Vitamin D and MOM--
During lactation: Adding a vitamin D supplement to mom's diet and/or exposure to ultraviolet light will increase the amount of vitamin D in her breastmilk. As long as mom is not vitamin D deficient, her breastmilk will have the right amount of vitamin D. However, babies were "designed" to get only part of their vitamin D from breastmilk and the remainder from sun exposure - what if baby does not get a minimum amount of sun? A 2004 study [Hollis & Wagner 2004] determined that supplementing the mother with 2000-4000 IU vitamin D per day safely increased mother's and baby's vitamin D status: the 2000 IU/d dose resulted in a limited improvement, and "A maternal intake of 4000 IU/d could achieve substantial progress toward improving both maternal and neonatal nutritional vitamin D status." A Finnish study [Ala-Houhala 1986] showed that supplementing the mother with 50 µg (2000 IU) vitamin D per day was as effective for maintaining baby's vitamin D levels as supplementing the baby with 10 µg (400 IU) per day. However, some feel that higher levels of maternal supplementation (greater than the "safe" level of 2000 IU) would be needed to maintain adequate infant vitamin D levels. +
http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/vitamins/vitamin-d.html
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Everything you ever wanted to know of BOWELS
http://www.naturopathicmilestones.com/Website/Articles/DIGEST%20THIS.htm
These are not my words, this article came from the above link....very informational site!!!
DIGEST THIS!
We are not what we eat but what we digest. Poor digestion is essentially a factor in all chronic diseases such as colon cancer, allergies, asthma, headaches, skin diseases, and arthritis. A combination of poor food choices, over-prescribed medications and/or stress upsets the bowel ‘ecosystems’ causing imbalance and disrepair.
There are 5 cardinal signs of poor bowel ecosystems: 1) Poorly formed stools. A healthy first morning stool is about six inches long and one inch wide. A stool should be compact enough that it does not fall apart on contact with water and will rarely leave any residue on toilet paper; 2) Poor transit time. With a good diet and sufficient activity, most people should have 2-3 bowel movements a day. If you are constipated, food is putrefying in the bowels, nourishing undesirable bacteria and producing toxins that tax your immune system and promote flatulence. Since your bowels should be a primary organ of detoxification, other elimination organs such as your liver, kidneys and skin will need to compensate and ultimately will suffer. If your bowel movements are too frequent, you likely have inflammation and spasms, as your body is trying to rid itself of toxic irritants and/or your nervous system is erratic; 3) Frequent gas, pain and/or bloating. While these issues may be common, they are not normal and are signs of such things as indigestion and excessive amounts of bad bacteria inhabiting the bowels; 4) The presence of diagnosed bowel pathologies such as haemorrhoids, polyps, ulcers and colitis. These preventable pathologies often represent the end stage of poor bowel health; 5) straining and/or pain during a bowel movement. Upon experiencing the urge to defecate, one should experience a painless and fairly quick bowel movement within a minute. Other indicators of poor bowel health are sinking or over- buoyant stools, foul smelling stools (they should have little to no odour), and stools which are not predominantly light brown in colour.
These problems indicate a disrupted bowel ecosystem. Frequently, dysbiosis is present. This means that harmful bacteria are over-populating the gut at the expense of good bacteria. Poor diet, high caffeine and coffee intake, as well as frequent use of antibiotics, antihistamines and sulfa drugs are common causal factors. Good bacteria produce enzymes to help digest remaining food residues, they also ferment some undigested carbohydrates in the large intestines, metabolize components of the diet, and more. Dysbiosis commonly results in an overgrowth of yeast called Candida which can result in chronic yeast infections or urinary tract infections as well as a large range of symptoms such as chronic fatigue, brain fog, allergies and eczema.
Inflammation is often an underlying process in poor bowels. Sometimes this can result in ulcers or diseases such as ulcerative colitis. A condition commonly referred to as ‘leaky gut’ may be present. This means the integrity of the bowel walls is so disrupted that large undigested particles make their way into the bloodstream. This is thought to be one underlying trigger for autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis or for chronic conditions such as arthritis, allergies, eczema and more. The Gut immune system is functioning sub-optimally.
Unbeknownst to many of us, a large portion of our immune system is in the gastrointestinal system. Proper production of acid in our stomachs is a first line of defence against unwanted bacteria that may be present in foods. But more importantly, an area called ‘Peyer’s Patches’ in our small intestines, like your tonsils, is an important immune tissue.
An underlying emotional link to poor bowel health is quite common. The ancients called the bowels “the seat of emotions”. You do not get ulcers from what you eat but rather from what is eating you. If you have been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome and have anxiety this is likely a causal factor. This is no surprise since the bowels are intimately connected to the nervous system. In fact, when the brain perceives you are in a state of emergency it shuts down functions such as digestion.
What basic habits are important to maintain good bowel health? Make sure you chew your food adequately. An enormous amount of digestion can occur right in the mouth. Chewing can relieve stress from your overtaxed pancreas. Ensure you consume adequate fibre to produce well formed stools. Fibre provides an essential scraping action to remove unwanted toxins, waste and faeces from the bowels. It also helps excrete hormones, cholesterol and the like. A minimum of 30 grams fibre daily is important although most people do not even consume 10.
Experience regular bowel movements without the use of laxatives. Laxatives damage and weaken the bowels over time. Drink 1 ounce of water for every kilogram of body weight. Avoid drinking ice cold drinks with your meals and substitute with small amounts of warm fluids.
Drink the majority of fluids between meals. If you consume diuretics such as coffee, black tea and/or pop on a regular basis you may require more water. Eat red meat in small portions (3oz) and only occasionally (maximum 3 times a week). Avoid meat all together if you are constipated. The by-products of red meats are particularly damaging to the bowels and their consumption is directly correlated with colon cancer. Foul breath odour or faeces is a primary sign that you are producing toxic by-products from too much protein. Eat small amounts of unpasteurized fermented foods daily to maintain your good bacteria. Include fresh fruits and vegetables in your daily diet. Overcooked and processed foods are inadequate for feeding friendly bacteria.
The ‘bottom line’ is that poor bowel health is not just an inconvenience or irritation; it is detrimental to your long term health. If you have chronic bowel problems you need to address them.
These are not my words, this article came from the above link....very informational site!!!
DIGEST THIS!
We are not what we eat but what we digest. Poor digestion is essentially a factor in all chronic diseases such as colon cancer, allergies, asthma, headaches, skin diseases, and arthritis. A combination of poor food choices, over-prescribed medications and/or stress upsets the bowel ‘ecosystems’ causing imbalance and disrepair.
There are 5 cardinal signs of poor bowel ecosystems: 1) Poorly formed stools. A healthy first morning stool is about six inches long and one inch wide. A stool should be compact enough that it does not fall apart on contact with water and will rarely leave any residue on toilet paper; 2) Poor transit time. With a good diet and sufficient activity, most people should have 2-3 bowel movements a day. If you are constipated, food is putrefying in the bowels, nourishing undesirable bacteria and producing toxins that tax your immune system and promote flatulence. Since your bowels should be a primary organ of detoxification, other elimination organs such as your liver, kidneys and skin will need to compensate and ultimately will suffer. If your bowel movements are too frequent, you likely have inflammation and spasms, as your body is trying to rid itself of toxic irritants and/or your nervous system is erratic; 3) Frequent gas, pain and/or bloating. While these issues may be common, they are not normal and are signs of such things as indigestion and excessive amounts of bad bacteria inhabiting the bowels; 4) The presence of diagnosed bowel pathologies such as haemorrhoids, polyps, ulcers and colitis. These preventable pathologies often represent the end stage of poor bowel health; 5) straining and/or pain during a bowel movement. Upon experiencing the urge to defecate, one should experience a painless and fairly quick bowel movement within a minute. Other indicators of poor bowel health are sinking or over- buoyant stools, foul smelling stools (they should have little to no odour), and stools which are not predominantly light brown in colour.
These problems indicate a disrupted bowel ecosystem. Frequently, dysbiosis is present. This means that harmful bacteria are over-populating the gut at the expense of good bacteria. Poor diet, high caffeine and coffee intake, as well as frequent use of antibiotics, antihistamines and sulfa drugs are common causal factors. Good bacteria produce enzymes to help digest remaining food residues, they also ferment some undigested carbohydrates in the large intestines, metabolize components of the diet, and more. Dysbiosis commonly results in an overgrowth of yeast called Candida which can result in chronic yeast infections or urinary tract infections as well as a large range of symptoms such as chronic fatigue, brain fog, allergies and eczema.
Inflammation is often an underlying process in poor bowels. Sometimes this can result in ulcers or diseases such as ulcerative colitis. A condition commonly referred to as ‘leaky gut’ may be present. This means the integrity of the bowel walls is so disrupted that large undigested particles make their way into the bloodstream. This is thought to be one underlying trigger for autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis or for chronic conditions such as arthritis, allergies, eczema and more. The Gut immune system is functioning sub-optimally.
Unbeknownst to many of us, a large portion of our immune system is in the gastrointestinal system. Proper production of acid in our stomachs is a first line of defence against unwanted bacteria that may be present in foods. But more importantly, an area called ‘Peyer’s Patches’ in our small intestines, like your tonsils, is an important immune tissue.
An underlying emotional link to poor bowel health is quite common. The ancients called the bowels “the seat of emotions”. You do not get ulcers from what you eat but rather from what is eating you. If you have been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome and have anxiety this is likely a causal factor. This is no surprise since the bowels are intimately connected to the nervous system. In fact, when the brain perceives you are in a state of emergency it shuts down functions such as digestion.
What basic habits are important to maintain good bowel health? Make sure you chew your food adequately. An enormous amount of digestion can occur right in the mouth. Chewing can relieve stress from your overtaxed pancreas. Ensure you consume adequate fibre to produce well formed stools. Fibre provides an essential scraping action to remove unwanted toxins, waste and faeces from the bowels. It also helps excrete hormones, cholesterol and the like. A minimum of 30 grams fibre daily is important although most people do not even consume 10.
Experience regular bowel movements without the use of laxatives. Laxatives damage and weaken the bowels over time. Drink 1 ounce of water for every kilogram of body weight. Avoid drinking ice cold drinks with your meals and substitute with small amounts of warm fluids.
Drink the majority of fluids between meals. If you consume diuretics such as coffee, black tea and/or pop on a regular basis you may require more water. Eat red meat in small portions (3oz) and only occasionally (maximum 3 times a week). Avoid meat all together if you are constipated. The by-products of red meats are particularly damaging to the bowels and their consumption is directly correlated with colon cancer. Foul breath odour or faeces is a primary sign that you are producing toxic by-products from too much protein. Eat small amounts of unpasteurized fermented foods daily to maintain your good bacteria. Include fresh fruits and vegetables in your daily diet. Overcooked and processed foods are inadequate for feeding friendly bacteria.
The ‘bottom line’ is that poor bowel health is not just an inconvenience or irritation; it is detrimental to your long term health. If you have chronic bowel problems you need to address them.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Kidney Beans and Quinoa
This is what I made for our lunches today. YUMMY!!!!! (and healthy)
- 1 cup dried kidney beans (soak 8 hrs, drain, and boil for 1 1/2 hrs--let cool)you may use canned if you wish
- 1 cup quinoa (cook and set aside)
- 1 cucumber diced
- 1 avocado diced
- 1 tomato diced
- raw goat milk white cheddar cheese diced (optional)
- braggs ginger salad dressing (or something similar)
- nutritional yeast
Put quinoa in a bowl, and add all of the other ingredients and put a little salad dressing on it to give it some flavor. This will be good as a cold or hot salad. I also sprinkled nutritional yeast over the top (B vitamins).
Two days ago, I just tossed steamed broccoli (cold), kidney beans, goats milk cheese and salad dressing. It was GREAT!!!
Hummingbird Health Newsletter
This came from the site www.hummingbirdhealth.com There are some great recipes on there and more helpful info!!!!! :-) This info is so great, I just HAD to post it. :-)
Birthing
Prior to the 1930's, more than 90% of all births in the U.S.A. occurred at home. Then women were offered "pain free" birthing with medications in the hospital setting. It didn't take long for the concept of "better living through chemistry" to catch on, and less than a century later, 99% of all births are now performed in a hospital. With this 99%, the United States now has the dubious distinction of having the highest Cesarean rate ( 31%) and the highest infant mortality rate of any industrialized country. The World Health Organization has declared that NO country is justified in having a c-section that exceeds 10%. Despite this, the American Medical Association (AMA) recently passed a resolution saying "the safest setting for labor, delivery and the immediate post-partum period is in the hospital, or a birthing center within a hospital complex." According to the AMA, the reason for this resolution was due to recent media attention given to homebirths and their fears that more women would start to question whether a hospital really is the best option.
Statistically, there is plenty of data to support the choice to birth at home. The European countries that use Midwives and support decisions to birth at home have far fewer c-sections (under 5% in most cases), lower infant deaths, and lower death rates for the mothers due to complications of medical interventions.
My mother was a labor and delivery nurse for over 30 years, and I've had the pleasure of being present at many births, both in the home and the hospital setting. We both agree that the hospital environment has turned birthing (the most natural process in the world) into a high-tech, high-intervention big business. Statistics support this as well.
Birthing is the number one reason for admission to a hospital in the US and it accounted for nearly four trillion dollars in health care costs last year, and these costs keep growing. No wonder the AMA and hospitals are afraid of women taking birthing back into the home. It would hit their pocket books... hard. The average birth costs more than $8,000.00 not including all the pre- and post- natal care. On the other hand, a midwife and a doula for a home birth is typically less than $3,900.00 and includes ALL the costs; prenatal, birth, and postnatal care.
I have to say that I much prefer the home setting in most cases. I can list dozens of reasons why the home setting is better: decreased risk of infection, little to no unnecessary interventions, freedom to choose any number of birthing positions, dad can deliver his child if he chooses, no rush to cut the cord (too soon, and the instance of jaundice and other nutritional issues increases), no whisking off the baby to be cleaned & blood typed and otherwise poked and prodded, quiet bonding time for mom, dad, baby and any other family members, the freedom to eat, the freedom from the mandatory saline lock or I.V., etc, etc, etc... I could go on for days. But there is only one reason why I would want to be in the hospital; that very rare crisis. And I do mean rare, like a prolapsed cord - where the cord comes out ahead of the baby and gets pinched, cutting off the necessary blood and oxygen supply to the baby. However, these kind of events only happen in less than 1 out of every million births and in which case, given the mortality rate in the hospital setting, there is no guarantee that the outcome will be any better in the hospital than it would be at home. So, we are in full support of all the women who are looking at the option of a home birth.
MORE FROM EUROPE
Medical care in the United States is currently the most expensive in the world, but that doesn't mean it is worth every penny. The U.S. spends more than twice as much on each person for health care as most other industrialized countries, but it has fallen to last place among those countries in preventing deaths. The World Health Organization (WHO), ranks the United States at number 37 for how healthy its citizens are.
Overall American health is lagging far behind other industrialized countries like France (#1), Italy (#2) and Spain (#7), but is also behind third world countries like Columbia (#22) and Costa Rica (#36). The reason is that the United States has a capitalistic money-driven health care system. In America, we don't treat people for the greater common good, we manage diseases for profit. American doctors, hospitals and other healthcare professionals receive payment based on how often they see patients and how many procedures they perform or drugs they prescribe. In other countries like France, doctors and other healthcare workers are paid based on how healthy their patients are, regardless of how often they see them or how many drugs and surgeries they prescribe.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), over half of Americans under the age of 64 are taking at least one prescription medication every month. By age 65, more than 84% of Americans are taking three or more Rx medications each day. The percentages get even higher when you include over the counter medications like aspirin, sinus medications and anti-acid medications. Despite taking more drugs than our European counterparts, our death rate from disease is MUCH higher. The most common causes of death in the U.S. according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the CDC are as follows:
Birthing
Prior to the 1930's, more than 90% of all births in the U.S.A. occurred at home. Then women were offered "pain free" birthing with medications in the hospital setting. It didn't take long for the concept of "better living through chemistry" to catch on, and less than a century later, 99% of all births are now performed in a hospital. With this 99%, the United States now has the dubious distinction of having the highest Cesarean rate ( 31%) and the highest infant mortality rate of any industrialized country. The World Health Organization has declared that NO country is justified in having a c-section that exceeds 10%. Despite this, the American Medical Association (AMA) recently passed a resolution saying "the safest setting for labor, delivery and the immediate post-partum period is in the hospital, or a birthing center within a hospital complex." According to the AMA, the reason for this resolution was due to recent media attention given to homebirths and their fears that more women would start to question whether a hospital really is the best option.
Statistically, there is plenty of data to support the choice to birth at home. The European countries that use Midwives and support decisions to birth at home have far fewer c-sections (under 5% in most cases), lower infant deaths, and lower death rates for the mothers due to complications of medical interventions.
My mother was a labor and delivery nurse for over 30 years, and I've had the pleasure of being present at many births, both in the home and the hospital setting. We both agree that the hospital environment has turned birthing (the most natural process in the world) into a high-tech, high-intervention big business. Statistics support this as well.
Birthing is the number one reason for admission to a hospital in the US and it accounted for nearly four trillion dollars in health care costs last year, and these costs keep growing. No wonder the AMA and hospitals are afraid of women taking birthing back into the home. It would hit their pocket books... hard. The average birth costs more than $8,000.00 not including all the pre- and post- natal care. On the other hand, a midwife and a doula for a home birth is typically less than $3,900.00 and includes ALL the costs; prenatal, birth, and postnatal care.
I have to say that I much prefer the home setting in most cases. I can list dozens of reasons why the home setting is better: decreased risk of infection, little to no unnecessary interventions, freedom to choose any number of birthing positions, dad can deliver his child if he chooses, no rush to cut the cord (too soon, and the instance of jaundice and other nutritional issues increases), no whisking off the baby to be cleaned & blood typed and otherwise poked and prodded, quiet bonding time for mom, dad, baby and any other family members, the freedom to eat, the freedom from the mandatory saline lock or I.V., etc, etc, etc... I could go on for days. But there is only one reason why I would want to be in the hospital; that very rare crisis. And I do mean rare, like a prolapsed cord - where the cord comes out ahead of the baby and gets pinched, cutting off the necessary blood and oxygen supply to the baby. However, these kind of events only happen in less than 1 out of every million births and in which case, given the mortality rate in the hospital setting, there is no guarantee that the outcome will be any better in the hospital than it would be at home. So, we are in full support of all the women who are looking at the option of a home birth.
MORE FROM EUROPE
Medical care in the United States is currently the most expensive in the world, but that doesn't mean it is worth every penny. The U.S. spends more than twice as much on each person for health care as most other industrialized countries, but it has fallen to last place among those countries in preventing deaths. The World Health Organization (WHO), ranks the United States at number 37 for how healthy its citizens are.
Overall American health is lagging far behind other industrialized countries like France (#1), Italy (#2) and Spain (#7), but is also behind third world countries like Columbia (#22) and Costa Rica (#36). The reason is that the United States has a capitalistic money-driven health care system. In America, we don't treat people for the greater common good, we manage diseases for profit. American doctors, hospitals and other healthcare professionals receive payment based on how often they see patients and how many procedures they perform or drugs they prescribe. In other countries like France, doctors and other healthcare workers are paid based on how healthy their patients are, regardless of how often they see them or how many drugs and surgeries they prescribe.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), over half of Americans under the age of 64 are taking at least one prescription medication every month. By age 65, more than 84% of Americans are taking three or more Rx medications each day. The percentages get even higher when you include over the counter medications like aspirin, sinus medications and anti-acid medications. Despite taking more drugs than our European counterparts, our death rate from disease is MUCH higher. The most common causes of death in the U.S. according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the CDC are as follows:
- Heart disease (650,000+ deaths each year)
- Cancer (559,000+ deaths each year) - this rate is going up in the US
- Adverse Reactions to prescription drugs ( 350,000+ deaths reported annually with estimates for 2.2 million in unreported deaths related Rx medication - which would obviously put Rx Medications as the Number 1 cause of death, easily beating heart disease, cancer, stroke and accidents all combined!)
- Stroke (143,000+)
- Respiratory problems like Asthma and Emphysema (129,000+)
- Accidents (117,000+)
- Also, the infant mortality rate in the US is horrendous. More than 2 million babies die in their first 48 hours of life, giving the United States the dubious distinction of having the second highest death rate for babies in the world. Only Latvia has a worse infant mortality rate than the U.S. (UPDATE: As of 2009, the US is now ranking behind Latvia... we now have the WORST infant mortality rate on the planet, despite having the highest number of births in a hospital setting.)
The leading causes of death in European countries like Italy and France? The numbers vary slightly from one country to the next, but the general numbers, according to WHO and the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) are as follows:
- Accidents (107,000+)
- Heart disease ( 58,000+)
- Stroke ( 49,7000+)
- Cancer ( 35,000+)
- Infant mortality rates in Europe are less than 3 babies of every 1000 births.
Take a good look at those numbers. Americans take more prescription drugs, have more surgeries and spend more money on health care, but are dying in much greater numbers than Europeans. Basically 12 Americans die for 1 European that dies from illnesses like heart attack, cancer or stroke.
So, who's health advise and doctor recommended guidelines are more effective; the FDA and American Medical Association (AMA), or France's Ministry of Health and the EPHA? The answer is pretty obvious.
With the above in mind, the following are some recent health attitudes from the Europeans:
STATIN DRUGS - 2008
The European Society of Cardiology released the results of a four year study comparing fish oil to statin drugs (like Crestor ®), to a high quality fish oil supplement. 3500 heart patients were given the fish oil and another 3500 were given the statin drug. The results were as follows:
Fish Oil group ~ 1,981 died or had to be hospitalized for heart problems
Statin group ~ 2053 died or had to be hospitalized for heart problems
In another parallel study, 2,285 patients were given the statin drug and 2,289 were given a placebo. There was NO difference between the placebo success and the drug. Another interesting tidbit from the studies - Very few of the fish oil recipients complained of side effects. However, more than half of the drug recipients complained of side effects like muscle weakness, exhaustion, memory loss, irritability, decreased sex drive, kidney problems and liver damage.
Omega-3 fatty acids from fish like salmon and tuna have long been proven to offer health benefits like protecting the heart and brain. As these studies show, a high quality fish oil supplement offers better overall health benefits than statin drugs.
What's a "High Quality" fish oil? NOT the grocery store varieties like those found at Walmart and other big box stores. These are cheaply made supplements that are often rancid or loaded with heavy metals and may cause more problems than they help. Carlson and NutriWest make some of the best fish oils at a reasonable price. Depending on the person, we like the F- Complex or the Super EPA from NutriWest. They also make an excellent chewable variety for children. Carlson's lemon flavored Cod Liver oil is another high quality liquid option at a reasonable price.
By the way - healthy total cholesterol in Europe is 170 to 220. Cholesterol is necessary for making hormones. It has to be at least 160 for hormone production. European doctors are more concerned over all with CRP (c-reactive protein) which measures the rate of inflammation, than they are with cholesterol. The arteries and veins are moving blood through them. If inflammation is low, the walls of the arteries and veins are smooth. If the inflammation goes up, it scars the walls, making it possible for cholesterol and other materials (clots, calcium, etc) to collect on the walls. If the inflammation is low, the cholesterol could be 500 and still never find a place to attach and clog the passageway. If the inflammation is high, even those with very low cholesterol are still in danger of blockages.
The biggest causes of inflammation:
- Stress
- Soft drinks
- Diet sweeteners
- Refined foods, especially white sugar, white bread, and anything that comes in a metal can or plastic (fresh or frozen foods are best!)
- Processed dairy foods - those that have been homogenized and pasteurized - raw milk is okay
- Viruses or bacterial and fungal infections
Natural options for reducing inflammation are cinnamon, tumeric, pineapple, garlic, any green leafy vegetable, barley, fish oils, eggs (yes .. eggs!), grapes and apples. Doing the liver cleanse monthly, green drink daily and getting adequate rest are also big reducers.
ENERGY DRINKS - 2008
Many European countries have now banned the sale of energy drinks, like Red Bull and Hype, due to an alarming increase in heart attacks and strokes associated with their use. Teenagers and college students in particular, a group not known for these kinds of deathly events, have been dying of strokes from drinking these dangerous drinks on a daily basis.
These drinks contain a potentially deadly combination of high caffeine, sugar and carbonation, which causes rapid changes in the blood. Initially it causes a jump in adrenaline and an increase in energy, but shortly after, the stress to the body from this big kick to the adrenals causes the blood to become thick and sticky. This leads to rapid blood clot formation and dramatically increases the risk for sudden heart attack and stroke. Constant use of these drinks also depletes the adrenals leading to more exhaustion and a vicious circle of needing more and more of the energy drink to compensate for the adrenal crashes. As the adrenals become more stressed from this vicious cycle, they begin to put out some 30 different hormones that negatively impact heart, pancreas, liver, thyroid and brain.
There are better ways to increase energy without using high doses of sugar and caffeine.
- Get at least 8 hours of sleep
- Support your immune system
- Avoid eating refined food. Eat lots of fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, raw nuts or seeds and complex carbohydrates. Stick with the lower glycemic index varieties like lettuces, celery, cucumber, asparagus, zucchini, cauliflower, apples, grapes, pears, and peaches. Instead of "instant" or "quick" packaged foods, consume more whole oats, brown rice and multi grain breads and pastas. Keep servings of these carbs to less than 3 per day. Carbs can give us energy, but too many can make us fat and sleepy.
- Green drink is instantly available LIVE nutrition. It's a huge healthy way to increase energy.
- Clean your liver. A clogged liver can make you tired, reduce your sex drive, cause blood sugar imbalances, make you depressed and pack on the pounds.
- Exercise at least 20 minutes daily. If you are tired, keep it simple. Take a slow walk, do yoga or the Pilates 100.
- Breathe! It's easy to hold your breath or breath shallowly when stressed or in pain. Oxygen is critical to energy production. Take several slow deep breaths anytime you feel the need for an energy boost.
- Bach Flower remedies: Olive, Hornbeam and Centaury
Monday, August 10, 2009
Mike's Chickpea & Corn Patties
2 Teaspoons Olive Oil (divided)
1 ½ Cups Corn Kernels (about 2 ears)
1 Cup Chopped Onion
¼ Cup Finely Chopped Red Bell Pepper
1 Teaspoon Minced Fresh Thyme
1 19 Ounce Can Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans) Rinsed and Drained
½ Cup Bread Crumbs
2 Tablespoons Corn Meal
½ Teaspoon Salt
¼ Teaspoon Red Pepper
4 Tablespoons Cornmeal
Cooking spray
¼ Cup Sour Cream
¼ Cup Salsa
Thyme Sprigs for Garnish
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn, onion, red bell pepper and minced thyme. Sauté 2 minutes. Place onion mixture, chickpeas, breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons cornmeal, salt and red pepper in a food processor. Pulse 8 times or until combined and still chunky.
Divide chickpea mixture into 8 equal portions shaping each into a ½ inch thick patty. Dredge patty in remaining 4 tablespoons of cornmeal. Heat ½ teaspoon oil in skillet coated with cooking spray over medium high heat. Add 4 patties and cook for 5 minutes. Carefully turn patties over and cook for another 4 minutes or until golden brown. Repeat procedure with remaining 4 patties.
Serve with sour cream and salsa. Garnish with Thyme sprig.
Patties may be frozen before cooking.
1 ½ Cups Corn Kernels (about 2 ears)
1 Cup Chopped Onion
¼ Cup Finely Chopped Red Bell Pepper
1 Teaspoon Minced Fresh Thyme
1 19 Ounce Can Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans) Rinsed and Drained
½ Cup Bread Crumbs
2 Tablespoons Corn Meal
½ Teaspoon Salt
¼ Teaspoon Red Pepper
4 Tablespoons Cornmeal
Cooking spray
¼ Cup Sour Cream
¼ Cup Salsa
Thyme Sprigs for Garnish
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn, onion, red bell pepper and minced thyme. Sauté 2 minutes. Place onion mixture, chickpeas, breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons cornmeal, salt and red pepper in a food processor. Pulse 8 times or until combined and still chunky.
Divide chickpea mixture into 8 equal portions shaping each into a ½ inch thick patty. Dredge patty in remaining 4 tablespoons of cornmeal. Heat ½ teaspoon oil in skillet coated with cooking spray over medium high heat. Add 4 patties and cook for 5 minutes. Carefully turn patties over and cook for another 4 minutes or until golden brown. Repeat procedure with remaining 4 patties.
Serve with sour cream and salsa. Garnish with Thyme sprig.
Patties may be frozen before cooking.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Kelp
- Kelp
Systems affected digestive, glandular
Nutrition –high in Calcium, Magnesium, Manganese, Potassium, Selinium, Silicon, Sodium, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Fiber, Zinc
Aids in
*Hypothyroidism,
*Rheumatism
*Obesity
*Blood purifier
*Atherosclerosis
Other herbs: Marshmallow, Fenugreek, Psyllium, Echinacea, Slippery Elm (wound healing
Licorice Root
Licorice Root—bitter laxative
Systems affected: glandular, digestive, respiratory
Nutrients: high in Silicon, Sodium, Magnesium and Chromium
Herpes (cure for outbreaks)
Contact dermatitis
Antismoking lozenges (you can chew on or put in tea)
Ulcers (gastric and duodenal)
Bronchial asthma (antispasmodic)
Infectious hepatitis (antimicrobial)
NOTE: increases sodium retention and promotes potassium depletion
Those who shouldn’t use it are people who are on bed rest, cardiac patients, and those w/ Addisions disease……
Systems affected: glandular, digestive, respiratory
Nutrients: high in Silicon, Sodium, Magnesium and Chromium
Herpes (cure for outbreaks)
Contact dermatitis
Antismoking lozenges (you can chew on or put in tea)
Ulcers (gastric and duodenal)
Bronchial asthma (antispasmodic)
Infectious hepatitis (antimicrobial)
NOTE: increases sodium retention and promotes potassium depletion
Those who shouldn’t use it are people who are on bed rest, cardiac patients, and those w/ Addisions disease……
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