Wheat Belly, Muffin Tops and a Partridge in a Pear Tree...

We now have a new venacular to add to the host of other descriptive ones utilized to describe the odd predilection of the human body to store fat. The term "wheat belly" has been coined due to the new book of the same name, written by Dr. William Davis. That wheat is a toxin for a group of individual's labeled Celiac, has come to the forefront of late, what is not as obvious, is that what we call wheat, not the ancient grain of lore, can also act as a toxin for the average person who does not have Celiac as well. The book "Wheat Belly" clarifies the association of wheat overconsumption with our growing girth as a nation and world. Dr. Davis delves into why this is happening in detail in his book by comparing our modern wheat with the wheat of the ancients. Lo and behold, modern wheat, known as "dwarf" wheat is nothing in comparison to the original strains of wild grass harvested by our ancestors, called Einkorn. Einkorn had a very simple genetic code which contained only 14 chromosomes. Einkorn eventually branched into 25,000 varying types of wheat all interwoven with human evolution. Where this evolution of wheat begins to lead down a darker road is about 50 years ago. This was due in part for the desire to increase yields, which, in my opinion has lead us down the slippery slope of Genetically Modified Foods...or GMO hell! A geneticist named Dr. Norman Borlaug created the fast growing "dwarf" wheat of today. To its supposed credit, it has possibly saved a billion people from starvation...I pose the question of "at what cost?" As I believe due to the fact that dwarf wheat was created via genetic splicing and cross breeding, it is now a very mutated version of Einkorn wheat with a very different genetic code that the human body does not recognize as food, but, rather as a toxin! In fact, dwarf wheat can't even exist in nature without modern pesticides and fertilizers! Similar to other Genetically Modified foods, little to no safety tests have ever been conducted. I believe that the overconsumption of dwarf wheat containing products leading to big bellies is just the proverbial tip of the iceberg as the overconsumption of this wheat has been shown to cause the following as well: all kinds of neurological disorders, rashes, acidic PH levels, all either caused or leading to an inflammatory response in the body which is the cornerstone to degenerative aging in and of itself!
At this point, you may be asking yourselves "what the hell can I do then?" There are still options, that is until all of the Genetically Modified Crops start cross contaminating the organic crops, as has already begun. I would suggest utilizing alternative grains, such as Coconut flour, Almond Meal flour, Gluten Free flour...all are good options. The cookies pictured above are made with Coconut flour which has more fiber and protein and is gluten free. I will include the recipe in this blog as well as the book title from which it came: " Cooking with Coconut Flour" by Bruce Fife, N.D. I did a brief blog article in the past on utilizing coconut products in your daily diet and since they are so beneficial, that is why I touch on them again as an alternative grain. If you do decide to have some wheat, which I do include in my diet, I would suggest purchasing organic!

Nutty Chocolate Chippers:

1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1 cup of brown sugar or succanat
4 eggs
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups of chopped walnuts
1 cup of gluten free dark chocolate chips
2/3 sifted coconut flour**
Mix together the peanut butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt. Stir in the nuts, chocolate chips, and coconut flour. Batter may be runny, although mine was not. Drop by the spoonful 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 13 to 14 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly before storing. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

My husband and I eat these as snacks before or after skiing, winter biking, etc. as they are filling and high energy. They are excellent for Celiacs, diabetics, although I would utilize Stevia instead of sugar or cut back on sugar, or anyone wanting a healthier snack. I will be writing on the relationship of grains to Type II Diabetes in future blogs as there is a correlation. Until then, I wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy 2012~!

Time is Platinum

The old idiom time is gold has been upgraded to time is platinum to reflect how valuable it has become! It has always been valuable, but that value seems to have increased due to how fast it is currently moving. I will not get in-depth with scientific theory here however, I will touch on some theories which help to explain what the heck is going on with time. One can concur with the longstanding belief that as one ages, time seems to move more quickly. There appears to be more to this than meets the eye as although this feeling is a universal one across cultures worldwide, it can no longer be the lone reason why we as humans are feeling so pinched and stressed by the rapid passage of time in 2011. Scientists give validity to the expedience of time as one gets older via research regarding our life experiences, for instance, a person's first, or virgin memories, such as the first kiss, first bite of chocolate, first anything, is a new, or novel experience, thus this new experience is so dense, our brains actually record them differently and this takes more brain power than it does to follow the mundane, routine, path of least resistance which many of us fall into later in life! Sadly, since many middle age people do not challenge themselves, this could be why time in fact seems to slip threw their proverbial hands at lightening speed. This data does not explain why all age groups appear to be experiencing rapidly flowing time, or the general feeling of-"there is not enough time to do all I want to do!" I feel this way daily and ask myself where the hell is time going quite frequently. I am currently unemployed and wonder how I got anything done when I worked full time and although I want to work again and make some money, I am genuinly concerned about how I will get all the things done that I both love and hate to do! One other school of thought regarding time, is a more complex one, however, it is one that I tend to entertain, it is centered around a spiritual/energetic perspective of Earth, at the core of this belief, which is closely tied to the Mayan Calendar, humanity is moving to another level of consciousness, one where our current knowledge of time/space/distance does not apply. Regardless of what resonates with you individually as to why time appears to be moving at lightening speed, one thing we can all agree on, is that it really is doing so! The only way to deal with it is to be in a place of gratitude, or living in the moment. This is not always easy to do, but, it is one of the only ways in which I can find peace in my own life, for the old Rolling Stone's song-"Time Is On My Side" surely does not apply to our current place in space and time!

Adapting to the Fall to Winter Seasonal Change

Most of us are pretty overjoyed that we get to sleep an extra hour now due to "Daylight Savings Time," however, the extra hour of sleep may not always make up for the energetic requirements of the fall to winter seasonal shift. Chinese medicine is a great venue to read and research in regards to what needs to be done to adapt to the season changes. Fall is traditionally the season of the harvest...this is not only pertaining to the obvious, crops, but to all of our work and projects over the past six months. The proverbial seeds have been sown, fall is when we reap the end result of the work/growth. For even if we are not growing all of our own food, which would be ideal, autumn is the time for preparation for the season traditionally called the season of rest and introspection, winter. I know, you are thinking, "rest~!"...winter seems to be anything but with two holidays, snow to shovel, cars to warm up, that is a pack of hooey! Nature even assists us by shortening the hours of sunlight from September 23rd to December 21st (the longest night), after which, the days start becoming longer again. While humans as a race do not seem to live by the seasons anymore, when we become cognizant of them and accept them, we can live more harmoniously with them rather than dreading and fighting them. Change cannot be avoided, yet, humans fight change "tooth and nail," unfortunately, this is to no avail, as it is an inherent process and the one truth of the universe amongst all people. Maintaining a balance this time of year is a combination of outward and inward-based activities. As I touched upon last year in this blog, one must find physical activity they enjoy and do this throughout fall/winter as well, this will not only help one to sleep better, it will keep one's moods up as well. According to Chinese Medicine, fall is a good time to cleanse, which I have yet to do, to prepare the body for the ingestion of more heavy and sustaining foods, such as soups, stews, etc. The Metal Element is associated with fall and is associated with the lungs and large intestines. It is important to keep these organs healthy to offset colds and flu. The balance of intake, through breathing air and eating food, and output, breathing out, activity and elimination is crucial to stay healthy. The lungs are vulnerable to cold/damp climates and thus set one up for colds and lung infections. Since the nose is the opening to the lungs, I suggest buying a good Neti Pot and Himalyan Pink Sea Salt, which is very high in all trace minerals, and rinsing the nostrils daily to help prevent the onset of colds/flu. Another very important nutritional aspect is to get one's vitamin D levels checked, as virtually everyone in the upper midwestern states is deficient in this nutrient, which is considered a pro-hormone. Research continues to unveil the multitude of benefits that this nutrient provides to the body. One key factor which has been disclosed is that it is needed to maintain healthy immunity. I recently had my levels tested through my practitioner and they were borderline low. This is not good as I bike outside all summer and the fall season is considered the "trough" for D levels. What this means, is that levels of this nutrient need to be at a peak now in order to sustain one through the winter months. I would recommend a vitamin D test for all who are interested in staying healthy this winter season! For more detailed information regarding the implications of season change on the human body, I suggest picking up a copy of Elson M. Haas, M.D., book-"Staying Healthy with the Seasons."

The Resurgence of Barter....

Good ole Wikipedia defines Barter Trade as "a method of exchange by which goods or services are directly exchanged for other goods and services without using our current prevalent medium of exchange, money." Traditionally, Barter was utilized to replace currency in times of money instability.
While I do not profess to be an economist, one would have to be blind to not take notice, if only on a rudimentary level, how frail the world economic system is. It is currently ebbing and flowing with jumps in the Dow both up and down and national unemployment numbers hovering at stubborn levels above 9 percent! In summary, I would say that we are definitely in very "shaky" times in general.
I started thinking about Barter after a brief conversation with one of my neighbors the other day when walking my dog. I feel blessed to live in more of a community, rather than a neighborhood. My neighbor brought up the idea of Barter trading, specifically in relation to her direct neighbor. Her close neighbor, who is also a friend of mine, is currently unemployed, as am I, and Mary, whom I was talking with, said she would love to have Ann (her neighbor and my friend) over a few nights a week, simply for company, in return, Mary would cook homecooked meals for her as she is a great cook. When I returned home after our conversation, I started thinking a lot about this concept. I really think we could make a "mini" model of sorts within our neighborhood, after all, we all get along really well, almost all of us, and I think many would be receptive to this idea. Our annual block party this year has morphed into a monthly potluck at different houses in the neighborhood. The host provides the main meal and everyone choosing to partake brings something as well. We have had two thus far and they seem to be a hit. Based upon the success of these community dinners per se, I really believe that the Barter Trade concept can take root. After all, we have a lawyer, a teacher, a hairstylist, photographer, spiritual healer, several great cooks, etc. all in one neighborhood. Another common thread is on the scale of finances...many of us are underemployed, unemployed, or stay at home moms, all needing to watch the flow of money within our households. I also envision Barter Trade as not only a great money saving tool, but, a phenomenol tool with which to build face-to-face relationships in a world dominated by electronics. While we all love our electronic gadgets, I believe that on a primal level, humans are very deficient in human touch, communication, everything involving actual person to person interactions and are looking for ways to develop this in their daily lives. I feel it is along the same vein as the grow local food movement...the impetus being that of knowing who grows and processes the food we eat. In parting, take a look around you, how can you contribute or expand upon this concept in your "own" world?

Pugsley to the Rescue!

Wow, it has been over four months since I have written in my blog! Where did our "pseudo summer go?" We are "smack dab" into the fall season with winter closing in on our heels! If you are like most midwesterners, you are currently thinking..."oh crap, here we go again, winter will be here soon!" I don't know about you, but, after a winter such as last year, with record snowfalls and cold, I am not looking forward to it per se and I consider myself to be pretty hardy! Since I choose to live here year round, I have to find something which captures my interest in the physical realm during the long, ardous winter months. I already have several options in my fitness routine, such as P90X (maintenance), snow shoeing, cross country skiing, etc., however, my first love is mountain biking. In order to continue mountain biking throughout the winter, my husband and I decided to invest in winter bikes. We were able to ride our single speed mountain bikes some of the time last winter, but, due to the deep snow and lots of it, it became progressively more difficult to do so on a consistent basis, so, we decided to take the $800.00 credit my husband received from One on One bike in downtown Minneapolis for his cracked mountain bike frame from Bianchi Bikes, and apply that to our purchase of two Surly Pugsley winter bikes. The "Pug" as it is endearingly called by winter biking afficianados, has Large Marge rims with four inch wide Larry tires slapped on for good measure! For those of you wondering...yes, Surly has a sense of humor, with names fashioned after the popular, long running show.."The Simpsons". The Larry tires can be filled with more air pressure enabling the rider to ride on dirt and sand, as I have been doing recently, as well as lowered to around 5 PSI so the rider can ride on deep snow. I have been told that the winter riding experience on a Pug is akin to Jesus walking on water...lol! Seriously, the low air pressure causes the Larry's to spread out and float on the snow pack, much like the experience that snow shoes provide. There have also been accomodations made to the frame which I won't get into in this short article, as it gets a bit technical.
Last winter when we were winter riding in our favorite haunt...Theordore Wirth Park, it looked like the Blair Witch Project in the woods, as there was a long line of Pugs, I call a pack of Pug riders, a "Pod of Pugs"...with helmet lights flashing through the trees! I am sure that passerbys thought that  a UFO had landed in the woods! The popularity of mountain biking has increased tenfold in the decade plus since I have ridden and this includes winter riding, which is why I am grateful that innovative companies such as Surly continue to come out with bikes such as the Pug for every terrain situation! My husband and I ride in temperatures as low as zero, providing there is low wind chill. While I won't go so far as to say I LOVE WINTER...I will say that I have made peace with it and can co-exist with it mainly due to the fact that I have tools with which to partake in it and to enjoy it.

What is Dowsing?

Dowsing is an ancient technique utilized for finding things and solving problems. Also known as divining, it was once vilified by the church. In my opinion, it does not seem that there was much that was not vilified by the church, especially if it was a tool of empowerment! Animals are natural divining rods as they utilize this innate ability to source food, water, other animals and sense of direction. Dowsing is simply about harnessing one's natural, inborn sense, preferably utilizing copper rods, as they are conductive of energy. I happen to have a good friend, who is an energy worker as well as a dowser. She came to my house today, as I had concerns regarding EMF (Electrical Magnetic Frequency) entering our living space from cell phones, WiFi, basically all of our electronic equipment, and I wanted her to clear some of the energy, as well as instruct me how to do this. I was basically feeling as if something external (EMF) was influencing my health, attitude and emotions. Dowsing can also pinpoint natural energy grids within the Earth, which can adversely affect one's health. Some symptoms caused directly/indirectly by these natural and man made energy grids are: frequent headaches, sleep disorders, chronic fatigue, nausea, aching/swelling joints, dizziness, etc. The main effect of EMF fields is the heating up of bodily tissues. An interesting way for pet owners to find some of these EMF "hot" spots in their household is to watch where the family cat likes to sleep and what spot the dog avoids, as dogs have a natural aversion to this energy! Some natural Earth energy grid patterns are: geopathic stress lines, negative Hartmann lines, negative curry lines, personal zones, negative vortexes and positive vortexes. It turns out that I had a positive energy vortex affecting my sleep as it was pulsing energy up from the Earth under our house to the left side of our bed where I sleep! Consequently, I have had weird dreams and odd sleep issues for a long time. My friend and I basically moved the vortex energy about three feet into the middle of the bedroom. It is positive energy, meaning, good energy with which to renew ourselves, such as an area for meditation, yoga, etc. Since I do yoga in that spot, I thought it would be a good place to move the energy to! We placed about 15 copper rods in various rooms in our house and about four in our back yard. We needed more in the backyard due to the fact that all of our power lines and cable come in through the back. We also needed three rods by our flat screen T.V. and stereo equipment, as all new electronic equipment gives off more EMF. Many people will not notice the bad "ju ju" energy in their house, yet they will have unexplained fatigue and other health problems and not associate it with the EMF fields. Clearing one's space of detrimental energies, whether cognizant of the energy or not, can result in the following:
1. Better quality of sleep 2. An increase in energy and vitality 3. Less colds and illnesses 4. Improved communications and thus, better relationships 5. A strong immune system 6. Stronger plants, fewer insects, more birds and butterflies 7. Improved creativity 8. Increased financial flow, and 9. In a nutshell, a feeling of ease, well being and peace. I don't know about you, but, isn't that what we all need more of on planet Earth right now? The friend who dowsed our house today said that she noticed one neighbor in particular in her neighborhood, who was always yelling at their kids, disciplining them outside when in front of the neighbors, after my friend dowsed her property, she has not noticed these same people yelling at their kids. I was convinced after hearing this, that it was due at least in part, to the dowsing. For more information on this ancient technique, go to:  www.gratfuldowsing.com.

Bring It.....

I will be starting my fifth week with the popular DVD exercise session termed P90X. I have noticed changes in my flexibility, strength and agility already! This program was developed by world famous personal trainer extraordinaire, Tony Horton, in collusion with the CEO of Beachbody, Carl Daikeler. Tony partnered with Beachbody in 1996 and has created many workout programs prior to P90X. None of which have equalled the notoriety of P90X. It was developed in 2004, branching off of Tony's prior program called Power 90. It is an intense interval based workout program 90 days in duration. It is based upon the theory of "muscle confusion." In a nutshell, by generating muscle confusion in the body, one can avoid the dreaded plateau. Not only does plateauing occur with weight loss, it does with regards to workout programs as well. For instance, I have been an athlete most of my life and was getting restless with the two to three day per week weight lifting program I had embarked upon years earlier. I was not noticing increases in strength and any decrease in body fat percentage. I was also bored! My husband's sister had done most of P90X and told us about it at a family get together some months back. I really paid no interest to it then as I had no idea what it was all about. My husband was interested in learning more about it about six weeks ago and did some research. He then found a great deal on Craig's List, paying sixty dollars for an unopened P90X DVD set!  He snapped it up and began working out. I was slow to follow...I am about a week behind him. I hesitated due to the time requirements of the program. The yoga program is 90 minutes in duration and when I first did it I thought, if Tony says.."and raise your left foot to the sky" one more time, I will throw a brick through the T.V.! I also tailored the program to my lifestyle, which one can do as we do not all live perfect story book lives and are all pinched for time. The program can be adapted to all sorts of personal goals. Athletes wanting to get in prime shape in a short amount of time can do double workouts daily. Women wanting the long, lean muscular look, rather than bulking up, can utilize the lean training block in the DVD set. It turns out that after doing the program for one month, it is exactly what I was looking for! My goals are to decrease body fat and some weight, maybe five pounds or so, and to become stronger for biking, namely mountain biking, which is my passion (at least in the work out world)! We have had an unusual spring with tornadoes and tons of rain, thereby making mountain biking virtually impossible, frustrating, yet not as much as it could be due to having P90X to do. I have been road biking and do notice a huge increase in strength and endurance. We did a 25 mile road bike ride the other day and I was not even tired at the end. We do not have "normal" road bikes, but ride single speeds...meaning, no gears! Minneapolis/St. Paul is a haven for single speeders. I have only been riding single speed bike for two years now and can not imagine going back to a geared bike exclusively!
I anticipate the upcoming mountain biking racing season and may even try a six hour endurance bike racing event. Basically, Tony H. sums it up well in saying that P90X will prepare one for a life filled with possibilities rather than one with limitations! The choice to embark upon a program like this or a comparable program takes dedication and extra "ompa-loompa." The results are well worth the time, dedication, and initial discomfort, as I don't know about you, but I plan on being active all of my life and am happy to have found the vehicle with which to make this possible. Go to: www.beachbody.com. to research all of the programs available to get you on your way to being the best you can be!

Mooey Sue

My love and adoration goes back to when I was four and had my first dog..."Gooter." He was a Golden Retriever and was kept outside in a pen...not something I would find acceptable currently as my love for dogs has deepened and thus, my understanding or emphathy for them has grown. They are not some object for affection to be given when we have time or when it is most convenient. They are in fact, a vital part of most of the families who open their hearts and homes to them. Obviously, I am not alone in my love for dogs as currently, 77.5 million people in the United States alone have dogs for pets. The average cost of owning one dog is between $700-3,000 per year...a lot cheaper than college tuition, but, it is still not cheap. What one gets back in return...unconditional love, companionship, motivation to exercise, etc. makes it more than worth it! Yes, there are indeed factors which are not so pleasant about owning a dog, such as dog doodoo, dog care when gone for extended periods, and dog aging. I watch my chocolate lab, Morgan, aka, Mooey Sue, Moosag, etc., all loving nicknames which reflect her nature and quirks that I developed over the years I have been graced with her company...I digress, as I watch Mooey Sue age, it reminds me of watching myself age and others that I love age, only in a sped up fashion. She will be thirteen in three months...where has the time gone? We adopted her when she was 4.5 years old, from a man at my husband's place of employment. Why was he giving her up? His wife did not like her and did not want her...after meeting her, I had no clue as to why on Earth anyone would not love this dog. We took her only hesitating briefly as we had a 13.5 year old Golden Retriever at home on her way out. I call them both my "soul dogs," meaning, they both have touched my soul in many ways too deep and profound to describe. It turns out that Mooey Sue was an angel, she no doubt was very frightened to be going into a new home, but had the intelligence to realize that Cinnibar, the Golden Retriever was on her way out...she looked out for her as if she was her child, hung silently in the background until Cinnibar died, five weeks after we brought Mooey Sue into our home. It is hard for me to grasp the concept, that we soon will be losing her as well. I see this in her daily downhill progression. She is getting weaker, losing muscle in her back and butt...she has the same will and puppy like smile, but, she is fading. We do have another dog, Lola Getz, the Boston Terrier, whom has loved Mooey Sue since we brought her home. She views her as her mom and will be as devastated as us when she leaves us! Lola just turned eight a few weeks ago...we have had her since she was eight weeks old! So, for me, the biggest downside to loving a dog is the fact that they are only in our lives for such a short time and it is extremely painful to lose them, albeit selfish as well. Eventually the realization that they will be in a better place acquiesces the pain, but, it never goes away entirely! I have a mental catalog in my mind of all the dogs I have had and what was unique about each and every one. They are all special in their own right, just like humans. However, every once in a while, one comes along and opens your heart to be able to love and feel more love, that would be Mooey Sue. I will miss her when she is gone...as will Lola, however, I will no doubt accept another pet into my life after she passes, as to me, life without a dog is like a ship without a rudder. I would recommend a dog to anyone desiring to experience love and give love, as well as to stay physically healthy. There is nothing like a panting dog with wagging tongue when you get home to remind you that you need to go out and play/exercise! This poem best sums up my feelings for dogs:

"Dogs are out link to Paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside
on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring...it was heaven."

Importance of Shopping Conscientiously and Consciously!

We are living in budget "pinching" times. Many of us are pushed to the limit of our financial condition. Unemployment rates have sky rocketed as well as home foreclosures. Wages are stagnant and people are trying to cut spending. Despite our individual financial condition, many are waking up to the many "real" and growing food supply threats which we are currently facing as a country and worldwide. Our world population is broaching upon seven billion total! Many viable resources, such as water and farmland, with which to grow crops for our burgeoning world population is shrinking. Food prices, similar to gas prices, are infringing on our household budgets as we speak. In fact, food prices are intricately tied to gas prices. Cheap food production is becoming a thing of the past due to rising fuel costs. It is estimated that food prices will continue to rise as much as 40% throughout the coming decade. Not only will food prices increase, rising world hunger, currently estimated to be at approximately one billion people who are struggling to eat daily, will continue to rise as well. The "powers-that-be", a.k.a., the Department of Agriculture, lead by Tom Vilisack, believe the solution to this problem is to increase the sale and planting of G.M.O. crops to farmers within the United States as well as worldwide. I beg to differ, as I believe this is not a solution! Not only do G.M.O.'s cause infertility and diseases such as Morgellan's (a mysterious skin disease), they are not fully studied as to the totality of their immediate and future ramifications for generations to come! Many of these factors, which are  not known to the majority of most food consumers, make shopping governed by our conscience (conscientious), difficult at best! To clarify, conscientious means to be governed by conscience.
Shopping from our conscience would entail purchasing products from local producers, or if not local, from producers that value their employees and pay them a livable wage. We as a global consortium, are becoming sick from the "toxic" products we produce and purchase cheaply. It is a kind of  "catch 22" of purchasing the cheapest due to lowered wages making it hard to support a local economy! One of the most important steps, besides awareness, to make towards becoming a conscientious shopper is to ask what is important to you and what kind of world do you want to create and live in. The next step is to educate yourself. Become a label reader and familiarize yourself with who exactly produces the food you purchase and how they in fact do this. Stay aware when you do shop. I wish there was a magic solution...as I work in a food cooperative, and in order to stay competitive with the limited food dollar in the local market, this cooperative has become "lax" in the sourcing of some foods. In fact, ingredients, such as MSG, can be found in several products in the coop. All food labels and choices can be very overwhelming, no matter where one shops, so, here are some guidelines to get you started. Make small choices and continue to have an inner dialogue regarding the food you purchase.  Making these small choices will eventually lead to bigger changes which will have an impact on your health and that of the planet in general. To make more informed and conscientious food choices while shopping, consider asking yourself the following questions:
1. Is the food organically grown?
2. Was it grown locally?
3. What are the farming practices of the companies that you are supporting?
4. How far does it travel to get to you?
5. How fresh is it? When produce is picked, it begins loosing its nutritional value immediately.
6. If you are choosing meat and poultry, how is it raised and treated, what is it fed?
7. If you choose fish or seafood, is it wild caught or farm harvested with sustainable practices?
8. How much packaging surrounds the product? Remember, we do have not one, but, three plastic islands growing in our oceans!
9. This is the one I really look at...how long is the list of ingredients...can you pronounce all the words...if not, put down the package and back away slowly, as I am sure there are other products which you can buy that are healthier!

Become an educated shopper for your health and the health of your family. You can do a search on the Internet, as there are many sites with good information on food labeling. In addition, there are many good books, many of which I purchase "used" on Amazon.com. as well as movies to assist in educating you  thus inching you further your goal of becoming an aware and conscientious shopper. Here are some I recommend:
1. The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan.
On video:
1. Food Matters; Fast Food Nation; Food Inc.; The Future of Food;Fresh; Home-King Corn; etc.
In summary, when it comes to purchasing your food, it is becoming more important to be conscious and aware. What you and your family does eat, affects your body, mind soul and that of Planet Earth. In a perfect world, you should plan to eat real, whole, organic and local food which is chemical and preservative free! In reality, by doing your best, you are ensuring the longevity of planet Earth.

Lovely Bones

There is a lot of misinformation regarding nutrition in general being disseminated, however, one area in particular takes the trophy, that being skeletal or bone health. Statistics show that women are 68% more likely to suffer from osteoporosis and its predecessor, osteopenia, than men. Studies have shown that the potential loss of bone density is a threat for approximately 50% of females and 25% of males. Our skeletons are in a continual process of old bone resorption and new bone formation. Bone density peaks at 30 for most. Peak bone mass loss occurs immediately after menopause and will continue into the postmenopausal years. Everyone will experience some bone loss in their lives and some risk factors, such as body frame size can not be changed, however, there are a number of ways to build bone density. One of these ways is not to take the pharmaceutical Fosamax, which has actually been shown to cause a necrotic loss of bone in the alveolar bone in the jaw after two years of usage!
I work in the Wellness department of a food cooperative and see many female customers daily. Many of whom are very concerned with the health or lack of health of their skeletons. Many worry for good reason, as many times after an elderly person breaks a hip, they begin on the slippery slope to extinction and poor quality of life until that time. Many of these female customers are in the search for the perfect Calcium supplement in order to stave off this disease. I proceed to tell them that while Calcium is important, it is not the most important nutrient to consume in order to fend off this nasty disease. They are also misinformed regarding which foods to eat in their daily diet in order to absorb optimum levels of  Calcium. They always think that dairy products are the top product to eat to obtain all of their dietary Calcium. I promptly inform them that because dairy products are high in protein and acid, they are not good at all for the skeleton. In fact, if consumed in excess, they will leach Calcium from the bones in order to buffer the acid! The best foods regarding Calcium content are: sardines with the bones in, sesame seeds, dark green leafy vegetables, almonds, etc. I have never been a huge dairy consumer and had a DEXA Scan about five years ago and was told that my bones are like the Rocky Mountains! These scans are a valuable tool to utilize in order to know where one's skeletal mass is at, unfortunately, they are very expensive. I was lucky enough to be part of a University of Minnesota study and got the test done for free. In lieu of a full DEXA Scan, one can always have a heel scan done at a health expo or local pharmacy, this will tell you where you are at and you can take it from there. I recommend knowing where your status is regarding your bone density. It is as important or more so than all the other numbers one has to know, such as; cholesterol, blood pressure, etc. It is best to obtain at least half of the daily requirement of Calcium per age group from diet and to supplement as well to insure that you are getting enough.  Adult Calcium requirements vary but do remain the same for approximately two decades for individuals in the age ranges of 19-50. The daily requirement is 1,000 Mg's. Calcium can not however, form bone cells without other minerals, called co-factors, of which, Magnesium is the most important. In fact when a Magnesium deficiency exists, the prospect is great that a person will see an imbalance within the cell between levels of Calcium and Magnesium. A good Calcium supplement will also contain Vitamin D, Boron, Phosphorus, etc. The type of Calcium is also very important. Calcium Hydroxyapetite is the most absorbable followed by Calcium Citrate. Many people are under the false impression that Calcium Carbonate, the type of Calcium found in Tums/Rolaids, is a good form, when in reality, it is very bad for the body and can deposit along artery walls as well as in joints mimicking joint and arthritic conditions. Tums and Rolaids not only do not provide the co-factors needed for absorption, but the alkalizing component deters absorption further as an acid environment is needed for absorption to occur. Since Tums type products destroy the stomach acid, they help to set one up for eventual bone loss as well!
One other key component to bone strength is regular weight bearing exercise. Preferable frequency of six to seven times per week is the best for sessions of at least 30 minutes. Weight lifting is very important for both men and women as it helps to prevent what is called Sarcopenia, or decreased muscle mass in the elderly. Smoking and excess alcohol consumption also adversely affect bone health (no brainer) as well as lack of sunlight. So, go "rattle dem bones" before you lose them!

Children of the Corn

Can a mere name change hide the proverbial truth? Apparently the Corn Refiners Association (CRA) seem to think so, as they recently petitioned their good buddies at the F.D.A. for a name change for their "red headed stepchild" ..HFCS...a.k.a. high fructose corn syrup. They want to rename it corn sugar...why? Well, their reasoning is the consumer is confused by all the bad information out their from " hick" researchers at illustrious university's such as Tufts, who, by the way, specialize in nutrition, thus, making them confused about the entire subject. What I believe, is that the information out there is spot on and shines a light on a horrific frankenfood which has made its way into approximately 70 percent of supermarket convenience foods causing people to choose products without this sweetener. Basically, their pocketbook is being pinched and the Children of the Corn do not like it. It is ludicrous for them to feign empathy for the consumer when it is crystal clear that their profit margins are being encroached upon by the savvy shopper and that this is the sole reasoning behind the name change request!  I have utter disdain for one website in particular, which champions corn sugar; http://www.cornsugar.com/, there are supposed experts in the field of nutrition on this site, all of whom appear to be in the defensive mode, when fielding questions regarding corn sugar. The main theme of this site appears to be that corn sugar is metabolized the same way as other natural sweeteners by the body as there are exact ratios of glucose and fructose in corn sugar and all natural sweeteners....riiiiiight! The cous de gras of the entire diatribe regarding the relative benign status of corn sugar is summarized in the closing comments on the this site when their "expert" in nutrition states that all sweeteners, like all foods, need to be consumed in moderate doses by the populace!
Well, I hate to be the one to burst the corn sugar people's bubble and wake them up from their dreams of children with corn sugar lollipops dancing in their heads, but, the reality of the matter is that they are supporting the manufacturer of one of the unhealthiest food products to date, one which is directly contributing to a nation where two thirds of its people are obese or overweight as well as 8.3% of the population having Type II Diabetes or 25.8 million costing the U.S. approximately 174 billion annually (2007 data). This problem is compounding daily with many people throwing their hands to the wind and believing these health ailments are due to lack of activity and eating too much alone. However, the real reasons are more deep and complicated than that. We are lied to on a daily basis by major food producers regarding what is in our food supply and how it is effecting us. The fact that the Corn Refiners Association pays its nutritionists on their sponsored corn sugar site is a prime example of the white washing of the facts. High fructose corn syrup is a factory made substance and is six times sweeter than sugar....not the same as sugar or other natural sweeteners. There are genetically modified enzymes added to high fructose corn syrup which allows it to be altered chemically, changing the corn syrup compound, composed mainly of glucose to a mix of simple sugars. HFCS is manufactured to provide the same sweetness as sugar so the unknowing consumer can not tell the difference in taste. It is only high in fructose, and does not contain the same ratios of glucose and fructose as the CRA says! Glucose is the basic sugar that the body uses for energy and metabolism. It is one of the key building blocks of all carbohydrates and is often found as part of other slowly absorbed sugars found in beans and whole grains. Fructose is also one of those building blocks found in nature, where it is packaged with fiber and an abundance of other nutrients. Unfortunately, when fructose is processed into high fructose corn syrup, it is absorbed into the cells of the body more rapidly than natural sweeteners without any help! What this does is bypass the normal controls for appetite in the body, leading to a lack of fullness or "satiety"...leading to increased appetite and uncontrolled eating.

In summary, I am not telling anyone to go out and eat tons of regular sugar containing products, however, if you do have something sweet, make sure that it is a healthier snack. Also, start reading labels, and if you do not understand what you are reading, put the food down and walk away slowly, preferably to the produce aisle. Stick to the periphery of the store when shopping and invest in a cookbook or a cooking class or both. Knowledge is the only thing that will set you free and keep you healthy!

Is Common Courtesy Common at All?

Our world is developing into a dizzying array of multi taskers and zoned out electronic addicted zombies. Don't get me wrong, I too, love my computer, cell phone, although it it not the latest and greatest model, and LED T.V., however, I do miss good old fashioned conversation in person with another human being. I digress...anyways, I believe that approximately 99 percent of the rudeness which one encounters on a daily basis, can be traced back to the fact that people are genuinely not present in their daily encounters and this can largely be attributed to their lack of a solid foundation in etiquette as well as their dependence upon the utilization of electronics in their daily interface with others.  The recent unfolding disaster in Japan has shone a light on another side of humanity, one which used to be commonplace in the United States. The Japanese, despite being faced with loss of loved ones as well as a growing nuclear threat which could kill many, still exhibit a daily grace and selflessness, an example being the story of a 78 year old Japanese man who was portrayed on a local news channel rushing to clean his house, why? So he could then help his neighbor. When individuals from Japan, who are faced with possible death of themselves and the death of loved ones and such ultimate destruction, can put others before themselves, this behavior broaches sainthood in my opinion! In light of recent world events, I find myself wondering if it will take a disaster such as Japan's to wake us up to what really is most important in our lives. We surely have had plenty of homegrown disasters already, none of which appear to have brought the majority of us together.

Not long ago, showing courtesy was common...a social norm. Many social interactions were more enjoyable, or at the risk of sounding "trite" more authentic and original. Situations have seemed to flip-flop in the era we now live in, where any courtesy, or non drone-like behavior, is noted for its rarity, rather than its commonality. I am not trying to damn our entire populace, however, I am suggesting that we as humans, need to get out of our own little worlds, a.k.a. egos, and realize what a genuine social interaction is in fact. Surely, what it is not is...texting, face booking, tweeting, or driving like you are possessed by Dale Earnhardt's ghost to get to your next drab meeting, etc. By not developing our skills in the area of common courtesy, we are no longer considering how our actions impact others. The lack of courtesy as a value in one's life causes a person to operate on the basis of what is most convenient for them, for example, not allowing a person to cross a road in a cross walk when they have the right away, speaking on your cell phone while in the check-out lane in a supermarket, not saying please and thank you, the list is too long to mention and frankly, causes me to wonder what the hell is going on with humanity in general?

Many people, when faced with daily news of tragedy, such as Katrina, Christchurch and more recently, the Japanese disaster, do send donations...my question, is why does it take a disaster for people to respond? Why does an event have to be both catastrophic and pushed in the public's face in order for a response? 

I really think we all need to get back to the basics and to teach our young people the habits of courtesy. Why? Because manners and courtesy are essential in preventing the continued deterioration of modern society. Bad manners are expanding into many societal ills affecting us all on many levels such as: family, work, friendships, business and politics. It seems as if today's society regards courtesy as old fashioned and out-of-date. thus providing a rationalization for many people to behave rudely, thus, making interaction difficult and creating rifts amongst people. We all have the power individually to make a change as one person doing so creates a "ripple" effect of positivity in the world. I hope that at the very least, we become aware that our actions do affect others, especially during these huge times of planetary change.

Spring Cleaning Time is Fast Approaching!

To the majority of us, spring cleaning our houses is a "no-brainer" and is also viewed as a necessity as we want to clear the dust, cob webs, accumulated grime from our homes and leave the winter behind us. Although, many people are also realizing that they must do this with their body seasonally, especially in the spring, there are still people that are brainwashed by mainstream medical professionals into thinking the body is a self cleaning organism and no additional or external help is needed by the body in order for it to maintain homeostasis (balance). The fact is that nothing could be further from the truth! Especially during these toxic times we live in with fish kills, birds falling out of the sky, crop failures, massive earth quakes and consequent Tsunamis.

Most of our water, the main ingredient by which our bodies detox bad chemicals, is in fact, a major source of the very same chemicals that we are trying to detox, such as fluoride, chlorine, drug residue and up to 85,000 industrial chemical remnants which are now considered to be in our atmosphere/ground and water! The main detox organ is the liver, followed by the kidneys, lungs, colon, lymphatic system and skin. Toxins are ubiquitous in our bodies as well as our world. We breathe in toxins from our environment as well as ingest them from our food supply, as the further one eats up the food chain, the more toxins one is exposed to. I would suggest watching the film, Food Inc. to see first hand how "mass" market or commercial food is produced. After watching this movie, you will either become a vegetarian and/or pay closer attention to what you are eating! Internally, our bodies produce toxins via everyday functions. All of our biological daily functions produce what is called "free radicals" or biochemical toxins which if not eliminated properly, mainly by the liver, can irritate or inflame the tissues of the body by blocking the normal functioning of the body. It is becoming common knowledge, that the majority of  what ills our common society can be attributed to an underlying inflammatory condition in the general systems of the body. Almost everyone in modern society can benefit from periodic detoxification. There is currently a wealth of information regarding how to do so. In fact, cleansing is part of a trilogy of health as I like to think of it. The other parts of the trilogy being building and balancing the body as well. Individual lifestyle will provide the clues to when one needs to detox as detoxing is like a vacation for the overworked body. If you like to burn the proverbial candle at both ends 24/7, then I would recommend a quarterly detox geared specifically towards your body. Some key symptoms which indicate that a cleanse is necessary include but are not limited to: headache, fatigue, congestion, backaches, aching joints, digestive issues, allergy symptoms and chemical sensitivities.

It is suggested that most people at the very least do some kind of spring cleanse as most of us eat very heavy foods in the northern climates during the winter and the by products of this heavier diet needs to be cleansed from the body in order to prepare the body for warmer weather to come (or so we hope in the northern hemisphere)!

I would recommend starting your cleanse by drinking at least half of your body weight in purified water daily with the juice of a quarter of a lemon squeezed in the first glass of the day upon waking. I would suggest including a gentle cleansing supplement such as: milk thistle, artichoke, dandelion or turmeric...all helpful for liver cleansing..as well as increasing fiber intake, which must include both soluble fiber from fruits and vegetables as well as insoluble fiber, from whole grains, fruit skins, etc. Also, eliminate processed foods from your diet, sugar, caffeine and alcohol....I know, not fun...as I love my coffee and red wine, but, it is only for a short time and the results are worth it! I would suggest googling detoxification and choosing the program most appropriate for you. Some great books to get from the library or purchase from Amazon (used) are:" Fat Flush" from Ann Louise Gittleman and" The Detox Diet "from Elson M. Haas, M.D., etc. Our world is only going to get more toxic with a population approaching 7 billion and a reduction in funds for our Environmental Protection Agency in the U.S., so, it is only being proactive and smart to monitor your own health and pursue preventative measures. Do not wait until you develop cancer, heart disease, diabetes, etc. before you consider doing something right for your health. Being proactive and pursuing prevention is the best bet for all. I wish you well on your cleansing journey!

How Important is it to Find the "Right" Exercise?



We all live such sedentary daily lives, with most of us sitting 8-10 hours a day, that exercise has become a necessity. It does not, however, need to be drudgery as well. Most of us know that we feel better, look better, think better, etc. when we are physically fit, however, many people approach becoming fit with the same mindset they have while doing their taxes, or balancing their checkbook. The basic premise behind all of these activities is that a little pain for a period of time will produce the results desired and then one can go back to their lives...this may be why over 95 percent of the people that lose weight, gain all of it back and then some in a year after losing it! Those who are successful in maintaining a weight loss and their fitness levels, realize that they can not go back to their old lifestyles...ever. There are no quick fixes regarding weight maintenance, fitness and eating well. There are four common behaviors amongst those who have kept weight off:  eating breakfast daily, maintaining the proper ratios of fats/proteins/carbohydrates in daily diet, monitoring weight frequently by keeping a daily food journal, and last but very important, especially for women, getting an hour of physical activity or more daily at least 5 days a week.

I know you are all thinking, how the h-e-double toothpicks can I do that when I work 40 plus hours a week, have to clean, shop, take care of kids, elderly parents, etc.  The real question should be, how can I not do this? I believe the key to living a healthy lifestyle is to progress towards incorporating activities into your daily lives in which you truly love, and doing them for the sheer joy of becoming fit and loving to do them. This is what forms the basis of what is called "intrinsic" motivation. Most of us are "extrinsically" motivated, which is working towards a goal merely to look better, or for a wedding, reunion, etc. Being extrinsically motivated may help one to initially achieve their fitness/nutritional goals, but, it will not help one to maintain them. The number one low impact activity to start doing daily for the majority of people is to walk. I realize that this winter has been nothing short of BRUTAL for most people weather wise, with 49 out of our 50 states receiving small or copious amounts of snowfall, however, walking can be done all year with the proper equipment, such as Yak Treks on one's boots to keep them from slipping on the ice. One can also become a mall walker...it sounds like some kind of vampire, but, it is relatively easy to find an indoor place to walk in. It is also an activity that one can make more difficult by adding ankle or wrist weights. I would suggest trying  a lot of activities, of course as time and money permit, to determine which one makes you feel great and look forward to doing it. For me, after being an athlete most of my adult life, biking occupies the number one spot. I used to run several miles a week until bunion surgery sidelined me years ago and nothing other than biking has produced that endorphin like rush that running once did for me. What is so good about biking compared to running, is less wear and tear on the joints for me. I also never thought that I would exercise at home. In fact, I was the proverbial "gym rat" back in the day. However, since becoming a home owner eleven years ago and installing a home gym, I now enjoy the fact that I can go downstairs and spend an hour working out and not have to drive in our hellish traffic to a gym! I have also morphed from road biker, to mountain biker, finally to single speed bike rider...yes, they make those dang bikes with one speed just like the olden days. I will probably be biking as long as my legs allow me to do so, now that is intrinsic motivation. My wish is for all of you reading this blog to do the same. Finding what works for you is highly individualistic, but find you must, for we are exposed to too many daily stresses in our sedentary lives which can kill us before our time if we do not strive for fitness and health.

Salt...The Myth

Salt has been key throughout history in preserving foods and for adding flavor to foods, thus being very helpful in sustaining people throughout long brutal winters, especially in the Midwest, prior to refrigeration.

However, the Egyptians used salt for embalming...which should serve as a not too subtle hint, that what we know as salt, is not easily assimilated by the body and has many harmful effects. The "salt" I am speaking about is known as table salt which is basically a manufactured chemical containing one sodium ion and one chloride ion, known in chemistry terms as Na Cl. Table salt is 97.5 percent Sodium Chloride and 2.5% chemicals, such as moisture absorbents and iodine. While the body does need salt, it does not utilize it in this form.

Salt (Na Cl) can't be digested, assimilated, or utilized as food by the body. It has zero nutritional value. It is linked to hypertension, heart disease and osteoporosis. In fact, it is the number one cause of osteoporosis as consuming too much salt is akin to consuming too much protein in that they are both habits which expedite the excretion of calcium. The reason being is that the kidneys always pair calcium with sodium in order to excrete it from the body. Salt is also negatively affects the stomach by interfering with the digestion of food. It does this by only allowing 50 percent of Pepsin, an enzyme found in hydrochloric acid and responsible for aiding in the digestion of proteins, to be secreted by the gut. The result is what is called GERD, an acronym for severe heartburn. Salt is similar to sugar in that they both are an acquired taste by the body and one can break free from the hold salt has on the body by eliminating table salt and increasing green vegetables in the diet. We need little to no salt when we consume adequate green vegetables. In my opinion, the next best thing to green vegetables is Pink Himalayan salt. This salt is way better than sea salt as it regulates water content in the body, which is counter to table salt, which in fact causes edema due to the fact that it is so caustic to the tissues of the body that water is retained to neutralize its acidic effects. This not only adds "water" weight to the body, but eventually contributes to the malfunction of one's kidneys. Pink Himalayan salt also balances the acidity or P.H. of the blood stream, as well as blood sugar levels, regulates sleep, clears phlegm and mucous from the body, stabilizes heart beat and much more. I have been using Pink Himalayan salt for over a year now in cooking and in my Neti Pot, or nasal irrigation pot and absolutely love it. It naturally contains 84 minerals, or trace minerals and is considered full spectrum salt. Many people believe that sea salt is a better option to table salt and I beg to differ as sea salt can contain harmful pollutants, heavy metals, etc. from the ocean it is harvested from. Pink Himalayan salt can be obtained unground, ground or in a block. It is actually pink in color and adds wonderful flavor to veggies and other dishes. You can purchase it from Trader Joe's, Whole Foods and many Food Cooperatives. I suggest giving it a try and of course, up your veggies daily as well. I can virtually guarantee that you will not be going  back to table salt any time soon!

Cancer=Profit Center

Mainstream media appears to view the cancer industry much the same way as conventional medicine. Both seem to view it with a sense of entitlement, closed mindedness and greed. This became especially apparent to me while watching Dateline on February 20th. The program was titled- "A Dose of Controversy". It was a weak attempt at what was intended to be an unbiased expose featuring Suzanne Somers and her book "Knockout".  Suzanne has long thrust herself into the age old battle between conventional and alternative medicine practitioners on such topics as: cancer, bio-identical hormones, etc. I am sure Dateline would have succeeded in a well balanced program had the subject matter been anything other than diet, nutrition, or disease related. The specific disease that the book Knockout references is cancer. It describes some specific M.D.'s "unorthodox" treatment methods for cancer. I say "unorthodox" because anything other than chemo, radiation or surgery is frowned upon by conventional medicine as well as by their hired mouthpiece, mass media. You see the cancer industry is a multi billion dollar industry, a machine, with the triad of treatment options providing an unlimited income stream. Anyone or anything outside of this unholy trinity is viewed as a threat and the attempt to discredit or label it "quack" medicine is the main goal of the machine. This ostracization of innovations in the treatment of cancer by alternative practitioners has been a long running battle. For many years, the AMA (American Medical Association) and the ACA (American Cancer Association) have coordinated their "hit" lists of innovative cancer researchers and Md's. Incidence of payouts to top FDA officials provided in order to fast track certain drugs, goes back to the 1950's. Conflicts of interest within the FDA as well as the NCI (National Cancer Industry) were identified back in the 1970's by a prominent investigative team from a Long Island newspaper. In 1986, Congressional hearings uncovered an organized NCI cover-up of an effective alternative cancer treatment. A Senate investigation as far back as 1953 reported a conspiracy existing to suppress effective cancer treatment. The Senator in charge of the investigation "mysteriously" died, causing the demise of the investigation. This wasn't the only strange death of people who were in a position to do damage to the money making cancer machine. This is just a small sampling of stories which I have unearthed to prove a point. The point being, the cancer industry, a.k.a. business, is one rife with corruption and incompetence. In my opinion, the goal should be to eradicate existing cancer and prevent future cancer, anything falling short of what should be a unanimous goal, is heinous and criminal! Vast amounts of people have suffered and will continue to suffer horrible pain and ultimately death due to these morally devoid groups of so called humans. Most conventional cancer treatments simply add insult to injury as they do more long term harm than good. One such example of this is a drug called Avastin used in breast cancer protocols. This ONE drug produces 855 million annually and costs the user about 8,000 dollars a month. This is hard to believe since this drug has not proven to be of benefit to cancer patients and has a laundry list of deadly side effects. The benefits do not outweigh the risks by any means, yet, news programs such as Dateline interviewed critics of the alternative practitioners in Suzanne Somer's book, many claiming that the alternative treatments were costly as well as ineffective. Costly? What is more costly than mainstream cancer treatments? One practitioner's program mentioned in Suzanne's book cost about 12,000 a year! Not only that, but, this practitioner has had success in treating patients who were deemed hopeless by conventional doctors. I would pay 12,000 in a year in order to live, rather than 8,000 in a month to die faster. In fact, the majority of drugs that conventional practitioners utilize in their cancer fighting arsenals, actually have the main side effect of causing cancer in healthy people!
The BOMB....chemotherapy, is a huge profit center in and of itself, yet has an average five year survival success rate of slightly over two percent!  Big Whoop! Unbiased and true research points to the fact that chemotherapy is only effective, which by the way, in cancer speak, defined by the ethical people at the FDA as reducing a tumor in size by fifty percent in twenty eight days in two to four percent of cancers! In fact, chemotherapy ultimately helps hasten one's demise by destroying one's immune system and its ability to respond to the cancer.
I for one, will take my chances and if I were to ever develop cancer, would utilize every alternative medicine therapy at hand without question. All one has to do is spend some time researching on the Internet, as I did for this article to come to the stark realization that the main motivating forces behind conventional cancer treatment are power and the generation of endless income streams-not to cure the cancer patient.

Thermography, Safer and More Effective than Mammograms

I have only gotten two Mammograms in my life and did not like either one. I found out about a healthier, viable option about five years ago called Thermography. Since that time I have gone to my practitioner once a year, with the exception of the first visit. The first year, they recommend a baseline Thermogram and then another one at three months. The practitioner that I see will then prescribe dietary and lifestyle recommendations based on the initial finding.  So, as you can see, this is not some "hoax" based diagnostic tool, it is valid and it works! A Thermogram costs about 160.00 annually, which can be submitted to one's flex spending account. While the cost of a Mammogram is similar, that is where the similarity ends. Mammograms are touted as the gold standard of diagnostic tools in the breast cancer awareness arsenal, when in fact, what they do is expose a woman's breasts to approximately 1,000 times more radiation than a chest x-ray does. Radiation is cumulative, meaning that it accumulates in the tissues of the body and can mutate DNA.  Why provide more fuel for the body to develop breast cancer when you are trying to prevent the disease by having the mammogram??? In addition to the radiation exposure, Mammograms also compress breast tissue tightly and many times, painfully, which has been shown to spread any malignant tumors which are already present. Detection levels are also "suspect" when utilizing Mammography as cancers are usually detected when they have formed into a mass, versus, detecting single cancer cells or better yet, pre-cancerous changes, as does Thermography. Thermograms can also find inflammation throughout the body, as inflammation is the pre-cursor to many diseases. Thermograms provide reliable and accurate information for diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. They also are not painful and can be done quickly. There are many uses for Thermography, however, this technology is best utilized for: breast imaging, pain diagnostics and early detection. Thermography can be very helpful in detecting a specific type of breast cancer, ductal carcinoma in situ, or breast cancer in the lining of the milk ducts. Since this type of cancer does not form a mass, Mammograms can not always pick it up. Proper breast self-exams, physical exams, as well as Thermograms annually, can provide one the earliest detection system available! In a nutshell, Thermography allows you and your practitioner to map changes to your body's heat patterns over time which can alert you to any deviations from your norm. When done consistently every year, this can alert you to changes before a disease state can develop fully!  When considering which path to take in order to maintain your breast health, do your research, don't let your doctor badger you into having a Mammogram if you do not want to. I recommend the following book by Dr. Carolyn DeMarco-Take Charge of Your Body-in this book, Dr. DeMarco describes all major breast cancer and mammography studies, giving you both sides of various arguments, so you can make an informed decision.

Good Night, Sleep Tight, Don't Let the Bedbugs Bite!

You may be wondering why on Earth I am now talking about bedbugs in my blog? I have been and will continue to write blogs about current information as well as a mixed variety of blogs regarding health/fitness/nutrition, etc. Not to sound sexist, but, women do hold the "conch"!  This is a saying my husband uses, sometimes sarcastically, referring to women as the gate keepers of household information, therefore, the more we know, the more we can help our loved ones and friends! That being said, I am speaking about bedbugs in this blog as anything to do with insects is totally mortifying to me and when I heard that we are now experiencing the biggest resurgence of bedbugs in fifty years, I did some research about it. I am the kind of person who will scream as if I have been mugged upon seeing a centipede in the bathroom shower! Therefore, I did not need much impetus to find out how to protect myself and family from bedbugs! I work in the Wellness Department of a local food co-op and came upon an essential oil blend for the treatment of bedbugs while traveling. What is so good about essential oils, is that they come from plants and therefore do not leave a toxic "footprint" in the wake of dead bedbug carcasses! I will end this blog with the recipe to this blend (actually consisting of two blends).

The resurgence of bedbugs can affect anyone and everyone, not just the traveler, as they are showing up in increasing numbers in homes, dorms, apartments and hospitals. It is a misnomer to think that they only can be found in delapidated houses and flea bag hotels, as they have been found in million dollar mansions as well!

According to some scientists, bedbug bites rarely incite serious illness. I don't know about you, but, this does not provide much solace to me, as the thought of being feasted upon at 4 a.m. in the morning by a bug gives me the "willies." However, severe allergic reactions, such as hives, is more prevalent as well as some other severe skin complications. Supposedly, this influx of the bedbug came from the collusion or perfect storm if you will, of certain elements such as: international travel, immigration, pest control practices and insecticide resistence. The insecticide resistance being referred to is to that of DDT, which was the modus operandi of treating infestations in the past. Although this methodology was both cost effective and did the job, it was at a high cost to society as many birds, namely the bald eagle, were nearly killed off from the use of DDT. This chemical can also be linked to many illnesses and cancers in humans, so, it is a no brainer to come up with some non-toxic method of killing these buggars! The chemical industry has other thoughts, as they believe that the only way to kill the bedbug, will be to develop some new lethal chemical. However, the pay off is not big enough for them to come up with the magic poison just yet, thank God! An effective large scale non-toxic, yet expensive method is called Heat Thermal Remediation and it costs about 200-1500 dollars per room! Rooms are basically heated to a certain temperature, as bedbugs will die off in extreme temps. Another way to control them is to encase your mattress and box spring in allergy cases and do not buy used furniture from non reputable sources! I will leave you with the recipe developed by Tim Blakley, which is a combination of essential oils which can be purchased online at such outlets as:  http://www.aromaland.com/, and http://www.aromatherapeutix.com/, as well as at your local health food store.

Formula Number One:

Afternoon Arrival Spray:

20 drops of Sweet Orange Oil

20 drops of Lemongrass

20 drops of Lemon Eucalyptus

20 drops of Veviter

Combine drops into 1 oz. of water and spritz it all over the non sheet area, under the mattress, the floor area around the bed, the bedboards, the box sprint, etc. Also, spritz the outside of your suitcase.

Formula Number Two:

20 drops of Veviter
20 drops of Sandalwood (the most expensive oil)
10 drops of Texas Cedarwood or Blue Cypress
10 drops of Lavender

Combine drops in 1 oz. of water and spray it on the sheets around where you will be sleeping but not necessarily on the exact spot where you will be laying. This formula is about as heavy as it gets, these oils are all heavy base note dominated oils, with the exception of lavender, but it should provide some lasting efficacy through the night! These oils are also relatively easy on the skin and because you will be sleeping next to them, they are also very calming to the body and mind.

The Heart of the Matter

February is national Heart Disease Awareness month. In reality, how aware is the public about the facts of heart disease, namely, how specifically this disease affects women? The answer...not very! For instance, heart disease is the number one killer of women in the United States. It is also the leading cause of disability in women. Many people believe that heart disease is a "man's" disease, when in fact, it is more common and fatal in women. How heart disease manifests in women is also a highly misunderstood area, especially by the medical profession! Women do not manifest the same signs of a heart attack as men do. Women have symptoms like: shortness of breath, fatigue, pain in the upper left back, pain radiating down the arm, etc. To add insult to injury, many women are misdiagnosed after having minor heart attacks and presenting these symptoms to their doctor, which many times prove fatal! Heart issues, as well as many other "health" problems which manifest within our physical bodies stem from the emotional arena. Unfortunately, this aspect of disease is still neglected and misunderstood by many mainstream health professionals. I have had a book in my possession by Louise Hay, of Hay House for some time. It is entitled-"Heal Your Body"..I consider it to be a treasure trove of sorts, as it is the first resource that I go to when investigating an illness. The emotional "feed" behind heart disease, according to Louise Hay's book, is: longstanding emotional problems, lack of joy in one's daily life and belief in strain and stress in life. Wow! Now that would be some real prevention if we could openly talk about our feelings in society and embrace humanity for having them! Instead, we tend to let them fester for aeons, eventually morphing into the physical body and manifesting into full fledged illness/disease. If this concept, as well as that of prevention, nutrition, etc. were at the core of any "awareness" of a disease month, would really be substantial and go a long way to prevent disease, rather than attempt to cure it by utilizing the "one size fits all motif"! The favored treatment plan for male or female appears to be the drug class called Statins, as we as a society have been taught to demonize all fats, as well as the fat within our bodies, especially cholesterol. Cholesterol is the proverbial red-headed step child when it comes to heart disease. One can trace the demonization of cholesterol back to the famed Framingham study, which supposedly set the perimeters of heart disease. In reality, what this study should have done, was put to bed the idea that dietary fats and cholesterol (alone) increase blood cholesterol levels and cause heart disease! The findings from this study which did not support the "diet-heart" hypothesis, were conveniently ignored. The true lessons of Framingham are as follows: 1. Most people who die of heart disease have low or average levels of blood cholesterol, 2. For most people, LDL and total cholesterol have little "predictive significance" for heart disease, 3. High intake of dietary cholesterol doesn't increase blood cholesterol levels in the majority of the population, 4. High intake of dietary cholesterol, from foods such as eggs, shrimp, we are not talking trans-fats here, this is a different beast, will address that in a later blog, 5. Something OTHER than cholesterol and saturated fat are causing heart disease. Unfortunately, we are in a society that appears to be easily manipulated by the "powers-that-be". In this case, that would be pharmaceutical companies, as information from certain studies is conveniently deleted or honed by this industry in order to sell a certain drug, which, by the way, will benefit everyone? The main drug to lower the "bad" cholesterol, or LDL cholesterol, is in the drug class called statins. Unfortunately, this drug is not effective in many people and as a major side effect, it eliminates what is called Co-Q10. What is this, you ask?  It is the fuel for the Maserati, or Volvo...whatever model of the human body you possess. This nutrient fuels what is called Mitochondria, which are the fuel cells of every muscle in the body, therefore, it is not something you want to eliminate or cause a slight shortage of. I suggest that you do some investigating yourself, regarding the fabricated "war on cholesterol" and hopefully see it for what it really is: questionable science, doctors appointments, drugs! I suggest starting your research with the following books: "21 Days to a Healthy Heart" -Alan Watson, and "Heart Sense For Women"-Dr. Stephen T. Sinatra, M.D. (yes, some M.D.'s "get it") as well as the following website: www.womenheart.org/kit. I wish you much enlightenment and health!

Stress-A Mixed Bag of Tricks

Stress is pretty ubiquitous, meaning there is good stress (eustress) and bad stress (distress). However, regardless of the type, it can all seem overwhelming at times. I know, I personally, am having huge distress periods due to recently passing the one year anniversary of both my mother's death and my last remaining aunt's death as well as being gainfully underemployed and yada, yada. My point being, we all have variations of these scenarios dancing like "sugar plums through our heads" at various times. Adding our exaggerated weather patterns in 49 of 50 states in the United States this winter as well as civil unrest in many countries, and you will have a whole bunch of people feeling very stressed! While we all have our own highly individualistic reactions as well as solutions for stress, it is not unlike cold air in the winter, it will find a crack in the armour and "creep" in ever so slowly! Thus, the key in dealing with stress effectively is to moderate it! I have not mastered this so far, but, continue to try. I truly believe that living in the "electronic" era in which we all do currently, serves to add an extra layer of stress. For instance, how many times have you cursed the fact that you can not detach from your I-Phone, I-Touch, Computer, etc., only to find yourself drawn back to them like you are under some spell? I too, am complicit in this dogma! I both love and detest technology all in the same breathe! The fact is that progressive amounts of stress can not only adversely affect one's body, but the mind as well, leading to increased levels of both anxiety and depression, etc. We all suffer from the physical symptoms of stress as well, such as: high blood pressure, hormonal imbalance, headaches and digestive disturbances, to name only a few! It is very important to find one's own way to deal with stress in a positive manner as if left unchecked for long periods of time, it will erode one's health over time. I will once again, refer to deep breathing as a great mechanism in dealing with stress as well as any activity which induces one to do so such as: yoga, aerobic exercise, meditation as well as partaking in alternative healing modalities such as: chiropractic, acupuncture, massage, etc. This blog is merely an introduction into the topic of stress. A person can find many books and internet sources which can lead them on their path to develop their individualized tools in dealing with stressors. In parting, I do have one brief stress tip that I would like to impart. I call it the ten commandments for reducing stress:
1. Thou shall not be perfect or even attempt to be
2. Thou shall not try to be all things to all people (women, are you paying attention!)
3. Thou shall not leave undone things that ought to be done
4. Thou shall not spread thyself too thin
5. Thou shall learn to say "no" without guilt
6. Thou shall schedule time for thyself
7. Thou shall have something to look forward to every day!
8. Thou shall sometimes be slack, idle and inelegant
9. Thou shall have a little piece of chocolate every day...as I did from Godiva today!
10. Thou shall embrace the present and let go of the past (biggie!)

The Breathe of Life

"He who breathes most air lives most life"-E. Barrett-Browing

Most of us take breathing for granted...an odd thing to take for granted due to the fact that we would all be dead rather quickly should this autonomic function go array. One's breathe has many functions in addition to the function of keeping us upright. In fact, by optimizing the breathing, we are doing the single most important thing we possibly can to stay healthy! We can incite internal changes to occur as a result of our increased focused breathing. This is made possible by the increased oxygenation that deep nasal breathing provides.
By perfecting our breathing, we can improve our body's circulation, thereby easing strain on the heart as well as helping our bodies to detox by moving lymph fluids more efficiently. Breathing via the nose is how we are designed, yet due to allergies, deviated septum, etc., many of us breath thru our mouths without even realizing that we are doing so. The additional benefits of nose breathing are more apparent when one partakes in exercise as we can create more energy in general by breathing thru the nose than the mouth. The lungs are the primary source of our energy levels. Nose breathing increases the body's energy by slowing the air escape from the lungs, allowing more oxygen to be extracted. Proper breathing can calm the body, as well as help one to maintain proper PH levels in the tissues (subject of a future blog post).

In order to switch from primarily mouth breathing to nose breathing, one needs to pay close attention to how they breathe in order to change. Partaking in Yoga is also very helpful as it gets one to slow down and pay attention to breath as when one breathes deeper, one becomes more flexible. I have tried this and it works! My two-by-four hamstrings have actually become more flexible as a result of breathing more slowly when I stretch! More in depth steps to take in order to retrain the body's breathing are: 1. Use nasal breathing strips, 2. Use nasal spray or a neti pot. I have used a neti pot daily for over two years and it helps to clean out the mucous and debris on the nose hairs. I do have a deviated septum, therefore, it is more difficult for me to nose breathe totally during heavy exercise, 3. Try not to eat anything within three hours of bedtime, 4. Avoid alcohol close to bedtime, 5. Known food and airborne allergies can exacerbate breathing issues, so, please do some investigation into what you may be allergic too and correct the allergies. I would suggest getting a good air purifier in your bedroom in order to clear up the chemical allergies, 6. Regular exercise, especially outdoors, allows you to breathe better thru the nose, and 7. Finally, try to relax, as stress causes one to breathe shallow. We live in a fast paced world making it difficult to do so, however, try your best to at least be aware of how you breathe . These tips can help lead us down the path to better breathing and consequently better health! I would suggest the following book for those interested in incorporating nasal breathing into their workouts:  Body, Mind, and Sport-by John Douillard.