Top 10 Bible Foods that Heal + the Biblical Diet

Dr. Josh Axe, DNM, DC, CNS, (born 1981) is a doctor of natural medicine and is a chiropractic physician and clinical nutritionist with a passion to help people get healthy. He operates one of the world's largest natural health websites at www.DrAxe.com, and he has published extensively - for blogs, health articles and even several books:

The following article, Top 10 Bible Foods that Heal + Biblical Diet, was also written by him.

By Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DMN, CNS

November 4, 2017

Whether you eat, drink or whatever you do, do all for the glory of God. ~ 1 Corinthians 10:31

All throughout the Bible, references are made to the medicinal properties of foods and herbs. Representing health and longevity from Almighty God, the importance of diet and of preparing and eating food was oftentimes seen as a spiritual act. If you want to consume some of the most common foods mentioned for their health properties in the Bible, then you’ll want to try these top 10 healing Bible foods.

But first, let’s look at what foods the Bible considers clean vs. unclean. Of course, all of the healing foods land in the clean category.

What Are Clean and Unclean Foods?

When you go on the Bible diet, there are only certain kinds of food that you can eat. Certain foods are “clean” and should be eaten while others are “unclean” and should be completely avoided.

Acceptable Biblical foods:

Trees whose edible yield is bearing seeds or is seed — To put it simply, this kind of food is mostly fruits. All fruits are acceptable in the Biblical diet, just as long as they come from seeds. Fruits from fruit trees are okay to eat, as well as anything that grows on a vine, a shrub or anything with a woody bark tissue. (1) 

Plants whose edible yield is bearing seeds or is seeds — This classification refers to anything that may grow on plants that are not necessarily trees. Examples of seed-bearing plants include squash, tomatoes, corn and beans. (2) 

Field plants — Field plants or “plants of the field” are the next thing on the list, which can consist of herbs, roots and green, leafy vegetables. (3) 

Clean meat — Now this one’s a little detailed because the definition of clean meat is pretty complex. According to Leviticus, clean meat is defined as the meat of every animal that has the hoof cloven in two and chews the cud. (4) Examples of clean meat include the ox (cattle), buffalo, sheep, goat, deer, gazelle, antelope and mountain sheep, just to name a few. Examples of unclean meat include pig, camel, hare and rock badger. The Bible also instructs us not to eat the blood of animals or to eat any meat that has been sacrificed to idols. (5)

As for seafood, everything with fins and scales are allowed, but whatever doesn’t have fins such as shellfish is prohibited. For birds, everything is allowed except eagles, vultures, kites, ravens, ostriches, seagulls and owls. It is also noted that all winged insects are considered unclean. (6)

Top 10 Bible Foods with Healing Properties

1. Olives and Olive Oil — Then it shall come about when the Lord your God brings you into the land which He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you, great and splendid cities which you did not build, and houses full of all good things which you did not fill, and hewn cisterns which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant, and you eat and are satisfied. (Deuteronomy 6:10-11)

The Jews were the elite olive merchants of their day. During antiquity, this precious commodity was used for its healing capabilities, for cooking, to light lamps, for soaps, for cosmetics and even for currency. Olive oil was considered so sacred to ancient culture that it was even used to anoint kings and priests. Hence, the Hebrew for Messiah, Moshiach, meaning “anointed one!”

Research has been conducted that proves regular consumption of olives and olive oil contributes to heart, brain, skin and joint health. They have even been linked to cancer and diabetes prevention. (7) Needless to say, this sacred foodstuff has lived up to its ancient reputation!

2. Pomegranate — For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey. (Deuteronomy 8:7-8)

Tasty, messy and just recently gaining ground in the American market these past few years, several research studies have shown that pomegranates contain strong anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-obesity and anti-tumor properties. According to researchers, “Many beneficial effects are related to the presence of ellagic acid, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and flavones, which seem to be its most therapeutically beneficial components.” Subsequently, pomegranates are being considered valid treatment options for chronic diseases such as cancer, insulin resistance, intestinal inflammation and obesity. (8)

3. Fermented Grapes — May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is better than wine. (Song of Solomon 1:2)

I can’t make a list of top Bible foods without including grapes. Several epidemiological studies have shown that moderate alcohol intake, particularly drinking red wine, may lower the risk of cardiac mortality due to atherosclerosis. (9) The general recommendation is no more than one (five ounces) of red wine per day except for men under the age of 65 who may be able to have two drinks per day. (10)

When grape juice is fermented, natural anti-oxidant and flavonoid properties are exemplified through a substance called resveratrol. Consequently, researchers have focused much of their attention on evaluating the health benefits of resveratrol in recent years, which has been linked to chronic disease prevention and treatment including diabetes and obesity. (11)

4. Flax — An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels … She looks for wool and flax and works with her hands in delight. (Proverbs 31:10,13)

One of the most important plant fibers in the Bible, flax has been used to make linen for as long as recorded history. Although it has been widely replaced by cotton in recent years, flax remains one of the most important fiber plants in the world and one of the top Bible foods.

Having a rich history of medicinal use dating back to Babylon in 3000 B.C., flax seeds have been wholeheartedly embraced by natural health and medical circles alike because it provides a natural, vegan source of omega-3 essential fatty acids, lignans and fiber. Subsequently, research show that flax seeds may be able to help fight against cancer, lung disease and heart disease. (12)

5. Sprouted Grain Bread — Take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt; put them in a storage jar and use them to make bread for yourself. (Ezekiel 4:9).

In the Book of Ezekiel, God gave the prophet Ezekiel a recipe for what has proven to be the perfect bread as science has recently shown us that it creates the “complete protein,” one that contains all essential amino acids. The main reason that Ezekiel bread is healthier than other breads is because the grains and legumes are soaked and sprouted, which makes them easier to digest — and as a result, is the only bread to make this list of top Bible foods.

Harvesting “sprouted grains” happens right after the seed has started to sprout, but before it has developed into a full-grown plant. During this critical growth state, the young shoot digests a portion of the starch to fuel its growth. Subsequently, because the grain’s starch has been utilized, the level of vital nutrients — including proteins, vitamins and minerals — are enhanced. Additionally, research studies have suggested that iron and zinc actually become more “bioavailable,” (i.e. more easily absorbed) after sprouting. (13)

6. Raw Goat Milk — The lambs will be for your clothing and the goats will bring the price of a field. There will be goats’ milk enough for your food, for the food of your household, and sustenance for your maidens. (Proverbs 27:26-27)

Raw milk is filled with the vitamins and minerals that contribute to a healthy dental fluid flow and help maintain strong teeth. Loaded with calcium, vitamin K2, magnesium, phosphorus and fat-soluble vitamins, researchers have carried out a comparative study on the properties of cows’ milk compared to those of goats’ milk and have discovered that goats’ milk may be even more beneficial.

Unlike cows’ milk, scientists from the University of Granada has revealed that data concerning goats’ milk suggests that it could prevent diseases such as anemia and bone demineralization. Additionally, goats’ milk has properties that help with the digestive and metabolic utilization of minerals such as iron, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. (14)

7. Lamb — Now you shall eat it [the unblemished lamb] in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste — it is the Lord’s Passover. (Exodus 12:11)

Due to the significance of the Passover Lamb and equating that role to Christ, lambs are the most revered animal in history, and the most honored food in the Bible (and the only meat earning a spot in the top 10 Bible foods). Lamb is the meat of young sheep that are generally one year old or younger. Due to slaughtering the animal at such a young age, the marble fat content is considerably lower than older varieties of meat, which contributes to heart health and helps prevent again obesity. Rich in protein, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, niacin, zinc and other vital nutrients, it is arguably the healthiest red meat on the planet. (15)

On a side note, make sure to purchase local, organic, grass-fed varieties when possible. Grain-fed factory farmed animals are loaded with genetically modified corn feed, countless additives and are simply not worth the risk.

8. Bitter Herbs* (coriander and parsley) — They shall eat the flesh that same night, roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. (Exodus 12:8)

Scholars are not in complete agreement which plants the authors of Bible were referring to when writing about “bitter herbs,” but coriander and parsley generally make the list.

Coriander is the seed of the powerful anti-oxidant and natural cleansing agent cilantro. Traditional medicine has long used and labeled coriander as an anti-diabetic plant and scientific research confirms its helpful effects on blood sugar. Coriander also appears to be helpful for high blood pressure and heavy metal detoxification amongst other positive health effects. (16)

Parsley is another health-promoting herb and a rich source of several crucial vitamins, including vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium. (17)

9. Vegetables — Please test your servants for ten days, and let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink. (Daniel 1:12)

Instead of eating the tasty dainties of the Babylonians, Daniel and his friends requested to live on a vegetarian diet. When it was time for them to be presented to the king, Nebuchadnezzar and all of the leaders were astounded to see that the four young Jewish friends were more fit and looked better than the other young men who ate the Babylonian fare. Often referred to as the Daniel diet or the Daniel fast, history and biblical text actually support that Daniel continued his vegetarian lifestyle throughout his entire life.

Of all the food groups, vegetables are arguably the most nutrient-dense and safest to eat. There’s relatively no risk in consuming too many of them; whereas, if you eat fruit all day, you run the risk of spiking your blood sugar or developing dental caries because of the excess sugar.

Vegetables are so effective at healing that, according to the National Cancer Institute, cruciferous veggies (broccoli, cabbage, collards, kale, radish etc.) can help prevent cancer because they are rich in glucosinolates – a large group of sulfur-containing glucosides. Known to break down during chewing and digestion, these powerhouse chemicals can slow down and even reverse cancer cells growth. Additionally, it has also been reported that glucosinolates can treat the following health concerns: (18)

• Inflammation
• Bacterial and viral infections
• Carcinogenic toxicity
• Tumor angiogenesis (blood vessel formation)
• Tumor metastasis (tumor migration)

10. Raw Honey — Have you found honey? Eat only what you need that you not have it in excess and vomit it. (Proverbs 25:16)

It’s no wonder raw honey is referred to as “liquid gold.” The medicinal applications to the skin and internal body seem limitless. First of all, raw honey is loaded with key nutrients. Research has also shown that honey contains the disease-fighting antioxidant flavonoids like pinostrobin, pinocembrin and chrysin. (19)

In addition to being a fantastic replacement to energy drinks for athletes and people needing a little boost, raw honey also supports the growth of probiotics in gastrointestinal tract including (Bifidobacteria). (20) Another fascinating quality of honey is its ability to improve allergy symptoms. (21) However, be sure to purchase the local variety, as it will contain indigenous pollen species unlike generic store-bought brands.

Recommendations and Benefits of a Biblical Diet

Is it possible to lose weight by following the Bible’s teachings on food and eating? Founder of the Bible Diet, author of The Maker’s Diet and motivational speaker Jordan S. Rubin believes so! According to him, the Bible Diet is heavily influenced based on the teachings from the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy and the only food considered acceptable or clean is the only kind that should be eaten.

Recommendations from The Makers Diet

The four classifications of food (trees that yield seed, plants that yield seed, field plants, clean meat) is the foundation of a Biblical diet. There are also other important things you should consider when starting or following a Biblical diet:

Water, sunshine and exercise. These three are absolutely key to good health. You should always remember to drink lots of water, get lots of exercise and go outside. I recommend one quart water daily for every 50 pounds of weight. Also, it’s important to drink high quality water. 

Eat safe, clean meat. This means abstaining from certain kinds of meat and seafood such as pork, lobster, clams and mussels, shrimp and catfish. 

Eat foods that are in season. The Bible states that everything has a season. This should also be our attitude when it comes to picking out the things we eat. Lean towards eating fruits, vegetables and herbs that are in season, as they’re fresher and better for your health. 

Eating raw. Eating uncooked raw food is very much encouraged. Some vegetables may need to be cooked, but a majority of them can be enjoyed raw. 

Unprocessed real whole foods. What you eat should ideally be consumed in the way that it was found in nature. This means that we should stay away from preservatives, processed foods, or those produced with lots of contact with hormones, fertilizers and pesticides.

Benefits of Following a Biblical Diet

All these food restrictions may seem like a whole lot of sacrifice, but what about the rewards. According to Rubin, those who go on the Biblical diets and eat Bible foods can look forward to the following benefits:

Weight loss

A diet high in unprocessed food, fruit and vegetables is ideal for weight loss. Natural and raw fruits and vegetables carry fewer calories and are easier to digest then other processed foods.

A longer lifespan 

Rubin claims that some of our ancestors that went on the Biblical diet went on to live for 120+ years. Although we may not reach that age, studies show that a diet high in fruits and vegetables lead to little or no health complications, thus indicating a longer lifespan.

Energy and improved mood 

When our bodies are in a state of imbalance due to poor dietary habits, we immediately feel it. We can feel sickly, sluggish and depressed. Eating right can increase energy, balance hormones and improve our mood.

Final Thoughts

Who would have thought that you could get nutritional advice in the Bible, huh? At the end of the day, if it were good enough for people back then to eat, I think it’s probably good for us today. So much of what the Bible lays out so clearly for how we should eat also makes a lot of sense when you look at scientific research. A Biblical diet is filled with healing foods that promote a well-rounded diet and so many awesome health benefits.

Read Next: What Does Kosher Mean? Kosher Foods & the Kosher Diet

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*Hyssop, not commonly used today, is also referred to in the Bible as a bitter herb. [It's very, very bitter, and when my brothers and I were babies, my mom had extreme ulcerative colitis, something doctors said was incurable at the time. We were babies, and she knew she had to overcome her problem for our sake, so she went to a health food store (Harvest Health in Grand Rapids, MI) and someone there recommended she drink hyssop tea. She did, every day and throughout the day, and ate the blandest diet, e.g. boiled green beans, boiled potatoes with no butter or salt. After a year she was able to gradually add foods, and eventually because of the tea and her bland diet, she could overcome her problem! A careful, thoughtful diet does cure! Praise God!] - CM

Naturopathic Medicine (Seoul, S Korea)

A few hours ago I came across a file that a Naturopathic Medical physician sent to me four or five years ago. I had gone to him for a discounted initial visit because my systemic candida just adamantly refused to get better despite all the strict diet I was implementing. I liked how knowledgeable Dr Sunjae Lee was, but my biggest problems centered around food. My body was so picky and would react to so many things, and Dr Lee listened but when he offered dietary suggestions, I was already doing them (note my super strict systemic candida diet), and so I didn't do follow-up. However, Dr Lee did share with me follow-up suggestions and this very informative PowerPoint on Homeopathic Medicine. It's very good and he would want others to have the information, and to give him a call if they had questions, so I share his info:

Pakistani Treatment for Healthy Eyes

My Korean friend, who's married to a Pakistani man, invited me over for dinner recently and volunteered her husband (haha) to cook Pakistani food for me. Wow, I love Middle-eastern food and have been most successful with my strange strict diet with many of the Middle-eastern seasonings - cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander, fennel, fenugreek, and a few others. Not all of them of course, especially since red pepper figures heavily and centrally in their food, but the majority perhaps are suitable for the candida diet. What's unsuitable is that Middle-eastern foods are made with a lot of oil, and it's not olive oil either. But I've improved a lot so thought, "Why not so? If we can compromise a little on the food, I should be OK, so asked if it were possible to cook gluten-free, dairy-free and to reduce the red pepper." Immediate response was the saddened groan, "Oh, no chapatis!" "Dairy-free is easy." "I don't know. Without the red pepper, there is no flavor." But the husband worked with my request plus had all organic foods and seasonings in the meal. Both chicken dishes were prepared halal, and though swimming in oil (guaranteed not to be olive oil either) were with greatly reduced red pepper. It tasted sooooo good to me because I just don't season my food much so what a delightful treat! I had tiny hints of inflammation later in my tell-tale knee joint, but no mucus in my throat, so evidently my problem is clearing up. The hints tell me I shouldn't push it, because I do NOT want to relapse like I did a couple years ago. Coming out of that relapse has been hard!

After eating, the three of us sat around and talked about so many things - the horrors of present-day food production, arising diseases because of it, so much. I even learned how to kill a camel and watched a video that my friend's husband had made to that effect when he was last home. Fascinating ... but good thing I don't have a weak stomach. I noticed great care was given in avoiding the head and commented on the camel's mighty teeth. The husband said if anyone was bitten by a camel, that person would go mad in a few weeks. There's something in the camel's saliva that messes humans (and probably animal alike) up. Everything was interesting!

Homeopathy for eye strength

Of course somewhere in the conversation we had to have a warming tea to combat the cold iciness outside. We had a lemonbark and something kind of tree that is good for elimination. And then as a parting gift when I was readying to leave, I was given a bag of fennel, almonds, with a few green cardamom mixed in. This mixture (among many others) is what Pakistanis nibble at after meals to freshen their breath, much like the after-dinner mints in the West. Unlike the after-dinner mints, however, there are beliefs of health advantages for the trio. Together they are said to work synergistically to strengthen the eyes. Just eating them alone will not do it; synergy is an important feature of even how other herbs and spices are blended in making food.

Very culturally interesting to me, the nutritional anthropologist!

The Value of Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar (not just any apple cider vinegar but the raw organic that still has the "mother", the beneficial sediment) is said to be a natural remedy for many ailments and a powerful cleansing agent and legendary weight reduction catalyst.

Traces of apple cider vinegar (ACV) has been discovered in Egyptian urns as far back as 3000 B.C. Babylonians used it as a condiment and preservative, while Julius Caesar's army used an apple cider vinegar tonic to stay healthy and fight off disease. The Greeks and Romans kept vinegar vessels for healing and flavoring. In Babylonians times apple cider vinegar was used an as antiseptic and a healing agent, and it is mentioned in the Bible. In 400 B.C. Hippocrates (the father of modern medicine) knew about apple cider vinegar's antibiotic properties and recommended it to his patients for its healing properties. In Paris in the Middle Ages it was sold from barrels by street vendors as a body deodorant, healing tonic and delicious vinegar drink to keep the body healthy and ageless. Even Christopher Columbus on his voyage to discover America in 1492 had vinegar bottles for prevention of scurvy as did Captain James Cook on his ships to the South Seas. During the Civil War it was used to disinfect and heal the US soldiers' wounds. For centuries in Japan, the feared Samurai warriors drank it for power. The Chinese call vinegar a "friend" because they have used it for centuries to process herbal medicines. For thousands of years, apple cider vinegar has been used not only for health reasons, but as a cleansing agent to remove bacteria, germs, mold, odors, even stains and spots.

Apple cider vinegar has known anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties. Among the ailments it is said to cure are allergies, acne, high cholesterol, joint pain, weight loss, rheumatism, arthritis, gout, dandruff, chronic fatigue, candida, sore throat, gum infection, sinus infection, flu, acid reflux, leg cramps and ear infections. It is also used to help dissolve kidney stones, lower high blood pressure, and has been shown to help with type 2 diabetes by improving insulin sensitivity.

Even though vinegar is acidic, ACV has an alkaline effect on our bodies when taken internally and this alkalinizing of our blood pH could play a large part in its reputed curative powers. Our bodies need a slightly alkaline pH balance to be healthy; however, the typical western diet creates an acidic pH in our bodies, which results in many health problems. Therefore, taking a tonic containing apple cider vinegar can help restore alkalinity, and therefore assist the body in getting rid of some of the health problems listed above.

ACV also reacts to some toxins in our bodies, converting them to less toxic substances. Much of the evidence to support the healing powers of ACV is lacking scientific corroboration and is just anecdotal - Internet sources, testimonies in Apple Cider Vinegar: Miracle Health System by Bragg and Bragg. With such widespread testimony, even with the lack of scientific evidence, there seems to be something of value here worth looking into!

ACV contains acetic acid, great for controlling insulin and helping to control blood sugar. It also contains malic acid which positively affects metabolism and energy production. Being made from apples, ACV is also rich in pectin, rich in soluable fiber for lowering cholesterol, as well as potassium, which promotes cell and tissue growth. ACV also has almost all of the minerals, vitamins and trace elements that our bodies need, which raises the question why ACV can't be proven scientifically to be beneficial for fighting diseases, etc.

Benefits of raw apple cider vinegar with "mother"

Beneficial ingredients in raw apple cider vinegar give it its power to make us feel better, look better and feel energized. Just look at some of the beneficial ingredients in raw apple cider vinegar:

• Potassium – helps to prevent brittle teeth, hair loss and runny noses as well as cell and tissue growth
• Pectin – rich in soluable fiber, helps to regulate blood pressure and reduce bad cholesterol
• Malic Acid – gives ACV the properties of being anti-viral, anti-bacterial & anti-fungal; positively affects metabolism and energy production
• Calcium – helps create strong bones and teeth
• Ash – gives ACV its alkaline property which aids the body in maintaining proper pH levels for a healthy alkaline state
• Acetic Acid – slows the digestion of starch which can lower the rise in glucose which commonly occurs after meals

Other benefits

• 1 tablespoon of raw ACV mixed in 4 ounces of purified water after a meal has been used as a natural remedy for heartburn and as a replacement for toxic heartburn medications (although it is usually not a good idea to dilute gastric juices after eating with liquids as digesting is greatly disturbed)
• may help improve bowel irregularity, thereby removing toxins from the body at a faster rate
• helps clear up skin conditions and blemishes giving a smoother texture and complexion
• may also help with joint pain and stiffness.
• helps to break down fats so the body can use them rather than store them - for this reason, ACV is included in many diets
• helps reduce levels of glucose, as published by Arizona State University in a preliminary study in the Diabetes Care journal

Click on the picture to enlarge

More on the benefits of raw apple cider vinegar with "mother"

1. Diabetes
In 2007 a study, published in Diabetes Care, found that Type II diabetes patients who consumed two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar at bedtime showed favorable changes in blood sugar levels the following morning.

The biologically active constituent of vinegar is acetic acid, also the source of the liquid’s lip-puckering pungency. Nobumasa Ogawa, Ph.D., of Tokyo University in Tokyo, discovered that the acetic acid inhibits the activity of several carbohydrate-digesting enzymes, including amylase, sucrase, maltase, and lactase. As a result, when vinegar is present in the intestines, some sugars and starches temporarily pass through without being digested, so they have less of an impact on blood sugar.

[This is very insightful as to WHY the apple cider vinegar helps lower blood sugar levels. For me, according to blood tests I have very low amylase production, that is the ability to digest carbohydrate starches, and so I wonder about the value of ACV for me because the outcome might be that I have even lower digestion rate increasing my malabsorption problem as shown by many lines on my fingernails.]

2. Weight Loss
A study published in 2009 found that obese people who consumed acetic acid (found in apple cider vinegar) daily for 12 weeks experienced significant decreases in body weight, abdominal fat, waist circumference, and triglycerides.

Most apple cider vinegar weight loss home remedies, like the one investigated in Vermont by Dr D. C. Jarvis, M.D., call for the taking of one or two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water before each meal. Patricia Bragg recommends adding 1 or 2 teaspoons of raw honey to this mixture.

Whichever way you take it, don’t expect a rapid weight loss, the weight will be lost gradually, as it should be to allow the body’s fat cells to adjust to their new size.

3. Blood Pressure & Cholesterol
High blood pressure can lead to major health problems including heart attack, stroke, aneurysms, congestive heart failure and kidney damage. A normal blood pressure reading is considered to be 120/80. If yours is higher, consider apple cider vinegar as a normalizing agent.

Studies conducted on rats found that acetic acid may help lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

4. Alkaline-Acid Balance

The theory behind the alkaline diet is that our blood is slightly alkaline (with a normal pH level of between 7.35 and 7.45) and that our diet should reflect this pH level. Proponents of the alkaline-acid theory believe that a diet high in acid-producing foods leads to lack of energy, excessive mucous production, infections, anxiety, irritability, headache, sore throat, nasal and sinus congestion, allergic reactions, and increased risk of conditions such as arthritis and gout.

Despite being an acidic solution, it is believed that apple cider vinegar has an alkalinizing effect on the body. One to two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in water as a daily is recommended.

Take only raw unfiltered ACV with the "mother"

The health benefits of apple cider vinegar will vary depending on the ingredients and process used in making it. Commercial production can use wood shavings, and other vinegars as the base (speeding fermentation), but changing the makeup of the end product. Therefore, the apple cider vinegar with its natural acetic acid, malic acid, pectin and potassium and which is made from organic apples, fermented using traditional methods (raw/unpasteurized and unfiltered) is supportive and balancing to the human body.

Clear vinegar has none of the benefits of raw organic apple cider vinegar. Through its processing and distilling, it’s been stripped of everything beneficial and can be detrimental to one's health due to the fact that it is dead instead of alive. Only raw organic apple cider vinegar has the “mother of vinegar” that makes the vinegar so beneficial. The “mother” is made up living nutrients and bacteria. You can actually see it settled in the bottom of the bottle like sediment.

http://www.fitlife.tv/featured/4-benefits-of-apple-cider-vinegar/

http://thehealthyeatingsite.com/benefits-of-apple-cider-vinegar/

http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/the-benefits-of-apple-cider-vinegar/

Apple Cider Vinegar: Miracle Health System by Bragg and Bragg

 

 

COMMENTS: I am still very unsure that this raw organic apple cider vinegar is benefiting me. Some sites say 'no vinegar' if a person has a bacteria and many, many other sites say that raw apple cider vinegar (only that vinegar) can help battle against candida. Well, I've tried it daily for 2 months now and am still not sure. It doesn't affect me negatively like other fermented things do, but then there have been subtle changes and tiny crampings in my left hand and left foot again ... but I can't honestly link them to the vinegar, so I'm still stymied. Anyway, I'm not supporting raw organic apple cider vinegar for fighting against candida yet. I'm still trying to make my very informed decision. 






In March and April, for three weeks, I went for a  serious raw food and therapy detox at Hippocrates Health Institute in West Palm Beach, Florida. Day 1 I learned DO NOT TAKE ANY VINEGAR, NOT EVEN THE RAW ORGANIC APPLE CIDER VINEGAR!!! IT HAS BEEN FERMENTED AND WILL FEED CANDIDA!!! And so I have my answer, the one I suspected all along.








 

Cinnamon-Ginseng Cooler

Cinnamon is an anti-fungal and supposedly helps with the elimination of candida. Ginseng boosts the immune system, but in the Asian culture, ginseng is used for some people and not for others, reflecting its yin-yang characteristics. Supposedly I am a yang, which doesn't say that I am masculine, but references my strong active characteristics and internal system. People with yang shouldn't be further stimulated, but we'll see if ginseng helps in any way with candida. Maybe it has neutral effect for that, at least that's my guess. Anyway, I wanted a cool drink this past summer so brewed me a batch of tea to refrigerate. It turned out nicely! This one could go either way, as a refreshing summer cooler or as a warmer for the winter. Asian medicine would only refer to this as a warmer because it stimulates the blood.

Cinnamon-Ginseng Cooler

1 12" stick of cinnamon

1 medium ginseng root

2-3 star anise

12 cloves

1 1/2 liters water

Let slow cook in the crockpot for 8-10 hours. Then bottle up the tea and refrigerate. Sip on hot days. It's a great substitute for lemonade, but a caution about drinking too much of this. Cinnamon is hard on the stomach lining, so moderation is needed and certainly not every day. I'll make a crockpot of this stuff about once a month and serve it hot or cold, depending on the weather.

Iodine Test for Thyroid Function

The iodine paint test is a very controversial measurement for testing and identifying thyroid dysfunction. Biomedical practitioners may use the diagnostic procedure, but this informal test is principally administered by holistic practitioners who are knowledgeable about the micro- and macronutrients on the body and its function as opposed to biomedical practitioners who place their trust predominantly is pharmaceutical and, it must be said, invasive measurements for identifying a diseased state.

The iodine patch test, nevertheless, is said to be able to reliably test the uptake of iodine from an iodine tincture painted on the skin. The iodine must be the tinted 100% solution in order to ascertain how quickly it is absorbed, and the interpretation is based on how quickly the iodine is absorbed into the skin. Rapid absorption indicated iodine deficiency, and a slower rate indicates the thyroid functioning under more optimum conditions. For a thyroid to be functioning in an efficient state, iodine absorption should take between 24-48 hours. The amount less than 24 hours indicates the extent of the deficiency.

My mom and I both had this iodine paint test done at our holistic chiropractor's office. She painted an inch swath on both Mom's and my forearms, my swath was definitely darker as the chiropractor liberally triple painted it. In any regards, 6 hours later my mom's tinted tincture had disappeared. Mine disappeared 9-10 hours later. The chiropractor's interpretation of both of our thyroid functions was pretty much, not desirable functioning but certainly nothing to be concerned about at this stage. I wasn't really concerned, but when she tested our thyroid function with kinesthesiology, both of our thyroids demonstrated weakness, and with both of us having a history of impaired thyroid function, getting not too bad results on this test - albeit somewhat of an informal test as no actual numbers or percentages of TSH, T3 and T4 were proven to be impaired - was positive and yet mildly eye-opening in regard to awareness of an underlying problem. And so now we will look for foods that support thyroid function.

The flip side of the coin in regard to the actual reliability of the iodine skin test is given by a physician, David Derry. In determining the efficacy of a treatment, all sides need to be considered to make informed decisions about the test measurement procedure. Here is his medical opinion:

The "test" of putting iodine on the skin to watch how fast it disappears is not an indicator of anything. The iodine disappearance rate is unrelated to thyroid disease or even iodine content of the body. Meticulous research by Nyiri and Jannitti in 1932 showed clearly when iodine is applied to the skin in almost any form, 50% evaporates into the air within 2 hours and between 75 - 80 percent evaporates into the air within 24 hours. A total of 88 percent evaporates within 3 days and it is at this point that the evaporation stops. The remaining 12 percent that is absorbed into the skin has several fates. Only 1-4% of the total iodine applied to the skin is absorbed into the blood stream within the first few hours. The rest of the iodine within the skin (8-11%) is slowly released from the skin into the blood stream.

 
Other alternative testing for thyroid function include:  

Saliva Testing Saliva testing is growing in popularity with complementary and integrative practitioners. There are a number of companies claiming to provide saliva testing for thyroid function, but only one company seems to be used frequently by complementary practitioners: Diagnos-Techs. You can find out more about saliva testing in this article from Drs. Richard and Karilee Shames.  

Urinary Testing Urinary testing for thyroid dysfunction is not in wide use, and is rarely done in the U.S. It’s primarily performed by physicians in in Europe. Typically, doctors in the U.S. who are familiar with the work of the late Dr. Broda Barnes are more likely to use this test as part of the diagnostic process. Currently, the tests are being processed in Europe, and are fairly costly. More information.  

Basal Body Temperature Testing Typically, basal body temperature (BBT) testing involves measuring the early morning temperature, before movement, over time. In Hypothyroidism: The Unsuspected Illness , Dr. Broda Barnes’ groundbreaking book on thyroid disease, Barnes advocated use of this test as a diagnostic tool. According to Dr. Barnes, a basal temperatures consistently below 97.8 was a possible indicator of low thyroid function. A small percentage of alternative practitioners rely on basal body temperature results as their primary means of diagnosis. Other alternative practitioners feel that it may be one criterion among several to consider in diagnosis. Most conventional practitioners do not consider the test useful in thyroid diagnosis.

Most of the information has been borrowed from the following two sites:

http://thyroid.about.com/od/gettestedanddiagnosed/a/othertests.htm

http://thyroid.about.com/library/derry/bl2a.htm

Adlay & Lentils

Adlay - so gluten-free and so loaded with nutrition. This large grain is known throughout the world, but as it is not mass produced, it's known in smaller circles ... as food mostly, but also in art circles for it's beadable shape. Other names of adlay around the world are:

Job's tears, according to Wikipedia, are known by many different names across the world:

• Sanskrit: Vyjanti beads
• Chinese: The plants are called chuān gǔ (川谷) or yì yǐ (薏苡). The grains are called yì rén (薏仁).
• Vietnamese: bo bo, hột bo bo (hột meaning "seed"), cườm gạo, or ý dĩ (derived from the Chinese 薏苡)
• Japanese: juzudama (数珠玉 or ジュズダマ) or hatomugi (鳩麦 or ハトムギ)
• Korean: yulmu (율무) in [1]
• Malay: bali
• Thai: luk dueai (ลูกเดือย)
• English Job's tears
• Indonesian jali, hanjeli
• Filipino adlai

They are sometimes also referred to as Coix Seeds.

For centuries in China and Korea, Adlay or Job's Tears has been used for medicinal purposes like for treating arthritis and small pox. Currently, scientific research shows that adlay may treat allergies, boost the immune system, help balance the endocrine system by more effectively relieving menstrual cramps than prescription medicine, inhibit gastric cancer cells, and possible help with reversing osteoporosis. It's also been tested and found helpful in achieving weight loss, which probably appeals to people as much as adlay's supposed ability to reduce levels of total cholesterol and harmful low-density lipoprotein. Sounds impressive, huh?! However, research does show that there might be an alarming side effect to adlay and that is in rats there was an alarming high rate of spontaneous abortions and some kind of poisoning to the embryos ... but my take on this latter is that in laboratory situations EVERYONE knows that in testing extremely high amounts of a substance are used in order to get some of kind of recordable results. I rather doubt that eating adlay a couple of times a week would result in markedly high numbers of abortions ... but now I'd like to see the chemical breakdown of adlay, and then I think I can make an informed decision to eat it or not. Until I see the breakdown, I will continue to enjoy my Adlay :)

I would eat adlay a lot more than I do, but it is very expensive in Korea. To extend my diet, I buy it and probably eat it 2-3 times a month. It tosses well in salads, in mock "chicken" salad, in stir-fries, blended into a breakfast gruel, served with side dishes. It is an incredibly versatile grain, and so wonderfully non-glutinous and a bit nutty in flavor :)



Haha - reminds me of the Yin and Yang symbol, rather appropriate for this Asian grain!

Adlay with spiced lentils flavored with home sun-dried tomatoes!

Great Medical Quotes

When our medical professionionals uses such phrases as "practice medicine" and "perform surgeries" in an operating room "theater", it seems logical for patients to question the skill of the "practitioner" and the mysterious link between theatrical performances and the skilled ability.

Following are some apropos quotes related to the practicality of the medical and health profession and which could shed some more light on why medical doctors use the phrase "practice medicine" ... (rather an outsider's perspective to be sure). The quotes were borrowed from the site Diary of Unknown Symptoms.

GREAT MEDICAL QUOTES

Dr. Michael F. Holick, MD - "Can you imagine what would happen if a drug company came out with a single pill that reduces the risk of cancer, heart attack, stroke, osteoporosis, PMS, SAD, and various autoimmune disorders? There would be a media frenzy the likes of which has never been seen before! Well, guess what? Such a drug exists … it is the sun."

Dr. Bernard Jensen - "Unless we know and use foods that have the right chemical elements needed to sustain health, we are hopelessly unable to resist disease."

Dr. Michael Klaper, MD - "It's not natural for humans to drink cow's milk. Humans milk is for humans. Cow's milk is for calves. You have no more need of cow's milk than you do rats milk, horses milk or elephant's milk. Cow's milk is a high fat fluid exquisitely designed to turn a 65 lb baby calf into a 400 lb cow. That's what cow's milk is for!"

Dr. David Bridgman - "Of all the people I test for allergies, 99.9% so far show severe sensitivity to any microwaved food."

Dr. Otto H. Warburg in 1924 - "Cancer, above all other diseases, has countless secondary causes. But, even for cancer, there is only one prime cause. Summarized in a few words, the prime cause of cancer is the replacement of the respiration of oxygen in normal body cells by a fermentation of sugar."

The Analyst - "Health problems rarely occur in isolation or for obvious reasons. Instead of simply guessing at what might be wrong, discover what is really going on inside your body based on the many clues it is giving."

Dr. Mercola - "Breast milk contains virtually all of the nutrients that an infant needs except for Vitamin D ... That's because infants weren't designed to swallow the vitamin D, they were designed to have sun on their skin."

Bill Maher - "The human body doesn't get sick for no reason...90% of why people are sick, is because they eat shit."

Web site quote - "Essential vitamin, mineral, and amino acid deficiencies frequently go undiagnosed in conventional medicine because conventional testing methods look for pathology — meaning the tests only check for chronic conditions that are present, and NOT for the precursors that lead to illness."

Dr. Riina Bray - "I learned a long time ago that preventive medicine is a much healthier approach than waiting to develop a treatment strategy once the threat has been introduced, be it a disease or a chemical contaminant."

Wendy Mesley - "I’ve always been a health nut and I got cancer. I knew there had to be something else. We’re not told a lot about what causes cancer in things we encounter every day. But some people do know, and ideally, it’s the right to not be contaminated."

Dr. Bernard Jenson - "Every disease is a sign of a chemical shortage in the body. All of these chemical elements are in our foods, but we don't know what a proper diet is. If our patients do not improve, we are not using the right foods to treat them. Diseases are the end result of chemically deficient organs in the body that are not functioning properly."

Bill Cameron - "In general, any treatment that does not fall within the traditional, proven, conventional canon is treated with great suspicion or simply dismissed."

Dr. Mercola - "Avoid getting sucked into the hype that sunlight is dangerous. It is only dangerous if you are clueless about fat nutrition, which most medical doctors are."

Augusto Odone - "When he was diagnosed, Lorenzo's father Augusto was desperate. I was terrorised, I was shocked. Well, it's a death sentence. So I asked the doctor if I could read the medical papers. He said, 'Don't bother, you won't understand them.'" (reference the movie Lorenzo's Oil)

Bill Maher - "If you believe you need all the pills and drugs the pharmaceutical industry says you do - then you're already on drugs."

Andrew Taylor Still - "To Find Health Should Be the Object of the Doctor. Anyone Can Find Disease."

Bill Cameron - "The throat specialist interpreted my problem as tension, a benign blockage of the throat. A surgical resident said it was a fibrous growth of some sort, nothing to worry about, and scheduled a test two months away. These missed diagnoses are hard to justify. Difficulty swallowing is one of esophageal cancer's more obvious symptoms. It's half a year from those early symptoms until the surgeon leans into my face and tells me I have advanced, aggressive cancer."

Thomas Edison - "The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patient in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease."

Liver Cleanse

The liver is the most important organ in the body. It cleans more than one liter of blood per minute, but if the liver is congested (in medical terms, fatty) it can no longer effectively clean the blood and there is gradually a build-up of toxins, ultimately making the person very sick. For people with candida and cancer, the liver is sadly over-crowded with toxins, for instance, dead bacteria that cannot be transported out of the body because there is so much!

Last summer a colleague lent me a book on doing a liver cleanse. Honestly, I never considered the liver as playing such an important role in the cleansing of the body from candida die-off, so the book was totally informative. The book The Liver and Gallbladder Miracle Cleanse: An All-natural At-home Flush to Purify and Rejuvenate Your Body was a very good read. However, if I hadn't bumped into some of what he said earlier in my research, I might have discounted this book and its info as Andreas Moritz is a horrible grammarian, has lousy to awful punctuation and in the latter part of the book even has dyslexic and incomplete sentences. The information was great but he lost a lot of credibility by his utterly poor proofreading skills.


Anyway, I had been experiencing more and more discomfort - changeable throughout the day but more obvious after eating something with lemon juice and olive oil (which causes movement and the body's attempt at flushing of liver "stones") - and so as soon as I read the information on the gallbladder and liver flush, I knew I was going to try it to get some relief.

Yeast Infection Liver Cleanse

The following is a compilation of two sources for liver cleanses: The Yeast Infection Liver Cleanse and The Amazing Liver Cleanse by Andreas Morita

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 – 3/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
4 tablespoons Epsom Salt (Magnesium Sulphate = MgSO4)
3 glasses water (24 fl oz), divided into 4 portions

RECOMMENDED — For a few days to a week before the cleanse, avoid animal and dairy products and fried foods to maximize the effect of the liver cleanse. Eating food at room temperature also prevents the liver from getting chilled and reducing the effectiveness of the cleanse. During this time also, avoid taking medicines, vitamins and supplements unless absolutely necessary in order to not give the liver any extra work. The day of the cleanse or the day before, do a colon cleanse (colonic irrigation is best; colema-board irrigation is second best; a coffee-enema is third; last resorts, 2-3 day fruit and veggie diet will help clear the colon). A clear colon minimizes discomfort during the cleanse, prevents back-flushing of oil and toxins, and so helps with the swift elimination of any gall or liver stones. Cleansing the colon prior to the cleanse is highly recommended whereas cleansing out parasites first (a 3-week process) is essential (the liver cannot be cleanse if parasites reside in the body).

THE DAY OF THE CLEANSE — In the a.m. have a light breakfast that does not include sugar, dairy, meat, spices or processed foods. For lunch eat plain cooked food like steamed veggies with rice, and avoid protein, oils and fats as this requires more digestion and may cause nausea during the cleanse. Carefully follow the schedule below for best results!

2 p.m. – Stop eating and drinking

6 p.m. – Dissolve the 4 tablespoons of Epsom salts in 3 cups of water (room temp water is best so as not to chill the liver). Drink 3/4 cup or one-quarter of the preparation as quickly as possible. This will start to (further) clean out the colon as well as dilate the ducts, thanks to the magnesium in the salts. [Set out the lemons and olive oil so they will be room temperature by 10 p.m.]

8 p.m. – Drink the second portion (3/4 cup) of Epsom salts. Get everything done so that at 10 p.m. when you drink the lemon-olive-oil concoction, you can immediately go to bed.

9:45 p.m. – Pour 1/2 cup (measured) and 1/2 - 3/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice in a shakable container, and shake to mix. Go to the bathroom the last time(s).

10 p.m. – Beside your bed while still standing, drink down the lemon-olive-oil mixture and immediately lay down. Lay either on your back with your head elevated or on your right side for the oil to have its most effectiveness on the liver and gall bladder. Lay completely still. Do not talk. Try to sleep. Best results will be achieved through a relaxing, sleeping body. You will have no pain or discomfort as the magnesium has dilated the ducts and they are well lubricated with oil. If you feel nauseous during the night, either you did something wrong in prepping for the cleanse like eating heavy food, or you are detoxing too fast and the bile is back-flushing back into your stomach. Prop yourself up to prevent further back-flushing and try to sleep.

6 a.m. – 6:30 a.m. – Upon waking but not before 6 a.m., drink down the third portion (3/4 cup) of Epsom salts. It’s best to stay vertical for this evacuation time, so get up, read or move around. Go to the bathroom as needed. The Epsom salts will now help you evacuate the stones that were spilled from the gall bladder and liver during the night. Many of the stones float, so guestimate how many you are evacuating. Green stones are definitely from the liver as they are covered in liver bile; they are mostly cholesterol, come in many sizes from small to even as large as 1”, and float easily. Tan and white stones are from the gall bladder and are composed of about 10% cholesterol; when small, they float but the larger ones sink. Black and red stones may also be evacuated. Also, white chaff will appear floating on the surface and getting rid of these millions of tiny crystals is important for preventing future stones.

8 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. (two hours after the first a.m. Epsom salt drink) – Drink your fourth portion (3/4 cup) of Epsom salts and continue to move around.

10 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. (two hours after the final Epsom salt drink) – You make have a little fruit juice (or veggie juice for people with candida). After 1 hour, you may have a piece of fruit or some veggies. By noon, you may eat a very light meal. You should be back to normal and feel the first signs of improvement by the evening or the next morning. However, continue eating light meals for a few days as your liver just had major surgery, albeit non-invasive surgery.

2 – 3 DAYS LATER, FOLLOW-UP PROCEDURE — People who do a liver flush/cleanse often have a few stones remaining in the colon. If any remain, a person may have irritation, nausea, infection, headaches, abdominal discomfort, thyroid problems, etc. as these stones become a source of toxemia to the body. The colonic irrigation is the only sure way to eliminate the remaining stones but a coffee enema followed by a warm water enema will have remarkable results. To doubly ensure the cleansing effect of the enemas, in the a.m. on the day of the follow-up colon cleanse mix 1 teaspoon of Epsom salts in a glass of warm water and drink it. Later that day do the dual enemas.

ON-GOING CLEANSES — If you evacuated stones, you will need to repeat the cleanse in 2 – 3 weeks, waiting only as long as 2 months for the next cleanse. Not continuing the cleanse and removing all the stones would probably cause more problems than if you had not done the first cleanse. You may need to cleanse anywhere from 5 – 12 times, depending on the severity of your problem and the amount of stones being evacuated. Cleanse until no more stones appear. Do not cleanse when sick though. It is recommended for liver maintenance that the liver cleanse be done twice a year.

CAUTIONS — Technically, anyone with a history of gall stones, bladder infections, etc. should not do the liver cleanse until he or she has done a bladder cleanse (see Bladder Cleanse Tea) first. Also, people with a history of colon congestion or constipation should do 2-3 colon cleanses before their first liver cleanse.

My Results

2011/6/3 - 1st cleanse - 650+ stones (pea-size average, 25 or so were white meaning gall stones - much to my surprise!)
2011/6/15 - 2nd cleanse - 100 stones (irregular shaped, pea-size and smaller)
2011/7/6 - 3rd cleanse - 50 stones (average size of a nickle!)
2011/9or10 - 4th cleanse - ???
2012/2 - 5th cleanse - ???
2012/3/31 - 6th cleanse - not many, got constipation because I ate too soon and didn't drink enough water because of the water problems I've been having. Felt sooo much better though after this cleanse! Like a new person!


The stones that I counted are only the "floaters" and not the heavier ones that sink (like those pictured above). Some people use a wire net to find out their results, but gross, I just can't be bothered. I figure that as long as some "floaters" appear, I should continue doing flushes.

Sourcing for the picture of the liver and the gall stones is from the The Holy Kale. The Holy Kale also has a variation of directions for the Liver/Gallbladder Flush.

A very good after-the-flush first light meal is steamed cauliflower and broccoli and well coated with more fresh lemon juice, olive oil, lots of garlic and maybe a little sea salt. (I take a knife and quickly cut the steamed vegies into smaller pieces before putting the dressing on.) The fibrous steamed vegies will move gently through the GI track and the lemon-olive oil dressing will require a last final squeezing flush from the gallbladder and liver. After eating, try not to be stationary in order to aid the body in expulsing the detox materials. Be sure to start drinking plenty of water to aid in the GI flush and to keep the kidneys well-flushed after the heavy salt solution of the night before.


Factors affecting gall stone production include:

Natural Health Techniques offers this information and much more on gallbladder and liver stone development. This site includes signs for recognizing the stones as well as their own version of the flush.

• Obesity — the more weight you have the more likely you are to form stones.
• Excess Estrogen — increases cholesterol (a major component of gall stones) and decreases the contractions of the gall bladder.
• Ethnicity — Native Americans and Mexicans seem to be predisposed to make stones for some reason.
• Gender and Age — Women are twice as likely to get gall stones than men, and women over the age of 60 have a higher frequency as well. I’ve heard doctor’s say that anyone over the age of 40 usually has gall stones.
• Taking Cholesterol Lowering Drugs — More cholesterol is secreted in through the bile when on these types of drugs. It seems to make sense that taking natural substances to decrease cholesterol would also influence this, but I know of no scientific studies yet to show that.
• Fasting and Dieting — As the fat is mobilized, it passes through the digestive tract and therefore the gall bladder.
• Diabetes — Have higher levels of triglycerides which are passed into the gall bladder and make up bile.