The Gratitude of Thanksgiving

Well here we are, in the United States anyway, with another major Holiday in the rear view and heading full tilt into the Christmas Season. Thanksgiving Day, a day to stop, reflect, and give thanks for all of the abundance around us, to be grateful for our homes, our families.....basically everything that is “good” in our lives.

How very American, to schedule a Holiday to give thanks....when in all actuality, giving thanks should be an every minute of every day occurrence. I know, I know, Thanksgiving is historical in nature, a meal between the Pilgrims and the Native Americans whose land they were just beginning to plunder....a benchmark in the development of our country, yada, yada, yada....but historical aspects aside, let's just take a minute to look at the gratitude of Thanksgiving.

Since Thanksgiving is about togetherness, I think it would be safe to assume that first and foremost, Thanksgiving is about the people. Now those “people” don't have to be family members, and in many instances, you are better off if they aren't, but for me, it is a duality, friends and family.

Family. Yep, I'm grateful for that....but whether it is a late night snack with my teenage son or a meal on the go with my daughter, I am grateful. A nice quiet evening with Gary, or a family birthday or celebration that brings everyone together....I am grateful.

Friends. Well, in most aspects, my friends are my family. They are the ones I turn to when I need to laugh, cry, share and grow. My friends bring me joy, tears, laughter and good times, we dish, bitch, you name it....and for the wonderful, beautiful people in my life that I have the honor to call my friends....I am grateful.

Work. My work is another something something I am grateful for. To have the opportunity to wake up each and every day and get paid to do what I love, what a blessing. Whether it is a day working with words or caught up in research and communication...what a cool thing to be fortunate enough to make a living doing the things I am passionate about. For my work, each and every day....I am grateful.

And Stuff. We are supposed to be grateful for stuff too, right? Well, my home is nice, safe, warm, and a great place to both live and work out of and for that, I am grateful. My car, runs, is comfortable and safe and for that, I am grateful. But possessions can be a tricky thing. A great teacher, Rev. John F. Schulte, once told me that, “Everything in your experience, you share energy with. If it does not serve a purpose or it does not bring you joy – let it go.”

I think that oftentimes, people get caught up in the acquisition of “stuff” and that can blur the gratitude of any day, especially Thanksgiving. Now I'm not sitting here pointing fingers, because the acquisition of “stuff” is something I can be guilty of too. Wishing I had a new house, new rug, new this or new that. But those feelings and drive towards acquiring more “stuff” didn't bring me joy – it made me focus on what I did not have, and in turn I was not grateful for the beauty that was already surrounding me. So what if my couch was old or my end tables didn't match, why did I spend the energy focusing on that rather than the fact I have always had a safe, warm home to raise my children in. Always remember, at the end of the day, if it does not serve a purpose or it does not bring you joy – let it go.

It is the people in your life that truly make a difference, whether friends, family, a neighbor, coworker, or even a kind stranger in the supermarket....look for the good things, the smiles, the thank yous, the things to be grateful for. If you have a warm bed to sleep in, be grateful. If you have a job that meets your needs financially and emotionally, be grateful. If you have good health, be grateful. I could go on and on with this, but the important thing is to find at least five things to be grateful for each and every day. Write them down, refer back to them, and remember, gratitude...always.

Thanksgiving is a state of mind, and the more things that you can reach for and for which you can be truly grateful, the more peace you will have in your life. And as we head towards the frantic pace of the Christmas Season, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Peace one of the themes?

Organic Really Is Better

Well I've been saying it, and while some people agree, other's think that I am a food snob, a person who truly enjoys flaunting my snobbery by paying two or three times more for an organic product than I would for a conventional. Now how paying 5 dollars for a loaf of bread over 2 dollars can be considered a good time is beyond me, but guess what, my buying habits aren't snobbery, organic food really is better.

Jon UnGoed-Thomas recently reported in the Times Online that the biggest study into organic food has found that it is more nutritious than ordinary produce and may help to lengthen people's lives. Funded by the European Union, the four-year study found that organic fruits and vegetables contained as much as 40% more antioxidants, in addition to higher levels of beneficial minerals such as iron and zinc.

Professor Carlo Leifert, the coordinator of the study, said the differences were so marked that organic produce would help to increase the nutrient intake of people. And while the English Food Standards Agency is reviewing the evidence of the study before deciding whether or not to change it's current stance, “no significant differences between organic and ordinary produce,” Leifert contends that there is enough evidence now to prove that the level of good things is indeed higher in organics.

Imagine that, food grown in healthy soil, lacking all of the pesticides and chemicals from seed to harvest, can actually be healthier for you.....boggles the mind, doesn't it. Taking it ten steps further, organic foods generally (but not always) lack many of the harmful effects of genetic engineering and the thousands of “additives and preservatives” that can make food not so, well food like.

But a word of caution here, not all organic foods are created equally. With the rising popularity of organic products, organic foods have become big business, and we all know what business means to our food supply - some organic standards have been compromised.

Try and buy local when possible, as Dr. Mercola states, “If you want to get the freshest, most nutrient-rich foods available, you simply must seek out real sources close to your home. When I say “real sources” I’m referring to farmers, food coops, farmers’ markets, and community supported agriculture programs. These are the people who are growing your food, and only by speaking with them and establishing a rapport will you truly know if your food is being raised with integrity and health in mind.”

When you do have to hit the supermarket or the local health food store, start with the organic label and know that now when you go through the checkout line, the organic foods in your cart truly will “feed” your family better than anything else in the store.

Target Is Right On Target Phasing Out PVC

I have a thing for comfort, and nothing says relaxing more than a good book and a great, comfy chair. Now that chair cannot be some sort of beat up reject, no, been there done that when my kids were small. If I am going to go out and search for a new comfy chair I want it to look good.

Well about six months ago I found a great chair….it was comfy and definitely looked good. I grabbed Gary to go and see it before I made the purchase and upon closer inspection I realized the beautiful red leather chair that had caught my eye seemed well…shiny. Like really shiny…more like the vinyl naugahyde of my youth than the sexy red leather available today.

The more I looked at the chair, the more I became concerned that it wasn’t leather like the tag said, so I called the salesman over. Enthusiastically he explained that the chair was indeed leather, blended with high quality PVC.

PVC – WHAT!

Needless to say, I did not buy that chair.

PVC is not something to sit on, actually it is something to avoid when you can. According to a report I received this morning from the Environmental News Service, Dr. Peter Orris, professor and chief of service at the University of Illinois Medical Center in Chicago states, “Study after study have found that chemicals in vinyl can cause health problems in children and adults. While using PVC products, people may be exposed to toxic additives like phthalates and lead and when incinerated, PVC is a major contributor to dioxin.”

Among the health effects of phthalates, plastic softeners found in many PVC products, are premature birth delivery, early puberty in girls, impaired sperm quality and sperm damage in men, genital defects and reduced testosterone production in boys…for starters.

The report further states that the hazards of PVC are not limited to its use by consumers, it creates toxic pollution during its manufacturing. When discarded, toxic additives like lead and phthalates can leach into the ground and drinking water. When burned, PVC produces dioxins and furans, chemicals that can cause cancer and are considered to be among the most toxic environmental contaminants.

Target, the fifth largest US retailer, has agreed to reduce its sale of products containing PVC. Joining a group of companies including Wal-Mart, Microsoft, Johnson & Johnson, Nike, and Apple that are eliminating or reducing PVC in their products and packaging.

Target has pledged to eliminate PVC from a number of infant products and toys, and already, Target’s children’s eating utensils and lunchboxes are PVC-free; baby bibs will be PVC-free by January 2008; 88% of its shower curtains will be PVC-free by Spring 2008; phthalates in baby changing tables are on their way out and by the fall of 2008, Target will phase out phthalates in most of their toys.

So as we approach the Holidays, do NOT buy any “shiny” leather chairs for that special someone and if spending is part of your Holiday tradition, do your research and put your money in the companies that are working to make a difference.

Bill Maher Anti-Pharma Rant

Well if you frequent the Zen Health blog or subscribe to Zen News, it is not a stretch for you to see that we are pretty much anti pharmaceutical...against the latest and greatest little purple bill bound to make all of your troubles disappear.

I feel like what has happened in our society is people put their power in this little basket and carry it around looking to give it away to someone in the hopes that someone has the power to fix them. That is where the pharmaceutical industry comes in...I mean, think about the last commercial you saw on TV that was pharmaceutical in nature – the fix is just a doctor's visit away!

With those feelings in mind, when I stumbled across the below video I knew I had to share. Bill Maher has done it again, and summed it up in four minutes!

Enjoy!

Support is Growing for Mandatory Labeling of GE Foods

The Campaign reported on Saturday that Senator John Edwards, Governor Bill Richardson and Senator Chris Dodd have all gone on record in favor of mandatory labeling of genetically engineered foods this week in Iowa. In response to questions during their campaign visits in Fairfield, Iowa, each candidate stated that he would support legislation to require the mandatory labeling of genetically engineered foods if elected to be President of the United States.

The three democratic Presidential hopefuls join the ranks of many other leaders in Iowa and across the country who are calling for mandatory labeling legislation for genetically engineered foods.

A report recently funded by the USDA and conducted by Rutgers University found that 89% of the American public feels the Federal Government should require the labeling of genetically engineered foods….89%!

When I go to the grocery store and make a purchase, it is within my rights to know where (country of origin) and how the contents of the package were grown. Truthfully, it would be almost as good as going to the Farmer’s Market – because at the Farmer’s Market, I can ask the growers these questions, and get answers. If the answers are in line with what I want in my own personal food supply, I buy their stuff, if not, I keep walking.

In the grocery stores and markets in dozens of countries around the world, GE foods are labeled. When shopping in the European Union, Japan, China (yes China), Australia, New Zealand and South Korea, consumers know what they are buying to a much greater degree than we do here in these United States. And the result of labeling GE foods in these countries is that food manufacturers have removed GE ingredients from their products.

In the United States, genetically engineered foods however are big business and products are currently not labeled, despite the fact that roughly 70% of the foods in supermarkets have GE ingredients. As demonstrated in the European Union, Japan, China (yes China) and other developed countries, labeling GE foods is the only way to restore consumer choice and to drive GE foods and crops from our system.

Another democratic Presidential hopeful, Representative Dennis Kucinich (OH-10), has not made this move towards mandatory labeling a part of his campaign repertoire - he has made it an issue and led the effort in Congress for several years. As a matter of fact, in May, 2006, he introduced the Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know Act (H.R. 5269).

While I am frustrated that something this simple is an issue in the first place, I applaud the leaders who are speaking out and making this an issue. After all, it isn’t asking too much is it – to know that the food I put in my body is made not by man but by nature?

Bologna? I Think I'll Pass....

I have had a thing about processed meats for a number of years now – never been one to enjoy a hot dog, bologna makes me woozy and well, I could go on and on. So in the course of researching my new book, I found validity for my feelings, sodium nitrite proved that my ick feelings about processed meats were dead on.

As a food additive, sodium nitrite (also beware of sodium nitrate) serves a dual purpose since it both alters the color of preserved fish and meats and also prevents the growth of Clostridium botulinum, the bacteria which causes botulism. Sodium nitrite can turn your meats and fish the bright red color that you generally associate with freshness, when in fact the product can be anything but.

While sodium nitrite will prevent the growth of bacteria, it is also toxic for mammals. Recent studies have found a link between high processed meat consumption and colon cancer, possibly due to preservatives such as sodium nitrite. The evidence doesn't stop there, a recent study shows a 67% increase in pancreatic cancer for people consuming moderate amounts of processed meat on a frequent basis.

But leave it to our friends at NewsTarget.com to up the grossness factor a few more notches with the video below. This humorous take on a frightening subject will make you think twice before ordering pepperoni on that pizza or buying a hot dog from the corner vendor – I promise!!

All Chickens are Not Created Equal

Last night I was talking to a friend who mentioned a new line of “Hormone-Free” chicken. I had researched that a bit when it first became available because I admit, the low price was intriguing.

Well the first thing I learned was that all chicken is “Hormone-Free.” According to the USDA Food Inspection Safety Service, no hormones are to be used in the raising of chickens. So the new line of chicken – simply slick marketing.

But I wasn’t done looking, nope, I figured since I had been writing about eggs, chickens, canaries and mutated fish, I would continue on and answer as many poultry questions as possible.

According to Delicious Organics, “Organic Chicken” has always been fed only organic grains – which means they are non GMO; no chemicals or pesticides were used on the farm for at least three years, and the feed is routinely checked and verified for organic standards. “Organic Chicken” was NEVER given any antibiotics, hormones or drugs, it was raised humanely and in a stress free environment, and allowed free-range, meaning it had daily access to fresh air and sunshine outdoors – basically, the bird was given room to move in an area that was clean and safe.

Now another common slick marketing trick in chickens can be the word “Natural” which is simply a label for ANY food product that does not contain artificial flavors, colors or preservatives, and has been minimally processed – although the definition for “Natural” is moving far away from that – but that’s another post. In this instance, think about it, all chickens are “Natural.”

“Free Range” is another label oftentimes given to chickens – and essentially means that during their lifetimes, they were given room to move. “Free Range” only means however, that they were allowed access to the outdoors. It doesn’t mean that the area was clean, it doesn’t mean that they were not treated with antibiotics or drugs, and it doesn’t mean they were given only organic, non GMO grains.

The last tidbit I picked up from Delicious Organics is in regards to “Conventional Chicken.” These chickens are raised in confined, tight quarters, oftentimes extremely cramped with damp, ammonia-accumulated and polluted environments with no natural ventilation. They are predisposed to stress and sickness because of their living conditions and sickness spreads quickly. They are in turn treated with antibiotics regularly, fed drugs to enhance their growth and additives to enhance their color. They are fed grains and soybeans that could contain pesticides and more than likely are GMO. And if that isn’t enough, they may be fed animal by-products which is certainly not a natural feed for chickens.

Just as I wrote earlier this year in the blog post, An Egg is an Egg Right? Knowledge is Power. And like the egg, all chickens are not created equal. Consider the quality of foods you want to eat and feed your family, shop with discernment and when slick marketing and other healthy sounding terms cloud the issue, do some research before buying.

One Organic Grande Latte Please

Flipping through a magazine recently, I read that one gourmet coffee to go at your local Starbuck's or downtown coffee house costs more than a pound of organic chicken does in most natural products stores. And that got me to thinking about coffee – maybe because I'm drinking coffee right now and maybe because I just wrote a blog about chicken? Who knows? But coffee is something that I need...want...desire...just flat out require to start my day, complete a good meal, or round out a million other instances in my life.

Now not to get into or start the debate on the goodness or badness of coffee – I'm just saying, coffee is good for me. However, my cup of gourmet coffee to-go generally costs a little more than just your standard double mocha frappuccino or grande latte please – because I always request the organic blend of coffee.

Why go organic with the beans? Well, basically for the same reason you choose organic on everything else – no harmful pesticides and fertilizers. Coffee generally is a heavily sprayed crop, so drinking organic coffee will reduce or eliminate the exposure to toxic herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers. According to the Organic Trade Association, in order for coffee to be certified and sold as organic in the U.S., it must have been grown on land without synthetic pesticides or other prohibited substances, there must be a sufficient buffer between the organic coffee and the nearest conventional crop, and the farmer must have a sustainable crop rotation plan to prevent erosion, the depletion of soil nutrients, and control for pests.

In order for a bean to be labeled “Fair Trade” labor and trade standards provide producers with a guaranteed price, which means the farmers are making a living wage and being paid fairly for their crops. All fair trade coffee is not necessarily organic, however, fair trade does require environmental stewardship and approximately 85% of all Fair Trade Certified coffee sold in the U.S. is also certified organic.

For hundreds of years, coffee plants were grown using organic practices, inter-planting coffee with shade trees, composting and eliminating harmful chemicals. These traditional, sustainable plantations often yield the best tasting variety of coffee. Today, however, very few beans are grown using traditional methods. The market is flooded with inexpensive, low quality coffee in “full-sun” coffee fields – which not only are they sprayed and treated with harmful chemicals, it also means deforestation and heavy environmental tolls.

So at the end of the day...or start of the morning, one thing to not skimp on is coffee. Make sure it is organic, preferably fair trade. I promise it just tastes better and you will feel better about drinking it, so brew it up and take a moment to enjoy each and every drop.

$20 Chicken Anyone?

Well if you need another reason to only buy organic poultry, a recent news bit from Taste for Life should do it for you. An antibiotic used to treat food poisoning in humans, fluoroquinolone, was also administered to chickens with respiratory problems until 2005. The FDA banned its use on poultry farms due to concerns over antibiotic-resistant bacteria developing in humans, essentially making fluoroquinolone less effective for those who need it.

But the ban was a little too little, a little too late, because recent research from Johns Hopkins University suggests that the ban may not be enough to protect humans from antibiotic resistance. Scientists tested chicken from farms that stopped using fluoroquinolone three years before the FDA ban – only to find the presence of an antibiotic resistant bacteria. The study indicates that once antibiotic resistant bacteria develops, it can remain in the chickens long after farmers stop using these drugs. It pass through the chicken population through the water, the litter, or poor ventilation.

Now think about it from this angle....if you are working hard to live a life free of chemicals, pharmaceuticals, additives and so on, can you knowingly allow the possibility of second-hand junk coming at you through your food supply? My guess would be that the antibiotics, eaten by the chickens, cooked fresh in your oven, can probably do more harm in the long run than just the development of antibiotic resistance.

Paying $7.00 and up for a pound of organic chicken, not my idea of a good time, but when I consider the alternatives and associated risks, I see it as $7.00 well spent.

Canary in a Coal Mine

Trace amounts of pharmaceuticals could be as close as your next glass of water. Narcotics, birth control pills, antidepressants and other controlled substances are now being found in U.S. rivers, lakes and streams, which is where our drinking water comes from.

As Greg Peterson recently reported in E Magazine, intersex fish in the Potomac River and frog mutations in Wisconsin have federal officials studying the effects of pharmaceuticals in the water supply....and it isn't just a maybe there are pharmaceuticals in the water supply, it's a guess what's here so what do you think we should do about it scenario.

The cumulative effect of the trace amounts of pharmaceuticals that have been found in the water on humans is not yet known, but the Environmental Protection Agency is taking preventative measures because these trace amounts of pharmaceuticals have already been linked to behavioral and sexual mutations in fish, amphibians and birds. And those mutated frogs, well, Peterson reports that the amphibian is considered to be the canary in a coal mine when it comes to water issues.

While the debate heats up with one side saying, much ado about nothing, and the other saying WTF, federal officials studying the human health effects of the pharmaceutical compounds found in the water say they generally serve as endocrine disruptors, including possible links to neurological problems in children and increased incidence of some cancers.

The rising number of Americans regularly consuming pharmaceuticals in part led to the U.S. Geological Survey and EPA finding 80% of the samples taken in 139 streams spanning 30 states contained pharmaceuticals. And many of America's wastewater treatment plants are not designed to remove pharmaceuticals and personal care products from the water supply.

So what to do? Firstly, check to see if there is a pharmaceutical collection station in your community that can properly dispose of old or unwanted prescription medications, because guess what, grandma's plan of putting old and unwanted prescriptions down the drain or into the toilet helped get us here. There are organizations sprouting up through numerous grassroots groups and local governmental initiatives. If there isn't a collection station or movement in your area, find out how you can start one.

If you strike out locally, turn to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and their new partnership with the American Pharmacists Association, they recently launched SMARxT DisPOSAL, a public education project about pharmaceuticals and fish.

And last but not least, whatever you do, do NOT flush pharmaceuticals or personal care products, because the canary, isn't dead yet, but he is mutating quickly.

An Egg is an Egg – Right?

Well, not exactly. Eggs may look like one size, one shape fits the bill, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Your typical grocery store dozen will generally be white on the outside with a pale yellow yolk. The chickens who laid the eggs are generally kept in cages their entire lives, usually indoors in overcrowded conditions.

Keep in mind that the richer the color of yolk – the higher the nutritional value and protein content. A yolk that is pale is well, exactly what the color indicates, weak and not a good choice, whereas a yolk that is golden yellow to almost orange is generally your the best bet.

The cage free variety eggs are from birds raised without cages, but what isn't clear is whether or not the birds were raised indoors or out. The difference between a crowded metal building and a small pasture or outdoor lot can mean the difference between pale yellow yolk or a protein-rich golden yolk.

Free range eggs come from an animal that had some access to the outdoors each day. However, the label “free-range” does not necessarily mean that the animal actually spent any time outside. As long as a door to the outdoors is left open for a period of time, the animal can be considered free range.

Pasture raised eggs come from a traditional farming technique that means the animals were raised outside in a humane, ecologically sustainable manner and eat the foods that nature intended for them. Animals raised on a pasture generally deliver the dark golden yolks that are the highest in protein much more than their counterparts who are being fattened on a feedlot or in a confined facility. The non-confined label can also fall under this heading, and that means the animals were not confined in a feedlot and had continuous access to the outside throughout their lifetime.

When you see an egg with “No added hormones” on the label, don't waste the extra money. According to the American Pastured Poultry Association, by law, hogs and poultry cannot be given any hormones so the label is misleading.

Another common label is “No Antibiotic Use” which means exactly what it says, no antibiotics were administered to the animal during it's lifetime. If an animal becomes sick and requires antibiotics, it will be taken out of the population and treated, but not sold with this label.

100% Vegetarian Fed is another common label which simply means that the animals were not fed any animal by-products (think Mad Cow). This label however does not guarantee that they were raised outdoors or on pasture.

Last but not least, comes the egg that is labeled “Organic”. What that means is that the product, it's producer and the farmer have met the USDA's organic standards are are certified by a USDA-approved food-certifying agency. Organic poultry must be fed only organically grown feed without any animal byproducts and cannot be treated with hormones or antibiotics. In addition, the animals must have access to the outdoors and have access to pasture.

So many eggs, so many choices, but I know in my book, I get farm-fresh pasture raised eggs when they are available, and organic when they are not. Local in my book is king and organic a strong contender. To find a member of the American Pastured Poultry Producer near you, go to www.apppa.org/producers.htm

Special thanks to the American Pastured Poultry Producers Association – www.apppa.org

Pesticides and Parkinson's

Summer has arrived, at least in my part of the country, and along with the warmer temps are the first blooms of perennial and annual flowers and the home gardens are underway. The farmer’s are tilling, planting and doing their farmer things and with all of the beauty and growth also comes the weeds, fungus, pests, and other growth-choking invaders.

Before you break out the pesticides or call in the professionals, there is something you should know. Well, let me take that back, there are a million different things you should know before you break out chemicals and pesticides, but there is one thing you should know that is currently in the news – pesticides have been linked to Parkinson’s disease.

Just this week Reuters writes that after a meeting of experts, evidence that pesticides can cause Parkinson’s disease is stronger than it has ever been. The experts have put together links between pesticides and Parkinson’s in animals and people, scientists say.

One study shows that farm workers who used the common weedkiller paraquat had two to three times the normal risk of Parkinson’s, a degenerative brain disease that eventually paralyzes patients.

A second study shows that animals exposed to paraquat have a build-up of protein called alpha-synuclein in their brains. This protein has been linked to Parkinson’s in the past.

Last but not least, this buildup of protein cells kills the same brain cells affected in Parkinson’s.

Now this “news” isn’t necessarily NEW, but it is news nonetheless. Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center began reporting on the pesticide/Parkinson’s link in January, 2001. Deborah Cory-Slechta, Ph.D., professor of environmental medicine and dean for research at Rochester reported her team’s findings in the December 15, 2001, issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.

Cory-Slechta’s team studied the effects of a mixture of two very common agrichemicals, the herbicide paraquat and the fungicide maneb. Each is used by farmers on millions of acres in the United States alone. Maneb is applied widely on such crops as potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce and corn, and paraquat is used on corn, soybeans, cotton, fruit, and a variety of other products.

“The environmental reality is that several of these chemicals are used on the same crops and in the same geographical locations,” Cory-Slechta said. “You’ve got to get rid of the weeds. Then the insects. Then funguses. These are different chemicals that do different things, but they’re often applied in the same fields.”

Maneb, paraquat, and many other pesticides are used in the agriculture-rich areas of the country, including the Midwest, California, Florida and the Northeast. The map of their use mirrors areas of the country where people are more likely to die of Parkinson’s disease.

If anyone close to you has ever suffered the ravages of Parkinson’s disease, you will know without a doubt that Parkinson’s disease is not something you ever want to personally experience. Having watched not one but both of my grandmother’s succumb to the disease I will do whatever it takes to insure that I don’t walk their final path.

Just as we avoid known carcinogens and detrimental habits, we also should avoid at all costs any direct exposure to reduce the pesticide/Parkinson’s link. Don’t use it on your crops, gardens, etc. Don’t purchase food that has been grown in treated fields, and once again, I would suggest you buy only locally grown, organic produce. It’s the safest bet around.

Systems of Belief

One of the most challenging issues I deal with on a daily basis in working with people, and their health and nutrition, is the dreaded “belief system”. Now I know that belief systems are like a certain part of our backside anatomy, we all have one and they all stink. Having said that, I know that there are things that we can do to minimize the stink. Follow me for a minute.

I have a client who has a pet that has responded better to the therapy that I recommended than she has, and she even knows why. She began giving the enzymes and minerals to her pets when she first came to see me because she was skeptical, and even though the pet has had nothing short of a miraculous recovery, my client is still having limited success. You see the animal has no belief system to get in the way. Read the last line again, because it's real important. Somewhere in the back of my client's mind there is a program running that says “this won't really work”, where as the pet's body simply responds to being fed, and it's quality of life increases because we are putting much needed energy into the system. My client has, what all of us have to some degree, a preconceived idea of what the world is and what happens in it. But are we are seeing it through rosy colored glasses?

It has been scientifically proven that our brain edits as much as 50% of the information coming to it from the visual cortex. And what it is using to do the editing is your experiences. All the traumas from birth to the present, the ones you remember, and the ones you don't, are always running in the background. Every time something happens in the outer world that is similar, that old loop or program is reactivated. This conditioned response is how most of humanity operates on a daily basis.

Another example, I have a close friend that started doing everything with me when I first began studying about health, and we have had almost identical results. We have both rebuilt our fallen arches with mineral therapy, solved chronic digestive issues using enzymes, no more back/joint pain thanks to proteolytic enzymes, got our thyroids functioning again with hormone therapy, the list goes on. We both knew we were getting better, so that became our reality. As a side note her dog has is experiencing great benefits too, at almost 17, this dog is jumping into the car again, something it has not done in years.

Anyway the point is - the closer we come to an understanding that the world is what we make it, the closer we get to reality. Molecules under a dark field microscope change from particles to waves depending on whether or not we are looking at them so the jury has given it's verdict, thoughts become things. We create every minute, so if we can learn to look at things as they are rather than what they appear to be, have a glimpse behind the curtain, if you will, it can only make a difference for the better in our lives.

Slow Down, Relax and Breathe

We live in a society that is always on the go. Whether we are jumping out of bed to commute to work, going to pick up the kids at school, running to the grocery store or stopping off for a late dinner, we go...go...go from the time we wake up in the morning until we fall back into bed each night.

Just living in this society can cause a bit of stress because the more we go, the more likely we are to feel tension, worry, irritability, frustration or even hopelessness. The sympathetic nervous system, often called the fight-or-flight response, is almost continually activated because when we get caught up in the go...go...go that continual activity can lead to things like poor concentration, fatigue, poor sleep, restlessness, as well as physical and emotional tension. According to Cathy Wong, N.D., the combination of chronic stress, poor sleep, poor diet and long hours can deplete the body and lead to a condition known as “adrenal fatigue.”

Well, I live in this world and deal with these issues so I turned to the experts and asked, “what can people do to slow down and regroup, even if it is just for a minute or two?” The answers I got were as varied as the experts I turned to, but they were all good and I definitely think a few are worth sharing here -

Relaxation breathing is something anyone can do anywhere – it takes virtually minutes to do and calms you down immediately. Breathe in through your nose, hold that breath and count to five as you concentrate on the position of your shoulders and hands. Now, let the air out through your mouth in one breath. Do this a minimum of three times. Don't hyperventilate, do it slowly and you will notice immediate results.
-Dr. Patricia A. Farrell www.drfarrell.net

1. Focus on taking “diaphragmatic breaths.” Let your abdomen expand with each breath in and notice the sensation of the air in your nostrils, lungs and abdomen.
2. You will note a variety of thoughts. Do not resist the thoughts; just gently let them go. As you let the go, focus back on the breath.
3. Do not resist the physical sensations you may notice. Relax one body part at a time working either up from your feet or from your head down.
4. You can either continue to focus on your breath, or if you prefer, focus on a repetitive phrase like “one,” “peace” or “calm.”
-Dr. Jay Winner www.stressremedy.com

Get moving - Simply standing up and moving will bring more oxygen to your brain and help you think more clearly. Put your work on hold and go for a brisk walk. Chances are good that simply getting away from your desk and taking your focus off your work or your problem will generate a creative idea or two.
- Lynn A. Robinson, M.Ed. www.LynnRobinson.com

Laugh! People will wonder what you're up to. How long has it been since you've had a rolling-on-the-ground laugh? A true belly laugh, that that rises up uncontrollably when you're completely tickled? Too long? Laughter is good for your soul, your mood and (as some studies have shown) your immunity. People who laugh a lot have a more robust immune system than those who don't. So look for funny things around you and take the opportunity to laugh!
- Laura Stack, www.theproductivitypro.com

It's the little things sometimes, that moment in traffic, at your desk, in the school-drop off lane – wherever you are, take a moment, relax and breathe, your day may just go a little bit easier, a little bit slower and clearer - most importantly, you may just enjoy it all a little bit more.

Coughs, Colds and Proteolytic Whats?

Ahhh January – the holidays are behind us and cold and flu season is right on schedule. Coughs, fevers, sore throats and the dreaded cold are making their post-holiday rounds spreading moans, groans and sick days. Vitamin C, chicken soup, throat lozenges and aspirin are always wise choices, and even boosting the immune system with Echinacea, Oregano and Elderberry supplements can take the edge off.

But did you know there is a little something you can do for yourself each and every day that will not only boost your immune system but also greatly improve your overall health? Something that can send a cold or flu bug packing before you even get sick? In a word...or make that two words...think proteolytic enzymes.

When we are living and eating from the modern diet – things like white flour, white rice, pasteurized milk, processed cheese, chemically preserved foods, soda pop, candy, TV dinners – well you get the idea, when everything we eat has been cooked and processed, we force our body to divert its production of enzymes away from the proteolytic enzymes designed to govern our metabolic functions into enzymes designed to break down dead protein in our diets.

According to Jon Barron, director of the Baseline of Health Foundation, supplementing with digestive enzymes at mealtime can ease that burden on the body so that it no longer has to divert it's resources. Supplementing with proteolytic enzymes between meals means that the enzymes can go straight into the bloodstream and augment the proteolytic functions that are occurring in your body 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

So what does this mean for your immune system? How can a proteolytic enzyme actually make a difference as to whether or not the cold your kids bring home from school will affect you? Simple. Barron writes that the primary vehicle the immune system uses for destroying invaders is enzymes. Macrophages for example literally digest invaders with proteolytic enzymes and supplementation significantly improves the ability of your immune system to do its job. Not only that, bacteria, molds, viruses and fungi are protein/amino acid based and proteolytic enzymes taken between meals literally go into the bloodstream and digest these invaders before they take hold.

Proteolytic enzymes are available in any and all health food stores. Barron recommends that whatever brand you choose needs to have a lot of protease – at least 200,000 HUT, 300,000 if you can find it. Make sure that your enzyme not only has protease, but a variety of types – allowing it to work optimally in a variety of pH ranges.

Here's to a cough and cold free season!