Over 3 decades ago I wase living in Hattiesburg Mississippi, I remember hearing my mother speak of a woman who had had incurable cancer, given chemotherapy, and sent home to die by her oncologist. She allegedly took an herb for several years and the cancer went into remission. Of course, I was skeptical, until I met the woman, then in her seventies, and appeared a picture of health. This started my quest at the nearby library. The pickings were slim but I was determined to learn.



By 1978, I had read every book available to me, there was no Internet or Barnes And Nobles, so I decided to open my own health food store, possibly the first or one of the first in the state. I made sure the store had a large library and opened it across the street from the state university in town, as, I had pretty much become ostracized by the local yokels, and students from afar were not only my market, but the only ones who did not consider me a pariah.

By 1978, I had read every book available to me, there was no Internet or Barnes And Nobles, so I decided to open my own health food store, possibly the first or one of the first in the state. I made sure the store had a large library and opened it across the street from the state university in town, as, I had pretty much become ostracized by the local yokels, and students from afar were not only my market, but the only ones who did not consider me a pariah.

As change happens so do people. My store was only in business a few years, and it was quite an education. As the years went by, I learned that I had to unlearn most of what I had learned. Much of what the early nutritionist/authors had written no longer applied. New research had disproved much of it. A lot of it was hype. Some of it fact.

Some of the more notable facts I later found: Vitamin supplements and herbs are basically useless, even if organic. Herbs are excellent for wellness, if prepared in tincture form in countries that have strict laws in how they are raised (herbs from many third-world countries are still sprayed with dysentery-infected water doing more harm than good), and herbal capsules have virtually zero medicinal qualities, and even then they absorb pitifully in the digestive system, whereas tinctures begin working in the mouth, and absorb much better than in the digestive system.

All nutrition, even organic vitamins are overheated and not live foods. The only process of producing vitamins and minerals that work are using a method called "flash-glanced"; where the enzymes stay alive. These can only be found in a few places. One might Google flash-glanced vitamins and find them.

Internal health is a great thing, but unfortunately no longer works, in and of its own. Because we are all part of this planet, and the external environment affects our internal environments, organic household goods, bedding, cleaners, and yes, even our clothes, and our fragile immune systems are affected by all of this.

By now, you may be calling me a fanatic. No problem. I was labeld that by my local medical community, back in the seventies when I told customers there is a good chance that ginkgo might help them to think better and st. john's wort might make their mood better. I've been told by old friends that many of those same doctors, the ones still alive, are often recommending better nutrition and lifestyles. Go figure.

Regardless of our thoughts of Gore's speeches on global warming, the rain-forest etc, one has to admit, we live on a very fragile planet and we are the only ones who can fix it, one person at a time.

Don't just talk the green talk, walk the green walk. Each of us can do our part to make the earth last a little longer and while we are here, the quality be better for everyone. If we are not recycling, it's never too late to start. If you can't do it every day, start once or twice a week. Once in the habit, you'll find it fulfilling.

Buy a few earth-friendly cotton tees. Did you know that cotton farming accounts for over 10% of the world's pesticide pollution? Besides that, they feel and look so much better (not to mention sexier) on the skin.