Broccoli Sprouts: Tiny Sprouts with Powerful Health Benefits

 8/1/2026

When it comes to superfoods, few can compete with broccoli sprouts. Although they may be small, they are packed with a remarkable plant compound called sulforaphane, one of the most extensively researched natural compounds for supporting health.

Over the past two decades, thousands of scientific studies have explored sulforaphane and its potential benefits. Research suggests it may help support the body's natural detoxification systems, protect healthy cells from oxidative stress, and promote normal cellular function.

Some exciting areas being studied include:
• Supporting the body's natural defense against abnormal cell growth
• Activating detoxification pathways
• Supporting healthy blood sugar and insulin sensitivity
• Promoting healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels
• Supporting gut and brain health
• Helping protect skin from UV-related damage
• Supporting the body's natural defenses against unwanted microbes, including H. pylori

Young broccoli sprouts contain much higher concentrations of sulforaphane precursors than mature broccoli, making them one of nature's most nutrient-dense foods.

While no single food is a cure-all, adding broccoli sprouts to your diet is a simple, inexpensive way to support your body's natural ability to protect, repair, and thrive.

Sometimes the smallest foods make the biggest difference. Broccoli sprouts are a wonderful example of how nature provides powerful tools to help us build better health—one bite at a time.

— Dr. Teri Tomlinson, ND

25 Reasons to Eat Bananas

6/28/2025

You'll never look at the humble banana the same way again after discovering the many health benefits and reasons to add them to your diet.
They can help to combat depression, make you smarter, cure hangovers, relieve morning sickness, protect against kidney cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, and blindness. Plus they can even cure the itch of a mosquito bite and put a great shine on your shoes.
Here are 25 reasons to eat bananas you might have never considered before.
If You Think Bananas Are Just For Monkeys, Think Again
These 25 ways to use and eat bananas will blow your mind!
  1. Bananas help overcome depression due to high levels of tryptophan, which is converted into serotonin -- the happy-mood brain neurotransmitter.
  2. Eat two bananas before a strenuous workout to pack an energy punch and sustain your blood sugar.
  3. Protect against muscle cramps during workouts and night time leg cramps by eating a banana.
  4. Counteract calcium loss during urination and build strong bones by supplementing with a banana.
  5. Improve your mood and reduce PMS symptoms by eating a banana, which regulates blood sugar and produces stress-relieving relaxation.
  6. Bananas reduce swelling, protect against type II diabetes, aid weight loss, strengthen the nervous system, and help with the production of white blood cells, all due to high levels of vitamin B-6.
  7. Strengthen your blood and relieve anemia with the added iron from bananas.
  8. High in potassium and low in salt, bananas are officially recognized by the FDA as being able to lower blood pressure and protect against heart attack and stroke.
  9. Eating Bananas For Digestion
  10. Rich in pectin, bananas aid digestion and gently chelate toxins and heavy metals from the body.
  11. Bananas act as a prebiotic, stimulating the growth of friendly bacteria in the bowel. They also produce digestive enzymes to assist in absorbing nutrients.
  12. Constipated? High fiber in bananas can help normalize bowel motility.
  13. Got the runs? Bananas are soothing to the digestive tract and help restore lost electrolytes after diarrhea.
  14. Bananas are a natural antacid, providing relief from acid reflux, heartburn, and GERD.
  15. Bananas are the only raw fruit that can be consumed without distress to relieve stomach ulcers by coating the lining of the stomach against corrosive acids. For Natural Healing From A Simple Banana
  16. Eating bananas will help prevent kidney cancer, protects the eyes against macular degeneration and builds strong bones by increasing calcium absorption.
  17. Bananas make you smarter and help with learning by making you more alert. Eat a banana before an exam to benefit from the high levels of potassium.
  18. Bananas are high in antioxidants, providing protection from free radicals and chronic disease.
  19. Eating a banana between meals helps stabilize blood sugar and reduce nausea from morning sickness.
  20. Rub a bug bite or hives with the inside of the banana peel to relieve itching and irritation.
  21. Control blood sugar and avoid binging between meals by eating a banana.
  22. Eating a banana can lower the body temperature and cool you during a fever or on a hot day.
  23. The natural mood-enhancer tryptophan helps to relieve Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
  24. Quitting smoking? Bananas contain high levels of B-vitamins as well as potassium and magnesium to speed recovery from the effects of withdrawal.
  25. Remove a wart by placing the inside of a piece of banana peel against the wart and taping it in place.
  26. Rub the inside of a banana peel on your leather shoes or handbag and polish with a dry cloth for a quick shine. by James Colquhoun
 

There Are No Short Cuts to Good Health!

6/19/2025

I am always amazed at how much time and money we are willing to spend to avoid what we already know we need to do! As a Naturopath and Herbalist, people are always asking for advice on things they can do to get more energy, better sleep and less aches and pains. The interesting part is that most of the time they are not really interested in the answer. Especially if it involves giving up something or change! In fact, many times they are already telling me that they know they need to eat more wholesome foods, stop drinking alcohol or surgery soft drinks and that they know they are eating too much sugar! They will also tell me they need to exercise, drink more water and go to bed earlier. 

The truth is we all know what we need to do.  What we are really looking for is a short cut…a magic bullet, if you will. Isn’t there something, a pill or an herb, I can take that will fix this problem so I can continue on with my current lifestyle? 

Well the answer is NO! We have all seen the results of covering up symptoms with a pill.  That seems to help for a while, but in many cases, creates yet another problem requiring more pills to combat the side effects. You see, SYMPTOMS are our red flag to stop what were doing and build our immune system. Our bodies are out of balance and we have to make necessary changes in order to get back in balance. Our body have the amazing ability to cleanse and heal itself, if given the right raw materials. 

So what are the right materials? Well certainly Sunshine, Water, Fresh Air, Plenty of Rest, Exercise and a Whole Food Diet are “the best six doctors anywhere and no one can deny it” but at the forefront is your mind. Our brain is like the hard drive of a computer directing every movement in our body (including our healing) We are the sum total of our thoughts and therefore to be well, we must not only clear out our negative thoughts and drama, but in addition seek out success stories to model after. Our bodies are designed to stay alive!

I know this first hand, having lived many years with allergies, asthma and a heart condition, as well as much inflammation and pain resulting from some serious accidents. I, like others, had no idea that changes to my lifestyle (mind, body and spirit)  would, over time, lead to an energized and pain free life!

For more information, feel free to contact me at 407-383-2002 or email ttomlinson49@gmail.com 
 
 

What are Cruciferous Vegetables and Why Are They Highly Researched for their Importance in Disease Prevention?

4/1/2025

When I was first studying Natural Health I learned that this group of vegetables was originally named for the four equal-sized petals in its flowers that could be viewed as forming a cross-like or crucifix shape. However, because research on cruciferous vegetables has skyrocketed many scientists are starting to favor the term "brassica vegetables” because they are of the family Brassicaceae (also called Cruciferae). Cruciferous vegetables are one of the dominant food crops worldwide. 

  • Arugula 
  • Bok choy  
  • Broccoli 
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Cabbage 
  • Cauliflower 
  • Collard greens
  • Horseradish
  • Kale  
  • Radishes
  • Rutabaga
  • Turnips
  • Watercress
  • Wasabi
  In terms of conventional nutrients (vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbs, and fats), there is no other vegetable group that is as high in vitamin A carotenoids, vitamin C, folic acid, and fiber as the cruciferous vegetables. They are outstanding in these conventional nutrient areas.
The vitamin K content of cruciferous vegetables — especially kale and collards — is fascinating to think about in light of the intensive research over the past five years on cancer, inflammation. Vitamin K is a conventional nutrient that clearly helps regulate our inflammatory response, including chronic, excessive inflammatory responses that can increase our risk of certain cancers. Studies on cruciferous vegetables and cancer prevention have not typically focused on vitamin K per se, but we suspect that the amazing K content of cruciferous vegetables is definitely related to their cancer-preventive properties through mechanisms involving better control of inflammation.1


The most exciting research is that they contain nutrients which Kill Cancer! According to the National Cancer Institute, the secret behind the cancer-killing ability of cruciferous veggies is that they are rich in glucosinolates – a large group of sulfur-containing compounds. These powerhouse chemicals are known to break down during the chewing and digestion process into biologically active compounds that prevent cancer cells growth, which are referred to as indoles, thiocyanates and isothiocyanates.
Having been discovered to prevent cancer growth in rats and mice, indoles and isothiocyanates are heralded to protect against cancer of the bladder, breast, colon, liver, lung, and stomach.
Research suggests that this happens because glucosinolates stimulate what are known as Phase II enzymes, the body’s natural antioxidant system. In essence, glucosinolates trigger the liver to produce detoxifying enzymes that block free-radical attack on your DNA. It has also been reported that glucosinolates: 2
  • Are anti-inflammatory
  • Contain antibacterial and antiviral properties
  • Inactivate carcinogens
  • Reprogram cancer cells to die-off
  • Prevent tumor formation and metastasis
I love researching the nutrients available in whole foods that have always been available on this earth for the health and balance of our bodies. I encourage you not only to research further, but to add more of these wonderful foods into your daily routines as you strive for a healthier lifestyle! 
1 http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=btnews&dbid=126
2 https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/diet/cruciferous-vegetables-fact-sheet
 
 

Faith or Fear...Your Choice

1/16/2025

Happy new year to 2025! This is the perfect time of the year to examine what holds us back in health and happiness because, let's face it, they can go hand-in-hand! When we have good health we can be happy, sharing, giving and nurturing, but if we are sick and tired all the time it is extremely hard to take the highroad. My philosophy is "Faith or fear" As we mature there is so much marketing regarding all the sickness and pain we are headed toward that we develop the "fear" that if we don't get this test or that preventative shot we will surely develop horrible consequences. Did you know that what ever your mind believes your body will respond to? Instead of faith that we won't get a serious illness, we live in the fear that we will! We look for our special diagnosis and when we finally find it, we own it forever. It becomes who we are! My experience has shown me THAT simply isn't true. The body has the ability to heal itself if given the right raw materials. Diet, exercise, clean water, fresh air and sunshine are critical. When I was younger I was told I had allergies for which I took medicine daily not realizing I would develop another problem. I developed asthma and soon after added a heart problem. In addition, I had four serious accidents where I chipped my neck bone, injured my sciatica, fell off a horse and broke my back, had my wrist run over by a car and eventually fractured five places in my sacrum! Now you would think this girl is the perfect candidate for a mobile car and a respirator! However, with faith and determination to be well,  I am happy to report to you I no longer have illness or pain in my body! I will be 68 in April and my firm belief is "if you weren't born with it, you probably created it and if you created it nature has an answer".
Faith or Fear... Your Choice!

If you are looking for wellness solutions feel free to give me a call 407-383-2002
 
 
 

 

 

Build a New Body, A New and Improved Version!

11/18/2025 

​by Teri Tomlinson
     Years ago, when I was extremely ill, I began to realize that something was was just not right. I was suffering from severe allergies, asthma and a heart problem. In addition I had a number of accidents with major injuries, which included chipping my neck bone, injuring my sciatica and breaking my back, twice!!...I was even run over by a car! I was in so much pain, sneezing all the time, I had hives every day and was noticing my skin seemed very thin. I was taking many medications, but after a while, realized that I was not getting any better—in fact I was getting worse! One day I woke up and decided I needed a new plan.  I had to get my life back! I sought out an herbalist and began to research herbs and organic foods.  A journey that has proven to be the best choice I could have ever made! 
     One of the first things I learned, that really kept me motivated on my quest for better health, was that the human body is an incredible machine. Part of what makes it impressive is its ability to regenerate itself! Did you know that the human body, right down to the last atom, is replaced every 7 years?
In his book, Ageless Body, Timeless Mind, Deepak Chopra states, “The skin replaces itself once a month, the stomach lining every five days, the liver every six weeks, and the skelton every three months. By the end of the year, 98 percent of the atoms in your body will have been exchanged for new ones”. 1   Scientist have even discovered that parts of the brain are, in fact, capable of regeneration! Think about it, the way we think and act today will determine what kind of body we will have next year. 
     This information was so profound to me that it gave me great hope and conviction that I would be able to change my situation and I can honestly say, without a doubt, that it has! I look back on those years of suffering and realize that it is true, “you don’t know what you don’t know, until you know it”! 
I was so motivated to build a new body and I understood that the best way to make that happen, was to put in my body the highest quality raw materials I could find! If I was going to replace my dying cells with new and stronger cells I needed to pay attention to every calorie that went into my body. Obviously, what I was doing yesterday was not working.  It occurred to me that if I continued to ignore the fact that our food sources had changed so drastically over the years, I would surely never get well. (what with fast food restaurants and convenience foods that are highly processed and laced with all kinds of chemicals)  It was not easy, nor convenient, to make a change to whole raw and living foods from this great earth, but it was well worth it. I had to develop a new palate that did not include sodas, pastries and white bread and candy bars. I had to learn the names of many scary vegetables and how to prepare them. I had to constantly think, if there were no restaurants, grocery stores or refrigerators what would I eat? I had to learn that water is really the best hydrator and energy drinks are not necessary when the body is balanced. There are no short cuts to good health!
  1. Chopra, Deepak. Agless Body, Timeless Mind. New York: Harmony Books, Crown Publishers, 1993.Pg 9.