Mashed Banana Cough Remedy

This video shows how to make a delicious cough remedy with no side effects from bananas, honey, and black pepper.

Back to School... without the Meds!

It's back to school time, so Margaret Durst discusses how to keep your children health with natural remedies.

It is back to school time.  While parents are rushing around getting school clothes and supplies, it is also a good time to think about supporting our children’s health (and ours too).  For many parents, they may face an additional challenge of pressure to put their kids on meds for for a variety of attention and behavioral problems.  Many times these kinds of issues can be avoided with better nutritional choices.  Even for good students, nutrition can help keep them healthy and focused and happy.

I get lots of questions on how to keep kids healthy.  School seems to be a breeding ground for all kinds of coughs, colds and flus.  I have some simple remedies I like to use that have worked well for my family.  My all time favorite “keep my kid well” remedy is Elderberry Defense.   Once we started using it, our son got perfect attendance – he only got a cough or sniffles when we ran out – that was 3 years ago. Read more

Herbs for Healthy Aging

Asian cultures have used herbs for thousands of years to extend the vitality of youth and promote longevity. With the aging of the U.S. population, there has been considerable interest in herbal remedies. There are currently numerous studies being conducted to understand how these herbs slow the aging process. Some of the best of those herbs are listed here.

How are herbs used and what do they do?
Herbs are used for many reasons. Herbal teas are used to cleanse the digestive system or detoxify the body. Herbs are used as medicines, vitamins, supplements, etc. You will find herbal teas used to treat common colds as well. Herbs are available to help reduce wrinkles or other aging features.


Some of the popular herbs include Kava-Kava, which is used to reduce anxiety. Kava will help you relax and sleep well. Another herb is Plum Flower. Herbs are used to treat people who suffer with various illnesses, including migraines, hypertension, cancers, heart disease, gastrointestine problems, and common headaches. One of the better herbs for those suffering with memory loss or forgetfulness is Ginkgo Biloba.

If you have difficulty with joints and muscles, which may be caused by arthritis, bursitis, or some other type of joint, muscle, or spinal disease, you may find benefit from tea pills. You will find joint-specific tea inflammation pills that assist with relieving you of these symptoms. During middle age, you may want to starting using rejuvenating teas.

How do I find more information about the herbs?
You can find all sorts of herbs at most department stores. Herbs are also sold in malls, herbal stores, and pharmacies. You will herbs online as well. It is good to check out the herbs online, since you will have additional details that help you to learn what herbs are used for. Just remember to ask your family doctor before you take herbs. Some medications work against herbs despite that the herbs come from natural sources. 

How do I know herbs are safe for me to take?
Herbs are natural, so they rarely cause side effects by themselves, ulike many other drugs sold. However, mixing herbs with pharmaceuticals may be a different matter. This is why you should visit your doctor first before taking herbs if you are using any prescription or over-the-counter medications.

Cheap Home Remedies

With any home remedy, it is extremely important that you understand thoroughly what is involved before you actually get started.  Many remedies that might seem to be cheap are actually really expensive, and others that can seem extremely pricey are actually really cheap.  In order to determine if a home remedy is within your budget, you need to first start studying the actual supplies that are called for, but have no fear.  Most home remedies are extremely reasonably priced, and you can typically find the supplies already around your home.


For the majority of home remedies, there will be a few items needed.  A basic toolkit will be highly effective in ensuring that you are well prepared for any home remedy that you need to attempt.  Some of the most common household supplies work well in most home remedies and can be easily purchased for a very reasonable fee.  Never buy anything that you are unfamiliar with and just start mixing. This is particularly true in the event of some household chemicals since you may accidentally create a massive, dangerous science experiment in your own house.

One of the most common problems that occurs is the presence of a burn of some sort.  Most people when they have a burn will reach for a bottle of expensive gel; this is intended to help relieve the pain of the burn and sooth the skin.  However, there is a much cheaper alternative.  Your first choice is to start looking to items, such as aloe vera plants or within the kitchen such foods as mustard and even milk are wonderful to help.  Most people will tend to avoid mustard though due to the color-changing that can occur from prolonged usage. However, it works wonderfully in a pinch.

Other common remedies include using baby powder to help absorb any excessive sweat as well as soothe chafing skin.  This is something that is extremely common, especially amongst younger children and is frequently continued on until the child grows up.  Most adults do tend to forget about this particular home remedy until they are reminded.  Keeping an ample supply of baby powder is in the house is typically quite effective in ensuring that there are no problems or complications with a rash or chafing.

Acne is a problem that many adults battle for years.  To combat it cheaply, using simple toothpaste at nights is extremely effective.  The active ingredients in the toothpaste will work to dry out the acne sore and help to clear it up in just a couple of days.  In contrast, most acne treatments are extremely expensive and can require a large amount of money as well as time invested into the treatment plan in order to even begin to see improvements.  This is not a process that is always effective for all skin types, but it is still possible to produce at least minor improvements.

The absolute cheapest home remedy that you will find is for headaches.  This involves nothing more than your own hands.  Millions of people swear by using acupressure to help relieve the pain of headaches.  In order to obtain the full benefit, it is important to take the time to carefully learn where the pressure points in the hand are.  As long as you are clear on the location of the pressure points in the hand, you should have great success using this method.  It is also important to realize that knowing the correct amount of pressure to use is also vital.  With these two key pieces of knowledge, relief from your next headache could be only moments away.  There is no reason to suffer any longer from headaches. A free solution is readily available.

As you can see, there are several things that you would typically keep around the house.  Some are common remedies and others are less popular.  All of them are extremely affordable and work well to ensure that you are getting the best benefits possible for yourself and your wallet.

The Big Pharma Con Job

Drugs don't work. According to a new study, 85% of their new drugs can cause more harm than good.

Drug companies have been accused of conning the public by hyping up patented medicines with little new to offer while downplaying their potentially harmful side-effects.

A new study estimates that 85 per cent of new drugs offer few if any new benefits while having the potential to cause serious harm due to toxicity or misuse.

The author of the research delivered a damning attack on 'Big Pharma' at a meeting of sociology experts in the US. Read more

Vitamins Get Rid of Dark Circles under the Eyes

Dark circles under the eyes may not be a serious health problem, but they detract from your appearance. One natural remedy for this problem is vitamins.

Although the dark circles under the eyes may not cause any serious health problem, they are often a cause of great cosmetic concern, adding years to your appearance or making you look haggard or unhealthy. There are a number of different natural remedies for dark under eye circles - such as vitamins. Vitamins can be used topically or orally to get rid of dark circles. Read more

Natural Remedies for Water Retention

Margaret Durst discusses the causes of water retention and some natural remedies.

Water retention bogs down many of us and is often a symptom of other health problems. Water balance within our bodies depends on many factors.

Poor kidney function will cause excess fluid to build up in the body. There are many herbs that act as diuretics while also being nutritive to the kidney and strengthening it over time. These include uva ursi, dong quai, juniper berries, asparagus, burdock, dandelion and more. There are many good herbal blends available at health food stores. Read more

Benefits of Fish Oil for Fitness and Health

When the words oils and fats are mentioned, health-conscious individuals tend to run for cover. What they fail to realize is that there are good fats and bad fats. Complete avoidance of intake of oils and fats would actually be detrimental, rather than beneficial, to their health.

The Truth about Fish Oil
Essential fatty acids must always be part of our daily diet – without them, we take one step closer to our deaths. Essential fatty acids are divided into two families: omega-6 EFAs and omega-3 EFAS.


Although there are only very slight differences to distinguish the two groups of essential fatty acids from each other, studies have revealed that too much intake of omega-6 EFAs can lead to inflammation, blood clotting and tumor growth. The good news, however, is that the opposite is true for omega-3 EFAs. Omega-6 EFAs can be found in vegetable oils while omega-3 EFAs can be found in fish oils among other foods.

Omega-6 vs. Omega-3
Physicians and scientists are of the same opinion that the cause behind increasing cases of heart disease, hypertension or high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, premature aging and certain kinds of cancer is none other than an imbalanced intake of omega-3 and omega-6 EFAs.

As mentioned earlier, omega-6 EFAs can be found in vegetable oils. This includes but is not limited to corn oil and soy oil, both of which contains high amounts of linoleic acid. Omega-3 EFAs on the other hand can be found also in marine plankton and walnut and flaxseed oils. It should be significant to take note that fatty fish and fish oils contain eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), fatty acids that have been observed to provide many benefits to the human body. In the early 1970’s, a study on Greenland Eskimos have revealed that one of the major reasons why they rarely suffer from heart diseases is because of their high-fat diet (mainly composed of fish).

The two essential fatty acids, EPA and DHA, are also helpful in preventing atherosclerosis, heart attacks, depression and various forms of cancer. Fish oil supplemented food have also proven to be useful in treating illnesses like rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, Raynaud’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

Other Benefits of Fish Oil
There are a lot more illnesses and situations in which intake of fish oil has proven to be significantly beneficial.

Making the Heart Healthier
The heart is inarguably one of the most important parts of our body and having an unhealthy heart means having to suffer a rather limited lifespan. Naturally, it’s in our best interests to keep our hearts happy and healthy and one way of doing that is eating food that contains fish oil.

In Athens, Greece, for instance, a study was made to show if there was a direct relationship between high fish diet and inflammation of blood vessels. The results revealed that those who ate more fish than the others had a lower level of C-reactive protein and interleukin-6, factors that are commonly used to measure likelihood of blood vessel inflammation. These benefits remained even when the various risks associated with high fish diet were taken into account.

Fish to Become Thin
In Perth, Australia, a study had revealed that fish consumption can be used against hypertension and obesity. Researchers of the UWA (University of Western Australia) have discovered that a weight-loss diet which includes a regular amount of fish consumption can be quite effective in reducing blood pressure and improving glucose tolerance.

Fish Oil to Combat Asthma
People suffering from respiratory problems like asthma tend to be perceived as unfit and unhealthy. They should now be pleased to learn that certain studies have revealed the benefits of fish oil for asthma-burdened-individuals. Statistics show that approximately 20 to 25% of children today suffer one form of asthma or another at a certain point in their lives. And certain evidence reveals a regular diet of food with high linoleic acid content as the reason behind it.

Researchers of UW (University of Wyoming) conducted a study by subjecting a number of children to a high-fish diet while others continued with their regular diet. Results revealed that the participants who ate more fish were less prone to asthma attacks and were able to breathe more easily as well.

Consult Your Nutritionist Now
Nothing is good when consumed or used excessively, but complete avoidance of a particular food type is equally harmful as well. Ask your nutritionist for the right amount of fish intake for your age and health status.

Vitamin C Slows Down Cancer Cell Growth

Scientists have recently discovered how vitamin C may slow down the growhth of cancer cells.

A half century ago, Linus Pauling began his pioneering research into how vitamin C impacts health. Now, almost 25 years after Pauling's death, a new study backs up his contention that vitamin C has remarkable healing and protective benefits. In fact, now scientists have discovered how vitamin C may put the brakes on the growth of cancer cells. Read more

Do Calcium Supplements Actually Improve Bone Health?

Do calcium supplements actually improve bone health? Bill Sardi says they don't and discusses what does.

The dietary supplement industry is such a mixed bag these days. It has such promise, but often fails to deliver. For example, garlic pills were once the number one herbal supplement. But studies showed most garlic pills failed to deliver the active ingredient produced by fresh-crushed garlic cloves. Subsequently garlic pills fell from their top-seller spot. Turns out that stomach acid destroys the enzyme (alliinase) that produces the active ingredient allicin. Only if a garlic clove is crushed outside the acidic stomach is allicin produced. Only enteric-coated or buffered garlic tablets produce what a fresh-crushed clove of garlic delivers.

[...]

But now the dietary supplement industry is once again, crying foul, and circling its wagons around calcium supplements, its number-two seller next to vitamin C and used by 43% of the American public (2003–2006), claiming a recent analysis of pooled studies shows calcium pills increase the risk of a heart attack by about 30% represents "cherry picking" of studies. But the dietary supplement industry reacted more out of protection of their vested interests than in delivering solid public health information. Read more

Health Benefits of Ginseng

Out of all of the herbal supplements on the market today, Ginseng is the most widely used. In earlier times Ginseng went by a different name, "man root." because the root resembled that of the shape of a man. To this day many people believe in the powers of Ginseng as they believe that it has healing and mystical powers. The Ancient Chinese thought that when a plant resembles a human body part, that it would have a healing effect on that part of the body. In other words if a plant resembled a hand, it would have the ability to heal the hands. But since Ginseng resembles the entire body, it is thought that is can bring balance and well being to the whole body.


Ginseng contains complex carbohydrates, is an anti inflammatory, an anti oxidant, and has anti cancer elements. Notice today that many energy drinks contain Ginseng, which is because it is known for creating energy. This was brought to the forefront by the Chinese, but Americans have a different plan for Ginseng which is use it for mental lucidity and treating stress. There has been a growing relationship between Ginseng and its ability to strengthen physically as well as mentally and maintain good balance.

It was the Russians who actually made that discovery; however, the Asians have discovered that Ginseng helps mental improvement, eliminates anemia, and helps prevent diabetes, neurosis, coughs, asthma, and TB. Further, they found that it can be very beneficial to the liver and can also reduce the effects significantly of a hangover.

There has been more recent research on Ginseng than on any other herbal supplement, ever. The concern is that many times when people purchase Ginseng at various stores, it may have been over-processed and, therefore, not as effective. The best way is to make sure that you are purchasing authentic Ginseng is to purchase the Ginseng root. Oddly enough, with all of the research and studies that have been conducted on Ginseng, the FDA has yet to endorse it. It is known that people who suffer from high blood pressure, heart disease, bleeding or clotting disorders, or diabetes should not use Ginseng unless they speak with their physician first.

While it is true that Ginseng is most widely recognized as a medicinal herb, it is also used quite frequently in teas and in cooking. Most people are aware of the infamous Ginseng tea, but many are not aware that Ginseng is sliced and put into soups and often boiled and mashed, added to stir fry dishes, and added to boiling water when making rice. It is commonly used for cooking in Chinese, Korean, and Asian foods.

Often Ginseng is used when cooking chicken and mushroom dishes. Many people also use it in desserts for some added zing. It is often used in soups, salads, and even jellies. It seems that most people who enjoy the benefits of Ginseng for cooking are vegetarians, but it might be becoming more popular since people are now learning the true benefits of this very popular herb.

Two Effective Yoga Techniques to Lower Blood Pressure

For controlling your hypertension, there are two effective yoga techniques that helps lower the blood pressure:

Inverted Yoga

Inverted yoga reverses the action of gravity on the body. The most profound changes brought about by Inverted Yoga is in circulation. In inverted poses, legs and abdomen are placed higher than the heart.

Lengthening up through the legs and keep them very active so your spine opens and the entire body actively involved in the pose.

One of the reasons for this is simply because the force of gravity is reversed and venous return becomes significantly greater.


Normally, the muscles of the calf and other skeletal muscles in the lower extremities must contract in order to pump unoxygenated blood and waste back to the heart through the veins.

In inverted poses, gravity causes the blood to flow easily back through the veins and this brings the blood pressure in the feet to a minimum. This in effect gives skeletal muscles a chance to rest.

In inverted poses, drainage of blood and waste from the lower body back to the heart is increased and disorders such as varicose veins and swollen ankles are relieved.

Rhythmic Breathing

It's time to learn about breathing, because inhaling and exhaling has the power to nourish the body and calm the mind.

Not just any old breathing will do. If you're like most people, you take shallow breaths, pull in your stomach when you inhale and never empty your lungs of carbon dioxide when you exhale.

Here's the physiological explanation: Long, slow breaths are more efficient than short, fast ones.

To take in a good breath, your lungs must first be basically empty. Thus the key to efficient breathing lies in exhaling completely. A full exhalation begins with the upper chest, proceeds to the middle chest and finishes with tightening the abdominal muscles.

Only after a good exhalation can you draw in a good lungful of the oxygen-rich air your blood needs for nourishing cells.

These two yoga techniques can help naturally lower high blood pressure. If you're already using blood pressure medication, be sure that your doctor monitors your progress. After you've been practicing these techniques for awhile, your doctor may need to reduce your dosage of medication.

How to Treat Depression the Natural Way

Zero zip, zest, zeal? Even mild depression takes a toll on your whole body, but it's fixable, says Margaret Durst.

Zip, zest, and zeal are signs of health. If you feel that you are lacking these on a regular basis, you may be depressed. Many people do not believe in depression; however, it is one of the most common health problems in the United States affecting an estimated 17 million Americans each year.

Depression is a whole-body condition that affects the body, nervous system, moods, thoughts and behavior. It affects the way you eat and sleep, the way you feel about yourself and the way you react to and think about the people and things around you.

Symptoms of depression include chronic fatigue, sleep disturbances, changes in appetite, difficulty concentrating or making decisions, headaches, backaches, digestive disorders, restlessness, irritability, quickness to anger, loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies, work or social life, and feelings of worthlessness or inadequacy. Read more