Aimee's Blog

Does Love Make You Healthier?

2012-02-12T17:31:00.005-05:00

As Valentine's Day is approaching, I thought it would be nice to write about the health benefits of love. Yes, love makes us healthier.

And, if you're not in a romantic relationship--don't stop reading here as you can still benefit from love. You see it's all about feeling love. You can love just about anything and it will make you healthier. But, most importantly, when we are talking about feeling love--I want you to focus on feeling love for yourself and your life--no matter what. No exceptions.

Each and every day it must be your priority to find ways to feel love about your life.

Why?

Well, researchers have found that feelings of love trigger the brain's release of the dopamine. Dopamine is the body's pleasure neurotransmitter so the more dopamine in your system, the happier you feel. And, science shows that the happier you feel the healthier you are. Aha.

OK, so back to the loving YOU part.

In a relationship or not, your life and your health will be better if you learn to love YOU. Believe me, I know some days finding feelings of love for yourself and your life can be hard. But, even if you find a happy, loving, kind place for 5-10 minutes each day it will do you so much good.

Here are my top three favorite loving-happy-positive-my-life-rocks tips:

1. Focus on feeling good: Feeling good is your primary goal. So, stop feeling bad. Stop looking for things that aren't "going well" or things that "just don't work" and start looking for things that make you feel good.

Start looking for the potential in things. Every time you feel a not so good feeling make yourself flip it and see the upside. Feel good. That's it. You deserve it. When you are having yourself a pity party, follow these three steps:

A. Catch yourself
B. Stop and take a deep breath
C. Ask yourself: what would make me feel good?

Even if feeling good is having a thought completely unrelated to situation at hand, focus on the feeling good thought. Once you're in that "feel good" place, the world becomes a better place and it's easier to see the upside. It's easier to get to that heart-fluttering-oh-my-goodness-I-feel-good place.

2. Mirror talk: This is something I talked about in my book, Chill Out and Get Healthy. Check out this excerpt from my book and make mirror talk happen--it's so refreshing and kind. And, you deserve it!

I want you to get used to looking at yourself in the mirror, beyond what it takes to put makeup on. I want you to look into your own eyes and see YOU. Honey, this is harder than you think. Many people have a hard time with this, because the truth is, a lot of people don’t like themselves. So first things first, stare deeply into your own eyes and then say sweet, confidence-boosting and loving things like “I love you,” “You rock” and “You’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever met.” Do this until you believe yourself. It could take longer than you think. Practice every day. Do this every day for the rest of your life.

3. See it, feel it: As my mother would say, "fake it 'til you make it". Again, this is a topic I talked about in my first book. Let's revisit what I said in Chill Out and Get Healthy:

"Go on, pretend you’re happy; fake happiness until you find it. Like attracts like, and happiness—even if it’s all an act—will attract happiness into your life. Do it. Put on a happy face and walk down the street."

Someone once said to me, when I was talking about a relationship, she said, "stop focusing on the relationship you want--instead, focus on how you want to feel in your relationship." Wow. What great advice! I challenge you to do the same. Ask yourself, "how do I want to feel?" and then write down your answer. The longer the answer the better. The more adjectives the better. Hint: using words like inspired and alive and giddy and excited and love will get you to that good feeling, lovey, happy place really fast. So do it! See the life you want, feel the way you want--even if everything you want in your life hasn't yet come to fruition, keep focusing. Keep finding that feel good place and just expect what you want to come to you.

Try and practice one of these tools each day. Find a way to love yourself and your life each and every day and let your health flourish. Don't you deserve to feel good? I think so!

Now, take a moment--breathe in a deep breath and say the following to yourself, "I love you, you are awesome. Happy Valentines day to you, you are the love of my life and I am so proud of you."

All you need is love. So, love and love and love.

Is Sugar As Bad For You As Tobacco?

2012-02-06T08:44:00.005-05:00

Sugar is evil. You've all heard me sat that many, many times. So, we know how I feel about the substance.

Now researchers at the University of California at San Francisco have jumped on the Chill Out and Get Healthy train and are urging the government to regulate sugar just like they do tobacco.

Why?

Well, here are the main points the UCSF scientists drive home in their article published in the journal Nature (keep in mind, sugar is defined as, "any sweetener containing the molecule fructose that is added to food in processing.")

*Sugar can induce hypertension, insulin resistance, high triglycerides, diabetes, and potentially liver problems that mimic the the effects of alcohol.

*Like tobacco and alcohol, sugar has a negative impact on society. The U.S. shells out $150 billion on healthcare and $65 billion in lost productivity each year because of health issues associated with metabolic syndrome, a group of diseases including diabetes, hypertension, lipid problems, and cardiovascular disease. A striking 25% of military applicants are now rejected because of obesity.

*Sugar has become unavoidable. Added sugar consumption has tripled worldwide over the past 50 years. This is not a good thing--in many areas of the world, people consume 500 calories a day from added sugars alone.

*Sugar can be abused. It dampens the suppression of ghrelin (a hormone that signals hunger to the brain), and scrambles signals and transport of leptin, a hormone that produces a feeling of fullness. Sugar also cuts down on dopamine signaling, leading to a decrease in pleasure from food consumption,. That compels people to eat even more.

So, what do you think?

Personally, I'm all for it the regulation of this harmful substance. Of course the American Sugar Association is claiming that added sugars are not the reason for obesity and other illnesses in America but that over-eating on foods combined with a lack of exercise is the reason.

Valid point.

However, we all know that sugar is in everything--even foods claiming to be "healthy". We also see how sugar is addictive--it's hard to walk away from those jelly beans once you start eating them.

Although the addictive nature of sugar lacks strong scientific support, we know how we feel when we eat it. We know how children act when they eat too much of it. We know sugar is addictive.

The idea of it being illegal to serve soda, especially to children, makes me giddy. The fact that we now have scientists from one of the nations best universities on the sugar is evil kick is dreamy. Now we just have sit and wait and hope that this issue doesn't get buried somewhere by pro-sugar lobbyists. Sadly, I think it will. But that doesn't mean that you can't make sugar illegal for you and your family.

My recommendation--strictly limit your added sugar intake (and your children's intake!) as I say in my book stay under 10 grams of added sugar/day. Better yet, skip any packaged food or beverage that has any sugar added to it. Your health will thank you. Sugar is evil--there's no doubt about it.

Age and Infertility

2012-01-30T10:16:00.002-05:00

We have been told over and over that as we age, we have a harder time getting pregnant; as we age, our biological clock ticks louder and louder; as we age our egg quality diminishes and the chances of having an embryo with chromosomal abnormalities increases.

I'm here to tell you that this isn't always the case.

As more and more research comes out about age and diminishing egg quality, scientists are finding that certain nutrients and lifestyle changes can actually improve the quality of a women's eggs--independent of her age.

The one thing we cannot change with age is an ever decreasing ovarian reserve--meaning that as we age, the eggs we have will decrease in number. So, it is true that with age we have less eggs to work with, but it is not true that with age the quality of the eggs that we have left are poor.

Dr. Oz's website published an article last week, Playing Your Biological Clock's Rules, in which the author, Dr. Evelyn Minaya, states that "It is does not matter how healthy we are, age determines the increase in the chromosomal abnormalities, as well as the increase in miscarriages as a consequence of these abnormalities."

Based on the science of epigenetics and the tenets of Traditional Oriental Medicine (TOM) I disagree with that statement.

You see, both epigenetics and TOM theory state that one can influence their genetic predisposition and their overall health based on the quality of the life they lead. This means that living a life where your stress is well-managed, your overall state of being is more optimistic than pessimistic and your diet is full of nutrient-dense and antioxidant rich foods--you can alter the way your genes express themselves.

What does this mean for our ever aging ovaries and eggs?

It means a lot of this is in your control. It means that you can influence the quality of your overall health, your reproductive system and most importantly (as per the topic of this blog) the quality of your eggs.

Although we cannot increase the amount of eggs we have in our ovarian reserve, we can improve the quality of the eggs we have left and therefore get pregnant, successfully (and usually without medical intervention) later in life. And,by later in life I mean in your 40's.

As I am working on my next book, which covers the topic of fertility in great depth, I will be blogging about this subject matter quite a bit. Next week, I will discuss with you the top three supplements you should be taking to improve your egg quality!

Stay posted, and email any questions you may have to me at aimee@aimeeraupp.com

I am also launching a new venture: skype/phone consultations to discuss your individual fertility case and give you the best information to help your case. Email me for more info.

Gluten Causes Weight Gain

2012-01-21T12:03:00.000-05:00

This week I was a guest blogger on the website, Diets In Review. I wrote about the gluten-weight gain connection. I want to share the posting with you. Please give me feedback, as I feel this is a topic of mucho debate.

Let me know your thoughts on facebook or twitter!

The Gluten-Weight Gain Connection

Acupuncture and its Anti-Inflammatory Effects

2012-01-19T12:00:00.000-05:00

A new research study conducted on rats shows the effectiveness of acupuncture on reducing inflammation by way of regulating neurotransmitters involved in the bodies pain response system...!

Check out the article, New Anti-Inflammatory Acupuncture Research, for more information.

Eat Fat To Lose Fat!

2012-01-18T13:00:00.000-05:00

Check out the guest blog I wrote for DietsInReview.com. It was published yesterday.. let me know your thoughts!

Eat Fat To Lose Fat!

Packaged Foods Are Bad For You

2012-01-17T12:10:00.000-05:00

Five packaged foods that you should never eat again.

A friend of mine just sent me the link to this very concise and informative article from Grist, and I want to share it with you. I went through this list and added some of my own tidbits and recipes for homemade chicken stock, hummus and gluten free granola...

In her article for Grist, Jane Mountain wrote:

What did you resolve to do this year? Eat healthier? Avoid processed foods? Stay away from GMOs? Stop buying products foisted on you by the man? Reduce the size of your weekly garbage bag? Become a domestic god(ess)?

I want to do all of those things, which is why I am so damn excited about this post. You see, until recently, these five packaged foods were staples on every shopping list I made. But, over the last few months, I've discovered that they are all completely unnecessary once you get the hang of making them at home.

1.Never buy soup

I've always hated trying to shop for soup. They always hide nasty ingredients in there, and more often than not, even the most vegan-sounding soup is made with chicken stock or a little beef fat. Campbell's makes a vegetable soup that isn't vegetarian. Why?

If there are no animal parts in the soup, there's usually lots of salt, fat, and additives, or a little GMOs just for fun. And in case you haven't heard, soup comes in cans lined with BPA. Nasty.

If there's nothing objectionable in the ingredients, eating store-bought soup usually means taking a trip to bland city. Seriously, I've never found one I like.

The funny thing is, when you make soup at home, you don't have to add any junk and it's always bursting with the flavor of whatever vegetables you put in it. That's the magic of eating whole foods.

Campbell's and their corporate buddies have somehow managed to convince us that making soup is a task better left to the experts. In reality, it's the easiest, quickest meal you can conjure. You don't even need any special ingredients.

2. Never buy stock and bouillon

If you've done your homework with the soup, you've noticed that almost all soup recipes call for stock. Guess what? That's another thing you never have to buy again. I discovered a few months ago that making stock is even easier than making soup. And you can make it from garbage! Honestly.

Click here forAimee's favorite chicken stock recipe

3. Never buy canned beans

Remember how we were just talking about BPA in cans? Well, it's in your canned beans, too. And just like soup, beans taste better and fresher, and are better for you, if you buy them dried and prepare them at home.

I know all that soaking and cooking seems like a huge pain in the ass. That's what I thought until my husband started coming home with dried adzukis, chickpeas, and black beans.

In reality, it takes around three minutes to put the beans in some water, another minute to change that water during soaking, and then about five more minutes to put them on the stove. All the beans you'll eat all week in less than 10 minutes.

Here's a great guide to preparing various types of beans.

When we have a batch of beans sitting in the fridge, we use them to make our own burgers (thanks to Peggy at Lovin' Spoonfuls in Tucson for her delicious recipe!), falafels, soups and chili, or just sprinkle them on a salad.

Basic bean tip: Get your spouse or kids to soak and cook the beans while you relax. That's what I usually do!

4. Never buy hummus

One of the things we use our fresh chickpeas for is to make hummus. This takes me, oh, all of about six minutes now that I've done it a few times. Unlike store-bought hummus, it is not too salty, too sweet, too lemony, too bland, or too garlicky. It's just right, because I made it that way.

Here's the hummus recipe from my book, Chill Out and Get Healthy:
3 cups drained cooked organic chickpeas ( you can use canned organic chick peas)
2 medium cloves garlic
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
½ cup tahini
2 tablespoons water
4 tablespoons organic lemon juice, to taste
4 tablespoons organic extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves
¼ teaspoon paprika

In your food processor, puree the chickpeas, garlic cloves, red pepper, tahini, water, ½ the lemon juice, ½ the olive oil, until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Taste and adjust the seasoning by adding salt and additional lemon juice, if necessary, to taste. Transfer to a wide shallow bowl for serving and use the back of a serving spoon to form a well in the center of the hummus. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle the top with the parsley, and paprika. Voila!

5. Never buy cereal
My initial eschewing of packaged cereal happened because of a one-two punch.

My mother-in-law started it. She makes amazing granola that we eat every morning at her cottage on Lake Muskoka. When we leave, the best way to recapture those lazy summer days is with a fresh batch of granola.

I'm really not a fan of standing in the grocery store scouring ingredients lists. But once I started, I discovered that most cereal is a combo of high-fructose corn syrup and GM corn. Plus, all of it is ridiculously overpriced.

So, the only solution is to make your own.

Here's a great gluten free granola recipe from Gluten Free Girl

(Assume all ingredients are organic )
5 cup oats (please make sure they are certified gluten-free)
2 cups coarsely chopped almonds
1 cup pumpkin seeds
3/4 cup sesame seeds
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups mixed dried fruit (we used apricots, sour cherries, and golden raisins here)
3/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons of melted pastured butter

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Mix together the oats, almonds, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds. Make sure you use a large baking sheet or roasting pan for this. (I prefer the roasting pan, because you can really swirl around those ingredients without spilling them on the floor.) Sprinkle the cinnamon, ginger, and salt over the top. Stir it up.

Toss the bite-sized pieces of dried fruit over the top of the oats mixture. To be honest, you might want more than 1 1/2 cups here. I kept throwing more on until about 1/2 of the surface of the oats had fruit on it. Use your own judgment here. Stir it all up.

Drizzle the maple syrup evenly over the surface of the oats mixture. Do the same with the oil. Stir it all up until everything is well coated — not too sticky, but not dry either. Done? Great. Throw it in the oven.

Bake for 12 minutes, then stir up the granola-in-the-making, then put the pan back in the oven. Repeat this process three more times (it could twice or four times for you, depending on your oven). You’re looking for the granola to be not-at-all wet, golden brown, with a bit of crunch.

Pull it out of the oven and let it cool before devouring it.

Makes 10 cups or so.

Male Infertility: What To Eat To Improve Your Sperm Count, Motility and Morphology

2012-01-16T11:46:00.000-05:00

Upwards of 60% of infertility cases is male factor related.

As male infertility continues to rise, I thought I'd follow up yesterday's post with information on what men should be eating (or not eating) if they and their partner are having a hard time getting pregnant.

What not to eat: basically processed, canned and packaged foods that offer you very little in the way of nutrition. These foods contain chemicals and additives that have been shown to compromise the quality of sperm. As well, both alcohol and caffeine affect sperm quantitiy and quality.

To quote infertility specialist, Geetha Hariharan, “With diabetes and obesity growing, our first instruction to couples trying to conceive is to lose weight. Men have to stop smoking and limit alcohol intake."

Basically guys, your diet needs to be sperm friendly:

*full of omega-3 rich foods (see yesterday's post),
*limit consumption of alcohol and caffeinated beverages
*avoid processed and packaged foods and especially canned foods and fried foods
*eat nutrient dense vegetables like spinach, kale, seaweed and yams
*eat zinc rich foods like almonds and walnuts
*eat antioxidant rich fruits like pomegranates, blueberries and blackberries

For more detailed information on improving male and female infertility, contact my office at aimee@aimeeraupp.com to set up a skype consultation.

Low Sperm Count? Take Omega 3 essential fatty acids!

2012-01-15T12:00:00.000-05:00

Eat Omega-3 fatty acids to improve sperm count!

A recent study out of the University of Illinois showed that mice who lacked DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), which is an omega-3 fatty acid that is important for optimal health (and cellular health of the testicles) were unable to make sperm and were therefore infertile.

However, when the scientists added DHA supplements to the diet these mice followed, they began making sperm and were able to procreate.

This is very clear-cut science: eating foods rich in DHA like salmon, sardines and cod liver oil improves sperm count. In addition, omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation, lower cholesterol and triglycerides and regulate hormone levels.

My recommendation--regardless of your health, get in your share of omega-3 fatty acids daily. And, if you are trying for a baby, both partners should be eating a diet rich in wild salmon, sardines, walnuts and taking a daily dose of cod liver oil.

What Does "Natural" Mean On A Food Label?

2012-01-14T11:36:00.000-05:00

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Unfortunately, companies can put a lot of "healthy" sounding words on their packaging and get away with lying to you because no one is stopping them.

Huffington Post ran an article this week, 5 Food Labels That Mean Nothing, and in lieu of the, "Read Labels" New Years Resolution I posed, I thought I'd share some of the articles information with you:

"Natural" - A "natural" or "all-natural" product seems to imply that all the ingredients were plucked straight from nature with no interference from human beings, but in reality there isn't much on this earth that ISN'T natural. The FDA only regulates the word "natural" in meat and poultry products to include those that contain no artificial substances - although keep in mind: genetically modified organisms are allowed. One could convincingly argue that even petroleum by-products, high fructose corn syrup and rat excrement are natural - after all, they all came from the natural world. Perhaps the biggest offender on this list, the tag "natural" on any item is basically meaningless and has been usurped by grocery manufacturers trying to compete with the certified organic food label.

"Local" - There are no legal standards for the word "local," so your grocer could put up oranges from Chile and call them "local" with no repercussions. How to avoid this conundrum? Shop for produce at farmers markets, visit local farms and get to know the people who grow your food.

"Free Range" - As far as the USDA is concerned, the only certifiable "free range" food items are poultry and eggs. The law states that chickens must be "allowed access to the outside," yet there are zero specifications as to how big this outdoor area must be. There might be one door that goes to a 4'x4' yard for 100 chickens or more that are all eating hormone-fueled, pesticide-drenched food. Your best bet is to purchase USDA Certified Organic eggs. Other "free range" meats such as beef or pork are not regulated at all, and you will just have to trust the manufacturer (or do your research).

"Made with Whole Grains" - This product might include 99.99% refined grains and .01% whole grains, but there's no way to know because the term is not regulated. The manufacturer could throw two grains of oatmeal into five tons of their product and assert that it is "Made with Whole Grains." Don't fool yourself into thinking you are eating healthier than you are!

"Lightly-sweetened" - Surely a food product that is "lightly-sweetened" contains less sugar than the norm, right? Not necessarily. Another unregulated term, "lightly-sweetened" is used to describe plenty of products that are loaded with sugar, corn syrup or other sweeteners. This food label means nothing!

Happy label reading!!!

See Me Speak on Sunday January 22, 2012 at Clay Gym in Manhattan

2012-01-13T16:36:00.000-05:00

Come and join me on Sunday January 22, 2012 at 615pm at Clay Gym for an info-packed talk presenting practical strategies for making better lifestyle choices. And, while you're there, enjoy some fresh pressed juices from BluePrintCleanse.

In this session, specifically designed for the busy urban professional, I will share strategies for staying healthy while traveling, simple meditation techniques, successful goal setting practices, quick and simple meal planning, achieving better sleep, having better sex, improving relationships and finding that ever-elusive balance.

Learn the tips and tricks that can help you keep your 2012 resolutions all year long!

Leave with a gift bag of goodies... including a copy of Chill Out and Get Healthy!!

Click here to register. and use promo code: Aimee5 when signing up and get $5 off entrance fee!

Sign up soon as spaces are limited! Hope to see you there! Yay!

Acupuncture and Migraines

2012-01-12T12:21:00.002-05:00

A recent study was just published comparing the effects of acupuncture to sham acupuncture in the treatment of migraines.

And, my oh my has the media made a conundrum of the information. Some articles are entitled "Acupuncture just as good as sham acupuncture for migraines" to "Power of acupuncture to ease migraines questioned in study" to "Acupuncture treats migraines effectively".

How is anyone to make sense of all of the differing opinions?

Bottom line: does acupuncture help migraines or not?

The researchers at Chengdu University in China who conducted the study found the following results after 16 weeks of sham acupuncture vs real acupuncture:

* approximately 50% of the sham acupuncture group felt relief from their migraines

* approximately 75% of the real acupuncture group felt relief from their migraines

So, 25% more people got relief from real acupuncture in comparison to those receiving sham acupuncture. That's quite significant to me, and if you are a migraine sufferer I would assume you agree.

Furthermore the study showed that acupuncture has a preventative effect on the occurrence of migraines. Meaning, getting acupuncture treatments help ward off oncoming migraines.

As Dr. Albrecht Molsberger wrote in an editorial that accompanied the study results, "acupuncture should be a first-line treatment of migraines along with other non-drug therapies such as biofeedback, cognitive behavioral therapy and lifestyle changes. All of this can be achieved even if acupuncture point selection is not as dogmatic and precise as proposed by the Chinese system." Dr. Molsberger went on to explain that sham acupuncture -- inserting acupuncture needles at random points--is not a true placebo as patients are still being "needled" and therefore it can affect their Qi and their bodies ability to heal. He also noted that upon meta-analyses review of acupuncture experiments it has been found that acupuncture is at least as effective as drug treatments, with fewer side effects.

The takehome for migraine sufferers: it is recommended that acupuncture be "an option for the first-line treatment of migraine to supplement other nonpharmacologic treatment options."

New Study: Acetominophen Can Cause Asthma In Your Child

2012-01-12T11:47:00.000-05:00

Did you see this article from the New York Times, Studies Suggest An Acetominophen-Asthma Link.

If you're a parent or pregnant you should definitely give it a read.

Basically, there is a lot of science showing a link between children being given acetominophen (aka tylenol, children's mucinex and many more brands) for a fever and or pain and them developing asthma. It seems that acetominophen can cause an increase in asthma as the drug--even a single dose--can reduce the body’s levels of glutathione, an enzyme and anti-oxidant present in our bodies that helps repair damage that can drive inflammation in the lungs.

The conclusion from one study out of Boston University's School of Medicine showed that children who took acetaminophen to treat a fever were more than twice as likely to seek a doctor’s care later for asthma symptoms as those who took ibuprofen.

My recommendation: save the acetominophen for high fevers and severe pain. And, always consult your pediatrician.

Breast Cancer Risk and Infertility Treatments

2012-01-11T00:24:00.000-05:00

I wanted to share with you a blog post I recently came across. Being a practitioner who sees mainly patients going through fertility treatments, the concern that fertility drugs increase the risk of breast cancer is a big one to me and to my patients. This post, published by the Northwestern University Oncofertility group addresses the recent research highlighting breast cancer and fertility drugs.

Here's the post in its entirety.

Giuliana Rancic, Infertility Treatments, and Breast Cancer
Posted by Kate Waimey Timmerman, Ph.D.
December 21, 2011

A few days ago, we posted a blog about Giuliana Rancic’s personal experiences this year, first with infertility treatments, and then with a breast cancer diagnosis. Her story caused people to ask if her infertility treatments were related to her breast cancer diagnosis. Simultaneously, this fall, a scientific article was published that asked a similar question about any potential link between infertility treatments, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), and breast cancer.

IVF is the process by which a woman’s eggs are combined with sperm in a laboratory setting to produce an embryo. For this procedure, a woman undergoes hormonal stimulation to cause the release of multiple eggs from her ovaries, which are then surgically retrieved. While some studies have previously found that there may be an increased risk for breast cancer in some patients who participate in infertility treatment, no cause-and-effect relationship has been identified. Dr. Jacqueline Jeruss and colleagues recently examined whether exposure to hormones during infertility treatment may cause the development of cancerous breast cells or affect the proliferation of cancer cells. They investigated this question with the use of breast cancer cell lines in a laboratory setting.

In the journal, Human Reproduction, the researchers communicated the effects of estrogen, progesterone and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which are all hormones that are elevated during infertility treatment or early pregnancy, on breast cancer cell lines. In addition, they examined how these cells may be affected by clomiphen citrate, also known as Clomid, a drug frequently used to increase egg production in women prior to egg retrieval. The authors found that Clomid, progesterone, and hCG were all found to either have no effect on breast cancer cells or reduce their division and growth. As hCG is elevated in early pregnancy, this study raises the possibility that pregnancy may actually have protective effects on reducing breast cancer risk.

In the same article, “Effect of infertility treatment and pregnancy-related hormones on breast cell proliferation in vitro,” one type of breast cancer cell line, derived from breast cancer cells that contain estrogen receptors (ER positive), responded to the estrogen treatment with increased cell division and growth. About 70% of breast cancers are ER positive, so women with a predisposition to these cancers, such as those with a BRCA2 mutation, may want to discuss breast cancer risks of infertility treatment with their doctors. However, women with mutations in the BRCA1 gene are more likely to have ER negative tumors, especially those who are diagnosed under age 40. In the study by Cooley et al., BRCA1 breast cancer cells responded to Clomid and progesterone with a decrease in cell division, indicating that BRCA1 women may not be at increased risk for breast cancer after infertility treatments. This information may help women who are at high risk for breast cancer to better understand their risk of breast cancer after infertility or oncofertility treatments.

Saturated Fat Does NOT Cause High Cholesterol and Heart Disease

2012-01-10T00:11:00.000-05:00

I recently got into a debate with someone I care deeply about-- he was questioning my recommendation that people need to eat more fat. He felt that his diet has "enough fat" and that his drinking skim milk was ok. I strongly disagreed. For those of you who have read my book, you know my mantra: eat fat to lose fat. And, eating fat doesn't only help you lose fat, it helps your brain function better, it helps you age more slowly and most importantly--it helps lower cholesterol!

Yes, eating good healthy fats lowers your cholesterol.

The whole fat-is-bad-for-you and causes heart disease myth stems from a study conducted in the 1950's by Dr. Ancel Keys. Dr. Keys' study compared fat intake and heart disease mortality in six countries. What the study showed was that Americans, who ate the most fat had the highest heart disease mortality rate, while the Japanese, who ate the least amount of fat had the fewest heart disease deaths.

However, statistics for this study actually included 22 countries, and when all 22 were analyzed the link between fat consumption and heart disease did not exist.

So, what does this mean?

It means that like most scientific research-- the results were skewed or biased or misinterpreted.

The fact is that science has shown time and again that the real culprit that contributes to heart disease, high cholesterol and a host of other illnesses is trans fat--the kind of fat found in vegetable oils and margarine.

Translation: not all fats are created equal.

Our bodies need saturated fats (like those found in nuts, meats, eggs and olive oil). And, eating saturated fat does not increase our cholesterol. In fact, we need cholesterol of optimal health. The cells in your body need cholesterol to maintain their function. Depriving your body of cholesterol actually causes your body to hold on to cholesterol and, voila...your cholesterol levels will rise and you will need Lipitor or the like.

To repeat myself, yes, we need saturated fat for optimal health. And, no--cholesterol rich foods do not cause heart disease or high cholesterol.

Saturated fats from animal and vegetable sources (such as meat, dairy, certain oils, and tropical plants like coconut) are imperative to optimal cellular function and hormone regulation. And, eating fat keeps you full longer.

As well, eating healthy saturated fats gives you more energy. In fact, health experts (myself included) recommend diets of at least 50% saturated fat. Yes, 50%! Cut down on carbs and eat more healthy fats.

Now, to be clear-- the healthy fats I like and recommend are the following:

*Grass-fed beef
*Eggs (organic and pastured)
*Olive Oil
*Coconut Oil and milk
*Organic nuts and nut butters
*Butter (made from raw organic grass fed milk)
*Avocado

These foods are good for you and your health! Eat them daily!

5 Food Trends For 2012

2012-01-09T11:46:00.000-05:00

Check out this great article from Huffington Post on Andrew Stout's predictions for the food trends of 2012.

I agree with all of his calls and am saddened to think that childhood obesity is only going to continue to rise. To all you parents--fight for quality school lunches for your kids and feel them healthy at home. The state of our country's health depends on it.

New Years Resolution: C.T.F.O.

2012-01-08T11:47:00.001-05:00

For those of you who have read my book, you are familiar with the C.T.F.O. acronym. For those of you who have not... go out and buy Chill Out and Get Healthy asap! :-)

C.T.F.O. translates to: Chill The F**K Out! I mean no offense by it (so I hope none is taken). What I do mean by it--is that each and every one of us (myself included) needs to give themselves some chill out down time daily. Some call this meditation, I call it time to chill out and check in.

What's required?

Nothing.

Why should I do it?

Because your life, your health, your sex life, your skin, and most anything else you can think of will benefit. Not to mention your relationships will improve.

Sounds great, right?

So, just do it. Take 5-10 minutes every single day

Here's how (the following excerpt is from my book, Chill Out and Get Healthy)

● Find yourself a secluded and quiet place. At home this may
be the living room couch or your bedroom. At work this
could be your office, the bathroom or outside (those cigarette
smokers get outside—why can’t you?).

● Turn off things like the ringer on your cell phone so that they cannot interrupt you.

● Set the alarm on your phone (or computer or alarm clock)for five to ten minutes (or for however long you want to CTFO).

● Sitting comfortably, with your shoulders dropped and your jaw and fists relaxed, rest your hands on your lap, palms up toward the sky.

● Close your eyes or fix them on something, such as a picture on the wall.

● Breathe. This breathing is the deep, deeeeeep-breathing kind. I want you to breathe so deeply that your belly rises. The breathing cycle should be a deep breath in (three to four seconds), belly rise, hold for a count of two seconds, then a long
slow exhale (again, three to four seconds). For the first couple of times try resting one of your hands on your abdomen so that you feel it rise and fall with each breath. Nice and slowly.

Now, I’m not saying that while you are sitting there breathing and CTFO-ing, thoughts of work or life or stress won’t enter your mind; they will, there’s no doubt about that. Just do your best to let them come into your mind and then pass through, and just keep breathing. I am also not saying this will be easy at first. It will take time. Remember, to CTFO requires perseverance! You can do it! Figure
on having five restless CTFO sessions before you have a peaceful one. But keep at it. It’s so rewarding AND it breaks that damn stress cycle. Breaking the stress cycle a few times each day makes you healthier, with more essence and less toxic liver tension. Put another way, getting you to CTFO will fight aging and disease!
And, if you’re feeling really zealous, I recommend you incorporate the following sixteen-minute rockin’, stress-busting CTFO regimen into your day:

● Take three minutes each morning to journal your feelings, thoughts and physical symptoms. This is a great way to get in touch with the stranger known as yourself!

● Allow for five to ten minutes of CTFO time twice a day—once in the morning and once in the afternoon or evening.

● Before bed take three minutes (or more, if you feel like it)and write down the things that are on your mind. Look at this ritual as one that takes your thoughts out of your head and puts them on a piece of paper. This allows you to decide
to let those things go so that you can get a good night’s sleep and have the energy to tackle your tasks tomorrow.

Now, get on with it! C.T.F.O.-ing is amazing for your health!

New Years Resolution: More Info on Reading Labels

2012-01-06T12:13:00.002-05:00

I just came across this article posted on Huffington Post and I thought it would be great to share with you. The author of this article, Robert J. Davis, is a health journalist whose opinions I agree with, for the most part.

Some of Mr. Davis' claims--particularly his organic foods not necessarily being healthier for us--I don't agree with. But, many I do. Either way this piece is worth your time. It's a slideshow on the Top 10 Food Label Tricks To Avoid In 2012.

Check it out. And, be sure to eat organic animal products and the must eat organic foods I blogged about last week--regardless of what Mr. Davis says.

New Years Resolution: Read Labels

2012-01-05T12:24:00.001-05:00

For the healthiest year yet, I recommended in 2012 that you commit to reading the labels of ALL the food you eat. And, better yet: if it doesn't have a label (i.e. its a food entity that stands on its own like broccoli or free range organic chicken) you typically don't have to worry about the ingredients. But, let's face it, we all buy packaged goods from time to time.

The big no no's on the label are:

1. Anything SOY. Soy protein isolate, soy oil, soy flour, soy flakes, soy lecithin. Of course, if you've been following me for a while-you know my beef with soy, but if you'd like more information on this topic, read here.

2. High Fructose, Corn Syrup, Fructose and Sucrose. Check out this link for the most common names of hidden toxic sugars in your food.

3. Refined flour, refined whole wheat flour, enriched wheat flour or bleached flour. Read here for reasons why refined flour is bad for your health.

4. Low fat anything. Here's a great article explaining why "fat-free" or "low-fat" anything is the opposite of healthy for you.

5. And, basically avoid anything that doesn't sound like a food. These substances are typically more than one syllable and are chemicals, for example: aspartame, calcium stearoyl lactylate and malodextrin. Check out this link for the most common food chemicals and the health conditions they are linked to.

Ok, that's a good place to start. More information to follow.

Top 10 Foods With The Highest Pesticide Load

2012-01-04T12:28:00.001-05:00

I know I've spoken about this list before, but I thought in lieu of our go organic 2012 resolution, I would post this list of the hands-down-absolute-must-eat-organic foods--as these foods are loaded with noxious chemicals and hormone disrupting pesticides. If you can't find these foods organic, don't eat them!

1. Peaches
2. Strawberries
3. Bell Peppers
4. Pears
5. Apples
6. Celery
7. Spinach
8. Imported Grapes
9. Nectarines
10.Potatoes

To read more about the specific pesticides found in each of these foods, check out this article from Daily Meal

12 Steps For Going Green In 2012

2012-01-03T12:36:00.000-05:00

As we quick off 2012, I wanted to share some tips on living a better, greener and healthier year. A recent article by Danielle Nierenberg in the Chicago Tribune highlighted 12 simple steps for going green in 2012. Some of us are already following a lot of these recommendations, but either way I thought this would be a good reminder. I'd like to add one more to this list: unplug electronics when not in use.

Going Green: 12 Simple Steps

Give it a quick read!

New Years Resolution: Eat Organic and Local

2012-01-02T12:10:00.002-05:00

To expand upon my 2012 New Years recommendation for eating organic and nutrient dense food, I want to stress one additional point: eat locally grown foods as much as possible.

Why?

Here are 8 great reasons why eating local and shopping at farmers markets is great for your health (this info is excerpted from Nourish Life's website):

*Create relationships. Farmers markets offer a safe, outdoor space to meet and mingle with neighbors and food producers. More than just a place to shop, the farmers market is a place to build community around food.

*Enjoy food at its freshest and most flavorful. Food that is grown, produced, and sold locally taste better—and is better for you—than food that has traveled thousands of miles from farm to plate.

*Try new foods. Many farmers let you sample before buying. If you’re not sure how to prepare a particular fruit or vegetable, ask the vendor for suggestions.

*Get in tune with the seasons. When you shop at the farmers market, you discover the excitement of spring’s first cherry harvest and the first sweet potatoes of fall. Farmers markets educate us about what foods are local and when they’re at their peak.

*Learn the story of your food. By meeting farmers and food producers face to face, you can ask questions about how your food was grown, when it was picked, and what items are special or in season this week.

*Invest in local farms and businesses. By enabling farmers to sell their produce at retail cost, farmers markets help sustain businesses and families in your area, and provide a venue for new and small-scale farms.

*Preserve farmland and the environment. Farmers markets keep local farms in business, which reduces sprawl and protects farmland and open spaces. By encouraging local food production, they also reduce the use of fossil fuels and natural resources.Eat Well Guide.

*Give back. By shopping at farmers markets, you nourish your community. Help your market thrive by volunteering as an organizer, promoter, or greeter. If you don’t have a farmers market in your area, consider starting one (see the resources below).

To find out more about locally grown food and farmers markets in your area, check out Local Harvest or Eat Well Guide.

New Years Resolution: Focus On Feeling Good

2012-01-01T12:07:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! Over the next few days, I am going to expand upon a couple of items from yesterdays blog: "Top 5 Ways To Make 2012 Your Healthiest Year Yet".

I feel the nutritional 2012 recommendations I made are fairly self-explanatory (i.e. eat organic, read labels and exercise). However the more emotionally based "prescriptions" deserve some teasing out.

Today I want to expand upon the Focus On Feeling Good resolution.

What exactly does that mean?

For me it means seeing the upside in any situation--as hard as that may be. From something as significant as the death of my father to stressing over simple things like organizing my schedule in preparation for writing book #2, my primary goal is to feel good.

I do that by taking everything in baby steps. By this I mean- when it comes to lifes stressors or obstacles: start small. Break things down into digestible parts and ask yourself: what's the outcome here that would make me feel best. You need to envision where it is you want to be. How would that feel? Focus on the feeling good aspect and act from that place.

Even if its a quarrel with your significant other, ask yourself what us your desired outcome. Is it peace? Is it happiness? Is it getting your way? To me peace feels emotionally better than getting my own way. So, focus on that feeling of peace. Get it?

Another aspect to focusing on feeling good is saying yes. Allowing yourself to let go of the resistance you've put around the situation. Think about it: an uphill battle is so much effort. Instead...let go. Of course I didn't want my father to die and I miss him desperately but what can I do about it? Wallow and cry or accept it and live my life in a way that honors him. I am choosing to live courageously because it feels so much better than hanging onto my sadness and grief.

To sum up-- feel good in any situation by:

*breaking the "issue" down into digestible pieces

*ask yourself, "what outcome or resolution will make me feel good?"

*focus on the emotions you want to feel...not necessarily the "object" or specifics, rather focus on the feeling. For example when you say something like: I want more money or I want a new job focus on how you would feel with more money (ie free or happier) rather than the specific outcome.

*and, by all means do not focus on what you don't want or on the negative feelings like: im so stressed out every day because I hate my job instead focus on the little things of the job that make you feel good. Focus on how you want to feel...and let go of how you don't want to feel.

Be kind to yourself and feel good about it. You deserve it! Happy new year!!

Top 5 Ways To Make 2012 Your Healthiest Year Yet!

2011-12-30T12:25:00.001-05:00

In lieu of the pending new year and all the resolutions that follow, I'd like to offer you my top 5 suggestions for making 2012 your healthiest year yet!

1. Eat Organic, nutrient dense food. Eat good healthy saturated fats like olive oil, nuts, grass-fed beef, pastured eggs (with the yolk!), full fat milk (non homogenized is best). Eat these foods daily. Some say our daily diet should be made up of 50-70% healthy fats. Keep your eyes out for my upcoming blog on the health benefits of saturated fats.

2. C.T.F.O. Take some time every single day to chill the bleep out! YOu deserve it, every one in your life deserves it. Take 5 minutes and chill out and check in. Breathe. Tune into your body, your emotions, your desires.

3. Focus on Feeling Good. Steer away from negativity and find the good in every moment. Stop focusing on what you don't want and instead focus only on what you do want. Life is too short to be bogged down by negative "what if" thoughts. Live your life now and be happy. You deserve it!

4. Read Labels-- no soy, no high fructose corn syrup, no added sugars, nothing processed. Do yourself and your health a favor and only eat naturally occurring foods. Steer clear of packaged and processed foods. Remember: if it sits on your counter and it doesnt go bad, dont eat it! Read more about this in my book, Chill Out and Get Healthy.

5. Exercise. The most popular New Years resolution--to exercise more. Well, just do it! And I don't mean you have to get out there and do it every day (although, thats not a bad thing) but if exercise isn't in your daily routine then start small. Baby steps. Make a commitment to go to the gym once or twice a week rather than saying to yourself you have to go every single day. Just say to yourself, "hey, make it to the gym once or twice this week... you can do it." Start slow. Baby steps.

And, most of all: Be Kind To Yourself. Resolve to be kind to yourself and your health will just naturally become a priority...when you treat yourself and your body with kindness your health will flourish.

Have a wonderful New Year! And, I just want to say: Thank you for your wonderful support and dedication...it means the world to me!

Happy Happy!

xo

MRI Study Shows How Acupuncture Stimulates The Brain

2011-12-30T12:21:00.000-05:00

Another awesome blogpost on acupuncture...

This latest research comes from The Journal Of Magnetic Resonanace Imaging-- scientists applied acupuncture on patients at two different acupoints (GB 40 and K3) and then conducted an MRI to see if there were any changes in the brain from the needling of these two acupoints (which are both found near the ankle). And, what they found was that these two different acupoints stimulated different areas of the brain. This research lends itself towards understanding the mechanisms behind acupunctures effectiveness and how it works.

Here is the abstract from the article:

A recent study published in the Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging demonstrates the neurophysiological effects of acupuncture using MRI technology. The researchers applied acupuncture to acupoint GB40 (Qixu) and acupuncture point K3 (Taixi). Results showed that GB40 stimulation specifically enhanced “connectivity between the superior temporal gyrus (STG) and anterior insula.” The STG is part of the temporal lobe of the brain located above the area of the ear. The anterior insula of the brain is located between the temporal lobe and the frontal lobe of the cerebral cortex. K3 (Taixi) showed different results. K3 (Taixi) increased the connection strength between the STG and the postcentral gyrus. This distinction between GB40’s enhancement of the precentral gyrus and K3’s enhancement of the postcentral gyrus demonstrates acupuncture’s causal specificity of stimulation to differing acupuncture points. The researchers conclude that, “The current study demonstrates that acupuncture at different acupoints could exert different modulatory effects on RSNs. Our findings may help to understand the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying acupuncture specificity.”

Fascinating!!

Scientific Study Shows That Acupuncture Reduces Stress

2011-12-29T12:12:00.000-05:00

For those of you who have had acupuncture--you know how good you feel after a treatment. There's a general sense of well-being that is derived from acupuncture that is often indescribable. But, man does it feel good.

Well, now we have some scientific evidence that can help us understand how acupuncture actually reduces stress. Researchers at Georgetown University studied the effect of acupuncture on rats by testing for levels of a certain neuropeptide, called neuropeptide Y (NPY). NPY is released in the body during stressful events--particularly flight or fight events.

What the scientists found was that rats who were put into stressful situations and then received acupuncture (at the acupoint St36) had NPY levels almost similar to rats in the control group (rats who were not exposed to stress), while the rats that were stressed and not treated with acupuncture had high levels of NPY.

Pretty interesting. To read more about this study, check out this article.

Acupuncture: One Of 11 Medical Breakthroughs Of 2011

2011-12-28T11:39:00.002-05:00

OfHey all. Sorry for the lack of posts this week. I've been quote busy with family and travel. Bit just came across this Huffington Post article I think you all should read: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/2011/12/27/integrative_n_1165496.html

I will write more tomorrow!!!

Be well!

DHEA and Infertility

2011-12-23T16:10:00.002-05:00

DHEA is a substance I admittedly don't know much about. However, because many of my fertility patients ask me about it, I am learning.

Here's what I've go so far:

DHEA (5-Dehydroepiandrosterone) is a steroid and a hormonal precursor that is secreted from several places in our body: the adrenal glands, the brain and our sex organs (testes in males and ovaries in females). The reason why it is of interest to my fertility patients is that some recent studies have shown taking supplemental DHEA helps women produce more "fertile" and viable eggs.

On the internet, there is much talk about DHEA being a new sort of fountain of youth. But, what interests me the most is that some reproductive medicine researchers claim that taking DHEA not only can make one more youthful but it can also help women who are trying to conceive produce a larger amount of top quality eggs. The kind of eggs that lead to a healthy and successful pregnancy.

As well, some studies indicate that supplemental DHEA can also reduce defects associated with chromosomal abnormalities in embryos. This topic of research is particularly hot right now. In fact, New York's own Center for Human Reproduction (CRH) just received a second official patent regarding the use of DHEA as a female infertility treatment and in reducing chromosomal abnormalities.

David H. Barad, MD - CHR's Director of Clinical IVF and a second inventor listed on the patents - notes that "chromosomal abnormalities in embryos increase as women age. Therefore miscarriage rates rise in parallel. DHEA supplementation may, therefore, also be useful in older women with normal fertility who are trying to conceive on their own." He adds that "the prenatal multivitamins of the future may also contain a little bit of DHEA."

I'm not advising supplementation of DHEA at this point, as I am still gathering information about its use and functions. If you are interested in using DHEA, I recommend discussing it with your doctor. And, I'll be sure to keep you all in the loop as I develop a better understanding of DHEA.

Right now, I am wondering: do we need to take supplemental DHEA?

I think living a better quality life--eating nutrient dense, organic foods, meditating, exercising and focusing on happiness--is the best medicine. And, it is this kind of healthy lifestyle that should support and maintain our bodies secretion and production of DHEA and that should keep us more youthful and fertile. Just my thoughts...

Celiac Disease and Infertility

2011-12-22T12:06:00.000-05:00

There have been a handful of studies conducted on the correlation between undiagnosed celiac disease and unexplained infertility. The most recent study came out of the Center for Women's Reproductive Care and Center at Columbia University. What the researchers found was supportive of previous data--showing that a small, but statistically significant--number of women with unexplained infertility have undiagnosed celiac disease. The Columbia research team had 188 women, between the ages of 25-39 volunteer to participate in the study. Each women had blood tests for celiac disease (specifically they were tested for: tissue transglutaminase (tTG IgA) and endomysial antibodies (EMA IgA)).

The results showed that 2.1% (aka four of the 188) of the patients enrolled in the study were diagnosed with celiac disease. Yet, upon further analysis of a subgroup of women with unexplained fertility revealed a celiac disease prevalence of 5.9%.

That may sound like small potatoes to you, but really it isnt. 6 out of 100 women who are suffering with unexplained infertility have undiagnosed celiac disease which can significantly affect their ability to conceive.

If you are dealing with infertility and can't seem to make sense of it-- have your doctor test you for celiac disease. I'd also like to add that even those women who are dealing with infertility--who have been tested for and do not have celiac disease--seem to benefit from removing gluten from their diet as gluten is a very inflammatory substance that can disrupt hormone synthesis and overall health. Keep your eye out for a future blog diving deeper into this subject matter.

Coconut Oil: Why You Can Use It For Everything!

2011-12-21T12:33:00.000-05:00

For those of you who know me or are patients of mine--you know about my coconut oil obsession. I cook with it, I use it as my facial and body moisturizer (my only moisturizer!), I bathe in it and have used it as a nourishing hair treatment. I just love it. And, I recommend it to people all the time.

One of the blogs I follow, Hybrid Rasta Mama, just ran a piece on the 80 uses of coconut oil and I wanted to share Jennifer's information with all of you.

Below is the blogpost Jennifer just wrote for Hyrid Rasta Mama:

So what’s the deal with coconut oil?

Offering a myriad of health benefits, coconut oil is affordable, readily available and completely natural. I have completely fallen in love with coconut oil and use it for EVERYTHING. Literally. I buy it in 5 gallon increments and keep it all over my house. I even have some in the car. So here is a little information to inspire you to check out this amazing oil including 80 uses for it!

General information about Coconut Oil

Coconut Oil Is:

· Anti-inflammatory
· Antimicrobial
· Antifungal
· Antiviral
· Improves nutrient absorption

· Expeller pressed coconut oil can be used for anything. It does not have a coconutty smell of taste.
· Virgin coconut oil tastes coconutty and is great for cooking and baking where you want that flavor.
· Food grade should always be used.

80 Uses for Coconut Oil

Personal Hygiene/Body

1. Moisturizer – simply scoop some out of the jar and apply all over your body, including neck and face.
2. Eye cream – apply under the eyes to reduce puffiness, bags, and wrinkles. Use on the lids in the evening.
3. Preshave – coconut oil will prep skin for the pending damage caused by shaving.
4. Aftershave – coconut oil will help heal your skin after shaving without clogging pores.
5. Deodorant – coconut oil alone can be used as a deodorant, but even more effective in combination with cornstarch/arrowroot powder and baking soda!
6. Hair Conditioner/Deep Treatment – use as a leave in hair conditioner by applying a teaspoon of coconut oil to your ends and then running your fingers through your hair to distribute the rest! For a deeper treatment, rub in a tablespoon of coconut oil onto your dry scalp and gently work through to the ends. Put a shower cap on to prevent transfer onto bed linens and leave on overnight.
7. Hair Gel/Defrizzer – rub a little between your palms and either scrunch into hair (for curly hair) or finger comb in through from scalp to ends (for wavy/straight hair).
8. Toothpaste – there are numerous recipes out there but I just mix coconut oil and baking soda and dab a little of the mix on my toothbrush.
9. Make up remover – use a cotton swab and a dab of coconut oil and you would be amazed at how well it works!
10. Chapstick – just rub a little into lips and it not only acts as a softening agent but it also has an SPF of about 4 so you get a little protection!
11. Massage Oil – pretty simple; grab some and rub!
12. Lubricant – it is an all natural, perfectly safe personal lubricant. Not compatible with latex!
13. Sunscreen – see my post on natural sunscreen for more detailed information.
14. Stretch Mark Cream – coconut oil is great at nourishing damaged skin. It may not be the magic stretch mark cure but it will help.
15. Nipple Cream – works great to nourish cracked, sore, or dry nipples. Apply to a cotton ball and leave on your nipples between feedings.
16. Diaper salve – very comforting on a rashy bum with no harsh chemicals. Also safe for cloth diapers.
17. Cradle cap – having issues with dry skin on your baby’s scalp? Coconut oil will not only nourish your baby’s skin, it also helps eliminate cradle cap. Just rub a teaspoon onto scalp daily.
18. Body scrub – mix coconut oil and sugar together and rub all over! Rinse off and your skin will be super soft! You can add in essential oils if you would like a specific smell.
19. Healing – when applied on scrapes and cuts, coconut oil forms a thin, chemical layer which protects the wound from outside dust, bacteria and virus. Coconut oil speeds up the healing process of bruises by repairing damaged tissues. Plus, it smells a heck-of-a-lot better than anything from the pharmacy.
20. Bug Bites – when applied directly to a bug bite, coconut oil can stop the itching and burning sensation as well as hasten the healing process.
21. Skin problems – coconut oil relieves skin problems such as psoriasis, dermatitis, and eczema.
22. Swimmers Ear – mix garlic oil and coconut oil and put a few drops in affected ear for about 10 minutes. Do this 2-3 times a day and it usually works within one or two days.

General Health and Wellness

23. Stress Relief – relieve mental fatigue by applying coconut oil to the head in a circular, massaging motion. The natural aroma of coconuts is extremely soothing thus helping to lower your stress level.
24. Digestion – the saturated fats in coconut oil have anti-bacterial properties that help control, parasites, and fungi that cause indigestion and other digestion related problems such as irritable bowel syndrome. The fat in coconut oil also aids in the absorption of vitamins, minerals and amino acids, making you healthier all around.
25. Fitness – coconut oil has been proven to stimulate your metabolism, improve thyroid function, and escalate energy levels, all of which help decrease your unwanted fat, while increasing muscle.
26. Nose bleeds – coconut oil can prevent nose bleeding that is caused by sensitivity to weather such as extreme hotness and extreme coldness. This condition happens when the nasal passages become dry because of cold or dry air resulting to burns and cracks in the mucus membranes so bleeding happens. To prevent this just put coconut oil in you nostrils. Coat your finger with coconut oil and then lie down and coat your finger inside your nose. Doing this will strengthen and protect the capillaries in the nasal passages. A Vitamin C supplement will also help prevent nose bleeding.
27. For breastfeeding moms, consuming 3 ½ tablespoons of coconut oil daily will enrich your milk supply.
28. Helps with weight loss & controlling cravings.
29. Helps keep blood sugar levels stable and/or helps with cravings in those with diabetes.

Health Problems (that coconut oil is known for aiding, relieving, or even curing when taken internally)

30. Eczema – in addition to taking it internally, many have success applying it externally, some don’t
31. Skin problems
32. Toenail fungus
33. Hot flashes
34. Bleeding hemorrhoids (can also be applied externally twice a day)
35. HIV
36. Head lice
37. Improvements in menstruation regarding pain/cramps and heavy blood flow
38. Migraines (with regular use)
39. Mononucleosis
40. Parasites
41. Thrush
42. Relieve gallbladder pain
43. Has helped some people improve symptoms of an underactive thyroid gland, results have shown subsequent thyroid blood tests becoming normal
44. Energy boost
45. Flaky, dry skin
46. May relieve acid reflux and indigestion when taken with each meal
47. Adrenal fatigue
48. Alzheimers
49. H. pylori
50. Candida albicans
51. Asthma, even in children
52. Autism
53. Cholesterol – improves HDL (‘good’ cholesterol) to HDL (‘bad’ cholesterol) ratio in people with high cholesterol
54. Chronic fatigue
55. Circulation/feeling cold all the time
56. Stronger immune system
57. Mental Clarity
58. Depression
59. Helps with inflammation in Crohns

Health Problems (that coconut oil is known for aiding, relieving, or even curing when applied topically)

60. Athletes foot
61. Back pain/sore muscles
62. Canker sores
63. Acne
64. Cellulite
65. Herpes (applied topically and taken internally)
66. Genital warts (through topical application over 6 weeks, and coconut oil enemas twice a day depending on the location of the warts)
67. Circumcision healing – although I am personally against circumcision, I have read that coconut oil is a really great healer for this.

Cooking

68. Use 1 cup to 1 cup ratio when replacing other oils/butter in recipes with coconut oil.
69. Replacement for butter/lard/Crisco/PAM in it’s solid form – greasing pans, pie crusts, etc.
70. Replacement for various oils in liquid form – baking, cooking, sautéing, etc.
71. Nutritional supplement – melt and add to smoothies.
Other Uses

72. Insect repellent – mix coconut oil with peppermint oil extract and rub it all over exposed skin. Keeps insects off better than anything with Deet! Tons safer too.
73. Great for dogs and cats for general wellness. Just add a teaspoon to their water bowl daily.
74. Goo Gone – just mix equal parts coconut oil and baking soda into a paste. Apply to the “sticky” area and let it set for a minute. Then scrub off with an old toothbrush or the scrubby side of a sponge.
75. Chewing Gum in Hair Remover – just rub some coconut oil over the stuck chewing gum, leave in for about 30 minutes, then roll the gum between your fingertip. Voila! It’s out!
76. Polish Furniture – coconut oil with a little bit of lemon juice to polish wood furniture. However, I recommend you test it first on a very small, unobtrusive part of your furniture to make sure it works the way you’d like.
77. Polishing Bronze – all you have to do is rub a little oil into a cotton towel and then wipe down the statue. It cleans and helps deepen the color of your bronze.
78. Seasoning animal hide drums
79. Seasoning cookware
80. Moisturizing and cleaning leather products

Did I miss any? Do you use coconut oil for something not on my list? Please add it in the comments. I am always excited to find new ways to implement coconut oil!

Thanks Jennifer! And, for those of you who want to buy coconut oil asap, the one I buy is from Wilderness Family Naturals. Get your coconut on!

Neti Pot and Brain Killing Ameobas

2011-12-20T09:28:00.002-05:00

The state of Louisiana's health department has issued a warning about the potential dangers of "improperly" using neti pots. This warning is in response to two recent deaths in the state that are thought to have resulted from "brain-eating amoebas" (aka N. fowleri organisms) entering people's brains through their sinuses while they were using their neti pots.

Before we all start freaking out, the Fox News article that is creating all this hype clearly states that this assumption is still being investigated to determine that the deaths did indeed result from exposure to treated tap water in neti pots.

According to Jonathan Yoder, an epidemiologist with the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "Nearly all the cases (of N. fowleri) have resulted from exposure to warm recreational water, such as ponds, rivers and lakes, and the kind of exposure where the water would be forced up the nose — for example, diving and water sports. The amoeba thrives in natural waterholes, especially those in the South, and several Americans die every year from swimming in these waterholes, or using untreated water from them."

Yoder went on to say,"However, in the last 15 years, I'm not aware of other cases [in the U.S.] associated with treated drinking water," he said.

So, we shall see what their investigation concludes. Either way, play it safe and boil the water you use for your neti pot. And, don't believe the hype.

Why You Need To Eat Fat!

2011-12-18T14:51:00.003-05:00

Yes, you need to eat fat. That means drinking full fat milk, eating fattier cuts of meat, not skipping the yolk when you have eggs and getting in plenty of omega 3 fatty acids from foods like fish and nuts.

FYI: If you eat fat, you will not only lose fat but you will be healthier and more alert.

Fat is a necessary nutrient as it contains fat soluble vitamins like vitamin A which ensure proper metabolism, stellar cognition and vibrant health. The cells in our bodies need good, healthy fat to function efficiently, make hormones and keep our immune systems strong. Recent research has even shown that fat not only keeps our brains working optimally, but that healthy fats combat depression.

So, why does fat get a bad rap? Because of bad fats like those found shortening and crisco are extremely unhealthy and toxic to our bodies. Trans fats and fats from refined vegetable oils like corn, soy, safflower and sunflower are disease-causing, inflammatory and noxious agents. Don't touch them.

But, what you should eat are saturated fats--those fats found in butter, whole milk, cheese and fatty meats. These fats which are mainly found in animal products are superb for for our health and should be consumed in 4-6 times per week (in 3-4 ounce servings).

And for all you ladies wanting to improve your fertility: A recent study of over 18,000 women found that consumption of low-fat and skim milk products resulted in decreased fertility while consumption of full-fat dairy products saw increased fertility making good quality butter, heavy cream and whole milk good choices for women planning to conceive (Hum Reprod. 2007 May;22(5):1340-7). Eat fat!

And, our favorite fats are the monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and Omega-3 rich fats like those found in olive oil, avocados, fish and nuts. These foods are amazingly nutritious for us and have been shown to have “heart-protective effects”, benefit the nervous system, regulate hormone levels and decrease inflammation. You should be eating 1-2 servings of these types of fats per day!

Lastly, I wanted to put in two words on eggs-- eat them! With the yolk! Your body needs cholesterol and your heart will not stop nor will the valves in your arteries get clogged from this nutrient dense food. Eggs are the absolute best source of protein and should be consumed daily! Check out my recent blog on the egg and cholesterol myth here.

Eat fat and be healthy!!

Drink White Tea and Look Younger

2011-12-17T12:45:00.000-05:00

Scientists at Kingston University in London released a report showing that traditional remedies such as white tea, witch hazel and rose extract prevent inflammation,fight cancer and prevent wrinkles! Sign me up!

They conducted their study on human skin cell samples, adding three different concentrations of white tea (freeze dried powder), witch hazel (dried herb) and rose extract (in a medicinal tincture form) to see what effect the mixtures might have on suppressing inflammatory enzymes and oxidants which play a key role in inflammation and aging. What they found was that these three substances help tone down or "switch off" the production of interleukin 8, an inflammatory substance that the body releases that leads to disease and accelerates the aging process.

I don't know about you, but I'm going to start adding white tea to my daily regimen and put a few drops of rose oil into my coconut facial oil!

How Can You Prevent Cancer?

2011-12-16T12:27:00.000-05:00

Is it preventable is the question. The Brittish Journal of Cancer released a report this week studying just that. Researchers found that our lifestyle choices account for 40% of cancers.

Lead author Prof Max Parkin said: "Many people believe cancer is down to fate or 'in the genes' and that it is the luck of the draw whether they get it.Looking at all the evidence, it's clear that around 40% of all cancers are caused by things we mostly have the power to change."

In my first book, Chill Out and Get Healthy, I talk about this topic quite a bit. In scientific terms, its called epigenetics. Basically, gene expression can be turned on or off depending on how we live our lives. This study supports the fact that certain lifestyle choices, like not eating enough fruit and vegetables, can "turn on" the bad cancer genes in our bodies.

The biggest take home for men on fighting cancer was to stop smoking and eat more vegetables and for women it was to keep their weight in a healthy range.

Check out this image for more info...

Best Food For Runners

2011-12-15T15:10:00.002-05:00

I just came across this article on RunnersWorld.com: Foods That Deliver Crucial Nutrients For Runners. and being I'm a runner, I gave it a read.

It offers some sound nutritional advice, like eating berries for their anti-oxidant properties and gnashing on mushrooms because they are a good source of potassium. But, some of the other recommendations are just "eh" in my opinion. So, I'm giving my recommendations:

1. The author suggests taking hemp seed oil for the omega fatty acids. A better suggestion would be to take cod liver oil--as it not only provides omega fatty acids but also contains vitamin A and D.

2. For a good B12 and Iron source, the article talks about eating bison. Although I love this lean meat, I think the hands-down-best-source of iron and B12 is liver. I recommend it in either pate (homemade and organic) form (yum!) or in pill form. Personally, I take 2 liver pills every day.

3. The author recommends canned beans. Yuck. I don't like canned anything. Ever. Beans, are definitely a great source protein, fiber and carbs but don't buy them in a can!

A few other things that work for me when I'm running a lot are almonds, hard boiled eggs and my all time fave: a shake made with coconut milk, berries, a scoop of nut butter (almond or peanut), 1 tablespoon of raw and organic cacao powder and a banana. Omg. So damn delicious and nutrient rich!

The Best Protein Powders

2011-12-14T11:50:00.000-05:00

Although, I don't love using anything that isn't naturally occurring, when you're in a pinch, protein powders can really come in handy.

You can make an awesome smoothie with protein packed foods like nut butters, coconut milk, greek yogurt and gelatin, but sometimes people want to use a tried and true protein powder.

So, I have set off to find the best ones out there for you. My search had three requirements:

First, the source. I wanted to be sure to find organic products that were concentrates (NOT isolates as they are too acidic and harmful to your health) and whey products from grass-fed cows.

Secondly, I wanted to find products that were created with temperature control in mind. You see, any protein source (I only looked at whey or rice based ones), when it's being made into a nutritionally dense powder version of itself needs to be protected from too high of a temperature. You don't want anything that was exposed to high heats during its production as these high temperatures cause proteins and enzymes to denature and render them useless and toxic.

And, thirdly, I didn't want anything with noxious artificial sweeteners in it.

These are the winners:

Vital Whey Pure Protein Powder

Mercola's Miracel Whey Protein (check out the video on this link too, very informative on the different types of whey protein out there... even though Mercola comes off as too "salesy" to me, he does have great information... and this is a good product.)

Epic Protein Rice Protein Powder

Kale: I love you

2011-12-13T12:34:00.000-05:00

Lately, I have been obsessed with kale. It started one night, when out to dinner a friend and I ordered a kale salad. Omg. The plate came out with large stalks of kale, sitting on the plate lightly dressed in some olive oil and vinegar and topped with crumbles of asiago cheese. My friend and I looked at one another, both thinking the same thing: "uhhh, is this going to taste good?"

Minutes later, not a word was spoken and the plate was clean.

The next day, I made kale chips for the first time. They are divine! And, I am addicted.

Organic Authority, one of my favorite blogs to follow, just posted this article: 7 Reasons Kale Is The New Beef. Although kale will never replace beef in my book, it sure is a health superstar. Here are the highlights from Organic Authority's article:

1. Anti-inflammatory: Inflammation is the number one cause of arthritis, heart disease and a number of autoimmune diseases, and is triggered by the consumption of animal products. Kale is an incredibly effective anti-inflammatory food, potentially preventing and even reversing these illnesses.

2. Iron: Despite the myth that vegetarians are anemic, the number of non-vegetarians with iron-deficiencies is on the rise. Per calorie, kale has more iron than beef.

3. Calcium: Dairy and beef both contain calcium, but the U.S. still has some of the highest rates of bone loss and osteoporosis in the world. Kale contains more calcium per calorie than milk (90 grams per serving) and is also better absorbed by the body than dairy.

4. Fiber: Like protein, fiber is a macronutrient, which means we need it every day. But many Americans don't eat nearly enough and the deficiency is linked to heart disease, digestive disorders and cancer. Protein-rich foods, like meat, contain little to no fiber. One serving of kale not only contains 5 percent of the recommended daily intake of fiber, but it also provides 2 grams of protein.

5. Omega fatty acids: Essential Omega fats play an important role in our health, unlike the saturated fats in meat. A serving of kale contains 121 mg of omega-3 fatty acids and 92.4 mg of omega-6 fatty acids.

6. Immunity: Superbugs and bacteria are a serious risk to our health. Many of these come as a result of factory farm meat, eggs and dairy products. Kale is an incredibly rich source of immune-boosting carotenoid and flavanoid antioxidants including vitamins A and C.

7. Sustainable: Kale grows to maturity in 55 to 60 days versus a cow raised for beef for an average of 18-24 months. Kale can grow in most climates and is relatively easy and low impact to grow at home or on a farm. To raise one pound of beef requires 16 pounds of grain, 11 times as much fossil fuel and more than 2,400 gallons of water.

An Amazing Source of Grass-Fed Beef

2011-12-12T12:00:00.000-05:00

I came across this website recently and I am just smitten! U.S. Wellness Meats was started by a farmer named John Wood-- a fifth generation farmer from Missouri. Back in the late 90's he decided to go 100% grass fed with his cattle and was amazed by how damn good his meat tasted. Since 2000 John Wood and 3 other family farmers (read about them all here) who are all committed to sustainable and humane animal practices have been running US Wellness farms.

You can buy any sort of meat you want from bison liver to pork to goat. And, they also sell raw, organic ice cream, pastured butter, grass-fed dairy and wild caught seafood. As the demand for this quality of food grows (and people realize that this food not only tastes better, but its healthier for us and good for our environment) John and his buddies keep teaming up with other sustainable farmers to bring their customers anything and everything they desire. These guys are the anti-big agriculture and I love them! Their prices are great... and shipping is reasonable. They even offer some of their meats "flash chilled" instead of frozen.

Check them out and see if ordering from them is easier for you (and cheaper!) than buying at the store.

A quick side note on the "organic-ness" of their meat this is what US Wellness farms has to say:

All U.S. Wellness Meats pastures and animals have been maintained with organic principles in mind since 2000. Unfortunately, the state of Missouri dropped a state-run organic-certification program and turned it over to a private certifier several years ago. The private certifier wanted 3% of the gross income of the preceding year to maintain the license. We politely said no, and felt if Thomas Jefferson were still alive he would concur. Sadly, greed has infiltrated a noble cause. 50% of the Missouri organic producers have let their certification lapse since this situation was create by the Missouri legislature.

The more I learn about organic certification programs, the more I realize what's going on in Missouri is going on almost everywhere in the US. It's not worth it for the farmers to get the certification. I don't blame them.

I haven't ordered from here yet, but I plan to and I'll keep you posted. If any of you have tried US Wellness products, let me know!

Amazing Protein Packed Recipes

2011-12-11T12:10:00.000-05:00

Women's Health just published this piece by one of my favorites guys, Mark Bittman: 37 Protein Packed Meals To Keep You Satisfied

I love most all the recipes... however, I'm surprised Mark would recommend eating swordfish. As far as I knew swordfish was quite a heavy hitter in the mercury department. But otherwise, these recipes look AHHHH-Mazing. I can't wait to try the baked eggs with spinach, the pork medallions and the lamb burgers with mozzarella! OMG.

The piece is in slideshow format which I find a bit tedious, but the information is great. Protein, protein, protein! And, what I love most: tofu is not mentioned once!

How To Be Happier

2011-12-10T11:52:00.000-05:00

We could all use a little boost from time to time in the happiness department. For me, I really try to always focus on the things I most appreciate. But, even I, the eternal optimist can hit a bump in the road.

I just came across this article on Yahoo Shine: 30 Days, 30 Ways To Be Happier and, I loved it so much that I wanted to share with you.

Give it a read and let me know what you think. My favorite top 3 favorites tips from this article are:

1. Be Silly (ask my friends,I love to goof around and act silly!)
2. Savoir The Daily Joys (this is the best way to stay in the happy zone)
3. Forgive Small Injustices (life is just too damn short... let it go...let it be!)

Have a great Saturday!

How Much Sugar Is In That Cereal You Give Your Kids?

2011-12-09T11:46:00.000-05:00

OMG...The Environmental Working Group (EWG) just released a report on the amount of sugar in childrens cereal. Would you feed your kid a Twinkie? Probably not. Did you know some of the most popular childrens cereals out there have more sugar in them (serving to serving) than a Twinkie! Yikes!

Here are the best and the worst cereals:

The 10 Worst Cereals:

Cereal Name (Sugar % by weight)
1 Kellogg's Honey Smacks (55.6%)
2 Post Golden Crisp (51.9%)
3 Kellogg's Froot Loops Marshmallow (48.3%)
4 Quaker Oats Cap'n Crunch's OOPS! All Berries (46.9%)
5 Quaker Oats Cap'n Crunch Original (44.4%)
6 Quaker Oats Oh!s (44.4%)
7 Kellogg's Smorz (43.3%)
8 Kellogg's Apple Jacks (42.9%)
9 Quaker Oats Cap'n Crunch's Crunch Berries (42.3%)
10 Kellogg's Froot Loops Original (41.4%)

6 Best Cereals:

Ambrosial Granola
Go Raw
Grandy Oats
Kaia Foods
Laughing Giraffe
Lydia's Organic
Nature's Path Organics

6 Good Big-Brand Cereals- these guys fall into the "ok" category... but try your best to go with the cereals in the "best" category. Your kids deserve it! And, so do you!

Kellogg's Mini-Wheats: Unfrosted Bite- Size, Frosted Big Bite, Frosted Bite-Size and Frosted Little Bite
General Mills Cheerios Original
General Mills Kix Original

Source: EWG analysis of nutrition labels for 84 children's cereals.

Check out the complete report here.

Must Eat Organic Foods

2011-12-08T12:54:00.000-05:00

I came across this awesome article the other day on WakeUpWorld.com

I want to share it with you, since I really have only one additional thing to add to the list: Soy. This expert won't ever eat soy... and I recommend you dont either!

7 Foods Experts Won’t Eat

1. Canned Tomatoes

The Expert: Fredrick vom Saal, PhD, an endocrinologist at the University of Missouri who studies bisphenol-A.

The Situation: The resin linings of tin cans contain bisphenol-A, a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to ailments ranging from reproductive problems to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Unfortunately, acidity (a prominent characteristic of tomatoes) causes BPA to leach into your food. Studies show that the BPA in most people’s body exceeds the amount that suppresses sperm production or causes chromosomal damage to the eggs of animals. “You can get 50 mcg of BPA per liter out of a tomato can, and that’s a level that is going to impact people, particularly the young,” says vom Saal. “I won’t go near canned tomatoes.”

The Answer: Choose tomatoes in glass bottles (which do not need resin linings), such as the brands Bionaturae and Coluccio. You can also get several types in Tetra Pak boxes, like Trader Joe’s and Pomi.

2. Corn-Fed Beef

The Expert: Joel Salatin, co-owner of Polyface Farms and author of half a dozen books on sustainable farming.

The Situation: Cattle evolved to eat grass, not grains. But farmers today feed their animals corn and soybeans, which fatten up the animals faster for slaughter. More money for cattle farmers (and lower prices at the grocery store) means a lot less nutrition for us. A recent comprehensive study conducted by the USDA and researchers from Clemson University found that compared with corn-fed beef, grass-fed beef is higher in beta-carotene, vitamin E, omega-3s, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), calcium, magnesium, and potassium; lower in inflammatory omega-6s; and lower in saturated fats that have been linked to heart disease. “We need to respect the fact that cows are herbivores, and that does not mean feeding them corn and chicken manure,” says Salatin.

The Answer: Buy grass-fed beef, which can be found at specialty grocers, farmers’ markets, and nationally at Whole Foods. It’s usually labeled because it demands a premium, but if you don’t see it, ask your butcher.

3. Microwave Popcorn

The Expert: Olga Naidenko, PhD, a senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group.

The Situation: Chemicals, including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), in the lining of the bag, are part of a class of compounds that may be linked to infertility in humans, according to a recent study from UCLA. In animal testing, the chemicals cause liver, testicular, and pancreatic cancer. Studies show that microwaving causes the chemicals to vaporize—and migrate into your popcorn. “They stay in your body for years and accumulate there,” says Naidenko, which is why researchers worry that levels in humans could approach the amounts causing cancers in laboratory animals. DuPont and other manufacturers have promised to phase out PFOA by 2015 under a voluntary EPA plan, but millions of bags of popcorn will be sold between now and then.

The Solution: Pop natural kernels the old-fashioned way: in a skillet. For flavorings, you can add real butter or dried seasonings, such as dillweed, vegetable flakes, or soup mix.

4. Conventionally Grown (Not Organic) Potatoes

The Expert: Jeffrey Moyer, chair of the National Organic Standards Board.

The Situation: Root vegetables absorb herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides that wind up in soil. In the case of potatoes—the nation’s most popular vegetable—they’re treated with fungicides during the growing season, then sprayed with herbicides to kill off the fibrous vines before harvesting. After they’re dug up, the potatoes are treated yet again to prevent them from sprouting. “Try this experiment: Buy a conventional potato in a store, and try to get it to sprout. It won’t,” says Moyer, who is also farm director of the Rodale Institute (also owned by Rodale Inc., the publisher of Prevention). “I’ve talked with potato growers who say point-blank they would never eat the potatoes they sell. They have separate plots where they grow potatoes for themselves without all the chemicals.”

The Answer: Buy organic potatoes. Washing isn’t good enough if you’re trying to remove chemicals that have been absorbed into the flesh.

5. Farmed Salmon

The Expert: David Carpenter, MD, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany and publisher of a major study in the journal Science on contamination in fish.

The Situation: Nature didn’t intend for salmon to be crammed into pens and fed soy, poultry litter, and hydrolyzed chicken feathers. As a result, farmed salmon is lower in vitamin D and higher in contaminants, including carcinogens, PCBs, brominated flame retardants, and pesticides such as dioxin and DDT. According to Carpenter, the most contaminated fish come from Northern Europe, which can be found on American menus. “You can only safely eat one of these salmon dinners every 5 months without increasing your risk of cancer,” says Carpenter, whose 2004 fish contamination study got broad media attention. “It’s that bad.” Preliminary science has also linked DDT to diabetes and obesity, but some nutritionists believe the benefits of omega-3s outweigh the risks. There is also concern about the high level of antibiotics and pesticides used to treat these fish. When you eat farmed salmon, you get dosed with the same drugs and chemicals.

The Answer: Switch to wild-caught Alaska salmon. If the package says fresh Atlantic, it’s farmed. There are no commercial fisheries left for wild Atlantic salmon.

6. Milk Produced with Artificial Hormones

The Expert: Rick North, project director of the Campaign for Safe Food at the Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility and former CEO of the Oregon division of the American Cancer Society.

The Situation: Milk producers treat their dairy cattle with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST, as it is also known) to boost milk production. But rBGH also increases udder infections and even pus in the milk. It also leads to higher levels of a hormone called insulin-like growth factor in milk. In people, high levels of IGF-1 may contribute to breast, prostate, and colon cancers. “When the government approved rBGH, it was thought that IGF-1 from milk would be broken down in the human digestive tract,” says North. As it turns out, the casein in milk protects most of it, according to several independent studies. “There’s not 100% proof that this is increasing cancer in humans,” admits North. “However, it’s banned in most industrialized countries.”

The Answer: Check labels for rBGH-free, rBST-free, produced without artificial hormones, or organic milk. These phrases indicate rBGH-free products.

7. Conventional Apples

The Expert: Mark Kastel, former executive for agribusiness and co-director of the Cornucopia Institute, a farm-policy research group that supports organic foods

The Situation: If fall fruits held a “most doused in pesticides contest,” apples would win. Why? They are individually grafted (descended from a single tree) so that each variety maintains its distinctive flavor. As such, apples don’t develop resistance to pests and are sprayed frequently. The industry maintains that these residues are not harmful. But Kastel counters that it’s just common sense to minimize exposure by avoiding the most doused produce, like apples. “Farm workers have higher rates of many cancers,” he says. And increasing numbers of studies are starting to link a higher body burden of pesticides (from all sources) with Parkinson’s disease.

The Answer: Buy organic apples. If you can’t afford organic, be sure to wash and peel them first.

Are You Taking Enough Vitamin D?

2011-12-07T12:45:00.000-05:00

I just came across this recent article from NBC.com, Low Vitamin D Levels May Increase Health Risks For Women. So I thought I'd dive into the vitamin d topic for all of you.

In addition to being imperative for healthy bones, vitamin D plays an imperative part in preventing a host of health care issues like cancer, heart disease, obesity, auto-immune diseases and mental illness. So, getting enough of it should be a top priority for you--especially this time of year.

Should you take vitamin D in capsule form?

Well, the absolute best source of vitamin d is sunlight. Second to that are fatty fish and eggs from pastured chickens (to see a full list of the best food sources for vitamin d, click here).

Unfortunately, ample amounts of vitamin d cannot be obtained from many food sources, so often we need to take a supplement to get enough of it. My favorite supplement source of vitamin d is cod liver oil. I tablespoon of cod liver oil provides 3400 iu's of vitamin d (in comparison to 4 ounces of salmon which only provide 1300 iu's.) For us here in the northeast, we need to take in more vitamin d during the winter months as we are getting less sun exposure. So, what's the best thing for you to do?

For maintenance of vitamin d levels, my recommendation is to take 3 capsules of cod liver oil (from greenpasture.org) per day (which is the equivalent to one tablespoon of liquid.. I personally cannot tolerate the liquid so I take capsules, but you do what works for you). Eat two eggs per day and try to get in 2-3 servings of fish per week, from either salmon, sardines, halibut or trout. In addition, if you can get 10 minutes of direct (unprotected--no sunscreen) sunlight between 11am and 1pm each day. This should give you plenty of vitamin d that your body can utilize.

If you have been told you have low levels of vitamin d, then I would stick with the same dietary recommendations as above, but take 6 capsules of cod liver oil each day rather than 3. This should give you about 7,000iu's of digestible vitamin d daily.

When it comes to dosing vitamin d and absorbing vitamin d, it can get complicated. If you want to learn more, check out this article from the Weston A. Price organization, it's a ton of info, but it's very useful.

The Top 10 Best Ways to Naturally Fight a Cold

2011-12-06T12:00:00.000-05:00

As cold and flu season is upon us (here in the US) I thought it would be appropriate to highlight my tried and true coldbuster recommendations.

1. These you all know: drink a ton of water (half your body weight in ounces), eat a clean and healthy diet (lots of fruits and veggies and lean proteins), sleep and by all means: stay away from sugar!!!

*Interesting fact: 1 teaspoon of sugar suppresses the immune system from 2-6 hours!!

2. Neti Pot, Neti Pot: at the first sign of a cold do a nasal rinse, at least once a day but twice per day is ideal.

3. Get in plenty of vitamin d and vitamin c: these are both best when they come from food sources, however supplementing during cold season isn't a bad idea either. Try for 5,000 ius of vitamin D daily (3 cod liver pills with give you around 3500iu's). And for the vitamin C,take about 3,000-5,000 mg/day. Get your vitamin c from fruit like blueberries and oranges.

4. Eat garlic. Garlic is a potent cold and flu fighter. Thanks to an oily compound called allicin garlic has antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties. For the ultimate cold fighting beverage, dice up a clove or two and add it to a mug of hot water along with freshly squeezed lemon, a few shavings of fresh ginger and a 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne.

5. Drink hot water with fresh squeezed lemon juice. If your body can't handle the garlic, or you have a hot date on your agenda, skip the garlic in the above recipe and drink 3-5 mugs per day of hot water w the juice from half of a lemon squeezed into it. Add some ginger and clove to it for extra cold fighting bang.

6. Take Cordyceps. This is one of my favorite all time immune enhancing fungi. I recommend it in capsule or tincture form. My favorite brands are new chapter or herb pharm.

7. Take Probiotics. These natural good for you bacterial strains are one of the best immune enhancers put there. A great way to get probiotics in is thru eating fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi and greek yogurt. In addition I rec that you take one ir two capsules per day of probiotics made by megafoods, new chapter or culturelle.

8. Eat homemade chicken soup. Yum. For the ultimate in immune enhancing, make a soup from an entire chicken- bones and all. Check out this recipe.

9. Exercise. This is to keep your immune system up- if you are sick, rest up and listen to your body. But for optimal health you should be exercising 3-5 days per week for 30-45 minutes.

10. CTFO. Yes, you heard me: chill the bleep out. Meditate for 5-15 minutes daily. Take some much needed mental downtime as 60-90% of all doctors visits is for a stress related disorder!

Acupuncture and IVF (in vitro fertilization)

2011-12-05T12:11:00.000-05:00

A study released last week from researchers at Adelaide University, Australia, reviewed eight clinical trials and 13 other studies comparing the efficacy of Traditional Chinese Medicine (which encompasses acupuncture, herbs and lifestyle and dietary recommendations) with western drugs or IVF treatment.

The researchers found a two-fold increase in pregnancy's in a four-month period for women using Traditional Chinese Medicine compared with only using traditional western medicine approaches.

The study’s authors said "Our meta-analysis suggests traditional Chinese herbal medicine to be more effective in the treatment of female infertility - achieving on average a 60 per cent pregnancy rate over four months compared with 30 per cent achieved with standard western drug treatment."

From my clinical experience with pregnancy and IVF, I can definitely attest to the accuracy of the conclusions these researchers came to.

Hexane and Other Toxic GMO's in Organic Baby Food

2011-12-04T12:39:00.000-05:00

Scary stuff... read this article from Organic Consumers Association and take some action to get GMOs and other toxins Out of Organic Baby Food!

Tell the National Organic Standards Board to Reject Martek's Petition for Life'sDHA and Life'sARA!
Take Action Now!

In 2009, a front page Washington Post article, "Integrity of Federal 'Organic' Label Questioned." explained how Martek Biosciences' synthetic DHA and ARA ended up in organic infant formula. In 2006, National Organic Program staff told Martek that its synthetic DHA and ARA couldn't be used in organic because they were synthetic and not on the National List. But, Martek's lawyer, J. Friedman, was able to get their decision reversed by NOP director Barbara Robinson, with just a call and an email. He told the Washington Post, "I called Robinson up, I wrote an e-mail. It was a simple matter."

This might be how the 1% get things done in Washington, but it sure isn't legal!

The National Organic Program is trying to remedy this situation by requiring Martek to formally ask permission to use its DHA and AHA in organic.

But Martek's products should never have even been considered for use in organic in the first place. According to patents uncovered by the Cornucopia Institute, all of Martek's DHA and ARA products are produced through genetic engineering and processed with solvents like hexane, two things that are expressly banned from USDA Organic.

The Cornucopia Institute also found documents submitted by Martek to the FDA, in which the company claimed their DHA was just like Monsanto's. A Martek representative clarified that its DHA was not developed by Monsanto, but that Monsanto did briefly own the technology before it reverted back to Martek.

Martek's patents for Life'sDHA states: "includes mutant organisms" and "recombinant organisms", (a.k.a. GMOs!) The patents explain that the oil is "extracted readily with an effective amount of solvent … a preferred solvent is hexane."

The patent for Life'sARA states: "genetically-engineering microorganisms to produce increased amounts of arachidonic acid" and "extraction with solvents such as ... hexane."

Martek has many other patents for DHA and ARA. All of them include GMOs. GMOs and volatile synthetic solvents like hexane aren't allowed in USDA Organic products and ingredients. Tragically, Martek's Life'sDHA is already in hundreds of products, many of them certified USDA Organic.

Please demand that the National Organic Standards Board reject Martek's petition, and that the USDA National Organic Program inform the company that the illegal 2006 approval is rescinded and that their GMO, hexane-extracted Life'sDHA and Life'sARA are no longer allowed in organic products.

Take Action Now!

More On The "Are My Vitamins Killing Me" Debate

2011-12-03T12:30:00.000-05:00

I just received this newsletter from Emerson Ecologics and I thought I'd share with you this article by Dr. Alan R. Gaby on the vitamin debate. It'll take you a few minutes, but it's definitely worth the read.

Several weeks ago, two studies that appeared in medical journals achieved widespread media attention and created concern among people who are using nutritional supplements. One study concluded that the use of multivitamins or of certain individual supplements was associated with small but statistically significant increases in the mortality rate. The other study found that taking vitamin E increased the incidence of prostate cancer. The discussion below explains why neither of these studies has changed my view that nutritional supplements are, for the most part, very safe.

Observational study: "adjusted" data and no proof of cause-and-effect

In one of the studies, 38,772 women (mean age, 62 years) from Iowa filled out a questionnaire three times over an 18-year period regarding dietary supplement use. During a total follow-up period of 22 years, the risk of dying from any cause was said to be 6% higher among women who took a multivitamin supplement than among women who did not take a multivitamin. In addition, the use of individual supplements of vitamin B6, folic acid, iron, magnesium, zinc, and copper were said to be associated with increased mortality rates.1

A potentially serious problem with this study is that the researchers did not report actual mortality rates. Instead they compared "adjusted" mortality rates between supplement users and nonusers, by adjusting for a wide range of factors including caloric intake, cigarette smoking, body mass index, blood pressure, educational level, diabetes, use of hormone-replacement therapy, physical activity, and intake of fruits and vegetables. For each of these factors, the supplement users were in the "healthier" category (for example, less diabetes, less obesity, more physical activity, fewer smokers, and higher intake of fruits and vegetables), and would therefore have been expected to have lower mortality rates than the nonusers. Consequently, the mortality rate of the supplement users was presumably adjusted upward, when compared with the mortality rate of the nonusers. Epidemiology is a relatively crude and inexact science, and it is quite possible that the researchers "over-adjusted" the data, making the mortality rate among supplement users look higher than it really was. When the researchers adjusted the data only for age and caloric intake, there was no statistically significant difference in mortality rate between supplement users and nonusers, a point that was not mentioned in the media coverage of this study.

Another weakness of the study is that it was observational in nature. In contrast to randomized controlled trials, observational studies cannot prove cause-and-effect. There have been a number of instances in the history of medical research in which the results of observational studies were eventually contradicted by randomized controlled trials. For example, numerous observational studies suggested that the use of hormone-replacement therapy by postmenopausal women prevents heart disease, but subsequent randomized controlled trials demonstrated that hormone-replacement therapy either has no effect or actually increases the risk of heart disease.

One of the many potential sources of error in observational studies is what is known as "confounding by indication," which in the present study would denote a failure to adjust for why the participants were taking nutritional supplements. To be sure, the supplement users were healthier than the nonusers according to the various parameters that the researchers measured. However, the supplement users may have been less healthy than nonusers according to a number of parameters that were not measured. Reasons that people might take nutritional supplements include recurrent migraines, asthma, persistent fatigue, recurrent infections, joint pains, or a family history of heart disease or other diseases. Some of these indications for supplement use may be associated with an increased risk of mortality.

Because of these weaknesses, the new study does not negate previous research demonstrating that vitamins and minerals can have a wide range of health benefits. One exception: the use of iron supplements by people who are not iron-deficient or who carry a gene for iron overload could have adverse consequences.

Vitamin E and prostate cancer: does the type of vitamin E matter?

In the other study, 35,533 men were randomly assigned to receive 400 IU per day of vitamin E (in the form of alpha-tocopherol) or placebo for an average of 5.5 years, and the men were then followed for a total of approximately 7 years. During that time, the incidence of prostate cancer was significantly higher by 17% in the vitamin E group than in the placebo group.2

Although the study was well designed from a technical standpoint, it suffers from an important weakness, in that the type of vitamin E used was not the same as the vitamin E that occurs in food. Vitamin E is found in food in 4 different forms: alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta-tocopherol. However, as is the case with most vitamin E research, the men in this study were given only alpha-tocopherol. Early research suggested that most, if not all, of the biological activity of vitamin E is due to alpha-tocopherol, but it is now known that at least one of the other components-gamma-tocopherol-has important functions. Furthermore, treatment with large doses of alpha-tocopherol has been shown to deplete gamma-tocopherol, potentially upsetting the natural balance of the different forms of vitamin E in the body. "Mixed tocopherols," on the other hand, a supplement that contains all four types of vitamin E, would not be expected to cause such an imbalance.

In a previous study, both alpha-tocopherol and gamma-tocopherol inhibited the growth of human prostate cancer cells in vitro, but gamma-tocopherol was the more potent of the two.3 In another study, higher blood levels of alpha-tocopherol and gamma-tocopherol were each associated a lower risk of developing prostate cancer, but the protective effect of gamma-tocopherol was greater than that of alpha-tocopherol.4

Clinical trials that used alpha-tocopherol in doses lower than 400 IU per day did not find an adverse effect on prostate cancer incidence. In a double-blind study of male smokers, compared with placebo, supplementation with 50 IU per day for 5-8 years significantly decreased the incidence of prostate cancer by 32%.5 In a double-blind study of male physicians, supplementation with 200 IU per day (400 IU every other day) for 8 years resulted in a nonsignificant 3% decrease in prostate cancer incidence, compared with placebo.6 Thus, the effect of alpha-tocopherol on prostate cancer appears to be dose-related: protective at low doses (50 IU per day), neutral or modestly protective at intermediate doses (200 IU per day), and harmful at high doses (400 IU per day).

The totality of the evidence suggests that alpha-tocopherol has a protective effect against prostate cancer. However, when alpha-tocopherol is given by itself in large doses (such as 400 IU per day or more), it depletes gamma-tocopherol, which could more than negate any beneficial effect that alpha-tocopherol might have. If that is the case, then taking vitamin E in the form of mixed tocopherols would not be expected to increase prostate cancer risk, and might even help prevent prostate cancer. Further research is needed to examine that possibility.

1 Mursu J, Robien K, Harnack LJ, et al. Dietary supplements and mortality rate in older women: the Iowa Women's Health Study. Arch Intern Med 2011;171:1625-1633.

2 Klein EA, Thompson IM Jr, Tangen CM, et al. Vitamin E and the risk of prostate cancer. The Seleniun and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT). JAMA 2011;306:1549-56.

3 Saldeen K, Saldeen T. Importance of tocopherols beyond alpha-tocopherol: evidence from animal and human studies. Nutr Res 2005;25:877-889.

4 Helzlsouer KJ, Huang HY, Alberg AJ, al. Association between alpha-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol, selenium, and subsequent prostate cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 2000;92:2018-23.

5 Heinonen OP, Albanes D, Virtamo J, et al. Prostate cancer and supplementation with alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene: incidence and mortality in a controlled trial. J Natl Cancer Inst 1998;90:440-446.

6 Gaziano JM, Glynn RJ, Christen WG, et al. Vitamins E and C in the prevention of prostate and total cancer in men: the Physicians' Health Study II randomized controlled trial. JAMA 2009;301:52-62.

Arsenic In Fruit Juice!

2011-12-02T12:08:00.000-05:00

OMG! Yes, a study released by Consumer Reports found that a whopping 10% of storebought fruit juices have higher levels of arsenic than is allowed by FDA standards.

The major concern here--besides the fact that arsenic is ridiculously toxic--is that by drinking these juices, the arsenic will accumulate in one's body and over time lead to some very serious and chronic health issues like cancer.

“What we’re talking about here is not about acute affects,” Urvashi Rangan, senior scientist at Consumer Reports states,“We’re talking about chronic effects. We’re talking about cancer risk. And so, the fact that 10 percent of our samples exceeded the drinking water standard underscores the need for a standard to be set in juices.”

Good fact to know: The brand with the lowest arsenic level was Welch's Pourable Concentrate 100% Apple Juice (1.1-4.3 total arsenic ppb). Other juices with low arsenic levels include: America's Choice Apple; Tropicana 100% Apple; and Red Jacket Orchards 100% Apple.

But bottom line, only drink juices from organically grown fruits that are free of preservatives and additives. I know they are more expensive, but the way I look at it is: pay now or pay later. Because, as you know, cancer sucks.

Do You Have A Thyroid Disease?

2011-12-01T11:25:00.000-05:00

I am reposting this article written by Chris Kresser LAc as he did such a great job on it: The Gluten-Thyroid Connection

Basically, 90% of the cases of hypothyroidism are actually autoimmune thyroid disease (i.e. hashimoto's or graves disease) meaning that there are antibodies present that are attacking the thyroid gland. Recent analyses show that there is a very strong connection between gluten intolerance and thyroid antibodies--basically the body mistakes the gluten protein (gliadin) as thyroid tissue and it just attacks and attacks. This leaves the thyroid patient who is eating gluten with a severely inflamed body (achey joints, skin rashes, brain fog, poor memory, sinus and lung issues, and more!) and a weak immune system.

Bottom line: if you have a thyroid disease read this article and avoid gluten!

As well, if you have any autoimmune disease (i.e. fibromyalgia, endometriosis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, ms) you should strongly consider removing gluten from your diet. Your body and your health will thank you!

And to go one step further, if you are a women struggling with infertility--remove gluten. The inflammation and aggravation gluten wreaks on your body and your immune system could be the cause of your infertility.

I have seen such drastic differences in my patients who remove gluten from their diet.

Honey: The Good and The Bad

2011-11-30T12:49:00.000-05:00

Do you use store bought honey that comes in a little plastic bear? Or put honey from the coffee shop in your tea? You might want to rethink using the readily available and inexpensive honey.

A recent study conducted by the Food Safety News found that most honey isn't honey at all.

You see, in order for honey to be called honey, it must contain pollen. What this study showed was that in most store bought honey's, the pollen frequently has been filtered out.

What's the big deal about pollen?

Well, when the pollen is removed (via a high tech process that in and of itself is beyond far from natural) the quality and purity of the honey is greatly compromised. For instance in Europe, Indian honey is banned (but it sells here in the US) because it is highly filtered, contaminated with antibiotics, heavy metal and contains zero pollen.

Yikes!

In total, Food Safety News purchased more than 60 jars, jugs and plastic bears of honey in 10 states and the District of Columbia. This is what they found:

• 76 percent of samples bought at groceries had all the pollen removed, These were stores like TOP Food, Safeway, Giant Eagle, QFC, Kroger, Metro Market, Harris Teeter, A&P, Stop & Shop and King Soopers.

• 100 percent of the honey sampled from drugstores like Walgreens, Rite-Aid and CVS Pharmacy had no pollen.

• 77 percent of the honey sampled from big box stores like Costco, Sam's Club, Walmart, Target and H-E-B had the pollen filtered out.

• 100 percent of the honey packaged in the small individual service portions from Smucker, McDonald's and KFC had the pollen removed.

• Bryant found that every one of the samples Food Safety News bought at farmers markets, co-ops and "natural" stores like PCC and Trader Joe's had the full, anticipated, amount of pollen.

So what to do?

Buy locally harvested unprocessed raw honey from your farmer's market, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods or local health food store. This type of honey is definitely more expensive, but when I tell you it's good... it is GOOD! And, on top of it, it has tremendous health benefits.

Acupuncture Treats Radiation Side Effects

2011-11-29T12:31:00.000-05:00

For patients undergoing radiation treatment for cancer, particularly those cancers in the head and neck region, xerostomia is a common side effect.

Xerostomia is a condition wherein the mouth becomes severely dry due to an impaired production of saliva. Xerostomia can also lead to pain, impaired speaking, sleep disturbances, difficulty chewing and eating food, and increases risks for infection. For patients suffering with this condition, up until now, they have had very few options for relief.

However, recently a team of scientists from University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center showed that the use of acupuncture in conjunction with radiation treatment greatly reduces the debilitating effects of xerostomia for patients with cancer located at the neck or head part.

This type of integrative research is exactly where medicine needs to go. When we combine our skills we bring the best we can to our patients. Bravo to these scientists.

To read more about this study, check out this article.

What Toxins Are You Exposing Yourself To Every Day?

2011-11-28T11:50:00.000-05:00

Do you wear deodorant, use shampoo, put moisturizer on your body, use hair products, makeup, brush your teeth with toothpaste? If you answered yes (and, I'm sure you did), please take 3 minutes and watch this informative and poignant video put together by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) Teen Ambassador's group.

Do You Still Think Cholesterol Is Bad For You?

2011-11-27T11:30:00.000-05:00

It's not. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Cholesterol and cholesterol containing foods have such an undeserved bad rap. Your body needs cholesterol. Yes, it needs it. And, when you starve your body of it (by say eating only egg whites not yolks or drinking low fat or fat free milk) your body actually holds onto cholesterol because it needs cholesterol.

Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in your bloodstream, as well as in every cell in your body. This necessary substance helps to produce cell membranes, hormones, vitamin D and bile acids that help you to digest fat. Cholesterol is also imperative in cognitive and neurological functioning. Without it your memory fails, you skin is sallow, your body will hold onto weight and chronic inflammation will wreak havoc on your health.

Huffington Post ran a piece last week entitled, The Cholesterol Myth That Could Be Harming Your Health. It is an extremely articulate and well-written article.

The main takeaways from the article:
* A cholesterol level of over 200 is NOT an indicator of heart disease
* Cholesterol lowering medication are unnecessary and over-prescribed
* Your body needs a fairly normal to "high" level of circulating cholesterol to function properly
* Blood (serum) levels of C-Reactive Protein (CRP) is the best way to determine
your risk of heart disease

If you believe that cholesterol is bad for you, or that having a total cholesterol over 200 predisposes you to heart disease, or that there is "good" cholesterol and "bad" cholesterol I suggest you give the Huffington Post article a read. It will be an eye-opener for many of you.

Donna Karan: You Make The World A Better Place

2011-11-26T11:43:00.000-05:00

Have you heard of Urban Zen? It's fashion designer's Donna Karan's organization based on holistic medicine. After Donna's husband battled and eventually passed away from lung cancer, she began her foundation with the mission statement to "change the current healthcare paradigm to include integrative medicine and promote patient advocacy. We must treat the patient with the same passion we treat the disease by combining western science with nutrition, yoga and eastern healing practices (such as acupuncture)."

The first hospital she teamed up with was New York's Beth Israel Medical Center and because of the amazing results and wonderful feedback, she was recently asked to bring her mission to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. ABC ran an article last week on the UCLA launch. Check out the article, and watch the inspiring video.

Donna Karan: I am grateful for people like you. You make the world a better place.

Thank YOU!

Why You Need To Avoid Canned Foods!

2011-11-25T10:55:00.000-05:00

A friend shared this article with me, and I need to share it with you.

BPA Levels Soar After Lunching On Canned Soup

The takehome: don't ever eat canned foods again. I'm not usually that extreme, but in this case I feel it's necessary. Truth is, on occasion I get my coconut milk from cans. After reading this article, that will stop now.

Basically these researchers found that urine levels of BPA jumped 1,221%. Yes, one THOUSAND percent. The study tested urine BPA levels in people who ate a serving of canned soup every day for five days. The average urine BPA level after 5 days of ONE serving of canned soup was 20.8 micrograms per liter of urine, whereas people who instead ate fresh soup had levels of 1.1 micrograms per liter. BPA was found 100% in those who at the canned soup, but only in 77% of those who ate fresh soup. Yikes!

BPA is a hormone-disrupting chemical found as a byproduct in cans and hard plastics. Increased levels of BPA have been linked to cardiovascular disease, higher concentrations of liver enzymes and health and developmental problems in children whose mothers were exposed to BPA during their pregnancy's.

What to do: Avoid cans and hard plastics and only buy products in glass or boxed containers. Better yet, make fresh homemade foods! Be sure to store them in glass containers!

Practicing Gratitude

2011-11-24T12:03:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving! I thought today would be a great day to share with you this study that shows that practicing gratitude, daily, improves ones happiness by 25%. Amazing.

Psychological research finds that people's happiness levels are remarkably stable over the long-term. Whether you win the lottery or are paralysed from the neck down, after about three to six months you'll have returned to your usual level of happiness. While these findings are deeply counter-intuitive, they also raise a serious problem for those wanting to increase levels of happiness permanently.

A possible answer comes from recent research in the psychology of gratitude. Yes, you read that correctly - being thankful might be the key to raising your happiness 'set-point'. And there is some good experimental evidence to back up this theory.

Counting blessings versus burdens

In his new book 'thanks!', Dr. Robert A. Emmons describes research he carried out with three experimental groups over 10 weeks (Emmons & McCullough, 2003):

The first group were asked to write down five things they were grateful for that had happened in the last week for each of the 10 weeks of the study. This was called the gratitude condition.
The second group were asked to write down five daily hassles from the previous week. This was the hassles condition.
The third group simply listed five events that had occurred in the last week, but not told to focus on positive or negative aspects. This was the events or control condition.

The types of things people listed in the grateful condition included:

Sunset through the clouds.
The chance to be alive.
The generosity of friends.

And in the hassles condition:

Taxes.
Hard to find parking.
Burned my macaroni and cheese.

Before the experiment began participants had kept daily journals to chronicle their moods, physical health and general attitudes. These was then used to provide a comparison for after the experimental intervention.
Happiness up 25%

People who were in the gratitude condition felt fully 25% happier - they were more optimistic about the future, they felt better about their lives and they even did almost 1.5 hours more exercise a week than those in the hassles or events condition.

All this from reflecting on the pleasure of having seen the sunset through the clouds? Dr Emmons also expresses surprise at the findings of the study, partly because there are some reasons practising gratitude might not be so good.

For example, focussing on gratitude reminds us what we owe to others. This may in turn remind us of our dependence on others and reduce a sense of personal control. Thinking in terms of gratitude may also focus us on the debts we owe to others and, studies have shown, people don't enjoy feeling indebted to others.
Just the effect of positive comparisons, or really gratitude?

Yet, despite these reasons why gratitude might not increase happiness, it seems that it does. But does the benefit from the gratitude condition simply result from thinking about how we are better off than others?

In a second study, very similar to the first described above, Emmons and McCullough changed one of the control conditions. Instead of asking people to write down any events from the week, people were asked to list ways in which they were better off than others. The idea was that in this condition people are making positive comparisons but are not necessarily thinking gratefully (although it can't be ruled out!).

Again, though, the results showed that those in the gratitude condition were significantly happier than those making positive comparisons between themselves and others. Unsurprisingly those practising being grateful were also happier than those focussing on daily hassles.
Gratitude can help those with chronic health problems

A good criticism of the first two studies was that they were carried out in undergraduate students. It's all very well increasing the happiness of young, healthy college students, but what about people with serious, chronic health problems?

In a third study Emmons and McCullough recruited adults who had neuromuscular disorders, often as a delayed result of surviving infection by the polio virus. While not life-threatening the condition can be seriously debilitating, causing joint and muscle pain as well as muscle atrophy. People with this condition have a good reason to be dissatisfied with the hand life has dealt them.

In this study a gratitude condition was compared to a control condition in which participants wrote about their daily experience. After the 21 day study, participants in the gratitude condition were found to be more satisfied with their lives overall, more optimistic about the upcoming week and crucially, were sleeping better. Good sleep is important as it has been found to be a great indicator of overall well-being. People who sleep well are generally healthier and happier than those whose sleep is poor.

So, how do I practice gratitude? Each day I find one or two things I am grateful for and I take note of them. That's it. Simple. Be grateful and be happier!

Amazing Pasture Raised Free RangeTurkey Recipe!

2011-11-23T12:35:00.000-05:00

I am planning to follow this recipe for my turkey on Thursday. In addition, I will be covering my turkey in strips of Niman Ranch applewood smoked uncured bacon just to make my pasture-rasied free range tukey even juicier! Yum!

I found this recipe on MommyPotamus.com:

Cooking A Pasture-Raised Turkey

Most storebought turkeys are injected with vegetable oil, water, salt, emulsifiers, sodium phosphate, and artificial flavorings. The pasture raised free range turkey you purchased from Rehoboth Ranch is just excellent meat and not basted or injected. You may want to consider preparing your turkey in a brine like most chefs. Brine is a saltwater and seasoning solution that allows moisture to penetrate the meat. Even a slightly overcooked turkey will be moist and juicy when prepared in brine. Brine also expedites cooking time, since water is a better conductor of heat than meat. Brine can be made from your favorite herbs and seasonings. Here is a basic recipe to get you started:
Basic Brine Ingredients:

1 cup sea salt
1 gallon filtered water
1 cup raw sugar or honey (optional)
1 bunch fresh sage (optional)
1 bunch fresh thyme (optional)
3 tablespoons black pepper (optional)

Basic Brine Instructions:

Bring all ingredients to a boil; remove from heat and refrigerate.
Place thawed turkey in a deep roasting pan that is large enough to allow most of the turkey to be submerged in the brine, or use a commercially available brining bag (available in Williams-Sonoma or Sur La Table stores or on their websites). We use a 5 gallon food grade plastic bucket. If you use just the pan, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate (or put in an ice chest if your refrigerator is full). Turn the turkey in brine every few hours if it is not fully submerged. Keep turkey in brine for 12-24 hours.

Preparing the Turkey for Cooking

When it is time to cook the turkey, lift it out of the brine, rinse with cold water and dry with paper towels. Slide a small rubber spatula between the skin and the meat to separate them. Insert half of the herbed butter mixture (recipe below) under the skin and spread evenly. Rub the remaining butter mixture on the outside of the skin. If you wish, fill the body cavity with stuffing. Truss the bird loosely with butchers twine, season with salt and pepper, and pace in roasting pan. Add 1 cup stock and roast until internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165 degrees. The turkey should be loosely covered with foil for part of the cooking time to help retain moisture. The foil should be removed so the skin can be beautifully browned and crisp by the time the turkey is done. Be sure to baste the turkey often with juices from the bottom of the pan.

Herbed Butter

8 tablespoons softened unsalted real butter
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon chopped sage
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped shallots (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped chives (optional)

Roasting Times @ 350F

Begin to check for doneness 30 minutes before suggested cooking time.

8-12 lbs 2.5-3.5 hours

12-16 lbs 3-4 hours

16-20 lbs 4-5 hours

*Remember to use a meat thermometer. Thickest part of the thigh should reach 165F

OMG! I can't wait! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!

Does This Describe You: Female, 30 and Burnt Out?

2011-11-22T12:47:00.000-05:00

If you said YES, unfortunately you are not alone.

This recent aticle from Forbe's magazine, discusses the reasons why "Milennial" women are burning out in the workplace by the age of 30.

Typically, the article states, women (in comparison to their male counterparts) don't know how to schedule in relaxation time during their work day. They just go, go, go. And eventually they not only burn out but miss the opportunity to climb the corporate ladder.

"These early career flameouts are reflected through the corporate ladder. Today, 53% of corporate entry-level jobs are held by women, a percentage that drops to 37% for mid-management roles and 26% for vice presidents and senior managers, according to McKinsey research. Men are twice as likely as women to advance at each career transition stage. One rationale is that men are more likely than women to do things that help their personal wellbeing at work, thus negating burnout, according to the Captivate Network. Men are 25% more likely to take breaks throughout the day for personal activities, 7% more likely to take a walk, 5% more likely to go out to lunch, and 35% more likely to take breaks “just to relax.”

If you this is you, take some time, chill out and if you haven't already, read my book, Chill Out and Get Healthy and learn ways to destress your life and improve your state of emotional and physical health. You deserve it!

Pumpkin Pie With Coconut Milk... YUM!

2011-11-21T12:00:00.000-05:00

Thinking about making this pie for Thanksgiving dessert...sounds yummy!

I found this recipe posted on one of my favorite facebook pages, Health by Coconut. Of course, all ingredients should be organic :-)

PUMPKIN PIE
1 can (15 to 16 ounces) pumpkin
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3 slightly beaten eggs
1 cup coconut milk
1 9-inch unbaked pastry shell

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix together all ingredients and pour into
pastry shell. The Coconut Pastry Shell (page 174) works well for this pie. Bake for 50 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool. Just before serving top with Coconut Whipped Cream.

Or, if you want to make a Sweet Potato Pie you can do the following:
Prepare Pumpkin Pie as directed but substitute 1 & 1/2 cups of cooked mashed sweet potatoes for the pumpkin.
Reduced Sugar Pumpkin Pie
Make Pumpkin Pie as directed but reduce sugar to 1/2 cup, add 1/8 teaspoon stevia, and add 1 tablespoon flour.

Recipe by Bruce Fife (Health by Coconut)

Tim Ferris on Filling The Void

2011-11-20T12:19:00.000-05:00

I'm a big Tim Ferris fan. I love his philosophies, he always make me think and, think.

I wanted to share with you a recent blogpost of his, as I found it inspiring and I think you will too.

Filling The Void: Thoughts on Learning and Karma

I believe that life exists to be enjoyed, and that the most important thing is to feel good about yourself.

Without the latter, little else gets done.

Each person will have his or her own vehicles for achieving both, and those vehicles will change over time. For some, the answer will be working with orphans, and for others, it will be composing music. I have a personal answer to both–to love, be loved, and never stop learning–but I don’t expect that to be universal.

Some criticize a focus on self-love and enjoyment as selfish or hedonistic, but it’s neither.

Enjoying life and helping others–or feeling good about yourself and increasing the greater good–are no more mutually exclusive than being agnostic and leading a moral life. One does not preclude the other. Let’s assume we agree on this. It still leaves the question: what can I do with my time to enjoy life and feel good about myself?

I can’t offer a single answer that will fit all people, but, based on the dozens of fulfilled people I’ve interviewed, and the thousands who’ve provided feedback on this blog, there are two components that are fundamental…

Continual learning and service.

To continue reading the rest of this blog, click here

Oprah

2011-11-19T12:20:00.000-05:00

Oprah.com ran a piece back in July, Do You Know Your Emotional Blind Spots. I recently came across it, and it really made me think.

You can read it on your own and see what it does for you.

But, I wanted to share my thoughts on what this piece brought up.

It has you ask yourself the following 3 questions:

What am I afraid to know?
What's the one thing I least want to accept?
What do I sense without knowing?

Let's go through them...

What am I afraid to know?

I'd like to believe I am not afraid of knowing anything. But I am. Mostly, I am afraid of waking up one day and feeling like a failure. Yet, I truly believe I am a success. So, is my fear of failure just the story I am telling myself? Yes. Yes, it is. And, in this moment I would say to myself, "be careful of the story you tell yourself, it may come true. So tell yourself a good story!"

What's the one thing I least want to accept?

This question makes me ask myself another question, what am I denying? Hmmmm... that I am imperfect? That the world and all of us are imperfect in our own beautiful way? Maybe. Yes. I always seek perfection. But through meditation I am learning to be easy with myself and just roll with it more. Be easy with your life. Be easy on yourself.

What Do I sense without knowing?

This is a great question, as for me my sense is my strongest suit. I sense good. All
will be good. All is good. Life is good. Close your eyes, shut out the noise, it is all good. You are where you're supposed to be.

So the take away is: Tell yourself a good story about yourself, be easy on yourself and always, ALWAYS know that you are where you're supposed to be.

Pizza is a VEGETABLE??? C'mon!

2011-11-18T10:19:00.000-05:00

Interesting Fact: As much as 40 percent of a child's daily caloric intake occurs at school.

And, now congress claims that pizza is a vegetable because it has 2 smears of (non-organic, pesiticide-ridden, toxic) tomato paste on it. Our children deserve better, don't they?

Ok, no ranting. I promise. But, really?

In addition to claiming pizza was a vegetable, this Monday congressional lawmakers blocked recently proposed limits on starchy vegetables, including French fries, (which is a daily staple in most school lunches across America) in school cafeterias. As well, they postponed requirements on sodium reduction and whole grains in school lunches. But, have no fear-- a slice of pizza will give your kid all the nutrient he or she needs!

Agh.

Margo G. Wootan, the director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, said in a statement, "It's a shame that Congress seems more interested in protecting industry than protecting children's health, at a time when child nutrition and childhood obesity are national health concerns, Congress should be supporting USDA and school efforts to serve healthier school meals, not undermining them."

My oh my. This is just an atrocity. It really is.

To read more, check out The Associated Press' coverage of this debacle.

Diet Soda May Increase Risk of Stroke and Heart Attack

2011-11-17T12:06:00.000-05:00

This is scary news. A lead scientist from University of Miami Miller School of Medicine stated at a recent stroke conference that, "People who had diet soda every day experienced a 61% higher risk of vascular events than those who reported drinking no soda."

What this means is that the researchers saw a link between diet soda consumption and an increased risk of heart attack, stroke and death.

Keep in mind this report was an observational study, not a placebo controlled randomized study. However, the news should not be taken lightly.

So, what should clinicians advise patients to do? Well, here's what Harvard Medical Schools Steven Greenberg suggests: that patients start by concentrating on a healthy diet and regular exercise. I say, everything in moderation but you're better off nixing the diet soda.

Sugary Drinks Harm "Skinny Women's" Hearts

2011-11-16T12:25:00.000-05:00

According to a study presented at the American Heart Associations conference this past weekend, even women who consume sugary drinks--from iced tea to soda to chai lattes-- and factor those calories into their daily diet and remain "skinny", they still increase their risk of heart disease.

It all comes back to what I said in my book, Chill Out and Get Healthy: SUGAR IS EVIL.

The lead scientist on the study stated, "It was striking that women with a sugary drinking habit developed high levels of triglycerides, which are a type of fat, but men did not.

The study concluded the following:

Women who drank two or more sugary beverages per day were four times more likely to develop high triglyceride levels than women who drank fewer sugar-sweetened beverages. Women with the liquid sugar habit were also were more likely to develop abnormal levels of fasting glucose, a sign they could be developing diabetes.

Please, watch your sugar intake!

Yummy Gluten-Free Stuffing!

2011-11-15T12:44:00.000-05:00

Just came across this delicious sounding gluten-free stuffing recipe on NY Times website.

I think I am definitely making this for my Thanksgiving table.
Check it out!

Wild Rice and Brown Rice Stuffing With Apples, Pecans and Cranberries

Like many Thanksgiving dishes, this pilaf combines sweet and savory foods. Apples and cranberries are high in phenolic acids, which are believed to have antioxidant properties.

1 1/2 cups wild rice

3/4 cup short-grain brown rice

6 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock or water

Salt to taste

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 small or medium onion, finely chopped

1 cup diced celery

2 garlic cloves, minced (optional)

1 tablespoon butter

2 apples, cored and cut in 1/2-inch dice

1/3 cup lightly toasted pecans, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1. Combine the wild rice with 4 1/2 cups stock or water in one saucepan and the brown rice with 1 1/2 cups stock or water in another smaller saucepan. Add salt to taste and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer the brown rice for 35 to 40 minutes, until the rice is tender and all of the liquid has been absorbed. Turn off the heat, place a clean kitchen towel over the pot and return the lid. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Simmer the wild rice for 40 to 50 minutes, until the grains have begun to splay. Drain through a strainer if there is liquid in the pot, and return to the pot. Place a clean kitchen towel over the pot and return the lid. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes.

2. While the grains are cooking, prepare the remaining ingredients. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until the onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the celery and a generous pinch of salt, and continue to cook until the onion is completely tender, another 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook, stirring, until it is fragrant, another 30 to 60 seconds. Remove from the heat and transfer to a large bowl. Add the cooked grains and stir together.

3. Return the skillet to the stove and heat over medium-high heat. Add the butter, and when the foam subsides add the apples. Cook, stirring or tossing in the pan, until lightly colored, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add to the bowl with the grains. Add the remaining ingredients and stir together. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a lightly oiled or buttered baking dish and cover with foil.

4. Warm the stuffing in a 325-degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes before serving.

Yield: Makes about 8 cups, serving 12 to 16.

Advance preparation: The cooked grains will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator and can be frozen. The stuffing benefits from being made a day ahead.

Nutritional information per serving (12 servings): 188 calories; 1 gram saturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 milligrams cholesterol; 33 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 21 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 4 grams protein.

J&J Removes Cancer Causing Agent From Baby Shampoo

2011-11-14T13:54:00.000-05:00

Now, this is something to celebrate:

Johnson & Johnson's Responds to Pressure and Agrees to Remove Cancer-Causing Chemicals from Baby Shampoo

Back in 2009, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics released it's "No More Toxic Tub" report, documenting the widespread contamination of baby and children's products with cancer causing agents (aka carcinogens). In their testing they found that 67% of the products tested contained carcinogens. And, J&J's popular No More Tears baby shampoo was one of them!

After pressure from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and several consumer petitions, Johnson & Johnson released a statement saying that they are phasing out formaldehyde-releasing ingredients worldwide!

Way to go Campaign for Safe Cosmetics!!!

Stress leads to Infertility... and, vice versa

2011-11-13T13:39:00.000-05:00

As an acupuncturist who deals mainly with the treatment of fertility enhancement (I don't like to use the word infertility, as I feel its so negative), I definitely see the correlation between increased stress and decreased fertility. And, with every one of my patients, I really drive this point home. It's a topic I touched upon in the Preparing The Palace (read an excerpt here) chapter from my first book, Chill Out and Get Healthy. And, it will be a topic I discuss in much more depth in my second book.

Stress relieving techniques like acupuncture and meditation definitely make a difference in a women's ability to conceive as these two techniques calm the "flight or fight" response. It's this flight or fight response that can cause hormonal imbalances as well as structural and energetic balances.

Conceive Magazine posted an article this week on a fertility spa clinic, CNY Fertility, where women can undergo IVF treatment and then head in for a facial. Or get acupuncture right before and right after a fertility treatment. I find this approach cutting edge and would be interested in a study looking at success rates (i.e. pregnancy) from a fertility spa clinic versus a regular "run of the mill" fertility clinic.

Don't Eat Soy

2011-11-12T11:00:00.001-05:00

Last week I blogged about how shocked I was that Dr. Oz is still recommending soy.

I am happy to see that one of my favorite blogs just wrote up a piece on the perils of soy.

Check it out here: To Tofu Or Not To Tofu

Now, we just need to get Dr. Oz to read my book and this article!

Feed Our Children Good Food!

2011-11-11T11:00:00.000-05:00

This news makes me oh so happy: Chicago Schools BUy 1.2million Pound Of Antibiotic-Free Chicken.

As Organic Authority reported:

Students attending Chicago, Illinois public schools will be among the nation’s first large metropolitan area to be served school meals containing local chicken raised without the use of antibiotics.

Four hundred seventy-three schools in the Chicago area are participating in the program, which will bring the students meals made from the more than 1.2 million pounds of the antibiotic-free chicken that was raised on a local Amish farm in Orland, Indiana and purchased by Chartwells-Thompson Hospitality, the food service company that manages the CPS school meals. The relationship was facilitated with support from School Food FOCUS Learning Lab and the Pew Campaign on Human Health and Industrial Farming as well as Whole Foods Market.

As programs like Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move campaign and Alice Waters’ Edible Schoolyards have put an emphasis on healthier food options for the nation’s children, the USDA and a number of school systems have responded with upgraded menu items, reduced sodium trans fat and sugar content. Los Angeles Unified School District—the nation’s largest—recently removed all flavored milk products from their schools to reduce the students’ exposure to sugar.

The CPS move away from antibiotics in meat products marks another step in providing students healthier food options. More than 30 million pounds of antibiotics were used on livestock last year, up nearly 7 percent from 2009. Excessive antibiotic exposure has been linked to a number of health risks including antibiotic resistance and compromised immune function. As well, the use of antibiotics poses threats to the environment including an inability to biodegrade, soil and water contamination and adverse effects on wild plants and animals.

Now it's not hormone free, nor pasture-fed, but it sure is a start!

Prevent Alzheimer's Disease

2011-11-10T11:00:00.001-05:00

Researchers at Oxford University found that daily supplementation with folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12 lowered levels of homocysteine, a known risk factor leading to decline in cognition and memory. This information coupled with findings reported in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research that a disproportionate ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids plays a crucial role in the development of AD in later life tells us we can--through eating a healthy diet--prevent the onset of Alzheimer's Disease.

You see, the typical American diet of fried and processed veggie-less meals includes large quantities of oxidized omega-6 fats and not enough good omega-3 fats. The ideal omega 6 to 3 ratio is 4:1, however the typical ranges in the standard American diet runs anywhere from 20:1 to 50:1. Yikes! This massive imbalance leads to inflammtion in the body and cognitive decline. Add in the fact that most people don't eat enough vegetables (and other foods rich in B vitamins) and we see a rise in inflammatory illnesses such as Alzheimer's.

So, what can we do?

Well, don't eat like the typical American. Instead, eat foods rich in folic acid, B6, B12 and Omega-3 fats. My favorites sources of folic acid and B vitamins are foods (not vitamins!) rich in these substances, such as: green veggies, liver (if you can't stomach the idea of eating liver, you can take freeze dried organic liver pills from Dr. Rons), organic, unsulphured black strap molasses and spirulina. As for omega-3 fats be sure to take cod liver oil daily, eat wild salmon regularly and eat a handful or two of walnuts or almonds each day.

Genetically Modified Wheat

2011-11-09T11:16:00.001-05:00

As of right now, wheat is the only major US crop that is not genetically modified (GM). GM Corn and soy--are the two bggest US crops (and the ones that are making our citizens the sickest!)

Being that wheat has, for the most part, remained non-GM, it's losing its groud (literally and figuratively) as the GM soy and corn crops can outgrow and therefore outsell it. But is that really true?

According to info from the US Wheat Associates:

Since 1991, the wheat industry has lost major ground in the U.S.—dwindling from nearly 80 million acres to less than 60 million acres this year—mostly due to the aggressive GM industry, which promises farmers higher yield and lower pest infestations in soy, corn, cotton and canola, even despite new research published in a report titled “The Global Citizens’ Report on the State of GMOs”, which suggests that GM crops are not living up to the high yield claims made by the industry. Farmers are now facing a number of issues from seeds like Monsanto’s Roundup Ready corn, soy, cotton and canola like new ‘superweeds‘ and insects that are developing resistance to the plants and the companion glyphosate pesticide, Roundup.

What can we do?

Bottom line: vote with your wallet and only purchase non-GM foods. And, by all means avoid soy and hig fructose corn syrup!

Should I Get The Flu Vaccine?

2011-11-08T15:00:00.000-05:00

Each year, around this time, I am asked the same question: Should I get the flu shot? Instead of rewriting my answer again, I am just going to repost a blog I wrote almost exactly two years ago... it was geared at both the swine flu shot (remember that drama?) and the regular old flu shot. My opinion hasnt changed much.

There's so much hype about the swine flu. And, over the past two weeks I have constantly been asked by my patients, friends and family members:

Should I (or my children, my family members, my dog, etc) Get The Swine Flu Vaccine?

For those of you who have asked this question of me, you know my answer is a very confident: I don't think so.

There's no need. There's no proof that the swine flu vaccine nor the flu vaccine actually make any difference in one getting sick. Nor is it likely that the vaccine you are getting contains the virus you may be exposed to if you by chance are exposed. And, lastly the vaccine contains toxic--insanely toxic-- levels of mercury (aka thimerosal) and other known carcinogens and neurotoxins like formaldehyde and aluminum.

Yes, the Swine Flu virus is spreading and I understand the fear surrounding it. I do. And believe me, I don't want anyone getting sick from the virus. But, I just want to point out the following:

The number of Swine Flu cases have been severely overestimated. In fact CBS conducted a 3 month long investigation that confirmed majority (83-97%) of the people that were diagnosed with Swine Flu by their doctors, actually--after their samples were actually tested for Swine Flu and or the flu--did not have Swine Flu. In fact, most of them didn't even have the flu.

As of the World Health Organization's latest Swine Flu update, the number of deaths that have occurred, WORLDWIDE have been around 1%.

The children who have died from the Swine Flu have had other preexisting illnesses--mainly severe neurological diseases and asthma. Of course, that doesnt take away from the fact that their deaths were terribly tragic.

As it stands, more than 50 percent of health-care workers say they do not intend to get vaccinated for swine flu and don’t routinely get their shots for seasonal flu, in part because many of them doubt the vaccines’ efficacy.

The safety of the Swine Flu vaccine has yet to be seen as it was not adequately tested.

And, when talking about the flu vaccine in general, Shannon Brownlee, the author of Overtreated, stated in the article, Does The Vaccine Matter, she published this month:
The history of flu vaccination suggests other reasons to doubt claims that it dramatically reduces mortality. In 2004, for example, vaccine production fell behind, causing a 40 percent drop in immunization rates. Yet mortality did not rise. In addition, vaccine “mismatches” occurred in 1968 and 1997: in both years, the vaccine that had been produced in the summer protected against one set of viruses, but come winter, a different set was circulating. In effect, nobody was vaccinated. Yet death rates from all causes, including flu and the various illnesses it can exacerbate, did not budge. Sumit Majumdar, a physician and researcher at the University of Alberta, in Canada, offers another historical observation: rising rates of vaccination of the elderly over the past two decades have not coincided with a lower overall mortality rate. In 1989, only 15 percent of people over age 65 in the U.S. and Canada were vaccinated against flu. Today, more than 65 percent are immunized. Yet death rates among the elderly during flu season have increased rather than decreased.

Reread the above paragraph so that the point really sinks in.

There are many more points to this debate that should be taken into consideration. Check out Dr. Mercola's website for up to date, educated and eye-opening Swine Flu alerts.

My general recommendation's to keep you and your family healthy this flu season are:

Sleep 7-8 hours each night
Eat garlic daily (it's an amazing anti-viral agent)
Take at least 1,000 mg of vitamin C daily
Load up on Cod Liver Oil daily (1,000- 2,000 mg daily)
Be sure to get in 1,000-2,000 iu of Vitamin D daily (keep in mind: cod liver oil does contain naturally occurring vitamin D)
Eat healthy, wholesome foods (avoid processed and sugar-laden foods)
Wash your hands regularly
Exercise

And, this is very important, if you or your child or loved one shows signs or symptoms of a flu, get to your doctor and treat it. Pretty much any patient presenting with even a smidgen of a flu-like symptom is being treated as if they have the Swine Flu.

In my opinion, we should first vigilantly work to prevent getting an illness and only when and IF we get sick, then treat it.

On the other hand, if not vaccinating yourself or your children is going to cause you an enormous amount of stress or conflict, then just get it. But, I really don't think you need to. Just my two cents.

Egg Whites vs Whole Eggs?

2011-11-07T11:00:00.000-05:00

I often have patients tell me that they only eat egg whites, as they fear there is too much cholesterol and fat in the yolk. I'm not sure when exactly this rumor started, but it's definitely not true.

Eat the whole egg.

Why?

Read this excerpt from a recent Shape Magazine article:

1. Eating a little more dietary cholesterol does not lead to increases in your cholesterol levels.

2. Your total cholesterol level is not as important of a risk factor for cardiovascular disease as we once thought. Considering that more than 35-percent of coronary heart disease occurs in people with low total cholesterol levels, it was crucial to find a more accurate marker (perhaps a topic for a future Ask the Diet Doctor).

While most of the buzz about eggs has focused on potential dangers of the high cholesterol content, whole eggs contain numerous nutrients that are key to good health. The yolk portion of an egg contains choline, an essential nutrient for brain health. Plus, whole eggs have an antioxidant capacity equal to that of an apple, an iconic symbol of good health, according to research published in Food Chemistry.

My recommendation, eat 4-10 eggs from pasture-fed chickens. Eggs from these free roaming, grass fed chickens contain 4-6 times more vitamin d, 1/3 less cholesterol, double the amount of Omeg-3 fatty acids and three times more vitamin E then there conventionally raised (unhappy, crowded and hormone pumped) chicken counterparts.

McDonalds= McNasty

2011-11-06T15:16:00.002-05:00

Did you see this recent Time Magazine article on McDontalds McRib sandwich?

Bascially its toxic. Worse, its really not even really pork.

There are 70 some odd ingredients that go into this sandwich-- one is azodicarbonamide, a flour-bleaching agent that is also used in the manufacturing of foamed plastics like in gym mats and the soles of shoes. This compound is so damn toxic it is banned in Europe and Australia as a food additive. However, the U.S. doesn't. Yikes!

I don't know about you but this whole thing scares the bajeezus out of me! Please, please, please dont ever ever eat at McDonalds!

Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2011/10/27/why-lovin-the-mcrib-isnt-a-heart-smart-idea/#ixzz1cxWmZmI5

What's The Best "Diet" To Follow?

2011-11-04T11:54:00.000-04:00

Well... great question. I feel like I've written about this umpteen times. But the question still comes up... again and again.

I get it. It's hard to decipher through all the "diet" information out there.

Should I be vegan?
Should I eat meat?
Should I avoid gluten?
What about dairy?

My rule of thumb, and the way I try to live my life is:
Eat an organic and as local as possible nutrient dense diet. And, most importantly DON'T FORGET TO BE MODERATE, meaning 80-85% of the time follow your diet, but 15% of the time eat what you want! Life is too short to have it all be about your "diet".

Ok, so what is nutrient dense?

It includes organically grown, pastured raised, hormone and antibiotic meat (lamb, beef, bison, chicken, turkey, pork, duck), eggs from pastured hens, organic fresh veggies (the greener the better), butter (yes, butter! the real deal butter from pastured animals), fruit (again, organic when necessary), fermented foods (like kimchi or sauerkraut, yum!) organic dairy and limited grains. Also, try to eat foods that are in season for your region.

The big questions that then come up are: what about gluten? what about dairy?

Regarding grains, I tend to be more gluten free these days because it works best for me, and because I do honestly see a dramatic change in my patients when they remove gluten. So for me as little gluten as possible is best. Not to say I don't eat it, as I do once in a while. However if you have an autoimmune disease (like hashimoto's or rheumatoid arthritis) or are dealing with infertility I urge going gluten free. As well, if you have a gluten allergy--avoiding gluten is a no brainer.

As for dairy, its kind of the same deal. Some people just don't do well with dairy so they should avoid it. Me, I tend to have organic non-homogenized full fat milk in my (organic) coffee or tea each day. Occasionally I have some fermented dairy like yogurt or kefir. And of course, I have cheese occasionally (i prefer raw cheese) but I don't feel awesome when I eat too much it (and, it usually causes my eczema to flare up) so I keep my intake low.

And that's really it. Eat nutrient dense foods.

And, don't forget to steer clear of: sugar, high fructose corn syrup, white flour, wheat (for the most part), seed oils and soy. I am stickler on this point as the evidence is clear that these foods are toxic to the body and contribute to virtually all modern, degenerative diseases – from diabetes and obesity to heart disease and autoimmunity to infertility and learning disabilities.

Do You Eat Locally Grown Fruit?

2011-11-03T09:19:00.000-04:00

Most likely not. That's the unfortunate American truth. As a country we mainly grow corn, soy and wheat. Hence the preponderance of those substances in our foods (and, hence the preponderance of our allergies to these foodstuffs--as most of them are genetically modified).

We grow so much corn, soy and wheat we export it. We grow so much corn, soy and wheat we need to import fruit and veggies from places like Canada and Mexico.

This is a major issue.

As Mark Bittman puts it in a recent NYT post, What’s wrong with this picture? The notion of importing fruits and vegetables, the idea of having everything “fresh” all the time, was until recently inconceivable and is likely to become so again, as production and transportation costs rise and the absurdity of the “system” becomes evident even to those who now profit from it. When we ignore large-scale production of local food we invite apocalypse, or at least food shortages."

Buy and Eat Local... as much as you possibly can!

Get Sexy: Ways to boost your libido (if you need to)

2011-11-02T12:02:00.001-04:00

Health.com ran an article the other day: 6 surprising libido boosters.

I thought it was a good piece, but a little detached on the emotional front. It mentions doing things like yoga, or something adventurous with your partner like zip-lining. It even mentions smelling your partner post-gym workout as this may entice you. Eh..maybe??

I'd just like to add a few more emotionally engaging things that I think can help you and your partner stay sexy and remain sexy:

1. Laugh. Have fun together. Be easy around one another. Don't sweat the small stuff.

2. Be Grateful. Tell each other one thing each day that you are grateful for in one another or in your relationship.

3. Be present. How could you expect to be in "the mood" if you're not even present in your own life. Check in with yourself emotionally and check in with your partner. Get on the same page and the romance will reignite.

Omega-3's and depression

2011-11-01T13:33:00.002-04:00

CNN Health posted an article today about Omega 3's and depression.

The question is: does taking omega 3 supplements help fight depression.

CNN's answer is: maybe.

I agree, as there are many, many layers to treating depression. However taking an omega-3 supplement (and eating a diet rich in omega-3's) surely can't hurt.

Omega 3 fatty acids, as many of you know, are are types of polyunsaturated fatty acids. The most commonly known of these fatty acids are DHA and EPA. These substances are super beneficial to your overall health, particularly when it comes to reducing inflammation and enhancing cognitive (brain) function. Hence the reason why EPA and DHA have been studied for the treatment of depression. But, I'd like to point out that the scientific research conducted on depression and omega 3's was through vitamin supplementation of EPA and DHA. Not through the introduction of foods naturally rich in these substances.

In my opinion, its better to eat foods that are rich in EPA and DHA all on their own rather than just depending soley on a supplement to provide you with these essential nutrients. EPA and DHA naturally occur in certain foods like sardines, salmon, flaxseeds and walnuts. So, eat them because as the CNN report points out, "some studies show that countries that consume more fish high in omega-3s have lower rates of depression."

The takehome: the source of the EPA and DHA is imperative to its therapeutic effect on your health and your body. If you are taking a generic "fish oil" or "omega-3" supplement that is from farm raised fish (and potentially contains mercury and other toxins) the health benefits are going to be nil in comparison to eating a healthy portion of wild salmon and organic walnuts. However, taking a capsule containing EPA and DHA is smart to do in addition to eating foods naturally rich in these substances, the brands I recommend are: Green Pastures, Carlson's, Nordic Naturals (with Green Pastures being my top choice).

Have Cellulite? Try Yoga

2011-10-31T09:30:00.000-04:00

I just came across this article from Women's Health Magazine on how doing yoga can help reduce cellulite. It makes sense as yoga does help to improve not just blood circulation, but circulation of lymphs as well. When lymph nodes (our body has hundreds of them!)become stagnant or backed up, cellular waste builds up in our bodies and causes the appearance of cellulite (as well it weakens our immune system).

Other ways to improve lymphatic drainage (and, reduce cellulite) are dry brushing , drinking detoxifying dandelion root tea with fresh squeezed lemon, hydrating (drink half your body weight in ounces of water each day) and of course, eat a clean non-dead, nutrient rich diet!

Dr. Weil Interviews Dr. Oz

2011-10-30T17:06:00.004-04:00

The prolific Dr. Weil is about to put out yet another book, Spontaneous Happiness. So recently, he interviewed his buddy Dr. Oz on his own personal happiness maintaining habits.

I thought it was a great interview--very honest and humble. Dr. Oz admits that he worries a lot, has moments of feeling down and was once known for his angry outbursts. He talks about how he has learned to focus on the things in his life that are "blessings" and to take 7 or so minutes each morning for stretching and breathing. Dr. Oz has learned how to manage his "energy" to maintain his happiness. Seems Dr. Oz needs his CTFO time too.

I too have learned to do the same. If I don't take the time to conserve and protect my own energy, how can I be good to myself, let alone anyone else? I try my best to meditate each morning, to pick a few things each day that I am grateful for, to exercise, to eat as healthy as possible. I try to balance it all and sometimes it goes awry...but the key is to be easy on yourself. Be kind to yourself. Find the happiness... it is there.

What do you do to find balance in your life?

Healthy Halloween Candy

2011-10-28T16:54:00.002-04:00

Is there such a thing?

The question comes up: what to give out for Halloween that you can feel good about. Or should we just live with moderation in mind and give out what kids really want? Snickers Bars? M&M's? Kit Kats? Nah! There are some awesome and organic and somewhat healthy treats out there.

Here are some of mine to name a few:

Newmans Own Organic dark chocolate peanut butter cups (they sell them individually wrapped)
Bug Bites are organic dark or milk chocolate squares
Yummy Earth Organic Lollipops
Yummy Earth hopscotch butterscotch drops
Pretzels
Organic Boxed Raisins (kinda boring, I know)

Head out to your local health foods store, Whole Foods or Trader Joes and buy some of these treats for your trick or treaters!

Tell me what healthy treats you gave out.

And, check out what Dr. Weil has to say about this topic:
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA310529/Halloween-Candy.html

Is Organic Really Organic?

2011-10-28T09:32:00.005-04:00

As you can tell, I haven't blogged in quite some time.. but I'm back (Thanks, Sloane!)

Rest assured, I've been staying up to date on all things healthy and chill and organic...

Here's the latest news from the organic food world: Companies who currently hold organic labeling rights are requesting leniency in their products "organicness" (yes, I am aware I 've just made up a word). How upsetting.

Basically the more popular organic foods become the more companies like Kraft, General Mills and Wal-Mart want to get on board--but on their own slightly less organic terms.

From a recent Organic Consumers Association update:

Consumer demand for healthy and eco-friendly food has built the organic market into a $30 billion a year powerhouse, and has forced even the largest retailers, wholesalers and brand names to get into organics.

While we oppose the "Walmartization" of organic, we are happy to see that even our adversaries are being forced to market and sell organic products.

Unfortunately the big players (Monsanto, Kraft, Wal-Mart, General Mills, et al) keep trying to change the rules, which means we've got to which means we've got to keep fighting them.

In 2010, the biggest attacks organic standards came from the following companies:

*Cal-Maine Foods (the nation's largest egg producer) wants to keep so-called organic chickens in intensive-confinement factory farms and feed them synthetic supplements like methionine.
*General Mills (the world's sixth-largest food company) wants to introduce dangerous, untested, unlabeled products of nanotechnology in organic products and packaging.
*Coleman Organic (part of the ConAgra conglomerate, the 3rd largest U.S. beef and pork processor) wants to use non-organic animal ingredients (pork intestines) in "USDA Organic" products (sausage).
*Renpure Organics (subsidiary of Bristol-Myers Squibb, owner of Clairol) wants to use the word "organic" on products that aren't certified to USDA organic standards (shampoo).
*Organic Vintners wants to use synthetic ingredients (sulfite preservatives) in organic products (wine).

Ok, so what can we do? We can continue to support local farmers that uphold true organic standards, read labels and stay away from products made by GM and Kraft.

For more info, check out this article from OCA's website: http://organicconsumers.org/sos.cfm

Why Is Dr. Oz Still Recommending Soy???

2011-10-26T21:34:00.003-04:00

So, the other day I saw on Dr. Oz's facebook page the top 100 foods that should be in your shopping cart. Or some title similar to that. Either way, the list had some great recommendations like sea salt, nuts, bison and eggs (although the word organic is no where to be found on the list) and them some not so great rec's like canned foods and vegan mayo (what is that?). And, then he recommended soy. Not just plain old soybeans (which maybe would have been acceptable) but he recommended: tofu, soy milk, soy hotdogs and soy burgers!!

I find it astonishing that such a bright (and kindhearted) man with smarts and a team of "nutritionists" working with him would still be on the soy train. Dr. Oz, FYI: soy has left the building... it was actually asked to leave because it is so dang toxic!

Obviously, Dr. Oz (nor any of his nutritionists) hasn't read my book.

Have you?

Here's a blurb from the, "sugar is evil, soy sucks" chapter just to refresh your memory:

Soy products on the whole are processed and toxic. Eating soy may make your period irregular and compromise your ability to get pregnant;
it can give you osteoporosis, horrible gas, zero energy and hypothyroidism (and I’ll tell you why in just a sec …). It’s also one of the most common food allergens. I am not joking. Do not eat it! The vegan-preaching soy supporters out there have neglected to tell the general population that most soy products on the market are
made from overly processed and more than likely genetically modified
soybeans that have the nutritional equivalent of plastic...You see, the
high temperatures at which your favorite “faux duck” and “fakin’
bacon” are processed cause all sorts of proteins to denature (i.e. to
break apart and lose the enzymatic activity that allows us to digest
them). This high-temperature processing renders the food virtually
inedible.

I suppose Dr. Oz and his nutritionists are still on the "asian cultures ate soy for thousands of years and look how healthy they are" bandwagon. Well, here's my next argument (again, taken from my book):

People in Asian countries have not been eating “nofurkey” or
“sham ham” for the last three thousand years. Traditionally, Asians
consumed nonprocessed, non-genetically modified (GM), fermented
soy, also known as miso—and they ate this fermented soy
as a side dish, not a main course (that’s not to say that with the
Americanization of Asia hasn’t come the introduction of more
processed and nonfermented soy products).
FYI: I’d bet my thumbs on the fact that the tofu or any soy-based
product you’re eating—regardless if it’s non-GM, organic or “all
natural”—is overlyprocessed, loaded with additives and carcinogens
and NOT fermented.

And, lastly Ill explain the difference between processed soy and the soy that asian cultures traditionally ingested:

First:The soy products you eat are processed. The act of processing soy requires very high temperatures, which denatures important enzymes that our body needs to digest soy. As well, processing soy creates toxins and carcinogens like nitrates and MSG that are so unhealthyfor us it’s appalling.

Second: The soy products you eat are NOT fermented. The process of fermentation “predigests” soy, allowing it to be easily absorbed. Fermentation also neutralizes the natural toxins found in soy. All fermented foods are also rich in probiotics, which introduce friendly bacteria into our digestive tract. The probiotic activity in
fermented foods such as miso is great for boosting the immune system,improving digestive health and fighting off the damage done by too many phlegmy foods! So, you can see how fermented soy may actually be good for one’s health.

Just to reiterate: we are eating processed and nonfermented soy products. Traditional Asian diets consisted of soy products that were NOT processed and were fermented.

If you know Dr. Oz, can you please pass this on.

Thanks!

Multi- Vitamin's increase death rate and Vitamin E increases prostate cancer risk

2011-10-13T14:14:00.000-04:00

Multi Vitamin's Death Risk & Vitamin E's Link To Prostate Cancer--My Two Cents. *If you take vitamins, please read!!!*
by Aimee E. Raupp, M.S., L.Ac. on Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 1:01pm

Some of you may have heard the news this week: Vitamins increase the death rate in women and vitamin E increases the incidence of prostate cancer in men. Whew. Awesome news, right?

First off-- lets break down the settings behind these studies a bit. Secondly--let's discuss the fact that not all vitamins are created equal. And, lastly let's discuss the abosulte best sources of vitamins (I even included a breakdown of the vitamins I take daily).

The details from the multi-vitamin kills women studies are the following:

* The study was conducted on white women bw the ages of 55-69

*Intake of 900 mg or less of Calcium actually showed a REDUCED "death rate"

*The study only found a link between vitamins and increased risk of death; it didn't prove that the supplements caused the deaths.

*The increased "death rate" was linked specifically to the intake of iron, vitamin b6 and copper (all taken in synthetically derived forms).

Regarding the Vitamin E increasing the incidence of prostate cancer-- here's the breakdown:

*A total of 521 additional prostate cancers were diagnosed in the group of men studied (35,500) over the 3-year period of the study. The following is the breakdown of the additional prostate cancers that occurred over the study period:

113 in the placebo group(meaning these guys took neither Vitamin E nor Selenium)

147 in the vitamin E group

143 in the selenium group

118 in the combination (vitamin E + Selenium) group

Ok, I admit, there is SLIGHT statistical significance showing the vitamin E taken solo can increase prostate cancer risk... so can Selenium taken solo. However, as you will read below: you should NEVER take just vitamin E (nor any individual micronutrient) alone!

What?

Supplements that are provide single micronutrients-- like Iron pills, B6 tablets, Vitamin E capsules, etc--should NEVER be taken alone.

Why?

Because, they need what are called "cofactors" in order for the body to assimilate and utilize these nutrients properly. These cofactors occur NATURALLY in foods and substances in NATURE. Without these cofactors, the vitamins you take can actually build up in your system and become toxic bc your body cannot break them down. Nature created these nutrients in a compound with numerous components--like a plant or a tree. Single micronutrients like vitamin E, B6 and Iron, etc have never EVER existed soley on there own. There is no calcium tree or an iron plant.

In addition, the majority of the vitamin supplements on the market are sythetically made and contain proven toxic additives and fillers (such as magneium stearate)! For instance-- Iron supplements often come from pounded down frying pans (yeah, that's not toxic at all!) Calcium and other mineral supplements come from rock (oh yeah, totally digestable!?!). And, vitamin E (which has been studied extensively) can actually increase cancer risk when taken solely in the form of alpha-tocopherol acetate (which, btw, is the most popular form of vitamin E sold AND, it was the exact form used in the prostate cancer study).

Let's take vitamin E as the example here, vitamin E actually contains 8 antioxidants, 4 tocopherols and 4 tocotrienols. Not to get too scientific on you, but taking Vitamin E in the form of alpha-tocopherol acetate only gives you a very small percentage of the biologically active components of vitamin E. The absolute best form of vitamin E is from food sources like sunflower seed and spinach that are rich in the vitamin. This is just one example of how complicated these biologically active nutrients are. You can't take 1/16th of a compound and expect to get all of it's benefits.

Make sense?

When it comes to taking vitamins--buyer beware. There is a TON of toxic crap out there lining the shelves of your supermarkets and health food stores. The issue: the FDA doesn't regulate anything (not that I think the FDA regulations do squat.. but you get my point). The #1 best place to get your vitamins is from nutrient dense food like eggs and butter and nuts and seeds and veggies.

In my practice, I definitely take a "less is more" approach to vitamin supplementation as I realize that our industrial techniques and advances have compromised the soil and overall environment leaving our food sources (organic or not) somewhat lacking in certain nutrients. And, I also understand that some days its just impossible to get 3 servings of veggies.

So, when I do recommend vitamins, I ONLY recommend them from companies that use organic ingredients and derive their vitamin nutrients from "whole food sources". This means that you get your calcium from Lithothamnion Calcareum, an algea plant that is high in calcium (read here for more info: http://www.newchapter.com/take-care/bone-strength-take-care). And, your iron and B6 from capsulated foods sources such a spirulina or dessicated and dried liver (yes, actual liver meat).

Through my extensive research there are only a handful of companies out there that I trust, such as New Chapter and Mega Foods (aka Innate). And personally I take the following supplements on a daily basis:

* Green Pasture's Fermented Cod Liver Oil: 3/day (http://www.drrons.com/fermented-blue-ice-cod-liver-oil.htm)

* Pure Synergy Superfoods: 3/day (http://www.thesynergycompany.com/pure_synergy.html)

* Liver pills: 2/day (http://www.drrons.com/thyroid-adrenal-liver-pancreas-glandulars.htm)

* Mega Foods (aka Innate) Flora 5-14: 1/day (http://megafood-vitamins.com/megaflora.html)

* Pure Encapulstions Vitamin D3: 5,000-10,000 iu's/day (http://pureencapsulations.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=VDL)

Notice, I don't take a multi ( I look at the Pure Synergy as my multi). I also don't take a calcium supplement as I get plenty of calcium from my diet and a good amount from the Pure Synergy product. The liver pills give me a great amount of all B vitamins, folic acid (folate), vitamin A and DHA. The cod liver oil pills give me vitamin d and my omega fatty acids. And, the probiotcs give my body all the good healthy bacteria I can need (in addition I eat some fermented food or beverage daily). I take the extra vitamin D3 (its most absorbable form) in the months where I get the least sunlight. Note: I take the solo vitamin D3 always in conjunction with my fermented cod liver oil so that the D3 can be absorbed by my body.

The take home: It's no wonder these studies showed an increased risk of death and cancer--as the vitamins used in the studies were from sources that are synthetic and toxic in their own right. However, these studies hold very little water as they are just too many variables. And lastlyl, the negative outcomes were greatly exaggerated by the media. Being a scientist once upon a time, I know the in's and out's of research and I've unfortunately learned to question most all research papers published as the results are almost always skewed. Not to say they aren't useful.. but be an educated consumer and look deeper into the research then what the media puts out there.

The bottom line: Take whole food based vitamins and eat a nutrient rich diet... and, don't believe the hype!

Amazing Sale on Beautifying, Fertility-Friendly, Non-toxic Makeup!!!

2011-08-04T08:30:00.001-04:00

Want to be accentuate your beauty the Au Naturel way? Check out this awesome sale of Modern Minerals makeup on Pure Citizen today!

Here's a little info from the fabulous Modern Minerals line founder:
For many women, putting on makeup is just as vital a daily ritual as brushing your teeth in the morning. However, when purchasing our cosmetics, we tend to just look at what it can do for us (i.e. minimize lines, conceal under eyes circles) and completely ignore what it’s actually doing to us.

Some cosmetics contain synthetic chemicals and studies are now finding that many of these chemicals are often hormone disrupters. Even more disturbing is that many cosmetic ingredients are actually unnecessary for quality results and merely just extend the shelf life of the products.

Our skin is the largest organ of our bodies and whatever we put on our skin can be absorbed into our bloodstream. So, how can you provide a pure and healthy environment for you and your baby while still getting the results you need to look and feel your best? The answer is choosing make up without unnecessary synthetic chemicals. Pure cosmetics are just as important to consider as healthy eating for women planning to get pregnant, already pregnant and anyone trying to live a healthier life in general.

When I made a commitment to pure living and the environment, I knew that I couldn’t sacrifice my commitment to style too. Some of the products I was finding, weren’t as natural as I would have liked. I wanted to get amazing results and know I was using very pure ingredients on my skin, so that’s Modern Minerals Make up was born.

Modern Minerals Makeup lets you look and feel your best without any of those unnecessary chemicals or synthetics. Our eco-friendly mineral makeups are 100% cruelty-free, vegan, and derived from nature. Some cosmetics contain phthalates, a chemical used to make synthetic fragrances and are known to cause hormone deficiencies in fetuses. Modern Minerals Makeup contains absolutely no artificial fragrances (so no phthalates) and colors.

Other things you won’t find in our foundations: bismuth oxychloride and cornstarch (they irritate skin), micronized minerals and nanoparticles (they can be ihttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifnhaled and cause respiratory issues for you and your baby), synthetic parabens (chemicals used solely to extend shelf life), and petroleum products & by-products (we just prefer natural ingredients that truly hydrate, thank you very much).

We have big, bold eyeshadows, eyeliners, mineral powder foundations for every skin tone, and natural bronzers and blushes that will get you positively glowing. We’ve even got luxe lip balms and for those who are sensitive to allergies, check out the animal-free ABT Brushes made with NuFibre which out performs conventional animal hair brushes. Keep your cosmetics pure, your body and baby, healthy and safe while still being the natural style goddess that you are!

So, go to PureCitizen NOW and buy yourself some Modern Minerals products!

Update

2011-02-10T23:46:00.001-05:00

Hey All! It seems these days I update my facebook page a lot more than I do this blog... so follow me on facebook and stay in the loop!

Aimee E. Raupp, MS, LAc

Amazing Video... Check It Out!

2010-10-13T14:12:00.001-04:00

An 11 year old nails it discussing the pitfalls of our food system!

Check it out:

11-Year-Old Explains What's Wrong with Food System

Acupuncture and Depression

2010-09-16T08:44:00.001-04:00

Check out this small but promising study on acupuncture and its effect on mood regulation and the treatment of depression:

Acupuncture Shown To Stimulate The Brain

Acupuncture and Cancer

2010-09-05T11:38:00.002-04:00

Check out some great research on Acupuncture and cancer from Memorial Sloan-Kettering:

Acupuncture Helps Ease Side Effects and Symptoms of Some Cancers

Non-toxic school supplies!

2010-08-22T19:41:00.001-04:00

For all of you with kids going back to school in the coming weeks, check out Environmental Working Groups "back to school guide"... it's got a lot of great tips on keeping school supplies green and non-toxic!

EWG's Back To School Guide

High Fructose Corn Syrup and Cancer

2010-08-12T13:42:00.002-04:00

A recent study out of UCLA shows that cancer cells (particularly those of the pancreas) use fructose to divide and grow. Do you know what that means... foods containing the evil, noxious high fructose corn syrup actually feed cancer cells. Do yourself the favor of a lifetime and never, EVER eat any foods or beverages containing high fructose corn syrup.

For more info.. check out: Cancer cells feed on fructose, study finds.

Deodorant....

2010-08-01T21:19:00.001-04:00

A patient recently asked me what deodorant I wear. And, to be honest, I wear one that is slightly toxic (according to EWG's cosmetic database) as I cant seem to find a less toxic one that works for me and Im too vain (and considerate of others!) to wear a deodorant that doesn't work. Here's a great article on the topic...and, I have a question for you: do you have a non-toxic or less toxic deodorant that you like? If so, please post your answers on my Facebook Fan Page. Thanks!

How Safe Is Your Deodorant?

Did you know...

2010-07-29T13:06:00.002-04:00

Did you know that avoiding processed foods, eating local and organic can help the climate and stop pollution?! Do your part-- EAT ORGANIC and LOCAL and stop supporting the industrial food companies! Watch this video and learn more...

The Food and Climate Connection

The Evils of Artificial Sweeteners

2010-07-20T22:30:00.004-04:00

Do you drink artificially sweetened drinks to avoid the calories? Did you know that zero calorie drinks and foods can actually cause you to GAIN weight? Do you know how absolutely toxic aspartame is for you? Guys.. you've got to check out this article...

America's Deadliest Sweetener

Erectile Dysfunction....

2010-07-15T11:41:00.001-04:00

Here's a topic that's awkward and not talked about that often... but in my male patients, I unfortunately hear about it being an issue.... ED (erectile dysfucntion). Did you guys know that both a high-fat diet and obesity lower testosterone levels and increase the risk of erection problems? Ahhh! Check out the article, The Proper Fuel and Proper Exercise, from Dr. Oz's website for more information.

The Kombucha Controversy...

2010-06-24T11:03:00.002-04:00

This past week Whole Foods pulled my beloved Kombucha and Synergy drinks from their shelves.

Rest assured, this is not a quality issue. It's an alcohol issue. You see, how Kombucha and Synergy provide their host of health-benefiting properties like probiotics, enzymes and vitamins is via fermentation of what is known as the "kombucha culture".

Huh? You ask. Let me tell you a bit about how Kombucha is made:

The Kombucha culture looks like a beige or white rubbery pancake. It's often called a 'scoby' which stands for ' symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts. The culture is placed in sweetened black or green tea and turns a bowl full of sweet tea into a bowl full of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and health-giving organic acids.

As the Kombucha culture digests the sugar it produces a range of organic acids like glucuronic acid, gluconic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, butyric acid, malic acid and usnic acid; vitamins, particularly B vitamins and vitamin C; as well as amino acids, enzymes. And of course there are all the benefits of the probiotic microorganisms themselves. The Kombucha culture is a biochemical powerhouse in your kitchen.

However, the fermentation process used to make Kombucha also creates another biproduct: alcohol. Kombucha and Synergy are supposed to contain less than .5 % alcohol, and I guess, due to some of the bottling and storage of this beverage (and the active fermentation that is going on inside the bottle) some of the bottles tested had a wee bit higher alcohol content. And, in turn, Whole Foods pulled the product from their shelves until the problem is resolved.

The founder of Kombucha, GT Dave has released the following statement regarding this controversy (and I guess Lyndsay Lohan got thrown in the mix some how...):

"We are investigating reports of the potential for slightly elevated alcohol levels in our Kombucha products that may be occurring after the product has been bottled and has left our facility. Although our products are tested to be compliant at the time of shipping, a subsequent increase in alcohol levels could potentially cause the product to go above 0.5% causing potential labeling issues.

We are working quickly to identify the possible causes and which lot codes and/or regions are being potentially affected. Please keep in mind that this is not related to any type of food contamination, is not a recall, had NOTHING to do with Lindsay Lohan and that you can still find our products at certain retailers. We are trying our best to get our product back on the shelves of every store. Until that happens, you can check the store locator featured on our website for further information on these retailers."

My two cents: don't worry too much...unless you're drinking upwards of 3 of these per day. And, if you're pregnant, try and have these beverages no more than 2 to 3 times per week. The alcohol content is minimal and I'm sure this issue will be resolved quickly.

Attitude is Altitude...

2010-06-06T12:00:00.000-04:00

So, I recently asked my facebook fans to suggest some blog topics for me, as I've been feeling a bit stagnant....being one of the requests had to do with attitude, I thought that would be a great place for me to start (as my stagnant self could use an attitude adjustment!)

The specific request was: "I'd love to see a blog about how we can all take responsibility for our own attitudes, despite our challenges, and (how) change does not mean defeat or have to mean despair."

Hmmm.. where should I start?

First things first, you all need to realize NO ONE is responsible for making you happy, sad, excited, depressed, anxious or any other feeling you can think of. The only person responsible for your attitude or how you react to a situation is YOU.

Now, what to do if you find yourself walking around with a not so chipper attitude?

Have a heart to heart with yourself. Yes, chat it out with the person you are having the issue with, yourself!

This is what I do if I'm feeling particularly crappy or OMG-I'm-so-overwhelmed. Often I do this by looking in the mirror (this is a variation of the mirror mirror exercise I talk about on page 66 of my book). I'll just look into my own eyes and say something like, "Aimee, what's up? What's got you all in a tizzy?" I talk to myself in an understanding and loving tone. Then I have to answer honestly and seriously attempt to hash it out. Soon enough, I discover that my worry is often over something that's completely out of my control or maybe, just maybe, I am not seeing the whole picture... you see, once you begin discussing the issue out loud, you will have an AHA moment and realize that you are fixated on something that is out of your control. You will realize that you are choosing to react a certain way. You are choosing to have the attitude you have. And, once you do, you'll realize how empowering it is to take responsibility for the place you're in. You can choose a different attitude. You can change the way you see your life.

Once you get there, repeat one of my favorite mantra's to yourself, "Chill the F**K Out! Life gives you what you can handle. Let go and know that you are where you're supposed to be."

Some days those words are harder to accept. And, if that's the case, then just keep repeating them over and over to yourself..."you're where you're supposed to be... life gives you what you can handle". Keep at it. Own it.

I'm not a very religious person, but I do have faith in a higher power. And, when I feel like I'm having a day where every step is uphill, I just remind myself to have faith. I remind myself that life has only the best in store for all of us. I just keep looking for the good in the situation. And, often that will shift my attitude entirely.

Hang in there, keep the faith and remember: Attitude is Altitude!

Achieving Powerful Beauty

2010-06-03T10:22:00.001-04:00

Check out my latest interview on achieving and maintaining kick-ass beauty...

Powerful Beauty with Acupunturist Aimee Raupp

Chill Out and Get Healthy!

2010-05-08T10:48:00.001-04:00

Hey! Have you read my book, Chill Out and Get Healthy?

Check out the most amazing book testimonial I received this week. And, if you haven't yet read my book... READ IT! And, then tell all your friends and family to read it too!

Chill Out and Get Healthy Testimonials

Updated Must-Buy Organic Fruit and Veggie List

2010-04-28T13:20:00.002-04:00

The Environmental Working Group just posted their new and improved 2010 Shoppers Guide to Pesticides. Check out the updated dirty dozen list (the 12 fruits and veggies you MUST buy organic) and their clean 15 list (the best foods to buy non-organic because they are so low in pesticides). What's so cool is you can download this guide, print it out and put it in your wallet... this way you are always on top of your organic game!

The Shoppers Guide To Pesticides