It is hard to believe Natural Health Goodies was started in December 2009 - where does the time go? Rhetorical question don't answer that, unless you know the secret to stopping time so I can get more done in a day in that case please leave a detailed explanation in the comments.

This past year has been an exciting ride for Natural Health at least personally as we have meet many fun and knowledgeable real food bloggers, discovered Nourishing Traditions and even gasp, entered the wild world of Facebook for the first time. (Visit us at our fledgling Earth Friendly Goodies Facebook page and please 'Like' us if you want to read about green and natural health goodies from us and other great bloggers)

For fun and remembrance sake I am listing our top five natural health topics for 2011. There are some interesting tidbits and surprising results, well surprising for me maybe since I've been along for the whole ride. If you are new to Natural Health Goodies maybe you can be as surprised next year.

Without further ado (drum roll please) here are:

The Top Five Natural Health Topics for 2011

1. Wasabi, Spicy Green Goo or Really Good for You?

The number one (and number two as well) post for 2011 was written by our guest author Sandra who loves experimenting with natural traditional foods. In this post she writes about the health benefits of wasabi. At the time she was fighting off a cold and thought maybe wasabi might be good for fighting off colds. If you want to find out what happened check out the post.

2. My Water Kefir Recipe: a Fermentation Experiment

The second most read post for 2011 also by Sandra (I'm starting to get an inferiority complex) was about her water kefir experiment. She shares her experience with making water kefir for the first time as well as many variations and extra ingredients you can try when making your own water kefir. Look for this post to do well in 2012 as well thanks to a mystery Facebook Liker who just shared the post to the tune of 300 extra readers. Thanks mystery Liker! (if it wasn't you pick your favorite post and see if you can beat 300)

3. Is food grade mineral oil really food safe?

A more recent post in 2011 was this little debate over the use of mineral oil on wood cutting boards. You may or may not know that mineral oil is a petroleum product but is widely recommended for use in curing wood cutting boards. Personally I can't see how that could be healthy so I started this debate and a quest for an alternative to mineral oil.

4. Hey Who Stole My Cold? Thieves Oil Strikes Again

Here is a surprise 4th place finisher since this post was written one month after Natural Health Goodies was first started! Just goes to show some information never gets old. Although I think i may go back and give this one a refresher. Thieves oil was pretty unknown for me until I researched this post, but there are many health benefits to using thieves oil. In fact it is claimed to have a 99.96% success rate against airborne bacteria! Read more on the uses for and ingredients in thieves oil, as well as how to make your own in this interesting post.

5. Feline Pine: Best Cat Litter to Alleviate Cat Asthma

Number five is a great post for natural health cat lovers, and a bit of a debate as well on why traditional clay cat litters are very dangerous for our cats (and people too). We've been using Feline Pine for years now after trying many natural or green cat litter options. If you are using Feline Pine you may be surprised to know there is a cheaper option out there that is basically the same thing - read the post to find out more.

So there you go, five fun posts to dip your toes into if you are new to Natural Health Goodies. These top five are based on overall views for the year - if you want to base the top five on number of comments or interaction look at the bottom of the page for the most commented on posts. As always thanks for visiting we certainly love your commnets (even if I can't spell comments). Feel free to like our new Facebook page and share your own natural health goodies.

Have a mighty fine new year from the gang at Natural Health Goodies!

Top 5 Natural Health Topics for 2011 is a post from: Natural Health Goodies

Portable Far Infrared Sauna: A Whole Body Spa Vacation

Are you ready to sweat out some toxins and get in shape? Or maybe you’re like me and you just crave a little effortless warmth in the winter. I have been so happy with my new Far infrared sauna. I’ve been researching various types of portable saunas for many years now. For me, part of the challenge was affordability; I wanted an affordable luxury, less than $400 (though the one I got retails for over $900, there’s a really good special on Amazon – but only 3 left). The other key concern for me was space because when you live in an apartment, every inch matters. This one folds up so it stores easily after each use and is lightweight (less than 15 pounds for the whole unit).

There are so many great things about this Far infrared sauna, I’m just going to list some of the infrared portable sauna uses and the benefits of infrared saunas that I’ve noticed.

Far Infrared Sauna Health Benefits and Uses:

FIR Far Infrared Sauna Dome Wrap
(Currently on sale for 34% off – 2 left)

1) The Far Infrared sauna helps your body detox
2) Heats your body, not the air (so when you live in a small apartment, it doesn’t make your apartment feel like a sauna)
3) You lie down in it. This equals total relaxation. Sitting in a sauna is nice, but after being able to lie down in one I would never want to go back to sitting again. It’s good to let your whole body relax once in a while.
4) Sweat like you’ve never sweat before. I’m one of those people who hardly ever sweats (I’m always cold). I’ve noticed that with regular use of this sauna, my circulation has improved and my hands are even warmer.

5) Improved quality of sleep. I’ve been having trouble sleeping through the night for years. I’ve been using the sauna for about two weeks now and have already noticed improvements in the quality of my sleep. I have been waking up feeling well rested and much earlier than usual on my days off when I use the sauna the night before.
6) I’ve read other reviews that say infrared helps get rid of cellulite, helps with pain management, improve skin condition, metabolism, and more.
7) Even physically disabled people can enjoy some of the healthful benefits of “exercise” –burns over 600 calories in 30 minutes!
8 ) Can accommodate a person up to 6’5” tall.
9) Easy to set up. No tools required.
10) Your body will thank you.

Far Infrared Sauna Tips From My Experience

* Far infrared sauna Tip #1: I lie on top of a cotton sheet to make clean up simple (You will sweat like crazy using this thing and the sweat is like 7 times more toxic than regular sweat, so you’ll want to take a shower within 20 minutes as well.)

* Portable infrared sauna Tip #2: Try listening to relaxing music, dim the lights, and drift off to your happy place. It’s like a mini vacation that you’ll want to return to again and again.

FIR Far Infrared Sauna Dome Wrap Technical Details
• Burns over 600 Calories in 30 Minutes!
• Free Heating Mat Included + Pillow
• Powerful 1,000w Ceramic Heater
• Large Size - Accommodates anyone up to 6.5' Feet Tall
• Easy Storage - Folds up into a portable size for each storage

Product Description
Healing Benefits: The use of a portable infrared sauna is very important for the detoxification and cleansing of your body. It can rid your body of many toxins through your sweat glands. It will also improve your metabolism, and burn calories! Many people have noticed it helps deal with stress, as it allows your body and muscles to fully relax. It also improves blood circulation, and gets your heart rate up, which is very healthy. A sauna can also have a huge benefit for your skin. A good sweat is excellent for healthy skin. Helps with: Relief from headaches Weight loss - Burns over 600 calories in 30 minutes or less! Increasing body metabolism, Elimination of toxins, Blood circulation, Pain management, Immune system deficiencies, Detoxification, Respiratory ailments, Skin rejuvenation, Can help improve sleep, Lower stress and Many more benefits not even discovered yet!

If you've used a Far Infrared Sauna, have you seen any health benefits?

Default By Relevance Bestselling Price: low to high Price: high to low Newest arrivals On sale

Far Infrared FIR Portable Foldable Spa Sauna Detox Ion, SI01 Sale Price: $172.99   Eligible for free shipping!

XLarge Infrared IR FAR Portable Indoor SPA Sauna 1 YEAR WARRANTY Sale Price: $199.99   Eligible for free shipping!

Why I love My Portable Far Infrared Sauna is a post from: Natural Health Goodies

I just received a beautiful bamboo cutting board as a gift and I've been looking into how to cure it or season it before use. Every where I look suggests using food grade mineral oil to first cure the bamboo cutting board and then re-apply once a month to maintain a good luster.

Now my dilemma is this: is mineral oil, even supposedly food grade mineral oil really safe?

Here is the definition of mineral oil found on Wikipedia:
"A mineral oil or liquid petroleum is a liquid by-product of the distillation of petroleum to produce gasoline and other petroleum based products from crude oil."

Now does that sound safe to consume to you?

Me either.

Is there a natural health alternative to mineral oil in curing a wood or bamboo cutting board?

I'd like to start a discussion on the use of mineral oil in curing wood cutting boards, so for any of you real food experts or natural health guru's what do you think? And what do you use to cure or maintain your wood cutting board?

Wondering Where to Buy Food Grade Mineral Oil See These Options Below

I'm still not entirely convinced food grade mineral oil is as food safe as it claims but the consensus is that it is the best option out there for protecting wood cutting boards. If you can't find food grade mineral oil at your local store Amazon has many options available below.

Default Featured items Bestselling Price: low to high Price: high to low Alphabetical: A to Z Alphabetical: Z to A

John Taylor Butcher Block Conditioner Food Grade Mineral Oil and Natural Waxes, 12 fl.oz(355ml) Sale Price: $9.95   Eligible for free shipping!

Snow River 7V03389 Wood Oil List Price: $4.29 Sale Price: $2.98 You save: $1.31 (31%)   Eligible for free shipping!

This Post on Food Grade Mineral Oil Shared on Real Food Wednesday and Fight Back Friday

Is food grade mineral oil really food safe? is a post from: Natural Health Goodies

Wasabi sauce-that strange green spicy pile of goo that you always get when you go out for sushi and usually throw away (at least I usually did-since less than a grain of salt’s worth of the stuff makes my head feel like it’s about to come apart at the seams)—well, I had a bad cold which I think turned into an upper respiratory infection and had a real hankering for some sushi one night—and decided maybe some of that repulsive green stuff would be good for relieving congestion.

I did feel an immediate sensation of crispness as my nose seemed to clear and I tried not to cry, though when I looked up the reason why it seemed to work as a decongestant, I was surprised to learn wasabi actually makes the nasal passages more narrow-which might explain why later on my nose was even stuffier.

However, far from trying to discredit the health benefits of wasabi, I was surprised to learn it had so many other health benefits besides as an antidote to prevent food poisoning (which is one reason that wasabi is served with sushi and raw fish). Wasabi has anti-bacterial properties and is thought to reduce inflammation, prevent tumors, and even kill cavity causing bacteria! In addition, it may help prevent cancer and heart attacks, and help people suffering from arthritis.

But before you run out to your nearest sushi bar, know that real wasabi (or Japanese horseradish) is very rare in the U.S. and most restaurants serve a mixture of Western horseradish mixed with mustard and green food coloring. Before you skip the “fake wasabi,” altogether though, it turns out Western horseradish has many of the same health benefits, including antibacterial and anti-inflammatory characteristics, plus it stimulates the immune system, heats up the body, and has aphrodisiacal properties! Though we could probably do without the food coloring.

As I mentioned the true Wasabia japonica rhizome, (the rhizome is the Japanese horseradish root) is hard to find in the US so if you have a good source please share it with us in the comments below. And what do you think, is wasabi good for you?

If you do some searching Amazon does have some natural (aka without the artificial food coloring) wasabi powders and sauces, here are results for wasabi and wasabi products for sale.

Default By Relevance Bestselling Price: low to high Price: high to low Newest arrivals On sale

Kaneku Premium Wasabi Ko - Japanese Horseradish Powder - 1.0 Oz Sale Price: $4.35   Eligible for free shipping!

S&B - Wasabi in Plastic Tube (Family Size) 3.17 Oz. Sale Price: $3.73   Eligible for free shipping!

This Post Shared on Fight Back Friday and Real Food Wednesday

Wasabi, Spicy Green Goo or Really Good for You? is a post from: Natural Health Goodies

Winter chills bring sniffles and pills but with this all natural cough remedy, a food based cough syrup you can give your kids some relief without risking harmful over the counter "medicines".

There is nothing worse than hearing one's child suffer through a winter cold and the hacking night time cough that keeps them tossing and turning all night. It gets to the point where you'll even consider giving them over-the-counter medications (that frankly have some pretty dangerous ingredients) just to give them a few hours of relief. If you've been trying to replace as many harmful children's medicines with all natural ones take a look at Maty's Quiet Relief Cough Syrup - a natural cough suppressant.

Many natural cough remedies for children (and adults for that matter) get a bad rap when it comes to how well they work so you may wonder "does Maty's Quiet Relief cough syrup work?" I'm always interested in trying a new natural cough remedy so when I was looking for something to give the kidieos some bliss from a particularly nasty night time cough I thought I'd try some and I am glad I did. ( I tried the Maty's Kid's Quiet Relief Cough Syrup, Caramel Banana Flavor)

After about 7.5493 minutes (okay I didn't actually time it but I'd say around 5-8 minutes) the coughing stopped and they finally fell into a peaceful sleep - peaceful for them as well as us! The directions state to take it every 4 hours and that is about how long the relief lasted, 4 or 5 hours, so it would be nice if it had a longer duration but to find a natural cough syrup that actually works and works pretty fast I will certainly buy it again.

What is Maty's Quiet Relief Cough Syrup and how is it a natural cough remedy?

Maty's cough syrup is food based so it doesn't have any harmful ingredients, sweeteners, corn, soy, dairy, wheat or yeast. I don't know the process by which it is made but I would guess that this is a raw food cough syrup which is even better because all the healing properties of the ingredients would be kept at their most potent levels.

Maty's cough syrup is made from antioxidant rich Buckwheat honey which has been shown to improve respiratory function. It also contains Cinnamon, Zinc, Apple Cider Vinegar, Cayenne Pepper, Sea Salt, and Lemon Balm each of which have numerous healing properties - too numerous to list even, but here is the information from the box.

Maty's Natural cough remedy ingredient properties

• Cinnamon: promotes healthy breathing
• Zinc: provides immune support
• Apple Cider Vinegar: promotes healthy mucus flow
• Cayenne Pepper: aids circulation
• Sea Salt: naturally neutralizes toxins in the body
• Lemon Balm: has a calming effect

While we tried the Maty's natural cough remedy for children it also comes in a regular, basically the same without the extra banana flavor.

This post on Maty's natural cough remedy shared on Real Food Wednesday and Fight Back Friday

Ahhh Sweet Surrender: A Natural Cough Remedy That Works is a post from: Natural Health Goodies

I just wanted to take a quick moment (while my bean and ham canned soup is cooling down) to share that I love love love my new Fissler Smooth Edge can opener! It took a few minutes when I first got it to figure out how it attaches to the can because a smooth edge can opener is not like your traditional can opener that has plier-like grips - I just remember that the little metal loop goes on top when you put the roller on the can.

Why is a Smooth Edge Can Opener better than other can openers?

The Fissler smooth edge can opener is a much cleaner and more hygienic way to open canned food because it never actually comes into contact with the contents of the can-so you could go from opening a can of cat food to a can of tomato sauce to a can of tuna fish without having to ever wash your can opener! And let's face it how many of us actually clean our can openers every time?

(In several food safety studies over the years can openers have been found to have the potential for high levels of bacterial and fungal contamination including Escherichia coli (E-Coli) or Salmonella. Source)

No Sharp Edges with a Smooth Edge Can Opener

Another great feature of the Fissler Magic smooth edge can opener is that it takes the lid off cleanly without producing sharp edges as other can openers do. That alone sounds almost too good to be true. It's much safer for kids, seniors, and even me. In addition, the lid still fits perfectly on top of the can, so if you want you can keep the lid as a cover and save some money on Saran wrap when you have leftovers. The can looks unopened-which come to think of it would also make it a great place to hide secret stuff or store any number of things in a discreet manner.

The Fissler Smooth Edge Can Opener is the neatest most practical can opener I have ever owned. Really. I read pretty much every review ever written before buying it too because I didn't want to pay this much for a can opener and be duped, but I'm happy that I did.

There was another brand that had plastic parts that would eventually break according to some reviews that I also almost bought. The Fissler, however, is made in Germany and was built to last, which saves valuable resources from ending up in the dump. It'd make a surprisingly unique gift come the holidays too

There's a Fissler Smooth-Edge Can Opener sale on Amazon for $11 less than what I paid for it just a couple weeks ago. I might have to buy a couple extra for friends and family.

Find the Fissler Magic Smooth Edge Can Opener (and other smooth edge can openers) on sale below

Default Featured items Bestselling Price: low to high Price: high to low Alphabetical: A to Z Alphabetical: Z to A

OXO Good Grips Smooth Edge Can Opener List Price: $21.99 Sale Price: $15.45 You save: $6.54 (30%)   Eligible for free shipping!

Zyliss Safe Edge Can Opener, White List Price: $19.99 Sale Price: $7.45 You save: $12.54 (63%)   Eligible for free shipping!

This Post on the Fissler Smooth Edge can opener Shared on Fight Back Friday

Food Safe Fissler Smooth Edge Can Opener Review is a post from: Natural Health Goodies

If the thought of wielding a massive cleaver gives you goose bumps, but you have a hankering for some fresh coconut water take a look at Vita Coco. All the natural health goodness of fresh young coconuts without the risk of missing fingers, yikes sorry for the graphic image let's stick to a more inviting picture - the image of good health.

• Coconut water is low in sodium and sugar and very high in potassium (even more than bananas, or sports drinks like Gatorade)
• Coconut water helps raise the metabolism, boost the immune system, and improve circulation (and in a pinch it can be used for blood transfusions since it is identical to human blood plasma - oops sorry that brings us back to the missing fingers quip I'll try to refrain)

If you aren't that familiar with the health benefits of coconut water do some searching and you'll soon find out that coconut water is some amazing stuff (maybe that's why all those commercials you see for vacations in the tropics have all those gorgeous people in them - it must be the coconut water)

But back to the Vita Coco shall we? Not only do they offer plain Jane coconut water that is scrumptious all by itself, they offer many other flavors made with natural fruit purees along with the coconut water. Give the Passion Fruit, Tangerine, Peach & Mango, Pineapple, or Acai & Pomegranate flavors a try - you'll be dancing in tropical vacation commercials in no time.

Update: Today Amazon is having a Cyber Week Lightning Deal on the Vita Coco Variety 12 Pack - Normal list price of $24 now on sale for $16! (the Amazon link above shows it at $21 but if you buy before 4pm Central it is only $16 - good luck!)

I have not been paid by Vita Coco to butter them up and make them look good - their products speak for themselves - I am also not endorsed by meat cleaver sellers or emergency room workers for mentioning tragic accidents that might result from improper use of said cutlery - I do however receive a small commission from Amazon for any purchases made through the links on this site so tell all your friends to stop here first and practice hitting that buy button - it does a blogger good

This Post Shared on Real Food Wednesday and Fight Back Friday

Naturally Healthy Coconut Water Without Risk of Injury is a post from: Natural Health Goodies

Have you been looking for a kids toothpaste that is so good your children will WANT to brush their teeth? Now how about one that is loaded with natural effective ingredients instead of all the artificial junk found in most kids toothpaste?

We tried out a really effective herbal all natural toothpaste made by Vita-Myr awhile back and we loved it - the only problem was one of the main ingredients was clove. Clove is a very effective antibacterial and anti-inflammatory which is great for gum health, however it does have a strong taste - our 4 year old thought it was too "spicy".

Is there a Natural Kids Toothpaste that kids will like?

Alas, back to the gunky un-natural kids toothpaste.... but not long after we wrote up a review for the Vita-Myr Zinc Plus toothpaste - we received a surprise from the fine folks at Vita-Myr - a couple tubes of their Natural Orange Flavor Children's Xylitol toothpaste. It has the same beneficial ingredients as the Zinc Plus toothpaste along with Xylitol which is a proven powerful cavity fighter and antioxidant - it even has clove. But with the nice subtle orange flavor you'd never know - and your kids won't either.

Teeth brushing success a Natural Kids Toothpaste that tastes good

Proof in point... when I brushed our 18 month old's teeth with the Vita-Myr Children's Xylitol toothpaste the first word out of her mouth was More! (and she wasn't a big talker at the time so it must have been good)

She now loves brushing her teeth - and I love knowing that Vita-Myr natural kids toothpaste contains no harmful chemicals, fluoride, artificial sweeteners or colors - not to mention this toothpaste is so effective at removing teeth scum it makes them squeak.

Check out these sales on Vita-Myr natural kids toothpaste and other herbal kids toothpastes below

Default Featured items Bestselling Price: low to high Price: high to low Newest arrivals On sale

Children's Zinc Plus Herbal Toothpaste - with Xylitol Orange Flavor - 5.4 oz. List Price: $8.95 Sale Price: $7.48 You save: $1.47 (16%)   Eligible for free shipping!

Herbal Toothpaste Cardamon-Fennel 4.16 Ounces List Price: $3.70 Sale Price: $3.46 You save: $0.24 (6%)   Eligible for free shipping!

If you've discovered a great effective natural kids toothpaste leave a comment below - we are always looking for new natural health products to try.

This post on Vita-Myr natural kids toothpaste shared on Real Food Wednesday and Fight Back Friday

Are You Looking for a Natural Kids Toothpaste Your Children Will Love? is a post from: Natural Health Goodies

My girls absolutely love kefir, a delightfully delicious cultured milk similar to yogurt. (and I admit I'm a little addicted as well) Someday we'd even like to make our own if we can find a good source of kefir grains, but until we do we like to try various store bought kefir when we find it.

We recently found a good one at a local co-op made by Nancy's - Organic Blackberry Kefir - I'm salivating just thinking about it. Nancy's makes four varieties of Organic kefir in 8oz and 32 oz sizes - plain, raspberry, blackberry, and blueberry.

Not only is their kefir loaded with tons (well, billions actually) of live probiotic cultures including L. Acidophilus, B Bifidum, L. Rhamnosus, and L. Casei (which besides being fun tongue twisters are actually great for digestive health and the immune system) Nancy's organic kefir uses all organic milk, fruit and inulin (a prebiotic - probiotics best friend that enhances nutrient absorption).

In fact the organic milk comes from grass fed cows which provides a massively huge amount of good nutrients not found in "regular" milk.

The natural health geek in me has to mention a couple of points: one Nancy's Organic Kefir uses Agave Nectar which while it is a low glycemic sweetener, has very high levels of Fructose which many even geekier natural health guru's believe should be avoided like the plague.

Also in order for it to count as a low-fat drink it contains organic nonfat dry milk (in addition to actual organic milk) - which kinda defeats the point of all those good for you fats found in grass fed milk. There is a widespread misconception that low-fat or non-fat milk is good for you - but that is a whole post in and of itself.

That being said Nancy's Organic Kefir is still one of the best for you kefirs I have found in stores and I'll certainly buy it again - now if they made a full fat grass fed naturally sweetened variety I'd have to say it would be the perfect kefir.

This post shared on Fight Back Friday

I’m Hooked on Nancy’s Organic Blackberry Kefir is a post from: Natural Health Goodies

Someone asked me the other day "can you dehydrate green smoothies?" It got me thinking and the answer is of course you can. The easiest way to dehydrate green smoothies is to calculate the coefficient of friction by dividing the volume of smoothie in Liters by the Square Root of Pi... well ok it might be even easier than that (and more fun if advanced math gives you the willies).

Just take your favorite green smoothie recipe (you can try our favorite green smoothie recipe if you don't have one yet) but use less water so the constancy of the smoothie is thicker. Spread that out on a non-stick dehydrator sheet or some waxed paper in your dehydrator (or use a new fangled Excalibur food dehydrator with the mesh screens) and twiddle your thumbs until it looks nice and chewy. Roll that baby up and take it to go.

The beauty of dehydrated green smoothies is that you retain all that healthy raw food goodness but don't have to lug around a big vat of smoothie - plus you don't get the "what are you DRINKING!" comments from that one skeptical guy at work who always scoffs at you from trying to eat healthy at work.

When I was growing up we went through a few dehydrators, in fact my dad even made one himself that was mighty cool - and big! We had so much fun thinking of dehydrator recipes - I just wish back then I knew about green smoothies, I would have whipped up a batch in no time. Now that I have the urge to experiment again I'll have to pick one up.

If you don't have a food dehydrator yet either, the creme de la creme in food dehydrators among raw foodists (especially for smoothie leathers) is the Excalibur 3900 Deluxe Series 9 Tray Food Dehydrator. Usually on sale at Amazon for $219.95. You can also get highly rated dehydrators from Nesco for around $50 depending on what features you are looking for. But many have said drying fruit leathers is inefficient and messy with the round style dehydrators, and you can't dry bulky items like flowers or granola because the space between trays is limited.

Have you tried dehydrating green smoothies? What is your favorite smoothie recipe to dehydrate?

This post shared on Real Food Wednesday and Fight Back Friday.

Can You Dehydrate Green Smoothies? You Betcha! is a post from: Natural Health Goodies