A food allergy is an immune system response and a food intolerance is a digestive system response.  Does a certain food give you a rash, nausea, airway restriction, itchy skin, diarrhea or shortness of breath?  That would mean you have a food allergy.  Food intolerance symptoms are stomach pain, nausea, cramping or bloating, heartburn, headache or vomiting. 

According to Webmd,  ”A food allergy is an immune system response. It occurs when the body mistakes an ingredient in food — usually a protein — as harmful and creates a defense system (antibodies) to fight it. Food allergy symptoms develop when the antibodies are battling the “invading” food.  Food intolerance is a digestive system response…… It occurs when something in a food irritates a person’s digestive system or when a person is unable to properly digest or breakdown, the food.”  The most common food intolerance is lactose, found in dairy products.  Common food allergies are peanuts, shellfish, eggs, soy products and wheat or gluten.  I believe as we age, our bodies will tolerate less and less of some of these common foods.  I have a reaction to wheat, but only sometimes.  If I’m under stress, my stomach will react very quickly to certain foods.  There are other times when I’m perfectly fine.  Those with food intolerance lack certain enzymes needed for digestion.  When the undigested food enters the bloodstream, it causes a reaction.  An allergic reaction can happen immediately, starting with a tickle in the throat or itchy lips or tongue.  A friend of mine, on Thanksgiving, had peeled many many potatoes and went into anaphylactic shock. He had no idea he was even allergic, but he had peeled so many potatoes, his system was overloaded. 

Digestive enzymes are used by many people to help with the digestion of food.  Some to certain foods and some to cooked foods.  My opinion…if you have a problem eating certain foods, you should just stop eating that food.  But alas, and I am just as guilty as anyone else, we continue to eat what our bodies just don’t want to assimilate or digest. 

In the book, Prescription For Nutritional Healing, there is a food questionnaire and a food diary you can fill out.  It’s important, when you think you have a food allergy, to start to take inventory of the foods that you react to.  Eating one food at a time so that you will definitely know what the reaction in your body is, then eliminating that food for a period of time.  Certain fruits and veggies, when I touch my eyes after touching them, will make my eyes very puffy and red.  However, my body doesn’t react at all to them from the inside.  These are organic and eaten in the raw state so I don’t have an answer for that one.

If you are allergic to a food, your body will release a chemical known as histamine, to protect itself.  This chemical triggers allergic symptoms that affect the respiratory system or your gastrointestinal tract, your skin or heart.  Food allergies are more common in children than adults and people often confuse a food allergy with a food intolerance.  As uncomfortable as a food intolerance is, it is not dangerous.  Peanut allergies are rarely outgrown and, as an adult, an allergy to fish, is also rarely outgrown.

There are so many other opportunities these days for those of us with gluten or dairy allergies or intolerances.  Gluten free products abound at health food and grocery stores.  Dairy free products like soy or rice cheese, are great alternatives to dairy.  I drink store bought rice milk and make my own nut milk, usually almond milk.  Start today and eliminate one food that just doesn’t “sit well” with your body.  It could even be an emotional reaction. 

Be well.

Should you have swelling in your throat, difficulty breathing or a loss of consciousness, this is the sign of a serious food allergy and you should contact the nearest health facility.  Please advise your doctor or health care physician regarding any questions about food allergies in you or your child.

….THROW THEM OUT!!  I recently purchased a large bag of lemons for making my “green smoothies” and for water with lemon to help my body become more alkaline.  Unfortunately, only a couple of days later, over half the bag had turned that beautiful shade of green and white and when I picked it up, mold dust spread all over the counter.  Lemons are like many other fruits and seeds, they cross contaminate.  When one goes bad and they are sitting close together, all will go bad very fast.  I now break up my bunches of bananas, not letting them touch.  The USDA says, “When a food shows heavy mold growth, “root” threads have invaded it deeply. In dangerous molds, poisonous substances are often contained in and around these threads. In some cases, toxins may have spread throughout the food.”  Ok, that doesn’t sound like something I want on my counter or in my fridge.  Some mold can cause allergic reactions and respiratory problems.

Here’s some food you want to discard when you see mold….cooked leftover meat and poultry, cooked pastas, soft cheeses and yogurts, jams and jellies, soft fruits like cukes, lemons, peaches and tomatoes, breads, peanut butter and other nuts, and luncheon meats.  Firm fruits and veggies; celery, carrots, peppers, and hard cheeses, can have the mold cut off and on dry-cured hams you can scrub the mold off.
How does mold spread so fast?  What can I do to avoid this in the future?  Well, obviously don’t buy fruits and veggies that are moldy.  But sometimes they aren’t that way when I am in the store.  Although most molds prefer warm and humid temps, molds can grow in the refrigerator also.  Mold forms spores.  These dry spores will float through the air and look for another suitable environment to grow on ( I need to go and wash the counter again where my lemons were).  You can still buy the big economical bag of lemons or limes, just juice right away and freeze in ice cube trays. 

What to put in the fridge and what to leave on the counter?  If ripened, fruit will last longer in the fridge.  After many years, I’ve finally conquered the avocado problem.  If I buy them unripe, I leave all in the fridge but one.  Once that ripens, I know the length of time this batch takes, and I take one out of the fridge that many days before I’m going to need it.  If I want ripe avocados immediately, I’ve got to buy them ripe and leave all in the fridge.  I’ve had batches of ripe avocados that will last over a week in the fridge.  There are so many opinions about what to refrigerate and what to leave on the counter.  I think tomatoes taste better when room temperature.  Bananas never last in the fridge, but if they are going bad too quickly, peel and cut up and place in the freezer.  Frozen bananas are a staple product in my freezer.  Great for quick fruit and green smoothies. 

Don’t forget Green Bags or the EGG.  The EGG (Ethylene Gas Guardian) is a small device that when placed in the produce drawer of your refrigerator will absorb the ethylene gasses emitted by fruits and vegetables which cause them to decay. The result is your fruits and vegetables stay crisper, taste better, and retain nutrients longer, saving you money.  I use only one produce item per green bag. They are reusable and can be washed which is a plus.  These bags reduce moisture build-up which helps reduce mold and fungus.

Happy fresh fruit and veggie season in New England!  Yahoo!  Farmer’s Markets are open.  Grow your own.  Sprouts, wheatgrass and fresh herbs.  You can do it!

Be happy, be healthy, be green…and red and purple and orange and yellow!

Here’s another topic I’m way too familiar with.  Fortunately I suffer from seasonal allergies and this is the season for me.  Spring and pollen.  Pollens are small, microscopic particles that are produced by plants and trees during the process of reproduction.  Hello spring and new growth!  I was in Connecticut a couple of weeks ago and I was feeling it then, but Vermont is behind its southern states by a couple of weeks.  So here I go again.  The only time I didn’t have any symptoms at all was when I had been eating a 100% raw diet for at least three months.  They aren’t as bad as they have been in the past and I have been keeping with a high raw lifestyle.  I also try to keep the windows closed, don’t go out of the house when it’s windy and I never walk in the fields!  It’s supposed to rain the next few days and that will help.

What can help?  Not only increasing your raw food intake, but decreasing your processed and cooked food intake.  Allergy symptoms include: Asthma and coughing, sinus pressure and congestion, red itchy eyes and discharge, skin rashes, general itching of every part of your body and throat, hives and runny nose.  The causes of allergies?  Everything from hereditary factors, long term exposure to drugs, especially antibiotics, adverse drug reactions, airborn pollens, food additives, colorings, perservatives and flavorings.  Liver dysfuntion can cause an increased work load for your immune system.  I never suffered from allergies in my childhood, they started during pregnancy.  Not only am I allergic to spring pollens, I’m also allergic to the skin of certain fruits and veggies, even if they are organic. 

Using organic produce when you can, can be a relief from many food allergies.  These do not contain pesticides and additives.  Selenium and zinc reduce inflammation.  Other supplements for you to try are: Fatty acids found in flaxseed oil, olive oil and oily fish, vitamin C, garlic and horseradish tablets, MSM powder.  And foods that promote liver function like, artichoke, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts, or eggs.  How about some juice recipes for allergies?

Place in your juicer:

 one radish, one clove of garlic, one carrot, one pear and 2 cabbage leaves

or

tablespoon of fresh ginger, one apple, one carrot, 2 cabbage leaves, 1/2 red onion

or

one cup rice, almond or coconut milk, one banana, one pear, one Tblspn flaxseed oil, one Tblspn ground flaxseed.  Sprinkle with a pinch of nutmeg.

Victoria Boutenko, in her book, Green For Life, says this, “….consuming green smoothies greatly benefits the health of people through improving the level of hydrochloric acid…….consumers of green smoothies should expect…to heal allergies……”.

Some other natural allergy cures are: Eucalyptus.  In a lozenge form it can increase production of saliva.  It can calm coughs and relieve nasal congestion and is also an antiseptic and has antibiotic properties.  The vapor from eucalyptus can clear congestion and loosen mucus.

A traditional remedy for asthma is red clover.  In tea form, red clover can reduce allergy symptoms.  Alfalfa can improve runny noses, sneezing and itching.  Alfalfa is believed to nourish the nervous system and calm the immune system.  And there’s always apple cider vinegar (this should be a staple in your kitchen), which contains many healing properties and is used to treat allergies.  It is rich in vitamins E, A, B1, B2 and B6 and contains potassium and calcium and can reduce mucus in the sinuses and reduce throat inflammation. 

Here’s what Louise Hay says about allergies (hay fever):  Emotional congestion. Fear of the calendar.  A belief in persecution. Guilt.  Your mantra for allergy time? “I am one with ALL OF LIFE.  I am safe at all times.

Grab your juicer and your tissues.  Be well and happy SPRING!

Donna Bergonzi-Boyle

If any of these natural cures cause your symptoms to worsen, consult your primary health care physician.

I talked a little in my last blog about how we absorb toxins through the skin, the largest organ in the body.  Anything you put on your skin, will get into your body.  A general rule would be…if you can’t eat it, don’t put it on your body.  The FDA warns you of chemicals that are for external use only.  So yes, I wouldn’t eat it, but even if we put these toxins on our skin, they will enter our bloodstream.  A Swiss study concluded that five of the most common chemicals in sunscreen cause cancer.  Several other studies actually show that appropriate sun exposure may prevent skin cancer.  That’s another blog….back to how toxins can get in your body.

The nose.  What are you inhaling in your work and home environment?   Air fresheners, smoke, cleaning chemicals, mold, dust, pollens, and the fumes that come out of the carpeting.  Air fresheners only mask the odor. They are filled with deadly, poisonous chemicals.  For many years I inhaled a common cleaning chemical (I have a cleaning business).  When I started a wheatgrass routine, I expelled mucous the color and smell of this chemical!  Anything that you can smell, is going into your body.  Today we are inhaling toxins on a daily basis.  Get yourself out into nature where the only thing you inhale is the air, the smell of trees and grass.  Reducing the toxins you inhale can have a dramatic effect on your health, helping you with depression, anxiety, irritability, appetite, digestion and sleep.

The eyes.  Through the eyes, solar energy penetrates the body.  The sun is not a toxin.  Lack of sun creates deficiencies and leads to imbalance and disease.  Images entering the eyes are toxic.  Violence from all forms of the media can create bad emotions, causing the body to become acidic.  Remember, we want our bodies to be more alkaline.

The ears.  Things that you put in your ears as well as sound that enter your ears can be toxic.  Sounds are vibration and frequency.  My brother has done tests on growing wheatgrass.  Classical music had a positive effect on the growth of wheatgrass.  Certain music has been know to cause plants to wither and die.  Repetitive sound can cause stress.  Certain frequencies can enter through the ear and cause every cell to be stressed.  This in turn causing dis-ease in the body.  Toxic words from someone, can also enter your body.  Stress and the body?  We already know that’s a bad idea.  Walk in nature and listen to all the sounds.  How about chirping birds and insects, running water and the sound of the wind for stress relief?

Okay, so toxins are out there.  And not just in the air or at the local nuclear power plant.  Consider not only the carbs, calories and fats that are in your food, but the chemicals in processed foods that also enter your bloodstream and organs.  Address the toxins in your life today.  What are you eating? What are you breathing?  What and who are you listening to?   

Unnatural electromagnetic energy is attacking our bodies every day.  Satellites, radar, cell phones, cell phone towers, high tension power lines, electric wiring, computers, microwave ovens and even people emit electromagnetic energy.  Negatively charged ions have a positive effect on the body.  These life-enhancing ions are in the running water of the stream, waterfalls or the ocean.  Wind blowing through the trees also emit these ions.

What are you going to do today to feel good?  Go outside and find some fresh air.  Breathe deeply.  Eliminate the amount of television, computer, and microwave use as much as you can.  Speak positively.  Meditate.  Eat slowly.  Love life.

Everyone is reading their food labels and that’s great!  But are you looking at the label of your make-up, your hand and body lotion, your toothpaste?  Let’s look at a few ingredients in many popular health and beauty products.  This is just a small example of what is in some products.  Just to give you an idea.  Start researching what you put on your body.  These products are absorbed into the skin and some of them, when high levels are reached in the body, can be very toxic.

A product can be considered toxic when it is absorbed into the body thereby having a harmful or altering affect on the body.  Certain cosmetic ingredients in hand and body lotion can actualy make your skin more dry, causing you to need more lotion.  Convenient, right?  You’ll have to buy more product!  Preservatives are substances that cosmetic manufacturers use to extend the shelf life of their products.  Do preservatives protect the consumer?  No, the only thing they do is allow products to sit on the shelf in warehouses, protecting the manufacturer. 

Here are a few common ingredients to look for in your cabinet, some good, some not so good:

Acetone: Commonly used in nail polish, this product is toxic. Look for Acetone-free polish remover. 

Alcohol:  There are both natural and synthetic alcohols.  Synthetic alcohol such as isopropyl alcohol is a petroleum (carcinegenic) product.  Alcohol can disolve fat in your skin and can be drying to the skin.  Natural alcohol is better tolerated by your skin.

Aloe Vera:  Extract from the aloe vera plant can be used to soothe and moisturize hair and skin and it aids in healing.  Cut spiky leaves from the plant and open to reveal the gooey substance.

BHA and BHT:  Preservatives commonly used in food products and cosmetic ingredients.  These are synthetic antioxidants (Natural ones are Vitamin E, cysteine and selenium).  BHT and BHA, used in cosmetics, are toxic and cause allergic reactions.  BHA and BHT in your food, added as a preservative, can deplete brain cells in growing children.   This is a VERY common preservative.  Take a look in your cabinet right now.   Almost all breakfast cereals contain these two ingredients.

Benzophenone:  Chemical listed from 1-12.  This is used to prevent cosmetic color from fading and is toxic.

Calamine:  Used as a soothing lotion and is Non-toxic.

Calendula:  Used in cosmetics and creams for its soothing effect on skin and is Non-toxic.

D & C Colors:  Term used by the FDA referring to “Drug” and “Cosmetic”.  All of these colors are toxic because most contain synthetic coal tar substances.  These colors are often used in food, candy, and health and beauty aids. 

EDTA (Ethylenedinitrilo):  A synthetic chemical used to soften water. This is toxic and can cause skin irritations and allergic reactions.

Glycerine:  A natural emollient derived from vegetable oil.  Non-toxic.  Glycerine soap is all that I use I my body.  This winter I rarely had dry skin.

Hydrolized Protein:  A code word for MSG. It is a neuro-toxin and causes headaches.  Found in food and cosmetics.  Another common additive.  It supposedly makes food taste better, not to mention the negative effect of nausea and headaches. Have you tried raw food?  Now that’s some good tasting food.

Magnesium Aluminum Silicate:  A gum used as thickener, suspension agent, or for coloring.  Contains aluminum, known to build up in the body to toxic levels and silicon, which can be harmful to the respiratory track. 

Methyl Paraben:  Widely used even though it is known to be toxic. Can cause allergic reactions and skin rashes. It is a toxic synthetic chemical.

Polysorbates (20, 40, 61, 65, 80, 85):  Used in cosmetics to help dissolve natural oils.  Can be extremely drying to the scalp. 

Propyl Gallate and Propyl Paraben:  Causes skin irritation and allergic reactions.  Toxic.

PVP:  Petroleum derived.  Particles can contribute to foreign bodies in the lungs to people sensitive to it.  I stopped using any petroleum product a long time ago.  Petroleum distillates may cause cancer, are harmful and may cause lung damage if swallowed.  Granted, I’m not going to swallow it, but what do you think is happening when you apply it to your lips or body?  It’s being absorbed through your skin, the largest organ of the body.

Stearic Acid:  Used in creams.  Can cause allergic reactions.

Triethanolamine and Diethanolamine (TEA and DEA):  Used in cosmetics.  Cause allergic reactions, dryness of skin and hair, and can be toxic when absorbed into the body over a period of time. 

Toxic is toxic.  Low or high, I’d rather stay away from all toxic products that go in my body and on my body.  There are many natural alternatives to all the products you use, from hand soap to shampoo.   Most large grocery stores now have a “natural food” section if there is not a health food store in your area.  Take an interest in your health.  Read the label.  Not just your food, but the health and beauty products that you use every day.  Throw away old make-up containers that are three months or older.  And check out your sun screen. It will have an expiration date.  Here’s a great website for you to take a look at:  http://www.natural-skincare-authority.com/index.html

Wishing you healthy and glowing skin!

Are you prone to canker sores? Rejoice, friends – we’ve got some natural solutions for preventing and healing these pesky, painful little things.

What are canker sores?

Canker sores are small surface abrasions found on the inside of the mouth that can occur several times a year. They come and go within a week or so, on average. Canker sores can be brought on by fatigue, stress, fever, menstrual cycles, nutritional deficiencies and sensitivity to certain foods.
They can be as small as a BB, or as large as a quarter, but they usually feature a white, fleshy, sensitive center surrounded by a light red border. In almost all cases, they hurt (or at the very least, are extremely uncomfortable!)

Rid yourself of canker sores the natural way

For anyone who’s familiar with them, you know that once you get a canker sore, the only thing you can do is wait for it to disappear. In the meantime, try these little tricks and tips for minimizing the pain and the chances of a canker coming back*!

A well-balanced, nutritious diet and lifestyle is vital. Canker sore are just another reason not to smoke or chew tobacco. Researchers have found that reducing stress can speed up the healing time drastically – so get to the gym, do some yoga, and take it easy when a canker is present. There’s also evidence that refined sugar, processed foods and in particular citrus fruits can contribute trigger canker sores.

Get more Vitamin B12. Doctors have suggested that another canker sore trigger is vitamin B12 deficiency. Prominent B12 donor foods include clams, salmon, tuna, and other seafood. Breakfast cereals (remember to avoid high sugar!), cheese, and dairy products also contain B12, but not as much as fish. You can always bulk up on B12 through supplements.

Watch what you put in there! Studies by researchers have produced a growing list of things to avoid putting in your mouth to induce or exasperate canker sores. First, avoid eating spicy foods, if you can stand to. Also, try to avoid (or lesson) the amount of iron intake you’re feeding yourself – unless of course it’s been prescribed by your doctor. Do eat more salads, onions, and fresh or raw vegetables, and don’t use toothpaste that contain an ingredient called “sodium lauryl sulfate” – a common sulfide.
Now, how about some remedies? According to researcher Dr. James Bach, author of Prescription for Natural Healing, you can speed up the healing time for canker sores drastically by applying these natural oils directly to the surface of the sore:

• Tea tree oil
• Menthol or clove bud oil
• other topical painkillers that contain ingredients like goldenseal, licorice, myrrh, or lysine

These topical remedies are backed by scientific research, Bach says, and can be found at your local CVS. Apply these oils twice a day to the sore – about every 12 hours, but at the very least, before you go to bed.

Oh, and one more tip to help relieve the pain of canker sores the natural way. Swish your mouth warm salt water regularly – you’ll immediately feel relief and speed up the healing time significantly.
*Doctors, researchers and the medical professionals alike know only one thing about what causes canker sores – that nobody has figured out what causes canker sores. Unfortunately, they’re here to stay, but that doesn’t mean you can’t heal them the natural way!

That’s David Carradine…  right?  Of course I never saw Cain with a cold so maybe he juiced carrots too; although with all that wondering around, you’d wonder where?

Anyway, what we’re talking about here is beta-carotene.  What is it?  Glad you asked.  Beta-Carotene is one of over 600 Carotenoids that are responsible for the beautiful variety of colors found in our produce.  Rich orange and dark green fruits and vegetables like carrots, cantaloupe, sweet potato and pumpkin are particularly rich in beta-carotene.  This vital nutrient is converted within the body to Vitamin A which has been shown to be good for helping your body’s resistance to things like stress, colds and infections.  As well, a lack of Vitamin A has been shown to be linked to a higher incidence of cancer, particularly those having to deal with the lungs. One of the reasons is that deficiencies of this important vitamin can hinder your body tissue’s natural ability to heal itself. Beta carotene is also a potent antioxidant—a natural substances that prevents cell damage from excess oxygen. Antioxidants also help protect the body against cancer and strengthen the immune system.   In addition, healthy vision, bones and skin are all aided by a healthy daily serving of beta-carotene.  The problem is that you’ve got to eat a heck of a lot of carrots to get the benefit.  What do you do you ask?  I think you know the answer.  If I said anything other than juice ‘em I couldn’t keep my alias.

Be well,

Juicy Josh

877MyJuicer.com

Whats the recommended product to benefit from this article? None other than the Omega 8005 Juicer

Who of us, if we’re honest, can really stand the nuisance of seasonal allergies?  I understand that the body’s production of histamines is a natural defense against toxins and that we want this critical function of our immune system in place when we’re exposed to a real threat, like the Mycotoxins produced by mold.  However, in the same way that neurosis is the mind’s maladaptive fear response; allergies are the body’s needless freak out when exposed to substances that pose no real threat.  Those swollen sinuses, that sneezing, runny nose, those itching and watery eyes are the physiological equivalent of Woody Allen thinking a headache is a brain tumor.

In trying to discover what causes allergies we’re met with a void of substantial information from conventional medicine.  Although no one knows with absolute certainty the reasons for them, the holistic approach would suggest that seasonal allergies come about because of a hypersensitive nervous system and a dysfunctional immune system. Any sub-optimal lifestyle—poor stress management, lack of rest, poor food choices, and regular exposure to toxins—can gradually create both a hypersensitive nervous system and a dysfunctional immune system in people who are already genetically susceptible.

Obviously we all love the immediate results provided by over-the-counter solutions but what these do for us long term is create a less healthy and less resilient immune system not to mention they do absolutely nothing for our life as a whole.  As with all holistic treatment, addressing allergies in this way can result in positive effects outside the mere relief of symptoms.  In addition to a healthy diet of whole foods, exercise, a full night’s sleep and a healthy meditation or spiritual practice, below are a few suggestions to tackle the allergy problem specifically.

1. Deep massage focusing on acupressure points related to the spleen, the large intestines and the liver

2. Vitamin D – 800 IU per day maximum

3. A high quality Probiotic (friendly intestinal bacteria).

4. Avoidance of all sources of MSG and Artificial Sweeteners.

5. A JUICE FAST to remove the toxins stored in your tissues, particularly from the insulating sheath that surrounds your nervous system.  Use the Healthy Juicer Electric for best results!

We love the blooming of Spring but we don’t always enjoy the consequences.

Be well,

JuicyJosh