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1. Delicious Greens!
At this time of year we are all starved for greens! One of our customers raises pastured chickens who, during most of the year get all the greens they need from grass, etc, and will not touch many veggies she gives them, especially celery. Last week she gave them some old celery and they ate almost all of it! Dark green leafy vegetables are, calorie for calorie, perhaps the most concentrated source of nutrition of any food. They are a rich source of minerals (including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium) and vitamins, including vitamins K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins. They also provide a variety of phytonutrients including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which protect our cells from damage and our eyes from age-related problems, among many other effects. Dark green leaves even contain small amounts of omega-3 fats. The USDA recommends we get at least 3 cups of dark leafy greens a week. We have read that we should actually be eating 1 fistful per 25 pounds of body weight per day. We think it sounds like a lot too! But we're not just limited to salads! There are a number of ways to get greens into your diet. Green Smoothies: While green smoothies may not sound appetizing, they really can be tasty. Plus, many of our customers reported some great benefits after our green challenge last year and are still drinking them daily! Here's a recipe to try: cut up 1 apple, 1 pear, 2 bananas, 1 1/2 cups kale, and 1 stalk celery and put in a blender. Add about 1/2 cup water and blend until smooth. Sneaky Recipes: There are many recipes out there on how to add greens into recipes. For example, The Sneaky Chef makes a Green Puree with broccoli and spinach that she'll add to recipes like speedy stovetop lasagne. Easiest: Green Powders and Bars! We've found some pretty tasty powders and bars to get more greens in your diet. And just one teaspoon of powder replaces your one fistful of daily greens! Statins and Heart Health

Modern cholesterol-lowering drugs act by inhibiting an enzyme (HMG-CoA reductase)
needed for the formation of cholesterol in the liver. These HMG-CoA reductase
inhibitors, called statins, are sold as Lipitor, Mevacor, Pravacol, Zocor, etc.
In spite of the fact that these is no scientific evidence showing that statin drugs reduce
the risk of heart disease, these drugs continue to be prescribed for people with healthy
levels of cholesterol. Statin drugs are big money makers. Fourteen billion dollars worth
of statin drugs are sold annually.

It's bad enough that people are taking medications which aren't really reducing their
risk of cardiovascular disease. It's even worse that these medications have serious side
effects.
Weakness and Muscle Wasting
This is the most common side effect of statin drugs, occuring in as many as one in three
users. Muscle aches and pains, back pain, heel pain, weakness and slurring of speech
result from statin interference with the production of Coenzyme Q10 (Co-Q10), needed
for the muscles to function. These side effects are more common in active people and
may not show up until three years after commencement of treatment.
Heart Failure
Rates of heart failrure have doubles since the advent of statin drugs. The heart is a
muscle that depends on a plentiful supply of Co-Q10.
Polyneuropathy
Tingling and pain in the hands and feet as well as difficulty walking occur frequently in
those taking statins, conditions often blamed on "old age" rather than on the drug.
Cancer
In every study with rodents to date, statins have caused cancer. Most human trials are
not carried out long enough to detect any increase in cancer rates, but in one trial, breast
cancer rates of those taking a statin were 1500 percent higher than those of controls.

Source: http://www.backtobasicsorganics.com/uploads/Greens___Statins.pdf