I am at a point in my life where I wonder…is there something else I could be doing to feel better?  It seems when I hit 40, it was harder to stay fit and healthy and another weird symptom appeared every month or so.  At 47, I am wondering about perimenopause, fatigue, my thyroid, weight gain, stiff and achy joints and even heart palpitations.  It is my intention here to share a little of what I am going through and maybe help you find some answers too. 

My menstrual cycle started changing about a year ago.  Longer, shorter, heavier, lighter….all of the above.  I knew it was perimenopause and I wasn’t concerned until I started experiencing symptoms that would affect my daily life.  Most of the symptoms were manageable.  Some symptoms, like burning tongue, were diagnosed by my dental hygenist.  Night sweats, though intense enough to have to get up and change my clothes in the middle of the night, didn’t interfere with my life.  My fatigue was enough to cause me to start taking an afternoon nap.  I work nights, so that didn’t interfere with my day either.  You’d be surprised how much a cat nap could help.  And though we’re told if you move more you won’t feel as tired, that wasn’t so for me.  I walk or practice yoga every day and I was still tired around 3 in the afternoon.  So I worked a snooze into most of my days. 

However, fatigue could also be adrenal fatigue or low level DHEA. DHEA is a natural steroid produced by the adrenals. The adrenals are small organs right above the kidneys.  We make about 25 mg of DHEA per day (men more than women), but our production dwindles as we get older.  This is what nature intended for us.  Your adrenals make cortisol and adrenaline and also balance over 50 hormones in the body.  The hormone cortisol affects other regulatory processes such as: blood pressure, blood sugar levels, your immune and inflammatory response and influencing mood, memory and thought clarity.  If your adrenals are exhausted from stress (emotional and physical), poor nutrition, and crazy dieting, they are pumping out more cortisol and can’t manufacture enough DHEA to support a healthy hormonal balance.  This will result in your exhaustion, depression and that feeling of being overwhelmed.  So, if you are under more than average stress, your body will not have enough working material for proper endocrine function.  There is some evidence that healthy DHEA levels may help with Alzheimer’s, cancer, osteoporosis, depression, heart disease and obesity. 

So that could be why my blood pressure has been so low these last couple of weeks!  OK, so I guess I’m going through all of the above stressors.  I do know that when I eat 100% raw food I feel better.  I have been traveling a lot lately, and if I am not happy where I am, for example, with people that do not support my lifestyle, I simply do not feel well.  Is taking a DHEA supplement the answer?  It could be an important factor, but include it with lifestyle changes also.  There’s a lot out there about DHEA levels and supplements.  If you are concerned about your levels, have a medical test done.  Taking a supplement alone won’t help you if your adrenals are exhausted.  Your body will produce more or less depending on nutrient support, metabolism, hormone balance, activity level and your emotional state.  Also maintain a healthy body mass index, get adequate rest, expose yourself to some sunlight, exercise, and create more “downtime” in your life. 

What else can you do to support this “aging” thing?  Ayurvedic medicine says the adrenal gland is connected to the root chakra.  The root chakra is about groundedness, our nourishment, and our physical health.  When stress enters full force, we can become less grounded.  That sure explains even more about my aches and pains.  As most of you know I recently closed my business and moved.  However, I am not living anywhere yet.  I have been traveling around visiting family and friends and still haven’t decided on where I want to live.  Yep, that would be ungrounded!  Guess I’ll start doing some yoga grounding poses today! 

Eating a gluten-free diet can relieve the strain of your adrenal glands.  Low blood sugar will put stress on your body and strain your adrenal glands too.  Time your meals so that you aren’t going long periods of time without food.  Adrenals will work harder on an empty stomach, requiring them to release more cortisol to keep you functioning normally.  Living foods will allow the body to absorb more nutrients.  You will find yourself craving sugar and caffeine if your cortisol levels are low or you are tired.  Drinks that will restore your adrenal glands are: chamomile, passionflower and valerian teas, and vegetable juices.  Alcohol, caffeine and gatorade can drain the adrenals.  Honor your body.  Try to take the time to feel if you are actually hungry or if you are eating to fill another need.  I know when I am eating and not actually tasting anything.  With my burning tongue symptom, my taste buds are a little off.  So I think my mind tells me to eat more because my mouth can’t taste anything!  It’s all about balance.  I have good days and not so good days.  I honor them both. 

I’ll talk next time about more symptoms of our changing bodies.

As always, please see your health care practitioner for symptoms that concern you.  The suggestion here are informational only.

In these times when we are hearing so much about swine flu, I thought I’d add my two cents regarding how I feel about the rumors and the lies being told.  To be honest, I don’t know which are lies and what is the truth about this issue.  I DO KNOW this, it is possible to protect and promote good health.  I also know that I have set a plan with my daughter in college just in case “they” come around and start requiring immunizations at her school (that’s not from a fear standpoint…that’s just common sense).  I will share some things I’ve heard about the flu and what I know as the truth about keeping your body in balance.  I’m sure you will make your own informed decision regarding this.  Swine flu is going around at my daughter’s college.  It just started this week (9/9).  There are signs all over campus.  They are keeping up on it, however another college in her town just had one death from swine flu.  This person had underlying circumstances.  The college tell you to stay at least six feet away from your roomate and stay in your room until 24 hours after you’ve had a fever.  It is important now, more than ever, to boost your body’s immune system.

I’ve read that even if you believe the so-called vaccine will work, it would take vaccinating 200,000 people to prevent the death of just one person from swine flu.  And if that many people were vaccinated, chances are there would be death or harm from the side effects.  In addition, this vaccine has never been subjected to any long-term testing.  I’m writing this blog to make you aware of some things you can do now to boost your health, not just during flu season.  I do believe in washing your hands.  I do believe in (actually I’m a little anal about) the anti-bacterial hand sanitizers.  There is a natural hand sanitizer named Hand Sanz, available in health food stores.  It kills 99.9% of germs and bacteria without chemicals.  It can be used anywhere without water.  I’m not a hand shaker during this season and yes, I use the wipes when I go to the grocery store and wipe my cart.  Again, to me, that’s just common sense.  And no, I won’t be getting the swine flu vaccine and I’m hoping my daughter isn’t forced into one either.  I’ve never gotten any flu vaccine. 

So what can you do or not do?  Donald Miller, MD, says “Seventy percent of doctors do not get a flu shot.”  According to Cochrane Database Syst. “There is also a lack of evidence that young children benefit from flu shots.  A systematic review of 51 studies involving 260,000 children age 6 to 23 months found no evidence that the flu vaccine is any more effective than a placebo.”  Flu shots contain mercury (a neurotoxin), formaldehyde (known cancer-causing agent), aluminum (may cause Alzheimer’s), and other additives known to be toxic.  Vitamin D deficiency is likely one cause of flu, pneumonia and cardiovascular disease. 

Msn.com states “Antibiotics are among the most frequently prescribed medications in modern medicine.  Antibiotics cure disease by killing or injuring bacteria.”   When one type of bacteria flourishes it causes an imbalance.  This imbalance can occur from taking a course of antibiotic medication, which will attack the good bacteria in your intestines as well as the bad.  Yogurt (dairy or soy or rice), has good bacteria.  Many yogurts are supplemented with additional probiotics that are associated with health benefits.  A daily dose of yogurt can help with resulting stomach issues.  Yogurt is also good for those suffering from digestive problems such as irritable bowel, gas and bloating.  Yogurt is a great source of calcium, protein and vitamins.  I use soy yogurt and avoid the presweetened and flavored varieties, which have added sugars and are higher in calories.  You can add fresh fruit or granola to sweeten it up naturally or add to your favorite smoothie.  Probiotics are not tested or regulated by the FDA but are recognized as safe.  Avoid anything with bacillus or enterococci on the label.  Keeping a healthy bacteria environment in your body is a great start in overall health and avoiding colds and flus too. 

Keep up with your vitamin C intake and stay well rested.  I also like Airborne.  I usually take it at night if I’m feeling exhausted and like I’m starting to come down with something.  Eat more raw food.  Enzymes in raw food will benefit you in more ways than you can imagine.  Yesterday I woke up with a horrible headache.  I’ve never had a migraine, but this headache was horrible.  It lasted through the day and I started feeling very achy in the evening.  I went to bed and wondered what was happening?  I immediately did some EFT(Emotional Freedom Techniques) and felt better immediately!  Remember, you are in charge of your health. 

Stay healthy. Think healthy.  Eat healthy. 

These statements are informational only.  They are my opinions alone based on what I have been reading   online and in the news.  The information contained here is only meant to keep you informed of your options.  Please make your own decision.

Are you still asking what is MSG, not to mention consuming it?  Maybe I can help a little.  Let’s look at what it actually is and why it’s used in our food and then you can make a choice about whether you consume it or not.

Monosodium glutamate, according to Wikipedia, (also known as MSG and sodium glutamate), “is a sodium salt of the non-essential amino acid glutamic acid.  It is used as a food additive and is commonly marketed as a flavour enhancer.”  Ingesting this processed free glutamic acid (MSG), can produce a variety of reactions in many people.  Some people have no immediate reactions to this enhancer, but does that mean it is not affecting them?  These reactions can also be found as side effects from neurological drugs.  It could be that MSG causes the reaction or aggravates an already existing condition. 

Some symptoms you may experience after ingesting MSG can involve these areas: cardiac, neurological, respiratory, circulatory, gastrointestinal, urological, muscular, visual and skin problems.  Everything from nausea to tongue swelling to retinal degeneration(for me, it’s headaches and stomach cramps).  Other symptoms are, irregular heart beat, depression, bloating, colitis, sleep disorders, blurred vision, fatigue, chills, slowed speech, post nasal drip, skin rash, extreme thirst, and difficulty concentrating.  Many studies have linked MSG to diabetes, migraines, autism, ADHD, and even Alzheimer’s.  There is research confirming that MSG consumed by lab animals causes brain lesions.  Any research claiming MSG to be safe is flawed and has been financed, directly or indirectly, by the glutamate industry.  Isn’t that always the way?  Some disorders may have started from being exposed to MSG as an infant or in the womb. 

Here are some ways MSG is hidden in the foods we eat.  These are names of ingredients that contain MSG and will cause the same reactions in those sensitive to MSG:  Glutamate, gelatin, textured protein, yeast nutrient, hydrolyzed corn gluten, yeast extract, autolyzed yeast and any protein that is hydrolyzed.  Here’s something I didn’t know….the following ingredients often contain MSG or create MSG during processing:  carrageenan, maltodextrin, malt extract, citric acid, pectin, soy protein, whey protein, flavorings, natural chicken flavor and many others.  According to truthinlabeling.com, “the not so new game is to label hydrolyzed proteins as pea protein, whey protein, corn protein, etc. If a pea, for example, were whole, it would be indentified as a pea. Calling an ingredient pea protein indicates that the pea has been hydrolyzed, at least in part, and that processed free glutamic acid (MSG) is present”. 

In hundreds of studies around the world, scientist created obese mice and rats by injecting them with MSG.  MSG triples the amount of insulin the pancreas creates, causing them to become obese.  Is it possible MSG is also causing obesity in humans?  MSG is in everything including soups, salad dressings, processed foods, gravies and those labeled as “healthy or low fat”.  Not only do we buy foods containing MSG, but many restaurants use MSG, especially fast food places.  MSG is added to our food because it is addictive.  This preservative is added so we will eat more!  Could MSG be the new nicotine?  Many are asking this question.

MSG was introduced over fifty years ago.  Since then it has been added to prepackaged meals, soups, snacks and many of the fast foods that we eat every day.  The FDA has set no limits on how much MSG can be added to food. Mainly because they believe it is safe to consume.

How can you start eliminating this toxic ingredient?  First of all, go to your cupboard and refrigerator and start reading your labels.  Purchase organic or start your own vegetable garden.  Eat fiber rich foods and other foods which are detoxing.  Flush toxins already in your system with a liver cleanse.  Take out coffee, alcohol and cigarettes.  These highly toxic products will not allow your body to heal. 

Take care of yourself and your children.  Take the time to do it.

Remember when rice came in just two flavors?  Brown or white?  And brown rice wasn’t an option in my house.  What I remember is brown rice just took too long and had no flavor at all.  Oh, the variety of options today and the many different ways to cook rice. 

Wikipedia states “…rice is the most important staple food for a large part of the world’s human population…..it is the second highest worldwide production…providing more than one fifth of the calories consumed worldwide by the human species.  In early 2008, some governments and retailers began rationing supplies of the grain due to fears of a global rice shortage.”  Do you remember that?  We now know there are more varities of this grain available to us than just from the “Uncle”.  The increase in selections of rice opens us up to a larger variety of dishes and international cooking.   Each rice has a different cooking time, so be sure to read your directions.  You can also rinse to remove any starch or excess residue that can cause the rice to turn out sticky.  Cook with a heavy bottom pot to give the rice a thinner crust.  Do not add salt or butter as it will kill its natural sweet flavor.  Rice kept for too long in the cupboard may require more water and longer cooking time because of losing some of its moisture.  Soaking the rice in cold water will give it a softer, fluffier texture.  Saving any leftover rice is great for making fried rice.  However, try to avoid using instant or precooked rice.

Let’s start with an explanation of types of rice:

Arborio:  An Italian short-grain rice that is used for risotto because of its high starch content.  This makes it creamy and thick when it is cooked.  This rice can be used for crispy Italian rice balls.  I used to love it when my Mom cooked Risotto.  I knew it was a special night because that yellow powder was so expensive.  There’s a great Mushroom Risotto recipe here: http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/mushroom_risotto/

Basmati:  This fragrant, fluffy and light rice is grown in the Himalayan foothills and is a standard in Indian cooking.  Jasmine and basmati rice can be used in sweet desserts and also fried rice.  Soaking this rice helps the rice expand to maximum length.  Drain thoroughly.

Bhutanese Red:  Similar to brown rice, this chewy short-grain rice is reddish in color and can be used in any recipe that calls for brown rice.

Brown:  White rice is polished to remove the bran coating, but brown rice has a nutty flavor that is a whole grain and high in fiber.  It can be sticky when cooked.  Read your directions.  Most brown rices should be soaked overnight.  Can be used in pudding, risottto, burgers and desserts.  It is high in fiber and B-group vitamins.

Jasmine:  This long-grain rice has a light and slightly floral flavor and aroma with a nutty flavor.  Perfect for Asian dishes with curry and seafood. 

Short-Grain White Rice:  Very flavorful.  Especially good when a creamy texture or stickiness is desired.  You can soak this grain for 20 minutes to relax it.  Use one part rice to one and 1/8 part water. 

Sushi:  This sweet, sticky short-grain rice is used in desserts and in risottos.

Texmati:  This rice is American grown cross between basmati and long-grain white rice and is light and fluffy.  It has a more neutral flavor than basmati rice.

Wehani:  This California created cousin of basmati, splits when cooked and makes a luscious choice for soups and casseroles.

 Now on to a recipe for Jasmine Rice Pudding….

1 14-oz can of low-fat sweetened condensed milk

4 Tblspns. toasted cocoa nibs

3 Large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup cooked jasmine rice

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.  Bring your condensed milk and 1 cup water to simmer.  Add cocoa and remove from the heat.  Let stand for 20 minutes.  Strain the mixture into a bowl and save the nibs for later. Whisk the eggs and vanilla into the milk and cocoa.  Stir in the rice and divide into 8 1/2 cup ramekins.  Put your ramekins in a roasting pan and fill with hot water up to halfway up the side of the dishes. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove the hot ramekins  and cool. Sprinkle with the nibs.

There you go.  A great start to something new tonight for dinner.  Enjoy the day!