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A NATURAL SOLUTION 4 YOU
February 13, 2006 Edition
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Previous Issues

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A Note From Donna
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Yes, it has been awhile since you've seen an issue of this newsletter!  We have been humbled by the amount of emails and even telephone calls asking where it was and how much it was missed.  Thank you to all of you that showed you cared.  We certainly appreciated the time you took and we appreciate all of you that remain our subscribers whether you emailed or not.  Thanks for being there and sharing this newsletter with others so we can grow.

When our server crashed, we had to restore (or whatever the techy term for it is) everything on there and we had problems with the mailing list. 

If you've been on this mailing for awhile you will know who I am since I originally did this newsletter until Randal, my sweet husband, began editing it.  Since he has plenty of techy things to be doing these days I offered to do it again.  Looking at his "to do" list he agreed.

We will return to the original time frame for the mailings which has been on the 3rd, 13th and 23rd.  It is really great to be back in touch!  I'm real excited about publishing this and look forward to any comments you might have.

Here in Virginia, it's been winter for awhile but it's been a mild one.  My desk is now in the breakfast area of the kitchen.  It's been nice to be so close to the kitchen and to be right by the deck where I can watch the birds and squirrels entertain me.  Working at home has been a real delight and such a blessing.  If you'd like to see my desk, here's a photo of my little corner of the world.  The pillow on the floor is for Squeek, our kitty.

And here's one of my bluebird friends in the birdbath on the deck.  Click on the double right arrows to see more bluebirds and squirrels.

Until next time, make it a happy and healthy day!
Donna

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Health In The News
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The Full Cost of Smoking

If you think about the cost of smoking, you generally take the price of cigarettes and multiply that by how many somebody smokes.  The effect on health is also a cost factor that is generally considered, but there's a whole lot more to it than just that.   Read this article at SavingAdvice.com to get the whole picture


Study Finds That Low-Fat Diets Do Not Cut Health Risks  

The largest study ever to ask whether a low-fat diet reduces the risk of getting cancer or heart disease has found that the diet has no effect.

A major study published last week gave some researchers pause.  Nearly 49,000 women were randomly assigned to follow a low fat diet or their regular diet for eight years while researchers kept track of their rates of breast cancer, colon cancer and heart disease.  Not only did the diets have no effect on these diseases, they also had no effect on the weight.   Read about it at The New York Times website.


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Natural Health Consultants for You
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Due to the high traffic of our website, we can't answer individual questions, so we recommend these natural health specialists that can help you.  They both offer free 30-minute consultations.

For People:  Dianne Frase

For Pets:  Robin Sockness


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Essential Oils For Health
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Essential Oils Are Nature's Remedies

Essential oils are frequently referred to   as the "life force" of plants.  Unlike fatty oils, these "essential" oils are volatile, highly concentrated, substances extracted from flowers, leaves,  stems, roots, seeds, bark, resin or fruit rinds.  The amount of essential oil found in these plants can be anywhere from 0.01 percent to 10 percent of the total.  That's why tons of plant material are required for just a few hundred pounds of oil.  These oils have potent antimicrobial factors, having 200-300 therapeutic constituents.  Beware of imitations.  Essential oils cannot be substituted with synthetics.  Only pure oils contain a full spectrum of compounds that cheap imitations simply cannot  duplicate.   Read the complete article.


Recipe:  Rosemary Deodorizer & Disinfectant

6 drops Rosemary
6 drops Grapefruit
4 drops Lemon
2 ounces purified water

Combine oils and water in a 2-ounce glass spritzer bottle. Shake well before each use and spray liberally into the air.  This spray will combat odors and kill infectious organisms. During cold and flu season, add 2 drops of Eucalyptus.  The blend also works well in a diffuser without the water.


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Health News For Kids
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Defending Kids Against Disease:  The ABCs of Defense

As a parent, you sometimes feel like you are preparing your child for battle when you send him or her off to school each morning.  Germs, greasy school lunches, gym class, and English and Math are but a few of the obstacles that face your child each day.   As a health-conscious parent, you're concerned about your  child's well-being and performance at school. You can play an active role in protecting and nurturing your son or daughter at  school  without showing up there yourself.  Read more.


Make Your Own Baby Products
Recipes to make teething gel, baby oil and baby wipes.


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Featured Topic
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Choosing Safe Plastics for Your Family

Health concerns with food use of plastics A myriad of petroleum-based chemicals go into the manufacture of plastics. Some can leach into food and drinks and possibly impact human health. Leaching increases when plastic comes in contact with oily or fatty foods, during heating and from old or scratched plastic. Types of plastics shown to leach toxic chemicals are polycarbonate, PVC and styrene.

Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical that mimics the action of the human hormone estrogen, can leach from polycarbonate plastic. Human exposure to BPA is widespread. A Centers for Disease Control study detected BPA in the urine of 95 percent of adults sampled. Scientists have measured BPA in the blood of pregnant women, in umbilical cord blood and in the placenta, all at levels demonstrated in animals to alter development.

Hormones stimulate certain cancers. Bisphenol A has been found to stimulate prostate cancer cells and causes breast tissue changes that resemble early stages of breast cancer. One study found an association between ovarian dysfunction and higher levels of BPA in urine.

For more detailed information on this topic, download a fact sheet published in October 2005 from the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy.


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Natural Health for the Pets in Your Family
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Pet Supplements  by Health Topic

Pet Success Stories Using Nature's Remedies

Natural Pet Email Newsletter - No Charge

Healthy Pet Corner Website for Birds, Cats, Dogs, Horses, Rabbits & Reptiles


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Nutrition Is A Choice
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Here's a hearty winter soup with plenty of preventative power in the garlic and protein in the black beans and soymilk.  Serve with some whole wheat bread for complementary protein.

Healthy Black Bean Vegetable Soup
From Recipe Zaar
 
2 cups water                                                                
4 medium carrot, sliced thin                                                              
1.2 cup onions, diced                                                               
2 medium bell pepper, diced                                                             
8 garlic cloves, chopped                                                              
8 cups spinach, raw                                                               
1 teaspoon ginger                                                                
2 cup black beans, homecooked, frozen                                                             
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cumin                                                                
2 cups soymilk                                                                

Put carrots in pot and cover with water (no oil or butter needed). Cover and cook on medium heat until carrots just start turning soft.  Add onion and red bell pepper. Cook, uncovered, on low heat for a couple minutes, stirring occasionally.  Throw in garlic and spinach. Continue stirring occasionally on low heat until spinach is mostly cooked down. Add ginger.  

Remove from heat once spinach is cooked. Strain vegetable mixture into bowl; reserve juice. Place vegetable mixture in microwave to keep warm.

Place black beans and reserved vegetable juice in pot on stove. Cook, covered, on medium heat until black beans are no longer frozen. Add turmeric and cumin; stir and simmer briefly. Add milk, reduce heat, and stir. Mash some of the beans using fork or spoon, if desired. Cover and cook 1 minute.

Return vegetable mixture to bean soup base in pot. Cook uncovered 1 minute longer, stirring occasionally.  


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Laughter Is Good Medicine
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Great Sale

An artist asked the gallery owner if there had been any interest in her paintings that were on display.
"Well, I have good news and bad news," the owner responded. "The good news is that a gentleman noticed your work and wondered if it would appreciate in value after your death. I told him it would and he bought all 10 of your paintings."

"That's wonderful," the artist exclaimed. "What's the bad news?"

"The gentleman was your doctor."


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Study Natural Health Online - No Charge
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Learn how the body works. Knowledge is essential in making wise health decisions. Take the entire course or choose a system you want to know more about (i.e. digestive, glandular, intestinal, etc.). Begin here.

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Please Pass It On!

If you enjoyed what you read today, please forward this newsletter to your friends!


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Copyright and Reprint Information
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 2006 Donna L. Watkins

The stories, suggestions, and information in this newsletter are not meant to diagnose or prescribe for you. If you have a medical problem, you may want the advice and recommendations of a medical doctor. All stories, recipes, information, etc. that are passed along in this newsletter are for informational purposes only and are not necessarily endorsed by "The Herbs Place." This is a personal publication by Donna L. Watkins. The ideas and information expressed in it have not been approved or authorized by anyone either explicitly or impliedly. In no event shall Donna L. Watkins or "The Herbs Place" be liable for any damages whatsoever resulting from any action arising in connection with the use of this information or its publication, including any action for infringement of copyright or defamation.

Forwarding and Use of This Newsletter

You may forward or use this copyrighted newsletter on a website if you include the following credit:

Editor, Donna L.  Watkins, of TheHerbsPlace.com, provides this free newsletter to subscribers. The Herbs Place provides quality Nature's Sunshine Products at wholesale prices. Visit now to shop or view the list of complimentary newsletters available.
http://www.theherbsplace.com
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