Like so many of us, I’ve been watching my nutrition and eating healthfully for years, buying only organic food and the very freshest ingredients possible. Also years ago, I cut out those foods that are known to damage our systems. I thought I was doing well until I heard about Qigong Master Jeff Primack and his food based healing system.

Natto is a traditional Japanese food. It’s fermented soybeans that are rich in vegetable protein. Typically eaten with rice, natto has a mild cheese-like flavor and can be an acquired taste. It has a sort of sticky paste on its surface and once it is stirred, the paste increases its volume becoming even stickier. You will find that the paste pulls apart in such a way that resembles a web. This is another characteristic that sometimes turns people off. Still, the benefits make it worth exploring, and according to The New York Times, it’s catching on. If you’re the adventurous type or enjoy uncommon textures in your food, definitely try Natto! You can even make it yourself (video) if you want.

Long used in Africa, and touted for its reputed medicinal properties, redbush tea has been the subject of increased research over the last few decades. As we read on www.livestrong.com: “Redbush tea is a beverage brewed from the dried leaves of the rooibos plant, a low-growing shrub native to South Africa and known scientifically as Aspalathus linearis. The herbal tea gets its name from the English translation of rooibos, which means “red bush” in Afrikaans.

There are good reasons to use antibiotic drugs. That said, most physicians and healthcare professionals agree that they are often overused. The overuse of antibiotics has created “superbugs” that are immune to the most common antibiotics. But on a more personal level, antibiotics can wreak havoc on your own immune system and gastrointestinal tract. The good news is that there is an all-natural alternative to antibiotics that I’ve found to be very effective.

This is a quick and simple side dish to make for warm summer evenings, as it only requires the briefest time on the stove top. Even better, there’s no need to stress about measuring ingredients – you can let the daily harvest from your home garden, or your favorite farmer’s market be your guide, as well as the number of people you expect to feed. Likewise, you can adjust the basic recipe to your own tastes. Any leftovers can be reheated, served cold, or at room temperature – you can even add some sliced, fresh tomatoes, toss it with your favorite vinaigrette and turn it into a summer salad!

“Eating For Beauty is a well illustrated, delightful easy to read book, by David Wolfe-a raw food enthusiast. You can literally eat yourself beautiful to wonderfully exotic recipes for skin-glow, hair-building, nails, bone strengthening and much more. This book is filled with information about the importance of good nutrition. There are clear explanations on exactly what zinc, iron, chromium, manganese and certain minerals do for the body and which foods supply these nutrients.’

Thyme, an herb native to the Mediterranean but now grown over most of the world, has been used for thousands of years a medicine, an antidote for the Plague and in embalming preparations. And while it’s unlikely that thyme stopped the plague, modern research has proven that thyme does indeed combat infection. One study from 2010 suggests that thymol, the active ingredient in thyme, can reduce bacterial resistance to common drugs, including penicillin. A member of the mint family, thyme has long been used in Mediterranean cuisines for its sharp minty flavor as well as its medicinal properties.

Scientifically speaking, water is the basis of life, but beyond being essential to your very existence, water serves all sorts of purposes that help you feel your absolute best. No, it can’t cure cancer (though it may help prevent it), pay your rent (though it does save you money), or take out the trash, here are six reasons H2O can help solve many annoying day-to-day health issues–and possibly prevent a few big ones–from headaches to those last few pounds.

This flavorful “jazzed up” couscous can be served as a vegetarian side dish, or as an entree with the addition of chicken sausage sliced into coins, or shredded chicken, lamb or pork. You can keep it vegetarian by adding crisp cubes of tofu, and make it vegan by omitting the butter and using oil. The leftovers are delicious, and can be served reheated, or at room temperature.