Lois Stephens

TEACHER FEATURE Lois Stephens

Lois Stephens is a nutritionist, herbalist, and educator with over 50 years of experience. She started her career as a nutrition instructor at Auburn University and then shifted to the healthcare industry after marrying a young naval officer and became a registered dietician. She presently serves as a teacher at the Ever’man Natural Foods Cooperative in Pensacola and leads a Natural Healing Study Group that covers a variety of topics with an emphasis on natural healing through a whole-foods diet and at-home remedies that support a healthy, vibrant lifestyle. Look for her classes on the Ever’man Calendar. Lois holds a Master’s Degree in Foods & Nutrition with a minor in Biochemistry. Her guiding mantra is the famous quote “Let Food Be Your Medicine and Medicine Be Your Food” (Hippocrates). Now is a great time to carve out a little space to keep some basic items – like your own medicinal curio cabinet. You can take these items every day or during the colder months, amp up your dosage when you feel lower energy.

(1) RAW GARLIC – this is one of the most important things you can do to build immunity to fight bacteria & viral infections. Just take a clove of garlic with a meal – chop it, mash it or mince it up in a salad or sandwich, or add it to your morning orange juice or smoothie with a little honey or yogurt. Note: Make sure you take raw garlic with food. Taken alone may cause digestive discomfort.

(2) VITAMIN C WITH QUERCETIN – it’s important to take Vitamin C with bioflavonoids like Quercetin, in order for your body to utilize Vitamin C properly. Take as much as 1000 mg of C daily or to bowel tolerance. Alternatively, you can make lemonade! Mother Nature knew best when making citrus fruits because she put the white pith just under the peeling to hold the bioflavonoids. A neat way to take advantage of this concept is to make your lemonade using the white pith of the lemon. Thinly peel away the yellow rind or “zest” of the lemon, cut it into chunks, carefully removing all seeds, then blendit with lots of water in a Vitamix or blender to make a whole pitcher of healthy lemonade! Add either local honey or Manuka Honey as a sweetener.

(3) TURMERIC – this is an ancient Indian spice, used for years to alleviate aches & pains, and great for fighting the inflammation of every illness, big or small from the brain to the toes. However, it’s difficult to absorb, so look for added ingredients like black pepper (bioperine) to do that. I love a spicy concoction called Fire Cider that goes even further by adding garlic, onion, ginger, horseradish, lemon, & cayenne.

(4) MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS – Not what you are thinking! Mushrooms have many immunity building properties. Some to consider are Turkey Tail, Reishi, and Cordyceps. Support your health with 17 powerful mushrooms formulated to support your immune system when you need it most by Host Defense.

(5) OREGANO OIL – My favorite is one made by North American Herb and Spice called “Oil of Wild Oregano” or simply “Oreganol”. We tend to think “pizza and Italian Food” at the mention of oregano but the truth is, oregano contains anti-fungal, ant-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-parasitic compounds that work wonders to boost the immune system. If you’re caught outside, late in the afternoon when mosquitos and “no-see-ums” start biting, a drop or two of oregano oil will soothe and relieve the pain of that bite faster than most anything, and smelling its aroma makes the pain easier to bear as it gradually goes away.

(6) ECHINACEA is a must-have herb to have around cold and flu season and proven to be a potent immunity-booster. It stimulates and brings balance to the immune system and is very effective in the treatment of acute respiratory infections. It’s usually found in blends of herbal remedies because the herbs are chosen to complement each other in order to produce the greatest effect. One of my favorites that includes Echinacea is ACF Formula (Acute Colds & Flu Formula) by Buried Treasure. This is an herbal whole food blend to take if you think you’re coming down with something & you want to get rid of it as fast as possible! It has over 15 different immune-enhancing ingredients such as Echinacea, Elderberry, Goldenseal, Olive Leaf, Thyme, Cat’s Claw, Ginger Root, Myrrh, Andrographis, and even Zinc and Silver. I have a spare bottle on the shelf at all times.

(7) CACAO (CHOCOLATE) sweetened with Stevia, the sweet herb. Cacao is nutrient-dense & loaded with healthenhancing properties and in general, the higher the % of cacao, the greater the benefits. It has 40 times the antioxidants of blueberries, the highest plant-based source of iron, full of magnesium for a healthy heart & brain, has more calcium than cow’s milk, and is a natural mood elevator and anti-depressant. So there’s a reason why eating a piece of dark chocolate makes you feel so good! A day without chocolate is not complete! My favorite brand Lily’s uses stevia as a sweetener. Don’t forget to look for a high percentage of cacao, as high as 70 – 80% to reap the most reward from chocolate.

(8) COLLOIDAL SILVER – Although silver is a mineral, and is found naturally in a lot of plants, including herbs, the quantity may not be enough to give great results. Therefore, it is best to include it as a separate item to take on a daily basis in small amounts, only 1 to 2 tablespoons to help PREVENT illness from occurring in the first place. It acts as a potent anti-inflammatory – and helps prevent the common cold & flu. Sovereign Silver Daily Immune Support comes in a spray.

(9) PROBIOTICS – There is a lot of interaction between the bacteria in the gut and the immune system, and the presence of an abundance of friendly bacteria in the “gut” greatly affects immunity. Therefore,it’s like carrying a good insurance policy to supplement daily with a probiotic formula. Some have as many as 50 billion of the basic strains. Garden of Life is one of the best resources for probiotics and offers a variety for men, women, and for mood-enhancing. In addition there are fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kombucha, kefir, yogurt, and miso.

(10) BEET ROOT POWDER – Although this is a food product, because of its medicinal value, it might also be considered a big fat herb. This food is powerful for improving circulation in the cardiovascular system because it affects the elasticity of the inner lining of the blood vessels which directly affects blood pressure. But few people enjoy eating beets daily. A more simple way is to buy the powder form and use it in a daily smoothie mix along with many other powders from fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, etc.

Co+op Explorers know healthy soil is important!

Organic farming builds rich, healthy soil that is full of life! When the soil is healthy, farmers can grow awesome veggies that taste delicious. Take a closer look at what’s happening in organic soil.

centipede

earthworm

ants sow bug

beetle

mold

bacteria

When you see the USDA Organic symbol on a package or sign, it means that the food was produced in a way that is good for plants, pollinators and people.