“There is no cancer in normal metabolism,” wrote Max Gerson, M.D. ( 1881-1959)

Hard to believe that that long ago, someone was talking about health and ways to fight cancer.  Or better yet, how not to allow cancer to thrive in your body!  This still makes me very sad…and angry.  What part of “you are what you eat” is still not registering with us?

Max Gerson, M.D., lived in the United States for 23 years.  He is the pioneer of what is known as nutritional metabolic therapy.  His therapy involves detox and nutrition aimed at restoring the body’s natural immunity and healing power.  His theory stated “cancer results from faulty metabolism due to poor nutrition and long-term exposure to pesticides, chemical fertilizers, air and water pollution, and other irritants that increasingly saturate the environment”.

Gerson believed cancer was systemic rather than a localized disease.  Systemic refers to something that is spread throughout, affecting the body as a system.  The program helps the body eliminate toxins and waste materials that interfere with your body’s natural defenses, like metabolism.  It also involves a low-fat, salt-free diet. This type of diet pumps the body’s cells with easily assimilated nutrients that will strengthen your natural immune defenses.

The core of the therapy is the diet.  It includes organic fresh fruit and veggies and thirteen glasses of fresh squeezed juices daily.  These give the patient high levels of vitamin C, beta-carotene, and other antioxidants.  His patients also received supplements.  No meat was allowed and all animal protein was omitted for the first six to twelve weeks.  The diet also included some yogurt and certain cheese.  Research shows that these fatty acids killed human cancer cells in tissue cultures.  They did not destroy normal cells.  What may seem unorthodox to you, is the coffee enemas that patients gave themselves several times daily.  This was the key detoxification method.  Gerson believed patients died from the liver’s inability to absorb the toxic breakdown of the dissolving tumor, not from the cancer itself.  What does caffeine do?  Caffeine is believed to stimulate the action of the liver, increase bile flow and open bile ducts so that the liver can excrete the toxins of the tumor as it breaks down.

More about Max Gerson.  He was a refugee from Nazi Germany.  With his salt-free vegetarian diet he successfully treated tuberculosis, migraines, arthritis, and cancer.  One of his most prominent patients was Albert Schweitzer.  He put him on a nutritional program, helping Schweitzer control his diabetes.  So well, in fact, that he stopped taking insulin.  He also cured Schweitzer’s wife of terminal tuberculosis.  In the United States in 1936, Gerson was persecuted and harassed by the medical establishment.  Does that sound familiar?  Gerson was expelled from the New York Medical Society due to his unorthodox cancer therapy.  His therapy remains today on the American Cancer Society’s Unproven Methods blacklist.

Although there are skeptics to this therapy and to many others, I still believe the key to a healthy body and mind starts with your diet.  The addiction to food that most Americans have is scary.  I can only hope that it starts taking less time to get this message across.  I hope that it starts with you.  I hope that parents start teaching their children at an early age about the benefits of diet and exercise.  Peace.

Sure it can–but you have to make it that way!  So much to do, so little time.  Make breakfast, eat breakfast, get the kids off to school, get yourself off to work, make lunch, eat lunch, grocery shopping, make dinner, eat dinner, get everyone ready for bed.  Wake up and do it all over again the next day.  But wait…..what about Dr. appointments, laundry, paying the bills, getting your haircut?  Ok that last one I just can’t compromise on. I’m actually going to drive to VT from VA next week just to get my hair cut! 

Let’s start with your morning routine.  Are you jumping out of bed with the alarm or are you setting your alarm for fifteen minutes before you actually have to get up?  Try it.  During that fifteen minutes spend some time “waking up”.  Take some deep breaths from your toes through your head.  Get some extra oxygen in your body and your cells.  Stretch in bed or out of bed.  Don’t have time for a yoga or daily exercise routine?  Yes, you can do yoga in your pj’s.  Very simple to twist, stretch and just breathe before you even get out of bed.

Is breakfast every morning a chore instead of a great way to start the day?  Have you tried simply juicing or blending your morning meal?  Grab some fresh greens and some frozen fruit and you’ve got yourself a very healthy and filling breakfast AND lunch.  And you’ve just made more time in your day. This great green smoothie can be made and you. Here’s another idea.  I just started making a chocolate oatmeal milkshake for my morning/lunchtime meal.  I bought a bag of buckwheat flakes (the kind you’d use for oatmeal).  I also have some organic buckwheat seed.  The night before I soak in one bowl, 3-4 dates(the big ones).  In another bowl I soak about a quarter cup of the flakes, a small handful of the seed and 4-6 almonds.  In the morning, I am ready to blend up my concoction.  I add all of the above and some ground flax seed, cinnamon, a little more water (I use all the water from soaking), 4-6 ice cubes, some crushed sesame seeds and a teaspoon of raw cacao.  What a treat.  With my Vitamix, there is hardly any pulpand definitely very little clean up.  Got more people to feed in the family?  Just double up the recipe.  And making soy or nut milk has now, never been easier.  Fifteen minutes?  Really?  Of course you can add fruit to your drink or use these alternatives to dairy for a healthier alternative on your cereal or oatmeal in the morning.  I love it when I can do things the night before.  You can make your own yogurt and you will have breakfast, lunch or put this in your smoothie.

What are you going to do for lunch? Well, if you made a green or chocolate smoothie before you left for work, you’d have your meal already.  Other than that, something crunchy and colorful for lunch.  Veggies are everywhere and it’s almost summer veggie season!  Try dipping your veggies in yogurt or light salad dressing.  There are some great alternatives to your fast food lunch out there. 

And then there’s dinner.  Who has time?  I need to do the laundry.  I need to pick the kids up.  And I can’t go another day without vacuuming this house!  I know, I have the same problems, only for me it’s feeding the animals.  The other day I asked my housemates if they had any jeans they wanted to wash because I didn’t want to just wash my jeans in one small load.   Well….now they have countertop washing machines and dryers!  How many times has your washing machine spin cycle not worked?  And you (or one of your teenagers) really want those jeans….tonight!  But back to dinner…one word…crockpot.  Or rice cooker…maybe two words.  I must admit, I just used one of these for the first time a few weeks ago.  Really? Cooked rice that fast?  It must be a mistake.  But there it was.  Stir fry your veggies and the rice is done at the same time.  Love foods that can make it through the week and can be enjoyed at a variety of meals.  How about dehydrating ?  Fresh fruit wraps instead of the store bought version.  Nuts with your own seasoning.  You decide.  Fresh, easy and you have it to take to work for snacking.

Start taking advantage of your free time by MAKING more free time! 

Good luck!

According to Wikipedia, “The lymphatic system….is a network of conduits that carry a clear fluid called lymph.  It also includes the lymphoid tissue through which the lymph travels….Lymphoid tissue defends the body against infections and the spread of tumors….Lymphoid tissue is found in many organs, particularly the lymph nodes.”  The body has between 500-600 lymph nodes.  The heaviest concentration of lymph nodes exist in the neck, groin, chest, abdomen and underarms and in association with the blood vessels of the intestines. 

Lymph nodes are about the size and shape of a bean and have a honeycomb structure.  They play an extremely important role in maintaining health by filtering bodily fluids and trapping foreign particles.  They also fight disease and house lymphocytes which are critical at fighting off disease.  The lymphocytes pass through the nodes and if pathogens are detected, antigens from the pathogen bind to the lymphocytes and produce antibodies.  Other types of lymphocytes contain a toxic compound and destroy invading pathogens.  Macrophages are another pathogen component that trap the intruder.  Lymph nodes can swell due to an increase of lymphocytes, antibodies and macrophages. 

The disease of the lymphatic system is called lymphedema.  It is the swelling or bloating caused by the accumulation of lymph fluid in our skin tissue in the arms or legs.  This condition will occur if the lymphatic system is damaged or has malformations.  The swelling is usually in the limbs.  Some causes of swollen lymph nodes are cancer, infections and infectious mononucleosis.  Lymph nodes act as filters.  They contain many lymphocytes or white blood cells and they will destroy bacteria and viruses in the lymph.  While fighting the infection, the node becomes swollen and tender.  You may have noticed swollen lymph nodes in your neck, but not experience any other symptoms.  I often get pain or swelling in my lymph nodes in my neck.  I believe it’s a flushing out of toxins or that my body is trying to flush out an infection.  This could be emotional or physical.  I believe that all chronic pain, suffering and diseases are caused by lack of oxygen at the cellular level.  This is what they teach at Hippocrates Health Institute in West Palm Beach, FL.  Wheatgrass and living foods are wonderful ways to get healing oxygen into your body and cells.  Dr. Guyton wrote, “The importance of this function of the lymphatics cannot be stressed too strongly, for there is no other route besides the lymphatics through which excess proteins can return to the circulatory system.”

One of the functions of the lymphatic system is removing impurities, dead cells, bacteria, unwanted organisms or toxins from the body.  Another is the absorption of fats and proteins from our diet through the intestinal lacteals.  This gives the lymph fluid its milky color.  The lymph fluid is circulated by our muscles moving.  It also helps get oxygen and nutrients to cells by removing the dead cells, toxins, poison, and excess water from around the cells.  Intestinal tract cleansing helps with the absorption of nutrients and fats needed for good lymphatic system function.  A diet high in fresh veggies and fruit will help raise your oxygen, energy and nutrient levels.  And drinking plenty of water will flush your system and hydrate your body.

A lymph system cleanse is a wonderful thing.  The lymph system is filled with waste that has built up over your lifetime.  A cleanse will help to clean every organ and system you have.  It will effect every part of your body.  You can purchase lymph system cleanses online or ask your local health food store what they recommend.

So here we are again…..back to diet.  It’s common sense.  We need fresh foods and the nutrients they provide for our energy.  This brings life to our cells.  Junk food uses up more oxygen and we need that oxygen to heal.  Fats and proteins are low in oxygen content.  They also require extra oxygen.  Processed sugar, white flour, alcohol, coffee and soda, are other foods that require precious oxygen and take it away from our cells.

Here are a few easy things to try:

Breathing…just breathing.  Breathing helps move the lymph fluid.  Take some deep breaths.  In yoga it’s called pranayama.  Take a deep breath into your belly and hold it for a couple of heartbeats.  Exhale slowly.  Exhaling toxins out.  Massage is great too.  Check with your local massage therapist to see if they offer lymphatic massage.  Don’t forget to drink water after your massage.  This will increase lymphatic flow and release toxins.  Also, try a rebounder or inversion table.  Jumping on a mini trampoline is a great form of exercise for the lymph system.  This will help the fluid pump around the body.  Cycling, walking and running are also good.  Sweating is good.  This is releasing toxins. 

Take in some good breaths and flush out the old!

Throughout this year we’ve talked about everything from an aching back to wheatgrass.  I’ve asked you to have a good cry, think twice about your non-dairy creamer, and made you wonder about your energy drinks.  There have been recipes for smoothies, raw ice cream, living foods and lots of other things you can make and juice with your juicer or blender.  We’ve talked about feelings (a lot) and I gave you alternatives to help you heal heartburn, warts, constipation, insomnia, cancer, stress, PMS, lyme disease and diabetes, to name a few.  Looking back at your year in health, how have you fared?  Has this information been helpful to you?  I certainly hope so. 

In just a few days, a new year will begin.  I’m not a fan of New Year’s Resolutions.  I take life a day at a time.  So instead of beating yourself up for not keeping last year’s “things to do in the new year” list, how about starting today with just a small change.  A small step.  It doesn’t have to be on the first of the month.  It doesn’t have to be in the morning.  It doesn’t have to be on a Monday.  Today.  Today is the day you will make one small change in your life.  It could be your diet.  Is it time for a fast or a cleanse?  Maybe your exercise routine.  Maybe you will call that friend you haven’t seen in a long time.  Today is the day to do it.  Today is the day to make a change.

I write about health, but there are many other resolutions you could make.  How about volunteering?  Check out your local hospital, animal shelter, nonprofit organization, food shelf or local YMCA.  Volunteering is a great way to be of service.  Did you know there are many volunteer programs abroad?  It’s also a great way to meet new friends.  Mentoring is also another way to volunteer.  Look into mentoring at your local grammar or high school or if you are in a larger city, the local Youth Service organizations.

Thinking of going back to school to get that degree or maybe you just want to take a class?  There are many opportunities for online course taking.  Of course, you won’t meet any new people online, so how about at the local community college?   Maybe you just want to learn a new language.  Start by putting an ad in the paper or craigslist and see if there are others wanting the same thing.  Then you might be able to find a local person to take a class with. 

The library is a great place to start for clubs.  Join the book club or the camera club.  It’s all just a click away!  What a wonderful way to connect with people.  Making new friends and trying out different things is a great way to stay healthy.  It can make you smile more, laugh more and breathe more! 

So get out there.  It’s not just about exercise and healthy eating anymore.  It’s the whole package.  Life for all it’s worth.  Getting the most out of you. 

Keep me posted on your endeavors.  Every day is a new day!  Peace.

Most of us know the feeling…..when our emotions are too much to handle and we want to deny or bury them with food.  Or if we just don’t know what we are feeling and food is the comfort we have always turned to.  I am an emotional eater.  After turning to a mostly living food lifestyle, I still tend to indulge in the sugar treat, but it only makes me feel crappy.  Alas, even the emotional eating part of my life has changed.

When you feel your strongest cravings for food, chances are you are at your weakest point emotionally.  You may find yourself turning to food and not even know why.  Maybe you understand you are doing it for comfort, or to help you face a problem, handle stress, fight boredom, express anger or deal with anxiety.  Most of us do it unconsciously.  Whether consciously or unconsciously, it will affect your physical and emotional well being.

Emotional eating will sabotage your weight-loss efforts and will lead to eating too much, especially during this holiday time.  You may overeat for many reasons; unemployment, health problems, bad weather, fatigue, work stress or relationship problems.  Eating for these reasons can often lead to eating too much of the high fat, high calorie and the sugar rich foods!  Some people actually eat less during high emotional times.  I tend to eat less during depressing times.  Like with the recent passing of my father, even though I think about food constantly, my stomach won’t allow overeating.  I’ve had many moments where I don’t even remember eating.  And I look at my plate and it’s gone and I didn’t even enjoy it.  You could be reaching for some food right now as you read this and not even thinking about what’s happening.  You may also reach for food instead of dealing with a painful situation.  I’m trying to cry when I need to and take advantage of alone time, but also find comfort in family and friends.

Do the emotions you’ve tried to deny by eating actually go away? No, they often return and will drive you to overeat again, unless you deal with them.  It is an unhealthy cycle.  However,  you must first realize you are doing it.  Try not to beat yourself up for eating without thinking.  Let’s go over some techniques to help you the next time you reach for food instead of that kleenex.

• Think before you eat.  Do you want to eat because you are emotional or because you are hungry?  Is your stomach grumbling?  Did you just recently eat?  Give this craving a little time to pass.  Take a walk or drink a glass of water first.
• Try to deal with stress in other ways.  If you eat to calm stress, try yoga, meditation or listening to relaxing music.
• Get support from friends or family or a group.  These people will help and can sometimes talk you through what you are really feeling.
• Writing down how you are feeling when you think you want to eat or keeping a food diary can help.  This may help you see the patterns and help you connect your mood with food.
• Here’s something I do:  Don’t keep those snacks you tend to over indulge with around the house.  If I don’t have them, I can’t eat them.  Or I will just buy one cookie, instead of a whole box.
• It’s ok to enjoy an occasional treat.  Don’t deprive yourself.  That will just increase your food cravings. 
• Healthy snacks.  You can never have enough around the house.  Choose raw, such as fresh fruit and veggies.  I don’t use salad dressing usually.  A big salad with every veggie that’s available.  Add some fruit or lemon juice for a dressing.  Mix well.
• It’s hard to fight boredom.  We have so many coping mechanisms. I find laughing to help with boredom.  Always have on hand a funny movie or a classic sitcom.  How about playing your favorite artist really loud and dancing around the house?
• Are you getting enough sleep?  It’s hard to feel stable with your emotions if you are also tired.  Naps are good and you should not feel guilty.
• If you still can’t get a grip on your emotions, seek professional help.  A therapist will help you understand your emotional eating and help you learn new coping skills.

And here’s the most important one: If you have an emotional eating episode, forgive yourself. Write about it and plan what you can do to prevent it in the future.  Focus on the positive and what you are learning.

As always, I wish you a healthy and happy holiday.  Keep in touch with your feelings.  Make the choice to feel joy.  PEACE

Laughter is good for the soul. And now it seems, is good for the heart too!  Laughter, outward chuckles, inward joy.  Laughing at a joke or a funny movie…anything that gives you pleasure.  There’s even laugh yoga and laughter workshops. Laughter helps relieve stress, enhances your mood, dissolves fear, lessons anxiety, contributes to team work, makes us attractive to others and more pleasant to be around.  And laughter can have physical side effects too.  Laughter will strengthen your immune system, reduce food cravings, increase your threshold for pain, release endorphins, lessen pain, decrease stress hormones, and lead to the general relaxation of your mind and your muscles.  Studies are being done as to the effects of laughter on stimulating healing even in cancer cases.

Wikipedia says…”Laughter is found among various animals, as well as in humans.  Among the human species, it is a part of human behaviour regulated by the brain, helping humans clarify their intentions in social interaction and providing an emotional context to conversations.  Laughter is used as a signal for being part of a group-it signals acceptance and positive interactions with others. Laughter is sometimes seemingly contagious, and the laughter of one person can itself provoke laughter from others as a positive feedback.”

If you’ve been reading these blogs lately, you know my Dad just had a double bypass.  He suffered a heart attack over seven years ago and was considered a high risk for surgery.  He was in great physical shape and had been a vegetarian/healthy eater for many years.  I knew it was an emotional issue and now I believe this; my Dad never laughed.  Sure he chuckled lightly, but I don’t remember him ever having a full belly laugh.  I’ve learned a lot about my Dad this last month.  Could someone who doesn’t consider himself worthy, who feels guilt over some things he’s done in his life, actually make himself sick?  Absolutely.  We know emotions have just as much to do with health as the physical aspects.

So what about laughter?  Did you know that laughter can help prevent heart disease?  Can laugher, along with a healthy sense of humor, may help protect you against a heart attack?  Is this possible?  Laughter reduces the level of stress hormones like cortisol, epinephrine, dopamine and growth hormone.  Laughter will increase the level of health-enhancing hormones, such as endorphins and neurotransmitters.  It will increase the number of antibody-producing cells and enhances the effectiveness of T cells.  This is how laughter can strengthen your immune system and allow you to have fewer of the physical effects of stress.  Internally, a good belly laugh will exercise your diaphragm and contract the abs, leaving you feeling more relaxed after.  Laughter can be a distraction for anger, guilt, stress and other negative emotions.  Humor can give us a lighthearted perspective on the way we view the challenges and threats in our life.  It can make these problems less threatening and allow you to feel more positive.

A new study by cardiologists at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, found that…”people with heart disease were 40% less likely to laugh in a variety of situations compared to people of the same age without heart disease…..We don’t know yet why laughing protects the heart, but we know that mental stress is associated with impairment of the endothelium, the protective barrier lining our blood vessels.”  The most significant finding of this study was that “people with heart disease responded less humorously to everyday life situations.”  These people displayed more anger and hostility and laughed less.

Watch a comedy…movie or TV, head to a comedy club with friends or have friends over for game night. And there’s always YouTube.  Have you ever watched Stuart from Mad TV?  Do a search for “Hamster on a piano” on YouTube.  Now that’s funny.  Find the humor in your life.  Sometimes that can only happen after the fact…ha ha.  Look back on what’s happened to you and laugh.  Yeah, that’s been my life for the last few months!  I like this one….Fake it until you make it!  Fake laughter has the same benefits and can lead to real chuckles. 

 So maybe this blog is funny?  Glad I made you laugh! 

Why did the chicken cross the playground?  To get to the other slide!

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease.  The lining of the small intestine is damaged from eating gluten and other proteins found in rye, barley, wheat and oats.  Some gastrointestinal symptoms are abdominal pain, bloating, gas and indigestion, constipation, diarrhea, lactose intolerance, nausea, vomiting, and weight loss.  There are also nonintestinal symptoms like: anemia, bone and joint pain, easy bruising, depression, fatigue, hair loss, skin disorders, seizures and malnutrition.  Symptoms can vary significantly from person to person.  Unfortunately a lot of these symptoms can mean a host of other disorders too.

Celiac disease is also known as gluten sensitive enteropathy.  Gluten makes bread doughy and sticky.  Gluten is also used as an adhesive on stamps.  It is found in grains such as wheat (not in wheatgrass juice), rye, spelt, barley, kamut, triticale, semolina and durham, but not in oats (although oats are often grown on former wheat fields causing cross contamination).  In celiac disease the immune system begins to produce antibodies when exposed to gluten.  These antibodies attack the fingerlike projections (microvilli) which line our small intestines.  This is where we absorb the nutrients for our body.  When these microvilli are attacked and destroyed, the body is unable to nourish itself with vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates and fats.  The list of dis-eases associated with celiac are too many to list; from asthma to multiple sclerosis.  If you already have a known autoimmune disease, you could be at risk for developing celiac disease.  Someone can become sensitized to gluten at any time of life.  It also runs in families and women are more affected than men.  There is no exact cause of celiac, making it impossible to prevent.  However, we already know it is healthier for every part of your body to stay away from processed foods.

Wheat as a raw grain is unsafe to eat.  Wheat flour must be heated to destroy the enzyme blockers and lectins within the grain to allow for its consumption.  Anytime we alter food from its original nature state we are processing the food.  Some healthy alternatives to wheat are quinoa and brown rice which are much less processed.  The aisles of the grocery store are now stocked with gluten-free alternatives.  I just picked up some gluten-free pretzels, which someone told me are better than regular pretzels.  I also love the gluten-free fig cookies.

Eating a gluten-free diet will allow the intestinal villi to heal.  Read food labels and medication labels carefully.  Hidden sources of grains, wheat, barley, rye and possibly oats, are found in many products.  If you have some of these symptoms and you feel better if you do not eat gluten, please contact your doctor.  Being tested is the only way to diagnose this disease.  I have stomach issues when I eat gluten and when I’m under stress at the same time.  Other times, I fine.  I try to stay away from processed foods.  Left untreated, celiac can cause chronic inflammation eventually causing complete atrophy and flattening of the microvilli.

Gluten can also impact the brain.  When a patient has full blown celiac it can cause chronic inflammation of the brain and nervous system which will impact function of these systems.  Gluten also contains glutamate.  This substance causes excessive excitation of brain cells which ultimately results in brain cell damage and brain cell death. 

We need to protect the body with proper nutrition, exercise, relaxation and give the body what it needs to properly get rid of offending foods, toxins and microbes it does not need.  I’ve said many times the body has the ability to heal itself.  We’ve been eating unhealthy for many years, we can not expect healing to happen overnight.  New and improved versions of gluten make it harder and harder for our bodies to fight infection, inflammation and disease.  We need to return to a diet full of nutrients that promote health and longevity and prevent dis-ease.  Gluten is responsible for so many symptoms, that I believe taking gluten out of our diets can only benefit us.

The American Dietetic Association recommends 25 grams of fiber daily for women and 38 grams for men.  Most of us are only getting 15 grams of fiber a day.  The World Health Organization extimates cardiovascular disease causes approximately 17.5 million deaths per year world-wide.  A vegetarian or living food lifestyle will greatly lower your incidence of heart disease than it will for meat eaters.  Saturated animal fats raise cholesterol levels and clog arteries.  Eating a well balanced vegetarian diet will give your body the heart-healthy nutrients it needs.  Foods like fruit, veggies, and whole grains are easy and fun to prepare and eat. 

These six food compounds can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease: Soluble fiber, Potassium, Carotenoids, Omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins and Flavonoids. 

Soluble fiber combines with water in your GI tract to absorb cholesterol and stop it from being distributed through your body.  It will also push it out of you.  We all know how great fiber is for elimination, right?  Sometimes called roughage, fiber is the indigestable portion of plant food.  Wikipedia says, “Soluble fiber, like all fiber, cannot be digested.  But is does change as it passes through the digestive tract, being transformed (fermented) by bacteria there.  Soluble fiber also absorbs water to become a gelatinous substance that passes through the body”.   What foods are fiber filled?  Whole grains like oats, barley, and pinto beans, potatoes, brussel sprouts and fruits like apples, plums and oranges are good sources of soluble fiber, whereas 100% bran cereal has more insoluble fiber.  Insoluble fiber will pass through the body unchanged.

Potassium is associated with lowering blood pressure levels.  It counters the effect of excess sodium and aids in transmitting nerve impulses and promotes normal muscle function.  Both effective for optimal heart and blood vessel health.  Foods like potatoes, bananas, dark leafy greens, pumpkin seed, avocado and almonds are high in potassium.  Potassium deficiency can lead to high blood pressure problems, hypertension, strokes, and heart irregularities.  Meat, poultry and fish are high in potassium, but it’s not healthy to eat an entirely carnivorous diet.  These foods will cause a rise in acid levels and deplete potassium levels.  Instead of supplements, try a slice of cantaloupe, a banana or strawberries. 

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fatty acids that play a key role in heart health.  These are a class of polyunsaturated fats.  They cannot be manufactured by the body so must be obtained from food.  They contain molecules that will ward off blood clots that can trigger stroke and heart attacks.  Omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and prevent risk factors associated with chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer and arthritis.  You can find Omega-3 fatty acids in flaxseed, flaxseed oil, walnuts, soy, and baby dark leafy greens like watercress and arugula.

Low blood levels of B vitamins and folic acid have been found to increase the risk of atherosclerosis, which can lead to heart attacks and stroke.  Atherosclerosis is a condition in which fatty material collects along the walls of the arteries.  Some sources of B vitamins are fortified breakfast cereals, sunflower seeds, potatoes, broccoli and asparagus.

Flavonoids have antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties that protect you against heart disease.  They keep the lining of the arteries flexible which will promote healthy blood flow and reduce clotting.  Catechin is a flavonoid compound found in tea and cocoa and it can reduce heart disease.  It’s found in dark chocolate, green tea, red wine, extra virgin olive oil and apples.  Soy flavonoids (isoflavones) can also reduce blood cholesterol and can help to prevent osteoporis. 

Carotenoids have fat solubility and antioxidant properties.  These plant chemicals are a big factor in fighting heart disease. and give fruits and veggies their yellow, red and orange colors, not to mention the green in plants.  There is evidence they interact with bad LDL cholesterol and prevent if from oxidizing and sticking to the artery walls.  Food sources of carotenoids are carrots, spinach, kale, collard greens, red peppers and tomatoes.  However, to maximize the availability of these carotenoids in your food, they should be eaten raw or lightly steamed.

And please….don’t forget your emotional heart.  Feeling emotionally healthy is just as important.  Get in touch with your physical and emotional body.  Yoga, meditation, chi gong…all great ways to start “feeling”.  Releasing all the “baggage” will detox your blood as well as your muscles. 

Breathe, breathe and breathe again.  Keep going……

I’ve been an emotional person for as long as I can remember.  But in pictures of me as a child, I always had a smile on my face.  No matter what was going on internally, I managed a smile for those around me.  That smile also hid the pain inside, the confusion, the internal dialogue, and the sadness.  As I grew up I learned how to hide it even more with eating, perfectionism and typical type A behavior.  Anything sound familiar yet?  Here I am in my late forties and perimenopause sneaks in over the last year and because of therapy and yoga I’m better able to deal with the anxiety, depression and general imbalance of my physical and emotional body.   I said “deal with it”, not conquer it or totally rid myself of anxiety.

Most women deal with a state of low anxiety at all times.  This generalized anxiety can erupt into full-blown panic attacks, anxiety or phobias during times of physical or emotional stress or change, like perimenopause and menopause.  Early on, psychologists viewed anxiety as purely emotional, stating it is an outward sign of repressed negative feelings and inner conflict.  With research and time, anxiety disorders and panic attacks have been determined to have a real, physiological cause. 

Anxiety can also be related to hormonal imbalance.  I heard a song on the radio yesterday.   One of the lines was, “I’d rather feel something then nothing.”  How do I support these emotional swings especially with all the change in my own life?  It’s not easy, but I rely on my support systems; my friends, my beliefs (I don’t just believe, I know) and my strength.  Heck, if I’ve made it this far……..

Yes, there’s more to do than just medicate yourself.  Everyone experiences anxiety from time to time.  It could present itself with a thumping heart, shortness of breath, monkey mind, shaky knees and upset stomach….just to name a few symptoms.  We have our “flight or fight” response.  It’s our built in alarm system.  It is not natural to live in fear and be upset most of the time without a reasonable cause.  There are many of us who constantly live in this state of fight or flight.  This response is meant to get us through in the face of danger or high stress, but after the episode we are supposed to relax, find the down time.  However, most of us are on this constant alert.  We suffer not only constant stress, but also the physical response that accompanies it.  It is not a weakness to feel anxious or vulnerable.  We, as women, were taught from childhood, to grin and bear it!  I’m not going to tell you to suffer through it or that drugs are your only solution. 

If you feel you have severe panic attacks on a regular basis with no sign of relief, if you suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or post-traumatic stress, please consult your physician.  I have a little OCD.  I notice when I’m under high stress I start to go over the same thing in my head.  It usually has to do with time and it mostly will happen before bed, during the night or early in the morning before I get up.  This used to happen a lot to me until I started yoga and meditation and then I didn’t even realize those moments of OCD had disappeared until they started to reappear with perimenopause.  I made a conscious effort to change my life.  Anxiety disorders do run in families.  I also asked one of my brothers if he ever does this. He said, “Sure”, like it was nothing.  That proved to me, I was allowing this condition more attention than it deserved.  Anxiousness runs in my family.  It’s a learned condition. If you saw it growing up, just like other behaviors, you can unlearn it.

Generalized anxiety, as I stated above, is common.  The symptoms may not affect your ability to get through the day.  My type A behaviors, for a long time, helped me to avoid my panic and fear.  If I ran (literally) fast and long enough, I could outrun it.  The day came, eventually, when I couldn’t run away from it.  As we get older and the everyday life of children and work start to calm down, we start to “feel” more of our own thoughts.  I realized that my job wasn’t the cause of my stress.  I was just stressed! I didn’t have a job or a child to blame for my stress, there was only me and how I was relating to me.  You begin to take the time to feel, think, and speak.  I needed to start slowing down even though it was uncomfortable to do so.  I’m still working on beating myself up for past mistakes and the fact that I do not know what I am going to do next.

Begin to evaluate your stress symptoms.  Irrational fear, muscle tension or headache, chest pain, nausea, sleeplessness, tearing up, depression or a general feeling of dread, are all symptoms of anxiety or stress.  When do these symptoms become severe?  If these symptoms don’t go away or if they come at seemingly “normal” times, it’s time to seek help.  Anxiety symptoms can lead to, or be caused by, adrenal fatigue and unhealthy food.  Caffeine-laden drinks can raise your dopamine levels, and can bring on panic attacks.  It can also be caused by past childhood trauma.  As children, we simply cannot process everything that happens to us.  As adults, we learn to cope, but sometimes not deal with, what happened in our past.  If you feel you cannot cope, please seek help.  You must be willing to approach stress, anxiety and depression from many angles.  Your healing has the possibility of healing others.

I read these words from “Anonymous” recently:

“Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”

Let it go…..let it be.

Someone asked me the other day, “Why do so many people have lower back pain?”  The answer really is very simple….We weren’t meant to walk upright!  And so many of us don’t walk upright.  We sit and stand with slouched shoulders and we have core muscles that are too weak to hold us upright.  With this scenario, our lower back muscles are constantly overworking, doing all the work it takes to hold our upper body erect.  Sore back muscles can start at any age.  If we assume the position of protecting the heart by slouching our shoulders, the chance for lower back pain is higher than it would be for someone who has been active most of their life and also not carrying extra weight around their middle.  We want to walk heart first into our life.  When you lead with your heart, you are open and accepting to what is happening. 

Try this:  Stand with your heels against the baseboard of an open wall and place the back of your head against the wall, along with your shoulders and about halfway down your back and your buttocks.  Not easy for you?  Then chances are you are walking through life lead by your head and not your heart.  Try it again and this time, tuck your tailbone down and under without moving your shoulders, mid back, or buttocks away from the wall. Did you feel your stomach muscles engage?  Did your head and shoulders come away from the wall when you tucked in your tailbone? 

Doing this exercise and keeping your head, shoulders, buttocks, and halfway down your back against the wall, you can start to feel the muscles that need to work and the ones that need to lengthen.  Pay attention to your rib cage.  Not just the front, but all around your torso.  Now, keeping your head, shoulders, back and buttocks against the wall walk your feet forward and bend your knees.  You should be feeling your abdominal muscles fully engage and this should make it easier to hold your position against the wall.  This is also working your leg muscles.  Make sure your feet are firmly planted on the floor. You can hold here for a bit and slowly come back up.  Try it a few times. 

Next, holding the above position, bring your arms up against the wall to “goal post” arms.  Making a goal post with your arms against the wall.  Is this difficult?  Are your hands moving away from the wall?  Remember to keep all of your back against the wall while holding your arms up.  If you can hold this, try moving your elbows into your waist while keeping your arms against the wall.  This action is engaging your upper back muscles, which are very important for holding your torso upright.  They are as much a part of your core muscles as your stomach muscles are.  These upper back muscles are, for most people, very hard to find.  Our continual slouching cause these muscles to be underworked, weak and tight.  Think about an old rubber band.  When you try to stretch it, it breaks.  These muscles need to loosen up and also need to be engaged in a conscious way.  If the position against the wall is difficult for you and causes pain in your neck or shoulders, you can do the whole thing on the floor.  Gravity is a wonderful tool. 

Lay on the floor with your knees bent, making a teepee with your knees together and your feet apart.  Keep the back of the head flat against the floor, along with your shoulders and all of your back.  And do the same as explained above, keeping every part of your back against the floor.  Don’t forget to breathe!

Breathing.  Let’s talk about that and how that will help your back.  While you are lying on the floor with your arms at your side, see if you can hold in your stomach and just breathe through your lungs.  Can you inhale each lung fully? Are you noticing one lung inflates more than the other?  Is the front of your chest expanding more than the side or back of your torso?  Just notice this.  And continue to breathe.  Try closing your eyes. 

If you have a job that keeps you in one position all day, there are things you can do for your back during the day.  Seated at a desk?  Try putting a block or box under your feet so that your knees extend directly out from your hips.  Standing a lot?  Try twisting from side to side, rotating your torso while keeping your hips forward.  Take a break and walk.  Lead with your heart and not your head.  Engage your upper back muscles, draw your shoulders back and down, tuck your tailbone down and lengthen the top of your head up.  Try a restorative yoga class or hatha yoga.  If your back is sore, lay on the floor with your feet on a chair and your knees bent or with your feet up a wall.  Breathe as you let go of every part of your body that is against the floor.

You see, it’s not only about relaxing your lower back, but also about engaging the correct muscles to support your lower back.  Once these core muscles are activated, your lower back muscles can work more efficiently and with the help of the rest of your body. 

As always, consult your doctor if your lower back pain is persistent and is accompanied with leg numbness or tingling.

Lead with your heart into the future!