After a couple weeks, the pain did not subside, so I got it checked out.  The doctor said I was fine, gave me some shoulder exercises to do, and told me to call him in a month if I still had pain.  A month later, not only had the pain not subsided, but it had spread to the other shoulder.  My first thought was that I had overcompensated by not using my right shoulder, and had now irritated my left shoulder.  I went to another doctor, and he ordered an MRI and X-rays.  There was fluid build-up in the shoulder joint, but nothing particularly noteworthy.  I was sent home and told to rest.

I was starting to get worried because the pain then spread to my wrists and fingers.  At times the pain was so bad I couldn’t even drive.  I knew something wasn’t right.  I saw a third doctor, who wisely ordered some initial blood tests.  The doctor initially thought it might be due to Lyme Disease, but I hadn’t been bitten by any ticks that I knew of.  The blood test results came back positive for an antibody that suggested I had Rheumatoid Arthritis, an autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks one’s healthy joints.  More tests were ordered (9 vials of blood), and I was referred to a Rheumatologist who initially diagnosed me with Psoriatic Arthritis or Rheumatoid Arthritis (he didn’t know which).  I was referred to a Dermatologist and an Opthamologist.  Over the next couple months, I was in the doctor’s office practically every week.

I didn’t know what was happening to my body, and I was confused and scared.  For the next few months, I kept all the doctor’s appointments and various diagnoses a secret from virtually everyone.  The thing with autoimmune diseases is from the outside, an affected person looks fine, even if inside the body things are very wrong.  I have a high pain tolerance, and I’m not usually one to complain about discomfort, so no one knew what I was going through, and I liked it that way.  If I just acted normally, maybe things would turn out normally, or so I thought.

Fast forward to October 2012, a year after I was first diagnosed with either Psoriatic or Rheumatoid Arthritis: my primary care doctor looked at my lab results, and announced that I had Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (“SLE”).  There was no denying it given my symptoms.

I tried to keep it together, I really did.  But when my lip started to quiver, my doctor confided in me that six months ago she, too, was diagnosed with lupus and she knew how I felt.  We chatted about our experiences, and by the end of the two hours she spent with me, I strangely felt at peace with the diagnosis.  Buddhism says there are no coincidences in life.  The fact that my primary care doctor was recently diagnosed herself makes me think that this is an incredible opportunity for both of us.  She was clearly distraught about her own situation, and I think I can use my experience of battling this disease to encourage her in her own struggle.  Oddly enough, I felt mentally stronger after meeting her, even though she was the one to deliver to me the news that I had lupus.

Now that I have a clear diagnosis, I feel better equipped to overcome it.  I know there’s no “cure,” but I truly believe that if I stay focused and determined, I can get this thing into remission by controlling my stress, living a healthy and balanced lifestyle, using a combination of Eastern and Western medicine, and making each moment as fulfilling and value-laden as possible.  I appreciate all your warm thoughts, positive energy, and prayers!

Today’s special is a drink and believe me it’s liked by all the age group. This is one of the best ways for in taking Milk since many of us do not want to have it as we grow older but it is vital and essential for our healthy bones as well as for developing strong immune system.

It’s easy to prepare at home, tasty and in no time you will win accolades from your friends and family!!

So here goes the recipe for ‘Cold Coffee’………..

Ingredients::

Full cream Milk ½ L chilled
Sugar 2 tbsp or according to taste
Coffee 2 tsp or according to taste
Crushed Ice ½ cup
Vanilla/Chocolate ice-cream 2 scoops for each glass
Coffee powder or grated chocolate to garnish

Preparation::

Take milk, sugar, crushed ice and coffee into a blender jar and blend until mixed well and frothy
Pour into the glass and add ice cream of your choice or you may even churn the ice-creams for both chocolaty and vanilla taste

Garnish with coffee powder or grated chocolate and serve immediately before the ice-cream melts!!

I myself have not been one to tackle the raw food diet. I consider myself a very healthy eater and have never felt it necessary to take on an extreme diet. My strongest belief in life is that balance is everything. I have always been aware that heating your food depletes it of its full nutritional value and makes it harder to digest, but cooked veggies and better than no veggies! However, raw fruits and vegetables are very important in order for your body to acquire all vitamins and minerals in their truest form.

I recently, have learned some very interesting facts about raw vs. cooked food that I thought I’d share. In the 1930’s Paul Kouchakoff, M.D. found that if we ate a diet that was more than 51% heated foods above 115 °F (just above the body temperature), our immune system responds as if it was being invaded by a foreign organism. There is an immediate rise in our white blood cells by about 300%. White blood cells rush in to fight off threats to the body like poison, and disease. However, he then showed that if 51% of our meals are natural, unheated, and unprocessed foods there is no immune system response (no white blood cell reaction).

When food is cooked the natural enzymes are destroyed. Enzymes work together with our bodies telling us where and how to use the food. If the enzymes have been cooked out then this communication does not exist.

After many years of eating too much cooked food, our immune system begins to wear out. We blame the fact that we are lethargic and more prone to sickness because of aging, but this is not the case. By eating more raw foods our immune system does not have to work so hard to digest and can rest.  Therefore, it can be used to fight off the bigger issues in our body and keep us significantly healthier.

A really amazing fact I found is that people eating totally raw diets have experienced reversals or regression of certain cancers, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, autism, depression, skin disease, the list goes on and on! Our immune system can heal anything, if it’s not continually fighting a war against cooked food.

These are just some facts that I found very interesting. It makes you think about what is actually going on in our bodies. I believe making 51% of our diet consist of raw food is a realistic change we all have the ability to make. Considering the extremely positive effects it has on our bodies, in turn we live longer, healthier lives filled with more energy. Simply eating more raw fruits, veggies and nuts is a great start. That also still leaves 49% of our food to steamed, baked, sautéed and hey, even fried. I know I’m going to begin consciously adding more raw eats to my diet, and you can too!

Sunday is my favourite day to just sleep in, relax, recharge and treat my body well before getting ready to tackle all the challenges for the big week ahead. Part of my routine is to make myself a fresh fruit smoothie loaded with powerful vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.

Try my own personal recipe next time you are in need of a healthy and delicious snack. You will need a blender, ice, and fresh fruit. You can also substitute any of the fresh fruit for frozen, but I always believe that fresh tastes better!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups of pineapple
• 2 kiwis
• 1 mango
• 5-8 strawberries
• 1/3 cup of 100% orange juice
• 6-8 ice cubes

Directions:

1. Peel the pineapple, kiwis, and mango. Then cut the fruit into bit size pieces and place on the side.
2. Take off the stems of the strawberries and cut them into halves. Place on the side.
3. Grab the bender and place the pineapple, kiwis, mango, strawberries, ice, and orange juice into the blender.
4. Blend for 2-3 minutes, depending on how long it takes until the ice is fully blended.
5. Open the lid and add more ice, juice, or fruit if desired.
6. Pour into a glass, grab a straw, and enjoy!

This recipe makes about 4 servings and each serving contains only 105 calories. Also, one serving has 147% of your daily recommended intake of vitamin C! Not only is this recipe really easy to make, but it is also super delicious. Your family is bound to love it! Hope you enjoy.

Whether you are getting a cold, need an extra immune system boost, or just trying to get your daily recommended amounts, there are a variety of foods that pack a ton of vitamin C and are an alternative to the traditional orange. Make sure to squeeze these foods into your diet to get extra vitamin C because let’s admit, oranges can get kind of boring!

If you’re like me, you always want to maximize your intake to ensure that you are absorbing all of the goodness that nature as provided to us. Here is a list of great food sources for vitamin C:

1. Green/Red Chilies – Spice up any meal by adding green or red chillies and get a ton of vitamin C in return. One single green chili has 109 mg of vitamin C (182% DV) and one red pepper has 65 mg (108% DV). If you can handle the heat, make sure to add chilies to your diet to get  added amounts of vitamin C.

2. Guava – This has one of the biggest sources of vitamin C of all. Per one cup of guava, there is 377 mg of vitamin C (628% DV!)

3. Papaya – One papaya has 187 mg (313% DV) of your daily recommended amount of vitamin C. Such a huge source for only 120 calories per fruit.

4. Bell Pepper – I used to hate bell pepper with a passion when I was  young, but strangely enough it has become one of my ultimate favourite sources of vitamin C. Yellow peppers have the most amount of vitamin C, averaging 341 mg (569% DV) per pepper. Green peppers have the least, but still hold 132 mg of vitamin C (220% DV). This is an excellent source as you get a lot of vitamin C for only 30 calories per pepper!

5. Strawberries – One cup of this delicious fruit is loaded with 84 mg of vitamin C (141% DV).

6. Broccoli – Didn’t your mom always tell you to eat your broccoli? Well she had a good reason to! One cup has 81 mg of vitamin C (135% DV), not to mention a variety of other nutritional benefits.

7. Pineapple- There is always at least one thing in my refrigerator at all times and that is a pineapple. I have to admit that sometimes it’s the ONLY thing in my refrigerator but give me a break, I’m still a student. One cup has 78 mg of vitamin C (131% DV).

8. Kiwi – This little fruit is loaded with 72 mg of vitamin C (120% DV). I usually just cut them in half, get a spoon, and enjoy!

So the next time you need that extra boost of vitamin C, try any of the above noted sources to mix up the variety in your diet!

It’s true.  Your immune system slows down as you get older BUT this doesn’t have to mean you get sick all the time!

Our mother’s always said:  if someone coughs in your face you’ll get sick.

Many of us believe that sickness is easily passed on and if someone coughs around us we will get sick.  I’m living proof this is not entirely true.

I recently had someone staying in my apartment who had walking pneumonia and neither my husband or I got sick.

How is this possible you might be wondering?

Having a healthy immune system is all about prevention.

If you are healthy and you have a strong immune system our bodies can naturally fight off disease and sickness.

You can do this by eating healthy, exercising, and taking the right supplements.

Things that weaken our immune system:

1) STRESS!

2) Over-exposure to toxins (through skin care, household cleaning products, food, etc)

3) Lack of rest

4) Genetics

5) Getting older

As you can see, our age is only 1/5 of the problem!  We can control most 3/5 of it by the choices we make.

If you give your body (white cells, thymus gland, antibodies) enough of the right nutrients then your immune system will respond quickly, continue to respond and then discard the attacking germ.

It’s all about prevention!

1) Replace your diet with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and low fat protein

2) Take supplements daily 

3) Here’s some great herbal tips:

-For an immediate immune system boost- take Defend and Resist. It is a combination of Echinacea, larch tree and elderberry.  These will help boosts the # of White blood cells in your body

-Shaklee’s Premium Garlic Complex-increase white blood cells and fights bacteria. Virus and fungal invaders  (( Click here:http://bit.ly/OL46Vm ))

-Shaklee’s Optiflora System- Keeps your gut healthyby keeping your bacteria and yeast in check ((click here: http://bit.ly/OFBDjC ))

- Shaklee’s Nutriferon- Anyone who has allergies, sinus congestion, sick too often (walking pneumonia) Hepatitis C or get this PMS or perimenopause. It helps them all. ((click here: http://bit.ly/NXvsLM ))

We can control our immune system.

If you take 1 thing away from this post: Prevention is KEY.  Eat right, exercise, and supplement in order to stay young forever!

To set up a consolation or order Shaklee products contact me at dianamaltz@gmail.com

“A poodle a day keeps the Dr. away”

1. Exercise improves mood and stamina.

Stress takes over our day. We feel cornered, finding ourselves in an angry mood. We need to blow steam in order to relax. Good news! Exercise does that automatically. When we take a fast walk, or play outside in the fresh air, the brain releases our endorphins. Endorphins are, literally,happy chemicals. Our body knows what we need and therefore, produces these happy chemicals to motivate us to be happier people, improving our self-esteem.

2. We sleep better.

Yes, stress causes lack of sleep. Exercise regulates and improves our sleep. There have been studies about this, and the results are clear. All of them show how important sleep is to our body. Activity actually help our body stay asleep. Studies show that we need to move, at least twenty to thirty minutes four times a week to see results! Since moving around increases energy, work out in the morning or afternoons, not evenings. A good night sleep is excellent for better health it gives the body the time to rejuvenate the cells.

3. Create stronger muscles and bones.

Regular exercise keeps our bones strong, bones, and muscles love a challenge. When we move, our bones thicken to help our body do heavy physical activity. This actually maintains good health, strength, and youthfulness. Exercising just a little, as few as three times a week, retains our flexibility, and prevention of serious diseases like osteoporosis. Exercise prevents us from being frail at our old age. As for myself, I want to be able get older gracefully avoiding the need of a walker! Strong bones lead to strong muscles. Strong muscles lead to better circulation. Better circulation lead to healthier body! How about it? Will you make the commitment?

4. Develop a strong immune system.

One reason to keep on moving is our internal ability to fight disease. As we exercise, our body takes in more air, improves its circulation, and therefore is able to fight disease. Our very immunity becomes stronger. We are able to fight heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and strokes. Our life is at stake here! Remember, a little work out goes a long way. Listen to your body and move around.  Go on…we all know exercise helps preventing disease. Our body is ready to fight for us.  All we have to do is move a little.

5. Exercise burns fat plain and simple.

Not moving has taken over. We live in the computer age, TV, movies, and staying indoors. We order take out food, or cook fast frozen food. That’s the way we gain weight. Moving around is good. Exercise burns fat, and allows you to eat more without gaining fat back. When muscles get big they love to eat fat, because fat ultimately is extra stored energy just waiting to be consumed, besides, exercise gives us a great body.

6. Improve mental ability, yes the brain!

Walking a half hour three times a week has proven to bring better memory, the ability to concentrate on difficult tasks, and improves our reaction time. Studies have shown that diseases such as Alzheimer and mental deterioration in general, improve a lot. Moving energetically stimulates the middle of our brain, improving memory and attention span.

Exercise does not have to be hard. You just have to set aside time every day to be active. Go for a walk, or play ball with the kids. As long as we move, we will be ok. Your very life is on the line!

Jamie Wright is a stay at home mom who tries to include her twin daughters, Annie and Alexia, in her daily fitness routine. She knows that taking care of her young children is important, and that includes insurance. For a great rate, she checked out healthinsurancequotes.org

First. Smoke
Smoking not only increases the risk of lung cancer, but also can weaken the immune system. There are thousands of toxins in cigarette smoke can affect immune cells in the body and impair their function. This is the reason why smokers are more prone to severe respiratory problems like asthma, bronchitis and even pneumonia. If you are a smoker and are looking for ways to strengthen the immune system, then you should quit smoking.

Two. Alcohol
Studies have shown the effects of excessive alcohol consumption and how it can destroy the body’s antibodies needed to fight the virus-infected cells. Such as smokers, those suffering from alcoholism are more likely to suffer from serious infections and diseases such as tuberculosis.

Three. Lack of sleep
Important to get a good rest to ensure your immune system to function properly. When sleeping, the body is able to restore and refuel, including the immune system. If you limit the amount of sleep consistently, you have put yourself at higher risk of infection and serious medical conditions such as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes and obesity.

Four. Less training
Not having enough time to exercise can weaken the immune system and increase the risk of disease or infection. Research has shown that regular physical activity can help boost the immune system by increasing the number of white blood cells in the body to help fight all forms of the disease.

Five. Too many sports
Excessive physical activity can lead to problems with the cardiovascular system and can overload the immune system. Remember, enough time off for recovery is as important to the immune system than do the strong exercises.

Six. Stress
If you are wondering how stress can cause serious health condition, the following is the explanation. Stress can weaken the immune system. High levels of stress can create hormonal imbalances in your body, damage the immune system function that can affect the way the body in meyembuhkan injury, and may even cause more serious health conditions.

Seven. Lack of drinking water
Water is an amazing liquid, which can help the overall functioning of your body, including the immune system. Water has the ability to flush any harmful toxins in the body’s immune system. Drinking enough water can also membarikan opportunity for the immune system to rest and help do its job.

Eight. Not clean
Cleanliness may not affect your immune system directly, but it can prevent infection and disease by eliminating germs and bacteria. If you’re sloppy, you will only aggravate the task of the immune system, because your behavior may invite harmful organisms into the body. At some point, these organisms can overcome the immune system that cause disease or infection.

Nine. Obesity
Scientists have found that obesity can weaken one’s immune system. While more research is needed to find a direct relationship between obesity and increased risk of infection because the immune system is weakened. Eating a healthy diet and regular exercise perting to apply to people with obesity to reduce the risk of health complications.

Ten. Too much sun
Briefly bask in the sun by using sunscreen is actually not a bad thing, but the sun too long can cause sunburn. Studies have shown a relationship between UV radiation and damage to the immune system. Excessive sun exposure can also increase the risk of skin cancer

Related articles

• Why being stressed can wreak havoc with your immune system and make you physically ill
• How Does Mood Affect Immunity?
• Boost Your Immune System in 3 Easy Steps
• Can the Cold Give You a Cold?
• Dealing With Yeast Infections When Your Immunity Is Compromised
• Swine Flu – Improve your Immunity and Follow Simple Instructions
• New immune defence enzyme discovered
• Vaccines just don’t work!
• Antibiotics may cause Obesity and Damage our Immune Systems
• Relax…it’s good for you

I want to start by saying “Thank you” to my dog- Apple- for modeling for us today.

• Exercising:  during resistance training, the muscles actually tear.   While sleep, the muscle rebuilds stronger to adapt to the new load demanded of it.
• Sickness: during sleep, extra protein molecules are produced that help the immune system to strengthen and mend after being compromised by pollutants and infectious bacteria.
• Growth:  we can’t forget that kids do a lot of growing during those important hours of sleep

New studys are showing that getting the right amount of sleep may…

• improve memory- the brain appears to restructure and reorganize memories- they become stronger
• improve inflammation- research suggests that people who get fewer hours of sleep—six or less per night—have higher blood levels of inflammatory proteins

• improve performance- A study conducted by Stanford University looked at college football players.  Those who got 10 hrs of sleep for 7-8 weeks had improved sprint time.  They also had less fatigue and stamina in the day.

• improve grades- sleep deprivation impairs learning
• improve attention- adults get sleepy with lack of zzzz’s, but kids get hyperactive, are inattentive and impulsive  (ADHD-like symptoms)
• encourage a healthy weight- when sleepy, hormones that increase appetite increase in the blood; studies also show that people who were well rested lost more body fat and those who were sleep deprived lost muscle mass

• and decrease car accidents-in 2009, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that being tired accounted for the highest number of fatal single-car crashes where the driver ran off the road. A higher number than crashes caused by alcohol! Lack of sleep affects decision making and reaction time.`

Some say that this is the natural pattern of human sleep.  More on that later.

It’s so versatile – smoothies, frozen treats, salads, breads, granola, and

mac & cheese (YES- sub it for the milk = YUMMY!)

I always buy Stonyfield Organic

so my info about yogurt is specific to this brand.

It is a good source of protein, calcium, fiber, and is gluten free.

 Stoneyfields yogurt has 6 added natural probiotics- awesome for healthy digestion and a strong immune system.

Sooooooo, should I switch from my regular organic yogurt over to greek yogurt?

Here’s the difference:

                                  Regular Organic Yogurt:

• good source of protein, calcium, riboflavin, phosphorus & magnesium.
• low in lactose
• supports a healthy digestive & immune system
• restores beneficial bacteria that is killed off when taking antibiotics
• the body digests yogurt faster and easier than milk

All Good!

             Greek  Organic Yogurt

• very rich, thick and creamy
• has 2x the protein compared to reg. yogurt
• less lactose
• fewer carbs

So, it is better if you are involved in exercising and losing weight!

Always Choose Organic

                   Organic 

• no toxic pesticides and herbicides
• no GMOs  http://www.stonyfield.com/why-organic/genetically-modified-organisms-gmos
• no Antibiotics
• no Growth hormones

Cold and Flu season has returned with a vengeance the country continues to enjoy unseasonably warm temperatures.  Average Michigan winter consist of freezing cold, and a lot of white snow.  Bring on the New Year, it seems that 2012 is the year of La’Ninia Winters and that means that between “February – April 2012, there is an increased chance of above-average temperatures across the south-central and southeastern U.S., and below-average temperatures in the northwestern U.S” cpc.ncep.noaa.gov .

The warmer temperatures are a perfect host to a variety of unwelcome bacterial and viral infections.  The only escape is for a person to build a healthy strong immune system.  The contaminated air is inhaled hosting stagnant spurs perfect for “harvesting of those molds, and mildews that create air born viruses” EPA.Gov.  The milder temperatures have created an increase in the number of cold, sinus, and bronchial infections. cdc.gov/flu/weekly/

Illustration provided by the Center for Disease Control http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/

The popular herbal antidote that has served dedicated faithful service through the 18^th and 19^th Century.  Declined usage began with the invention of prescribed antibiotic medications.  The problems we are facing today are “the medications are known to fuel the evolution of drug-resistant bacteria and experts have grown increasingly worried about overuse” MSNBC.  It is time to get back to the naturals. Echinacea served centuries of true essential nutritional value before the abuse, and invention of the antibiotic.

Echinacea has served 400 years defending people from illnesses such as Scarlet Fever, Syphilis, Malaria, Blood Poisoning and Diphtheria. This historical, ornamental, and colorful “Native American medicinal plant called Echinacea is named for the prickly scales in its large conical seed head, which resembles the spines of an angry hedgehog (echinos is Greek for hedgehog). umm.edu.  Echinacea’s effectiveness in “recent studies have revealed that certain standardized preparations contain potent and selective antiviral and antimicrobial activities” PubMed.

This immune boosting herbal remedy ”Echinacea is also used against many other infections including the flu, urinary tract infections, vaginal yeast infections, genital herpes, bloodstream infections (septicemia), gum disease, tonsillitis, streptococcus infections, syphilis, typhoid, malaria, and diphtheria” WebMD

There are two types of Echinacea:

• Echinacea angustifolia “this plant grows best in high elevation where the winters are cold”
• Echinacea purpurea “this plant grows best in low elevation where the winters are mild” natsci.edgewood.edu

Echinacea is popular in household flower gardens in the spring and summer months when temperatures range comfortably between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit.  Planting Echinacea will visually enhance any garden.  The long stemmed, violet in color soft petals are fragrant, and entice beautiful butterflies to visit your garden.

Harvesting Echinacea occurs in late October, and can be done by tying the ends together with a string or rubber band and hanging in a high temperature controlled room for 7 to 14 days.

Systematic research surrounds this valuable immune boosting herb and science cannot deny that “Echinacea seems to activate chemicals in the body that decrease inflammation” WebMD

Children and the use of Echinacea “In the 2007 NHIS, Echinacea was the most commonly used natural nonvitamin/nonmineral supplement among children, and the third most commonly used supplement among adults” National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

Dangers of Echinacea and precautions preclude that “People with tuberculosis, leukemia, diabetes, connective tissue disorders, multiple sclerosis, HIV or AIDS, any autoimmune diseases, or, possibly, liver disorders should not take Echinacea. There is some concern that Echinacea may reduce the effectiveness of medications that suppress the immune system”umm.edu

You can order Echinacea by visiting Bouncing Bear Botanicals-Echinacea

Vivian I Curl, Marketing Specialist, Health and Nutritional Research Writer, Communication Major, Published Poet, and Blogger http://www.qvhealthwealthprosper.com, Questions or comments about this article or others listed on this site please contact via email: Vivian@QVenterprises.com

I’m sure every Kiwi knows someone who has a Passionfruit vine in their backyard (and a feijoa tree and a lemon tree…). My mum has an amazing vine that grows over her water tank and every summer it provides bags full of juicy fruit. Because of this years unseasonably wet summer she hasn’t had as many fruit however they’re still delicious!

About Passionfruit
The purple passionfruit is native to the Amazon of Brazil however there are about 50 species native to New Zealand, Australia, the Pacific and South East Asia. Passionfruit was named by Spanish missionaries who thought that the parts of the flower seemed reminiscent of the torture (the Passion) of Christ prior to his crucifixion.

Passionfruit are in season in New Zealand from February till July.

Passionfruit Nutrition Info
Fresh Passionfruit is known to be high in vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium and dietary fibre (when the seeds are eaten).

• Vitamin C is important for maintaining a strong immune system and keeping your skin, teeth and bones healthy.
• Fibre is helpful for keeping your digestive system active.
• Potassium is the eighth or ninth most common element by mass (0.2%) in the human body, it is a component in all our body fluids and can assist us with maintaining optimum hydration. It is also useful in maintaining healthy cellular fluids that effectively move nutrients in and wastes out. Potassium also reduces acidity which helps protect our calcium stores for strong bones.

Together these features of passionfruit  can contribute to a healthy firm complexion through reducing toxins and regenerating healthy firm new skin.

Selecting and storing passionfruit
Passionfruit can last in a fruit bowl for up to 10 days or even longer if refrigerated.  You can also freeze them by scooping the centre into a bowl and freezing in ice cube trays or small containers.

Sources:
Healthy Steps
Wikipedia

Many people get sick after being at the airports and taking long flights. Traveling can be a real challenge to our immune system: stress, breaking the routine, not-so-great food, exposure to sick people, environmental toxins, and a ton of bacteria circling through the A/C. Jet lag and heavy holiday dinners can make the matters even worse.

Of course washing hands with soap and using a hand sanitizer can help, but it won’t save you from getting sick if your immune system is weak. A strong immune system is what will keep you symptom-free even if everyone around is coughing and sneezing. If you prefer to spend the holidays doing what you love rather than being sick in bed, there are a few things you can do to stay healthy even after exhausting travel. Read more in my article in Modern Hippie Mag here

Yeah. You guessed it. HPV. Amazing that over half the U.S. population is infected with one strain or another of the Human Papillomavirus isn’t it? The terrible thing is that there is currently no cure although there are vaccines that are helping to act as a means of prevention. For those that don’t like shots though…are there alternatives? You bet.

A great method for boosting your immune system is to find a remedy for the cause of an affliction rather than just treating the symptoms.

To illustrate this point, there’s a story you should know.

On a beautiful late fall afternoon, a few months ago, two young women walked out of a clinic. They were very much alike, these two young women. Both had been better than average students, both were personable and both – as young women usually are – were filled with romantic dreams for the future.

Before going to this clinic, these two women had sex with men they thought they loved. They were still very much alike. Both were happily engaged. And both, it turned out, were very careful when it came to safe sex.

But there was a difference. One of the women’s fiancés wasn’t infected with HPV. The other’s was.

What Made The Difference?

Have you ever wondered, what makes this kind of difference in people’s lives?

It isn’t always that someone is less careful.

HPV in women can be transmitted through any intimate, skin-to-skin contact. You don’t even have to have sex all the way to get it!

That’s why people like you need to know about Gene-Eden-VIR. Most products act as remedies for the ailments caused by HPV such as Genital Warts, or even Cervical Cancer. But, that’s not Gene-Eden-VIR’s purpose.

It’s purpose is to boost your immune system against the latent virus that causes those ailments. It’s designed to go after the cause…and not the symptom.

One of those women needed a product she could use (and so did her fiancé!)…use to naturally lower the numbers of invading latent viruses in her system. You might not have HPV…but what about the flu, Herpes, the Epstein Barr virus, the common cold, and more?

You need a product you can use to boost your immune system too.

Remember, that is the whole purpose of Gene-Eden-VIR: To give its users a boost – a boost against the most common, latent viruses of today.

Oh yes! And, if you are the type to want to help others while making money at the same time, then the Gene-Eden Affiliate Program is for you.

Click the links below to buy and to learn more:

Gene-Eden-VIR: Learn More

and

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Sliced Chicken (100g): 120 Calories Total Fat: 1.5g Sat Fat: 0.5g Carbs: 0.0g Sugar: 0.0g Protein: 26.6g / Orange (1 medium – 130g): 62 Calories Total Fat: 0.2g Sat Fat: 0.02g Carbs: 15.4g Sugar: 12.2g Protein: 1.2g Fibre: 3.1g / Baby Leaf (100g): 12 Calories Total Fat: 0.3g Carbs: 0.2g Protein: 2.1g / Toasted Seed Mix – Pumpkin Seeds & Sunflower Seeds  (20g): 94 Calories Total Fat: 6.4g Sat Fat: 0.9g Carbs: 2.1g Sugar: 0.6g Protein: 6.8g Fibre: 2.3g Folic Acid: 16ug (8% of RDA)

Total Calories: 288 / Fat: 1.4g

This may seem an odd combination – chicken and orange, but it works and has countless health benefits too. Oranges are a huge source of Vitamin C, which supports a healthy immune system, protecting against colds and flu. The folic acid helps with proper brain development which both oranges and seeds contain. The chicken is very low in calories, fat and sugar but high in protein – exactly what your body needs after a workout to build and repair muscles.

The recipes listed below have the especially healthy ingredients listed  in bold type.

BREAKFAST

blueberry Pancakes

Ingredients:

2 cups whole-wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 cups fat-free organic milk

2 organic cage-free eggs (or 4 egg whites)

1 tablespoon olive oil (or canola oil)

1 cup blueberries

agave nectar to taste (instead of maple syrup)

Directions:

Mix baking powder into whole-wheat flour.  Whisk milk, eggs and oil in small bowl; add to dry ingredients and stir until just moistened.  Gently fold in blueberries.  Using a non-stick pan, spoon about 1/8 cup of batter per pancake.  Cook about one minute or until top bubbles, turn and cook another minute or so.

Notes:

Using agave nectar reduces the amount of sugar and is therefore healthier.  Maple syrup in small amounts used infrequently is fine too.

Spray pan with non-stick spray between pancakes or wipe pan with oil on bottom of pan.  These pancakes freeze well.

Smoothies

Ingredients:

2-3 cups of fresh or frozen fruit (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, banana, pineapple, melon, mango, etc.(whatever sounds good).

Ice

Orange juice (or other juice)

Yogurt (one individual serving size, any flavor)

Directions:

If using frozen fruit, defrost in microwave oven.  Pour into blender, add ice, and enough orange juice to cover ice.  Blend and serve.

Note:  If you make more than can be consumed, you can freeze smoothie.

Egg Muffin with Cheese and/or Turkey Sausage

Ingredients:

1 organic cage-free egg

Cheese

English muffin

Turkey sausage or bacon

Directions:

Spray pan with Pam or melt organic butter to cover bottom of pan.  Fry egg for 4 minutes and flip.  Add cheese and cover pan.  Cook turkey sausage in microwave oven as directed and toast muffin in toaster.  Butter muffin and add cooked egg and sausage.

Hors d’oeuvre/Snacks

Brushetta

Ingredients:

1 lb. tomatoes, finely diced

3 green onions, sliced thin

1/3 cup red onion, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2/3 organic fresh mozzarella ball

15 leaves fresh basil, chopped into thin ribbons

1 loaf french bread or whole grain bread

1/3 Cup organic olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix chopped garlic in olive oil; add dash of salt and pepper.  Slice loaf of bread into 3/4-1 inch slices.  Brush sliced bread with olive oil/garlic mixture; lightly salt and pepper bread.  Toast in oven for about 15 minutes; set aside.  Mix all remaining ingredients in a bowl and add olive oil garlic mixture just to coat.  Scoop tomato mixture on to slices of bread; salt and pepper to taste.

SOUPS

Gazpacho

Ingredients:

6 ripe tomatoes

1 red onion

1 cucumber (peeled and diced)

1 red or green bell pepper or both (seeded and chopped)

1 bunch of celery (chopped)

4 carrots (peeled and chopped)

2 Tablespoons chopped chives

1-2 cloves garlic (chopped)

3 scallions/green onions (minced)

Part or all of jalapeno pepper (to taste)

1/3 cup dry sherry or ¼ cup red wine vinegar

1/8 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

2-4+ drops of Tabasco sauce (or to taste)

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (omit for vegetarian option)

2-4 cups tomato juice or clamato

Directions:

Combine all ingredients except tomato juice.  Blend ½ of the mixture in blender, to desired consistency.  Mix pureed ingredients from blender with chopped vegetables and tomato juice.  Place in non-metal, non-reactive container, cover tightly and refrigerate for several hours or overnight, allowing flavors to blend.

Notes:

You can add basil, parsley, cayenne pepper, cumin, paprika, cilantro, mint, or celery salt, etc. to suit your taste.

Cabbage Soup

Ingredients:

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

2-3 garlic cloves (chopped)

3 scallions/ green onions (chopped)

6 carrots (peeled and sliced)

1 bunch celery (sliced)

2 red peppers (chopped, preferably without skins)

1 head purple or green cabbage (chopped)

2- 28 oz cans stewed tomatoes (chopped)

4 cans organic, low-sodium chicken broth

2-4 cups water (or more if needed to make a soup consistency)

Basil (to taste)

Oregano (to taste)

Directions:

Sauté carrots, celery, onion and garlic over low heat for 7 minutes.  Add the rest of the ingredients except cabbage and simmer for 1 hour.  Add cabbage 15 minutes before serving for crunchy texture; otherwise add to soup with other ingredients.

Black Bean Soup

Ingredients:

2 (15 oz) cans no-salt added black beans, drained and rinsed.

½ cup prepared or bottled salsa

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 (16 oz) can organic low-sodium chicken broth

½ cup (2 oz) shredded organic cheddar cheese

5 tablespoons minced scallions/ green onions

2 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

Place beans in medium saucepan; partially mash ½ with a potato masher (or put in a blender with some of the chicken stock).  Stir in salsa, chili powder, and broth and put on high heat.  Bring to a boil.  Ladle soup into bowls and top with cheese, green onions and cilantro.

Note:

You can add sour cream as a topping as well.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

Cooked organic chicken breasts (diced or rough chop)

1 bunch celery (chopped)

1 onion (chopped)

2-3 scallions/green onions (minced)

2-3 cloves garlic (minced)

6 carrots (peeled and sliced)

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon organic butter

2 bay leaves

4 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped)

1 48 oz. box organic low-sodium chicken broth

1/3 package of no yolk noodles (or whole grain pasta)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Sauté celery, onion and carrots in olive oil and butter for 8-10 minutes; stirring occasionally.  Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute.  Add chicken broth, chicken, bay leaves, scallions, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil and then simmer for 1 hour.  While soup is simmering, boil noodles according to package directions; drain, rinse and add to soup.  Add parsley 5 minutes before serving.

Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

6 whole grain tortillas

6 cloves garlic

1 large onion, chopped

2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro

8 Cups fat-free chicken broth

1 can (28 oz) whole tomatoes

2 Teaspoons ground cumin

2 Teaspoons chili powder

2 bay leaves, crumbled

1/8 Teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

3/4 Cup grated Extra Sharp Cheddar cheese or Monterey jack cheese

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut 3 of the tortillas into thin strips about 1/4 inch wide; place them on non-stick baking sheet, spray with cooking spray.  Bake until crisp and golden brown, about 15 minutes and set aside.  Coarsely chop remaining tortillas; put them in large saucepan.  Add garlic, onion, cilantro and 2 cups of chicken broth.  Heat to a boil, reduce heat; simmer, uncovered 30 minutes, stirring frequently.  Combine 1 cup of chicken broth and tomatoes in blender and puree.  Add to the saucepan.  Add cumin, chili powder, bay leaves and cayenne pepper.  Add all remaining broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat ; simmer uncovered 30 minutes, stirring frequently.  Strain soup; pour into bowls.  to each bowl add cooked chicken and grated cheese.  Garnish with toasted tortilla strips and cilantro.

SALADS

Quinoa Salad (Pronounced keen-wah)

Ingredients:

2 cups water

1 cup quinoa

1 pinch salt

1/8 cup olive oil

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ cup lemon juice (fresh squeezed)

3 tomatoes (diced)

1 cucumber (English-peeled and diced)

2-3 scallions/green onions (chopped)

4 carrots (peeled and diced)

1 bunch celery (sliced or chopped)

1 red onion

Directions:

Bring water in a pot to boil.  Add quinoa and salt. Reduce heat to low; simmer 15 minutes.  Cool to room temperature and fluff with a fork.  In a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients and add cooled quinoa, mix well and refrigerate.

Note:

This salad is great for several days and has a tasty crunchy texture.

Chickpea Salad

Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas/garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)

1/8 cup fresh parsley (chopped)

¼ cup red onion

1/8 cup olive oil

½ tablespoon lemon juice

¼ teaspoon lemon zest

¾ teaspoon cumin

1/16 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more to taste)

Salt and pepper to taste

Whole grain pita bread

Directions:

Combine all ingredients; toss and serve as is or with whole grain warmed pita bread.

Thai Slaw Salad

Salad Ingredients:

1 package of coleslaw mix (or shredded cabbage)

¼ English cucumber (peeled and sliced thin)

1 red bell pepper (sliced thin)

3 scallions/green onions (sliced on a bias)

20 leaves fresh basil (sliced thin/shredded)

Salad Dressing:

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 clove garlic (minced)

¼ cup white or rice wine vinegar

1-2 tablespoons agave nectar (or honey if no agave nectar)

1 tablespoon organic low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons olive or canola oil

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Directions:

Put salad ingredients in bowl and toss with salad dressing.

Red Pepper Slaw

Ingredients:

1 red cabbage (sliced thin)

1 red onion (sliced thin)

1 red bell pepper (sliced thin)

1 teaspoon hot sauce (Tabasco)

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon agave nectar

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Slice and put vegetables in bowl.  Mix Tabasco, vinegar, agave nectar and toss with vegetables.

Vegetables and Side Dishes

Broccoli Sauté

Ingredients:

Broccoli (cut into bite sized pieces)

2-3 tablespoons olive oil (enough to almost cover bottom of pan)

1-2 cloves garlic (minced)

1-2 tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese

1-3 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a sauté pan, put enough olive oil to almost cover bottom of pan.  Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute.  Add broccoli and sauté for 5 minutes or until slightly softened.  Add crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and parmesan.

Crispy Cheese Cauliflower or Broccoli

Ingredients:

2/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

½ teaspoon cumin

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, (or to taste)

½ large head cauliflower, broken into pieces (or broccoli)

2 organic cage-free eggs, beaten

½ cup finely chopped parsley

1 lemon, cut in wedges

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450F.  Spray a baking sheet with olive oil.  In a shallow dish, combine cheese, cumin, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper to taste.  Dredge cauliflower in egg, then in cheese mix.  Put on baking sheet; spray with oil.  Bake 15 minutes.  Remove and sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon.

Tomato Corn Casserole

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

4-6 ears of corn on the cob, kernels cut off the cob

5 medium tomatoes, sliced in ¼-1/2 inch slices

Salt & Pepper

Directions:

Sauté onion and green pepper in 2 Tablespoons of butter for 5 minutes.

Cut raw corn off cob.  Butter casserole dish.  Line dish with a layer of sliced tomatoes, followed by onion and green pepper mixture, then top with cut corn and dot with 2-3 Tablespoons of butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Repeat layers as needed following the steps previously mentioned.  Bake for 30 minutes at 375*.

Sesame Soy Green Beans

Ingredients:

¾ lb. of green beans

Salt

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 red bell pepper, sliced thin

3 Tablespoons organic low sodium soy sauce

2 Teaspoons sesame oil

1 Tablespoon sesame seeds

Directions:

Bring pot of water to a boil and add beans, cook for 5 minutes.  Drain.  Add oil, beans, red pepper to a sauté pan and stir fry for 3-5 minutes.  Add soy and sesame seeds and serve.

Szechwan String Beans

Ingredients:

1 lb. green beans

2 Teaspoons organic low sodium soy sauce

2 Teaspoons garlic, chopped finely

1-2 Teaspoons agave nectar (instead of sugar)

1 Teaspoon sesame oil

2 Teaspoons chili paste

3 Tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup vegetable broth

2 Teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

Mix soy, garlic, agave nectar, sesame oil and chili paste.  Heat a sauté pan or wok, and add oil. Stir fry beans 1 minute on medium heat, add broth, cover and cook for 5 minutes.  Add soy mixture.  Stir beans until the sauce has reduced and the beans are coated.  Stir in sesame seeds and serve.

Grilled Asparagus With Shallot Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

2 lbs. Asparagus, ends cut 1 inch from the bottom

Olive oil to brush on asparagus

Salt and Pepper

Vinaigrette:

2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped

2 Tablespoons sherry vinegar

2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

¼ cup olive oil

Directions:

Mix vinaigrette ingredients.  Brush asparagus with olive oil and cook on a hot grill for 5-8 minutes, depending on how firm you like vegetables.  Place cooked asparagus in vinaigrette.

Shredded Brussel Sprouts with Lime

Ingredients:

3 Lbs. brussel sprouts, ends cut, and quartered

½ cup organic butter

Salt and pepper to taste

2-3 limes (juice squeezed at end of preparation)

Directions:

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Melt butter and add brussel sprouts and sauté until they are tender, but still somewhat firm (about 6-10 minutes).  Season with salt and pepper and squeeze lime juice over brussel sprouts and serve.

Chicken Salad with Grapes

Ingredients:

2 Cups of Cooked chicken, cubed

1 Cup red seedless grapes

½ Cup chopped walnuts or pecans

¾ Cup of chopped celery

Salt and pepper to taste

¾ Cup of Mayonnaise or enough to coat chicken mixture

Directions:

Mix all ingredients and adjust mayonnaise to cover the salad mixture and refrigerate. Note:  This is a great salad to have ready in the refrigerator for when anyone gets hungry.

Chicken Curry Salad

Ingredients:

2-3 Cups of cooked chicken, cubed

3 scallions, finely chopped

1/3 Cup of Currants (or raisins)

1/3 Cup sliced almonds

1/3 Cup of mayonnaise

¼  Cup of Major Gray’s Chutney

1-2 Tablespoons Curry Powder

Directions:

Mix first 4 ingredients in a bowl and set aside.  Mix mayonnaise chutney and curry powder and mix into salad and refrigerate.

DINNER

Chicken Nicoise

Ingredients:

3-4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

Salt and pepper to taste

¼ cup olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

3 sweet potatoes, skinned and cut into 2 inch cubes

½ Cup dry white wine (such as chardonnay)

3 Tablespoons fresh parsley

5 plum tomatoes, seeded and quartered

¾ cup oil cured pitted olives

2 cups chicken stock( or enough to cover mixture when all ingredients are in the pan)

Directions:

Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a 5 quart Dutch oven pan, heat oil on medium high heat.  Add chicken, brown both sides, cooking about  7-8 minutes per side.  Remove chicken from pan and set aside covered with foil.  Reduce heat to medium and add onion.  Cook about 7 minutes.  Add garlic and cook 2 more minutes.  Add sweet potatoes, wine and parsley.  Cook covered for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Return chicken to the pan, add tomatoes, olives and stock.  Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low and cover pan.  Cook for 25-30 minutes.

Teriyaki Marinated Flank Steak

Ingredients:

1 larger flank steak, scored and/or punctured with a fork

Marinade:

¼ cup olive oil

1 cup organic low sodium soy sauce

3 Tablespoons Agave Nectar

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 green onions, chopped’

2-3 Tablespoons sherry

1 teaspoon dry ginger or 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger

Directions:

Mix all marinade ingredients and put scored flank steak in marinade in zip lock baggie for  4 hours to overnight.  Grill or broil steak on both sides until cooked to taste.  Slice in thin strips against the grain.

Fajita Pizzas (with Leftover Flank Steak from above recipe)

Ingredients:

6 ounces cooked sliced flank steak

1/2 cup sliced green bell pepper strips

½ cup sliced onion

4 (10 inch) flour tortillas

Cooking Spray

½ cup salsa

½ shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese

2 Tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Sautee pepper and onion in pan for 5 minutes and add flank steak to mixture.  Place 2 tortillas on baking sheet.  Coat tortillas with cooking spray; top each with another tortilla.  Spread salsa on each tortilla stack.  Add flank steak, pepper and onion mix on top of salsa.  Sprinkle top with cheese and cook in oven for 8 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Curry Turkey Burgers

Ingredients:

1.3 Lbs. ground turkey or chicken

3 scallions, chopped

1 inch piece of ginger, chopped finely

½ red bell pepper, chopped finely

Salt and pepper to taste

2 Tablespoons mild curry paste (Patek’s Mild Curry Paste) or handful dry curry powder

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

Mix vegetables and curry paste first, then add ground turkey and mix.  Shape into burger patties and drizzle with olive oil.  Either broil in oven or grill until cooked through (about 8 minutes per side).

Turkey Chili

Ingredients:

2 Lbs. ground turkey (or 1 lb ground turkey and 1 lb. ground turkey sausage)

1 onion, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, chopped finely

2- 28 oz. cans whole, peeled tomatoes (chop tomatoes well)

2 cans tomato sauce (15 oz size)

1 can small white beans (cannellini), juice drained and beans rinsed

1 Teaspoon Cumin (or more to taste)

1 ½ Teaspoons Chili Powder (or more to taste)

Salt and pepper to taste

Shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

Saute onion and peppers for 5 minutes, add garlic and continue to cook.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Add ground turkey and/or ground sausage and brown.  Once turkey has been browned, add tomato sauce, peeled tomatoes, beans, cumin and curry powder.

Let cook on low for 1 hour or transfer to crock pot and let cook as long as desired.  Add shredded cheese to each bowl just before serving.

Pot Roast

Ingredients:

1 Pot Roast

1 Teaspoon garlic powder

1 Teaspoon onion powder

1 Teaspoon paprika

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 green pepper, sliced

1 onion, sliced

3 cloves, garlic

small bunch celery leaves

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Season pot roast with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika, on both sides.  In a pan over medium-high heat sear pot roast for about 5-7 minutes, per side.  Put pot roast in either large pot or into a crock pot.  Top with peppers, onion, garlic  and celery leaves.  Add water to cover roast and vegetables.  Simmer on stove until tender (about 3 hours) or cook in crock pot for 3-5 hours.  Serve over no yolk noodles or a whole grain pasta.  Note:  This same recipe can be used for beef brisket.

Tumeric- Helps break up abnormal protein buildup in the brain which is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s.

Ginger- A recent study found that more than 80% of migraine-prone patients with mild headaches were treated with ginger and the herb feverfew, and in 2 hours 48% were pain-free. Also, ginger is good for calming the stomach, which is obviously good for those going through Cancer treatments. (I purchased ginger pills from Whole Foods and took them daily).

Garlic- Not only does it have heart-healthy benefits, it now may also fight brain cancer. A 2007 study in the journal of Cancer said that garlic compounds eliminated brain cancer cells.

Most doctors will tell you to eat whatever, as long as you are maintaining a healthy amount of calories. I’ve always chosen healthy habits, however after much research, I found out just how important it is to focus on the right foods. By reducing your intake of sugar, white flour, products containing omega-6s-sunflower oil, corn oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, margarine, hydrogenated (trans)fat, non-organic animal fat (meat, eggs, dairy products) you actually reduce the likelihood of getting cancer.  In certain cases, when patients have lost a tremendous amount of weight, it is vital to get calories with whatever foods are palatable to the patient.

My taste buds changed dramatically throughout the course of radiation and chemo.  I would like certain foods for weeks and then without notice, abhor the thought of eating a certain food.  The most important thing that I’ve learned is to avoid refined sugars at all costs.  Sugar feeds cancerous tumors. There are excellent healthy choices that can be included in your diet that will even appeal to finicky taste buds.  Some of the best foods that actually fight cancers are listed below.

The “Anti-Cancer” book suggests the following as a reference for the “Anti-Cancer Plate”.  As in the Mediterranean, Indian and Asian cuisines, emphasis is on consuming more fruits and vegetables and less animal proteins.

Animal Proteins: (optional)

Fish, grass-fed organic meat, omega-3 eggs, organic dairy products, organic poultry

Grains:

Multigrain bread, whole-grain rice, quinoa, bulgur, basmati rice, thai pasta and noodles (preferably whole-grain), oats, millet, buckwheat

Fats:

Olive, canola or flaxseed oil and omega-3 butter

Herbs and Spices:

Tumeric, mint, thyme, rosemary, garlic

Vegetables and Fruits:

Lentils, peas, beans, carrots, cucumbers, broccoli, sweet potatoes, yams, peppers, celery, onion, scallions, leeks, brussel sprouts, cabbage, asparagus, cauliflower, radishes, avocado’s, pumpkin, squash, green beans, kale, beets, spinach, eggplant, turnips, fennel, endive, jalapeno peppers,etc.

Apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, grapes, bananas, oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, melons, plums, kiwi, mango’s, papaya, acai berry, tomatoes, etc.

*Fruits and vegetables should be thoroughly washed and preferably be labeled organic. Fruit and veggie washes can be purchased at grocery stores, however you can just as effectively make your own by washing them in a bath of water, ice, and baking soda.

Fluids:

Filtered tap water (carbon filter, or inverse osmosis filter), mineral water, spring water, green tea

I’ve started a collection of recipes that incorporate many of these healthy foods.  You can look at a variety of recipes in the “Cooking for Good Health” page.  I will continue to add recipes that I’ve tried and love.  I’d gladly welcome any of your great recipes using healthy foods to add to this blog.

The main portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it is almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Instead, focus should be put on how to prevent proliferation (the spread) of H1N1.

Preventing proliferation (spreading):

1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).
2. “Hands-off-the-face” approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of the face (unless you want to eat, bathe or slap).
3. Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don’t trust salt). H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. Do not underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.
4. Similar to #3 above, clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water, using a neti pot (an Ayurvedic technique, using a small pot for irrigating the nasal passages with a saline solution), or saline nasal spray. Blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population. Once again, this is inexpensive, easy and very effective.
5. Drink as much of warm liquids (herbal teas, warm/hot lemon water, plain warm water) as you can. Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. The warm/hot water washes off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate, or do any harm.

FURTHER STEPS: Basic lifestyle changes to implement for a strong immune system

1. Sleep a minimum of 7 hours per night; 8 hours is ideal.  Sufficient sleep is very important, as it restores our bodies’ physical and mental energy reserves, keeps us more alert, and increases our resistance to disease and infections.
2. Consume a wholesome, natural diet of fresh fruits, vegetables, small portions of lean meats and fish, whole grains, raw nuts & seeds, legumes and lots of pure water.  Eat rich green leafy vegetables daily, as well as lots of garlic, onions, ginger, zinc rich foods (pumpkin seeds, brazil nuts, etc).  Avoid sugar and white flour products, as they weaken the immune system.
3. Start the day with warm lemon water (juice of  ½ lemon squeezed into glass of warm or hot water) to cleanse the digestive tract and liver.  Wait a minimum of 20 minutes before consuming anything else, even more water.  This will alkalize the digestive tract.
4. Consume foods to boost your natural immunity which are rich in Vitamin C (in order from highest to lower sources:  black & red currants, red pepper, parsley, kiwi, broccoli, papaya, berries, citrus fruits).
5. If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure the supplements also contain zinc to boost absorption.
6. Supplements to consider:
7. Daily activity.  Mild exercise, even a 20-minute stroll, improves the immune system.  To stimulate the lymphatic system, breathe deeply to keep your cells oxygen-rich.  Taking a series of 10 deep breaths and slowly exhaling after each breath will also reduce stress.

• Acidophilus (not yogurt – its negligble), 1 capsule 2 times daily with meals (keep refrigerated), 10-12 billion per capsule to populate the digestive tract with disease-fighting bacteria
• Liquid Chlorophyll, 1 tsp in a glass of water, daily between meals to cleanse the intestines
• Oil of Oregano (in capsule or liquid form): daily.  It is anti-bacterial and anti-viral.  Pathogens cannot build an immunity to Oil of Oregano, as they can to antibiotics.
• Digestive enzymes: 1 capsule with each meal to ensure improved nutrient absorption
• Psyllium hulls,  2 capsules with meals, to ensure regular bowel movements to remove toxins
• Flaxseed oil (oil or capsules):  1 tbsp or 1 capsule taken daily with a meal to improve brain function and support the immune system
• CoEnzyme Q10 (CoQ10): 1 capsule taken daily with a meal to promote oxygenation of cells.  The more oxygenated the cells, the stronger they are to stave off disease.

Contents of the H1N1 swine flu vaccine:

Below are the contents of the H1N1 vaccine from the World Health Organization

• aluminum hydroxide, aluminum phosphate, ammonium sulfate, amphotericin B, animal tissues: pig blood, horse blood, rabbit brain, dog kidney, monkey kidney, chick embryo, chicken egg, duck egg, calf (bovine) serum, betapropiolactone, fetal bovine serum, formaldehyde, formalin, gelatin, glycerol, squalene, human diploid cells (originating from human aborted fetal tissue), hydrolized gelatin, mercury thimerosol (thimerosal, Merthiolate(r)), monosodium glutamate (MSG), neomycin, neomycin sulfate, phenol red indicator, phenoxyethanol (antifreeze), potassium diphosphate, potassium monophosphate, polymyxin B, polysorbate 20, polysorbate 80, porcine (pig) pancreatic hydrolysate of casein, residual MRC5 proteins, sorbitol, tri(n)butylphosphate, VERO cells, a continuous line of monkey kidney cells, washed sheep red blood

source essentialbalance.ca

Be well,

Eva

Turns out root canal is something of a misnomer, a colloquialism for what is more accurately called endodontic therapy, or even a pulpectomy. That’s because when a patient is getting a “root canal” it is the pulp that is being removed not just the root canals which are the tubes that lead up to the pulp chamber from the root, providing the pulp with nutrition. The pulp chamber is made up of nerves, blood vessels, and fibrous tissue. Fact is though, after your tooth has matured, it can survive without the pulp. So in those cases when the pulp becomes infected or decayed, or there is trauma to the tooth, or a crack in the tooth or filling, the dentist removes the pulp, cleaning out any decay that may be the space there, and then fills it up. The crowning achievement is the addition of a “cap” (or “crown”), made of either a ceramic or metal (or even a combination of both). Then you can resume chewing.

The NYU College of Dentistry advertises that it offers dental work for half the going rate of most dentists you’d find in New York. I had heard about them from several people as well as a neat blurb in Time Out NY magazine about inexpensive ways to get various things in NYC. What’s the catch though?

The catch is that a student will be performing the work on your precious mouth, your glowing smile, your first line of attack when taking nutrition into your body. Could be worse though, it’s not like it’s any old student, like some art history major looking in your mouth: “Oh wow, and what is this tooth called? Do I clean it with this scrapey thingy or this sharp pokey thing?”

No, it’s a dental student, and they are indeed monitored by professionals overlooking their performance, advising and commenting. According to the college, I had the impression though, that a student is working on you and just over his shoulder there’s a team of high-level oral surgeons and dentists and whatnot peering intently, nodding in agreement here and there, and even reaching in to assist here and there.

Well, it’s sort of like that. Turns out though, there was a LOT of solo time when this kid was working on me, COMPLETELY UNSUPERVISED by a professional. I’ll get back to the consequences of that later.

The problem all started about three weeks ago when I bit into a slice of pizza and felt a sharp pain in the molar section of my lower left jaw. I called up a dentist I had gone to a while back when I needed a bonding and I had been impressed with the work he had done on the entire set of teeth of a colleague of mine who had shown me pictures of his mouth after a kick-boxing match he competed in, in Thailand. He showed me Polaroids of his mouth and his teeth were gone. Just gone. Kicked right out of his head. But in looking at him right there on the set of an acne commercial we were working on, I commented that his teeth looked fantastic. He thereupon told me of this fascinating dentist/acupuncturist  he knew way the Hell out in Queens operating out of a “pain management” clinic there.  Well, when I chipped my tooth several months ago I went to this doctor out in Queens and one of the other dentists at that clininc did my bond. And he did a really good job, very inexpensively I might add.

So when this problem of mine arose three weeks ago, I went to the clinic again, but my x-rays weren’t able to determine whether I needed a pulpectomy or not, so one of the dentists there (again not the alternative medicine one I had been directed to by my colleague) put me on penicillin for a week so that when I came back in two weeks the problem would “be easier to diagnose.”

I took my prescription dutifully, and then a few days after the  prescription ran out and before my scheduled follow-up, I was again in terrible pain after eating a Pinkberry frozen yogurt. Coconut with mango and pineapple toppings. So good. But cold to the touch, especially inside the mouth over a fractured filling apparently.

I couldn’t wait for the follow-up appointment. I needed dental assistance now damn it! I remembered the NYU Dental College option and called them up. I was shocked and happy to find out that they could see me the very next day! Sure, I said, I’ll be there. Still in pain that evening beforehand though, I went outside the box of my prescribed pain-relief Acetaminophen, and I took….an OxyContin. Don’t ask me how I got a hold of one and don’t ask me who supplied it to me. I am withholding the names to protect the innocent.

OxyContin (the brand name of the opioid analgesic medication  oxycodone) is used for “moderate to severe pain.” It’s liability to dependence and abuse has said to be similar to morphine.  It can be habit-forming and of course is only supposed to be used by the person it was prescribed for. It has potential side effects that impair one’s thinking and reactions. There are also “unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.”

Well, I certainly didn’t plan on taking more than the one pill ever, so I didn’t think I’d ever have to worry about withdrawal symptoms. I just wanted the pain to stop and to go to sleep. Oddly, whereas I anticipated being able to perhaps fall asleep easily after taking it, I had the opposite reaction. I couldn’t fall asleep. Was restless all night. And in the morning when I got up to putter about and get the day rolling along, I found that I STILL felt light-headed. It was as though when I walked about, my head felt like it was further from the floor than it actually was. Driving to the Dental School I decided would not be a good idea. I hoofed it, hoping that the activity would work off some of the light headedness. Which to some degree maybe it did, or maybe it was just that enough time had passed between 10:30 the previous night, and my 1:30 afternoon appointment (I didn’t actually get into a patient seat until about 3 PM).

So, the student working on me seemed maybe a tad jittery, but just a tad. I wasn’t going to sweat it. He fumbled a bit while setting up the x-ray machine (The first dental X-rays were made in January of 1896 in Germany, and required a 25-minute exposure time), and the placement of those sharp pads that they place in your mouth when taking them was a bit more painful then usual.

After the x-rays, I’m taken back to my regular chair where the work will be done. The student, whose name I won’t mention but let me say that the fact that his nickname (which he told me of his own free will) is the same nickname you’d call your beloved grandma. The association with feeble-handedness is not a good one. But he comes back and reports that indeed the filling is fractured, and this is likely not a situation involving the nerve. Translated, this meant no root canal for me. My heart leapt with joy.

The unfortunate aspect of the timing of my visit is that it was the very last day of the NYU session before they all go on a two-week hiatus. So any work I required would have to wait til they got back. All the student could do for me was the prep work for the follow-up. Finally, the professional on duty comes by and his name is Dr. Hertz.  Hertz as in not just rhymes with, but sounds exactly like “hurts.”

Homophones are words that sound exactly like other words but are spelled differently and have different meanings. Words like pain and pane. Bruise and brews. Gored and gourd. Or hurts and Hertz.

Homophones differ from homonyms in that homonyms are spelled the same and pronounced the same but have different meanings. For instance: “I couldn’t bear the pain of the bear claw ripping my teeth out.”
And then there are Homographs, words that are spelled alike (just like homonyms) but are pronounced differently and have different meanings. For instance, “As the dentist continued to tear into my gums, a tear came to my eye.”

Well, I was told to be very honest with the dentist as to what pain  medication I’ve been taking. This lets them know if there’s any sort of conflict in what they might be administering. Like if you’re a heavy drinker there have been serious, even deadly consequences to those who have held back information like that. So anyway, I told the dentist that I had taken OxyContin last night.

He then literally, and I mean literally took a step back from me as though I had told him his car just blew up.

He didn’t get mad exactly, but he did tell me in a somewhat firm tone that it “was overkill.” I said, “Yeah but it was really hurting.”

Anyway Dr. Hertz, who has also evaluated the x-rays tells the student, “Numb him up clean out the filling.”  Then he leaves.

The student swabs the affected area with a numbing liquid, sort of like the Anbesol I had been using occasionally, only this stuff is slightly stronger. With a hint of grape candy flavoring. What I would have appreciated however is a little warning before he then started injected my gums with a needle for extra anesthesia. I can’t really see what he has in hands due to my head position and the brace holding my mouth open, so when I suddenly feel the sharp pain (despite the swabbing) of a long needle poked in my gums I was alarmed. Mind you I was a good trooper and didn’t grunt or whine or anything. But you always appreciate it when a doctor lets you know what he’s about to do: “Okay I’m going to inject you with this anesthetic and you may feel a sharpness but it won’t be too bad. And then we’re going to…”  You know what I mean? A little communication here.

So, the student has numbed me, and then he starts digging out the filling. He does tell me that he’s cleaning up the bit of decay that was also there. When Dr. Hertz comes back he asks the student how it was going.

The student told him there was a little decay and that he had taken that out along with the filling.

The doctor asked him, “Did you get it all?’

And the student said…and I’m pretty sure I heard this correctly…he said, “Maybe.”

“Maybe?!” says the dentist good-humoredly. And he tells the student, “Look, there’s two things this guy [indicating me] doesn’t want to hear:  ‘Maybe’ and ‘oops’.”  We laugh a bit. And then the doctor leans across my body, leans in closer to the student and says softly, “He also doesn’t want to hear, ‘Oh Shit!”    And then we all really whoop it up. Oh yes, it’s like a night at the Improv. 

So after the levity died down, I assume that whatever decay was leftover was cleaned out fully before the second show was to begin. Nice thing about this clinic: No 2-drink minimum. The dentist instructed the student to “fill up the hole now”, and then, speaking in very deliberate, instructive and specific tone he told him: “But do NOT go above the line of occlusion.”

Remember that as I continue with the next few events.

The student goes about his task of “temporizing” the hole there in my tooth. When that term was first mentioned to me by the dentist I asked, “What does temporize mean?” Except when I asked it sounded more like “Hmph uh enori?”

“You have a question?”

“Hmph uh enori?”

I then tried to spell it on my hand with my index finger. Still nothing. The dentist says, “Okay, he’s determined” and he asks if I have something to write on. I pull out some paper currency from my pocket, and he says, “No, you’re not going to write on that.” It’s like my dentist works for the U.S. Treasury Department when he’s not at the Dental School or something. So he rips off a piece of the napkin on which the sanitized tools sit. He hands me the scrap with a pen, and I write: “Temporize?”

He explains that it means they will be putting in a temporary filling which they will then remove when I come back in two weeks, and replace with another filling, and then put a crown on. So this filling I guess is like the dinky little “donut” you put on your car when you blow a tire, until you can get yourself to a garage.

Getting back to the student filling the tooth, even I, not knowing what “line of occlusion” means specifically, have a hunch that he’s doing something wrong. It feels like there’s more material there then there should be. As though instead of filling a pothole, he has built a speed bump.

The dentist returns, and the student’s handiwork doesn’t go over well. On top of that, the dentist addresses a litany of other things that the student doesn’t seem to have worked out properly. For instance, the dentist holds up a drill-like implement in his hand and he tells the student, “Look.  You’ve got the high speed on the low level line.”

And: “Where’s the articulating paper?…Didn’t you use articulating paper? Don’t we have any?”

But most damning of all was, “I told you NOT to go above the line of occlusion! Look at this. I can tell just from looking at it. I told you. You don’t listen.” I wish I could tell you what the student was able to say in his defense after each of these condemnations, but I was afraid to look at him. If I looked at him, I might have visually been able to lip-read his tiny mutterings and piece together what his explanations were. But I felt like if I looked at him, he’d feel the pressure and humiliation even more than he must have already. So I avoided eye contact.

“And you you have to do it before it sets” the dentist continued with regard to something. Whew. Tough room. I actually liked it better when he was telling jokes.

So the dentist now rolls up his sleeves (figuratively) and starts digging in (literally) to my tooth. With confident and firm gestures he digs out, digs out, digs out the excess filling. Scrape scrape, pick pick dig dig. He takes the articulating paper that he told the student to get and he places it over the tooth. “Grind your teeth over that. Back and forth” he tells me. I do so.

“Attaboy” he says and takes the paper. He does a bit more leveling and then applies another articulating paper, and I grind it again, biting down on it and running my teeth back and forth over it, and finally the paper confirmed the height of the filling was corrected.

We wrap it up, I get out of the chair and we go over the future procedure. I shake their hands and ask the dentist, “Can I chew on this side?”

He kind of hesitated, I don’t know why, but he concurs, “Yeah it’s probably better if you could just chew on the other side.”

Good to know.

I head over to the reception desk with the student and we make the follow-up appointment in a little over two weeks. I make sure the time isn’t at 2:30, because “two thirty” or “tooth hurty” is not a good time to see a dentist. Yes, go ahead and tell the kids that one.

I notice that the student has a more confident demeanor when it’s just the two of us now. I recall an exchange we had earlier when we first met and I asked about the rumor of metal tooth fillings being dangerous for harmful leakage into the body, and he scoffed with superiority. “That is media hype” he told me. “Metal fillings have been used for over 100 years, but there will be dentists who are willing to make money from this rumor.”

I have come away feeling like maybe, just maybe there me something to that rumor.

AboutCosmeticDentistry.com estimates porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns average $580-$860 while gold ones run $600-$1,050. And MedicineNet.com says that generally, crowns can range in cost from $500 to $900 or more per crown. DocShop.com guesses the price as between $650 and $1,200 per tooth.

The NYU Dental School is charging me $590 for the crown. So yeah, it’s on the low end of that given range of prices, but still, if that’s a low end price for professionals working on your teeth, then really I think the price should still be lower if a dental student is doing the work.

MedicineNet.com also estimates that dental crowns last between 5 and 15 years, depending on the “wear and tear.” That being the case I’m not sure I’d do this again in 5 to 15 years. I would do some more pricing around for sure. That dentist out in Queens had done my bonding for the very low price of $150 and that included the x-rays, the labor, everything. And I didn’t have to endure anyone screwing it up and it having to be redone.

I definitely won’t bring my parents to the NYU School of Dentistry as I had been considering, because if there’s one thing an old person doesn’t need it’s to hear the professional scold the student for doing bad work, and “not listening.” Old people get nervous enough without having to hear that.

Meantime, I will endeavor to stop crunching on chicken bones and sucking out the marrow.     Yeah yeah yeah. It’s true.  What? You don’t know anyone else who does that?

Bone marrow is highly nutritious, according to Professor Leslie Aiello of the College London, and it contains many important elements for brain growth and development, and it takes less energy to digest than plant food. And according to Louis Arkson Inc., a manufacturer of health food supplements at http://www.arkson.com/health/vbone.htm:  “Bone Marrow is the essence of all vertebralis. It contains all of the necessary nutrients to the human body, such as proteins, vitamins, complex B, minerals (calcium , magnesium, zinc ). Bone Marrow also contains Lecithin and Methionine. The result is a formula displaying the following properties: Helps maintain healthy cholesterol level, It is Anti-inflammatory, It is antispasmodic, and it promotes a strong immune system”
(Sources: http://www.saveyourtooth.com/endodontics.php; http://theaventuradentist.com/?page_id=22; www.drugs.com/oxycontin.html; www.rxlist.com/oxycontin-drug.htm; http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic4935.html; http://www.dailywritingtips.com/homonyms-homophones-homographs-and-heteronyms/; http://www.aboutcosmeticdentistry.com/procedures/dental_bonding/dental_bonding_costs.html)

This is especially important in middle age, because when people reach their 50s, their brains do shrink a little.  We can offset some of the through proper diet, exercise and keeping mentally active.  The brain is more like muscle than we ever thought. We need to keep it physically fit by using it.

According to a nationwide study on creativity and aging, those involved in arts programs had better overall health, fewer doctor visits, took less medication and had less depression than those who weren’t.  although the study focused on seniors 65 and older, the preliminary findings have implications for all of us.  We know that when older adults engaged in meaningful activities that provide them a new sense of mastery and opportunity for social interaction, they lower their risk for disease by building stronger immune system.

For women who still think pursuing their creativity is too self-indulgent. Dr. Bartzokis says think again.  If a woman develops her skills and passions, she enriches herself, serves as a great model for her children and is a more interesting mate.  And she is less likely to become dependent n her family later.

Yes, it’s scary and jumbling to start something new later in life.  But facing your fears is worth it.  The payoff is an unbelievable feeling of self-satisfaction and accomplishment.  The question isn’t “Is it too late?”  Rather, it’s “What are you waiting for?” – Marnell Jameson

Fall marks the beginning of flu season. Kids start school after being away all summer with family and friends in other cities, states, and sometimes countries where they are exposed to different viruses than our immune systems are used to. Here are a few ways to protect your loved ones from those winter colds and flues.

1. Wash Those Hands! A good hand-washing is one of the easiest and most effective ways to remain healthy through flu season. Proper hand washing takes 20 seconds (the amount of time it takes to sing your ABCs!)
2. Forget the anti-bacterial soap. Studies show anti-bacterial soap offers no particular advantage over soap alone and may contribute to the evolution of resistant strains of bacteria and can be quite irritating and allergenic to the skin as well. The main threat in flu season is viruses, not bacteria.
3. Hand sanitizer is a handy alternative when hand washing is not available. Use it before you eat or prepare food, after using public transportation, visiting the bank teller window, using a shopping cart… anywhere people put their hands a lot. Again, this is only if hand washing is not available.
4. Sleep, at least 8 hours. Our bodies use the sleeping hours as time to repair, heal, and, yes, grow. Children need good long sleep to grow and develop properly. Allow for naps and sleeping in on the weekends.
5. Elimination. Make sure your child is eliminating wastes effectively. Are they active? Do they have regular bowel movements? Drink enough water? 2 teaspoons of ground flax seeds in a smoothie or in oatmeal is a good way to get fiber, essential fatty acids, and immune supporting lignans as well.
6. Stress. Videogames, scary movies and TV shows, bullies, taking the bus… these can be stressful on children. Couple this with performance pressures that the student may perceive from teachers, parents, or themselves, there can be significant stress which depresses the immune system. Work on strategies to decrease stress with yoga, qigong, funny movies, games…
7. Diet. Many children’s immune systems react to food preservatives, dyes, artificial flavors and sweeteners. Prepare them good, whole foods when possible. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Focus on giving them good protein options such as eggs, sausage (chicken, turkey, nitrate free pork), beans. Breakfast burritos are perfect! A cold breakfast of milk and cereal on a cold rainy morning can make a child more vulnerable to sickness.
8. Herbs and Supplements. Echinacea, elderberry, and astragalus are a few of the common immune supporting herbs that can be purchased at any of your local health food stores or pharmacies. Some combinations combine these botanicals with vitamin C and zinc for an added punch. Careful, there are many syrups and powders on the market that have many ingredients and many promises. Make sure to buy a good quality product and avoid those that contain food coloring and excessive sweeteners. Many of these formulas can be taken throughout flu season but please see your health care provider to make sure which formulas are good for your child and at what dosage.
9. Scarf and Hat. The head and throat are two very vulnerable places that, when exposed to cold wind, are easily chilled and distressing on the immune system. Homeopathic Aconitum 30c is a good remedy for colds that come on sudden after exposure to cold.
10. If you do get sick, stay home! Missing 2 or 3 days of school is much more productive than spending the whole week in school operating at half speed. When viruses are not significantly treated, they can really take a hold, requiring much longer to resolve and, may lead to chronic sinus issues, bronchitis, and even pneumonia. When kids go to school sick they put other kids and the teacher “at risk” of getting sick as well.

Enjoy the wonderful Fall weather and be well!

For any questions or comments please contact Dr. Marcus or Dr. Rebecca Porrino at Sonoma Naturopathic Medicicne at 996-WELL (9355) or view our website at www.sonomanatmed.com

Green Tea is highly appreciated for its endless health benefits. Scientific research in Asia and rest of the world shows the evidence that green tea has the healing powers. Actually it improves your metabolism, and you feel better about yourself. Green Tea improves your overall health and helps you build a strong immune system. In fact there is a long list of the everlasting benefits of green tea.

Learn about the Benefits of Green Tea and How You Too Can Make your own Home Made Magic Green Tea that will Improve your Health and Prevent Harmful Diseases at Green4Tea.

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