Defending Yourself Against Major Health Threats of the Next Decade
Filed Under Dr. Zoltan Rona (MD) | 2 Comments
The health challenges of the first decade of the 21st Century will center on the immune system. Infection with antibiotic-resistant superbugs, food and chemical allergies, autoimmune diseases like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and cancer will all be in the headlines and increasing in incidence. What can you do to defend yourself?
Implement the following diet and lifestyle changes in any order:
Breastfeeding
A breastfed baby receives antibodies through mother’s milk, as well as all the nutrients needed for the first six months of their life. Much of the benefit of breastfeeding is derived from colostrum, the mammary fluid secreted the first few days after delivery. It provides newborns with protection against bacteria and viruses through its content of immune factors (antibodies and natural antibiotics) as well as essential nutrients including various growth factors, vitamins, minerals, and hormones. These can help prevent a variety of problems, including ear infections and diarrhea.
Improve your lifestyle
For optimal health one should not smoke, and should limit alcohol and drug consumption as much as possible. It is also important to get regular exercise, daily sunshine, rest, and sleep since all these affect immunity. Stress reduction is also important since stress will cause an adverse effect on the adrenal glands, which manufacture hormones that augment immunity.
Follow an immune-enhancing diet
1. Eat more organic vegetables. These are free of dangerous pesticides and contain two to five times more nutrients than non-organic vegetables. They also taste much better.
2. Drink more water and fresh vegetable juices. Water is the beverage of choice, preferably bottled spring water, although reverse osmosis filtered water is acceptable. Avoid drinking tap water that contains harmful chemicals like chlorine and, in some cities, fluoride. Avoid softened or distilled water as it contains no minerals and has the wrong ionization, pH, polarization, and oxidation potentials. It also tends to drain the body of minerals.
3. Eat more healthy fats that provide the omega-3 and -6 essential fatty acids. One tablespoon of hempseed oil daily will provide the necessary essential fat most adults need. A combination of fish oils and flax seed oil is a good alternative. Avoid peanuts, peanut butter, and peanut oil at all costs because they contain mold and aflatoxin, a known immune suppressor.
4. Avoid sugar. Sugar impairs immunity and promotes yeast and fungal overgrowth. Sugar in any form suppresses immunity and must be eliminated as much as possible from the diet. Avoid hidden sources of refined sugar in things like soda pop and packaged cereals. Limit natural sweeteners such as honey, molasses, fruit juice, maple syrup, cane sugar, Succanat, and lactose. Stevia is a better alternative. Artificial sweeteners like aspartame should be avoided because of their many adverse health effects.
5. Avoid commercial milk and dairy products because they contain traces of hormones, antibiotics, and other immune-suppressing chemicals.
6. Avoid fruit juices, including organic, unsweetened varieties, because they are high in sugar and usually contaminated with mold. Sugar and mold suppress the immune system.
7. Avoid pork and most commercial meats because these are frequently contaminated with parasites and mold. Pork is used in labs to culture cancer cells, as it increases their growth. Organic buffalo, venison, chicken, turkey, beef, and lamb are better options since they contain no hormones, antibiotics, or pesticides. Avoid processed, cured, smoked, or dried meats, especially bacon, sausage, salami, ham, hot dogs, and luncheon meats. Ground meat products may be contaminated with bacteria and should also be avoided.
8. Eat local fruits and limit intake of bananas, oranges, papayas, mangoes, melons, and other tropical fruits. They are generally much higher in sugar and are not as easily metabolized by people who live in cold climates. The higher the fruit sugar content, the higher the level of mold infestation, hence immune suppression.
9. Avoid shellfish. Lobsters, crabs, shrimp, and other shellfish are scavengers, frequently contaminated with parasites and viruses that can suppress immunity. Cold-water fish like cod, halibut, salmon, trout, and mackerel are better choices.
10. Eat adequate amounts of protein from organic eggs, fish, chicken, turkey, buffalo, venison, beef, legumes, pumpkin seeds, and nuts other than peanuts. Soy products should be fermented or soaked for several days and cooked until soft like regular beans.
Take immune-enhancing food supplements regularly
Vitamin A—Vitamin A deficiency increases susceptibility to any infection. For most children, the best source is cod liver oil (one tablespoon or three capsules daily). Adults can take twice this amount, especially if they are prone to infections or exposed often to individuals with flus, colds, or other infections. Cod liver oil has the added benefit of the essential fatty acid omega-3, known for its anti-inflammatory benefits.
Vitamin D—Proven in numerous immune system studies to be more effective against the flu than the annual flu shot. Vitamin D has been documented to reduce cancer incidence by 60% as well as reverse some autoimmune diseases, notably multiple sclerosis. Dosages for effective prevention during times when sunlight is not easily available is 4000 IU daily.
Bovine colostrum—Proven protection against autoimmune disease, cancer, and other incurable diseases. Adults can take 1,000 to 2,000 mg twice daily and children can take about half of this dose.
Probiotics (friendly bacterial cultures like Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum)—Provide another unique type of protection against most common infections, allergies, and cancers. Probiotics (3 capsules daily) prevent the overgrowth of undesirable intestinal bacteria and micro-organisms that produce putrefactive and carcinogenic toxins. Probiotics make essential vitamins (B12, K) and enzymes that would not be produced otherwise. Without these friendly microbes, the level of harmful substances rises, leading to cancer, liver, and kidney disease, as well as hypertension and arteriosclerosis.
Larch arabinogalactan—Has very potent immune-enhancing properties and will lower the generation and subsequent absorption of ammonia, a potent neurotoxin. It also protects colon cells against cancer-promoting agents. The usual adult dose is one to three tablespoons daily. Children under age four can easily take one-half teaspoon daily.
Interferon boosters—Interferon is produced naturally by the body’s white cells to fight and prevent viral and other infections, as well as cancer, allergies, and toxic poisoning of the body. A fever stimulates the body to make more interferon, one of the reasons why naturopaths recommend against the use of drugs to suppress fevers. Interferon can stimulate the immune system to produce more of the disease-fighting T-cells. Here are some of the best known and documented ones (in alphabetical order):
• Astragalus
• Boneset
• Echinacea
• Germanium
• Licorice
• Medicinal mushrooms
• Pau d’arco
• Vitamin C and bioflavonoids
• Pycnogenol
• Wheat grass
Use natural antibiotics when possible
Antibiotics weaken immunity and encourage resistant strains of bacteria. Natural antibiotic alternatives with excellent supportive documentation are:
Oil of oregano (Origanum vulgare)—This oil is well known in the Mediterranean world for its ability to slow down food spoilage through its antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antiparasitic, and antioxidant activity. Oregano oil boosts the immune system. It also acts as a free radical scavenger, protecting against toxins and preventing further tissue damage while encouraging healing. The usual effective dose is two or three drops under the tongue with some olive oil (to improve palatability) several times daily.
Colloidal silver—Both an immune system stimulant and a natural antimicrobial agent with broad-spectrum germicidal activity. Colloidal silver works by disabling the enzyme that all one-celled pathogens (micro-organisms in their reproductive stage) use for their oxygen metabolism, thus causing the micro-organisms to suffocate in six minutes or less upon contact.
Dr. Zoltan Rona
Numbers Lining Up
Filed Under Law of Attraction | Leave a Comment
As I fell asleep last night, I looked at the clock and it was 11:11. What’s that mean? Well, it really is our Angels, Guides, God, The Universe, or whatever you call Creation’s way of informing us that all is well, on track, keep going, you’re doing good. I smile every time it happens.
Your cosmic support team (in quantum physics) has to let you know you’re doing OK somehow. For me, the numbers always line up. 1111 means all is well and I am in the Miracle Zone. Have you been paying attention?
Sometimes you might see 5432—countdown numbers. What does that mean? It means we are almost ready for lift off, my friend. Follow your heart, pursue what feels best, find peace about the past. As we all take our rightful place on the Heaven on Earth Construction Crew, validating numbers will abound.
Keep a look out! If you stay aware, you will see some wonderful reminders that you are not alone. Notice the clock, odometer, and ticket numbers today—because you will get validation if you ask and if you are open. It just adds joy and fun to life!
Jennifer Hough
Remembering to Be Present
Filed Under Meditation | Leave a Comment
“The past has flown away.
The coming month and year do not exist;
Ours only is the present’s tiny point.”
— Shabistari
Have you ever wished for a poor memory? We usually think of a good memory as a helpful trait. It is useful to remember important dates and appointments. It’s good to be able to remember facts and things you planned to do. It’s nice to be able to recall where you’ve been or where you’ve seen someone before.
On the other hand, sometimes memory can be a curse. One of the angriest and unhappiest men I’ve met had the ability to give the precise dates of numerous bad things that had happened to him and the dates of his many relapses to alcohol and drug use. Each misfortune and failing was readily available for his instant and constant recall. His habitual focus on the negative was unfortunately potentiated by his remarkable memory. He truly lived in a hell of his own making. By his habitual thought patterns he recreated his misery moment to moment.
People who suffer from anxiety often have intense memories of bad things that have happened to them. That memory is projected onto the unknown future, where the misfortune might happen again—or they imagine that something even worse might happen. The anxious person’s body responds to anticipation as if the feared event was actually occurring. This can be very unpleasant, and in serious cases professional help may be needed.
When we remember bad things that have happened, we experience emotions related to the past event. We may feel anxiety, or we may feel sadness. Sometimes it is necessary to recall the unhappy event to deal with the emotion associated with it. A good cry can be quite therapeutic. The problem arises when we repetitively relive our worst memories and stay trapped in their emotions.
One of the benefits of mindfulness practice is that it keeps us in the present where we experience life as it is now. When we are aware of the present moment, we are not caught in the regrets of the past or the fears of tomorrow.
Living in the present does not preclude remembering what it is useful to remember or planning constructively for the future. It may actually improve our memory, because we are aware of what is happening in life and not being distracted by recollections and fantasies.
Practice:
Use your memory to remind you to live in the present. As you go through your day, remember to notice where your thoughts go. Notice when you are remembering the past. Notice when you are anticipating the future. Notice when you are in the present.
When you feel an unpleasant emotion, especially anxiety or sadness, notice what you are thinking about. Are you dredging up old unpleasant memories? Are you projecting negative fantasies on the future? Remind yourself that these memories and fantasies are not what is happening now.
At the same time, increase your awareness of the present. Take a deep breath and refocus. Experience yourself in this moment. Feel your body. Notice your surroundings. Become more aware of whatever you are doing. Take another breath. Keep coming back to the present. Take the moment and enjoy it.
“Many sensations come, many thoughts or images arise, but they are just waves of your own mind. Nothing comes from outside your mind … To realize pure mind in your delusion is practice. If you try to expel the delusion it will only persist the more. Just say, ‘Oh, this is just delusion.’ And do not be bothered by it.”
— Shunryu Suzuki, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind
Tom Barrett
The Not Belonging Club
Filed Under Law of Attraction | Leave a Comment
How do you recognize a Not Belonging Club (NBC) member? Well, you just know. There’s a feeling like you’ve known them a long time and you start talking and it’s effortless. You have an affinity instantly and they will seem “free.”
The Not Belonging Club is for those who have decided to follow their hearts. Therefore, they are the leading-edge thinkers: they question everything, don’t like small talk, love to recognize fellow members, and dance to their own drum.
Ahhhhh—to not belong is a wonderful thing! If you are a member of the club, you are part of the change toward joy, peace, and connection on the planet right now. You no longer want to hear about the problems as much as you want to start solving them. You know in your heart that something can be done and is already shifting. You don’t enjoy office politics, gossip, rules. You may occassionally speed (just to declare your not belonging-ness). You likely yearn to follow your heart—and if you don’t already, you will soon.
The more members the better! As we belong to the religion of our own hearts (a.k.a. God’s megaphone, as it were), we start to follow our purpose on the planet. It is through following this purpose that we are all enabled to be empowered and free to choose.
NBCs give others permission to follow their hearts. And when you do that, your cosmic support team joins you—and miracles are possible.
Jennifer Hough
Color Therapy—Pink Is for the Heart
Filed Under Natural Goddess | Leave a Comment
Each chakra (or energy center) in our bodies is associated with a color. This week I went for an energy balancing treatment and the practitioner told me to “think pink” because my heart chakra wasn’t protected and was being depleted. So every morning and evening during my meditation, I have been thinking pink. Every time I see pink, I feel this rush of good energy into my heart.
It all made sense once I thought about my current attraction to the color pink—I had just ordered pink luggage, made pink lip balm, bought pink sweaters.
So if you ever feel drawn to a certain color, look it up and you might find out something interesting about what’s going in your energy centers!
Jane Large
Prenatal Nutrition Basics
Filed Under Mom Talk, Fitmom Wellness | Leave a Comment
Some basics to help you mammas with your pregnancy munchies!
In the first trimester, you need an additional 100 calories on top of the base 1800–2400 calories every day.
Then 300 more in the second trimester, and another 450 calories for lactation in the 3rd trimester.
• Enjoy a variety of food from each of the four food groups.
• Eat frequent smaller meals to maintain adequate levels of blood glucose.
• Eat every three hours: 1 protein + 1 carb/starch + 1 fruit/veg
• Grain products: 8–10 servings per day (slice of bread, ¾ cooked cerel, etc.)
• Veggies and fruit: 6–10 servings (1 med fruit or veg, ½ cup of fresh fruit, vegetable juice)
• Milk products: 3–4 servings
• Meat and alternatives: 2–3 servings
• Ensure adequate fluid intake of 1500–2000 ml (6–8 cups)
• Aim for gradual weight gain.
• Limit intake of foods that contain caffeine.
Examples of portion size:
1 cup/250 ml of orange juice counts as 2 servings of fruit
1 cup of broccoli counts as 2 servings of vegetables
1 bagel or bun or 1 cup of pasta or rice counts as 2 servings of grains
Top nutrients
Calcium: Used to build bones and teeth, used in other physiological processes
Requirements: 1000 mg/day
Excellent sources (275 mg or more): milk, Swiss cheese, tofu with calcium sulfate, plain yogurt, sesame seeds, fortified plant-based beverages
Good sources (165 mg or more): cheese, flavored yogurt, sardines, canned salmon (including the bones)
Other sources (55 mg or more): creamed cheese, cooked or canned legumes, booked bok choy, kale, turnip greens, mustard greens, broccoli, orange, cooked scallops, cooked oysters, almonds, dried sunflower seeds
Folate: Necessary for erythrocyte production for fetus, prevents neural tube defects, protects from heart disease
Requirements: 600 mcg/day
Excellent sources (55 mcg or more): cooked fava beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, roman beans, soybeans, white beans, chickpeas, lentils, cooked spinach, asparagus, romaine lettuce, orange juice, canned pineapple juice, sunflower seeds
Good sources (33 mcg or more): cooked lima beans, corn, bean spouts, cooked broccoli, green beans, Brussels sprouts, beets, orange, honeydew, raspberries, blackberries, avocado, roasted nuts, wheat germ
Other sources (11 mcg or more): cooked carrots, beet greens, sweet potato, snow peas, summer or winter squash, rutabaga, cabbage, green beans, cashews, roasted peanuts, walnuts, egg, strawberries, banana, grapefruit, cantaloupe, whole wheat or white bread, pork kidney, breakfast cereals, milk
Iron: Carries oxygen in the blood to the entire body
Requirements: 1st trimester: 13mg/day; 2nd trimester: 18 mg/day; 3rd trimester: 23 mg/day
Note: Heme iron is more easily absorbed than non-heme
Excellent sources (3.5 mg or more): Heme—clams, oysters; non-heme—cooked beans, chickpeas, lentils, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, squash seeds, tofu
Good sources (2.1 mg or more): heme—beef; non-heme—canned lima beans, red kidney beans, chickpeas, split peas, cooked enriched egg noodles, dried apricots
Other sources (0.7 mg or more): heme—chicken, ham, lamb, pork, veal, halibut, haddock, perch, salmon, shrimp, sardines, tuna; non-heme—peanuts, pecans, walnuts, cooked pasta, bread, wheat germ, pumpernickel, bran muffins, cooked oatmeal, egg, beets, pumpkin, dried raisons, peaches, prunes, apricots
Protein: Main building block for most tissues and enzymes in the body
Requirements: 1st trimester: extra 5 g/day; 2nd trimester: extra 20 g/day; 3rd trimester: extra 24g/day
Best sources: Meat, poultry, seafood, dairy foods, beans, legumes, nuts
Vitamin C: Antioxidant and disease prevention
Requirements: 85 mg/day
Best sources: Citrus fruits and juices, strawberries, bell peppers, tomatoes, dark leafy greens, broccoli, Brussels sprouts
Fats: Provide fuel for body, necessary for proper fetal development, especially brain. Essential for healthy skin, hair, and eyes. Sub-clinical essential fatty acid deficiency may be related to depression and degenerative diseases of eyes, joints, and skin. Helps the body to stretch, making the cells pliable.
Requirements: 1st trimester: extra .005 g/day of omega-3 fatty acids, extra 0.3 g/day omega-6 fatty acids; 2nd and 3rd trimester: extra .016 g/day of omega-3 fatty acids, extra 0.9 g/d omega-6 fatty acids
Best sources: Flax, fish (especially small, bony fish), nuts, seeds
Water: Crucial for proper physiological hydration. 65% of total body weight comes from water,
Requirements: 6–12 cups (1.5–3 liters) a day
Best sources: Water is the best source, but fruits, vegetables, juice, milk, and soups also have water in them
Reduce/avoid:
• Caffeine—less than 150 mg/day (1–2 small cups/day)
• Alcohol
• Salt—already found in many snacks, pickles, olives, processed meats, condiments, commercial soups, processed foods, etc.
• Artificial sweeteners
• Raw fish, unpasteurized cheese and honey
Cheers,
Andrea Page
Get Real
Filed Under Law of Attraction | Leave a Comment
It’s been a beautiful week where I live—and it’s amazing how easy it is to focus on the fact that I have a plane flight and have to pack, get phone calls returned, and make sure my staff has something to do. It’s equally easy to focus on what a beautiful day it is, my adorable dog (Sir Pants A Lot, a.k.a. Emerson), the fantastic help I have in my office, and how blessed we are to have a body that functions so effortlessly.
If you’d like, you could find all sorts of events on any subject to worry, complain, or gossip about. By the same token, in your body alone, there are more miracles happening in five minutes than the totality of what is going wrong according to the news.
Why do I bring this up? Because what we think is reality is not reality. Your issues are never the issue. That you made them the issue is the issue.
When people say “get real,” usually they mean “look at the cold, ‘newsworthy,’ hard facts.” Well, the cold hard facts are:
1. Sixty trillion cells are operating in your body in unison without your intervention.
2. Today billions of flowers will bloom.
3. Ant hills
4. Sunrises
5. Air
6. Food
7. Water
8. Whales
9. Eyesight
10. More people per capita are volunteering and giving to charity now than ever in our history.
Do I need to go on? The miracles outweigh the anomalies (which is why we call them “news”) by 1 trillion to 1.
Today, have the experience in your cells that you are taken care of, that The Universe has your back in so many ways. When you observe life, practice looking for REALITY—true reality. Yes, notice there may be upset, but please put it in proportion to the blessings and take action to cause a Heaven on Earth by being an agent of change AAAANNNND a proliferator of beauty and peace.
Jennifer Hough
Ease and Flow
Filed Under Law of Attraction | Leave a Comment
The Universe is so vast and benevolent that both struggle and effortlessness are available at any time to anyone. What shows up depends on the illusion you buy into.
Like you, I was taught to work hard to get somewhere, and earn what you accomplish. In the Universe, there is no such thing as earning, except in the mind of a human being. Hmmmm. Maybe we could use our imagination for good instead of … well, you know … struggle.
Here’s your job today, my friend: Let go of the oars for goodness sake. And I really mean for “goodness’” sake. The ride down the river is beautiful. You may occassionally need to stear.
Jennifer Hough
Rosemary—Part 1
Filed Under Herbalist | Leave a Comment
Another herb (not a weed!)—used often in the south as ornamentals in the garden or even as hedges—is rosemary. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is one of my very favorite herbs. I cannot resist petting the plant whenever I see it and smelling that biting fragrance left on my fingers.
We know this easy-to-grow plant for its culinary uses, but as a medicinal plant it is an amazing antioxidant that can protect our bodies from free radical damage and slow the aging process. Rosemary has a good effect on the nervous and circulatory systems and may help headaches. In the Victorian’s “language of flowers,” rosemary is for “remembrance,” and it is said to improve mental outlook.
Stay tuned for more about rosemary!
Wendy
Holiday Feasts the Healthy Way
Filed Under Naturopathy | 2 Comments
The period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve is a time of family, fun, and food. I place an emphasize on food because it is also the time when most of us gain five to ten pounds (or more).
Turkey is not the issue, as it is a healthy, low-fat protein source. The problem is in the choice of accompaniments such as stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potato pie—all of which are usually made with a lot of fat. And let’s not forget the number of desserts also on the table. In some cultures Christmas would not be Christmas without a seven-course seafood feast (plus all the trimmings!). New Year’s is known for its overabundant drinking and gorging oneself on too many appetizers.
I say it is time to trade in the holiday tradition for a more realistic approach to celebratory eating. You can still design a delicious and wholesome meal around turkey as long as you stay away from those already injected with butter and other high-fat seasonings.
If you want a vegan way of celebrating, you can purchase Tofurkey, which is made of soybeans. Regardless of your choice, don’t overdo the stuffing.
Traditional stuffing is predominately made out of starchy carbohydrates, full of fat, and high in salt. Yes you may add carrots and celery, but don’t let them be overtaken by the sticks of butter and hydrogenated crackers. You can make the stuffing healthier by using crackers or bread crumbs without hydrogenated fat, delete the butter and add a small amount of olive oil and apple juice, and double up on the vegetables.
Another healthy alternative to high-fat desserts is one of my favorites, and it’s so simple to make. It is a combination of apples, chopped walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, a pinch of sea salt, and a little bit of honey. It satisfies most of your oral needs as it is crunchy, chewy, sweet, and salty (and maybe sour, depending on the apples).
Please don’t believe it when you hear that it is healthy to replace high-calorie foods with sugar substitutes and margarine. I would rather eat the natural way of using sugar and butter in moderation than to put something that is overly processed into my body.
• Instead of sugar substitutes (which have their own share of problems), try organic raw sugar and mix with honey, which has twice the sweetness of regular sugar.
• Instead of margarine, use olive oil or prepare a healthier mix of butter and olive oil.
• Learn to have less. That way you can enjoy almost anything (in moderation). For example, have a smear rather than a glob of butter on that dinner roll.
• Instead of using all the drippings from the turkey in your gravy recipe, use ½ of the drippings and then add a fat-free turkey consommé.
• To reduce overeating, drink a glass water before the meal to fill you up. If you don’t like the taste of water, then add the juice of one lemon or orange.
• Another trick is to eat the greens first, like the salad and vegetable choices; then you won’t be as hungry for the starch and fattier dishes.
A savvy consumer can always find healthier alternatives without giving up flavor and substance.
Dr. Linda Mundorff
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