Humans have cultivated and used the flowering tops of the female cannabis plant, known colloquially as marijuana, since history was recorded. Archaeologists in Central Asia even found over 2 pounds of cannabis in a 2,700 year-old grave of a shaman.

Written and pictorial evidence of cannabis use is scattered throughout numerous cultures indicating a wide acceptance and use of the plant for thousands of years.

The studies used the FDA ‘gold standard’ clinical trial design and reported that marijuana should be the “first line of treatment” for patients suffering from neuropathy and other serious illnesses.

Neuropathy is a type of pain associated with diabetes, cancer, spinal cord injuries, HIV/AIDS and other debilitating conditions. The trials indicated that marijuana controlled pain as good or better than available medications.

Organic Connections, By: Daphne Miller, MD 12/19/2013

I’m even beginning to wonder whether Hippocrates was wrong, or at least somewhat misguided, when he proclaimed, “Let food be thy medicine.” Don’t get me wrong—food is important to our health. But it might be the soil where our food is grown, rather than the food itself, that offers us the real medicine.

You would find little to support these assertions within the medical literature. Enter the terms “soil” and “health” into a PubMed database and the top search results portray soil as a risky substance, filled with pathogenic yeast, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, radon, heavy metals, and pesticides. But move past these grim reports, and you will uncover a small, but growing, collection of research that paints soil in a very different light. These studies suggest that soil, or at least some types of soil, can be beneficial to our health.

For more on this story visit www.redicecreations.com

Natural Society, By: Elizabeth Renter, 12/21/2013

Containing a compound known as capsaicin, cayenne peppers have been found to aid in weight loss, lower blood pressure, and reduce inflammation, all while giving your food a spicy kick. So, what’s the evidence of cayenne pepper benefits? Read on.

As mentioned, the compound credited with the health benefits of cayenne peppers is known as capsaicin. It’s also the compound that makes the peppers so spicy. Capsaicin has been found to reduce inflammation, which can aid in the treatment of arthritis and even the prevention of serious conditions like heart disease and cancer. But the capsaicin benefits don’t stop there.

For more on this story visit www.naturalsociety.com

Natural Society, By: Christina Sarich, 12/18/2013

For years scientists couldn’t really figure out why people on a small island off of Japan hardly ever suffered from cancer – until they stumbled onto a curious fetish the Okinawans had for a seaweed delicacy called Kombu. (Okinawans use various longevity secrets to live to be 100 and older). Although it would be difficult to find Kombu now that isn’t tainted with Fukushima radiation, at least in or near Japan, there is a long chain carbohydrate in the seaweed called Fucoidan that has proven to fight cancer again and again.

For more on this story visit www.naturalsociety.com

Natural Society, By: Elizabeth Renter, 12/16/2013

In addition to producing no vitamin D since the cold season keep us indoors, we are more likely to spread germs among one another. It’s in these winter months—when we also seek comfort in carb-heavy foods– that a cold or the flu can easily take hold and make your daily existing very unpleasant. While there is something to be said for treating the symptoms of such illness with natural remedies, the best way to fight a cold or the flu is to prevent it from ever happening.

For more on this story visit www.naturalsociety.com