I just realized that I haven’t had a canker sore since I started my raw food lifestyle almost three years ago!  One of the big benefits of eating more living food is that your body chemistry becomes balanced in minerals, acidity, and alkalinity.  (You can do a self-test to determine whether your body fluids are either too acidic or too alkaline by following the test in the book, Prescription For Nutritional Healing on pg. 65).

What else causes canker sores?  Canker sores can be brought on by fatigue, stress, fever, menstrual cycles, nutritional deficiencies and sensitivity to certain foods.  They can be small, or large as a quarter with a red border and white center.  A well balanced, nutritious diet is vital.  As I said previously, I was a vegetarian and eating healthy, I thought, but still getting canker sores.  Once I turned to a living food lifestyle, not only did canker sores disappear, but allergies, stomach aches and headaches also diminished.  Some foods that contribute to canker sores are cherries, chocolate, citrus fruits, nuts, tomato products and animal protein, which produces excess body acid.  When you have an outbreak, eating a bland diet with no acidic fruit, salty or spicy foods, or sugary foods should lessen the discomfort.  Plain yogurt is helpful or taking acidophilus tablets.

Studies showed that some canker sore sufferers were deficient in iron and B vitamins.  These two seem to be deficient in many people.  Vitamin E applied directly to the sore can lessen its duration.  Using baking soda or table salt on the canker sore will temporarily relieve pain.  I tried this many times and it didn’t work for me.  Reducing acidic beverages like orange juice always helped me, and reducing stress in your life….that’s another common cause of many of the dis-ease in the body.  Try yoga, meditation, any form of exercise where you can shut off the mind and go into the body to feel, is great for stress reduction.

Some folk remedies for you.  Aloe vera gel, moist tea bag (red raspberry, sage, chamomile, goldenseal, or strawberry), antacid tablet or a swish of milk of magnesia in the mouth may reduce the inflammation and garlic capsules act as a natural antibiotic.

Here’s what Louise Hay says about canker sores in her book Heal Your Body….Festering words held back by the lips. Blame.  A mantra to help you?  I create only joyful experiences in my loving world.

Take what resonates with you.  Assimilate it into your life and eliminate the rest.

Experiment with what works for you.  Be proactive about your health and well being.

Sores that last more than 3 weeks should be evaluated by your physician.  This information should not take the place of your primary doctor.

Do you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep?  These problems could be short term, lasting for less than 3 weeks, or a chronic condition.  Insomnia could be due to anxiety, mental stress, nutritional deficiencies, poor sleep habits, physical disorders like sleep apnea (a breathing problem), or a reaction to medications.  A good night’s sleep consists of four or five 60-90 minute cycles, REM (rapid eye movement) and four stages of light-to-deep non-REM sleep, in order to achieve physical and mental well-being.

Here’s something I didn’t know, minimum daily requirements for sleep are genetically determined.  Your sleep pattern will stabilize in early adulthood and vary from 4 to more than 10 hours in a 24 hour period.  I am a 8-10 hour sleeper.  My daughter is a 10-12 hour sleeper.  She started that when she was a baby and continued through her teens, although college life has drastically changed that pattern!  Before I started yoga, I was experiencing levels of insomnia, waking up at night and obsessing over what was coming up the next day or analyzing what happened yesterday.  It seemed I had fallen out of my habit of being a good sleeper.  And that was exactly what happened.  I was under high emotional stress and getting up at night and going downstairs to eat something had become my new pattern.  I had to retrain my brain and body.  Yoga helped with that.  It calmed down my “monkey mind” and reminded me that I could get back in control of my sleep pattern.  I started rituals before sleep.  Going through the day and being grateful for all that happened and setting an intention to have a good night’s sleep before I closed my eyes.  Turning my clock to face away from me was another way I stopped obsessing.  I no longer looked at the clock when I woke up in the middle of the night.  So many people tell me they wake up at a certain time every night.  I ask them, “How do you know what time it is?”

I believe the best sleep is achieved between the hours of 10 and 2 am.  Avoiding caffeine, heavy meals, and strenuous exercise for 3-5 hours before bedtime can help you fall asleep.  Limit mildly stimulating factors like alcohol and nicotine.  James Balch, from his book, Prescription For Nutritional Healing, says…”Foods like cheese, chocolate, sauerkraut, bacon, ham, sausage, eggplant, potatoes, spinach and tomatoes contain tyramine, which increases the release of norepinephrine, a brain chemical stimulant, causing insomnia”. Try relaxing with a warm bath or shower, soothing music or reading.  Get up at the same time every morning, if you have to nap, limit them to one hour and go to bed one hour later.  Increasing foods that contain iron and copper may improve your sleep.  Dried beans and fruits, red meat, nuts, tofu, also may help you maintain sleep. For nervous tension that creates sleep problems, try carrot juice combined with apple, grape pear or pineapple.

Want to try a supplement?  Thinking there’s something else missing?  Try B complex, Vitamin C, or some natural alternatives like herbal teas containing chamomile, hops, passion flower, peppermint, rosemary and valerian root.  I lived on the homeopathic remedy of Nux Vomica for a long time.  And there is that one ingredient, which by now should be in your cupboard and is called the Vermont remedy, 3 tablespoon apple cider vinegar with honey and water.  Massage?  Pinch just above the bridge of the nose, and inch behind each earlobe, the center of the nape of the neck or massage the sole, heel, sides, ankle and the tops of your feet.  Here’s the best remedy…deep breathing!  Slow, deep breathing….full belly breathing.  Set your intentions for the night and do some slow counting backwards from 100.

And here’s Louise Hay’s take on insomnia..Fear, not trusting the process of life.  Guilt.  Your mantras for the evening?  I lovingly release the day and slip into peaceful sleep, knowing tomorrow will take care of itself.

Wishing you sweet dreams.

If your symptoms persist, please visit your doctor. The information written here should not take the place of your primary care doctor.

I know…it’s hard to talk about, but it’s actually one of my favorite subjects.  Poop and the inability to poop.  Let’s face it guys, EVERYONE POOPS!  Whether it’s infrequent or difficult to pass, in order for your body to eliminate waste materials (that which it does not need), you must have a regular bowel movement.  One to three bowel movements a day is normal.  If that is just not happening for you….then let’s talk about getting things moving and why they don’t move.

Food sitting too long in the stomach and moving too slowly through the large bowel are the common causes of constipation.  I was never regular until I started the raw lifestyle.  This diet will flush a lot through.  Though I have heard of many people who are on the raw food diet and still do not have daily bowel movement.  We’ll talk about that later on.  “It is important that the bowels move on a daily basis.  The body normally excretes waste in eighteen to twenty-four hours.  Harmful toxins can form after this period.”  Prescription For Nutritional Healing .  Are you chewing your food thoroughly?  Is it liquid when you swallow?  Are you taking your time eating?  If you are sending large hunks of food into your stomach, it will sit there too long.  Undigested food hanging around the stomach will collect and give off bacteria.  This bacteria poops too!  And it will feed the bad cells in your body.  I’m pretty sure I don’t want that.  How about you?  It is my intention as I eat, for the food to be digested, assimilated and eliminated.  No hanging around in there.  Are you lacking foods rich in fiber?  Are there not enough liquids in your diet?  I’m not talking about soda and coffee.  I’m talking about fresh juices, fresh veggies, and GREENS!  Liquefying these greens, fruits and veggies allows the body to absorb more quickly the much needed nutrients and vitamins.  That will send what’s not needed by your body into your colon for immediate release.  Now departing…..yesterday’s breakfast, lunch and dinner….track four. 

What can you do if you are doing all these things and you still don’t have regular bowel movements?  Regularity also means time of day.  Once I went high raw, my bathroom time turned into a routine.  Same time of the day every day.  Set a time aside every day to make regular undisturbed visits to the bathroom.  Delaying nature’s signal will produce hard, dry stools and will train the bowel to malfunction.  So get moving.  Literally.   A Yoga twist before eating, brisk walking or bicycle riding will massage the bowels allowing for a smooth movement.   Emotional stress can also cause constipation.  Stress?   Who has that?  Are you kidding me?  Increasing your daily fiber and liquids can prevent or correct constipation.  But it’s a daily thing guys. Not just once a week.  Try prunes, apples, carrots or bran.  Better yet….juice your veggies and fruits.   Fresh apple juice, cucumber, or a green smoothie.   Herbal tea can also send your waste packing.  Stay away from dairy, white flour and sugar.  Fasting is also something you could try.  Allowing the body a rest in the digestion process for one day, then breaking your fast with fresh juice.

Here are some supplements for you to try if all else fails.  Start a daily shot of wheatgrass juice.  Aloe vera juice….1/2 cup twice a day will aid in forming soft stools.  Vitamin B, vitamin A, Acidophilus, Vitamin C and Psyllium, all great for relieving constipation.   Figs, cooked in milk.  Drink the liquid and eat the figs.  Add a little honey and lemon juice for a smoother effect.  Massaging the center of the palm on each hand or the bottom of each foot from the base of the middle toe to the heel.

Let’s see what Louis Hay, author of Heal Your Body, says about constipation for those of you still not able to find release:  Refusing to release old ideas. Stuck in the past. Sometimes stinginess.  Mantras: As I release the past, the new and fresh and vital enter.  I allow life to flow through me.

What do you say?  Get out and get moving.  It’s all about the poop. 

If your bowel movements are once a week or less, please visit your physician to rule out any other dis-ease in your body.  The information written here should not take the place of your primary care doctor.

Do you get a burning sensation in your stomach before or after eating? Tried everything and still can’t stop the pain of heartburn or “acid stomach”? According to James Balch, M.D. in his book Prescription For Nutritional Healing ,“….heartburn often occurs when hydrochloric acid, which is used by the stomach for digestion, backs up into the esophagus.” It causes a backflow through the sphincter (ring of muscle) separating the stomach from the esophagus. If this muscle isn’t closing after food flows through, gastro esophageal reflux, or heartburn as you and I know it, can occur. Heartburn can also be caused by alcohol or smoking, which also relaxes the sphincter. Gastric spills can also happen from vigorous exercise or bending or lying down after a meal. There are times when heartburn is caused by a hernia. Please consult a doctor if your symptoms are more than occasional or are accompanied by nausea, shortness of breath or sweating. So we know how it can happen, how do we get rid of it or better yet…how can we avoid it?

Avoiding heartburn by eating slow, small meals is always a great start. Consuming your meals without distraction, in a relaxed atmosphere, will help the ingestion of food. Ghandi said, “Chew your drink and drink your food.” Optimally, one should chew food until liquid in the mouth and drink beverages that are room temperature. Do not drink liquids with meals. This will reduce the hydrochloric acid in your stomach which is needed for digestion and assimilation. Eliminating fried foods, carbonated beverages, processed food, spicy foods and those containing sugar and high in fat content can cause heartburn. Try to eat more raw food. Juice a meal! Eating food when it is liquid, predigested, is a great way for the stomach to immediately process your meal, spending less time in the stomach. Low fat and high protein foods like dried beans, fish, skinless chicken or turkey and skim milk can improve the muscle tone of the sphincter. Fatty foods increase acid in the stomach and will delay digestion. That after dinner coffee, drink or mint candy can also cause heartburn.

Now on to some “folk remedies.” I eliminated all my stomach problems with a high raw diet. The only time my stomach acts up now is when I eat sugar or too much cooked foods. Apple cider vinegar! I always have this on hand. Taking a tablespoon or two of apple cider vinegar with a splash of water is said to stop heartburn for those who do not produce enough acid in their stomach. How about a serving of cooked buckwheat groats or oatmeal in the morning? Not only will it help prevent heartburn, it’s a healthy alternative for breakfast. Some other options are: Lettuce water (iceberg lettuce with some water), raw potato juice with the skin followed by a water chaser, a stick of raw carrot or celery, or kiwi fruit. You can also try massage. Press or massage a point one inch to the left of the center of the chest for 10 seconds, release for another ten, and repeat three times.

Here’s what author, Louise Hay says about heartburn in her book, Heal Your Body, The Mental Causes for Physical Illness and the Metaphysical Way to Overcome Them. Probable cause: Fear, fear, fear. Clutching fear. New thought pattern: I breathe freely and fully. I am safe. I trust the process of life.

If your symptoms persist, please visit your doctor. The information written here should not take the place of your primary care doctor.

Last night I made my first ice cream of the season.  The temps here in Vermont are in the 30′s and that means one thing to me…Spring is coming!  Ok, I’m stretching that a bit, but you have to when you’ve lived through over 20 Vermont winters.  Here’s what I made and then we’ll talk more about the Champion Juicer.

Raw Maple Walnut Ice Cream

2 frozen bananas, 1/2 cup soaked walnuts(about an hour), 1/4 cup maple syrup.  Put all through the Champion using the blank screen.  It will come out like a cremee.  If you want harder ice cream, put in the freezer.

Other options for the above…….soaked raisins, vanilla or a dash of peppermint.  What is so interesting about this is the amount of ice cream that comes out of just 2 bananas!  You can also put frozen strawberries, frozen raspberries or blueberries into your Champion to make sorbets or add banana to make more of a creamy ice cream.  What can be healthier than making your own dessert from healthy fruits?

Well….you can make healthy juices too!  I started my raw lifestyle with lots of fresh juices.  If I can’t get organic fruit or veggies, I peel or clean them very well.  Carrot, cranberry and grape, apple, mango and ginger, celery, cucumber, orange.  I was intimidated at first.  It had all these parts!  But once I got the hang of it, it was actually very quick and easy to put together, juice, and clean.  I use a dish brush to clean the teeth of the juicer.  And I make enough juice and store it for later in the day. 

I like to leave my Champion Juicer on the counter top.  It reminds me to juice more.  I always have frozen fruit in the freezer.  So when I have nothing in the fridge or in the fresh fruit basket, I can always make ice cream!

I do believe those children, not to mention others in your house, will love the idea of ice cream tonight.  And you’ll love the fact that it’s healthy ice cream.  Tonight I wish you something cold and fresh for your taste buds.  Summer is almost here. 

Donna Bergonzi-Boyle

About a month ago, on a visit to my massage therapist and friend, I brought along one of my raw cacao drinks.  She had always shown interest in my lifestyle and wondered if she could actually do the “raw thing” and still make it through her busy day without being hungry.  I explained what was in it and how I made it.  She was open to trying it and I didn’t hear from her for a few days.  When I did hear from her, it was all good.  She couldn’t believe she wasn’t hungry at the end of the day and that she actually made it through her day!  She said, “I’m going to buy some staples for this lifestyle and I’m going to buy a Vitamix.  What do you suggest”?  Well……I’m more than happy with my Vitamix.  The warranty alone is reason enough to purchase this product.  But you have to buy the one with the dial.  And here’s the deal……always shut it off the opposite way you turned it on.  Or else, suffer the consequences of having to clean your ceiling, counter and floor.  Inevitably, you will turn on the machine with the lid off and the power on high.  And you will say….”Donna tried to tell me this.”

So we talked about which machine I like and it turned out her husband was a definite fan of the dial too and that is what they purchased.  The Vitamix can be used for almost everything under the sun.  Drinks, nut butters, nut milk, smoothies, bread, soup, milkshakes and ice cream.  Everyone in the family can find something that will make them happy and they can prepare their own.  My friend’s 4 year old is making her own smoothie every morning.  So easy to use and so easy to clean.  Fill the carafe with water and dish soap and put it back on the base and send it through another cycle and it’s clean.  It comes with a plunger and an unbreakable container.  Now I’ve never dropped the container myself… .  Just kidding.  Of course I’ve dropped it.  It’s even light enough to travel with.  I’ve taken it on trips to visit the family.  This way I can blend up something for them to try too.

The Vitamix can double as a food processor.  It will chop, grate and dice your veggies. Throw in veggies and water and make hot soup.  Let the blender run for about 4 minutes and the ingredients will actually heat up.  Make ice cream with frozen fruit and less time in the blender.  Smoothies in under one minute.  Your kids will love to make their own ice cream and fruit smoothies! You say you can’t afford expensive healthy baby food?  Throw in any cooked veggie or fresh fruit and make homemade apple sauce and vegetables that your baby will really love.  You can also grind your own flours and make fresh bread dough or fresh hot cereal.  So many recipes.  Try it for yourself.  I’d love to hear about some of your favorite things to make in your Vitamix.  Share…it’s nice to share.

Just last week I brought in a raw treat to my massage therapist.  She loved that too.  And her next client was someone that has enjoyed hearing about the living food lifestyle.  Now she could taste too.  Pass it on folks.  It’s how we all learn. 

This week I am sending you tastes of spring.  Fresh fruit juice (yesterday I made strawberry juice in my Vitamix), and ice cream.  Keep experimenting and share what you learn with anyone who will listen.

Donna Bergonzi-Boyle