Celery is an unassuming vegetable that has become a household staple.  The addition of celery to salads, soups, and juices provides a subtle yet distinctive flavor that’s always welcome in my book.

Nutritional Benefits of Celery

As a diuretic, celery’s main benefit is its immense water content.  Celery has so much water, it’s actually a negative calorie food – i.e., you actually burn calories while you eat. In addition to water, celery’s potassium content helps assist in body fluid regulation and stimulates urine production.  Celery assists in ridding the body of excess fluid and toxins.

Celery’s blood pressure reducing properties has long been recognized by Chinese medicine.  But western medical research has discovered a compound call phthalides, which assists the muscles around the arteries to relax and allow dilation of those vessels. With less constriction, blood can flow easier and at a lower pressure. Phthalides also reduces stress hormones, one of the major culprits contributing to high blood pressure.

A possible cancer preventative, celery contains coumarins which combats free radicals. In this fight, celery helps to lessen the damage inflicted upon cells, decreasing mutations and the potential for cells to become cancerous.

Additionally, coumarins increases the activity of certain immune-defending white blood cells, and more specifically against cancer cells.  Another compound in celery, acetylenics, is believed to stop the growth of tumor cells.

Celery provides 44% of the recommended daily value of Vitamin K.  Vitamin K assists in blood clotting, the preservation of bone density, the prevention of calcification of the cardiovascular system, and proper brain/nervous function.  Vitamin K is also an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory.

History of Celery

Today’s celery was cultivated from wild celery.  Wild celery is thought have originated in the Mediterranean and eastward to the Himalayas.  Wild celery has less stalk and more leaves.

Celery was first used as a medicine and then as a food. The original mention of celery (leaves) as medicine appears in the Odyssey, epic by the Greek poet Homer.

A few more celery facts:

• Celery is in the same vegetable family as carrots, fennel, parsley, and dill
• Celery is a biennial which means that it has a two year life (growing) span
• The roots and seeds of celery can also be used for cooking and for medicine
• Ancient Greeks used celery leaves as laurels for renowned athletes
• Ancient Romans used celery as a seasoning
• Eating raw celery become popular in 18^th century Europe
• Celery came to the United States in the early 19^th century

Selection and Storage of Celery

Choose celery that is crisp and snaps when pulled apart. The stalks should be tight and compact and not splayed.  The leaves should be a pale to bright green in color.  Avoid celery that has yellow or brown coloration in the leaves.

Store celery in a sealed container, plastic bag, or damp cloth in the refrigerator.  Avoid freezing as celery will wilt in frigid temperatures.

Juicing with Celery

Celery is a fantastic addition to many juicing recipes.  Try these combinations:

• Celery, beet, and carrot
• Celery, cucumber, green apple, parsley, kale, and ginger
• Celery, cucumber, and carrot

Green Smoothie Goodness

This bright green smoothie is a pleasant pick-me up.  Use after your morning workout or in replacement of afternoon caffeine.

Yum! Green Smoothie

• 1/2 or 1 banana (fresh or frozen)
• ¼ – ½ cup of pineapple (fresh or frozen). Here are some nutritional benefits of pineapple
• 3-5 strawberries (fresh or frozen)
• ¼ tsp (or one serving) of dehydrated wheatgrass juice or 1 oz fresh wheatgrass juice.  Here are some nutritional benefits of wheatgrass juice
• 21 drops of Chlor-Oxygen¹
• Optional: 1 teaspoon of Almond Butter
• Optional:  1 tablespoon of Chia Seeds.  Here are some nutritional benefits of chia seeds
• Mix with purified water  (add purified ice if using fresh fruit  rather than frozen)

¹Chlor-Oxygen is a concentrated chlorophyll supplement. Click here for information on Chlor-Oxygen.  Any concentrated chlorophyll supplement can be used.

Banana Health Benefits

Fantastic Fiber:  the great thing about smoothies is that all the fiber is retained in the drink.  One medium-sized banana offers 16% of the daily value of dietary fiber.  Fiber  rich diets are great for overall health and lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Marvelous Muscles:  Bananas have a high concentration of potassium (10% of our daily value) which keeps the heart and nervous system operating at peak performance. Potassium is a salt that is essential for muscle health. The contraction action of our muscles is regulated by potassium.  From our heart to our glutes to our deltoids to our digestive tract, the muscle contraction is part of potassium’s purview.  If you’re an athlete, a banana (or two) a day keeps muscle cramps away.

Cool Calcium:  the banana helps kidney and bone health, because the potassium suppresses calcium excretion through urine.  The potassium also helps reduce the risk of kidney stones.  Due to potassium’s ability to reduce calcium excretion, banana consumption is a great way to combat osteoporosis (the loss of bone density).

Trippy Tryptophan:  Bananas are a mild source of Tryptophan, an amino acid that acts as a stress-reliever.  Tryptophan is essential to the production of serotonin, which calms the brain and induces a more positive mood and mindset.  Tryptophan also acts as a mild sedative.  Eat a banana if you need to calm down after a work-out or need a nap.

Bodacious Blood: Bananas have a high concentration of Vitamin B6 at 20% of the daily value.  Vitamin B6 helps the body to produce hemoglobin which is an essential part of our blood.  Vitamin B6 also helps in the production of anti-bodies and our immune response.  This vitamin is well-rounded as it also converts carbohydrates to glucose to maintain healthy blood sugar level.  While bananas are higher on the glycemic index than say, an apple, the Vitamin B6 in the fruit acts as a balance for our blood sugar.

Oh, and last, but not least:

Centered C:  A medium sized banana contains 16% of the recommended daily value of Vitamin C.  Vitamin C is an essential element in good health and immune response.  Vitamin C is one of the most recommended supplements for the body and is a proven part of optimum health.

The Gaia Green Smoothie is optimized to re-energize and invigorate your mind and body so you can sail through your day.

Wheatgrass juice is gaining importance among juicers and healthy lifestylers for its abundant health benefits. Nicknamed “Liquid Sunshine,” wheatgrass juice carries the moniker because of its abundant chlorophyll content. Chlorophyll is the green pigment in plants that photosynthesizes the sun’s energy.

As indicated in its name, wheatgrass is an immature version of the wheat plant. Wheatgrass is best harvested early when it’s tender to make the best use of its nutrients and minerals.

Wheatgrass Nutrition

The liquid sunshine portion of wheatgrass is that 70% of its nutrient value is chlorophyll. The chlorophyll provides energy and alkalizing benefits.

Wheatgrass is now termed a ‘superfood’ and a great source of vitamins and minerals. Wheatgrass contains Vitamin B complex, C, E, and K and calcium, cobalt, iron, magnesium, prosperous, potassium, sulphur, and zinc. Wheatgrass also shines brightly with 17 complete amino acids and around 80 enzymes.

Benefits of Wheatgrass

Wheatgrass is best consumed as juice. One to two ounces a day added to your favorite smoothie or juice will give you a power boost of energy and nutrition. A short list of benefits include:

• Alkalizing: wheatgrass contains alkalizing minerals that promote the cleansing of tissues and maintaining the blood’s alkaline pH
• Anti-Fungal: wheatgrass can relieve the itching and burning caused by athlete’s foot.  Soak your feet in distilled water and two ounces of wheat juice.
• Anti-Yeast: Wheatgrass is anti-bacterial and therefore creates an unpleasant environment for both bacteria and yeast.  Regular consumption prevents new growth of both.
• Blood Building: the high concentration of iron in wheatgrass helps to regenerate red blood cells while supplying oxygen to the body.
• Blood Sugar: Wheatgrass helps regulate blood sugar making its addition a benefit for those suffering from diabetes.
• Breath and Body: wheat juice moves the lymphatic and gastro-intestinal systems.  It supports the reduction or elimination of bad breath and body odor.
• Control Cravings: high in nutrition, wheatgrass reduces cravings.  The inclusion of wheatgrass in your diet may help you lose weight.
• Digestion: Wheatgrass cleans out the intestines and colon providing a healthier environment for digestion.
• Immunosupport: wheatgrasses high vitamin and mineral content gives an energetic injection to your immune system.

How to Prepare and Consume Wheatgrass

In its grass form, this superfood is indigestible for humans. Juicing is the most convenient ways to access this plant’s power. The juice tastes ‘green,’ but it’s also naturally sweet. Wheatgrass can only be juiced with a gear juicer or a wheatgrass juicer – check out the Lexen wheatgrass juicer, our featured machine. It comes with a 30-day risk-free trial!

Superfoods are just that - super. The super powers of wheatgrass can jumpstart the detoxification process.  It’s recommended to start with a .5 oz to 1 oz a day, and you can then increase the amount the wheatgrass juice in your diet as it feels right.

If you have a wheat allergy, you can still consume wheatgrass juice, but start slow. Take only one teaspoon per day to build up your tolerance. While wheatgrass juice does not contain gluten, it’s still best to be on the safe side.  If you feel an allergic reaction to the juice, discontinue use.

Add a positive nutritional impact to your juice or smoothies with chia seeds. A native seed of the Americas, chia has a light nutty taste that adds a subtle yet enticing flavor. Nutritionally dense, chia seeds can be a delicious shortcut in adding fiber, omegas, protein, potassium, and calcium, all in one tiny package. Add two tablespoons of chia to any juice or smoothie for:

Fiber

Chia seeds pack a walloping 8.25 grams of total dietary fiber per serving.  With nutritionists reminding us to eat 25 grams of fiber a day, one serving chia provides 1/3 of our total daily fiber needs.

Omega 3 and 6

The World Health Organization recommends a minimum of 1200 mg over Omega-3s for optimum health. One serving of chia seeds provides over 4000 mg of Omega-3s, making the seeds one of the richest non-marine food source of this healthful oil. Chia also provides a bit of Omega 6 for a balance to the Omega 3s.

Protein

Chia contains 20% vegetarian protein with the all essential amino acids, making the seeds a complete whole food. Known as the “runner’s food,” legend has it that Indian and Aztec runners would subsist solely on chia due to it containing a compact yet superior protein source.

Potassium and Calcium

One serving of chia has six times more calcium than milk, helping you to strengthen your muscles and bones. Chia’s lavish amounts of potassium helps balance the natural salts within our body. High potassium levels also help keep those visiting or living at high altitudes healthy.

Improve Digest and Detoxification

Chia absorbs 12+ times its weight in water compared with flax seed that absorbs only about 6-8 times its weight. The insoluble fiber in chia reduces digestive transit time and attracts toxins to remove them from your system.

Weight Loss Winner

The high fiber content in chia seeds and its ability to reduce blood sugar levels makes it a win-win in weight loss. Due to its neutral flavor, color, and odor Chia integrates easily into any recipe making it an almost invisible and invincible weight loss ally. To get the best in bio availability from chia, grind them before adding to any recipe.

Nutritional Facts for Chia Seeds

Serving size: 20g (About 2 tbs):

• Calories (Kcal) = 66
• Protein (g) = 4.14
• Total Fat (g) = 6.56
• Saturated Fat (g) = 0.64
• Trans Fat (g) = 0
• Monounsaturated Fat (g) = 0.44
• Polyunsaturated Fat (g) = 5.44
• Omega-3 (ALA) (g) = 4.2
• Omega-6 (Linoleic Acid) (g) = 1.24
• Cholesterol (mg) = 0
• Carbohydrates (g) = 7.5
• Total Dietary Fibre (g) = 8.25
• Soluble (g) = 1.07
• Insoluble (g) = 7.18
• Sodium (mg) = 0.42
• Potassium (mg) = 140
• Calcium (mg) = 142.8
• Iron (mg) = 3.28
• Phosphorus (mg) = 213.4
• Magnesium (mg) = 78

More information on Chia Seeds

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!

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.