The tragedy of Japan is affecting all of us; panic and fear in the natural product’s world is increasing. Radiation protection is now the “hot” topic of conversation everywhere and we need to  protect ourselves and, at the same time, help our Japanese neighbors.

Americans are already surrounded by various sources of radiation. Aside from nuclear fallout, the  modern invasion of cell phones, computers, bluetooth devices, television, I pods, energy saving  light bulbs , watches, x rays, sun exposure and environmental toxins (from lawn fertilizers to kitty litter) are having unknown electromagnetic effects on biological organisms.
These  immune reducing elements are commonplace and we need a nutritional course correction  to live well within our modern society.

Growing up, my mom made sure we were eating hot peppers daily as color TV started appearing on the home front, then microwaves. She was a woman ahead of her time and immune health was at the top of her list. We were healthy, active kids and grew up with strong immunity and we still consume copious amounts of cayenne and habanero peppers as adults.  Curry powder soon followed in her salmon and  other fish entrees. As I grew older, went off to college and discovered Sushi and Indian food with their protective attributes. Paul Pitchford, the author of Healing with Whole Foods, has been one of my role models and favorite resources  for years with much credit going to the Asian culture and traditional health techniques.

America already suffers from  chronic hypo-thyroid conditions (30% of the population and growing) and iodine rich foods do help protect the thyroid. Since the thyroid provides over 200 functions with direct response to the brain, this gland is critical for optimum health and hormonal support throughout the body.

As natural food stores rapidly deplete their iodine supplements headed for Japan, Hawaii and the West Coast, please remember that everyone needs to protect their thyroid and increase the amounts of  protective foods in ones diet. Whatever you put into your mouth should be increasing your health, not adding to the toxic overload of so many everyday junk-filled habits.

If you don’t like sushi or eating seaweed (which is the best natural source of iodine besides sea water)  then taking a trace mineral supplement like Trace mineral drops or Quinone ampules in your daily water consumption is a great start . Other supplements would include  Sun Chlorella and Nutrex Hawaiian Spirulina, both contained in Greens+. It’s very important to drink a green food supplement like Greens+ everyday to support whole body detoxification, energy levels, immunity, healthy aging and alkalinity. The ingredients in Greens+ provide  natural radiation protection in 3 phases:
1) Nutrient Saturation: Spirulina, Wheat grass and Dulse provide trace minerals, selenium and iodine, nutrients that are readily utilized by cells to prevent radioactive element absorption.
2) Free Radical Neutralization: Antioxidants including carotenes, Resveratrol and catechins from green tea neutralize free radicals caused by radioactivity.
3) Heavy Metal Chelation: Apple pectin fiber and chlorophyll bind to radioactive heavy metals and remove them from the body as waste.

In Continued health ,Sally Byrd

Brandi is the latest person to join our fast-growing list of people who are enjoying Greens+ products. We encourage you to visit her blog, “Bran Appetit!” to learn more about Brandi and her approach to healthy living.

Brandi is a young, married woman who enjoys running with her husband and preparing and eating balanced meals. As she writes in her blog,  “I don’t always eat the healthiest things, but I try to do my best.” She says her blog is “a place for people to share ideas, tips, recipes, and anything else that will help us all keep a balanced and healthy life while enjoying every single thing we eat.”

Part of that experience includes participating in the Great Greens+ Experiment. Here is a recipe for Greens+ Omega 3 Chia that Brandi recently posted:

• 1/3 cup oats
• 1 Tbsp chia seeds
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/4 cup water
• cinnamon
• vanilla

Visit the blog to see learn what else Brandi added to the mix.

Dr. Oz and Oprah discuss chia muffins

If you did not have the chance on July 14 to see Dr. Oz on the Oprah Winfrey Show, he was talking again about the health benefits of chia. In a segment on how to fight the effects of aging, he discussed the best ways to get fiber into the diet. Here’s what he had to say about chia:

“Chia is as chock full of fiber as other whole grains, but it packs in even more vitamins. Remember that broccoli I had before? [One of these muffins] has more magnesium than about 10 of those heads of broccoli, and it’s got as much calcium in it as a couple cups of milk. It adds one other thing, too, by the way. It’s very rich in the next big category, which are omega-3 fatty acids.”

Greens+ offers chia for its high anti-oxidant and dietary fiber content. The natural product is also a good source of Omega-3, calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron zinc and other minerals. Chia (pronounced chee’ah), is the richest and only unprocessed, whole food source of pure Omega3. A member of the mint family, chia is native to Central America and has been used traditionally for over 3,000 years.

Chia can be added to foods such as cereal, soup, salad, yogurt smoothies and baked goods. Dr. Oz has a special recipe for pumpkin chia seed muffins.

Omega3 Chia is available in both a one-pound container and in stick packs, which are ideal for students, busy moms and rushed workers. You mix one packet with 12 ounces of lemonade, thin juice or other beverage for a refreshing, performance-enhancing energy drink.

This week, we added four more flavors of coffee to our selection. As always, we take great care to ensure quality and work with the best suppliers. The new varieties are:

Colombian Popayan: Grown in the most famous coffee region in South America, this complex Colombian has hints of jungle flora and walnut tones.

Ethiopian Yirgacheffe: Grown at altitudes of 7,000  to 9000 feet, Yirgacheffe is also known as “Mountain Spice”. This organic coffee is sweet, bright, spicy with hints of lemon, chocolate and floral tones. You will sense a “chili peppery” sensation in each cup.

Honduran Copan: This certified organic coffee grown high in the mountains of northwestern Honduras, near the Mayan Ruins at Copan.  The beans are naturally sweet, with a firm body and citrus, mango and chocolate tones.

Sumatra Rain: Another certified organic coffee, it is grown from elevations of 5,000 feet and higher in the Gayo Mountains of  Sumatra. The beans are full bodied with low acidity and mild on the palate.

We especially like working with the folks at Rio Coco because they return a portion of their profits to Project Ezra. Thge non-profit organization helps educate the Miskito Indian children of Nicaragua. Each order you ploace with us helps to pay teachers’ salaries, to provide school supplies and to deliver logistical support to more than 2,500 students in 17 villages along the Rio Coco.