I hear a lot of talk on radio and television about being allergy season or cold season. What does that mean? I don’t have allergies. And very seldom, if ever, do I get a cold. Why is it that I don’t get allergies and or colds very often, if ever. But you do? Could it be that my lifestyle is different than yours? There is no such thing as an allergy season anymore then there is a season for colds! What do you think the cold germs do? Jump on the planes down in the Bahamas and fly up to your town during the winter???

That season stuff is just drug companies telling you that so you don’t think it’s your fault that you’re sick. They want you to think that you’re a victim of nature. Now you will buy their stupid drugs in the hopes of feeling better.

Sad part about this is that you allowed your kids to get sick with allergies and or colds as well. You fed them all of that vitamin mineral deficient junk food, and now you’re shoving toxic drugs down their throats in the hopes of some kind of magic cure.

One winter I was at a local shopping center and there was a new Mother holding this HUGE cup of soda in one hand while she wiped the snot from her 3 foot tall kids’ nose, and then she gave that HUGE cup of soda back to the child!!! I rest my case…

The reason people get sick with these afflictions is because their immune system is out of whack, not because the grass and trees are doing their thing or the weather gets cold!!

If your immune system was healthy, you would be too! Remember all those double cheeseburgers with fries, gallons and gobs of dairy products, and all the rest of that junk food you folks eat? That’s why you have problems! Those are the things that tear your immune system down. Your Adrenal glands could be so exhausted from too much stress, alcohol, coffee, tea, drugs, sugar, chocolate, eggs, milk and dairy products, food coloring, food additives, chlorinated water, vaccines, yeast, antibiotics, sulfites, and MSG. Are these the things you and your kids use in your lives on a daily basis? Be honest now!

I’m surprised that all you have is allergies or a cold after all this! The foods you should be eating are carrots, yams, squash, peaches, cantaloupe, brown rice, soybeans, lentils, English walnuts, sunflower seeds, molasses, wheat germ, avocados, lemons, cherries, strawberries, and cabbage. These are the foods that contain calcium, magnesium, pantothenic acid, bioflavonoids, vitamin E and zinc. In other words, foods that contain the things that your immune system needs to be healthy, so it can protect you from allergies and colds!!!

I was raised in the Midwest in a town called Dubuque. I grew up with three sisters and two brothers, a mother and father, grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces and cousins by the truckload. When we had a family reunion there was probably 150 of us altogether. I also grew up with 40 or more kids on my block, not to mention the 800 kids I went to school with.

And thinking back now I can’t remember one single kid that ever came down with cancer. But today there are so many kids with cancer that we have special hospitals set aside just for kids with cancer!!! I’m not going to profess that I know the cause of cancer, but I have my suspicions.

I can tell you a few of the differences from my era compared with today. As kids, we were constantly outside doing things like riding our bikes, playing tag, climbing trees to get to the cherries and apples, raiding the neighbors watermelon patch or tomato garden, seeing how many red currents we could get in our mouth at one time or balancing ourselves on the top of the fence, trying to reach high up into the trees to get the ripest and juiciest plums. As far as soda and candy are concerned those only came at special times like Christmas or birthdays. And fast food restaurants were unheard of.

Most families back in those days had a garden of their own that they depended on for survival. Money was tight and jobs were short, so if you wanted to eat, you needed to raise most of your own food. Not one single garden or fruit tree had even an ounce of chemicals sprayed on it!! And believe it or not, the sky was deep blue and the water ran clean. I guess it’s time to end my article with that old saying “it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out”.

The other day I saw an article on television that was showing how people in China could choose a particular coffin they wanted to be buried in. The twist here was that the coffin could be in any shape whatsoever. If you enjoyed playing the violin in life, you could have a coffin in the shape of a violin. On the other hand, if you enjoyed going to the temple, you could have a coffin in the shape of a temple. Perhaps you were an animal lover. In that situation, you might have one built in the shape of a dog or cat or any other animal, including an alligator! They could have their coffin designed in the shape of a guitar, a sports car, or any other crazy shape they could dream up. That way you would know something about the person just by looking at the design of their coffin.

That got me thinking about an appropriate new line of coffins we could have here in the United States. The coffin shape would tell us something about that person, and what they died from.  Americans seem intent on ending their days as soon as possible with the diet they choose to eat. They cast fate to the wind with the myriad of things they feel are appropriate to shove down their throats.  Cancer, no problem.  Heart attack, still no problem.  Stroke, who cares.  And to top it off it’s always nice to light up a smoke after a good meal.

We could have a coffin in the shape of the triple bacon cheeseburger, or to go along with that, we could have a coffin in the shape of a clogged artery. We could also have one in the shape of a hot dog bun. That one would be easy to carry by the little handles along the sides. That coffin would let us know that the person died from eating all of those nitrates, pesticide residues, and hormones.

Some other interesting shapes that come to mind are two french fries laid out in the shape of a cross. Another design could be in the shape of a bottle of prescription drugs. It could be somewhat cozy being laid out in that wad of soft white cotton at the top of the bottle. That one would let us know that that person was one of those 100,000 people or more that die each year from the prescription drugs given to them by their doctors. How about coffins in the shape of a six pack of beer.  Perhaps six people could be buried in that one.  Or maybe one that looked like a car that was completely totaled by someone who drank that six pack of beer before driving.

Of course, another popular shape would be that of a pack of cigarettes. I guess in this case you could double up like in the case of the six pack of beer. This time though, you could bury 20 people in the same coffin.  Surely there will be 20 available smokers who will have need for that coffin soon enough, thereby saving lots of space and burial costs. We could also have coffins in the shape of a couch or perhaps a TV wand, letting us know right away that the person did not get enough exercise.

I think a comfortable coffin might be an extra-large extra thick crust meatsa meatsa pizza covered with soft warm cheese.  Wait a minute, that might be a good coffin to end up in, come to think of it.  Let me ask you this. What shape of coffin will you have? Think about it.

If you’d like me to speak to your organization or group.

Americans talk a good story about wanting good health, but they’re not concerned in actually achieving it! Some of the dumb things I see Americans do to themselves and their children make me wonder if they’re not on a suicide mission! For example, we have THE BIG FOUR better known as holidays, or I should say “several good reasons for knocking our immune systems out of whack.”

Let’s start with Halloween. Do you have any idea how many tons of sugar are consumed by our children in the course of about four hours? And if that’s not bad enough, here comes Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving brings alcohol, fat, grease and more sugar by the truckloads. Enough fat and grease to stop the heart in mid beat! (If you think I’m kidding, check with your nearest emergency room. They say that Thanksgiving is the one day of the year that is associated with heart attacks) not to mention all of the food dyes and additives packed in all that so-called food, surrounded by e-coli bacteria and salmonella! It’s pretty good when they tell you to make sure you wash your hands thoroughly and scour down your countertops with bleach, to kill all the bacteria put there “by something that you’re actually going to eat!!!”

Then along comes Christmas… Once again, more fat, grease, candy, alcohol, food additives, sugar, food dyes, e-coli bacteria, salmonella, and to top it all off, your biggest concern is that “oh my goodness, I’ve gained 10 pounds. I guess I’ll have to go on a diet.” What about all the damage you did to your internal parts? You know, things like your heart, your arteries, your liver, your digestive system, just little things like that!!

And now we come to the granddaddy of them all. New Year’s Eve! Millions of gallons of alcohol wash down millions of tons of potato chips, corn chips and dips. Plus we can’t forget those turkey and ham sandwiches. Now, after you and your kids come down sick, what is the first thing you think of? “What over-the-counter medication can I take to feel better, and why isn’t the government doing a better job to protect my health???”

Modern-day Americans have gotten off track when it comes to what they eat, and more important why they eat it.  Eating is more important than just sticking foods in your mouth and swallowing. There are important reasons to choose the right foods that will nourish your body. Due to the fact that the human body is basically a chemistry set that is made up of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fiber, magnesium, potassium, and a whole array of other natural stuff, one needs to eat the proper foods that contain these substances.

I’m a redneck farm kid from Iowa and back in my day we ate totally different than folks do today.  For one thing we had our own gardens. We didn’t run to the grocery store to buy things that came in cellophane packages, boxes and cans. We raised our own food and mom and Grandma would dry certain foods down in the root cellar, or can other foods in glass jars, without the preservatives and additives that are used in packaged and canned foods nowadays. They also baked all of the bread and rolls, (I can still smell it now…) and nothing was deep fried.

We had our own fruit trees and grapevines.  We grew strawberries and red currants, apples, white walnuts, watermelon, cantaloupe, and a variety of berries.  Every spring my grandmother would make up a big vat of homemade sauerkraut, and another vat of homemade root beer, made with real roots!  We consumed these as a form of internal house cleaning, the same way you did spring housecleaning on your house.

The things we ate contained all of the important nutrients that our bodies needed to be healthy. I grew up with a lot of other kids and I don’t remember any of us being sick all the time like kids are today.  We were all thin and healthy from playing outdoors and eating the types of foods Mother Nature intended us to eat. There are major differences in the early days and what is going on today. Today folks eat man-made foods filled with preservatives and additives and food colorings and dyes and all kinds of nonsense. In my day we ate foods straight from the gardens and trees.

Other cultures around the world eat the way I did when I was growing up. It’s only modern-day Americans that eat all of the man-made foodstuffs that make them overweight and sick. (And you want the government to be responsible for your health???)

People in the United States are very confused as to how they can lose the extra weight they’re carrying around, and what can they do with their overweight kids.

There are a thousand and one different weight loss products, and just as many diet programs, all touting that their product or diet is the way to go.  If any of that actually worked, we wouldn’t have an overweight society.  Everybody would be thinner than they are, including the kids. So I guess that’s not the way to go about this. Then what is the right way to lose weight?

To start with, you need to look at this subject in a totally different away. It’s not so much, how can I lose weight, it’s more like, what should I be doing so I won’t gain weight and have to worry about losing it?

It looks like the government is starting to get in on this as well. I’m not sure what they think they could ever do about overweight kids. It’s not a government issue, it’s an eating issue. As in eating the right stuff! And let’s not even talk about the booming fast food restaurant business. Let’s see now, do you want that order super sized?

By the way, I’m a vegetarian and have been for 40 years. I eat soy products that are available in grocery stores that nowadays look exactly like actual meat. In fact I can’t eat certain brands because they look and taste too much like the real thing.

So now let’s compare what we would find in MY grocery cart versus YOUR grocery cart.

Foods you would find in “My” grocery cart.

Onions, green peppers, fresh parsley, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, baking potatoes, cucumbers, brussels sprouts, avocado, carrots, cabbage, zucchini, squash, peas, green beans, (all Fresh of course)

peaches, pineapple, lemons, bananas, grapefruit, apples, herbal tea, rice milk, chocolate soy milk, sugar free popsicles, sugar free fudgesicles, prunes, thyme, basil, oregano, oatmeal, raisins, cream of wheat, agave nectar, whole-grain bread, whole-grain spaghetti, olive oil, sweet potatoes, brown rice, rye flour, oat flour, soy beans, black beans, lima beans, and navy beans. (No constipation problems here)

2. Now let’s take a look at the “Average American Shopping Cart”.

Case of beer, case of soda, pack of cigarettes, pound of margarine, gallon of chocolate milk, gallon of regular milk, bacon, sausage, bologna, hot dogs, hamburger, steaks, frozen pizza, potato chips, ketchup, barbecue sauce, cookies, “weight watchers frozen chocolate cake” (what’s that all about?) chocolate chip cookie mix (super moist of course) some sort of healthy brand salad dressing, (give me a break!)  white rice, stuffing mix, (withmonosodium glutamate. A waste byproduct of processing sugar beets) hamburger extenders, (I’m afraid to ask) macaroni and cheese dinner, potato buds, beans, corn, peas, (all in a can of course, sodium included), TV dinners, (yummm) loaf of white bread, (a.k.a. wallpaper paste), one cut up chicken, (be sure to wash down the counter with bleach after you touch it) sugary frosted flakes (for the children of course), bottle of pancake syrup, five pounds sugar. And you’re worried about loosing weight!!!

Need I go on?  You did say you wanted to live a long HEALTHY life, didn’t you?  Next I want to talk to you about a treadmill. But that’s another article.

The best advice I could give you is this:     ”If you are about to eat something, and you don’t think you would find it in the Garden of Eden, don’t eat it!”

Be still, your mind is too loud….

The politicians are once again spewing out their rhetoric, trying to get you to vote for them. They try to figure out what you want to hear, and as long as they think that it will get your vote, they will say anything!! They look for hot button issues, such as your medical prescription costs. Then they tell you, out of the side of their mouth, that if they are elected, they will make sure you can get as many prescription drugs as you want absolutely free!!! All you have to do is vote for them!

Let’s take a look at one of those issues. I heard on the radio the other day that some people pay as much as $6000 a year for prescription drugs!!! Is it even possible that someone could actually pay that much money per year for PRESCRIPTION drugs? Looks like they drug manufacturers and medical profession have it made. Do the words drug pusher come to mind…

What on earth is wrong with you people? Why are you doing such crazy things? What is this great need to want some politician to give you free prescription drugs to cram down your throats by the hands full? Could you be the same people I see in the grocery stores every week with your grocery carts loaded down with all kinds of junk foods? Not to mention the cigarettes, soda, double cheeseburgers and beer. And the crazy part about it is you think you can live like that forever, and get away with it!!!

I’ll bet you’re also the same people that I never see out there on the bike trail or on the hiking trails. However, one time I did see a mother and her three little kids out there on the trail. But then I looked closer and could see she was feeding them hamburgers and french fries. I guess that was their take along snack.  Usually I just take along a high protein bar and a bottle of water.

Another time I saw an overweight couple in the grocery store with a juice machine in their cart. I asked them about it and they told me they read an article and decided to start taking care of themselves a little better.  Now that may be all well and good but they also had two cartons of cigarettes sitting on top of the juicer……

Oh, one more thing. Can you say” fruits and vegetables” boys and girls? Why not try shoving those down your throats by the hands full!

There’s an old saying that goes, “Your Immune System Cures Your Body but the Doctor Takes the Fee”

It seems that nowadays you can’t pick up a newspaper or turn on the news without hearing about all the cancer cases in our society, especially kid’s cancers.  We have gotten ourselves so far away from our natural diet that our bodies have a real tough time trying to fight off cancerous tumors.  We just don’t give our bodies what they need so they’ll have the power to fight that battle. The big three, fat, sugar, and caffeine that so many Americans consume in large quantities, only go to help the opposing forces in our body by weakening our immune systems, which is the only TRUE mechanism for fighting cancer.

Over the past 23 years I have been involved in this industry called HOLISTIC HEALTH and have come across some very interesting Ideas to build immunity to cancer.  You might want to take my article this month and hang it on your refrigerator door in the hopes that it will inspire you to not only make changes in your lives, but also in the lives of your children and grandchildren. You do love them, don’t you?

The following is a list of foods that help build immunity to cancer.

Vitamin A: It nourishes the tissues involving the cellular covering so that cancer can’t get a foothold.  It also helps shrink tumors.

Foods high in vitamin A: asparagus, broccoli, spinach, beets, turnips, dandelion greens, green peppers, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, mushrooms, squash, beans, onions, tomatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, pineapples, plums, strawberries, citrus fruits.

Vitamin C: It makes your cells strong so they can resist various cell-damaging chemicals, and boy is our air ever filled with cell damaging chemicals!  (You will find vitamin C in the same foods as vitamin A)

Vitamin E: (Hey guys listen up)…vitamin E halts the growth of prostate cancer cells. It also protects genetic material from damage that could lead to cancerous changes. It neutralizes oxidants that alter the DNA of healthy cells.

Foods high in vitamin E: whole-grain products, vegetable oils, sunflower seeds, nuts and grains, green leafy vegetables.

Selenium: This mineral is a potent anti-oxidant that protects the cell membrane from free-radical attack. Free-radicals bombard and break down cells which might trigger cancer. Selenium also stimulates your immune system by giving it something that it needs to fight the battle against cancer. You wouldn’t give soldiers guns without bullets would you?

Foods high in selenium: garlic, egg noodles, brazil nuts, barley, brown rice, whole-wheat bread.

Fiber: Fiber is like a broom that sweeps toxic products from your blood system and intestines and can help protect you from colon cancer.  Colon cancer is widespread in America!

Foods high in fiber: oatmeal, whole grains, lentils, split peas, unbuttered popcorn, fruits and vegetables, garbanzo beans, black beans, pinto beans, navy and lima beans…. beans beans the musical fruit,… well you know the rest!

Our society seems to want to spend a lot of money on cancer research, but why is it that we have overlooked the TRUE way to eliminate cancer from our society, PREVENTION THROUGH DIET!

Sometime ago I was in Los Angeles attending a very long business meeting. It consumed the entire day and even went well past my dinner time. I was starving, but there wasn’t enough time to eat and still make my plane back to Sacramento.

After the meeting I headed for a shuttle bus to take me to the airport. It only took 20 minutes to get there, so I still had almost half an hour before my plane was due to leave. I thought I would take advantage of the situation and try to find something quick to eat. Being vegetarian can cut down on your choices, especially in an airport. And besides, my time was running out. Only 20 minutes left until the plane would take off, with or without me.

I had to make a choice quick. The only place I could find without looking all over the airport, which would consume more of my 20 minute deadline, was of all places a McDonald’s restaurant. Good grief! What to do.

Well I hadn’t had anything to eat all day and my blood sugar was starting to nose dive, so what choice did I have? I got in line and looked at the menu board up over-the-counter to see if there was anything I could eat.  I decided to get a big Mac without the meat patty. I told the cashier what I wanted. I wish you could have seen the look on that young man’s face when he looked at me and said YOU WANT WHAT?! You would swear that I just declared war on the entire human race. How on earth could I ever eat a hamburger without the meat patty? The guy even had to struggle to try to figure out how much to charge me!!! Then he excused himself and walked over to the manager. I suppose he was asking the manager if he could even sell me such a thing…

People all around were starting to look at me like I was an evil alien from the planet Mars. Two of those people were actually pilots straining their necks to get a good look at the hunchback from Notre Dame. Oh well, that’s their problem. I eagerly consumed my meatless meal and headed for the gate. The plane was about to take off.