Most herbalists become excited about discovering everyday herbs or spices that show unusual healing assets. Historically, herbs and spices were utilized to preserve foods. While we have become familiar with using them to improve or flavor food, researchers continue to learn that they have much more to offer than just good taste. A doctor by the name of Yoshiaki Omura uncovered, by sheer accident, that the leaves of the coriander plant may hasten the excretion of mercury, lead, and aluminum from the body. Doctor Omura was in the midst of treating several patients for a specific eye infection called trachoma (granular conjunctivitis), which is triggered by a microorganism Chlamydia trachomatis. Following the usual protocol with antibiotics, Doctor Omura discovered that symptoms cleared up at the outset, but would recur within a few months. He also found that the same thing happened in treating viral-related problems such as herpes simplex types I & II and cytomegalovirus infections.

Subsequent to scrutinizing the situation, Doctor Omura discovered these organisms appeared to hide and thrive in areas of the body where there were large clusters of heavy metals such as mercury, lead, and aluminum. In some way, the heavy metals protected them from the antibiotics. Doctor Omura observed that mercury levels in the urine escalated after the patients consumed a Vietnamese soup that contained Chinese parsley. You and I know this as cilantro or coriander. Additional investigation revealed that eating cilantro also elevated the urinary excretion of lead and aluminum; and when cilantro was utilized along with the antibiotics or natural antiviral agents, the above infections may be eradicated all together. This amazing breakthrough greatly increases our capacity to clear up recurring infections, both viral and bacterial. And.... what is even more exhilarating—this is an inexpensive and easy way to eliminate (or “chelate”) toxic metals from the nervous system and body tissues—one that anybody can make use of. Historically, chelation therapy using chemicals such as EDTA has long been employed to remove these heavy metals; however, cilantro is one of the natural substances that have demonstrated this ability. For those of you who are thinking of having your amalgams replaced with composite resin fillings and wish to detox, this would be a great way to do it.

RECIPE OF THE MONTH: DETOX PESTO

Combined with the benefits of the other ingredients, this recipe is a powerful tissue cleanser. Two teaspoons of this pesto daily for three weeks is purportedly enough to increase the urinary excretion of mercury, lead and aluminum, thus effectively removing these toxic metals from our bodies. We can consider doing this cleanse for three weeks at least once a year. The pesto is delicious on toast, baked potatoes, and pasta.

Ingredients
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/3 cup Brazil nuts (selenium)
• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds (cysteine)
• 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds (zinc, magnesium)
• 2 cups packed fresh coriander (cilantro, Chinese parsley) (vitamin A)
• 2/3 cup flaxseed oil
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice (vitamin C)
• 2 tsp dulse seaweed powder
• Sea salt to taste

Process the coriander and flaxseed oil in a blender until the coriander is chopped. Add the garlic, nuts and seeds, dulse and lemon juice and mix until the mixture is finely blended into a paste. Add a pinch to sea salt to taste and blend again. Store in dark glass jars if possible. It freezes well, so purchase coriander in season and fill enough jars to last through the year.

Just remember what Hippocrates said—“Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food.”