Recently there has been some e-mails circulating online regarding the use of onions for reducing or preventing flu symptoms. I have been asked to comment on this and give my opinion on the validity of this remedy. So here is what I have found.

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What centuries of grandmothers have instinctively known is now being confirmed by everyone from modern scientists to naturopathic doctors. Onions may have the ability to ward off and relieve symptoms of the common flu. And in a world where, according to the CDC, many Americans will get the seasonal flu every year, the simple method of boiling onions into a drinkable broth may be a good practice to return to.

Moreover, the outbreak of H1N1, commonly known as swine flu, has caused many people to consider getting flu vaccinations that, in my opinion, will do more harm than good. Prevention is the best method, and the following post will offer some insight into this ancient technique of using onions for flu prevention.

How Onions Help with the Flu

The idea that onions could ward off disease through their potent medicinal properties hails back thousands of years. Ancient Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine revered onions for their anti-inflammatory and congestion-relieving properties. The Ancient Greeks rubbed onions on sore muscles and the Native Americans used them to ward off the common cold and flu.

Continue reading: “Will Onions Help Fight the Flu?”

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Athlete’s foot is a fungal infection that usually thrives in warm, damp places. The fungus, Tinea pedis, grows between the toes, on top of the feet, on toenails and between the fingers. White patches, scaly patches, and redness are all indicative of the fungus. Symptoms of athlete’s foot may include itching, burning, stinging and inflammation.

Athletes foot fungus frequents public showers and locker rooms, indoor swimming pools and health clubs, and it is very contagious. Contact with shoes or socks containing the fungus, wet floors, or exercise equipment (remember it can live between fingers too) can spread it.

Continue reading: “10 Natural Remedies for Athletes Foot”

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While we should always try to avoid getting a sunburn, at times the power of the sun can sneak up unexpectedly on our skin. From redness, irritation, peeling, pain, swelling, to unsightly blisters, sunburns can last from three to seven days, and can be highly uncomfortable. When we get a sunburn, what we are actually suffering from is an acute inflammation of the skin cells, caused by the powerful ultraviolet rays of the sun.

Many people are unaware that the chemicals they put on their skin can cause sun exposure to produce inflammation of the skin as well. This is particularly true in the case of products which are full of chemicals, such as perfumes, facial creams, chemical deodorants, etc. When sunburn does occur, nature offers us many cooling, soothing remedies to take the sting and bite out of a red sunburn.

Natural Remedies for Sunburn:

The following are my favorite natural remedies for providing relief for mild sunburn.

Continue reading: “13 Natural Remedies for Sunburn”

So we’ve seen what we can do inside the house to make a difference on the environment, see my previous blog post “Going Green inside your home“. Now let’s see what we can do on the outside. And let me tell you, if you have kids or a green thumb, some of these are going to be a lot of fun.

1) Composting

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Composting is one of the easiest and greenest ways to help out the environment. A compost bin doesn’t cost too much, or you could even build your own, but even then they’re not necessary, when a nice heap will do fine.

Pretty much anything will go into a compost pile, from your lawn clippings to raked up leaves to last night’s dinner. If you like to drink coffee, add in your used coffee grounds to increase the overall nitrogen balance.

Not only does composting keep your garbage scraps out of the everyday waste, but it also creates a great food for your garden. Wait for your compost to really degrade, and then you have some seriously healthy dirt to start planting your new veggie garden.

2) Start a Vegetable Garden

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A lot of the stuff you can do outside is going to have a green thumb about it. If you have your own compost pile, as well as having your own veggie garden, the circle of nature is just beautiful.

Imagine growing your own food, right outside your kitchen window, and never forgetting those last minute herbs or vegetables you need for dinner. And when all is said and done, all of your scraps go out into the compost bin, to one day help grow more vegetables.

Starting a garden isn’t just something for those with a huge backyard either. Anyone can grow their own vegetables, whether you have a backyard or not. Container gardening is a great way to grow your own vegetables, if you don’t have enough yard space. Everything from tomatoes to lettuce to peppers and herbs, all right out in the small courtyard in front of the kitchen.

Continue reading: “6 Tips for “Going Green” Outside Your House”

Recently, I found a study that I thought was really interesting.

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In a society which is literally getting fatter and fatter on a daily basis, it becomes increasingly difficult to find ways to keep people from eating unhealthy junk food.

But in that same society of obesity, there is a growing need to be “green” & “environmentally friendly”. As such, natural health practitioners preaching weight loss through a more nutritious diet may have finally found their biggest ally.

According to David Pimentel and his colleagues at Cornell University in New York, a healthier diet and a return to traditional farming could possibly help reduce the energy consumption of the US food industry by as much as 50%.

To put this all into perspective, 19% of total energy consumption here in the United States, is created by the production and supply of food.

Fossil Fuels & Our Food System

In an article entitled ‘Reducing Energy Inputs in the US Food System‘ recently published in the Human Ecology journal, Pimentel set out a variety of strategies that could reduce the food industries use of fossil energy fuel use.

Continue reading: “How Eating Less Junk Food Could Help Cut Fossil Fuels”

Dust mites are tiny, microscopic bugs, that are commonly found in human habitats, such as your house, couch, bed or carpet. They are able thrive in our living environment, because they live off of our dead skin cells, and the dander from our pets.

Unfortunately, even if you do your best to keep your house clean, we are still vulnerable to dust mites. Cleaning alone will not counteract the problem due to the fact that the average human gives off 5-10 grams of dead skin cells each week and about 3lbs per year.

In this sense, despite the most regimented of cleaning schedules, the dust mites in your home will have plenty to sustain them. Furthermore, the average house dust mite reproduces at an astonishingly rapid rate. The effects of this plethora of dust mites in our homes can have a significant role in causing health problems.

Dust mites excrete an average of 20 droppings of waste each day. Many people are highly allergic to these droppings, and scientists are beginning to correlate dust mites to asthma, as well as other allergic symptoms.

Continue reading: “Dust Mites: A Microscopic Threat to Your Family’s Health”

A few days ago, I wrote an article about the Dangers of Mold, and the response I received was overwhelming. Everybody wanted to know more about mold. In fact, within a few days of publishing the post, I got a couple dozen emails asking how to get rid of mold.

So, I wanted to share my personal tips that I use at my home, as well as here in the office. Please feel free to drop your tips in the comment section below.

How to Get Rid of Mold:

Do you of any other ways to get rid of mold? Please add any mold removal tips in the comment section below.

~Dr. Group

Related Blogposts:

• The Health Dangers of Mold & Mildew
• The Health Dangers of Aspartame
• The Hidden Formaldehyde in Everyday Products
• Fluoride Dangers: Just how safe is it for us?

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Our readers have expressed a new-found and growing interest in creating their own organic garden from the comforts of their backyard. Especially after I published my article about Michelle Obama’s organic garden.

So, as a result, I wanted to share a few of my favorite tips for starting a garden that is organic, sustainable and earth-friendly in the convenience of your backyard.

There are numerous benefits to planting your own organic garden at home: First and foremost, you are able to eat the freshest, local, organic fruits, herbs and vegetables around, while at the same time, you act to help reduce the amount of pesticides and toxic chemicals in the environment. And, as organic fruits, herbs and vegetables can tend to be more costly in the supermarket, now is a great time to explore creating your own delicious organic produce at home.

Continue reading: “7 Tips for Starting Your Own Organic Garden”

When faced with bad breath, many people immediately turn to temporary treatments for this problem rather than thinking about the cause of the problem.

The reality is that bad breath can be caused by some health conditions, foods, and possibly even your habits. If you suffer from chronic bad breath, you should first examine your hygiene habits. Make sure that you floss at least once a day, and that you brush your teeth regularly.

It is also possible for chronic dry mouth conditions to play a part in the development of bad breath. Dry mouth is caused by the decomposition of dead cells in your mouth and on your tongue. This decomposition results in an unpleasant odor.

Extreme dieting and the use of tobacco products, soft drinks, coffee and alcohol are other contributors to the development of bad breath. Tobacco products, of course, should never be used at all. Radical diets and fasting are the main dietary changes that usually result in bad breath issues.

Following a raw food diet, or simply modifying your diet towards drinking and eating healthier things, such as organic fruits and vegetables, does not generally have such negative results on bad breath.

Continue reading: “Natural Remedies For Bad Breath”

As much as we have to look after our own insides, we have to also take care of the insides of our houses, because, if nothing else, that’s where we live, and if we’re to stay healthy, we should live in a clean and healthy environment.

In my “Green Living” cleanse program, I talk about the importance of purifying the air you breathe, water you drink and cleaning up your environment. The tips listed below go beyond the health benefits from a green living environment and focus on quick, easy and cheap things you can do to save money on your electricity bill, as well as help the environment at the same time.

1) Start Recycling

I would like to believe that everybody is recycling by now, but I know it’s not true. Recycling really is an easy thing to do. Save your plastic, aluminum and steel, and put it out by the curb in a separate container once a week or drop it off at the closest recycling facility. The long-term benefits of recycling should be all the motivation you need.

Continue reading: “5 Simple Tips for Going ‘Green’ Inside Your Home”