“There is no cancer in normal metabolism,” wrote Max Gerson, M.D. ( 1881-1959)

Hard to believe that that long ago, someone was talking about health and ways to fight cancer.  Or better yet, how not to allow cancer to thrive in your body!  This still makes me very sad…and angry.  What part of “you are what you eat” is still not registering with us? 

Max Gerson, M.D., lived in the United States for 23 years.  He is the pioneer of what is known as nutritional metabolic therapy.  His therapy involves detox and nutrition aimed at restoring the body’s natural immunity and healing power.  His theory stated “cancer results from faulty metabolism due to poor nutrition and long-term exposure to pesticides, chemical fertilizers, air and water pollution, and other irritants that increasingly saturate the environment”.

Gerson believed cancer was systemic rather than a localized disease.  Systemic refers to something that is spread throughout, affecting the body as a system.  The program helps the body eliminate toxins and waste materials that interfere with your body’s natural defenses, like metabolism.  It also involves a low-fat, salt-free diet. This type of diet pumps the body’s cells with easily assimilated nutrients that will strengthen your natural immune defenses.

The core of the therapy is the diet.  It includes organic fresh fruit and veggies and thirteen glasses of fresh squeezed juices daily.  These give the patient high levels of vitamin C, beta-carotene, and other antioxidants.  His patients also received supplements.  No meat was allowed and all animal protein was omitted for the first six to twelve weeks.  The diet also included some yogurt and certain cheese.  Research shows that these fatty acids killed human cancer cells in tissue cultures.  They did not destroy normal cells.  What may seem unorthodox to you, is the coffee enemas that patients gave themselves several times daily.  This was the key detoxification method.  Gerson believed patients died from the liver’s inability to absorb the toxic breakdown of the dissolving tumor, not from the cancer itself.  What does caffeine do?  Caffeine is believed to stimulate the action of the liver, increase bile flow and open bile ducts so that the liver can excrete the toxins of the tumor as it breaks down.

More about Max Gerson.  He was a refugee from Nazi Germany.  With his salt-free vegetarian diet he successfully treated tuberculosis, migraines, arthritis, and cancer.  One of his most prominent patients was Albert Schweitzer.  He put him on a nutritional program, helping Schweitzer control his diabetes.  So well, in fact, that he stopped taking insulin.  He also cured Schweitzer’s wife of terminal tuberculosis.  In the United States in 1936, Gerson was persecuted and harassed by the medical establishment.  Does that sound familiar?  Gerson was expelled from the New York Medical Society due to his unorthodox cancer therapy.  His therapy remains today on the American Cancer Society’s Unproven Methods blacklist. 

Although there are skeptics to this therapy and to many others, I still believe the key to a healthy body and mind starts with your diet.  The addiction to food that most Americans have is scary.  I can only hope that it starts taking less time to get this message across.  I hope that it starts with you.  I hope that parents start teaching their children at an early age about the benefits of diet and exercise.  Peace.

  

 

 

My biggest reason I never bought an avocado was because I would take it home intending to use it and when I cut it open, it would be bad inside.  And let’s face it, they are a little pricey.  But are they worth it?  Oh yeah, definitely.  Since I found the living food lifestyle, I found so much more to do with them AND how to keep them ripe and never throw away another one.

The avocado was discovered by Charles Avocad in 1762, and is botanically a fruit.   It is often treated as a vegetable and in some cuisines; this luscious green fruit/vegetable is used in desserts.  The cultivation of avocados began over 10,000 years ago.  These grew mainly in tropical areas.  Some believe even further back!  Maybe avocado trees fed the dinosaurs!  Now North and Central America lead the world in production, with California, Texas and Florida providing us with different varieties of avocado.  If you want to avoid the toxicity and cholesterol of meats, avocados are the substitute for you.  They are a great way to transition to a healthier vegetarian or raw food lifestyle.

My first months raw, I ate one avocado a day.  I ate it alone, put it in a wrap with other raw veggies, made guacamole or added to my salad.  Those three months I lost over 10 pounds.   We know enough now that cooked foods, breads, pastas, refined sugars, meats, dairy and processed foods are what is causing a high rate of obesity, not to mention lack of exercise and holding on to old emotional habits and patterns.  Avocados and other fruit and plant foods are rich in vitamins, minerals, soluble fiber, active enzymes, proteins, and easily digested fats.  They contain 74% water and have no cholesterol.

Let’s first figure out how to pick an avocado.  Take some of the fear out of shopping for expensive fruit.  If it’s large, it will perish quicker.  Bruising inside?  Hard to tell, right?  Right.  Unfortunately.  I try to buy them when they are not ripe.  Then I refrigerate the whole avocado and take out only when I need them.  Allow to ripen on the counter for 1-3 days, depending.  In the refrigerator they will not ripen, so good to store there.  Depending on the state it comes from will depend on how to choose.  Florida avocados will yield to gentle squeezing when ripe.  California avocados need one day if they yield to pressure.  But, the big thing is….once you cut that luscious fruit/vegetable, the process of ripening ends.  At that time you are stuck with it.  To store your cut avocado, wrap tightly in saran wrap or in a tight container.  Lemon juice may stop the blackening also.  Basically, eat the whole thing in one sitting and play it safe.

There are a few ways to cut open an avocado.  I like to cut it lengthwise around, twist, open and spear the pit with a knife.  If I’m making guacamole, raw chocolate pudding or a smoothie, I just squeeze each half into a bowl.  If I’m making a pretty salad or sandwich, I will peel the skin and cut in strips or use one of those handy, dandy plastic avocado cutter outers. 

And then there are the benefits of avocados.  They are filled with healthy fats, vitamins like A, B-complex, C, H, K and E, beta-carotene and alpha-carotene, plus minerals like magnesium, copper, iron, calcium, potassium and other trace elements.  They contain more protein than cow’s milk and provide you with 18 amino acids and 7 fatty acids.  When you combine the fats from avocado with nutrients in your other foods like vitamin A, D, E, K, lutien, lycopene and calcium, these vitamins are better and more easily absorbed by your body.  You don’t need a lot of avocado for this process.  They are high in fat and also give you a good amount of magnesium and fiber. 

Just took a little break to eat an avocado.  I’m back.  How about some recipes?  Ok then……

Smoothies are easy.  Use half or whole pitted avocado in your blender with about two cups of coconut, rice or almond milk.  Add raw cacao for the chocolatey smooth richness.  You can sweeten with fruit or agave if needed.  These recipes are from Kelly Serbonich and Anna Maria Clement’s Healthful Cuisine Book.

Guacamole

3 cups mashed avocado, 1/2 cup finely diced red onion, 1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper, 1/2 cup shredded carrot, 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, 1-2 cloves pressed garlic, teaspoon ground cumin, 2 Tbl fresh lemon juice, cayenne and Bragg Liq Amino to taste.  You can also add kelp granules or sea salt.  I like to put something like this into a portobello mushroom soaked in Bragg’s.  Yum.

Avocado Pudding

1 avocado, 12 dates(pitted and soaked), 1 cup soak water from dates or coconut water, 1 tsp cinnamon.  Blend all the ingredients until smooth and sprinkle the cinnamon on top.  You can add banana, mango or carob powder or cacao.

Have fun and experiment.  Wishing you healthy eating!

People always ask me…”Is it hard not having all your stuff?”  I say “No, I always travel with my Vitamix!  That and my toothbrush.  Good to go.”

Happy Holidays….Ring in the New Year!  Yes, my Vitamix is always with me.  Thought I’d help you out with some recipes for this season.  Of course, I use my Vitamix most for green smoothies.  It always surprises me that I can drink these on cold winter mornings.  Your body gets used to having them and starts to crave them.  The past few days I was able to purchase some great organic cukes from the local store and have been juicing them in my Champion.  A great start to a day filled with healthy eating.  Then a great way to end the day is with some raw ice cream from the Champion using the blank screen.  It’s tough to eat healthy, especially during this time.  Try eating raw veggies or drinking water before your big meal.  If I start the day with something healthy and then eat a big salad for lunch, I feel a lot better if I splurge a little at dinner.   Plus I’m not as hungry.  My body has already gotten a lot of good nutrients and vitamins for breakfast and lunch.

Banana Cream Pie (Raw)  This is for my brother!

Crust:  3 cups walnuts, soaked and dehydrated (you can buy these in health food stores)  1/4 cup dates, pitted and soaked (3 hours or more)  1/2 tspn Bragg Liquid Aminos or pinch of salt

Filling:  2 cups young coconut meat, 3 medium ripe bananas, cut into pieces  2/3 cup macadamia nuts, soaked   10 dates, pitted and soaked  2 Tblspns psyllium husks powder  1/2 cup water of one young coconut  2 Tblspns alcohol-free vanilla extract or 1/2 vanilla bean  4 ripe bananas

For the crust: Using your food processor, finely grind the walnuts to a crumble.  Add the 1/4 cup dates and Braggs and process until combined.  The mixture should be slightly sticky.  Press the dough into a pie plate.  You can dehydrate overnight if you want a crunchy crust.

For the filling:  In a Vitamix or strong blender, combine the coconut meat and coconut water, bananas, macadamia nuts, 10 dates, psyllium, and vanilla.  Blend until very smooth and creamy. Stir in the sliced bananas and spread this filling evenly over the crust.  You can decorate the top with sliced bananas, tossing them in lemon juice to prevent browning first.

This is so easy, right?  Even if you do not eat a raw diet, all of these ingredients are found in your local store.  Treat your family and loved ones with something they’d never expect.  And they will be sure to love it.

Did you happen to catch one of the episodes of “Dinner Impossible”, where the chef was at Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream Factory in VT and he made these really weird ice cream concoctions?  Well here’s one that sounds weird, but is rather lovely!

Banana Ice Cream with Date Carob Sauce (Raw)

6 bananas, peeled and frozen

Sauce:  1 cup dates, soaked  1/2 vanilla bean, chopped  4 black olives, pitted  3 Tblspns raw carob powder  1/2 tspn ground cinnamon  1 cup water

Use your Champion with the blank screen to process the frozen bananas.  They will come out looking and tasting like soft serve ice cream.  For the sauce, in your blender, combine all ingredients until smooth and creamy.  If it’s thick, add water.  Add anything else that sounds interesting to you for a sauce….strawberries, orange…you get the idea.

Thanks, Chef Kelly Serbonich for these great ideas!

Here’s a recipe from a Paula Deen magazine.  It’s simple and you can use store bought pudding or make your own with raw ingredients and freeze.  Use the recipe above for the vanilla ice cream and add carob for the chocolate.  I hope you’ll try the living food way, this is a great start.  You can also eliminate the nuts if you’d like.

Frozen Striped Mousse

1 3.9 ounce package instant chocolate pudding  2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided  2 cups milk, divided  1 3.3 ounce package instant white-chocolate pudding  1/2 cup finely chopped pecans.

In a bowl, combine chocolate pudding, 1 cup cream, and 1 cup milk.  Beat until thickened.  In a separate bowl, combine white chocolate pudding, 1 cup cream, 1 cup milk and beat until thickened.  Take 8 (7 ounce) paper cups and spoon 2 Tblspns chocolate into them. Add a layer of nuts then a layer of 2 Tblspns of the vanilla mix and repeat again.  Freeze overnight.  Invert the cups and peel back the cup.  Garnish with chocolate sauce or fresh fruit.

 

Enjoy your holiday!  And remember….less is more.  It’s nice to share.

 

 

 

I am at a point in my life where I wonder…is there something else I could be doing to feel better?  It seems when I hit 40, it was harder to stay fit and healthy and another weird symptom appeared every month or so.  At 47, I am wondering about perimenopause, fatigue, my thyroid, weight gain, stiff and achy joints and even heart palpitations.  It is my intention here to share a little of what I am going through and maybe help you find some answers too. 

My menstrual cycle started changing about a year ago.  Longer, shorter, heavier, lighter….all of the above.  I knew it was perimenopause and I wasn’t concerned until I started experiencing symptoms that would affect my daily life.  Most of the symptoms were manageable.  Some symptoms, like burning tongue, were diagnosed by my dental hygenist.  Night sweats, though intense enough to have to get up and change my clothes in the middle of the night, didn’t interfere with my life.  My fatigue was enough to cause me to start taking an afternoon nap.  I work nights, so that didn’t interfere with my day either.  You’d be surprised how much a cat nap could help.  And though we’re told if you move more you won’t feel as tired, that wasn’t so for me.  I walk or practice yoga every day and I was still tired around 3 in the afternoon.  So I worked a snooze into most of my days. 

However, fatigue could also be adrenal fatigue or low level DHEA. DHEA is a natural steroid produced by the adrenals. The adrenals are small organs right above the kidneys.  We make about 25 mg of DHEA per day (men more than women), but our production dwindles as we get older.  This is what nature intended for us.  Your adrenals make cortisol and adrenaline and also balance over 50 hormones in the body.  The hormone cortisol affects other regulatory processes such as: blood pressure, blood sugar levels, your immune and inflammatory response and influencing mood, memory and thought clarity.  If your adrenals are exhausted from stress (emotional and physical), poor nutrition, and crazy dieting, they are pumping out more cortisol and can’t manufacture enough DHEA to support a healthy hormonal balance.  This will result in your exhaustion, depression and that feeling of being overwhelmed.  So, if you are under more than average stress, your body will not have enough working material for proper endocrine function.  There is some evidence that healthy DHEA levels may help with Alzheimer’s, cancer, osteoporosis, depression, heart disease and obesity. 

So that could be why my blood pressure has been so low these last couple of weeks!  OK, so I guess I’m going through all of the above stressors.  I do know that when I eat 100% raw food I feel better.  I have been traveling a lot lately, and if I am not happy where I am, for example, with people that do not support my lifestyle, I simply do not feel well.  Is taking a DHEA supplement the answer?  It could be an important factor, but include it with lifestyle changes also.  There’s a lot out there about DHEA levels and supplements.  If you are concerned about your levels, have a medical test done.  Taking a supplement alone won’t help you if your adrenals are exhausted.  Your body will produce more or less depending on nutrient support, metabolism, hormone balance, activity level and your emotional state.  Also maintain a healthy body mass index, get adequate rest, expose yourself to some sunlight, exercise, and create more “downtime” in your life. 

What else can you do to support this “aging” thing?  Ayurvedic medicine says the adrenal gland is connected to the root chakra.  The root chakra is about groundedness, our nourishment, and our physical health.  When stress enters full force, we can become less grounded.  That sure explains even more about my aches and pains.  As most of you know I recently closed my business and moved.  However, I am not living anywhere yet.  I have been traveling around visiting family and friends and still haven’t decided on where I want to live.  Yep, that would be ungrounded!  Guess I’ll start doing some yoga grounding poses today! 

Eating a gluten-free diet can relieve the strain of your adrenal glands.  Low blood sugar will put stress on your body and strain your adrenal glands too.  Time your meals so that you aren’t going long periods of time without food.  Adrenals will work harder on an empty stomach, requiring them to release more cortisol to keep you functioning normally.  Living foods will allow the body to absorb more nutrients.  You will find yourself craving sugar and caffeine if your cortisol levels are low or you are tired.  Drinks that will restore your adrenal glands are: chamomile, passionflower and valerian teas, and vegetable juices.  Alcohol, caffeine and gatorade can drain the adrenals.  Honor your body.  Try to take the time to feel if you are actually hungry or if you are eating to fill another need.  I know when I am eating and not actually tasting anything.  With my burning tongue symptom, my taste buds are a little off.  So I think my mind tells me to eat more because my mouth can’t taste anything!  It’s all about balance.  I have good days and not so good days.  I honor them both. 

I’ll talk next time about more symptoms of our changing bodies.

As always, please see your health care practitioner for symptoms that concern you.  The suggestion here are informational only.

I’ve mentioned many times in this venue how raw, living food is what will allow the body to heal.  Not cooking your food keeps enzymes, oxygen and water content in your food, and therefore making it better able for your body to absorb.  Heating destroys nutrients and your food’s enzymes.  Heating also destroys water soluble vitamins like vitamin C and all the B vitamins.  I still eat a small amount of cooked food, but it just doesn’t taste the same anymore.  I’m eating more vegan food as well as high raw foods.  The past couple of weeks, since I’ve been moving around a lot, I’ve had a cucumber for breakfast almost every day. I know vegetables for breakfast?  Yes, and you can too.  It’s all about changing your patterns.  Fresh organic produce has been easy to find these days.  I am in the Adirondacks in New York State taking advantage of the local farmers markets every week. 

If you want to get good at anything, you have to focus, learn and invest some time in learning how it works, right?  Everyone needs to learn about taking care of their body because everyone has a body.  In addtion to your “day job”, you need to make the time to learn the basics of taking care of your body.  The reason we believe what the drug companies, media, agricultural and food and beverage companies have to say is because we are nutritionally ignorant.  So let’s learn a little bit more about the food we cook on a daily basis.

When you cook food on a grill, stove top, oven, camp fire or a microwave, you are changing the molecular structure of the food and change the nutritional content and digestibility.  This structure becomes denatured, deranged and degraded, and the molecules are changed into new chemical configurations and carcinogenic byproducts are formed, thereby promoting a broad spectrum of allergies, infections and degenerative diseases..  Certainly the degree to which this happens depends on the cooking time, temperature and method of cooking.  Heating food above 105-120 degrees F, destroys all enzymes and lowers the concentration of vitamins and minerals.  You body can produce the enzymes necessary for digestion and absorption of food, however this process requires a great deal of energy that would otherwise be used for  the process of elimination, fighting disease, and allowing you to function at an optimal physical and mental level. 

In cooked foods, fats are carcinogenized, carbs are caramelized, and proteins are coagulated and become virtually unusable by the body and fiber becomes barely usable in the colon.  Heating food also creates toxic byproducts.  Here’s a few of these dangerous byproducts:

Acrylamides:  Cancer causing byproducts of cooking carbohydrate food such as breads, potatoes, pastries and any other kinds of starch.  The FDA acknowledges on their website the perils of acrylamides, but the processed and fast food industry would rather you don’t know about these.

Epoxides, Hydroperoxides, unsaturated aldehydes:  These three are generated when you cook the fat from meat, milk, eggs and fish.  From Wikipedia, “An epoxide is a cyclic ether.”  The rest of the definition on Wikipedia was not even understandable to me.

Furfural/furans: generated when sugars are heated.  Wikipedia states, “Except for occasional use in perfume, furfural remained a relatively obscure chemical until 1922, when the Quaker Oats Company began mass-producing it from oat hulls….When heated above 250 degrees, furfural decomposes into furan and carbon monoxide, sometimes explosively… Furfural is also used as a solvent in petrochemical refining….” 

Nitrosamines:  When nitrogen oxides in the gas flame from gas ovens or barbecues interact with fats, these toxins are created.  Nitrosamines are chemical compounds of a chemical structure, some of which are carcinogenic.

Polycyclic Hydrocarbons:  These carcinogens are generated from the charring of meat. From Wikipedia,  ”PAHs occur in oil, coal and tar deposits, and are produced as byproducts of fuel burning….as a pollutant, they are of concern because some compounds have been identified as carcinogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic….PAHs are also found in foods.  Studies have shown that most food intake of PAHs comes from cereals, oils and fats.  Smaller intakes come from vegetables and cooked meats.”

Hydrogenated oils and Trans fats:  These are man-made.  They are also called hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats and were specifically developed to allow processed foods to sit on the shelf longer without going rancid.  Many of today’s common foods are now cooked in these trans fats.  Consuming these fats can lead to obesity, heart disease, an increase in bad cholesterol and lowering of the good.  Also keep in mind when you heat common cooking oils, the heat denatures the oil molecule and causes the oil to turn rancid.

Are you still asking yourself what happens to you if you eat cooked foods?  Digestive leukocytes is a term that refering to when your body produces an increase of white blood cells, indicating the body is on the attack.  This response also happens when you eat cooked food.  However it does not happen when you eat raw foods.   A build up of toxic, acidic waste materials, often referred to as “free radicals”, accumulates in the skin, liver, nervous system and brain when you consume large amounts of cooked food.  When you don’t get the proper nutrients in your diet, your white blood cells are always on the attack mode.  Toxic waste are circulating in your weak and overworked body, allowing it to breed common ailments such as allergies, headaches, sinusitis, diabetes, heart disease, erectile dysfunction, depression, arthritis, osteoporosis, and various cancers will thrive.  Unfriendly flora build-up is also a byproduct of cooked foods.  Unfriendly bacteria take over the colon, feeding on thick, undigested and uneliminated cooked food putrefying in the intestines.  This flora will give off a waste product that is a food for cancer cells.  Eating a plant based uncooked diet will decrease the toxic load on the colon and will also decrease unfriendly bacteria and its dangerous byproducts.

Not cooking your food will have the following benefits: Weight stabilization, increased energy, more restful sleep, radiant skin, enhanced mental clarity, increased immune function and prevention of illness.  You don’t need to eliminate all cooked food from your diet to have these benefits.  How about just substituting one meal a day with raw food for starters?  Or if you are already doing that, how about increasing to one day a week eating nothing but uncooked food?  Most people believe lunch or dinner is their best bet for raw.  Large salads with every veggie in the fridge, juicing a meal or sandwiches with sprouted grain bread (these breads are usually available in the frozen section.  They are baked at low temperatures to retain the nutritional content of their ingredients). Top your sandwich with all raw ingredients, like veggies and sprouts.  It doesn’t have to be fancy, just make it colorful.

Be proactive about your own health.  Stay informed.  It’s your job.

As always, consult your primary physician if you have questions regarding your specific circumstances.

I don’t remember the morning program I was watching the other day that stated Colorado and Vermont are two of the thinnest states in the United States and that obesity is on the rise throughout the country.  Fast food restaurants are popping up on every street corner in America.  Why Colorado and Vermont?  They say because they are four season states.  The ability to get out there and exercise throughout all four seasons is more readily available in these states.  I believe, since I’ve lived in Vermont for over 20 years that it is also because there are less fast food restaurants and more local farms and local produce available.  Vermont is the only state that does not have a McDonalds in their capital city.

I remember growing up in Connecticut going to McDonalds at least once a week. There were10 of us in my family and my dad would have to go with a list.  It was a highlight of the week. The other highlight was game night in my home.  The prize for winning Bingo was a Twinkie or a Susie-Q.  However, we also grew up with a tennis court, basketball court and swimming pool in our yard.  Exercise was also available.  And my parents went vegetarian before any of us did and passed that knowledge onto us later in life.  It’s not too late to start good habits for you or your children.

Healthy eating starts in your own home.  The local schools can only do so much with presenting healthy food to your children if you are not willing to support that in your own home.  Obesity rates have doubled for adults and tripled for children since 1980.  Is it any wonder?  Fast food joints, vending machines and inactive lifestyles, contribute to a country with an obesity epidemic. 

What are some other factors for obesity?  Genetics, emotions, age, culture and medical problems all influence weight gain.  As you age, muscle mass decreases and will slow metabolism (I’ve been seeing that one myself).  Because of this, your exercise and eating patterns must be adjusted.  This could be a great time to read those books on your shelf about being a vegetarian or raw foodist.  Our bodies want to move.  Take the stairs instead of the elevator.  Park your car in the furthest space away from the store.  By keeping a journal of your food and how you are feeling before you eat, you can start to recognize your eating habits.  Are you eating just because you are sad, anxious, or angry?  Notice how when your children hurt emotionally, the first thing you may want to do is feed them.  They need emotional nurturing, not a way to deny their feelings with food.  Start a diary with your kids.  This could also help to diagnose food allergies.

We learn about eating and cooking in our own households growing up.  In our family, birthdays were plentiful and also a great reason to get together for pizza, soda and cake.  Do you praise your children with food for good behavior or winning a game?  Most of us don’t recognize the habits we are teaching our children.  Think about your own upbringing.  What were your patterns when it came to food?  How can you help your child learn good eating and exercise habits?  Get rid of the distractions at the dinner table; the newspapers, tv and phone.  Eat slower, even with less talking.  Save the talking for before dinner during preparation and after dinner during clean-up. 

The Mayo Clinic states the following:  “Although there are some genetic and hormonal causes of childhood obesity, most excess weight is caused by kids eating too much and exercising too little. Children, unlike adults, need extra nutrients and calories to fuel their growth and development. So if they consume the calories needed for daily activities, growth and metabolism, they add pounds in proportion to their growth. But children who eat more calories than needed gain weight beyond what’s required to support their growing bodies”.

Get excited about learning some new things with your kids.  Yoga, raw food, the local farmer’s market, or just the fruit and vegetable isle at the grocery store.  Get out the juicer that you bought yourself and is now gathering dust in the cabinet.  Let the kids choose what fruits they want to throw in.  See who can achieve the best color of juice!  It’s ice cream season.  Some juicers will make really awesome, healthy and fresh ice cream.

Here’s to family health!

Here are some warning signs of a heart attack from the American Heart Association:

Chest discomfort, discomfort in other areas of the upper body, shortness of breath, and cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.  Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the chest that can last more than a few minutes to a few weeks.  It could present as pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.  You could also have pain in one or both arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach.  It is critical not to dismiss any of these symptoms and to seek medical attention as soon as possible to rule out a heart attack.  This will have a big factor in damage to your heart and survival.

Here’s my story, because I always have at least one   About seven years ago, my Dad was in excellent physical shape.  He was 70 years old and was playing up to four softball games a week (sometimes three in one day), working full time at Optimum Health Institute in CA, and eating a healthy diet (mostly vegetarian).  One day I got a phone call from my Mom saying he had had a heart attack.  What?  How did that happen?  He had started feeling bad three weeks prior.  Chest pain and other symptoms, but continued to go about his day.  The only thing that brought him into the doctor that day was because in his softball game he had gone 0 for 4 and he thought something must be wrong.  If you don’t know anything about baseball, that means he didn’t get a hit that day.  Again, he just went to the doctor that day after three weeks of discomfort.  The doctor told him he’d been having a heart attack for three weeks.  His heart muscle was (and still is) working at 30%.  Heart muscle does not repair itself.   Yes, the doctor’s were surprised he was still alive.  To this day, when he walks into the doctor’s office, they say to him “I can’t believe you are still here.”  I tell him it’s time to get a new doctor. 

Obviously, with my Dad being in such good physical shape, blood is pumping through his body without the full help of his heart.  He’s still around although cannot work and has trouble walking upstairs and is learning more and more about himself and his family every day.  It’s not his time; he has more work to do.  And yes, he fights sadness and negativity every day. 

 It is vitally important to have your muscle’s working to their optimum efficiency to support healthy blood movement.  Staying active and eating healthy are two important factors in heart health.  I’m writing this because I have been thinking a lot about the recent deaths of some celebrities.  Better lifestyle habits can help reduce your risk of a heart attack and help to maintain a healthy heart, mind and body.  Choosing the right foods, managing your weight, and exercise.  Emotional health is just as important.  As with my Dad, sometimes eating healthy and exercise aren’t the only things to avoid heart disease.

Heart disease is the number one killer of American women.  Don’t ignore the signs.  What else can cause heart disease?  Weight-loss supplements and recreational drug use may cause life-threatening cardiac complications.  Is it time for you to start a healthier lifestyle?  How about doing it for your kids?  How about teaching your children healthy habits now? 

I just closed my business.  Amazing, but my physical body already feels better.  The stress alone was hurting every muscle in my body.  And yes, it would’ve eventually hurt me in other ways.  I’m convinced of that.  Look at how you really feel and trust your intuition.  Don’t ignore the physical or the emotional signs.

Have a safe and happy Fourth!

A food allergy is an immune system response and a food intolerance is a digestive system response.  Does a certain food give you a rash, nausea, airway restriction, itchy skin, diarrhea or shortness of breath?  That would mean you have a food allergy.  Food intolerance symptoms are stomach pain, nausea, cramping or bloating, heartburn, headache or vomiting. 

According to Webmd,  ”A food allergy is an immune system response. It occurs when the body mistakes an ingredient in food — usually a protein — as harmful and creates a defense system (antibodies) to fight it. Food allergy symptoms develop when the antibodies are battling the “invading” food.  Food intolerance is a digestive system response…… It occurs when something in a food irritates a person’s digestive system or when a person is unable to properly digest or breakdown, the food.”  The most common food intolerance is lactose, found in dairy products.  Common food allergies are peanuts, shellfish, eggs, soy products and wheat or gluten.  I believe as we age, our bodies will tolerate less and less of some of these common foods.  I have a reaction to wheat, but only sometimes.  If I’m under stress, my stomach will react very quickly to certain foods.  There are other times when I’m perfectly fine.  Those with food intolerance lack certain enzymes needed for digestion.  When the undigested food enters the bloodstream, it causes a reaction.  An allergic reaction can happen immediately, starting with a tickle in the throat or itchy lips or tongue.  A friend of mine, on Thanksgiving, had peeled many many potatoes and went into anaphylactic shock. He had no idea he was even allergic, but he had peeled so many potatoes, his system was overloaded. 

Digestive enzymes are used by many people to help with the digestion of food.  Some to certain foods and some to cooked foods.  My opinion…if you have a problem eating certain foods, you should just stop eating that food.  But alas, and I am just as guilty as anyone else, we continue to eat what our bodies just don’t want to assimilate or digest. 

In the book, Prescription For Nutritional Healing, there is a food questionnaire and a food diary you can fill out.  It’s important, when you think you have a food allergy, to start to take inventory of the foods that you react to.  Eating one food at a time so that you will definitely know what the reaction in your body is, then eliminating that food for a period of time.  Certain fruits and veggies, when I touch my eyes after touching them, will make my eyes very puffy and red.  However, my body doesn’t react at all to them from the inside.  These are organic and eaten in the raw state so I don’t have an answer for that one.

If you are allergic to a food, your body will release a chemical known as histamine, to protect itself.  This chemical triggers allergic symptoms that affect the respiratory system or your gastrointestinal tract, your skin or heart.  Food allergies are more common in children than adults and people often confuse a food allergy with a food intolerance.  As uncomfortable as a food intolerance is, it is not dangerous.  Peanut allergies are rarely outgrown and, as an adult, an allergy to fish, is also rarely outgrown.

There are so many other opportunities these days for those of us with gluten or dairy allergies or intolerances.  Gluten free products abound at health food and grocery stores.  Dairy free products like soy or rice cheese, are great alternatives to dairy.  I drink store bought rice milk and make my own nut milk, usually almond milk.  Start today and eliminate one food that just doesn’t “sit well” with your body.  It could even be an emotional reaction. 

Be well.

Should you have swelling in your throat, difficulty breathing or a loss of consciousness, this is the sign of a serious food allergy and you should contact the nearest health facility.  Please advise your doctor or health care physician regarding any questions about food allergies in you or your child.

Stress……some of us deal with it better than others, some have more stress than the rest of us, and some have stress thrust upon them!  Stress can show up in many different ways; upset stomach, tension headache, acid reflux, neck pain, eye strain, panic attacks, feeling frazzled, high blood pressure, forgetfulness, sadness, anger, overeating, undereating, increased smoking or drinking, worry, depression, skin disorders, sleep problems and ultimately heart disease and autoimmune disorders.

“Stress is a normal physical response to events that make you feel threatened or upset your balance in some way. When you sense danger – whether it’s real or imagined – the body’s defenses kick into high gear in a rapid, automatic process known as the “fight-or-flight” reaction, or the stress response”, says healthguide.org.  We all have some version of stress.  Some is ok, stress can help you in times of emergency or when life requires you to be on your toes.  Chronic stress and emotional stress are the triggers for health problems.  The body doesn’t know the difference between physical and psychological stress, so it will react the same way to everyday stress as it would to a life or death situation.  

How do you react to everyday stress?  Do you hold it in, you know, way down in your stomach, do you react or do you respond to the situation?  There is a difference between reacting and responding.  Reaction is just the way it sounds….you react.  That could be with anger, frustration, yelling, blame, or any of the symptoms listed above.  A response is a conscious solution to the problem.  When something frustrating happens, taking a deep breath, looking at the problem and thinking…”OK, this just happened.  What am I going to do now”? 

But it doesn’t always work that way, does it?  The body responds to stress quickly.  Negative thoughts creap in, the tension starts.  So how about some alternatives for the moments when the answer isn’t there right away?  Here are some things that I always work for me for those “life’s uncertain” moments. 

Change your mind:  Change your mind, change your life.  Positive thinking can go a long way.  Fake it till you make it.  Change the negative thoughts in your head to positive ones.  Yes, you can!

Laughter:  Watch a classic comedy movie.  Laughter can stimulate your organs, soothe tension and stomachaches and activate and relieve your stress response.

Have a good social support: Friends and family who are there to give you a sense of belonging, self worth and your friends can be there to alert you to potential stress situations.  Be grateful to your friends and family for “being there” for you.

Relaxation techniques: Yoga, meditation, and tai chi can slow your heart rate, lower blood pressure, increase blood flow, improve concentration and reduce anger and frustration.  If you can’t make the time for a class, just sitting still and closing your eyes and counting will help. That old saying, “count to ten” when you are ready to explode, is a great way to go.

Exercise:  A simple 20 minute walk can go a long way to relieve stress and its effects.  I just got back from my walk and my mind is fresh for writing. 

Healthy eating: Wheatgrass juice will clear the mind, clear the fog of the day.  Eating a living food diet gives the body the energy to heal. 

Understanding your sources of stress can lead you to the solution.  Will the above work for you or do you need something more?  Seek help from a physician or therapist when it seems life’s ups and downs are just too much for you to handle alone. 

Here are some natural alternatives to take for stress relief:

Nux Vomica: can help with irritability, sleeplessness and headaches.

Bach’s Rescue Remedy:  Natural stress relief.  I always have this on hand.

Find out what works for you.  Daily stress can be reduced in intensity.   Listening to a stress reducing cd in your car on the way to and from work can help to alleviate the stressors of the day.  When you arrive home, changing out of your work clothes and just spending 5 minutes or more sitting and breathing. 

Relax, breathe….I wish you peace

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!