Just as we are gearing for the thanksgiving holidays, with our minds on big turkeys and vanishing retirement funds, I was alerted to the following. I wanted to be sure you had seen this alert and given the FDA your feedback: Visit http://www.healthfreedom.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=598&Itemid= to read about how the "FDA Regulation Changes Threaten the Supplement Industry".
The comment period ends November 25, so there is very little time for us all to make our voices heard. I urge you to read this information and give the FDA your feedback. HealthFreedom.org has a form you can use to submit your comments. There is also one at http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/568/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=26269
Without wanting to sound paranoid - we all need to remain alert to ensure our rights as consumers and practitioners are retained. I wouldn't be so alarmed if there were not quite so many of these "sneaky" attempts to restrict dietary supplements (this includes herbs) that we know help keep us well! Now that we're all going to need to save our pennies and avoid rising health care costs by staying well, why on earth would the FDA be trying to restrict dietary supplements being moved across state lines if they have been shown in scientific studies to WORK? Does this make sense to anyone?
Its late, so perhaps I am missing something, but am I the only one who gets cross that these big changes that affect consumer rights get buried in regs? Does the FDA think no one will notice?
Best wishes
Erika
Friday, November 21, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Natural Health Holiday Open House Draws PDX Crowd November 15
Portland, OR—More than 40 people filled the ACHS Apothecary Shoppe College Store Saturday, November 15 for a free community wellness event. The College hosts several events a year with themes like lavender distillation and HerbDay, which emphasize seasonal tips for holistic wellness.The November 15 event marked the College’s 5th Annual Holiday Open House. The three-hour demonstration featured several easy-to-make, all-natural holiday gift ideas and an extensive question and answer period. The College also set up several tables where, after the demonstration, participants were invited to make hand butters and sugar scrubs on the spot.
The Open House lingered into the late afternoon to accommodate the larger than expected turnout. In addition to several College students and alumni, about half the participants were from the greater Portland community with some attendees coming all the way from Ohio and Vancouver, BC.
“It’s great,” Heather Baley, ACHS Registrar, said about those in attendance. “We love to visit with our students and grads. But we’re also really happy when the community comes to our events. […] We want …to get information about wellness out there in a fun and practical way.”
Over the course of the afternoon, Tracey Miller, ACHS Dean of Admissions, demonstrated how to make an herb sugar scrub, aromatic body sprays, and aromatherapy room sprays. (All of the recipes are in the ACHS Holiday Recipe Book, available to download for free on the Apothecary Shoppe website. CLICK HERE.)
For those who were not able to attend in person—or simply want a refresher—all of the Open House demonstrations will be available on ACHStv soon. To watch the videos, go to: http://www.youtube.com/achstv.
For more wellness tips and natural, easy-to-make holiday gift ideas get a free download of the College’s Holiday Recipe Book on the Apothecary Shoppe website. CLICK HERE.
Packaging for your favorite gifts: Click here to view the Apothecary Shoppe's comprehensive stock of unique packaging for your holiday gifts.
To see more Open House photos, visit us on Facebook.
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The Open House lingered into the late afternoon to accommodate the larger than expected turnout. In addition to several College students and alumni, about half the participants were from the greater Portland community with some attendees coming all the way from Ohio and Vancouver, BC.
“It’s great,” Heather Baley, ACHS Registrar, said about those in attendance. “We love to visit with our students and grads. But we’re also really happy when the community comes to our events. […] We want …to get information about wellness out there in a fun and practical way.”Over the course of the afternoon, Tracey Miller, ACHS Dean of Admissions, demonstrated how to make an herb sugar scrub, aromatic body sprays, and aromatherapy room sprays. (All of the recipes are in the ACHS Holiday Recipe Book, available to download for free on the Apothecary Shoppe website. CLICK HERE.)
The main lesson here: Wellness doesn’t have to be complicated. “Common household items make wonderful gifts when mixed with essential oils and herbs,” said Baley. “Purchase essential oils that speak to you, and you can combine them in several ways to make custom blends. I like to share my creations with family and friends and always keep a room spray at my desk, when I need a little Aromatherapy.”
For those who were not able to attend in person—or simply want a refresher—all of the Open House demonstrations will be available on ACHStv soon. To watch the videos, go to: http://www.youtube.com/achstv.
For more wellness tips and natural, easy-to-make holiday gift ideas get a free download of the College’s Holiday Recipe Book on the Apothecary Shoppe website. CLICK HERE.
Packaging for your favorite gifts: Click here to view the Apothecary Shoppe's comprehensive stock of unique packaging for your holiday gifts.
To see more Open House photos, visit us on Facebook.
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Monday, November 17, 2008
Killing the flu with soup-ok why?
Well, you know it is that time of year again when the lines at the local market are filled with patrons with watery eyes and hacking coughs. They fill their baskets with various cold and flu medicines and tonics in hopes to shorten the life span of their newest infection. As well the bulletin boards of nearly every place I have visited lately has posters asking me to attend their "FLU CLINIC" which free flu shots for all! They decorate the signs with excited phrases implying we will die without the vaccine and the clinic setting will be a party of sorts. Wooohoo let's go prevent the flu!
Now I know a lot of people do find the flu vaccine important and make sure each and every season they obtain the newly released demon fighter to the even newer strain of the virus which is sifting through the country, city by city claiming victims behind every shadowed doorway. As for me, I do not get the flu vaccine and actually do buy into the fact is it a lot of propaganda and hysteria fueled by the large drug corporations which get government funding to hand out this magic vile of chemicals. I could go on about the conspiracy theory but I am saving the delicious details for my insane memoir when I am the ripened age of 75 and have nothing better to do with my time than explain the evils of large companies and the government set to protect us work hand and hand to .....oops ok I said i would not get into it, sorry.
So, if you are like me and do NOT receive the flu vaccine OR you have received the golden elixir yet somehow come down with the flu anyway, what do you do? Well, we all know the right steps to prevent it but in case you need a refresher of the top 3. Go over these again before you are in demand of lotion coated tissues and decongestant sleep.
1) WASH YOUR HANDS OFTEN! Yes, it is simple. WASH YOUR HANDS. Always. Not in an OCD way but come on, do you really know what you have touched today when you pet the cat or picked up the local newspaper at the corner store? Germs, that is what you picked up. So wash them off. Good rule of thumb is softly hum the royalty free tune of "Happy Birthday" while you scrub away the evil mongers which cling to the crevices of your fingers and hands.
2) SLEEP! Sleep 6-8 hours at night, Reset that immune system and give your body the tools it needs to fight germs. You are ill equipped for flu battle if your body is trying to repair the normal daily break down of the body. Sleep it off!
3)Vitamin C. Seriously, the orange juice industry has been selling this delight to us for decades. Vitamin C helps boost the immune system and prevent colds. I touched on this previously from the vitamin article. So, if the flu season is upon you stock up your body with vitamin C.
So, let's say you did all of those things but that crafty virus STILL managed to infect your body. What now? What do you do to speed the flu along and regain your composure before all the skin on your nose wears off and your lungs ache from the coughing.
Zinc supplements are a good first choice. Zinc deficiency has been shown to lower ordinary immune system function in healthy individuals. Conversely zinc supplementation has been shown to increase natural killer cells in our body. (did you know we have killer cells? The come out when we are sleeping...ninja cells!) According to the American Journal of Nutrition zinc works as an antioxidant, increasing antibody production. Heck zinc even helps increase the skin barrier so germs have a harder time getting in. Good choice for when you are already down for the count and other germs are sent out invites to come to your immune system is down party. Protein rich foods contain high levels of zinc. So make sure your chicken soup is more chicken than soup!
Garlic contains allicin which has been shown in studies to shorten the duration of a cold as well as prevent colds in healthy individuals vs a placebo. However, keep in mind cooking kills a lot of this power so look for a supplement with garlic or you can use raw garlic in your diet. I love to chop raw garlic up finely and toss it in my cottage cheese along with other raw veggies like peppers and onions. It is a wonderful dip and prevents the unwanted affection of strangers if you happen to exhale near them. You can also dice the raw garlic and use it as a topper for that chicken soup!
Capsicum peppers have been shown time after time to increase immune function as well as warm the body. Adding a dash of hot pepper to that soup will really add a nice warming affect to the body and each bite will clear those nasal passages and for a brief moment make you forget that you are sick.
Catnip is also reported to treat the common cold as well as influenza and anxiety. If you are like me anxiety sets in when you become ill because you know all the details of your job will not be done while you are down for the count and all that work will be there...waiting. So sipping catnip tea while watching those old movies on AMC will relax you and work to fight all the internal demons. It also helps induce sleep which can only help you at a time like this.
So , if you can't prevent it then you can help the body to fight it. Arm yourself with some spicy chicken soup (click for recipe) and some relaxing catnip tea. When it has run it's course and you are finally back on your feet...remember to wash your hands!
Now I know a lot of people do find the flu vaccine important and make sure each and every season they obtain the newly released demon fighter to the even newer strain of the virus which is sifting through the country, city by city claiming victims behind every shadowed doorway. As for me, I do not get the flu vaccine and actually do buy into the fact is it a lot of propaganda and hysteria fueled by the large drug corporations which get government funding to hand out this magic vile of chemicals. I could go on about the conspiracy theory but I am saving the delicious details for my insane memoir when I am the ripened age of 75 and have nothing better to do with my time than explain the evils of large companies and the government set to protect us work hand and hand to .....oops ok I said i would not get into it, sorry.
So, if you are like me and do NOT receive the flu vaccine OR you have received the golden elixir yet somehow come down with the flu anyway, what do you do? Well, we all know the right steps to prevent it but in case you need a refresher of the top 3. Go over these again before you are in demand of lotion coated tissues and decongestant sleep.
1) WASH YOUR HANDS OFTEN! Yes, it is simple. WASH YOUR HANDS. Always. Not in an OCD way but come on, do you really know what you have touched today when you pet the cat or picked up the local newspaper at the corner store? Germs, that is what you picked up. So wash them off. Good rule of thumb is softly hum the royalty free tune of "Happy Birthday" while you scrub away the evil mongers which cling to the crevices of your fingers and hands.
2) SLEEP! Sleep 6-8 hours at night, Reset that immune system and give your body the tools it needs to fight germs. You are ill equipped for flu battle if your body is trying to repair the normal daily break down of the body. Sleep it off!
3)Vitamin C. Seriously, the orange juice industry has been selling this delight to us for decades. Vitamin C helps boost the immune system and prevent colds. I touched on this previously from the vitamin article. So, if the flu season is upon you stock up your body with vitamin C.
So, let's say you did all of those things but that crafty virus STILL managed to infect your body. What now? What do you do to speed the flu along and regain your composure before all the skin on your nose wears off and your lungs ache from the coughing.
Zinc supplements are a good first choice. Zinc deficiency has been shown to lower ordinary immune system function in healthy individuals. Conversely zinc supplementation has been shown to increase natural killer cells in our body. (did you know we have killer cells? The come out when we are sleeping...ninja cells!) According to the American Journal of Nutrition zinc works as an antioxidant, increasing antibody production. Heck zinc even helps increase the skin barrier so germs have a harder time getting in. Good choice for when you are already down for the count and other germs are sent out invites to come to your immune system is down party. Protein rich foods contain high levels of zinc. So make sure your chicken soup is more chicken than soup!
Garlic contains allicin which has been shown in studies to shorten the duration of a cold as well as prevent colds in healthy individuals vs a placebo. However, keep in mind cooking kills a lot of this power so look for a supplement with garlic or you can use raw garlic in your diet. I love to chop raw garlic up finely and toss it in my cottage cheese along with other raw veggies like peppers and onions. It is a wonderful dip and prevents the unwanted affection of strangers if you happen to exhale near them. You can also dice the raw garlic and use it as a topper for that chicken soup!
Capsicum peppers have been shown time after time to increase immune function as well as warm the body. Adding a dash of hot pepper to that soup will really add a nice warming affect to the body and each bite will clear those nasal passages and for a brief moment make you forget that you are sick.
Catnip is also reported to treat the common cold as well as influenza and anxiety. If you are like me anxiety sets in when you become ill because you know all the details of your job will not be done while you are down for the count and all that work will be there...waiting. So sipping catnip tea while watching those old movies on AMC will relax you and work to fight all the internal demons. It also helps induce sleep which can only help you at a time like this.
So , if you can't prevent it then you can help the body to fight it. Arm yourself with some spicy chicken soup (click for recipe) and some relaxing catnip tea. When it has run it's course and you are finally back on your feet...remember to wash your hands!
Friday, November 7, 2008
American Botanical Council Turns 20
Austin, TX -- On November 1, the American Botanical Council (ABC) observed its 20th anniversary. The independent nonprofit research and education organization was established in 1988 by Founder and Executive Director Mark Blumenthal, along with noted ethnobotanist James A. Duke, PhD, and renowned pharmacognosist Norman R. Farnsworth, PhD.
Dr. Duke is retired from a 30-year career at the United States Department of Agriculture, and Dr. Farnsworth is still Research Professor of Pharmacognosy and Senior University Scholar at the College of Pharmacy at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
According to Dr. Duke, "Respect for herbal medicine has grown geometrically, thanks in large part to ABC and its peer-reviewed journal HerbalGram. Twenty years of ABC have markedly improved public perception of some of the world's best medicines-herbal medicines."
Prof. Farnsworth said, "ABC may be the primary force promoting a reasonable and responsible perspective on the emerging science on herbs and medicinal plants. There is no way to adequately measure the significant contribution ABC has made to the health of American consumers."
"ABC was initially created as a vehicle to take HerbalGram, then a newsletter, to another level of publication -- a full-color, magazine-journal format," noted ABC's Blumenthal.
To read the full article, click here.
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Dr. Duke is retired from a 30-year career at the United States Department of Agriculture, and Dr. Farnsworth is still Research Professor of Pharmacognosy and Senior University Scholar at the College of Pharmacy at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
According to Dr. Duke, "Respect for herbal medicine has grown geometrically, thanks in large part to ABC and its peer-reviewed journal HerbalGram. Twenty years of ABC have markedly improved public perception of some of the world's best medicines-herbal medicines."
Prof. Farnsworth said, "ABC may be the primary force promoting a reasonable and responsible perspective on the emerging science on herbs and medicinal plants. There is no way to adequately measure the significant contribution ABC has made to the health of American consumers."
"ABC was initially created as a vehicle to take HerbalGram, then a newsletter, to another level of publication -- a full-color, magazine-journal format," noted ABC's Blumenthal.
To read the full article, click here.
We’d love to hear from you! Click COMMENTS below.
Know someone who would be interested? EMAIL this story below.
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Thursday, November 6, 2008
USA Today explores 'alternative medicine roots'
According to an article in USA Today, "Iraq returns to its alternative medicine roots," the U.S. invasion of Iraq opened the door to illegal pharmaceuticals, of which 70% are reportedly fake. In response, the Iraqi people are (re)turning to their indigenous natural health and alternative medicine solutions. Yet, it's hard to discern if there is surprise in this or blame or concern or.... what?
To read the full-article and reader comments (including mine), click here.
You don't have to be a member to read the posts, but you may to add a comment. Not a member? We invite you to post comments here to share comments with the larger holistic health care community.
To read the full-article and reader comments (including mine), click here.
You don't have to be a member to read the posts, but you may to add a comment. Not a member? We invite you to post comments here to share comments with the larger holistic health care community.
'Homemade remedy for sick kids' article features Deborah Halvorson
ACHS faculty member Deborah Halvorson was featured in a November 5 article in the Orange County Register called "Homemade remedies for sick kids." Halvorson is pictured with her daughter, Hazel, making chest balm in her kitchen. In the article, Halvorson credits her belief in natural remedies to personal experience, and shares some great tips for keeping your kids healthy this year, including a recipe for vapor balm.
To read the full-length article, click here. Show your support for ACHS faculty! Be sure to leave a comment on the OC Register site AND here. We're looking forward to reading your recipes for fall wellness!
ACHS Faculty Deborah Halvorson in OC Register
ACHS faculty member Deborah Halvorson was featured in a November 5 article in the Orange County Register called "Homemade remedies for sick kids." Halvorson is pictured with her daughter, Hazel, making chest balm in her kitchen. In the article, Halvorson credits her belief in natural remedies to personal experience, and shares some great tips for keeping your kids healthy this year, including a recipe for vapor balm.
To read the full-length article, click here. Show your support for ACHS faculty! Be sure to leave a comment on the OC Register site AND here. We're looking forward to reading your recipes for fall wellness!
We’d love to hear from you! Click COMMENTS below.
Know someone who would be interested? EMAIL this story below.
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Monday, November 3, 2008
Four Holistic Nutrition Educators Now Certified
Phoenix, AZ – In this economy, more Americans are doing self-care as health care to avoid costly medical expenses. In making sure Sprouts employees have up-to-date credible knowledge, they have sent a representative from each region to become certified.
“Our customers have let us know that health and nutrition information is important to them and Sprouts answers the call” said Patti Milligan M.S., R.D., C.N.S., Corporate Nutritionist for Sprouts Farmers Market. “Sprouts is committed to providing credible nutrition information to its customers and, as part of that continuing commitment, we have well trained educators in each region,” continues Milligan.
Sprouts partnered with Australasian College of Health Sciences (ACHS), to educate their vitamin department staff. “Sprouts has developed a knowledgeable team dedicated to educating customers on the best products for their personal health and wellness, creating incredible value for their customers,” said Tracy Miller, ACHS Dean of Admissions. “ACHS graduates have completed rigorous, dynamic and up-to-date training in holistic nutrition."
Founded in 1978, ACHS is recognized as an industry leader in holistic health education worldwide. Flexible, online programs, highly qualified faculty, diverse student body, and commitment to exceptional online education are the foundation for ACHS's reputation. For more information about nutrition and homeopathy courses offered at ACHS, click here.
We’d love to hear from you! Click COMMENTS below.
Know someone who would be interested? EMAIL this story below.
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“Our customers have let us know that health and nutrition information is important to them and Sprouts answers the call” said Patti Milligan M.S., R.D., C.N.S., Corporate Nutritionist for Sprouts Farmers Market. “Sprouts is committed to providing credible nutrition information to its customers and, as part of that continuing commitment, we have well trained educators in each region,” continues Milligan.
Sprouts partnered with Australasian College of Health Sciences (ACHS), to educate their vitamin department staff. “Sprouts has developed a knowledgeable team dedicated to educating customers on the best products for their personal health and wellness, creating incredible value for their customers,” said Tracy Miller, ACHS Dean of Admissions. “ACHS graduates have completed rigorous, dynamic and up-to-date training in holistic nutrition."
Founded in 1978, ACHS is recognized as an industry leader in holistic health education worldwide. Flexible, online programs, highly qualified faculty, diverse student body, and commitment to exceptional online education are the foundation for ACHS's reputation. For more information about nutrition and homeopathy courses offered at ACHS, click here.
We’d love to hear from you! Click COMMENTS below.
Know someone who would be interested? EMAIL this story below.
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