Posted on Tue, Feb 21, 2012 @ 05:45 PM
We're pleased that you are a member of the Radiant Life community.
We wanted to let you know that Dr. Joseph Mercola, osteopath and author of his popular wellness site, is being interviewed this week on the Dr. Oz show. The topic is "All Natural Cures Your Doctor Thinks Are Crazy". Dr. Mercola will be speaking on many topics including the top anti-aging herbs (Turmeric is #1) as well as the benefits of Earthing.
Dr. Mercola says: Walking Barefoot Cures Exhaustion and Weight Gain
Grounding or earthing refers to contact with the Earth’s surface electrons by walking barefoot outside, transfering the energy from the ground into the body. In an interview with Dr. Oz, Dr. Mercola claims that earthing can significantly change your health. Emerging research supports that walking barefoot outside or sitting, working or sleeping indoors connected to conductive systems may result in reduced pain, better sleep and less inflammation. The logical explanation for the reduction in inflammation is that the Earth’s negatively charged antioxidant electrons enter the body and neutralize positively charged free radicals in the body. To get this benefit, Dr. Mercola recommends grounding on earthing sheets, made with fine thin strands of silver and which connect to a ground port of a standard wall outlet.
Please visit Radiant Life for the latest in Earthing products and information! Radiant Life offers the best prices anywhere on the book, Earthing: The Most Important Health Discovery Ever? by Clinton Ober, Dr. Stephen Sinatra, and Martin Zucker.
Enjoy Special Savings on this book!
Here are the links to the Earthing interview of Dr. Mercola by Dr. Oz:
http://player.admin.theplatform.com/ps/player/pds/Jhd818-xkZ?pid=3acWiCbTyIbxUOIgTx1z_b5_ZGHTQZHm
http://player.admin.theplatform.com/ps/player/pds/Jhd818-xkZ?pid=KcD3AWqI_lwD7bXrqwXHSGcP9RY1DqVd
Posted on Tue, Feb 21, 2012 @ 05:26 AM
So, what's so bad about carbs?
Basically, all nonfibrous forms of carbohydrates are sugar once they are metabolized by the body. For many health reasons, we don't want sugar to be our primary source of fuel! We need our fuel source to be fat, not sugar.
Adding Fuel to the Fire
This is where saving time comes in. Consider a "fire as a source of heat" analogy.
Sugar is an incredibly volatile source of fuel. It burns quickly, much like paper and kindling when you are trying to start a fire. If you were going to heat your home with the fire in your fireplace, you would not want to keep the fire going with just paper and kindling. You would want to add some slow burning logs, so you could enjoy a steady source of heat, without constantly tending to the fire. Needing to add kindling every few minutes to keep the fire going is time consuming! It leaves time for little else if you want to stay warm.
When carbohydrates are your major source of fuel, you become pre-occupied with keeping the fire burning, as your source of fuel is being burned so quickly. Utilizing sugar as your body's primary source of fuel requires a constant supply of carbohydrates. (Does the term "grazing" come to mind? Grazing is a continual search for nourishment. It can also manifest itself as a constant craving for carbohydrates.) You are constantly experiencing blood sugar spikes and dips. Your body becomes obsessed with trying to maintain a balanced blood sugar level. True endocrine balance can never occur if sugar is out of balance!
Using fat as your primary source of fuel on the other hand, allows you to adopt a ketone based metabolism (more on this in a future post). Dietary fat burns in a prolonged and sustained manner. This allows for more time to do other things besides think about how you are going to stave off hunger, feel satiated, become less anxious, etc. A steady, long-burning, efficient fuel, it's like adding a large log to the fire before going to bed.
Switching from carbohydrates to fats as your major source of fuel frees you up to do other things besides think of what you need to eat in the next hour or so, when you are once again starving and/or anxious!
Consume healthy fats helps to ensure that your are getting the necessary essential fatty acids: EPA, DHA, and GLA, as well as the correct ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Eat foods from a variety of natural sources.
Healthy Fats
It is important to use an optimized macronutrient ratio of the following:
Consuming a higher percentage of healthy fat- eating only as much as you really need to satisfy hunger- can play a significant role in your health and vitality. The more that dietary fat serves as your primary source of fuel, and not carbohydrates, the better you will become at fat burning!
What about Protein?
High-protein diets are not necessary to be healthy. Consuming as little as 6 to 7 ounces of high-quality, nutrient-dense complete protein (grass-fed meat, wild-caught fish, pastured eggs) each day may be enough for most adults. In fact, amounts more than this will likely suppress ketosis.
Source: Nora T. Gedaudas, CNS, CNT, Presenter at Wise Traditions 2010: Taming the Carb Craving Monster
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Posted on Tue, Feb 14, 2012 @ 05:45 AM
Did you know that up to 70% of your immune system resides in your gut? The mucosal layer, only a single cell in thickness, serves as the first line of defense in your immune system. This layer, often referred to as GALT (gut-associated lymphatic tissue), is found in both the gut and the lungs. GALT contains the antibody, Immunoglobulin A (IgA). It is the secretion of IgA that alerts the body of invasions by unwanted antigens and microbes. Stress, excessively low or high cortisol levels, infection, poor diet and food sensitivities can strip IgA from the gut and lungs, rendering them extremely vulnerable. It makes sense to maintain and protect your gut's mucosa!
Ways to Boost Your Immunity*
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Get a hold of the stress in your life
It's not the amount of stress you encounter, it's how you react to the stress that can lower your immunity. The functioning of our hormones influences the way we focus on and interpret stressful events in our lives. Increased levels of stress hormones suppresses your immune system. Give special attention to stress management!
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Look at what you are putting into your body
Its not just getting the right nutrients/mircoorganisms, its avoiding the bad stuff!
Exposing your body to chemical toxins adds stress to your immune system. The continual process of natural detoxification provides extra stresses on the immune system. By reducing the need for detoxification, you can strengthen your immune system, rather than bombard it with more antigenic compounds. Synthetic foods- sugar, processed wheat, junk foods, etc.- create substances that the immune system is required to detoxify. Having the body constantly be in "detox mode" depletes immune strength. Of course, it is now common knowledge that antibiotics are particularly damaging to a healthy gut flora.
Eating foods you are sensitive to stimulates surges in cortisol (a stress hormone), insulin, and histamine. This process acts as an excitatory transmitter that agitates your nervous system. It makes sense to pay attention to foods that don't agree with you and eliminate them!
Immune System Support: Supplements
Combine healthy Bacteria, Colostrum and Vitamin C for an extra immunity kick!
Strengthen your immune system by making sure your GI system has enough healthy bacteria! These "friendly" microorganisms balance your inner ecosystem and help GALT modulate immune responses. Sources include probiotics, colostrum, cultured vegetables, and traditionally fermented foods such as yogurt and kefir made from raw milk.
Many people take organic colostrum for the immunoglobulins it contains. Immunoglobulins, or antibodies, neutralize invading pathogens in your lymphatic and circulatory systems. Colostrum provides immunity for a wide range of pathogens. It is these immunoglobulins that can effect the pathogens that cause diarrhea and gastrointestinal illness by invading your intestinal tract!
A common reaction is to take natural Vitamin C to aid the body in preventing viral and bacterial infections. The most profound effects of vitamin C appear to be in the overall strengthening of your immune system. Yet the physiological absorption path of vitamin C is through the mucous membranes of the mouth, stomach and upper part of the small intestine. That is why it is vital to maintain and protect your gut's mucosa! Vitamin C acts as a powerful antioxidant, protecting thiamine, riboflavin, folic acid, pantothenic acid, and vitamins A and E against oxidation.
While Vitamin C is an important part of your total immune health protocol, it's not the only thing. If you only take Vitamin C, chances are you're not giving your immune system everything it needs to get stronger in the face of a cold, flu or infection.
nearly every chronic health problem has inflammation at its root, so eating a diet high in anti-inflammatory foods is a simple, natural way to prevent any number of diseases from ever getting a foothold in your body.
Sources:
*Primal Body,Primal Mind by Nora Gedgaudas, CNS, CNT
Posted on Sun, Feb 12, 2012 @ 09:10 AM
Anyone interested in sustainable living knows about the harmful effects disposable plastic water bottles have on us and our environment.
Bottled water consumption more than doubled from 1997-2007, from 13.4 gallons to 29.3 gallons per person. Fortunately, this trend has lessened over the last three years. Part of this ambivalence may stem from the realization that most bottled water is glorified filtered tap water. Additionally, many of us have concerns over chemicals like phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA) leaching from plastic containers into our drinking water. Finally, there is the concern that 80% of plastic water bottles end up in landfills and incinerators adding up to tremendous amounts of waste.
Given a choice, I prefer to drink water out of a glass container. Glass doesn't leach harmful chemicals like plastic, it adds no flavor to the water like metal sometimes does and I just like the way it feels. But glass is breakable, and for that reason, sometimes it is just not practical to carry around my pure water in my VioLiv glass bottle. I've been on the hunt for an alternative that was safer but did not compromise my water's taste, and fit into our core principles of offering products for optimal health and sustainable living.
Needles to say, I was more than thrilled to come across The Bamboo Bottle. It is renewable, recyclable, durable and BPA-free!
The glass guarantees a clean and crisp water taste, safe at all temperatures.The bamboo exterior both protects and insulates whatever liquid is stored in the glass, and the few plastic components are BPA-free.
Features and Benefits
Bamboo: It's ecofriendly and sustainable
Bamboo is a responsible choice of materials as bamboo matures and is harvestable in 3-4 years time. Bamboo is also extremely strong, smooth and beautiful. And bamboo has a higher tensile strength than many alloys of steel.
Recycled Glass
The glass used to make the bottle is comprised of 51% recycled glass and it remains remains 100% recyclable. The glass is certified lead free. Unlike plastics and metals that can leach chemicals into your drink, the glass interior keeps your drink clean tasting!
Plastic
The plastic components, which make up the lid and bottom, are food grade and are also BPA free.
Easy to Clean
The stylish, patent pending design allows for easy cleanup. Simply unscrew the top and bottom and slide the dishwasher-safe glass lining out.
Posted on Wed, Feb 08, 2012 @ 08:42 AM
You deserve healthier water in every aspect of your daily life including your shower!
Did you know that by putting your fingers for 15 seconds into an ordinary glass of municipal tap water you absorb over 80 percent of the chlorine into your body? Imagine how much chlorine you absorb in a 10 minute shower! What's more, chlorine is not only absorbed by your skin, but inhaled from the steam and spray, where it goes directly into your bloodstream.
Chlorine creates dry hair, flaky skin, accelerated aging from free radical damage, reduced oxygen transport in lungs, and destruction of vitamins in the body. If you have chlorinated water and want to be healthy, a shower filter is a must.
What are the qualities of a great shower filter?
A 10 minutes shower with a non low-flow shower head can use upwards of 80 gallons of water and generate up to 4 pounds of CO2, not to mention the cost of the energy to heat the water. By installing a low flow showerhead and cutting your shower time to 5 minutes, you can reduce your water usages and CO2 emitted by 70-80%.
Features
- Converts Chlorine into a harmless soluble chloride.
- Crystalline quartz for energy enhanced shower “feel” and better lathering.
- High quality name-brand shower heads come standard. We feature Whedon fixed-action shower heads and Shower Pro massage heads. No head models are also available.
- Works wonderfully with hand-held shower kits.
- Polyester filter element enhances cartridge performance through sediment removal.
- Quick and easy to install - Installs in minutes - no special tools or professional help required.
- Easy to replace filter cartridges lasting at least 6 months. It just takes seconds to assure continual chlorine removal.
- Combo Brochure Available with CQ-1000 & Crystal Ball for the Bath
- Removes 90% or more of free chlorine
- Great for those with Chlorine sensitivity
Benefits
Because of this superior chlorine removal, you will see changes in the way your hair and skin feel including…
- healthier, younger looking skin
- softer, more manageable hair
- relief from dry skin & scalp
- less fading in color-treated hair
To enjoy softer hair, younger-looking skin, and angst-free showers, breathe easy again with the Rainshow'r CQ-1000! Rated for 15,000 to 20,000 gallons, it takes out 90+% of chlorine in your water, and should last a family of four about a year, depending on the condition of your water.
It is well documented that the levels of chlorine in tap water present numerous health challenges. Devices such as drinking water filtration systems, shower filters, bath filters, and related products provide cost effective solutions to water quality improvement and enjoyment at specified locations of your home.
Posted on Fri, Feb 03, 2012 @ 11:12 AM
As a valued member of our community, we're pleased to let you know about a series of videos partially sponsored by Radiant Life that will be aired this spring on PBS.
The Weston A. Price Foundation has established an alliance with Healing Quest, a weekly television series on natural approaches to wellness. This series appears on PBS stations across the country (www.HealingQuest.tv).
Healing Quest is a magazine-style show containing several segments per episode. The upcoming series of seven Healing Quest episodes, to be released next month, will feature one or more stories on the Weston A. Price Foundation. Look for information on:
- soy alert
- raw milk
- bone broth
- grass-fed meat
- sustainable salmon
- organ meats
Some of the Radiant Life products that will be featured in these episodes include: homemade baby formula, healthy fats, the importance of pure water, the healing power of cod liver oil, liver as a sacred food, and the powerful concept of Earthing.
Healing Quest is in its ninth season on public television covering nearly 65% of all U.S. TV households. As Healing Quest completes these WAPF-related segments in the next few months, Radiant Life will post the links to Healing Quest's YouTube channel, so you can enjoy 'sneak previews' of the major content in the shows airing this spring. Please help to spread the word about healthy living by sharing these links with your friends and family.
We invite you to view this introductory message about the series that was created by the producers of Healing Quest:
http://youtu.be/zXj0iiIl624
Look for more links in the next few weeks.
Wishing you Radiant Wellness!
Posted on Tue, Jan 31, 2012 @ 10:40 PM
Since ancient times, mankind has tried to protect its most valuable products against the damaging effects of light. The early Egyptians, for instance, preserved their precious substances in gold or violet jars. Modern times have introduced many new forms of packaging. Glass, which has been known for ages, is still one of the most widely used materials. However, most of the traditional colors used in glass packaging (clear, amber, blue and green) allow visible light to pass through and therefore don’t offer enough protection against the decomposition processes that are induced by visible light.
Developed by Swiss scientists, Miron Glass, known as VioLiv Vitality Glassware (VioLiv) in the USA, does not allow light from the visible spectrum to penetrate (with the exception of violet radiation) but is transparent in the infrared spectrum. Black glass doesn’t allow any visible light to go through and is also transparent in the IR spectrum. The most important difference between these two glass types is that black glass fully absorbs UVA and violet frequencies without allowing any transmission to occur, while VioLiv is permeable for these frequencies. These wavelengths partially enter VioLiv Vitality Glassware, giving it a unique quality: impermeable in the visible light spectrum from blue to red but open to penetration of UVA, violet and IR frequencies. Due to this special combination, sensitive materials stored in VioLiv Vitality Glassware are highly protected against the processes of decomposition caused by light influences from the visible spectrum and gives it the added benefit of the positive effects that result from UVA, violet and IR frequencies.
VioLiv Glassware - Preserve and enhance your food!
Over the last few years, several scientific tests* have been carried out concerning the protective quality of VioLiv Vitality Glassware. For example: Cherry tomatoes were stored for 6 months under same conditions in White glass and Violiv violet glass. The result of this biological experiment was photographed for this purpose, the cherry tomatoes were taken out of the bottles, and the microbiological changes of the tomatoes stored in both bottles were photographed. The cherry tomato stored in violet glass retained its red color and had not dried out, contrary to the tomato stored in clear glass. This simple test demonstrated clearly that violet glass is the best glass for optimal protection of bio-energy over a long-term period!
Dr. Hugo Niggli and Dr. Max Bracher confirmed this scientifically by performing an experimental test on storage stability of various herbs and spices. Below is the results of storing chives in VioLiv, amber and clear glass:
The sun emits a light spectrum that has both visible and invisible parts. The visible spectrum is visible to our eyes when white light is channeled through a glass prism. At the same time, however, the light also contains a part that is invisible to our eyes and is in the range of electromagnetic wavelengths of infrared and UV-A. Sunlight allows all plants to grow. If plants remain exposed to sun after reaching maturity, the effect of the light changes and accelerates the process of molecular breakdown. Violiv Vitality Glassware acts as a natural filter that only allows the sunlight to protect and improve the quality of substances of high quality. Violiv blocks the entire spectrum of visible light with the exception of the violet. At the same time allowing a certain part of being permeable to radiation in the spectral range of UV-A light red, and infrastructure. This unique combination provides optimum protection against the aging processes that are released by visible light.
VioLiv glass bottles both restructure damaged molecules and kill bacteria, so water tastes better and hydrates more effectively. VioLiv glass delays rancidity in oils and vinegars, to maximize flavor retention and shelf life. So, if you are going to store your valuable, nutrient dense foods in glass, wouldn't it be best to choose VioLiv over other glass containers?
*Source: http://www.miron-glas.com/en/Test-procedures
Posted on Tue, Jan 31, 2012 @ 01:09 PM
Radiant Life strives to offer you only "The Best of the Best" whole food supplements.
Radiant Life has a set of core principles that every supplement must meet.
All Radiant Life pure vitamins and supplements are subject to a rigorous set of testing and selection criteria before being introduced. supplements must meet the following standards:
- Unyielding commitment to product quality and consistency
- Fair trade practices
- Purity (higher standards than organic)
- No excipients including: fillers, lubricants, binders, coatings, flowing agents, etc.
- No preservatives of any type
- No synthetic processes if at all possible
- No Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)
- No gluten
- Raw, unheated whenever appropriate and possible (exceptions include products like maca & carob which are best not eaten raw)
- Minimal refinement – no solvents or high temps, no bleaching, no deodorizers, no incidental production of MSG by-products
- Packaged ecologically, safely (dark bottles when necessary, opaque/dark plastic bottles are avoided)
- Can be ground shipped without physical damage or compromising quality in transit
- Can handle variations in temperature (hot and cold)
- Has adequate shelf life
- Consumers notice a benefit in a reasonable period
- Fulfills a need
- Whole food (superfood) based
- Fits into theme of native nutrition and overall wellness
Avoid nutritional products that have questionable, potentially harmful, non-nutritive excipients! What Are Excipients?
Excipients are binders, fillers and “glues” that are typically non-nutritive substances in nutritional products. Why would you want to consume anything that is not nutritive?
Just a few examples of questionable excipients commonly found in nutritional products:
Magnesium stearate – a cheap lubricating agent; research shows it to be immune-compromising
Methyl paraben – a benzoate family member; a known cancer-causing agent
Microcrystalline cellulose – a cheap filler
Silicon dioxide – a cheap flowing agent (common sand)
Methacrylic copolymer – methacrylic acid, a component of the methacrylic acid copolymer
Triethyl citrate – a plasticizer
Titanium dioxide – used for color
Tablets ALWAYS contain excipients (that is how they are made; they cannot be made without them); therefore, we believe the best choice is to avoid nutritional products as tablets if possible.
Other Questionable but Common Tableting and Encapsulating Agents
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D&C red #33
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Propylparaben
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Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose
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Hydroxypropyl cellulose
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Polyethylene glycol
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Red ferric oxide-orange shade
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Methyl p-hydroxybenzoate
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Propyl p-hydroxybenzoate
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Sodium acetate
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Methylparaben
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Sodium metabisulfite
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Eudragit
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- All Premier Research Labs (PRL) supplements are excipient-free.
- PRL conducts scientific laboratory testing on every incoming container of raw material as well as on all finished products.
- Premier also performs state-of-the-art 4-Polarity testing on all ingredients to ensure that you are consistently getting the best quality worldwide.
Premier Research Labs use the most advanced lab equipment and test methods, including HPCS (High Performance Crystal Spectroscopy) to assure the reliability of every ingredient and to scan for many contaminants that other companies typically may not test. Every single container of incoming raw material is tested with this state-of-the-art photoluminescent technology. This ensures all raw materials are in fact “the best of the best”, free of contaminants. Other companies typically only randomly check raw materials for purity.
Premier Research Labs has over 20 years of thorough product testing and research to ensure that you receive only the very best nutrition that really works. Their elaborate testing methods are designed to produce absolutely reliable and consistent nutrient identity in all products — quality you can count on, day in and day out.
Posted on Sat, Jan 28, 2012 @ 03:39 AM
We really are fortunate to have access to several of the best and brightest minds in nutritional thinking!
These amazing people got together last March in London to help spread the truth about healthy, real food nutrition based on the traditional diet research of Dr. Weston A. Price back in the 1930s. His powerful testament to the adverse effects of modern processed diets upon health are echoed in the presentations below.
Not that long ago, obesity, diabetes and heart disease were all unheard of. It's hard to believe these chronic conditions have only happened just in the past century of human existence! And the answer is so simple: The adoption of whole food nutrition, without processed foods is the recipe for reversing the negative impact our modern-day diet and lifestyle.
Learn how what you eat and how you eat have a major impact on your general health and well-being!
Accredited by the British Association for Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy, this DVD provides 11 hours of Continuing Professional Development. With 14 hours of video, you will feel as though you actually attended the conference!
Presentations from experts in the importance of nourishing traditional diets:
Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride
- Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS)
- The Truth About Heart Disease
Zoe Harcombe, MA
- The Obesity Epidemic: What Caused It? How Can We Stop It?
Dr. Malcolm Kendrick
- It Isn't Only What You Eat, It's Also the Way You Eat It
Barry Groves, PhD
- Eat Fat, Lose Weight and Treat Diabetes
Kaayla Daniel, PhD, CCN
- Secrets to a Healthy and Happy Life
- Empowering Fertility: Aphrodisiacs from Nature and Sacred Foods for Fertility and Healthy Babies
Jerry Brunetti
- Holistic Treatment of Cancer
- Benediction and Forgiveness of Grass
Graham Harvey
- Pasture Fed Animals and Mixed Farms: The Alternative to Factory Farming
The Moo Man
- Movie preview of The Moo Man with clips from and discussion about the soon to be released movie.
Posted on Wed, Jan 25, 2012 @ 07:07 AM
Did you know that it's not the water you swallow, but the fluid your tissues can willingly accept, that hydrates you? Unrefined salt with its full complement of trace minerals enables water to infiltrate and maintain an aqueous balance within and outside the cells of your body. Needless to say, unrefined salt is a vitally important essential nutrient.
This is not marketing hype! An essential nutrient is defined as a nutrient required for life that the body cannot make itself that is required for good health. Although the essential trace minerals found in unrefined salt are needed in only minute amounts, their absence results in setting the stage for many disease conditions to develop.
But don't confuse unrefined salt with refined salt. Salt in its natural form, not altered during manufacturing processes, is unrefined salt. It contains approximately 82% sodium chloride. The balance is comprised of macro-minerals, particularly magnesium and approximately 80 of these all-important trace minerals! Refined salt on the other hand, has all of its minerals removed, rendering it an essentially lifeless product.
You may have heard the buzz that the the FDA is pushing to restrict the amount of salt allowed in restaurant and processed food, based on the assumption that salt is bad for your health. Studies suggest that low salt diets are deadly! We encourage you to learn more about this by reading Sarah Pope's post: Studies Suggest Low Salt Diets are Deadly.
Need more information?
- Read Wise Traditions Journal, Summer, 2011. It features Sally Fallon Morell's article, Salt of the Earth, on the importance of unrefined salt to your health. It also includes Lee Burdett's article on The Senomyx Scandal. Senomyx is the company dedicated to developing new bioengineered flavors to reduce salt in processed foods. Be sure to get the full story.
- Don't forget about your skin's ability to absorb nutrients! Unrefined bath salts are a great way to get the minerals your body craves! Other ways to take in minerals include consuming mineral-rich water, nutrient dense foods including bone broths.
- Look for savings on many of our unrefined salts in the Current Specials section of our web site. All of these unrefined salts are recommended in the 2012 Wise Traditions Shopping Guide!
Sources:
-The Salt Institute, www.saltinstitute.org/Uses-benefits/Salt-in-food/Essential-nutrient
-Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon
