It’s two days before Christmas, and we’re taking a break from food and it’s ability
to help you get well and stay well, and writing about something that’s
come to signify Christmas.
That Something: The Christmas Tree.

Long before Christmas trees became symbols that adorn our living rooms and
dens, they were used by everyone from the Chinese to Iroquois (native Americans)
for their medicinal benefits. From it’s needles to its bark and everything in between,
pine has proven powers of longevity-helping you to stave off a host of health problems.

So, if you have a (real) tree in your home or live or work around pine trees, here are
some tips on how that green tree can bolster your health.

a) Pine Bark-
Concerned about your heart health? The bark of the maritime pine tree lowers blood
pressure and slashes heart attack risk by widening blood vessels and reducing
platelet clumping. It also increases circulation by 60%, cutting inflammation and
even reducing arthritic pain.
Your Rx For a Healthier Heart-
Look for the pine bark extract called Pycnogenol. Look for it at drugstores, or any GNC
store or online at Vitacost.com or Amazon.com.
And always remember to talk with your doctor or health-care provider before adding
any new supplement to your daily regimen.

b) Pine Bark 2-
In addition to helping your heart work at optimal levels, pine bark can also keep you
young. Before trying cosmetic surgery, look to pine bark to turn back the clock
on aging skin.
Your Rx For a Youthful Appearance- Take 200 mg. of Pycnogenol daily.

c) Pine Pollen-
If your energy isn’t what it used to be or your memory is showing signs
of declining, try pine pollen to see if this the natural answer you’re looking for.
Pine pollen is loaded with more than 100 nutrients, nutrients that boost
the “youth” hormone and vitality, memory and mood.
It also works like pycnogenol, in that it will keep skin smooth and youthful.
Your Rx For More Vitality and a Better Memory. Look for pine pollen
supplements at health-food stores, or online at Amazon.com.
Add it to smoothies, hot cereal or bowls of fruit.

d) Pine Nuts-
Who knew that the seeds from pine trees can help one lose weight?
The seeds are protein-packed and contain pinolenic acid, which spurs
the release of 2 hunger-reducing hormones. Another benefit: They also
help shut down your appetite.
Your Rx For a Slimmer Waistline- Look for pine nuts at Whole Food stores,
online at Amazon.com or any health-food store.The nuts can be roasted
and added to salads, rice pilaf or stir-fried vegetables. Also look for
pine nut oil and take 2 Tbs. before a meal.

e) Pine Needles-
The mess pine needles make when they fall off a tree can actually help you
during cold and flu season. The needles are full of flavonoids and vitamin A,
and have more vitamin C than an orange. They also contain shikimic acid-
the virus-fighting ingredient in Tamiflu-which also thins mucus and reduces
congestion.
Your Rx For Fighting Colds and Flu-
Gather up some pine needles from the great outdoors, or from your Christmas
tree and throw them into a pot of boiling water, let simmer for 5 minutes,
turn off the heat, place a towel over your head and the pot and inhale
the scent of the pine. Or you can skip this process and just buy some
pine teabags online at Amazon.com or LocalHarvest.org.
Drink a cup a day during the cold and flu season.

f) Pine Tar-
If you’re a sports fan, then you may have heard of pine tar, (the stuff pitchers
use to get a better grip on the baseball) can help calm rashes and other skin
problems like acne, eczema and psoriasis. It’s also an effective anti-fungal, healing
topical skin infections like athlete’s foot and even treating dandruff and itchy scalps.
Your Rx For Treating Skin Issues-
Look for pine tar in products like Packer’s Pine Tar soap and Grandpa’s Brand Pine
Tar soap and shampoo.
Look for them at drugstores, health-food stores, or online at Amazon.com.

g) Pine Cones-
It’s probably been decades since you picked up a pine cone, but if you want to
keep your immune system strong, pick it and use it.
People in Japan have used pine cones for ages to boost immunity and
with the constant talk about Co-Vid-19 and the many variants, this
is much-needed news. Pine cones revs the number and activity of your
defense-fighting T cells, shutting down illnesses caused by bacteria, viruses
and even Candida.
Your Rx For a Strong Immune System-
You can find pine cone in extract form, look for the product ImmunExtra,
online at LuckyVitamin.com or iHerb.com or Immunophen.com.

h) Pine Oil-
Stressed by all of the shopping, cooking and entertaining that goes with the
Winter holidays? Reduce your stress and anxiety by taking in the scent of pine.
The scent of pine is proven to reduce fatigue, anxiety and stress levels, working
just like yoga and meditation.
Your Rx For Reducing Stress Levels-
Look for pine scented candles at Yankee Candle shops (YankeeCandle.com)
or look for pine essential oil (at health-food stores) and add a few drops to a
bath or a cotton-ball and inhale deeply whenever stress levels start to rise.

That’s It- Your guide to better health, courtesy of the Christmas tree.

Sources:
* Journal of Alternative Medicine
* Japanese Researchers
* Columbia University
* Tel Aviv University
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One last reminder to all of the last-minute Christmas shoppers.
If you’ve procrastinated and haven’t picked out one gift, just
click the buy button at the top of this blog and download the
E-Doc, The Procrastinator’s guide to buying last-minute Christmas
gifts for less than $100.00.
Also available at Amazon,com/ in the kindle store, under the same title.
Thank-You!