Food For Thought

If you are eating well you shouldn't feel tired.

Salt tends to over-stimulate the adrenal glands, whereas sugar tends to over-stimulate the pancreas.

If you are experiencing headaches, cold sweats, or get cold just after eating, your body is giving strong signals that you are out of whack. 


Coffee stimulates the endocrine/nervous system as a whole. It can over-stimulate our nervous system. If you are experiencing sharp spikes of energy with subsequent 'crashes' you may want to look at caffeine as a culprit. Carbohydrates can be another hidden simulator with a similar spike and crash pattern.

Using stimulants to kick an under-nourished body is rather like beating a tired horse. If your body is not looking or acting the way you would like, be prepared to make the necessary changes.

Food should energize through nutrition, not stimulation

I remember reading an article about a young man who traveled across the United States for employment and used only hot sauce to keep him awake, rather than coffee.  He arrived in New York State feeling alert and energized.

Being out of the spiral of stimulating foods means that I can trust my body to nudge me towards what it really needs. 

There are certain foods that just make me feel better. My body loves carrots, spinach, dandelion, kale and beets. These are my own personal super foods. I crave them. Sometimes I want meat. I tend to use the 24 hour delay button here and see if I can make my body happy by supplementing protein and Floradix iron or having a meal with beets. If that does not satisfy, then a meat meal it is.

Foods I would avoid:

Junk foods/Prefab foods/Franken-foods, refined foods, Sugar/Salt laden foods, Canned foods/Frozen Foods, Toxic Fats/Deep Fried Foods, De-vitalized foods, Moldy foods such as mushrooms, peanuts and pistachios, simple carbohydrates and Carbonated drinks.

Eating Lower on the Food Chain

The higher up on the food-chain that we consume, the more accumulated toxins the food contains. 

Eating lower on the food chain not only means cleaner food, but can also mean less expensive food. 

(Diet for a Small Planet)

Another name for diet is ‘food style’. One ‘food style’, known as ‘food combining’ which is outlined in the
The Fit for Life Diet. ( advises eating proteins and carbohydrates at separate meals.  This really takes the stress off the whole digestive engine).  

The Blood Type Diet is a wonderfully researched thesis that focuses on the genetic/antibody link to foods.  For example, Type O is typically the meat eating, hunter/gatherer, whereas Type A is Agrarian.  Type A’s usually do well with a vegetarian diet.

We are hardwired for Feast and Famine.  You can’t fool the body.  If you have a ‘starvation and boom and bust’ kind of eating style, your body will prepare for famine and conserve every calorie.  Deprivation just doesn't work to control weight. Maintaining a personalized food style works.

The wise choice is to eat foods that are lower in calories and higher in nutrition.  Usually people eat food that is nutritionally empty, laden with calories, and too much of it.

When high activity makes physical demands on one’s body, repair with quality protein and eat just enough carbohydrates to maintain a good energy level.  The best choice is complex carbohydrates such as unrefined whole grains, which allow a slower glucose release into the bloodstream.

It isn’t just what we eat, but when we eat.  The Body Type Diet looks at the dominant glandular tendencies and food choices that over-work specific endocrine glands.  For example, I notice that if I eat too much too late in the day, I am unusually hungry all the next day.  If I eat a heavy breakfast, I am unusually hungry all day long. It doesn’t work for me.

When your systems are working well, and your food style is in balance with your life, still be prepared to make ongoing changes.  We are constantly changing too, and our food choices need to reflect our real needs on a personal and physical level day to day.

My favorite diet is The Dolly Parton Diet. The reality is that your first taste of anything is an explosion of sensation in your mouth.  The second taste is good, but by the third spoonful, you can no longer taste what you are eating. A teaspoon of anything isn't too much, calorie wise, but why eat volume when you can no longer taste your food?

Staying Healthy with the Seasons

Changes in the seasons create big changes in the body.  Extremes in temperature and humidity can really stress the body’s coping mechanisms, not only in detoxification but endocrine balance as well.

This is the wisdom behind eating watermelon and cucumbers, raw foods, fruits and salads that cool us in the heat of the summer.  In the winter we are attracted to soups, stews, foods that are oven baked.  All of this tends to create more warming for the body.

With this in mind, we can maximize our personal ‘house-cleansing’ of primary elimination systems at these peak times of year.  In the spring, the body is focused on cleansing the liver system, which includes the blood and intestines. In the fall, the body is focused on flushing the kidneys and the whole genito-urinary system and cleaning the blood. 

A simple way of looking at this is that in the spring the wood element is highlighted – hot and juicy (liver), and full of growth and expansion. In the fall the water element is highlighted – cold and damp (kidneys), and 

the body is conserving and contracting.  The foods we eat every day make a tremendous change in how effective these peak times are maximized.  The quote “Let food be your medicine” is certainly true.

What is your personal super-food?

I have been approached by so many people over the years, each selling a plethora of products guaranteed to ‘cure whatever ails ya’.  How could one product be good for everyone? For example, Chamomile herb is in the same family as ragweed.  Needless to say, it doesn't affect us all in the same way. 

Fortunately, by using bio-feedback testing, such as specialized kinesiology, it is easy to assess what your personal needs are and what specific nutrients meets this need in the most body-friendly way.

 

The following is a list of nutrients that in my experience have been on many people’s ‘top picks’ of super-foods.  Don’t assume that you need to supplement all of them.

ü  Green Food Blends (Vegge Green) - These blends nourish, as well as detoxify & alkalize the body.

ü  Minerals: Make sure these are ‘body friendly’

        

Calcium

            Magnesium

            Iron

            Iodine

            Multi Mineral

ü  Antioxidants:

            Co-enzyme Q 10

            Network Antioxidants (Phytoberry)

            Lutein

            Grapeseed Extract

            Lycopene

ü  Digestive Enzymes

ü  Digestive Tonics

ü  Essential Fatty Acids

ü  Vitamin C (Ester C)

ü  Vitamin B & B Complex

Manufacturing quality is always important. Choose top quality companies.  Be tested and make sure that the brand you are using is really performing for you, and that you are getting the optimal amounts. 

What I mean by that, is some people are taking too much at once whereas taking less over a long 
period of time would help make profound gains in well'being. I have to say again, that if you are not 
putting top quality in, you are not going to experience the change your hoping for. Worse yet, what you are using may by toxic, or a elimination burden to your body.

Spend a little more and get a lot more results.

Pre and Post Surgery Suggestions for the Naturally Inclined

I tend to hang around with a healthy crowd who abhor unnecessary medical intervention. However, occasionally there may be a time to consider surgery as the best option of treatment.  

One of my friends (who is a health and exercise nut) had to make a serious choice around her worsening scoliosis. In my own life, it was an emergency C-Section. My client's son had severely impacted wisdom teeth that has to be dealt with. 

Even purists sometimes have to take this long road

Surgery can be a reasonable the answer when we are looking at increased suffering over the long haul without it. If surgery is how it has to go down, the best path is to be fully prepared and resourced going into it.

Go into it as well rested

Surgery is rather like running a long race; the better shape you are going into it, the better shape you will be coming out of it. Toned tissue bounces back easier. This means don’t stop moving. Try to keep being as active as possible.

Be as well-nourished as possible

Most people go into surgery already nutritionally starving. Pre-surgery is no time to be counting calories. You need to stock up on quality nutrition beforehand.

What you need is optimal nutrition to maximize your healing potential

Protein

Protein is the body’s building blocks for healing tissues. Finding sources of plant protein may be helpful. This can be beans and legumes, quinoa, nuts and seeds. I like Harmonized Vegan Protein by Progressive Nutrition. Is has for instance, yellow pea, cranberry seed, chia seed, rice and hemp proteins. It is easy to digest and tastes great. It is an easy addition to any smoothie recipe.

Network Antioxidant

 Free radicals are what damage our cells and a good quality network antioxidant is essential for optimal healing.

Essential Fatty Acids

Essential fatty acids feed our brain, spine and nervous systems as well as our immune system. EFA’s also reduce inflammation.

Trace Minerals

Trace minerals are essential for healing.  Zinc in particular is vital for cell repair and regrowth. Without it, we do not heal quickly.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is essential for the production of collagen in our bodies.  Top up on a good quality Ester C with Bioflavanoids (circulation support) up to a month before your treatment date. Delete for 3 days before your surgery. Then as soon as possible after, continue with Vitamin C again. I like Progressive Nutrition Vitamin C complex. It is a totally food sourced Vitamin C with food sourced Bioflavanoids. I also like Emergen-C. It comes in 1,000 mg sachets that are easy to mix in water if your wee patient is groggy or unable to do much more than take sips of water. The recommended amount of Vitamin C is 1,000 mg 3x daily.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A increases the strength of our cell membranes. It also reduces our risk of infections.

Co-Enzyme Q 10

This antioxidant helps support our oxygen uptake.

High fiber

If your diet is high in fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains, nuts and seeds, you will be in good shape. What you don’t want is a lot of sudden change in diet that adds constipation to your list of grievances. Pre-plan meals and have them brought in to you especially if you have to stay in hospital for more than a day.  Don’t expect an industrial kitchen to have health in mind or bend to your needs or preferences.

Vitamin E mixed tocopherols

Try to source out a natural form of Vitamin E. Mixed Tocopherols are more complete for the body’s needs. This helps our tissues to be more elastic.

 

Bach Rescue Remedy for trauma and shock

This is easy to have in your pocket. You can put drops under the tongue or put a drop or 2 on the wrist. You can even put a drop or two in the navel.

Probiotics

Probiotics are essential after surgical procedures. This is even more so if antibiotics have been routinely given. I would suggest starting with HMF which is a unique human strain. You can use others, but this is the best front line choice.

Protein Digesting Enzymes

I recommend Bromelain Papain+ to reduce scaring. This is not the surface of the skin, but the deep tissues where scar tissue can impair natural function and communication in the body for decades to come. This enzyme formula also reduces inflammation. In this instance it would be taken away from food.

Oil of Oregano and Grapeseed Extract

Thwart infections that often have the hospital as its source. An easy way to take either of these is to open a Vitamin C capsule and add 1 drop of Oil of Oregano or extract. Put the capsule back together and take with water.

Water

Water is essential when you are flushing medications out of the body. I like adding Emergen-C  to help this along further. Rather than downing lots of water at once, make as your goal to drink 2 ounces every half hour.

Dental/Wisdom Teeth

To remove local freezing use homeopathic Hypericum 30k, 1 dose every 15 minutes. Alternate the Hypericum with homeopathic Arnica 30 k. Wait 5 minutes between doses. Arnica helps to reduce fluid bruising and swelling. Wound healing – Hypericum MT

General anesthetic most natural physicians recommend Vitamin C.

Other factors may improve your healing experience

Go into this as well rested and overall as healthy as you can. Learn all you can about the procedures you are facing and do your research.  Find out all you can about how to speed and enhance your healing.

Peace and happiness is the perfect environment for healing Surround yourself with positive people. Legislate for yourself a ‘zero-negative-word zone’. As soon as someone starts to talk about their awful hospital experience or their ills aches and pains or what medications they are on or how they or someone they knew almost died and ……well, you get the picture. Nip it in the bud. You don’t need to hear it and they don’t need to share it.

Focus on Your Goal and Aim For a Positive Outcome

Your goal should be to bounce back quickly and easily. Our body works and heals in 12 week cycles. Continue your nutrition throughout those pivotal 12 weeks. Try gentle stretching or even a yoga program to get you back to yourself.

I may have forgotten to mention a bijillion things here, but if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me.

Going Away Check List

Going away to visit another ecology can be challenging for us.

I have often seen people suffering from unexplained ills that have a pivot point of travel to another climate/overseas. We may have the benefit of a resistant immune system at home.

Travel to exotic destinations are a whole different kettle of fish.

So what can we do?
The obvious would be to be cautious of water supply for drinking. This applies to ice cubes and frozen fruit treats. Wash fruits and vegetables in a mild peroxide solution. I like a product called 'Oxygen Solution. It is effective  and a basin of water only needs 10 drops or so.  Grapeseed extract is another really potent anti-bacterial solution. This can be used by the drop internally so it is safe for foods. 

So here is a basic run down on prevention

Acidophilus

It is important to fill the intestines with bacteria that produce low toxins.  This increases resistance by ‘filling the space’ and reduces the change of opportunistic organisms to proliferate in the intestines unchecked. If you can’t provide some degree of refrigeration, look for an entero coated product that will stay stable even in the heat.

Udo Super 5 from Flora is an oral version that inoculates the mouth, throat and stomach.  This needs to be kept cool.

Melatonin/ Insomnia Pellets

I prefer Melatonin Time Released by Innovite.  Take 4 or 5 at once, and then reduce the amount by one the next night and so on, if you are sleeping better.  Insomnia Pellets by Homeocan, are also helpful to keep sleeping patterns back on track, especially when jet lagged.  Our bodies have a Circadian rhythm that can become interrupted by travel through different time zones.  Also if you are a person who is always waking up at 3 in the morning like clockwork, this is a ‘blip’ in the Circadian rhythm.

Another essential is Emergen-C, an mineral ascorbate powder that goes fizzy when you put it in water. Comes in great flavours. My fav is Lemon/lime. When you feel wonky, head achy, queasy or your digestion feels wonky, cut back on food for a short time and try this. Use 1/2 packet at a time every hour, up to 4 doses.  

Unda # 710 Homeopathic Complex

As a preventative, take 5 drops morning and 5 drops at bedtime.  This remedy tends to be more for ears, nose, throat, and sinuses.  For people who have ear trouble when traveling by airplane this would be started a week or more before the flight. For general resistant to airborne pathogens, take 5 drops at bedtime only.

Unda # 37 Homeopathic Complex

Is to support and fight pathogens such as virus and bacteria.  5 Drops at bedtime is suggested for prevention, but when fighting something, take 5 drops morning and night.

Unda # 39 Homeopathic Complex

This complex discourages parasites from gaining a toe-hold.  Take 5 drops at bedtime throughout the vacation.  No matter what, be really careful of water supply while away.  Remember that ice cubes are local water.

Vitamin C/Vitamin A

This is generally great to take to increase protection and immunity and cell integrity (resistance).  Also Vitamin D3 400 IU daily can help resist flu and colds.

Multi Vitamin/Mineral

If you are going to the trouble of hauling a multi vitamin/mineral around and commit to taking a multi with every darn meal, make sure it is a really good quality and is absorbed well.  I prefer Progressive Nutrition formulas.  They are in capsules rather than tablet form.

Oil of Oregano/Echinacea/Goldenseal

Oil of Oregano is an antiseptic whereas Echinacea is an immune simulator.  Echinacea is good to have handy, in case of infection or onset of illness, but oil of oregano is safe to use every day preventatively.  Goldenseal herb is a great infection fighter, especially in a viral overgrowth, but again is used if and when needed.

Here is an interesting way to use Oil of Oregano. It is my airport special.

Eye Drops

The trouble with eye drops is that they are usually preserved with something nasty.  Ephrasia Stilidoses is homeopathic Eyebright herb, in single application ampules.  This is great to use to flush the eyes after swimming in chlorine treated pools or in lakes and oceans. Sisu also makes a good natural eye drop formula that will soothe and clean the sensitive eye tissue.  Just a note, that Katherine Hepburn had trouble with her eyes after the making of the movie, ‘African Queen’.  This ongoing problem was contributed to the river water where they were filming.

Fiber/Water

It is a good idea to keep up fiber intake in you diet while away, especially for those who tend to be toilet-shy when away from home.  Take it easy on fruit if your system is not used to it.  Fruit all of a sudden in the bowel can lead to a bout of constipation. Keep hydrated throughout the day. 

Calendula Cream or Mother Tincture

Calendula Tincture, diluted is great to have on hand for scrapes and minor burns, including sunburn.  This also helps to protect the skin from infection as well as speed heal.  Calendula MT is also good for taking out the itch and reducing inflammation.   Not the best choice if the skin is broken.

Hypericum Mother Tincture

Hypericum Tincture, diluted is great to use in place of alcohol or peroxide for an open wound or when the skin is broken.  This can be used in the form of a spray.  Hypericum MT is as well as being an antiseptic, an aid to speed the healing process.  Hypericum MT helps the body to heal from the inside out rather than healing over the surface, and perhaps locking debris within.

Sunscreen/mineral makeup

Sunscreen is essential when traveling to hot climates.  Mineral make up applied by brush is the best protection from sun.  It will not easily sweat or wash off.  Men with extra forehead will do well with mineral makeup.  It is like a thick layer of zinc cream without the cream.  Sensitive skin will do well with this approach.

Adrenal Support

If you need to recoup and restore your energy while away, consider maximizing your build by adding an adrenal supplement to your daily plan.  If you plan to hike all day and dance all night, an adrenal supplement will help carry you through so you don’t arrive back home exhausted.

Liver/Kidney Detox

When vacationing we can often eat more than we usually would at home, and often drink more alcohol than we should.  Look after your filter systems by doing a mild detox daily.  This can be in the form of fresh lemon/lime in pure drinking water, or chlorophyll concentrate in your drinking water.  Take lighter meals the day after overindulging, and drink lots of water.  Homeopathic Nux Vomica 30k can really help the liver to de-tox.

Choline/Nux Vomica 200k

Food poisoning can happen anywhere.  Sometimes the liver and gall bladder have just had enough of our overindulgence.  For nausea, take 1 Choline every 15 minutes until the nausea stops.  Nux Vomica can also be taken at 15-230 minute intervals.  Ginger can be helpful as well, fresh in a tea or in capsules.

Ginger caps/tea/Nux Vomica/Coculus Indicus 200k

Motion sickness can be helped by a natural approach.  You may want to have what you usually use on hand just in case the above doesn't work as well as you would like.

Digestive enzymes

It is wonderful to have fun times where we share great food and great friends.  However, feasts can lead to a burdening of the digestive system.  For example when corn on the cob is added to the rest of the menu, nothing gets digested.  Corn is a considered to be a carbohydrate rather than a vegetable; therefore it can easily be digested when combined with other carbohydrates as well as vegetable.

Food combining has been championed by such food gurus as Harvey and Marilyn Diamond and Suzanne Somers.  Basically you don’t eat proteins and carbohydrates in the same meal.  Fruits (as well as deserts) are eaten alone. 

Digestive enzymes are genuine relief when eating a variety of foods together.  Some products are more carbohydrate specific, others are more protein specific.  If you are burpy and gassy, enzymes will change your world.  Pay attention to what you eat that causes your system to be hurting or in an uproar.

So What If?

If you tend to notice trouble with after eating bread or sugar, this may be a yeast or Candida issue.  Increasing acidophilus may help.

If you develop skin issues, heads up; something is going on in the blood. Get checked out as soon as you can. To be sure, plan a check up for when you get back home. Nipping things in the bud as always a better plan.