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There’s no shortage of controversy surrounding the use of medical marijuana. Despite the copious amount of scientifically-backed data gathered over decades, if not centuries, which show that cannabis has tremendous therapeutic potential, many lawmakers remain hesitant to approve its use. Regardless, a growing number of dedicated researchers continue to investigate new therapeutic applications for juicing or eating raw cannabis.

For some people, it still remains difficult to distinguish between the plant’s medicinal and recreational uses. This stems largely — let’s face it — from the fact that inhaling the plant’s vapors gets you high, even when that isn’t the primary reason why its being consumed.

It’s not just anti-cannabis critics who have a problem with this issue. Many of the people who consume raw cannabis with a doctor’s recommendation have no interest whatsoever in getting high. For them, the plant is a safe and natural method of relieving constant pain and constant discomfort, and it’s euphoric and thought befuddling qualities are seen as nothing more than unwanted side effects. Fortunately, research is now showing benefits from eating or juicing raw cannabis.

Continue reading: “Juicing RAW Cannabis – Eating RAW Cannabis?”

There has been a lot of talk about the health benefits of flaxseed oil but many people don’t know exactly what it is and what it specifically does. Flax is a good source of plant omega-3 fatty acids, dietary fiber and other nutrients. It’s nutrient composition differs from that of other major oil seeds such as canola and sunflower. It’s important to get the facts straight to make the best choice when purchasing flaxseed oil.

What is Flax and Flaxseed Oil?

Flaxseed oil comes from the seeds of the flax plant. According to the Thomas Jefferson Agricultural Institute, a flax seed is about 40% oil by weight. Of this oil, 55% of it is omega-3 fatty acid.

Flax is very unique because, traditionally, the oil hasn’t been used much. The seed, however, has been used whole, cracked, or ground into flour then used in baked products. Flax has attracted nutritionists and those seeking a healthier diet because it has a high fiber content and it is rich in potassium. Flax is often sprinkled on breakfast cereals and salads and is found in some fruit juice drinks.

After the oil is extracted from the flax seed, the “leftovers” are often fed to livestock. An interesting side note is that the use of whole flax seed as food for chickens has increased in recent years because of the omega-3 properties.

Continue reading: “The Health Benefits of Flaxseed Oil”

Heated battles have raged across the world’s dinner tables for about as long as anyone can remember. The topic of this unending debate? Vegetables.

Despite their most valiant efforts many parents still struggle with their kids about eating their nightly serving of greens. Visiting your local farmers markets, fresher produce and more interesting/flavorful recipes have been helping to slowly turn the tide, but arming yourself with a little extra knowledge before going into battle doesn’t usually hurt either.

According to newly presented research, eating green vegetables may be an even better way to our bodies healthy than we could have possibly guessed. In addition to being a well-known source of vitamins, minerals, and essential nutrients, not to mention both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber, it seems that green vegetables of all types are also a key source of specialized chemical signals that our immune systems use to self-communicate.

Continue reading: “Study: Leafy Green Vegetables May Boost Your Immune Defenses”

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Kefir, for those of you who are unfamiliar, is a healthy and delicious cultured milk drink, similar to yogurt, that has been enjoyed throughout Russia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and even certain parts of Asia for centuries. Much of the Western world, however, is just now beginning to discover the many benefits of this amazing drink.

Depending on their area of origin, most traditional recipes call for either cow or goat’s milk to be used as a base, for the kefir cultures to ferment. Fortunately though for vegans and people who are sensitive to dairy, they also work quite well with coconut milk.

Like yogurt and other probiotic foods, kefir that generally requires a starter culture of some kind. Because each culture is a unique living ecosystem, and reacts differently to different environmental factors, the subtle differences between one batch and the next can be quite considerable.

Continue reading: “How to Make Organic Coconut Milk Kefir”

New findings presented by Finnish researchers at the University of Turku further supports the potential benefits of probiotics during the first months of life, particularly with regards to respiratory health.

The scientists claim a near 30 percent reduction in respiratory illness among infants whose diets were supplemented daily with the probiotic Bifidobacterium animalis, subspecies BB-12, as compared to those in their control group.

They also used the study as an opportunity to further test a new form of slow-delivery medical pacifier designed to administer more accurate dosages of medicine to very young children. The pacifiers have a small opening in their backplate for the storage of drugs. In the case of this study, tablets of the BB-12 probiotic.

Continue reading: “Study: Probiotics May Help Protect Infants From Respiratory Illness”