SUPER foods - Fruits

All fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices are super foods in my humble opinion... they all work together to help heal your body... eating only one color or type is as damaging as eating fast food / junk food every day... you need a well rounded diet to be completely healthy.  But... we consider some fruits and vegetables super foods because they help destroy horrible diseases, and help improve certain functions...

So, our list of super fruits begins with my all time favorite.  Blueberries.  Blueberries have high levels of manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and vitamin K.  They have a low glycemic index (for those that have been reading the blog - that relates to reducing hot flashes and diabetes), have many micronutrients and even are rich in fiber.  They have been shown through studies to help reduce cancer, the affects of Alzheimer's, increase brain function and healing, reduce kidney ailments and help kidneys function better, reduce cholesterol levels, help prevent bladder related infections, and they help fight heart disease among other things.

Goji Berries (Wolf Berries) are called the "happy" fruit.  Goji berries are usually found either dried or in juice form.  The dried berries look similar  in shape and size to raisins but are a orangish red color.  They have a very distinctive taste - tangy, sour, slightly sweet.  Personally - I don't like the dried fruit.  But when mixed with another juice (I prefer cherry) it is quite palatable.  It really doesn't take much of this potent juice to give you a positive boost.  Know that they are in the nightshade family.  Tibet and India have used Goji berries to help protect the liver, protect/improve eyesight, improve sexual function and fertility, strengthen the legs, boost immune function, improve circulation and promote longevity.  Tests have been shown that Goji berries destroy cancer cells, reduce cholesterol, and reduce blood glucose levels. 

Mango is one of the fruits I avoided when I was younger.  I never found the right person to teach me how to pick a good mango - or how to serve it - so I always had a bad taste in my mouth after trying it.  There are several types of mangoes - my favorites are the smaller yellowish ones.  You know they are ready to eat when they begin to weep from the end connected to the tree.  They should be firm and give just a little - NOT MUSHY.  slice as close to each side of the large pit as you can.  Score it into cubes, turn it inside out, and use your thumbs to push out the cubes.  If you peel it like you would an apple, you will have a nasty after taste.  The beta carotenes in them prevent cancer, particularly of the lung, esophagus and stomach. They also reduce risk of heart disease and improve immune function.  This link not only has great information on the health benefits of mangoes but also shows my favorite version - the yellow mango.  http://www.lifemojo.com/lifestyle/top-10-health-benefits-of-mangoes-23759891

Pomegranate is one juice that you should have in your refrigerator at all times.  Pomegranate aids in healing and preventing many cancers - prostate, lung, and breast primarily.  It promotes longevity and is known for its anti-aging properties.  Protects neonatal brain function, arteries, cartilage from deteriorating, fights Alzheimer's disease, lowers cholesterol and blood pressure, heals and strengthens bladder and kidney functions, helps cell regeneration, and helps strengthen the immune system.  Pomegranate can be served fresh or as a pure juice or as a mixed juice.  Pomegranate juice is quite tart and dry but great when mixed with other fruit juices.

Cranberries are another tart, dry juice with a lot of the same benefits as  pomegranates.  Very high levels of antioxidants help destroy cancer cells, improve immune system, and protect the heart.  Cranberries also help fight bacterial infections, bladder infections, fight heart disease, cancer, and lowers cholesterol levels. 

Now, a couple words on other professed super fruits.  Acai berry has been touted as a super fruit in recent times and now is under question.  While it has good levels of antioxidants, there have been no proven studies showing that it has a broad reach into any healing.  Mangosteen is another that has been touted as a super fruit.  It has more benefits than that of the acai berry, but still not enough to really qualify as a super fruit. 

SUPER foods - Vegetables

We are hearing more and more about "super fruits" and "super vegetables" but what does "super" mean? And why should we care? 

Super Vegetables - vegetables are very important to keep our bodies alkaline, and give us energy.  There are several vegetables that are important to well being.  Vegetables have been known to help you live longer, have better brain function, sleep better, maintain a healthy weight, fight disease, and help you look younger.

Asparagus - is the number one superfood, in my opinion.  Asparagus, eaten daily, has found to destroy cancer cells, remove tumors, aid in sleeping, aid in female hormone balancing, promoting fertility, aid in weight loss, healing the liver, and stimulating and healing the kidneys among other things.  As a child I couldn't stand asparagus, I had only had it canned or frozen.  I absolutely LOVE it now... put fresh stalks in a frying pan with a little butter, sesame oil, garlic and pepper... grill until just bright - it doesn't take long.  Or put on the grill when cooking burgers, chicken, and/or steak. 

This link has a great description of asparagus and its uses / benefits - http://www.herbsarespecial.com.au/free-herb-information/asparagus.html

Kale / Spinach - Dark green vegetables have so many health benefits.  Always try to eat your greens at lunch and take a walk afterwards.  The sun helps convert the phytoneutrients and provides the body a wonderful energy boost.  As for the benefits of Kale - Lessens occurrence of cancers (100’s of studies done worldwide), high in glucosinolates. (anti-carcinogens), excellent known cell detoxifier, lowers cataract risk, promotes lung health, protects against arthritis, slows loss of mental function.  Benefits of Spinach - fights blindness, helps prevent anemia, prevents tooth decay, prevents bladder disorders, aids in longer life, reduces the risk of diabetes, and prevents respiratory disorders.  Spinach was another of my "icky" vegetables as a child / teen.  I absolutely can't stand the taste of it cooked... even now.  But I have found a way to "cook" it and enjoy it.  I take a flavored tortilla (jalepeno & cheddar is my favorite) and put it in an omelette pan.  Spread half with feta cheese, pepper, and cayenne.  Turn on heat to medium and let the feta get warm.  Top with mushrooms, avocado, and spinach.  Fold the tortilla in half.  Cut into 1/3s and serve! Yumm..

Watercress - is a little known, easily grown green leafy vegetable.  You can find it naturally along lake and river beds.  It's taste is milder than spinach.  It's benefits are staggering - increases mental function / memory, helps to normalize cholesterol levels, helps to clean the blood of toxins, increases fertility, helps to fight cancer / kill cancer cells, helps fight eye disease, helps clear skin, helps strengthen bones, helps to fight lung disorders, and helps normalize thyroid function.  I like my watercress fresh and try to eat it in salads. 

Avocado - Another of my "icky" vegetables from my youth - is now one of my favorites.  In truth it is a fruit not a vegetable, but since most people think of it as a vegetable, we will put it here.  In the spring and summer I eat one a day.  Avocados help promote healthy skin, increases metabolism, known to fight several types of cancer (oral, prostate, and breast), fights heart disease, helps prevent strokes, lowers cholesterol levels, helps promote healthy eyes / vision, and helps fight diabetes. I shared my favorite way of serving avocado above.  It is also fabulous in GOOD guacamole with lots of lime, chile, and cilantro.

Mushrooms - Specifically Shitake... again I KNOW... not REALLY a vegetable... :)  But will be added here.  Mushrooms as a whole are very benefitial to the body.  Shitake mushrooms are known for promoting long life, reducing cholesterol numbers, promoting a healthy heart, fighting cancer, fighting HIV and Hepatitus B, fighting nutritional deficiencies, and promoting a strong immune system.  Shitake mushrooms are usually found in good hot and sour soup... mmm...

Onions - Oh yes! They are a "super vegetable" for sure!  Onions have been used for centuries as a medicinal vegetable.  They fight colds and lung conditions, repel bugs, lower blood pressure, help promote a healthy heart, fight cancer and tumors, increase bone density and the health of all connective tissue, reduce obesity, reduce allergies, promotes long life, reduces inflammation, and promotes healthy hair, skin, and nails among other things.  French Onion Soup is AH-MAZING!  I have a great recipe if anyone is interested. :)

The best way to get the antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals out of vegetables is to lightly saute or stirfry your vegetables until just bright.  "Just bright" means that they have changed color.  This usually means they are still crisp or barely wilted.  Never overcook your vegetables or you will lose most of the nutritional value. 

Recommended Reading

I have been asked to provide some reading material for those of you that are really interested in Naturopathy.  I will provide both a book list and several websites / newsletters for you to follow.

Books
"The Wisdom of Menopause" - Dr. Christiane Northrup
 - This book actually has bits and pieces for everyone.  An AWESOME read with loads and loads of great information.  I am not a fan of her email chain - it is more about what you want to buy rather than what you want to know... I am always more interested in an education.  She is also on FB, if interested.

"The Good Carb Cookbook" - Sandra Woodruff
- This book has a lot of good info on the Glycemic Index.  Honestly, I haven't used many of the recipes but I typically cook asian, when given the opportunity.

"Healthy Healing" - Linda Page
- This is an AWESOME book.  Dr. Page has a fresh logical approach to natural medicine.  There is so much info in here, that it will take a long time before I absorb it all.  She is one the first references I turn to when I have a question.

"The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods" - Michael Murray
- Almost 1000 pages thick... excellent reference.

"Folk Medicine" - DC Jarvis
- This one goes back into old time medicine and is the reason I picked up this one!

"Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health" - Rosemary Gladstar
- This is probably my favorite book so far.. it is a tiny book packed with a big punch!  Lots of ideas for men, women, kids, mental ailments, skin care regiment, etc... LOVE IT!

"Water Magic" - Mary Muryn
- Some lovely recipes for aromatherapy baths

"The Healing Aromatherapy Bath" - Margo Valentine Lazzara
- Margo goes into a lot of detail on the how and why of aromatherapy and includes wonderful recipes.

"Herbal Remedies" - Andrew Chevalier
- My favorite book on herbs - I just wish it was bigger.  It has lots of pictures and gives multiple uses, the safeness of the herb and a lot of good information.

"The Way of Herbs" - Michael Tierra
- A requirement for school and a good reference material.

"The Complete Guide to Herbal Medicines" - Charles W Fetrow / Juan R Avila
- I was looking for some more detail for unusual herbs, and this was the most detailed one I could find.  No pretty pictures though and not a deep dive into each herb.

"The Healing Powers of Vinegar" - Cal Orey
- Vinegar has so many different uses and benefits.... it is staggering!  I wouldn't know where to start for you... get it...

"Guide to Intuitive Healing" - udith Orloff MD
- I am a very bohemian woman and think way outside the box when it comes to healing.  Everyone has the ability to heal themselves... this is a good start.

"Energy Medicine" - Donna Eden
- This woman is AMAZING.  I can't praise her enough.  I am an avid follower and believe completely in the power of energy healing.  I have seen it work.  She has her own website and teaches energy healing. I do subscribe to her newsletter.

"Natural Health, Natural Medicine" - Andrew Weil
- Dr Weil was one of the first Naturopaths I followed, but I have had some issues with several of the directives he has made.  Overall, he is good.  He has his own website, but I don't subscribe any longer to his newsletter.

Websites / Newsletters
Donna Eden - http://www.innersource.net/em/
Dr Weil - http://www.drweil.com/
The Herb Companion - http://www.herbcompanion.com/
Local Harvest - http://www.localharvest.org/
Conscious Media Network - http://www.cmn.tv/category/interviews/

High Cholesterol

One of the most frequent questions I get is about High Cholesterol.  One of my best friends works out (he is a blackbelt in both Hapkido and Tae Kwon Do), is tall and slender, eats all the right foods, and still has to work to control his High Cholesterol.  Sometimes your genes / heredity really make you work to stay healthy. 

So, until my friend had High Cholesterol, I didn't know the basics of it... good cholesterol and bad cholesterol, good oils, bad oils... it is all quite confusing... they have done a pretty good job though to educate the general population about the basics of Cholesterol.  So that we are all on the same page - a brief overview.  Cholesterol is a fatty substance that is made in the liver.  When you get your Cholesterol tested you should be given three numbers - your total count, your HDL (good), and your LDL (bad) cholesterol.  Your total number should be below 200mg/Dl.  60mg/Dl is considered good for your HDL.  129mg/Dl is considered good for your LDL.  The higher the HDL and the lower the LDL the better.  And your triglycerides should be under 150mg/Dl. 

As I alluded to above, exercise and diet both play a big part in healthy cholesterol numbers.  Exercise is one of the most effective ways to reduce cholesterol numbers.  One of the ways it helps is that he helps to move the LDL to the liver to be broken down.  The more vigorous the exercise the better - you should be doing a minimum of 30 minutes of cardio daily.  Not only does it help break down the bad cholesterol but it also increases the number of your HDL.  So you get double benefits with exercise.  Maintaining optimal weight is also a factor with cholesterol as carrying excess weight increases the LDL that the liver must process.

Certain foods help keep your body alkaline and help maintain good cholesterol numbers - you might be surprised at several of them... almonds, walnuts, oatmeal, blueberries, salmon / tuna, red wine, soy, extra vergin olive oil, cayenne, green tea, apples, shitake mushrooms, artichoke, garlic, avocado, and dark green leafy vegetables.  And again, if there is a list of what you should eat... there is also a list of what to stay away from: fast food, fried food, processed foods, junk food, dairy, tropical oils, and sweets / baked treats.  You also have herbs that help - fenugreek, cayenne, garlic, hawthorne berries, flax seed, ginger,

Since LDL is broken down in the liver, good liver health is necessary... which means lowering alcohol and caffeine intake and increasing the intake of foods high in B complex vitamins, magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, and iron.  Green leafy vegetables, broccoli, organic fruit juices, nuts, seeds, legumes, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, and brussles sprouts.

Exercise and Eat your way healthy. :)

To HRT or NOT... there isn't even a question.

When I was 35 I had to have a full hysterectomy.  I fought it with everything I had inside of me.  I KNEW there was another way.. and I was still very new to Naturopathy at the time.  After six doctors all told me that there WAS no other way, and a week in bed in a fetal position from pain - I relented.  After surgery she told me I had to be on HRT (hormone replacement therapy) for the rest of my life.  I flatly refused.  I told her I would take it for the first year, because I knew it would help me heal faster (I had two major surgeries in six months and had almost died the last time due to a nicked artery in surgery) but after that she had better have a solution for me because I would not continue. 

When I went back for my one year follow up, she tried to write me a script for more!  Again she tried to tell me why I needed it - fights heart disease (actually the proof is leaning the opposite direction), fights Osteoporosis (studies show no proof), fights breast cancer (actually increases this likelihood), and fights stroke (again, increases the chances).  Instead I shared what I had learned.  HRT increases the chance of cervical cancer, increases the chance of needing joint replacement surgery, increases the chance for blood clots, increases the chance for ovarian cancer, increases the chance for Dementia, and a whole host of other FATAL diseases.  WHY would I want that just to stop from having hot flashes and night sweats?

So, I started researching.  I got all the books I could find, researched online, talked to Naturopathic doctors and learned a LOT.  One of the books I recommend to EVERY woman is Dr. Christiane Northrup's "The Wisdom of Menopause."  It was a wonderful starting place for me and REALLY made me think about why I had so many problems with my menses.  She was the one to show me that your body gives warning signs when not in balance.  You will have to read her book to get the full picture but I will share a piece of it here.

I will go into detail about Chakras and Meridians, but in short we have seven Chakras or energy centers in our body.  Each one corresponds to a part of the body and to ailments within those organs.  So, the second chakra represents the uterus, ovaries, vagina, cervix, large intestines, lower vertebrae, pelvis, appendix, and bladder.  The mental and/or emotional issues related to the second chakra are personal power, sex, money, relationships, fertility, individual creativity, co-creation with others, boundaries in relationships, dependency vs. independence, giving vs. taking, and assertiveness vs. passivity.  WOW!  This spoke to me very strongly.  I had had issues in my marriage.  I was a fearful, dependant woman.  If I had faced my issues, resolved my relationship issues at a younger age - I would never have gotten to the point of having surgery.

We all need to resolve the issues in our life that cause us stress and mental anguish.  Our personal and professional relationships need to be healthy.  Our self-worth and world view must be positive and self accepted.  So, any major issues we have - cancer, heart disease, stroke, etc... all began as little issues that we ignored, and that caused the "warning" sign to become more and more acute. 

So, how did I deal with the hot flashes and night sweats?  Well,,, I still have them, BUT they are minor.  The first two years was awful.  I wish someone had shared with me, what I am sharing with you... it would have saved me so much grief!!!  The one thing I found that rung true with me was food.  I read somewhere about the Glycemic Index and began playing with it... I found that when I ate things that had a high Glycemic Index in the evening, I would have terrible night sweats.  For example... I thought I was making wise choices when I ate carrots as an evening snack, but I would have night sweats.  When I changed to an apple, I didn't have the night sweats.  The book that helped the most was actually a cookbook from Sandra Woodruff called "The Good Carb Cookbook."  I choose to eat my complex carbs in the morning (ie. oatmeal) so that my body can burn it off... and my low glycemic index foods in the evening.

The other thing I added to my diet was the Omegas.  I don't eat enough foods that give me the appropriate omega count so I take an Omega 3-6-9 gelcap each day.

Happy eating!  Happy healing!

Dragging a Weight...

Most of us get tired and run down on occasion, but are you one of the millions of people that have chronic fatigue?  Even first thing in the morning are you exhausted?  Do you feel like you are dragging around a 20 pound weight?  What causes it?

There are several possibilities - let's hit the obvious that I am not touching - not getting enough sleep, drinking two pots of coffee every day, drinking sodas and caffeinated drinks right before bed.  Those are the "DUH" reasons.  Dehydration, Hypothyroidism, Anxiety, Anemia, Adrenal Fatigue, Nutritional Deficiencies, Stress, Pharmaceutical Drugs, and several diseases all can cause chronic fatigue. 

You need to figure out what your issue is, and resolve it - otherwise, the problem will continue to manifest - possibly in more damaging ways.  Your body sends out warnings when things aren't right - when you need to FIX something (Mental, Diet, Exercise) and when you ignore the small warning signs, all that happens is that larger more pressing ones occur. 

In the meantime.... here are some suggestions for the warning sign of fatigue:
1. Get enough sleep - most people need about 8 hours of sleep every night.  If you have problems getting to sleep or staying asleep try 30 minutes of light exercise, yoga, or Pilate's.  Turn down your lights 2 hours or more before you want to go to bed.  Turn down music/tv volume same amount of time before bed.  Drink something warm 30 minutes before bed - stay away from sugary and/or caffeinated drinks. 
2. Light exercise / yoga / Pilate's first thing in the morning.  Wake 20 minutes before usual and spend the time to meditate and exercise your body before getting started.
3. Shower in the morning.  add some scented soap or bath salts that invigorate your senses.  Scent is a great way to wake up your mind as well.
4. Turn on all the lights in the room you begin your day in.  Light wakes the senses and mind.
5. Take your daily herbs and supplements.  Emergen-C is a great supplement that I take all winter long - it has both Vitamin C and Vitamin B in it and can be taken up to 4 packets a day... I recommend as a preventative only one a day - first thing in the morning.  Vitamin B is a mental booster and will help charge you up.
6. Ginkgo Biloba is a mental booster.  Will help give more of a positive outlook on the day. 
7. Goji is the "happy" fruit.  I don't like the flavor of the juice straight - but mixed with cherry (my favorite) it isn't bad.  you only need about 1/2 a cup to feel the effects.
8. Turn on some lively, bouncy music in the morning - make sure it is something with a positive beat and a positive message.

Wake up your senses...

Stressing over Anxiety...

I got a question about anxiety from my cousin last week.  I know several people - adults, teens, and adolescents that suffer from anxiety.  To a certain extent we all do - new situations, having to confess something we are guilty of doing, leaving behind an old life, etc.  And like a lot of things, different people call the same thing different names - anxiety, stress, depression, worry, fear... we are going to talk about real anxiety - the type that can cause phobias, panic attacks, and potentially some life threatening issues.

About 4m people suffer from the most common type of Anxiety - GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder) in any given year and more women are typically affected than men.  There isn't any one thing that causes anxiety most agree that genetics, brain chemistry, and life experiences all play a part.  While we can't change anything with genetics - we can make the most of our life experiences (mental attitude) and brain chemistry (diet/exercise).

You will find several things repeated in my blog over and over again.  The three premises of natural medicine are mental well being, diet, and exercise.  As you see, this is a prefect example of this.  Every facet of our lives contain all three of these aspects.  If one is out of whack, you are not well.  Make sense? 

Mental attitude.  Did you know that a positive attitude releases dopamine, tryptophan, and serotonin in the brain - these are "happy" chemicals.  A negative attitude breaks down cells and changes the body chemistry into a more acidic rather than alkaline - which is what you need it to be.  We have all heard that positive people live longer than negative ones.  Music can help with attitude too - too often we don't realize how much music affects us.  Next time you have some quiet, private time (I know - I am dreaming) listen to different types of music and pay attention to your reaction to it... how does it make you feel, what thoughts does it provoke, what colors do you think of, what do you smell... Scent also plays a huge part in a positive attitude.  My favorite scent is cinnamon, it makes me happy.  When I need a quick pick me up - I light some cinnamon candles and relax... it never fails to bring a smile to my face.  My favorite saying to my kids is, "What will be, will be" or "it is what it is."  When a stressful situation arises that I can't change, I repeat that to remind myself that there are things in life that I can't change, and that I have to let go.  It works.  Most people with anxiety disorders allow their every day stresses to manifest into larger issues.  Learning to let go, is very important.  When we get to exercise, we will have some additional help with "letting go."

Diet.  Let's start with the things NOT to eat - Caffeine, chocolate, sodas, processed foods, fried foods, junk food, and dairy.  These are pretty standard for everyone, not just those affected by anxiety - but they WILL exacerbate the situation more radically than for other people.  Everything is building blocks - so don't feel that you must remove all of these things on day one.  So... what should you be eating.  Foods rich in Vitamin B - Tuna, Salmon, Snapper, Scallops, Mushrooms, Sunflower Seeds, Black Beans and other legumes, Spinach and other dark green leafy vegetables, Bananas, Edamame, and Nuts,  And then our herbs - fresh Basil, Passion Flower, St. John's Wort, Ginkgo Biloba, Meadow Sweet, and Kava Kava.  Now, with herbs - if you are unfamiliar with the herb and how much to take, I urge you STRONGLY to get a book about herbs and understand potential allergies, interactions, etc... like pharmaceutical drugs, some herbs can be dangerous in large doses or when mixed with other herbs and drugs.  In addition, you will need to try them out and see what works best for you.

Exercise.  I am addicted to exercise.  As a child, I hated gym class and exercise in general.  My whole world changed when we moved to Hawaii and I was able to exercise every day.  We hiked, biked, bladed, swam and walked every day.  And then when I started studying martial arts... I couldn't believe how addicted I was.  I never realized that exercise was a natural high for me.  The more I did, the happier and healthier I was.  For people suffering from anxiety, you may just need some quiet time and not the full intense workouts that I am used to doing.  Yoga techniques.  Deep breathing techniques. Tai Chi.  These are FABULOUS helps for both stress and anxiety.  You need to really start changing your mental attitude - replace the "I can't" with "Let's see what we can do" and "I think I can."

I KNOW you can make a change... think positively!