In fact, USA Today Weekend stated that eating fish at least one time a week while you are pregnant also can help your young offspring avoid getting eczema.

Fish Oil Blog discusses the benefits of taking fish oil during pregnancy, which helps prevent Allergies, Athsma, and Eczema.  In fact, the blog claims that the benefits extend as long as the child is nursing. 

“The advantages of studying foods are that they contain a mixture of micronutrients that may contribute more than the sum of their parts,” according to Medscape Today.  In a study cited on this webpage, it was found that Athsma and Allergies were less likely to occur in children whose mother ate apples and fish while pregnant.

Just in case you waited too long to eat enough fish and apples, here are a few natural options to help deal with eczema, found on Scribd: http://www.scribd.com/doc/859739/How-To-Beat-Eczema-Naturally

• Aloe vera gel
• Borage oil
• Evening primrose oil
• Fish oil
• Multivitamins and multi-minerals
• Probiotics
• St John’s wort
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E

Namaste,
A. Caleb Hartley

I try to eat well, but I’m not always successful. My biggest downfall is salty, crunchy food (like Doritos or Sun Chips). So while cruising the organic section of the grocery store a few weeks ago, I caught site of a new offering at my store – Sensible Foods Organic Sweet Corn.  I took a look at it and, not knowing exactly what to expect, bought a package and tried them. 

They are great!  They are crunchy but not hard, and they are a little sweet (they are sweet corn after all!).  The greatest thing is that the whole package is 70 calories (only 6 from fat), lots of fiber, and the ingredients are “100% Organic Sweet Corn, Sea Salt, and Nothing Else.”  I liked it so much that I bought three more packages the next time I went to the grocery store, and also bought one of each of the other three flavors that were available at my grocery store: Cherry Berry, Orchard Blend, and Tropical Blend. 

Of the three fruity types I tried, tropical blend had the most variety, in my opinion.  My favorite, though, was orchard blend… it’s a bit of a stronger flavor than the others, but reminded me of eating fruits from my grandparents’ house… we used to pick raspberries and blackberries and strawberries and apples when my cousins and I were all kids.  Those were the freshest, strongest-flavored fruits ever, and I could taste a hint of them in the Orchard Blend, just like when I was eight, visiting Mimi and Gran for the summer.

Do yourself a favor and pick these up, even if it’s just to try them once.  I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised – and come back for more!

BTW- I am not getting paid for this post, but I’ve become a fast evangelist for Sensible Foods! If you do try them (or if you already have), leave a comment and let everybody know what you thought.

Namaste,
A. Caleb Hartley

If you’ve ever had the pleasure </sarcasm> of dealing with gnats, here’s a great way to get them under control:

First, eliminate the source – any soft (meaning rotten) fruit or vegetables will spawn an infestation of gnats.  Check your trash, and get rid of anything that might remotely attract them.  Old fruit, spots of honey or balsamic vinegar, etc.  I would even get rid of any stale bread… anything that any bug might find appetizing.

Next, find a tall, narrow glass (something you might drink iced tea or milk out of).  Put a little cider vinegar in it (enough to cover the bottom of the glass to about 1/4 of an inch deep or so). 

Now, put a few drops of detergent in it (dish soap will work fine for this part). 

Stir it up, and set a funnel on the top of the glass, narrow part down inside the glass.

Gnats will be attracted to the cider vinegar, and will crawl down the funnel into the glass.  Once there, they are unable to get back out and will ultimately end up in the vinegar.  The detergent holds them there once they land, and they ultimately “drown” in the vinegar.

I was pretty skeptical about this solution initially, but I thought I’d try it. Other than a little bit of vinegar smell wafting through the room sometimes, I was pleasantly surprised at how well it worked!  We set it up, left the house for a little while (maybe 30 minutes or so), and when we came back, there were gnats all over the glass – on the inside!  At least 50 of them, with many already dead in the vinegar!

I highly suggest using this tactic – it’s much better than buying a can of (ineffective) chemicals and leaving a coating of poisonous residue all over your house!