I’ll admit it….even I’m confused as to whether the sun is good for you or not.  We all agree that when the sun shines, our mood definitely changes, and we don’t even have to be out in it.  However, in most areas of the US, most people rarely are exposed to the sun.  You are working during the week and the time you spend outside for lunch, I’m sure you are covered up with clothing.  Every cell and tissue needs vitamin D.  Vitamin D regulates over 2,000 genes in your body.  No, there are no physical signs of vitamin D deficiency, however it can support heart, skin, eye, reproductive, respiratory vascular system, immune and pancreatic health.  It can also aid in hearing, sleep patterns, cell formation, muscles, proper digestion and food absorption, moods, and it can encourage calcium absorption.  So for all of that, I guess we should look into what “they” are saying about sun exposure.

Vitamin D can be obtained through natural sun exposure and the body will regulate what you receive.  There are a few foods where vitamin D can be found.  Oily fish and eggs are a couple.  Another way is through taking vitamin D3.  What I’ve read about this is, you would need to have your levels tested because you can overdose on this.  You should check with your doctor if you choose this path.  You should also check with your primary care physician if you have had any melanoma or history of skin disorders in your family.  Another way to get your vitamin D is through a tanning bed that uses UV-B rays.  Me?  I’m not a fan of those beds.  I am of the belief that just like anything else, sun exposure is ok in moderation.  I wear sun screen on my face always.  Getting older and my Italian skin is prone to aging these days.

It doesn’t take long in the sun to get your daily requirement. Most sites are saying 15 minutes.  Any time after that amount, consider yourself unprotected and at risk of eye damage, cancer, immune system problems, especially children.  They are out in the sun for long periods of time.  Check the expiration date on your sunscreen.  What about a base tan?  A base tan may cause you to stay in the sun longer, thinking you won’t burn.  I’m going back to moderate exposure. 

I’m always surprised how the sun goes through clothing!  UV rays will go through cotton.  So don’t just put a t-shirt on your child.  Get them in the shade.  Here’s something I just found out…..SPF factor (sun protection factor) describes how long a product will protect your skin, not how much more UV radiation it will block.  Read the directions and reapply as directed.  Fair skin people will begin to burn in 15 minutes.  My daughter is VERY fair skinned and she has burned a couple of times.  Tanning and burning injures the skin.  The UV damage to the deep layers will build up from every tan and burn. 

In closing, if you have had any skin cancer, please follow your doctor’s advice.  Even if you are in your car during the peak hours, apply sun screen.  Everything in moderation. 

It’s SUMMER!  Be safe and have fun.

Whether you are sitting in front of your computer looking for a job like me, or sitting in front of your computer doing your job, read on for some much needed stress relief.  I’m in Vermont and I just had to turn the heat on.  My mouse hand was freezing.  Whatever you are doing right now, thanks for taking the time to read my latest blog. 

All of us are under some sort of stress.  We can’t know peace without chaos.  Let’s start with a deep breath.  Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth letting out a big sigh.  One more time and let your shoulders drop away from your ears.  Press your sit bones (the sharp bones that hurt when you ride your bike too much) into your chair and lengthen up through your spine and the top of your head.  Tuck your tailbone down and under while doing this.  Squeeze your shoulder blades and draw them together and down your back.  Keep breathing. 

Draw your arms out in front of you, circle your wrists in both directions.  Slow circles.  Interlace your fingers and turn your hands outward and stretch your arms and drop your shoulders.  On the inhale, bring your arms up over your head.  On the exhale, release your hands and drop your arms to your side.  One more time.  As you exhale, let out a long sigh. 

Sit at the edge of your chair.  Hold the arms and on the inhale, open your heart and slowly arch your back, lifting your head and lengthening your throat.  On the exhale, tuck your tailbone, start to round your back and tuck your chin into your chest and lengthen the back of your neck.  Two more times and don’t forget to sigh on the exhale.  Go ahead, no one is watching you.

While still holding your chair, start to twist your torso to the right, allowing your gaze to follow your body.  Take your eyes even further than your torso.  Hold and breathe.  Go to the other side slowly, breathe and hold.

Back to face the front and open your eyes wide.  Move them clockwise and then counterclockwise.  Rub your hands briskly until you feel heat.  Place your palms on your eyes and breathe.  OK?  Take the time at least once an hour to do one or more of these relaxation and stretching techniques.  And don’t forget to breathe.

On to the emotional side of our life that has such a huge impact on our physical health.  Some things we believe about ourselves or our situations are just old childhood patterns.  Just as the things we chose to eat as a child may no longer “nourish” us, so are some of the thoughts we had as children no longer serving us.  Take a moment to actually “hear” what you are thinking about.  Each moment is a new beginning.  Each thought is shaping your life right now.

It’s the perfect day to start to take better care of ourselves, emotionally and physically.  Yoga, meditation, eating healthier, having healthy thoughts; all ways to start your transformation. 

Here’s to all of you who are SURVIVORS of the economy.  This following is from Louise Hay:

“I am totally open and receptive to a wonderful new position, one that uses all my talents and abilities, and allows me to express creatively in ways that are fulfilling to me.  I work with and for people whom I love, and who love me and respect me, in a wonderful location and earning good money.”

I’m putting that one up on my computer!

I was sitting out on my back deck enjoying the river flow by.  The sun finally came out today and it feels like summer is finally showing up.  I just drank my green smoothie, and I started to think about what my body wants now.  Apples and raisins came to mind and I found a great recipe for Apple Raisin Squares.  It only requires a half cup of sugar and you can substitute sugar with anything from agave and stevia to maple syrup or honey. If you do this, you would have to decrease liquid in the recipe.  Also try substituting some raw ingredients when you can, like raw walnuts, or make your own flour!  If that sounds interesting to you, here are some conversions to help you out.

1 1/2 pounds of wheat equal about 4 cups flour, 1 pound of oats equal about 3 cups flour, 1 pound of corn equals about 3 1/2 cups flour and 1 pound of millet equals about 2 1/2 cups flour.  Here’s that recipe:

Apple Raisin Squares

1 cup whole wheat flour, 1 cup all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup butter or margarine, 1/4 cup corn, safflower or light olive oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 cups finely chopped apples, 1 cup raisins, 1 cup chopped walnuts.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine flours, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.  In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, butter, oil, sugar, vanilla and apples.  Add raisins and walnuts. Stir in flour mixture until thoroughly mixed.  Pour into 2 greased 8×8 pans.  Bake for 35-40 minutes and cool and cut into squares.

Check out these substitutions for some favorite baked good recipes:

Barley flour has a mild flavor and can be substituted in pancakes, cookies and quick breads.  You can replace up to half of any wheat flour in a recipe.

Buckwheat flour is the same for substituting as barley, but in baked goods it will be heavier.

Brown rice flour is great for those with wheat allergies.  You can replace up to 1/4 of any wheat flour. Rice flour absorbs more moisture, so you may need to add more liquid.

Quinoa flour is higher in fat and tends to make a moister baked good.  Replace up to 1/2 of wheat or white flour in your recipe.

Wheat germ can make for a more nutritious baked good.  Replace up to 1/3 of flour.

Spelt flour tends to make heavier baked goods so you would need to increase your baking powder.  I look for baked goods that contain spelt flour when I am shopping for treats.  People with wheat allergies can tolerate spelt and is great for making pasta and bread.

My favorite, almond flour.  Less carbs than white flour and they help raise HDL (the good cholesterol) and lower LDL (the bad).  Using almond flour instead of wheat flour in your favorite baking recipes will result in a similar taste.  Baked goods tend to brown more quickly with almond flour, so adjust your oven temp about twenty degrees.

This one I’d like to try myself….coconut flour.  It is the highest in fiber of any flour available.  It’s gluten free and you can substitute a quarter of your regular flour with it.  Add an equivalent amount of liquid to the recipe.  If you want to only use it, add one egg per ounce of coconut flour otherwise it may taste dry.

If you are allergic to wheat, try gluten free.  You can purchase great gluten-free products at most health food stores and now a lot of grocery stores have gluten-free isles.  You can even buy gluten-free flour.  When you substitute gluten-free for wheat flour, your best bet would be to stick with recipes that have a small amount of flour.  You can make pastry dough with maize cornflour, milk powder, coconut and butter.  Replace gluten in your baking with xanthum gum, guar gum or pre-gel starch.

Instead of oil?  How about apple sauce?  It may make cakes a bit heavier, but still good.  When substituting for sugar, honey for example, will taste sweeter than granulated, so you would need less.  When substituting with maple syrup, grade B is thicker and darker and better for baking and costs less.  Use 3/4 cup for every cup of white sugar and decrease the liquid by 3 tablespoons.  Date sugar, made by grinding dates, can be used exactly the same way as ordinary sugar.  I could write a whole blog on sugar substitutes like Nutra-Sweet and Equal, but I’ll just end with this, “The final report of a seven-year study by the Ramiazzini Foundation on aspartame (also known as Nutra-Sweet or Equal) has linked it to high rates of lymphomas, luekemias, urinary tumors, tumors of certain nerves and other cancers in rats.”

Here’s to substituting some good things with even better things!

I’ve been hearing so much about all the shifts in the universe these last months.  Is this the time for you to shift?  What do you need to do to shift?  What are you experiencing these days?  Is there struggle?  Is there drama?  Is there something pushing you from behind?  How can you use these struggles and difficulties?

Most of you know I am closing my business that I’ve had for 20 years and moving to another state.  Big changes, right?  I’m ready; I’ve been ready and preparing for quite some time now.  A good friend of mine decided a few weeks ago to start eating healthier.  What was it that caused her shift?  She certainly has heard me talk about adding living foods and decreasing processed foods for many years.  So why now?  Why is she now reading these blogs I’ve been writing, when I’ve been writing them for over six months?  Very simply put.  It was her time.  Another friend of mine I’ve always felt was struggling with what we’ve been talking about regarding shifts.  But the struggle was with me, not just the idea of shifts. She certainly has enough skill and tools to do her work.  Today was the first day she actually opened up to what the problem was and why she didn’t exactly “hear” me.  She quickly changed the subject, but not before I “heard” what my intuition has been telling me for years.  Was this my time?  Have I been doing so much clearing of the old, to actually begin to accept the truth?

Let’s go back to my first friend.  She started drinking a lot more water, took out soda and her nightly handfuls of jelly beans completely.  She added more fruits and fresh veggies and was very conscious about what was coming up for her.  She called me after about two days of this and said, “What’s up with the sugar cravings?”  I laughed and said, “Ah, you are noticing you have sugar cravings?”  That’s a great first step.  Noticing.  In yoga we say, first acknowledge you have the feeling.  But how can you notice it if each time it comes up, you are quickly pushing it down with sugar, processed food and/or alcohol (you know the rest)?  She’s now been walking this new lifestyle for a few weeks.  Today her phone call was, “What’s up with the nausea?”  Yep, something else to notice.  Toxins build up in the body.  They build up from past emotional struggle and from past food that has not been “digested”.  And toxins are toxic!  The more we accumulate, the harder it is to get rid of.  It builds up and backs up.  So now, my friend, ”Are you also having some really good bowel movements?”  Oh yeah.  Now you are helping to get rid of those toxins. 

Ok, so what can I do about these things?  Nux vomica, the homeopathic alternative for nausea, comes in those little blue vials filled with little white pellets.  You usually disolve 5 pellets under your tongue, three times a day.  You can always find something for whatever you are experiencing in the Boiron aisle.  The bowel movements, I’m afraid, not as easy to ease.  It has to happen.  Stay close to a bathroom and just know that this too shall pass (pun intended)!  Length of time?  Varies for everyone, depending on how much is in there and how much of a transition you are going for.  If you have been a standard american diet (SAD) eater, then I suggest going to vegetarian food for a bit.  Adding in more and more raw and fresh fruits and veggies.  Read, read and read some more.  Find a group or person in your area that have some experience with living food and detox.  Drink, and drink some more green smoothies!  Add the high water content veggies like, cucumber and celery to your diet.  My friend didn’t go completely raw.  She did what she felt comfortable with. It was her time. 

Louise Hay has some great things to say about nausea….Fear, rejecting and idea or experience.  Your mantra?  “I am safe.  I trust the process of life to bring only good to me.”

I’ve been doing a lot of tapping.  Have you checked into that yet?  Sure, I have my bad days.  My cat got sick again, my brother lost his job this week and I could add more about my life, but the good news is….I feel great!  It’s my time.  Is this your time?

These statements should not take the place of your primary health care physician.

….THROW THEM OUT!!  I recently purchased a large bag of lemons for making my “green smoothies” and for water with lemon to help my body become more alkaline.  Unfortunately, only a couple of days later, over half the bag had turned that beautiful shade of green and white and when I picked it up, mold dust spread all over the counter.  Lemons are like many other fruits and seeds, they cross contaminate.  When one goes bad and they are sitting close together, all will go bad very fast.  I now break up my bunches of bananas, not letting them touch.  The USDA says, “When a food shows heavy mold growth, “root” threads have invaded it deeply. In dangerous molds, poisonous substances are often contained in and around these threads. In some cases, toxins may have spread throughout the food.”  Ok, that doesn’t sound like something I want on my counter or in my fridge.  Some mold can cause allergic reactions and respiratory problems.

Here’s some food you want to discard when you see mold….cooked leftover meat and poultry, cooked pastas, soft cheeses and yogurts, jams and jellies, soft fruits like cukes, lemons, peaches and tomatoes, breads, peanut butter and other nuts, and luncheon meats.  Firm fruits and veggies; celery, carrots, peppers, and hard cheeses, can have the mold cut off and on dry-cured hams you can scrub the mold off.
How does mold spread so fast?  What can I do to avoid this in the future?  Well, obviously don’t buy fruits and veggies that are moldy.  But sometimes they aren’t that way when I am in the store.  Although most molds prefer warm and humid temps, molds can grow in the refrigerator also.  Mold forms spores.  These dry spores will float through the air and look for another suitable environment to grow on ( I need to go and wash the counter again where my lemons were).  You can still buy the big economical bag of lemons or limes, just juice right away and freeze in ice cube trays. 

What to put in the fridge and what to leave on the counter?  If ripened, fruit will last longer in the fridge.  After many years, I’ve finally conquered the avocado problem.  If I buy them unripe, I leave all in the fridge but one.  Once that ripens, I know the length of time this batch takes, and I take one out of the fridge that many days before I’m going to need it.  If I want ripe avocados immediately, I’ve got to buy them ripe and leave all in the fridge.  I’ve had batches of ripe avocados that will last over a week in the fridge.  There are so many opinions about what to refrigerate and what to leave on the counter.  I think tomatoes taste better when room temperature.  Bananas never last in the fridge, but if they are going bad too quickly, peel and cut up and place in the freezer.  Frozen bananas are a staple product in my freezer.  Great for quick fruit and green smoothies. 

Don’t forget Green Bags or the EGG.  The EGG (Ethylene Gas Guardian) is a small device that when placed in the produce drawer of your refrigerator will absorb the ethylene gasses emitted by fruits and vegetables which cause them to decay. The result is your fruits and vegetables stay crisper, taste better, and retain nutrients longer, saving you money.  I use only one produce item per green bag. They are reusable and can be washed which is a plus.  These bags reduce moisture build-up which helps reduce mold and fungus.

Happy fresh fruit and veggie season in New England!  Yahoo!  Farmer’s Markets are open.  Grow your own.  Sprouts, wheatgrass and fresh herbs.  You can do it!

Be happy, be healthy, be green…and red and purple and orange and yellow!

Men in the audience, feel free to take a walk for this blog.  I won’t be insulted.  ; )

My male cat recently came down with a urinary tract infection (UTI).  My Vet tells me it’s not so much what he’s been eating, but what he hasn’t been getting in his diet.  Where have I heard that before?  Oh right, I said that.  I have been feeding him too much of the canned, tasty variety of food.  Even though I buy organic and so-called “healthy” for him, it’s not enough.  The Vet says it’s very common for male cats to suddenly come down with this problem after having no issues at all for many years. Some of you may already know this about your cat.  I will continue with his dry food and of course I’ll supplement with wheatgrass juice. Fortunately he loves to sit still while I give him dropper full doses of the sweet, green stuff.  It’s as much about what I am taking out as what I am going to add to his diet.  Unfortunately I waited too long to realize this.  Sometimes we wait until there is a problem before we come up with a solution.

Bladder, urinary tract, yeast (candida), and mild vaginal infections such as BV or vaginitis, are very common in women.  More so than we like to admit.  “Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal infection of women of childbearing age”, says the CDC.  When I was first diagnosed with BV, I was confused. The doctor told me the cause was from the following: having sex with a new partner, having multiple partners and douching.  I’m pretty sure none of you know me, but you do know that I am one person who tells the truth and I am not embarrassed about any said truths, but NONE of these so-called “causes” fit me.  I kept trying to tell my GYN this and she gave me that look that said she most certainly did not believe me.  How about stress or sugar, can’t these cause this problem?  The CDC states that BV is a “condition in women where the normal balance of bacteria in the vagina is disrupted and replaced by an overgrowth of certain bacteria.  It is sometimes accompanied by discharge, odor, pain, itching, or burning”.  Although most women live with this condition without any of the annoying symptoms, sometimes there is an outbreak and I am convinced stress can cause it.  I again found myself suffering from some annoying symptoms.  I kept saying this happened to my cat because he was feeling the stress of the household (I am in the process of closing my 20 year business and moving to a different state).  The stress was too much for both of us.  So what now?  I knew I wasn’t going back to that doctor and I certainly wasn’t going to take an antibiotic or any other allopathic treatment when I know these only increase the risk of a yeast infection. 

How to get the good bacteria back and decrease the harmful bacteria?  First I needed to find out some of the real causes of BV, and stop feeling guilty for the judgment that one doctor put upon me.  There’s so much guilt we, as women, put upon ourselves.  Time to stop.  Other causes of BV include stress, refined sugars and menopausal women, however researchers admit there is difficulty in determining exactly what causes BV.  In most cases it is the combination of germs and other factors that cause this problem.   We need to focus on rebalancing the normal vaginal flora.  The imbalance is caused by the bacterium lactobacilli, which is responsible for keeping a healthy and normal balance of microorganisms in your vagina.  E. coli can also reach the vaginal area from wiping the wrong way.  If you’ve reached menopause or are diabetic or your body resistance is low due to certain reasons (STRESS), you’d be at greater risk.  THANK YOU!  Finally some other answers!  This infection can be contracted through sexual intercourse and African-American women with single partners have a higher prevalence of this infection.  Here are some natural treatments I found.  These treatments should be started at the first sign of infection since waiting can increase your risk for pelvic inflammatory disease, endometritis, cervicitis and pregnancy complications.

1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to 1 pint of water.  Douche up to twice a day (this is the one time when douching is considered ok).

Yogurt: Lactobacillus acidophilus and L. bifidus are present in yogurt. Look “for live culture” on the label and stay away from the fruited varieties, too much sugar.  Plain yogurt can be taken orally or tampon soaked and inserted vaginally overnight.

Probiotics- Acidophillus capsules can be taken orally or inserted vaginally.  Sepia, a homeopathic treatment, helps with pressure and burning.  Tea tree oil (antimicrobial properties) suppositories, douching, soaked tampons and wiping with a solution of tea tree oil and water can help along with topical and oral applications of vitamin E.

Foods to avoid: foods that yeast organisms thrive on like cheese, soy sauce, sugar, fruits, chocolate, alcohol and refined carbohydrates.

Foods to have on hand: Cranberry juice, goldenseal, garlic (nature’s antibiotic), plain yogurt, water and apple cider vinegar.

You never know who can teach you about your body.  Stay alert.  Do your research.  There’s so much out there to learn. Ask questions and don’t let anyone allow you to not trust your intuition.  I’ve been testing my pH levels every few days.  They are in the low to normal range.  The testing gives me incentive to keep eating right and taking my supplements.  Sometimes our bodies just can’t do it all alone.

 I almost forgot about Louise Hay. She says this about female problems: Denial of the self.  Rejecting feminity.  Rejection of the feminine principle. 

How about tapping to this “choice statement” from Louise…”I rejoice in my femaleness.  I love being a woman.  I love my body.”

These suggestions should not take the place of your veterinary or medical health professional.  It is important to diagnose what type of vaginitis you have before starting any form of treatment.

Here’s another topic I’m way too familiar with.  Fortunately I suffer from seasonal allergies and this is the season for me.  Spring and pollen.  Pollens are small, microscopic particles that are produced by plants and trees during the process of reproduction.  Hello spring and new growth!  I was in Connecticut a couple of weeks ago and I was feeling it then, but Vermont is behind its southern states by a couple of weeks.  So here I go again.  The only time I didn’t have any symptoms at all was when I had been eating a 100% raw diet for at least three months.  They aren’t as bad as they have been in the past and I have been keeping with a high raw lifestyle.  I also try to keep the windows closed, don’t go out of the house when it’s windy and I never walk in the fields!  It’s supposed to rain the next few days and that will help.

What can help?  Not only increasing your raw food intake, but decreasing your processed and cooked food intake.  Allergy symptoms include: Asthma and coughing, sinus pressure and congestion, red itchy eyes and discharge, skin rashes, general itching of every part of your body and throat, hives and runny nose.  The causes of allergies?  Everything from hereditary factors, long term exposure to drugs, especially antibiotics, adverse drug reactions, airborn pollens, food additives, colorings, perservatives and flavorings.  Liver dysfuntion can cause an increased work load for your immune system.  I never suffered from allergies in my childhood, they started during pregnancy.  Not only am I allergic to spring pollens, I’m also allergic to the skin of certain fruits and veggies, even if they are organic. 

Using organic produce when you can, can be a relief from many food allergies.  These do not contain pesticides and additives.  Selenium and zinc reduce inflammation.  Other supplements for you to try are: Fatty acids found in flaxseed oil, olive oil and oily fish, vitamin C, garlic and horseradish tablets, MSM powder.  And foods that promote liver function like, artichoke, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts, or eggs.  How about some juice recipes for allergies?

Place in your juicer:

 one radish, one clove of garlic, one carrot, one pear and 2 cabbage leaves

or

tablespoon of fresh ginger, one apple, one carrot, 2 cabbage leaves, 1/2 red onion

or

one cup rice, almond or coconut milk, one banana, one pear, one Tblspn flaxseed oil, one Tblspn ground flaxseed.  Sprinkle with a pinch of nutmeg.

Victoria Boutenko, in her book, Green For Life, says this, “….consuming green smoothies greatly benefits the health of people through improving the level of hydrochloric acid…….consumers of green smoothies should expect…to heal allergies……”.

Some other natural allergy cures are: Eucalyptus.  In a lozenge form it can increase production of saliva.  It can calm coughs and relieve nasal congestion and is also an antiseptic and has antibiotic properties.  The vapor from eucalyptus can clear congestion and loosen mucus.

A traditional remedy for asthma is red clover.  In tea form, red clover can reduce allergy symptoms.  Alfalfa can improve runny noses, sneezing and itching.  Alfalfa is believed to nourish the nervous system and calm the immune system.  And there’s always apple cider vinegar (this should be a staple in your kitchen), which contains many healing properties and is used to treat allergies.  It is rich in vitamins E, A, B1, B2 and B6 and contains potassium and calcium and can reduce mucus in the sinuses and reduce throat inflammation. 

Here’s what Louise Hay says about allergies (hay fever):  Emotional congestion. Fear of the calendar.  A belief in persecution. Guilt.  Your mantra for allergy time? “I am one with ALL OF LIFE.  I am safe at all times.

Grab your juicer and your tissues.  Be well and happy SPRING!

Donna Bergonzi-Boyle

 

If any of these natural cures cause your symptoms to worsen, consult your primary health care physician.