Andy's Idea Factory

Kidney stones are no joke; they're painful, sometimes nauseating, and rarely dangerous. These hard mineral deposits form in the urinary tract and can be excruciating to pass. It's better to prevent them than to try and break them up or pass them, so if you know you have the genetic predisposition, or have had them once before, let's start with prevention tips before moving into recovery and pain management.  First, kidney stones can be a sign of dehydration and not enough liquids in the diet. Our bodies are 70-80% water, so we should be replenishing that day, especially in the summer when we are sweating more than urinating the water out. If you can start by drinking half your body weight in ounces per day, that can not only help the body replenish, but reduce inflammation, flush toxins of all kinds, and keep the body's immune system functioning at peak.  In addition, supplement that water intake with watery vegetables, tea, and other helpful liquids.  For vegetables, I...

For Christmas this year, I got a Kombucha making kit from my husband that he purchased through an awesome resource - The Kombucha Shop . I didn't get cranking right away, but once I did, I couldn't stop! And as those of you know that have gone before me in this, the scoby invasion is a big reason why! Kombucha starts with the Scoby, a symbiotic culture of healthy bacteria and yeast, a gelatinous, cellulous biofilm that is also known as a "mushroom" as it resembles the top of a mushroom. Many other products start with a culture like this - vinegar, ginger beer, keifer, and my other most recent experiment, sourdough . Cultures are good for the gut, the immune system, brain health, and the overall health of the body - 3/4 of our immune system resides in the gut, and a healthy gut means a healthy body. As you know from my many other experiments, research, and tinkerings, I love a good science project. So this was the ideal present for me! The full kit comes wit...

I have been amateurely studying the benefits of herbs on health for over 25 years now and I've recently been adding Cats Claw into my regime, along with what I always and forever will take  –  whole food concentrates & plant based protein . In addition to that I rotate in a few things for my thyroid, inflammation, and gut health (selenium, magnesium, D, homeopathy, CBD) and in recent months, thanks to what I've been reading from The Medical Medium, Cats Claw is one of them. I've really noticed my body craves it now, if I skip it, I feel my physical being seeking it out. I travel a lot, more so this month, and I think that's why- it's extra immune support, which we need when we are on the road even more. This infographic from Dr. Axe sums it all up perfectly. Learn more here . I'm a firm believer that plants heal, and this her specifically is one of the ancient ones, used in Peru since the early days of herbal healing. If you are clearing out...