Native Health Matters

10/11/2026

A breathtaking 64% surge in the monarch butterfly population this year proves that when humans unite for nature, magic happens ✨

Across the United States, an inspired movement of everyday people digging into the dirt and deliberately planting vibrant pollinator gardens has completely rewritten the fate of this iconic species. What once was a tragic decline has transformed into a triumphant comeback, offering a vivid reminder that intentional, collective conservation can heal our planet one backyard at a time. ❤️

Designing a successful pollinator garden specifically for monarch butterflies requires a deliberate balance of host plants for their caterpillars and rich nectar sources to fuel adult butterflies. Because monarchs are specialists, their survival relies on specific plant families to complete their lifecycle. By focusing on a few core habitat design principles, you can transform any sunny backyard or open green space into a thriving, high-impact monarch waystation.

Check out the comments section for tips of creating your own backyard pollinator garden❤️

10/10/2026

The healthy Home Standards American Indian manufactured homes with energy independence, no trees harmed in the production of these homes ( except the one I backed into last week ) healthy homes models being built in rural Indian country in Oklahoma and Texas

Native Build Group is a forward-thinkingsustainable materials comp...

10/06/2026

“To***co,” is oftentimes a general term utilized by Indigenous peoples to refer to any plant or blend of plants that is used in offering and smoking mixtures.

Today, we are talking about “true” to***co, which refers to plants in the Nicotiana genus, which primarily grows on Turtle Island and Australia, with isolated native populations in Southwestern Africa and the South Pacific.

While most Native Americans farmed and tended fields of Nicotiana rustica, N. quadruvalvis, and N. attenuata, we have a beautiful stand of N. sylvestris growing right here in the Twin Cities, and we are honored to harvest, process, and share this gift with our community.

Dakota: čhaŋdí
Lakota: čhaŋlí
Ojibwe: asemaa
HoChunk: tanį

To***co leaves are harvested when they are green and vibrant, usually in very late summer or early fall. In order for the aroma and flavor to develop, most To***co is cured in a careful and slow process that requires lots of humidity.

Many Indigenous groups have been leading efforts to end the abuse of commercial To***co and promote the sacredness and importance of ceremonial To***co. Check out Indigenous-led efforts by organizations such as Keep To***co Sacred, and the American Indian Cancer Foundation

10/05/2026

On Tuesday, October 6 following the completion of the 108-mile Women’s Water Walk along the route of the proposed Constitution Pipeline, walk participants and supporters will hold an event at the NYS Capitol. Our group, including landowners, impacted residents, and members of Indigenous Nations, will share their experiences from the two-week walk, discuss what’s at stake, and call on Governor Hochul to stand strong against the federal government's attempts to circumvent New York’s authority and push this dangerous pipeline through, potentially to power new AI data centers.

Following the rally and press conference, we will walk to the Governor’s office and deliver water collected from the rivers, lakes, and streams along the walking route.

If built, the long-denied fracked gas Constitution Pipeline would be a disaster for New Yorkers, threatening our water, costing families more on their energy bills, and posing serious health risks to nearby communities. The federal government and the fossil fuel corporations are trying to circumvent New York State’s authority and force the pipeline through, even though it was already rejected by the Department of Environmental Conservation in 2016 because of the threats it posed to water quality, a decision upheld by the courts. Thousands of New Yorkers protested the pipeline leading up to the 2016 decision to deny the pipeline permit, but now communities along the route are being forced to stand again to protect their waters, farmland, trout streams, forests and way of life.

WHEN: Tuesday, October 6 at 12 PM, Arrive at 11:30AM

WHERE: Million Dollar Staircase, NYS Capitol, Albany, NY

WHAT: Group of Indigenous grandmothers, community members, farmers, local landowners, faith leaders, artists, and more rally at Capitol after completing 108-mile walk along the route for the proposed Constitution Pipeline, which would threaten New Yorkers’ water and drive up energy bills.

10/05/2026

And the 5,000-year-old yogi fruit thousands of readers are using to dissolve it and awaken the Third Eye, without a guru, without a retreat, and without another year of "trying so long to meditate but nothing's happening."

10/05/2026

🥥💧 Did you know? The clear water inside a young, unopened coconut is naturally sterile—and under desperate medical conditions, doctors have actually used it as an emergency intravenous fluid.

The idea sounds almost unbelievable, but there is real medical history behind it.

As long as the coconut remains intact, its water is protected inside the fruit. Studies describe fresh coconut water as naturally sterile, containing electrolytes, sugars and amino acids. Its electrolyte composition also has some similarities to body fluids, which helped make it an intriguing emergency substitute when conventional IV fluids weren't available. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

Historical accounts describe coconut water being used intravenously in World War II and other conflicts, particularly in areas where medical supplies were scarce. A review of its medical applications notes that green coconut water was used for intravenous hydration and resuscitation, sometimes in surprisingly large volumes. (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

And this wasn't just wartime folklore.

A 1954 paper published in AMA Archives of Surgery documented clinical experience with intravenous coconut water, while later medical literature continued reporting its emergency use. In 2000, The American Journal of Emergency Medicine published a case report describing successful short-term IV hydration with coconut water in a patient on the Solomon Islands when standard medical fluids were unavailable. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

The reason it could work at all comes down to chemistry. Coconut water contains potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, sugars and amino acids, giving it some of the components needed for fluid replacement.

💡 The fascinating part: This wasn't because coconut water was better than modern IV fluids. It was because, in situations where conventional medical supplies were unavailable, a sealed coconut could provide a naturally protected liquid containing electrolytes and water.

🥥 A fruit growing from a palm tree once became an emergency medical resource when there was nothing else available.

10/05/2026

🍯🍎 Did you know? More than 2,000 years ago, physicians were already combining honey and vinegar into a medicinal preparation called oxymel—and Hippocrates was one of the physicians associated with its use.

The name comes from the Greek words for “acid” and “honey.” Simple oxymel was essentially honey mixed with vinegar, sometimes diluted with water, and it became one of the most enduring preparations in ancient medicine.

Hippocrates lived around 460–377 BC, and historical medical reviews describe his use of vinegar preparations for wounds and ulcerations, while oxymel was used for persistent coughs and respiratory complaints. Vinegar's acidity also gave it properties that made it useful for cleaning wounds.

What makes this ancient remedy especially interesting is that modern science has found real biological activity in both ingredients.

Honey contains compounds that can inhibit microbial growth, while acetic acid—the main active component of vinegar—has antimicrobial properties. A 2023 study in Microbiology examined honey and vinegar combinations and found that certain combinations showed synergistic antibacterial and antibiofilm activity in laboratory testing.

And oxymel itself has continued to attract scientific interest. A 2023 systematic review in Integrative Medicine Reports examined 20 preclinical and clinical studies and found evidence of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and other biological effects, although researchers emphasized that larger, longer clinical trials are still needed.

💡 The fascinating part: Hippocrates didn't know about bacteria, acetic acid or antioxidant chemistry. Yet some of the substances used in these ancient preparations are now understood at a molecular level.

From ancient Greek medicine to modern laboratories, sometimes old remedies leave behind clues that science can investigate centuries later.

10/05/2026

Ancient civilizations understood the profound energetic relationship between the earth, metals, and the human body long before modern systems took over.

Pure copper carries a natural electromagnetic frequency that interacts directly with the body’s energy pathways and circulation. When worn continuously around the ankles, copper acts as a bio-electrical conduit at one of the body’s most vital foundation points. The ankles house critical nerve centers, tendons, and energy meridians that travel directly upward through the lower extremities.

By stabilizing and conducting subtle electrical currents around the ankles, copper helps neutralize inflammatory static in the tissues. This vibrational harmony moves upward through the calf and shin, easing structural tension and restoring fluid balance directly into the knee joint. The knee is often simply the site where strain manifests, while the real imbalance begins at the ground level. Grounding the lower limbs with raw copper creates a continuous energetic flow, easing joint pressure, promoting natural alignment, and relieving persistent knee discomfort from the ground up.