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If you’re looking for a healthy, non-junk-food happy meal, you might want to incorporate the goji berry into your diet. This bright red berry  commonly found in China and Mongolia is used as a health food and as part of many Asian medicinal practices. It also has a reputation for making people feel more content, which is why it got the name “goji berry.” In Chinese, that roughly translates to “the happy berry.”

Also known as the wolfberry or gougi berry, the goji berry was mentioned in the earliest known medical text. In fact, documented use of the berry extends as far back as 1,900 years ago when prominent traveling healers used it as part of a regimen for their patients, believing it had the ability to keep the body nourished and healthy. These early healers would roam the country diagnosing health problems and attempting to keep their patients properly nourished. Unlike health care providers today, the healers would only be paid as long as their patients were healthy. If a person became ill, they would cease to pay the healer until he had brought them back to wellness.

And undocumented use of the goji berry extends back even longer than the 1,900 years of recorded medical history. Chinese legends tell of the first emperor of China who was reputed to have eaten the fruit daily because he believed it kept him well and free from sickness.

The goji berry has become central to many cultures throughout Asia, especially in China, and has a reputation as a healthy food with powerful natural abilities in the human body. Asians believe it can purge the body of illness, and doctors attest that they have seen regular consumption of the berry improve the health of their patients and cure various forms of sickness. As a result, the Chinese have even adopted the goji berry into many of their social events, including a special celebration meant to honor the fruit. And the goji berry has become popular in western cultures, too, where it is used as a health food. Likened to green tea, the goji berry has especially been favored by Hollywood celebrities, many of whom believe it may help them look younger longer.

Scientific Studies

Until recently the berry’s benefits were untested. Chinese medical authorities regularly used the berry and claimed to have scientific proof of its effects on the human body, but none of them were deemed accurate enough by western medical authorities.

Early in 2008, however, new studies were conducted using an approved scientific format to document the effect of a goji product in the body. The product was GoChi Juice, a health drink made from the goji berry. Clinical trials were conducted on people of all ages using a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled format. Subjects were studied and their progress measured at 14 and 30 days of using the product after consuming 4 oz. of the product daily. After 14 days of use, those who drank the juice experienced:

• Sharper mental acuity
• Better quality sleep
• Easier ability to wake up
• Feeling healthier and more content
• Improved regularity
• Improved athletic performance
• Increased energy
• Reduced stress
• Increased ability to focus

After 30 days, those who drank the goji juice were also shown to have improved immune system functioning and natural antioxidant production. The placebo group showed no significant improvements in either function. These results were so ground-breaking, after being peer reviewed, the study was featured in the Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine.

Currently, China is the only country that farms the berry commercially. Though it’s is sold in many forms, the berry is most commonly marketed as a juice. Dried berries are also available. While the berries are much less expensive, they don’t contain all the nutrients found in the juice.

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You cook healthy recipes, take a multi-vitamin, eat enough vegetables to stock a small produce stand (or so it seems) and drink plenty of water. You also make sure you get enough sleep, and you rarely skip a day at the gym. Still, you have low energy and are frequently sick. What’s the problem?

It might be your enzyme levels.

Enzymes help the body with a number of specific tasks — digesting food, stimulating the brain, providing cellular energy, and repairing all tissues, organs, and cells. Our bodies get these valuable enzymes by naturally producing them and by receiving them through food. As we age, however, it becomes increasingly difficult for our bodies to manufacture all the enzymes necessary for proper functioning.  Additionally, enzymes are destroyed by certain cooking processes and chemical additives in food, as well as when we expose our bodies to pollution and environmental toxins. And when our enzyme levels run low, our risk of illness increases.

Home Off the Range

Almost all food today is cooked and processed. When food is cooked, however, many of the vital enzymes are destroyed by heat, as they are by the chemicals in processed foods. This places a burden on our digestive systems because when enzymes aren’t received through the food we eat, our bodies are responsible for manufacturing the enzymes necessary for digestion. And as the body directs all its attention to digesting food, other organ systems are compromised — vital enzymes that could be used for keeping our bodies healthy are diverted to the digestive system. The result? Illness and chronic disease.

One logical solution to this problem is to eat more raw foods. Food enzymes are destroyed at temperatures above 118 F, whether the food is baked, broiled, steamed or microwaved. When we eat a diet that consists mainly of cooked and processed foods (as many of us do), we’re setting ourselves up for health problems.

Foods in their natural uncooked state contain all the enzymes necessary for their own digestion, and that, in turn, makes it easier for us to assimilate the nutrients. The more raw foods we eat, the more enzymes we get; and the more enzymes we get, the healthier we are.

A Simple Solution

Of course, what’s good in theory isn’t always practical — or palatable. Some of us can’t imagine eating a raw potato or an uncooked ear of corn; some of us just like cooked vegetables. But the choice doesn’t have to be to either eat “rabbit food” or compromise our health. Besides which, while most fruits and vegetables have enough enzymes to digest themselves, they don’t contain the necessary extra enzymes for helping to replenish the body’s enzymes supplies that are depleted by eating cooked food. Unless we eat a totally raw diet, we need help, and enzyme supplements are a simple solution to the cooked food vs. raw food dilemma. Enzyme supplements not only assist the digestive process, they ensure our bodies have enough enzymes to enhance our immune systems, help prevent and reverse disease processes, and give us energy and vitality.  And we can still bake those potatoes.

You might also be interested in these healthy recipes:

• Asparagus Recipes
• Blueberry Recipes with Antioxidant Power
• Broccoli Recipes
• Garlic Recipes with Antiviral Power
• Pasta Recipes to Boost Your Immune System
• Recipes to Control Blood Sugar
• Recipes to Help Your Vision
• Recipes to Keep Anemia at Bay

Image via WikipediaIf you get together with seven of your friends, chances are good that at least one of you will have (or will develop in your lifetime) some form of arthritis. And not everyone wants to use pharmaceuticals. So, many people look for alternative arthritis treatment methods, such as Devil’s claw (sometimes misspelled as “devils claw”), massage, vitamins or any of the other methods mentioned below.

Think you’re too young? Age doesn’t matter; one of the most popular misconceptions about arthritis is that it’s an “old person’s disease.” Think it only affects the opposite sex? Arthritis is not gender-specific. In fact, arthritis — a disease characterized by pain, stiffness and sometimes swelling in or around joints — can affect people of any gender and any age, from young children to the elderly.

Although there are over 100 types of arthritis (such as gout, fibromyalgia and lupus), osteoarthritis is the most common. It’s a condition in which there is a breakdown of the plastic-like cartilage on the end of bone joints in the hands, hips, knees and back. Without that protective cushion, bones rub against bones, which ultimately results in pain, swelling and even deformity. The pain and disability caused by arthritis can prevent you from performing everyday activities, and the accompanying fatigue and stress make you vulnerable to other illness.

Unfortunately, no treatment has yet been found that will successfully cure arthritis. Instead, treatment is aimed at reducing pain and discomfort and preventing further disability. Many people turn to alternative remedies to provide relief of symptoms, and there are a number of different modalities available.

Traditional Chinese medicine
Acupuncture has practiced for more than 2500 years, and has been scientifically proven to alleviate pain. According to practitioners, pain and illness result when the energy flow in your body is disrupted. Insertion of acupuncture needles is intended to stimulate points along the energy channels, which balances the flow and restores health.

Acupressure is a technique that is similar to acupuncture but it involves the use of fingertip pressure rather than needles. The practitioner presses on the tender areas to disperse the build-up of lactic acid, which then helps relieve pain.

Massage therapy
Massage is an ancient form of pain management, dating back more than 3000 years. Massage can involve application of light strokes, firm squeezing, or “percussion” (using the hands to strike the muscles), but regardless of the type of massage, it can help you relax and allow the blood to flow naturally through your body, which then alleviates pain.

Reflexology is another type of massage, and is based on the idea that the muscles and organs of the body are affected by specific areas of the feet. When pressure is applied to certain areas on the soles of the feet, other areas of the body relax.

Flotation therapy
Flotation tanks are sometimes used to treat the pain of arthritis. Patients float in a pool filled with Epsom salts. Epsom salts have been documented to relieve pain, in part, by stimulating production of endorphins (the “feel good” substances produced in the brain).

Heat treatment/cold treatment
Heat treatment — in the form of a hot bath, hot pack, or a heating pad — is one of the oldest known treatments for arthritis. This therapy sends soothing heat to the small joints in the hands or feet. Cold, wet compresses or ice packs applied to the painful area are often more effective than heat for soothing sharp, intense pain. Just remember not to use cold treatment for more than 20 minutes at a time — excessive cold can damage the skin.

TENS
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) uses electrical stimulation of the nerves to block pain signals to the brain. Electrodes are placed on the skin and low-level electrical current produces a slight tingling sensation. TENS seems to work best when pain flares in a specific area.

Diet
Adjusting your diet can often help with arthritis symptoms. Foods in the deadly nightshade family (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and eggplants) are particularly likely to worsen arthritis symptoms, so you might want to eliminate them from your diet. Decreasing animal products (except fish), and increasing fruits, vegetables and whole grains may also be helpful.

Supplements
Glucosamine sulfate is available as a nutritional supplement. Glucosamine in its natural form is created in the body from sugar (glucose), and it plays a major role in the manufacture and maintenance of cartilage. It’s been shown to not only stimulate the repair of cartilage, but to also inhibit the enzymes that break down this connective tissue. Taking a glucosamine supplement can relieve pain and aid the healing of aching joints.

Because the body naturally has its own mechanisms for rebuilding joints and connective tissue, making sure your body is provided with the optimal levels of essential nutrients will help it do its job. Some studies have shown that fish oil supplements lessen joint tenderness, swelling and stiffness. Supplementation with vitamins and minerals also help to manage arthritis. Vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamins D and E are all important to the development and maintenance of healthy cartilage, as are calcium and magnesium. Additionally, herbal supplements may provide relief for some arthritis sufferers. Devil’s claw (devils claw), boswellia, evening primrose, and borage often ease joint pain due to their anti-inflammatory properties, and white willow is a centuries-old remedy for pain.

The final answer
As with any health treatment, be critical when trying an alternative therapy. Arthritis is characterized by periods of flare-ups and remissions, and particular therapies may be more or less effective on any given day — just remember not to expect a “cure.” Arthritis is a lifelong process, but alternative arthritis therapies can help you regain control of your life.