Pesticides and Your Health

Pesticides are associated with a number of serious health issues. Two resources to find out more: Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA) and study published in Environmental Health Perspectives.

One of the worst pesticides: Atrazine
Used on: Corn, sugarcane, and grain crops.
What it is: Banned in France, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway.. it is the second most widely used pesticide in the United States. Exposure can cause cardiovascular damage, muscle spasm, adrenal gland damage, and eye or skin irritation. It is a possible endocrine disruptor and carcinogen.

Suggestion: try to avoid conventionally grown foods listed above that were likely to have had this pesticide used. Or, if you're feeling really energetic, google PANNA and find out how you can become involved in social action.

Apples for All Occassions

I LOVE apples! My favorite doctor used to remind me "an apple a day keeps the doctor away." Now is such a great time to enjoy them fresh. My favorite for snacking on is Honeycrisp. They are usually available in very limited supply, but if you find them, try one! Unlike most conventionally grown apples available in regular grocery stores, these taste great! My favorite for cooking is Braeburn. They keep well and make a great snack if they don't last until baking time.

Here's a guide to apples and their best uses. As always, try to find organic and if you can't, wash them in a bowl of water mixed with a few drops of grapefruit seed extract.

For eating: Braeburn, Cortland, Crispin, Gala, Fuji, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Pink Lady
For baking: Braeburn, Calville Blanc, Fuji, Empire, Granny Smith, Rome Beauty, Suncrisp

Be well!

Here is a wonderful article about what soda does to your body, why you should avoid it and how it compromises your immune system.

http://health.yahoo.com/experts/drmao/20270/what-soft-drinks-are-doing-to-your-body/
Read it and be well!

Cold Season for Pregnant & Nursing Moms

I have lots of friends (and relatives, too) who are pregnant, nursing, or have babies. So specifically for the cold and germ spreading season, here's what I have to say.... Homeopathics are the safest. Many natural grocery stores and pharmacies carry homeopathics. But, most of the time, they are going to help with specific symptoms. Cold snap is a highly recommended homeopathic cold formula made of several different remedies. There are also many individual remedies available. Get something that you can have on hand and begin taking at the FIRST SIGN. The first sign is the first cough, sneeze, or dripping nose. Do not wait until the next day when you sneeze 5 times or have a very sore throat.

Zinc and vitamin C are great in helping your body defenses. Even as a pregnant or nursing mom you can take these. (See one note below on this) I prefer Emergen-C fizzing drink packets and Zi-cam in the nasal spray. You can also find children's versions or look at the dosage. I believe the children's packet of Emergen-C is half what's in the adult packet. Also, I use the nasal spray by putting it on a cotton swab and rubbing it inside the nasal passage. That keeps the bottle clean for everyone in the family to use. Above all, get rid of the Halloween candy as fast as you can (trash most of it) because the sugar feeds those viruses and helps them fight against you!

The note: If you are taking high dose of vitamin C during pregnancy, you will need to cut back toward the end of your pregnancy. You can also cut back if you are eating lots of C fruits. When I was pregnant, my midwife told me that we wouldn't want the baby to be born used to such high doses, so I needed to cut back before he was born. I was eating LOTS of clementines and tangerines! We did a urine test at every appointment so it showed up when I had taken lots of vitamin C. You are probably doing the same.
Be well!

Article on School Lunch Menu

Here's an article about the Institute of Medicine's report on the food being served to our children at school. This is what I'm taking to the local school. http://www.scribd.com/doc/21342166

For more about this topic, see my post earlier about taking action for our children.

Be well, children!

Seasonal Sadness

I've had some friends who mention they get sad during the winter and around holidays, perhaps because of Seasonal Affectiveness Disorder or just memories of a different time. Having personally gone through a serious depression in my life, I understand how these thoughts and feelings return from time to time. So, aside from a constitutional remedy prescribed by a homeopathic doctor or rx drugs, here is an alternative. It's called Ignatia. Ignatia (the name goes on, but if you find that, you are good) is great for depression, baby blues and children who are looking at negative side of things. It's safe for pregnant moms and nursing moms, too. But, the really important thing to remember is that it only works if you take it!!! If you find yourself not motivated to do anything, primarily thinking of things that make you feel sad or remind you of a time when everything was better than it is now, use the "depressive thoughts" as a sign to TAKE POSITIVE ACTION. Do not go to bed! Take action, take a dose of Ignatia and if your thoughts are still negative in 20 minutes, take another dose. It isn't a mind altering drug and it won't make grief go away. It just makes it manageable and allows you to continue with your life. There is always something positive to find, but it can be so hard when the depressive thoughts are in control. Let Ignatia or Field of Flowers (harder to find) help you regain control and put things into the proper perspective. Be well & be happy.

Immune Boosters: Elderberry & Other Herbs

Lots of people ask me how to boost their own or their child's immune system. People are realizing that helping the body strengthen it's own immune system is preferred over fighting disease with antibiotics and otc medicines. There are many different ways to prepare your body to fight disease. Very briefly, let's discuss a few.

The first is a healthy diet. If the body is stressing to deal with processed foods and sugars, it really doesn't have the energy to fight invaders. Drink plenty of water and take a high quality, whole food based vitamin because the way our food is grown and shipped, you cannot get all the nutrients you need from food alone. But make sure it is a supplement to a healthy diet and not a replacement for one. Also be sure to get some sunshine because your body needs vitamin D.

Herbal supplements are another way to boost the immune system. Elderberry is a nice one for winter. It comes in various forms and tastes good. If you have an acupuncturist, you might ask about Chinese medicine. I have found great success with Chinese medicine, but don't know enough about them to make recommendations. Another very common immune boosting herb is Echinacea. It should only be taken for short periods (a week) at a time, not all winter long. Finally, vitamin C is great for the body. Emergen-C makes a fizzy drink for adults and children with Vitamin C and other vitamins and minerals. If your daily vitamin does not have a high does of vitamin C, consider adding a packet of "fizzy juice" to your daily routine. But the immune boosting formula (I think it's honey lemon flavor) doesn't taste as good to me as raspberry, strawberry and orange flavors. Be well!