yes they contain saturated fat, but what sets coconuts aside from the rest of the bad fat foods is that it contains medium chain triglycerides (good fats), which do not contribute to raising cholesterol or inducing heart disease.

To provide you with extra incentive on why you should become familiar with this gift from the gods, I've listed a few on the health benefits from eating coconuts below. To read a more in depth study on how coconuts are being used to fight disease and infection you may read further here.

* Rich in lauric acid (medium chain fatty acid)

* Anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal

* Consumed by thyroid suffers to aide in weight loss

and boost the metabolism

* Excellent moisturizer for the skin and hair

(One of my favorites!)

I know plenty of you have a funny or disastrous story attempting to open one up. Go ahead and share your experiences below.

What is your favorite way/recipe to eat a coconut?

Mine is plain and simple, blend the water and 'meat' together for a creamy shake with a pinch of sea salt and fresh vanilla bean. Ah, now that's the life.

New to Raw Foods

This weekend I hosted a raw food potluck at Cyndee's house. I met her a few months back over the summer when she had just started eating raw. Since then it's been 4 months for her and I thought this would be a great opportunity to do an interview about any struggles or health improvements she's experienced with eating live foods.

We also get into the term 100% raw and what people on the outside may perceive of the all or nothing dogma that is often promoted in the raw food world, how she was able to eliminate painful PMS and chest congestion, what is the master cleanse, and places where you can connect with other raw foodies online.

Hang around until the end of the video to watch a short clip of Cyndee's performance. She's a classically trained violinist but in an unorthodox way. It was a nice treat midway through the potluck to hear live entertainment from a true 'rawsician' lol. To hear more of her music please check out her site.

What are some challenges you find yourself facing and have you found ways to overcome them?

5 Powerful Herbs to Boost the Immune System

If you live on the east coast like myself than you're really feeling the effects of winter. Cold, cold, and more cold! Not to mention less sunlight which is a big bummer. No matter how healthy I believed myself to be I recently came down with a little sniffle. I attribute it to not sleeping enough. I've been working out really hard in Capoeira and haven't been giving my body enough sleep to repair itself. It doesn't matter that I'm eating the most nutritious food, if I'm not giving my body the proper rest it desires it's going to let me know.

When you feel you may be coming down with something, this would be a good time to dabble into herbal remedies beyond your regular wellness routine. You could also load up on something you're more familiar with such as good ol' vitamin C. Listed below are a few of my favorites or ones that are pretty well known. I leave it up to you to research and decide which is best for your condition. You can click on the links too for a more detailed description of each one. Please note: If you're taking prescription drugs you should consult with your doctor to be sure that the two don't interact with one another.

Medicinal mushrooms

No not that ones that make you see funny colors, those are called psilocybin. ;-) I'm talking about medicinal ones like Reishi, Maitake, and Cordyceps to name a few. They pack a powerful boost to the immune system. Since I don't live near a forest or have the time to go forage and pick them, I opt for New Chapter's products. I've also used their Zyflamend (anti-inflammatory) and experienced great results.

Schizandra and Astragalus

Technically two herbs but Gaia herbs has combined the two into a fantastic tincture. I've used this product before and found it easy to take daily in warm cups of tea.

Black Elderberry

Though I've never used it, there seems to be a lot of great information pointing in the way of this amazing berry.

Echinacea

We've heard about this one for quite some time, but beware of imposters. Jon Barron of Baseline Nutritionals has some high quality products such as the echinacea. As with any supplement it's always good to buy from a reputable company that has your health as it's number one priority. An easy way to decipher is to read the back of the label. What is the first ingredient on the back? The herbal supplement or a number of fillers? There's your answer.

If you don't like to shop on line you should be able to find most of these herbs at your local health food store or Whole Foods Market.

Please note: I do not have any financial ties or affiliations with the company's mentioned above. Please consult with a master herbalist for a more in depth understanding of herbs and how they work with your body.

The question of the day is:

Have you used herbal remedies for an ailment you had and if so did they work?

Making Fresh Juice with a Blender in under 5 minutes!

Juicing can be extremely healing for the body. Drinking fresh unpasteurized juices can help aid in detoxification, relieve water retention, and flush the system of toxins. As much as we know it's good for us, I hear the same things all of the time like, "I don't have time, there's too much clean up, and I can't juice anyways because I don't even have a juicer." Hey I agree, me neither. Heck, I don't like to disassemble that thing and wash each part by hand, let it dry, and then try and put it back together. That's just too much work for me. I'm all about simplicity.

Juicing in a blender is a cinch and it can be done under 5 minutes. Watch my how to video below to learn how to do it yourself. The only requirements are that you have a high speed blender like a vita-mix or blendtec . You can try to use a department store blender, but I'm not guaranteeing great results, worth a try though. You will also need a nut milk/sprouting bag. A little secret of mine, I like to get them at a hardware store like a Home Depot. They're much cheaper and basically the same thing except it's called a 1 gallon nylon mesh paint strainer bag.

So will all of this in mind, my question to you is: Which do you prefer to use on a regular basis? A juicer or blender and why?

Losing 200 lb. in 2 years!

For those of you not familiar with Philip McCluskey, he's a sweet loving guy on a mission. A mission to share his story with the masses of how he was able to transform his life and follow his dreams all by eating live foods. Philip tried every diet known to man and as a last resort out of frustration, looked into getting gastric bypass surgery. After waiting months for the approval of the operation and finally being cleared, Philip heard an inner voice inside that said, wait, there's got to be something I missed, one more thing I haven't tried. That's when Philip came across live foods and his whole life changed miraculously for the better. He was able to lose an astonishing 200 lb. over the course of two years.

At this time Philip is touring the U.S. to spread the word about the power of eating raw foods and how it lead to his personal transformation. His latest appearance was on national tv on a show called ' The Doctors '. The highlight is when he comes out onto the stage holding up an old pair of his pants, which now could fit three of him. The best part of this for me is that Philip is showing people that it's not about shedding pounds with the latest quick fix pill or through deprivation, but rather going about it for the two most important reasons, your health and happiness.

Way to go Philip and thanks to Dhrumil for the bootleg clip! If someone like Philip can do do this, anyone can, because he's just like the rest of, the only difference is that he took action. I encourage you to take action in your life, no matter how small. Everything begins with baby steps. Focus on the present moment and as my mother always says, "take it one day at a time."

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50 Years Old & Loving Raw!

Welcome!

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