Yes, I still plan on having as many cookies, cakes and eggnog and I desire – but I will also undertake a strength training initiative to try and counter act all my planned indulgent behavior.

Strength training is one of the best types of fitness a person can do, because even when the workout has long been completed, the body continues to burn calories. It’s perfect! I can weight lift in the day time, and enjoy my many Christmas parties during the evening with peace of mind knowing that while I down my cranberry fizz, my body is still hard at work.

Workout recovery and juice

But with any strength training comes the possibility of injury. So even though my regime is still in its infancy, I’ve already begun to think about rest and recovery. In weight training, rest is equally as important as the exercise itself – which of course got me thinking, “what juices will help my muscles recover faster?”

Recent studies have shown the juice from Montmorency cherries, a tart, bright red variety, may boost the recovery of muscle strength after intensive exercise. The benefits of the juice are reportedly related to its antioxidant activity, which may help reverse the oxidative damage induced exercise.

In this particular study, consumption of the juice prior to and after intensive exercise produced a significantly faster recovery time.

Daily consumption of as little 45 cherries could reduce the concentration of inflammation. The researchers propsose that the flavonoids and anthocyanins in the cherries exert an anti-inflammatory effect that may lessen the damage response to exercise, which loosely translates to less soreness for me!

Researchers also found that people with arthritic diseases such as osteoarthritis benefit from consuming tart cherry juice, as it offers mild relief from pain associated with the condition.

It’s safe to say the benefits of drinking tart cherry juice provides a wide range of health benefits, from improving muscle recovery to reducing inflammation in the body. And for all of us, from the newbie strength trainer to someone dealing with an arthritic condition, tart cherry juice has something to offer!

With the rise of winter temperatures I always find myself far more motivated to exercise, due in no small part to the fact that there is always less to do. But also because winter is when a sedentary lifestyle really begins to show.

Holing up inside with thick soups and stews can wreak havoc on the waistline. One winter I gained 10 lbs without even realizing it, and it wasn’t until spring when I noticed that several of my warm weather clothes wouldn’t fasten.

Pump it up!

So needless to say I am working out a lot at the moment by taking brisk walks, doing hot yoga and hitting the gym for strength training. It feels good to prioritize exercise because, let’s be honest, in the summer there are far better things to do than go to the gym.

Nutrition becomes even more important when exercising the amount that I am since food is the fuel that keeps everything running smoothly. I find after a particularly hard work out that I need rejuvenation and I need it fast. I also noticed that I’m extremely tired the following day. So I did some research and discovered bee pollen.

Nutritional benefits of bee pollen

Bee pollen offers an array of possible health benefits, and studies have shown that when taken regularly Bee Pollens can help increase your energy levels, stamina and immunity. It comes in several forms – as granules, extract, and in capsules.

Due to its easy absorption, the benefits of bee pollen become apparent very quickly. Bee pollen also contains Lecithin which has been shown to remove fat storage from the body and stimulate metabolism. It also helps in the absorption of nutrients in the digestive process.

I started putting bee pollen granules in my post workout smoothies and I immediately noticed improved energy levels. I didn’t have the post workout slump I was getting used to, and I was no longer waking up groggy. And the light floral flavor of bee pollen melds seamlessly into any fruit smoothie.

In short – bee pollen is the perfect accompaniment to every workout!

You can find bee pollen in the refrigerator section of most health food stores, but I will warn you, it’s not cheap. A 400 gram bag cost me $25.00. But seeing as I am using it in tablespoon increments, it should last a long time. And honestly, can you put a price on vitality?

Turmeric is primarily known for its anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric is so good a combating inflammation, it’s been suggested as a replacement to pharmaceuticals, without the side effects.  Turmeric’s active ingredient is curcumin, which is what gives turmeric its notable color.

But Turmeric is a giant when it comes to health:

• An antiseptic and antibacterial agent you can use to disinfect cuts and burns.
• Naturally detoxifies the liver.  Regular use combined with a liver cleanse will keep this vital organ at peak condition
• A treatment for inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.  Turmeric has been shown to reduce swelling, stiffness, and enabled arthritic suffers to move and walk longer.
• Can be used regularly after athletic endeavors to keep the muscles supple and the joints lubricated.
• Used as a treatment for depression by Chinese medicine.
• Has a deep research history in the treatment of cancer from either stopping tumor formation or destroy cancer cells. The research includes data on breast, prostate, pancreatic, and childhood leukemia.
• Is thought to protect against the advent and/or progression of Alzheimer’s disease by removing the plaque build-up from the brain.
• May reduce the risk of heart disease.
• Used in Chinese and Indian medicine to also treat jaundice, chest pain, bruises, toothache, hemorrhage, bloody urine, flatulence, and menstrual issues.

Turmeric can be taken in raw, powder, pill, or tincture form.  It’s typically used either raw or as a powder when cooking.  As a general supplement, you can take turmeric as a pill or tincture.

Contraindications: If you have gallstones or a bile obstructions or are pregnant, please consult your health practitioner before using turmeric.

Nutritional Breakdown of Turmeric

A 2 teaspoon serving of turmeric contains only 16 calories, and:

• 18% of the daily value of manganese. Here’s some great recipes for getting your daily dose of manganese!
• 10.4% of the daily value of iron
• 4% of the daily value of Vitamin B6
• 3.3% of the daily value of potassium

Sun Milk

• ¼ cup turmeric powder
• ½ cup purified water
• 1 cup of almond milk (need to learn how to make almond milk?)
• 1 tsp almond oil
• Honey or agave nectar to taste.

In a small saucepan, mix the turmeric and water until it boils.  Reduce heat, stirring constantly, until a paste forms.  The paste is good for up to 40 days stored in an air tight container that’s placed in the refrigerator.

After making the paste, blend together 1 cup of almond or other nut milk with 1 tsp of almond oil, ¼ teaspoon of turmeric paste.  Add honey or agave nectar to taste.

Raw option: add turmeric to nut milk or raw milk and serve cold.

A Little History

Turmeric has a long history in its native Indonesia and India where it has been used for over 5,000 years.  While used as a textile dye and in cooking, turmeric is hailed as primary member of ancient pharmacopeias and used in both Indian (Ayurvedia) and Chinese medicines.

Introduced to Europe as early as the 13^th century, Turmeric was largely ignored by the West until recent research about its amazing medicinal properties gained public awareness. Turmeric has been called ‘Indian saffron’ due to its deep yellow-orange color.

Selection and Storage

Because Turmeric is an Eastern spice, check local ethnic markets to see what varieties of turmeric are available.  They may have the raw rhizome or a wider selection of turmeric. The color of turmeric differs per variety, so it’s not an indicator of freshness.

For the full benefits of turmeric, choose raw or powdered turmeric rather than a curry powder mix.  There is typically little turmeric in curry mixes.

Store the turmeric powder in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dark, and dry place.  Fresh turmeric should be stored in the refrigerator.

Prepare for High Altitude

Include the following into your diet at least 3-5 days prior to departure if your trip is a relaxing vacation, or 7-10 days if your trip will include strenuous activity such as mountain biking, hiking, or skiing. These tips will help you adjust with grace and ease when your body feels the reality high altitude.

• Hydrate: Drink more water than you normally would – about twice as much in fact, especially for drier climates. Water will help your body adjust faster.
• Potassium: Eat fruits and vegetables high in potassium such as bananas, broccoli, avocado, cantalope, celery, greens, dates, tomatoes, and almonds.
• Anti-oxidants: Eat fruits rich in anti-oxidant properties such as berries; blueberries, blackberries, and cranberries rank the highest. Don’t forget raspberries and strawberries, too.
• Chlor-Oxygen: Rich, bio-available chlorophyll to increase oxygenation, red blood cell production, and energy levels. Here is some more information on Chlor-Oxygen in case you’re not familiar.

In my trips to high altitude destinations (I now live in one), I embraced the shift by adding to my daily regime, the high altitude smoothie.

The High Altitude Smoothie

• 1 banana
• Handful of blueberries
• Handful of blackberries
• 3 Strawberries
• 21 drops of Chlor-Oxygen
• Optional: 1 teaspoon of Almond Butter
• Mix with pure ice and water

Throw everything in a blender and enjoy!

Notes on this recipe: The banana and almond butter is not only rich in potassium, but will help you maintain a stable blood sugar level too. The berries are an anti-oxidant dream, while the Chlor-Oxygen will oxygenate your blood and get you ready to life in the higher realms.

Once At High Altitude

Continue to drink extra water, consume the recommend high potassium and antioxidant foods, and drink the High Altitude Smoothie daily, all while incorporating the following:

• Relax: Upon arrival, sit back and enjoy your arrival and give your body time to adjust. Exercise is more intense at higher altitudes. Even if you’re an experienced athlete, take it easy on the first day.
• Alcohol: Limit your “I’m on vacation!” celebratory intake. First, alcohol binds oxygen and water which removes them from being effectively used by your body. Second, alcohol is absorbed much quicker into the blood stream at high altitudes. In fact, alcohol will pack 10% more of a wallop at high altitudes than at sea-level.

Vacationing in the mountains is an adventure in beauty and for many, a dream come true. Avoid the nightmare of altitude sickness by giving the gift of preparation to yourself before playing at the top of the world. And have fun!

Is it just food?  I don’t believe so.  Changing your diet, even if you are not suffering from a disease, is not easy.  It will bring up emotions and feelings that have been long buried with food and other addictions.  The participants in the movie not only radically changed their food intake, but also took classes in alternative medicine, yoga, meditation, and spent their time in a beautiful, peaceful environment.  It’s important to surround yourself with support when you make any major changes in your life.  The results of this program brought astonishing results.  One person did leave the program.  But the other participants had exceptional results.  Within four days, most of the participants were off their insulin and oral anti-diabetic medications.  It was that quick.  After the 30 days, the Type 2 diabetics had achieved a level of health that was considered comparable with a normal non-diabetic physiology. 

It takes time to get on a healing track.  For most people, just taking meat out of their diet is traumatic.  These people went from eating a typical fast food diet their whole life to eating raw foods only.  They were introduced to supplements, enzyme therapy and exercise.  Moving was a very important factor in getting their blood sugar under control.  Exercise helps get the blood sugar into the cells.  The enzyme therapy is important because most people, especially diabetics, have a sluggish digestion process. 

We know it’s healthier to eat raw.  But do you have to do 100%?  No, you don’t.  Try eating as much raw as possible.  Also take red meat and chicken out of your diet.  Most of these animals are pumped with hormones and antibiotics.  Dairy should also be eliminated.  Dairy has been shown to increase childhood diabetes because of the inflammation it causes in the pancreas. 

One of the participants of the 30-day program went on to go to naturopathic medical school.  He was so influenced by his transition and his health by changing to a mainly raw food lifestyle that he chose to continue to help others.  He can now speak from personal experience.  I love this.  Make your own personal experience.  Being able to speak from personal experience will allow others to heal.  Diabetes is reversible.  The body is capable of healing itself.  Nutrition, mental health and exercise are all factors in that transition.  Statements from doctors about how there are no options for certain diseases or disorders, is damaging to your health.  I’ve heard of too many friends who believe the doctors and give up.  Share your knowledge about health with others.  Share the good news.

Unfortunately, even the American Diabetes Association says, “Diabetes is a chronic disease that has no cure.”  True fact….a good friend of mine is a diabetic.  We traveled to Florida many years ago and during that time she was free of stress and we were feeding her wheatgrass juice prior to our departure.  During our stay in Florida, she did not have to give herself a shot of insulin.  I’ve seen it work first hand.  Not just in the movies.  So why are doctors still not telling their diabetic patients about the raw food lifestyle?  I don’t know….ask yours.

Please consult your doctor before beginning any major lifestyle changes.

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.

I remember growing up in Connecticut going to McDonalds at least once a week. There were10 of us in my family and my dad would have to go with a list.  It was a highlight of the week. The other highlight was game night in my home.  The prize for winning Bingo was a Twinkie or a Susie-Q.  However, we also grew up with a tennis court, basketball court and swimming pool in our yard.  Exercise was also available.  And my parents went vegetarian before any of us did and passed that knowledge onto us later in life.  It’s not too late to start good habits for you or your children.

Healthy eating starts in your own home.  The local schools can only do so much with presenting healthy food to your children if you are not willing to support that in your own home.  Obesity rates have doubled for adults and tripled for children since 1980.  Is it any wonder?  Fast food joints, vending machines and inactive lifestyles, contribute to a country with an obesity epidemic. 

What are some other factors for obesity?  Genetics, emotions, age, culture and medical problems all influence weight gain.  As you age, muscle mass decreases and will slow metabolism (I’ve been seeing that one myself).  Because of this, your exercise and eating patterns must be adjusted.  This could be a great time to read those books on your shelf about being a vegetarian or raw foodist.  Our bodies want to move.  Take the stairs instead of the elevator.  Park your car in the furthest space away from the store.  By keeping a journal of your food and how you are feeling before you eat, you can start to recognize your eating habits.  Are you eating just because you are sad, anxious, or angry?  Notice how when your children hurt emotionally, the first thing you may want to do is feed them.  They need emotional nurturing, not a way to deny their feelings with food.  Start a diary with your kids.  This could also help to diagnose food allergies.

We learn about eating and cooking in our own households growing up.  In our family, birthdays were plentiful and also a great reason to get together for pizza, soda and cake.  Do you praise your children with food for good behavior or winning a game?  Most of us don’t recognize the habits we are teaching our children.  Think about your own upbringing.  What were your patterns when it came to food?  How can you help your child learn good eating and exercise habits?  Get rid of the distractions at the dinner table; the newspapers, tv and phone.  Eat slower, even with less talking.  Save the talking for before dinner during preparation and after dinner during clean-up. 

The Mayo Clinic states the following:  “Although there are some genetic and hormonal causes of childhood obesity, most excess weight is caused by kids eating too much and exercising too little. Children, unlike adults, need extra nutrients and calories to fuel their growth and development. So if they consume the calories needed for daily activities, growth and metabolism, they add pounds in proportion to their growth. But children who eat more calories than needed gain weight beyond what’s required to support their growing bodies”.

Get excited about learning some new things with your kids.  Yoga, raw food, the local farmer’s market, or just the fruit and vegetable isle at the grocery store.  Get out the juicer that you bought yourself and is now gathering dust in the cabinet.  Let the kids choose what fruits they want to throw in.  See who can achieve the best color of juice!  It’s ice cream season.  Some juicers will make really awesome, healthy and fresh ice cream.

Here’s to family health!

Chest discomfort, discomfort in other areas of the upper body, shortness of breath, and cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.  Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the chest that can last more than a few minutes to a few weeks.  It could present as pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.  You could also have pain in one or both arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach.  It is critical not to dismiss any of these symptoms and to seek medical attention as soon as possible to rule out a heart attack.  This will have a big factor in damage to your heart and survival.

Here’s my story, because I always have at least one   About seven years ago, my Dad was in excellent physical shape.  He was 70 years old and was playing up to four softball games a week (sometimes three in one day), working full time at Optimum Health Institute in CA, and eating a healthy diet (mostly vegetarian).  One day I got a phone call from my Mom saying he had had a heart attack.  What?  How did that happen?  He had started feeling bad three weeks prior.  Chest pain and other symptoms, but continued to go about his day.  The only thing that brought him into the doctor that day was because in his softball game he had gone 0 for 4 and he thought something must be wrong.  If you don’t know anything about baseball, that means he didn’t get a hit that day.  Again, he just went to the doctor that day after three weeks of discomfort.  The doctor told him he’d been having a heart attack for three weeks.  His heart muscle was (and still is) working at 30%.  Heart muscle does not repair itself.   Yes, the doctor’s were surprised he was still alive.  To this day, when he walks into the doctor’s office, they say to him “I can’t believe you are still here.”  I tell him it’s time to get a new doctor. 

Obviously, with my Dad being in such good physical shape, blood is pumping through his body without the full help of his heart.  He’s still around although cannot work and has trouble walking upstairs and is learning more and more about himself and his family every day.  It’s not his time; he has more work to do.  And yes, he fights sadness and negativity every day. 

 It is vitally important to have your muscle’s working to their optimum efficiency to support healthy blood movement.  Staying active and eating healthy are two important factors in heart health.  I’m writing this because I have been thinking a lot about the recent deaths of some celebrities.  Better lifestyle habits can help reduce your risk of a heart attack and help to maintain a healthy heart, mind and body.  Choosing the right foods, managing your weight, and exercise.  Emotional health is just as important.  As with my Dad, sometimes eating healthy and exercise aren’t the only things to avoid heart disease.

Heart disease is the number one killer of American women.  Don’t ignore the signs.  What else can cause heart disease?  Weight-loss supplements and recreational drug use may cause life-threatening cardiac complications.  Is it time for you to start a healthier lifestyle?  How about doing it for your kids?  How about teaching your children healthy habits now? 

I just closed my business.  Amazing, but my physical body already feels better.  The stress alone was hurting every muscle in my body.  And yes, it would’ve eventually hurt me in other ways.  I’m convinced of that.  Look at how you really feel and trust your intuition.  Don’t ignore the physical or the emotional signs.

Have a safe and happy Fourth!

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.

I attended a movie last night, “Healing Cancer From Inside Out”. The first part is about the numbers, the money and the ego involved with the “curing” of cancer.  The second part is the “healing” of cancer.  The presenter lost her mother to cancer and just found out her mother-in-law found lumps in her breast.  I attended with a friend who had breast cancer.  Is she cured?   Is she healed?  All we can do is stay on a healthy eating, exercise, and emotional track.  Doing our best to keep our immune system healthy.

Below is part of an email sent out by Hippocrates Health Institute:

This information is currently circulating on the internet and is purportedly part of a report generated by scientists at Johns Hopkins. We aren’t sure about the origin of this report, however, it does contain a lot of good information (much of which Hippocrates Health Institute has been teaching for years).

AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY (TRY THE KEY WORD) AND ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHN HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY .
1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.
2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person’s lifetime.
3. When the person’s immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.
4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.
5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.
6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastro-intestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.
7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.
8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.
9 When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.
10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.
11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.
CANCER CELLS FEED ON:
a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet , Equal , Spoonful , etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful.
b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk, cancer cells are being starved.
c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.
d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds and nuts help put the body into an alkaline environment. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).
e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water.
12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines become putrified and leads to more toxic buildup.
13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from eating meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body’s killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.
14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6 , Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body’s own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body’s normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.
15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, unforgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.
16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells

This is a lot of information regarding cancer and the treatment of cancer.  It’s everything I believe and more.  What do you do now?  Is most of this new to you?  Some of it?  What are you going to do now?  Please, share this with your friends and family. Even if you believe they would never go for this, do it anyway.  Sometimes just reading these sort of things can change something in people who sit on the fence.

What can you do today to start?  It’s a sunny day here.  Is it there?  The sun is an important source of  Vitamin K.   Walk somewhere.   Not easy, I know, when it’s cold where you are and you are not an outdoor cold weather person, like me.  So what do I do? I walk up and dowm my inside stairs a few times.  I do yoga (that’s an inside activity).   Take any kind of exercise class at the local gym.  Most gyms now offer one day memberships.  If you are walking outside, walk up a hill.  The view from the top is great!   Don’t forget your water!

How about some juice this morning instead of that plate of pancakes?  Juices prepared at home lack the added sugar and preservatives that store bought juices have.  Soy, rice and nut milks…are all healthier, filled with protein and low in fat and calories, not to mention great taste.  Lunch?  Pick out anything green, something red, something orange and something purple.  Yes, these are vegetables.  Toss together with a dressing or just munch on. I love to add dried cranberries, raisins and nuts to my salad.

All great ideas.  Send me some of your ideas for quick and easy ways to get healthier today.

Today I wish you good health.

Donna Bergonzi-Boyle