CARLSON'S FISH OIL-get your omega 3s

It's important to get the right fats in your diet. The brain needs those fats, especially if doing a raw or vegan change.

Your brain functions on good fats, so give yourself exactly what you need. I like the taste of Carlson's. Yep. That's exactly right-I LIKE the taste and drink it straight. Give it a try.

Omega 3 from flax seeds contain no DHA, which is essential for the brain. But! It does contain ALA, (alpha linolenic acid), which is what our body needs to create EPA, and then convert EPA to DHA. A lot of steps, and if the body isn't healthy, if it has a sluggish metabolism or has a health issue of some sort, or is low in vital nutrients, those steps might not get done in a speedy fashion, if at all. If it can't it won't.

What then happens, if the body can't use it, it's considered a toxin. It either has to flush it or shove it away, which both can be misinterpreted as allergic responses. GIVE your body the nutrition it needs to really do the job you want it to do.

If you are deficient in zinc, B6, B12, B3 or C you also might have trouble metabolizing the needed conversion.

If you are pyroluric, you have trouble retaining and properly using B6 and require more zince. If you ohave histapenia or histadelia you may have trouble metabolizing without higher B vitamins, specifically B3 (niacinamide), B6 (pyrodine) and B12 to offset imbalances in histamine due to high or low copper.

Get your omega 3 oils up, and get them in a fish oil form that has the necessary DHA already, and make it easier on your body. Once it gets the nutrients it needs, it will start operating better for you! It just makes good sense.

One more thing on fatty acids:

While Omega 6 fatty acids are considered essential fatty acids, and cannot be made in the body, our Western diet tends to put us too HIGH in omega 6 in ratio to omega 3. That imbalance can contribute to all sorts of diseases. According to the University of Maryland, their list includes: heart disease, cancer, asthma, arthritis, and depression. An interesting list! Click below to read the full article.

"A healthy diet should consist of roughly 2-4 time more omega 6 than omega 3. The typical American diet tends to contain 14-25 times more omega 6 than omega 3."

Many researchers are beginning to point to this for the rise in inflammatory disease in our country. Why? What we know is that inflammation is a sign of toxicity, and if the body can't use it, and it can't process it out, it has to do something with it and it starts to put it in the fat cells. That's their job, and that's set up to save those vital things like your heart and liver.

Too much omega 6 fatty acids in the blood can slow it down. Omega 6's come from vegetable oils and are unsaturated. While we do need some, we don't need as much as was earlier thought. Remember: it's only true until it's not true. AND unfortunately with our food industry freely adding hormones to our meats, we are all getting too much estrogen-I question the efficacy of adding omega 6 for this reason.

The best sources for omega 3 oil are cold water fish, and wild is better than aquaculture. True!

Alt. Med / Univ of Maryland Med Ctr
Pyroluria

Cholesterol

This is sorta funny but do you all understand what HDL cholesterol actually does?

It helps the body break down and get rid of fat!

See, that's why they call it the GOOD cholesterol, and it's such an odd thing to have high body fat and great HDL-doesn't match unless it's something like AD36.

That's why they always think that active, exercising people are the ones that have great HDL. Oops. Bursting that bubble! :)

Here is a great article on thyroid/adrenal issues
Thyroid.about.com . They talk about the thyroid, adrenal, sex hormones connection.

Test your thyroid: put a thermometer by your bed, and in the morning, before you get up, take your temperature. Do it for 5 days, and then average it. If it is low, you are likely in the range of low functioning thyroid.

Interesting that coconut oil helps thyroid function (3 tbs a day), but what most stresses the thyroid is low adrenals.

Here's another article that talks about estrogen dominance and how it opposes thyroid function.
Hypothyroidism

Estrogen causes food calories to be stored as fat. Thyroid hormone causes fat to be turned into energy.
Natural Progesterone inhibits estrogen. Low progesterone can be assisted by eating organic soybeans.

But-can we find organic soybeans that have NOT been genetically modified? That may require some more research. Happy hunting!

Meantime, they are starting to rethink the 'bad' cholesterol thing...it was a marketing ploy to increase the use of pharmas that lower cholesterol. Create a need for the product that you have...

The Benefits of OLIVES for blood pressure

According to Gaia Herbs, olives have been cultivated for at least 3,000 years, probably longer. They help us with...STRESS. Olive oil extract is said to lower blood pressure as it is anti-inflammatory.

Gaia Herbs / Olive Leaf Extract

Olive Leaf Tea


If I had the time, the next degree I would pursue would be in nutrition and herbology. Yep, returning to mother nature's medicine cabinet. Think about it. All of our medicines are from botanical chemistry.

Our botanists are studying in the Amazon now, looking for that cure for cancer, so they can replicate it in a lab, patent it, turn it into a product and we can pay $150. a pill. Ow. For the better good.

As our healthcare system grinds deeper and deeper into people's pockets, and into their minds with ever increasing fear-based marketing campaigns we have to wonder...medical is considered one of the safest job markets today. Ouch.

IS all this fear marketing...um...making us sick? Could it be? And what do we do about it?

I think it's about honoring our grandmothers and our great grandmothers. It's about coming back to simple and back to the earth. When a single pill can be invoiced at $250. you have to wonder what we are doing? What have we come to honor, and what do we fear?

I thought about my ancestors, and my little greek uncle Mike had olive trees, fig trees, date trees in his yard. We would go to visit, and he would take us into the back yard and pick from his trees and feed us. Olives. Figs. Dates. Staples to the Greek. Are they healthy for us? You bet!

And you know, an olive tree's leaves treat infections and are an anti-oxidant. (I wonder if someone has a recipe for olive leaf soup or something?) Olives are anti bacterial, anti-fungal, and immune boosting. They are anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory. Go Uncle Mike. BTW-He died in his sleep at 96. His brother was 97, and their father died at...ready...108.

MACA for sex and stamina!

MACA is (oh yes oh yes!) supposed to aid in hormonal balancing!
It's also reputed to assist the body in recovering from physical stress.
It increases stamina and endurance, which is what Pam was noticing.
It's good for chronic fatigue.
Maca is rich in iodine-which we know is good for thyroid issues.
It's rich in magnesium, phosphorus and calcium-all good for bone density.
It has zinc and iron, and contains B1, B2, B12, and E
It also has glycosid steroids
It's an adaptogen
It stimulates the hypothalamus, and the pituitary

Unlike caffiiene, it's NOT a stimulant-but it creates a steady unhancement of physical and mental energy.
It is rich in sugars, proteins, starches and essential minerals

Found the following suggestions:

For hot flashes-take a teaspoon twice daily-wow!
and when symptoms balance, reduce to 1/2 tsp daily.
Men-1/2-1 tsp daily.
Perimenopausal-1/4 tsp daily

Maca is also recommended in Peru for bone density=and osteoporosis.
Maca affects the pancreas and is good for hypothyroidism.

In Peru-they swear it is great for SEX! Probably the 'stamina' don't you think?

Endorphins and Exercise

I am sure this has already been done on Shamans In The Raw before but I just felt compeled to revisit Endorphins and Exercise. I think I am doing this more for myself than anything. My exercise ratio is at 0, I truly am in a funk so I thought maybe if I do some research and give some good reasons why we need to push ourselves to get moving. I know this is a little wordy but I am making effort to kick it into gear, if this helps anyone else that that is wonderful

Exercise for Happiness

We've known for a long time about the benefits of exercise as a way to enhance our physical condition and combat disease; but it hasn't been until more recently that exercise is being recognized as an element in maintaining mental fitness. Studies have shown that exercise releases endorphins in the brain, which in turn cause us to have what is commonly know as a "natural high" or a "runners high". You may not realize what caused it, but most of us have felt it. Whether we're engaged in a leisurely swim or an adrenaline-charged rock climb, there is that moment when suddenly pain or discomfort drops away and we are filled with a sense of euphoria. We have endorphins to thank for these moments of bliss.


The Psychological Benefits of Exercise

•Physical activity is increasingly becoming part of the prescription for the treatment of depression and anxiety. Exercise alone is not a cure, but it does have a positive impact.
•Research has found that regular physical activity appears as effective as psychotherapy for treating mild to moderate depression. Therapists also report that patients who exercise regularly simply feel better and are less likely to overeat or abuse alcohol and drugs.
•Exercise can reduce anxiety - many studies have come to this conclusion. People who exercise report feeling less stressed or nervous. Even five minutes of aerobic exercise (exercise which requires oxygen, such as a step class, swimming, walking) can stimulate anti-anxiety effects.
•Physical exercise helps to counteract the withdrawal, inactivity and feelings of hopelessness that characterize depression. Studies show that both aerobic and anaerobic exercise (exercise which does not require oxygen, such as weightlifting) have anti-depressive effects.
•Moods such as tension, fatigue, anger and vigor are all positively affected by exercise.
•Exercising can improve the way you perceive your physical condition, athletic abilities and body image. Enhanced self-esteem is another benefit.
•Last, but not least, exercise brings you into contact with other people in a non-clinical, positive environment. For the length of your walk or workout or aqua-fit class, you engage with people who share your interest in that activity.

Chia Seeds

Chia seeds, (yep...."ch.ch.ch.chia"...you got it) are the new, hot, anti-aging food! They are high in omega 3s and they feed your brain with those important good fats. Tiny like sesame seeds, you can sprinkle them on your foods for an extra kick.

Try getting about 2 TBS a day for awhile and see how you do! I oz has 4 g of protein, and 9 g of fat...the good fat. These little guys pack a punch!

Nuts online is a source if Whole Foods doesn't have them.

Good oils and Fats are not the bad guys

When eating raw, and even raw-ish, as we like to say, you need the good fats and oils. If you don't get enough, your body let's you know it!

Your brain needs fats. It's 60% fat! Hence the phrase "fat head?" The myelin sheath that covers your neural connections-largely fat-75% fat. Fat has gotten a bad wrap. Fats are messengers. Fat regulates key aspects of the immune system, blood circulation, inflammation, memory and mood. The good fats are essential to good moods, good brain function and good living!

Lack of omega 3s can lead to depression, poor memory, low IQ, learning issues, dyslexias, poor sleep. The good fats, omega 3s, and from good fish sources. Salmon, mackerel, herring, yellow fin tuna, then anchovies, eel and sardines.

According to Dr. Charles Krebs, in his book "Nutrition and the Brain", thinking is a biochemical process and we absolutely need the right nutrition for our neurotransmitters to function. Proteins make neurotransmitters, and it's why many people feel good on a high protein diet. That, coupled with the fact that our brain NEEDS the right sort of fats.

So where does that leave us?
Take omega 3s. Add them to your diet. Get a good fish oi, which is assimilated better than flax seed oil, by the brain. If you want to stay vege based, do the flax seed, and Udo's has a great 3-6-9 blend. You can get these in gel caps. I took them periodically through the day during my last week of classes and it helped immensely!

Vindicate fat, and bring it back into your life. Good fats will help your body to let go of the bad fats. Cooked fats are toxic. Add olive oil to your salads, and enjoy!

Turmeric the spice, and a soup recipe

Turmeric. botanically known as Curcuma longa. Turmeric is related to ginger, and saffron, and is a potent antioxidant, known to contain anti-cancer properties, and is good for detoxification of the body. It is profoundly anti-inflammatory, and is more potent than an anti-inflammatory steroid. For gut issues, as well as tissue healing. It's an astringent, and tightens. It's been used for polyps, hemorrhoids, degenerative brain issues, post nasal drip. It can be used for any wet and expanding tissue issue. It's an immune enhancer, cellular detoxifier.

Powdered turmeric, by itself can be very hard on the liver, creating a "heating" or irritating effect that can worsen Pitta related problems, so add it to your foods. It works best if you sauté it in a little oil or ghee or you add a little bit to soups or stews. It has water-soluble and fat-soluble components like most spices.

It's an incredibly powerful spice. Add it to your foods. Recipes using tumeric are usually Indian, although you can add it to eggs, sprinkle it on soups, use it on fish and chicken, stir fry. BTW-India has the lowest rate of Alzheimer's in the world. It's turmeric that gives ballpark mustard it's golden color.

If we begin to use more spices, we will find that our bodies can balance more readily. Remember-nature gives us her true medicines.

Try this out for a quick turmeric dinner-
Clean and wash, peel if necessary whatever vegetables you have around; these work well, but if you don't have them, use what you do!

Sweet potatoes, carrots, red onion, celery and bell peppers
Saute in a bit of olive oil until soft - about 5-7 min
Add chopped stewed tomatoes and some broth to cover and simmer for 20 min or so until soft.

Spices that work great together are:
Turmeric
salt and pepper
garlic
cayenne
thyme
ginger
add these to taste. We like spicy so I don't want to add the amounts I use! :)

If you have fresh kale, strip out the center stalk and chop into bite size pieces.
You'll stir these in at the end.

Serve with chopped nuts: cashews, pinenuts, walnuts all work.

If you like chunky vegetables, like I do, serve it chunky.
If you don't, whip it into the blender
(before adding the kale or nuts.)

Inspired by "The Whole Foods Market Cookbook" by Steve Petusevsky with modifications by me!

Dine Well

"One cannot think well, love well or sleep well if one has not dined well."
Virginia Woolfe

We've lost right relationship with food, on a daily basis. Well, not all of us, but a lot. The busier we get the more we sacrifice-and unfortunately, we sacrifice the things that feed us-emotionally, spiritually, physically, and mentally.

Without the right nutrition, and in the right balance, we start to lose brain function.

Why we can't go by the RDA anymore!

The RDA standards (recommended daily allowance) was really established as a health MINIMUM standard-in other words, the minimum nutritional amount to keep us from getting sick. Minimum-not optimum. This is so not what the general public realizes. They pick up vitamins and look at the RDA.

So, the RDA for C, for instance, used to be 15 mg-which is the amount they figured we needed to keep from getting scurvy. The amount needed, in other words, to keep our teeth from falling out of our heads. Minimum. They've raised it to 75 mg for women and 90 mg for men now.

But did you know that men need 5x that amount just to make healthy sperm? Do we wonder why we have a growing infertility problem in this country when doctors are generally telling people they can get all their nutrition from a balanced diet?

Studies in the UK and GR have shown that grown foods are actually from 25-75% less nutritionally abundant than they used to be, and higher in sugar!

So, this translates that the amount of potassium you used to get from a banana in 1968 would need you to eat 8 bananas now. We are overeating in this country because we are nutritionally starving from a combination of over-processed foods and low national standards.

When we have an ever increasing issue with imbalances in brain chemistry and mood disorders, learning disabilities and erratic behavior, why aren't we looking at nutrition MORE and medications LESS? Who are the experts you are turning to, and why? Who do you listen to? And how do we become more proactive in what is good for us and what we are willing to ingest? And I mean both nutritionally and educationally.

How often do we swallow some expert opinion without bothering to research it ourselves? WHY is it mainstream for pharmaceutical companies to advertise chemo meds in women's magazines? WHY do we need this information in the common daily world? That is scary. Do we want to have chemo meds as common as cold remedies?

Arthritis

Arthritis is one of those things that I have heard about, and dealt with in clients, but hasn't been part of my reality-not in my body. We've said in Theta to be careful that we don't call things in to understand them. I may have done that. My mother has arthritis in her back, and a sister in law with a terrible back, and a nephew with a bad back and arthritis, and we hear that 'as we get older we will get it' where we have had injuries. I've been pretty lucky that way, but the contract that arthritis as a sign of aging seems to be everywhere, and 'they' say it's inevitable if we've had any injuries.

We've discussed the beliefs and emotions connected with it. Being rigid, set, stubborn. Lovely people always, but set in their ways, and when we make suggestions for change, they usually refuse. Why refuse to change something if it might help? Secondary gain-perhaps. Most likely. They want help, but they refuse to change, so the pain can't be bad enough to motivate. Pain is a great motivator for me though. I can't stand to hurt. I want a change and begin to look for some way to change it fast.

Just lately, the top joint of the pinkie of my left hand has been enlarging and paining, and I notice some mornings that I wake with my finger joints aching. It clears, except for the pinkie. The joint is definitely larger, bulbous and sore. The finger curves under at an angle when I type. How long has that been happening, that I hit the keys with the side of the pinkie instead of the tip? See, that's compensation, and our body does it so smoothly that we hardly notice it's happened.

There is a tiny faint scar across the top of the finger just under the nailbed and of course I don't recall an injury, but there was one, obviously. So now, arthritis is in my world. Now, it has my attention in a whole new way. Did I do this so I can understand it?

Tomatoes, potatoes and nightshade vegetables. But when I looked, there was more!
Red meats, all dairy, corns, wheat, oats, rye, barley.
Eggs, Citrus fruits, coffee, bananas, peaches
Star fruit (carambola), black pepper, parsley, poppy seed, rhubarb stalks, amaranth, spinach, chard, beets, cocoa, chocolate, most nuts, most berries, and beans.
Alcohol
Carbonated drinks
Foods that easily get mold-cantaloupe, honeydew, nuts, berries.

Wow. That removes most of the foods I do eat. And I resist immediately. Am I stubborn?!

But not everyone reacts to everything.
And we should increase other foods-
artichokes, asparagus, lettuce, spinach, broccoli, chard, string beans, squashes, sweet potatoes, tapioca, and taro.
Increase Vitamins C and E to help neutralize free radicals-which is what arthritis is about.
Eat brown rice, probably quinoa too
Try cooked fruits or dried instead of fresh.

And hormone imbalances can lead to joint pain.

Since the raw food experiment, I'm much more in touch with my body and food and how I feel when. I pay attention and notice. But that list above cuts out most foods I AM eating now, and if feels overwhelming.

I decided to experiment in a smaller way as list above is overwhelming in the whole, but since we have been writing down our foods and counting calories in the bbbu, I'm pretty conscious of what I am eating. So I decided to start tracking the pain mornings. Just to make note of it, and see if there is a pattern. How else would we know?

On the money with an increase in joint pain when we have had potatoes. All the joints in my fingers hurt. It clears, but I do wake with pain in my hands. (I wonder if it happens with french fries too? LOL)

On the money with reddening and swelling in the joint of my pinkie-tomatoes and tomato products. Ouch. In an Italian household that's a hard one to get around, but I'm going to do it, to notice if it helps. The days we've not had any tomatoes, I wake without any pain in my hands.

I'm choosing those to start with. Coffee may be next, and it's the only time I use dairy. I'll selectively remove that for awhile and see. It's all a grand experiment.

If you have any arthritis, perhaps do this with me and post your findings.

It's funny to notice that as soon as I say I'm not going to eat them, I sitting here craving them. That's fascinating to fee, but I'm stronger.

Animal proteins, dairy and nightshade vegetables...well the first two WERE eliminated with the raw food experiment, and I didn't have any pain in my hands until now...let's experiment!

The Great New Weight Loss Solution

Now, what I really want to know is how someone actually came up with this. WHO on God's green earth said "Hey! I bet if we injected the urine from pregnant women into us, it would break down fat like nothing else!"

What do you think? A bunch of bio-chemists were sitting around, drunk, and came up with this? Sort of like how they came up with Teenage Mutant Ninga Turtles? A joke that took off?

I can't IMAGINE the accidental discovery of this, but yes, this seems to be the new 'secret' cure for our thighs. And our butts. Oh hell, all those problem fat storage areas. Go in and get injections of...yep...you got it...the urine of pregnant women. People swear they are losing weight big time. SPAS are franchising to inject people with...pee. Ok. Why not. People were willing to get botox injections in their faces.

Now how do you suppose they harvest this pee-pee? I mean, I haven't been pregnant for a long time. Do they buy your urine now? Is this what they are doing with all those urine samples? And is it really a good idea to get injected with PEE??? (I'm having a little trouble with this, as you can tell).

But here' the really nutty thing. You sit with this idea for awhile, and here's how desperate we are for a solution...it starts to percolate and after awhile you hear someone did it that you know, and wham...it starts to SOUND LIKE A GOOD IDEA! That's how it all works...advertising! Keys right in to our wants and desires for skinny thighs.

And you don't want to be left behind with your big ol' bee-hind when everyone else is getting those magic shots, do you? EVEN Kevin Trudeau, that health talk guru, has lost 60 pounds in 2 mns with this. Yep, he's selling pee pills. Ew. Is that really better than getting a shot? Gotta wonder...

What will we think of next??? Who wants to try this and let us know?

Seriously-HCG is the compound, found in the urine of pregnant women, and it was discovered over 50 years ago in England to be a weight loss cure...oh I am such a skeptic aren't I? If science says it's true, and the AMA is blocking it, then it MUST WORK.

Pace pace lead...

Are you sick and tired of weight loss 'solutions' that just don't work?

Do you have 10-20-30 or more pounds of stubborn fat that just won't go no matter what you do?

Are you aware of how all the really good cures are blocked by the money hungry conglomorates that want to control us?

At long last, discovered in the temples of ancient Egypt, the secret cure of the Pharohs...when the scrolls were deciphered, we now know what has been supressed by governments around the world, and has been gifted to humanity through channeled dreams and angelic visitations to the privileged and most holy...and for a small fee you TOO can get...

Injections of the miracle cure HCG-harvested from the urine of pregnant virgins (?) on the full moon.

I'm signing up and I will let you know. Me first me first! Pick me to get a shot in my big ol soon to be small again butt! :) I'm such a shmuck! But I'm gonna be a skinny shmuck!

Raw Juice Fast

Fasting has been recommended as a healing process. It allows the body to rest. Traditionally, it's been water fasts, which can be debilitating for many and not recommended for more than 3 days at a time. Many do it one day a week, or from time to time, and love it, but often feel weak.

Stanley Burrows lemon/raw maple syrup/water cleanse can also be debilitating for some. It tends to be 10 days. Do not do this if you have any blood sugar issues. While I like it, I also feel deprived when I am on it. But many love it! I like it for 3 days.

But! Raw juice fasting is so easy by comparison! My system feels satisfied, it thrives, and it feels fed and you feel like you have MORE energy.

When you are fasting, your body will "autodigest", which means it will begin to release and 'digest', which is a way to release toxins and mobilize them. That means that you want to exercise so your body can move it out of the lymphatic system and our bloodstream. Exercising and footbaths and sweats all help to support the liver, skin, kidneys and lungs.

Juice fasting doesn't ONLY let your body rest from the effort of digestion, but it also FEEDS your body. Raw juice allows your system to almost immediately take the nutrition in. That means that you are giving your body what it needs in order TO rebalance and detoxify.

We have a minimum fuel requirement of 400 calories a day, and juice fasting will supply that so that the body doesn't begin to break down protein/muscle.

Drinking small amounts of raw juice gives you fewer calories, and may intensify the cleansing symptoms-so drink juice. And remember-we're raw-ISH. If you want to eat something, do. This isn't about deprivation.

You might find your nose running-that's part of the detox. Mine did the first 2 days, and then stopped. I felt the most detoxing yuks on the 3rd day. I did a footbath, pushed myself to go to the club, and drank more juice. It did help. I did also have some cooked spinach with garlic, olive oil and lemon-yum, and a few slices of red bell pepper in the evening.

Woke up feeling good! DID notice though that yesterday the 'fungal fiends' were up and talking, so I had to really work them through. My ears were itchy, my stomach felt bloated, and it's all part of the die off.

Happy juicing to you all!

Adrenal Fatigue test

Try this test:
In a dark room with a mirror-shine a flashlight across the side of your face so you can see your eyes-but don't shine it straight into your eyes.

If your pupil dilates and stays dilated, you are fine.

If your pupil dilates and then flutters, or enlarges a bit, you have adrenal fatigue!

You could need amino acids, DHEA for a while (not to take all the time), maybe digestive enzymes as poor digestion stresses the adrenals. AND de-stress your life!

Mine-flutters!

DId you know...

that hot flashes can be because of adrenal fatigue? i didn't know that. And the hot flashes are DIFFERENT from hormonal hot flashes-haven't we been saying that?

Here are some symptoms of adrenal fatigue:
-trouble going to sleep, even if you are tired
-you wake up frequently, especially between 3-5am
-you have a hard time waking in the morning
-bright lights bother you
-If you feel emotional, your body gets very hot, but not like a hot flash.
-Your blood pressure is around 115/84
-You have a faster pounding heartrate sometimes
-you are more defensive, and feel like you aren't coping well

I have all of those except the bright lights and not coping-I think.

Here's a test, and I will bring a cuff to class tomorrow night if we want to play with this:
take your blood pressure while lying down (lay down for 5 min before taking)
take your blood pressure upon immediately standing

if the blood pressure is LOWER after standing, you may have adrenal fatigue!

Guess what the adrenals produce: progesterone!

Magnesium

I've noticed lately that ever so slightly my calf muscles are starting to get that RLS thing again. Not alot, and not bad, but it's a twitchy feeling every now and then. I hated it before, and I haven't had it for a more than a year. And the last few nights I've been rocking in bed too. Again, not alot. I'm really sensitive to sounds and keep asking T to turn the tv down, but he cranks it way up. The most bothersome thing though is still this ache in my thighbones.

Taken one at a time, I can attribute them all to other things. But being raw, I'm more observant of myself. I finally
'asked', "what do these all have in common? and then heard clearly-

Low Magnesium. They are! SMACK. I haven't been taking my Mg supplements. There's some in my Calcium, but frankly since my bowels are so functional on raw, I lowered my Mg. (It relaxes muscles, which is what your intestines primarily are right?)Eating a high protein diet depletes Mg, which is why I used to take alot, so when I went raw-ish, I dropped it slowly.

I realized that my bones are depleted in Mg.Everyone talks about the importance of Calcium for good bones, but did you realize that your bones also need Mg? The bones STORE 53% of the magnesium your body has, then muscles, then soft tissue, and only 1% of the total Mg in your body is stored in the blood.

Researchers have found low Mg in asthmatics, and low Mg in Parkinson's and ALZ patients. Diabetics need MORE Mg because Mg is involved with the production and transportation of insulin. Mg is essential for heart - well it's a muscle right? Makes sense. i knew all this. I wonder why I stopped taking it? I wasn't paying attention.

I've been craving: kelp-it is the highest dietary source of Mg.
Wheat bran is next, then sunflower seeds. Shrimp are high on the list, and nuts, including brazil nuts which I suddenly bought and have been eating. Down the bottom is eggs, lettuce, celery and carrots but they are there!

So the last two nights I took Mg before bed. My legs still have some ache when I go up the stairs, but at about half of what they were. I'm thrilled. If anyone else has noticed bone pain, aches, or any of the other symptoms mentioned above, try adding Mg at bedtime. I've added 500mg. This is on top of what is in my Cal-Mg.

In case you weren't aware of this, the very best time to take your Ca supplement is at bedtime. I also take a Vit D:
low Vit D causes low calcium, and low Mg causes low Calcium and you need Vit D to absorb Calcium. They work hand in hand...quite a chain reaction eh?

And for the record if you know anyone taking antacids-the Ca in antacids causes Mg to be excreted from the body.
White sugar uses up Mg, as does a higher acidity level in the bloodstream, and aspartame blocks Mg. We're good on all these, so I'm still not so sure why I am low.

Know what else? Mg helps with hormonal fluctuations! And Mg relaxes muscles so it's great for tension headaches too btw. I had a wicked headache the other night which is unusual for me too.

ISOFLAVONES

Ok, so here is another one of those “words” that people are throwing around in health circles-and what exactly does it mean, besides that they are good for us?

They are a class of phytochemicals-(and what does THAT mean?) Phyto always means “plant” so that’s a start. They are a type of phytoestrogen-so plant hormone that is similar to human estrogen. Got it. Hey, that’s good too!

So, what sort of plants have isoflavones? The legumes especially chick peas (garbanzo beans) and … tada … soybeans. Soybeans have the highest concentration of isoflavone compounds, and apparently, in particular, genistein and daidzein.

Genistein inhibits those cells that would do that fatty buildup in the arterial walls-which means anyone that has tendencies towards high cholesterol, heart disease, stroke, atherosclerosis - great stuff to get in the daily recipes.

More good news - because it is a phytoestrogen, it will satisfy those overabundant estrogen receptors we have accumulated (in our fat) due to poor eating for years. That means it will lower our overall estrogen counts; more good news because elevated estrogen results in, and encourages the growth of, fibroids in the uterus and breasts. UC did a study that showed that genistein actually killed cancer cells in a similar way to those cancer killing drugs! Wa-hoo. What type of cancer? It happened to be prostate cancer.

Isoflavones promote strong bones, according to the U of Hong Kong, and U of Illinois, and the N.A.M.S. (north American menopause society) goes so far as to say it could well be a natural alternative to estrogen replacement therapy if you are getting symptoms.

The best way to get the soy? Naturally, naturally. EDAMAME. Those soy beans in the pods have the highest isoflavones, and tempeh. The bottom of the list is soy milk, and tofu, just for the record. Try adding a serving a day and see how you FEEL!

Here’s news from another study which said just switching to a “healthier” diet, not even to raw, just adding fruits and vegetables to the diet, and reducing fats and sugar, according to their study, showed a drop of 36% in blood estrogen levels within 8 to 10 weeks! Why? Those phytoestrogens in the plants products are binding to the cell receptors, and at the same time, satisfying the body.

Other food sources for phytoestrogens … NUTS! If you start to feel crabby, bitchy, pissy, irritable…oh you know, that general PMS feeling-your estrogen is DROPPING. Did you stop eating your NUTS? (hahaha, sorry) Eat those nuts and oils. Flaxseed oil in particular, add flaxseed meal to the smoothies and juices for a nutty texture, and our greens, and try adding Edamame. Costco has big bags of it, and kids love to eat the beans out of the pod. They are a bit addicting too.

Understanding our Hormones-not

This weekend I had an incident as you all know.
Very clearly I "heard" apple cider vinegar during the second day. Now, it could have been from the blood loss, but hey! I listened.

This is an old old folk remedy, and 20 years ago or more I remember I had a book by a botanist who went to the Ozark Mtns to study this remedy and it was filled with amazing cures. Mostly I remembered that it was awesome for balancing the intestinal tract with the best bacteria possible, and that if you ever ate any food you suspected of being tainted, to drink the tea.

So I sent Jon to the grocery store with one thing on the list. Why?
Because the immune system is in the gut. It just is, and my gut was off track. I wasn't clearing, and I was overtoxinanted. :) My own word.
And if we are out of balance-anywhere-including our hormones-it has to do with our gut. EVERYTHING ELSE in our body is coming off that.

I knew I had triggered something, and I knew that I had to get on top of it. It might be my hormones that were reacting, but it was my gut that I had to clear, and I wasn't up to a colonic, or starting that colonix. I had been getting the right message-I just was overthinking the solution. When I got "empty" a simple solution, my favorite, came to me.

So, in addition to the progesterone cream, I did apple cider vinegar tea.
If any of you had taken my Intuitive Anatomy class, you would have it in the materials, but you haven't so I want to give it to you, and if this rings for you-use it.

2-3 tbs apple cider vinegar
1 tsp of raw honey-or more
hot water
sip it throughout the day, at least 2 mugs full a day, preferably before each meal. And if you drink it at night, you will sleep like a baby. Deep and deeper.

We've talked about the power of fermented foods to balance the bacterial load in your system.
We've talked about the importance of clearing your g.i. tract.
We've talked about cleanses, and detoxes, and colonics...

I still have to say, that the very best is nature.
I overstressed my stressed system-that's what caused the bleedout.
Yes, my body was trying to rebalance.
Yes, my body crashed.
Yes, it was a healing crisis.
Yes, my hormones were off.
Yes, I have been bloated-which is another word for inflamed. And inflammation means toxins that are backed up. And inflammation has lots of fancy disease names: arthritis, high blood pressure, edema to name a few.
Yes, toxins are stored in fat cells, cellulite pockets and saddle bags.
Yes, the bloat wasn't clearing, and I looked like I was 4 mns pregnant!

This is ALL symptomatic of overloaded lymphs BTW.
Yes, sluggish lymphs are helped by two things-deep breathing and movement. You can do either and they will move. If you stand and do deep rhythmic breathing from the gut for 15 min-without moving-your entire lymphatic system is MOVED and ENERGIZED. We'll do this in class.

Why? Because the LUNGS move your lymphs.
Not your muscles. Well, they help, but truly, it's your lungs.
Your HEART moves your blood
Your LUNGS move your lymphs
Most of us think that you have to MOVE your body to get your lymphs pumping...but that's not true/not only true. People in wheechairs can do this breathing and move their lymphatic system just fine.

So, sluggish thyroid-an issue for years with me. When I do the breathing, I get results. WHY I forgot this is really interesting.

Last year after the healing, I started doing this breathing, and I lost fat around my waist, and I increased my bust size, and I felt awesome! I wasn't doing any other exercise. But I was absolutely moving my sluggish lympathic system.

When I stopped, I coincidentally gained volume around my thighs, hips, belly.
You know, I didn't put it together. I went and got a blood test, they put me on thyroid, and a water pill to control the bloating, and those pills were supposed to take care of it. They didn't. They made the problem worse. My mother has been on a diuretic for 20 years or more and is terrified of coming off it.

That's our medical system. And I fell right into it. I was busy. I wasn't listening. I wanted it taken care of. It didn't work. I realized that month after month I was holding MORE. I was defying their usual results. So she upped my thyroid. To 2 grains, and then to 3. Why? She figured that because of my bypass, the thyroid wasn't in my stomach long enough to really digest. Ok. That made sense I suppose. And she changed my water pill.

It didn't help. I didn't lose a pound. Not one. And I didn't lose inches. I didn't want to do high protein, meat was gagging me to even cook, but I didn't know what else to eat! I was very very confused. Very. I didn't want to cook anymore. I totally didn't want to go in the kitchen even! Old past history.

I could rebalance my thyroid with theta but I couldn't seem to get it to hold. Amd it also told me it was fine. FINE. Meant it was doing it's job. The body always thinks that.

It made sense that it was my blood. low iron, low oxygen, low metabolism, low thyroid. Or was it?
Could it ALL be congested bowels from YEARS of high protein eating? I mean YEARS of it??? I always resorted to high protein because it was the only way I dropped weight. Before. Something was way off now. Overloaded liver?

Maybe.
So, this weekend, in addition to the progesterone cream, I drank apple cider vinegar tea.
Trust me, after the first day, you like it. We retrain our tastebuds all the time. Rebecca and CA are noticing that the old sweet stuff is actually TOO SWEET now. Yes.
And actually, my body LOVED IT right away, which tells me that I really listened. Clearly heard the correct thing to do with no mixed signals.

I am still drinking it.
This is Tuesday, i started on Saturday. I've had almost a whole bottle of vinegar.
During the night on the weekend I was waking with swelling in my hands between 1 and 3 am which is the liver cycle. I knew that my liver was working on the congestion and the inflammation. I kept water by my bed and drank it.

This morning
I woke up and realized that I could take my rings off. I hadn't been able to before.
This is Straight inflammation reduction.

My lungs are clear-they had been feeling congested-which is a sign of a stirred up liver btw.
I feel really good. My eyes feel extremely clear. Another sign that my liver is clear.
Why? Because the liver and the eyes are connected. Deeply connected.
We see clearly when our liver is clear.
Our liver clears hormones. When our body starts dumping the toxins-i.e. the imbalance of stored estrogen and progesterone, and it is already stressed-
well the result was the bleed out in my case.

Our liver is so so important. And you know what. I don't agree with Vianna about the liver cleanses. I don't think we should go into a healing crisis. It's why I like the footbaths. But now-I love the apple cider tea.

A bleedout is NOT normal. It is NOT ok. And it's not OK that we are told it is.
Yes women bleed. A reasonable amount. Our hormonal balance is our brain chemistry.

If you choose, keep a detailed MOOD diary for yourself. Straight moods. NOTICE how you feel. Document it rather than trying to control it, or run from it. Tune IN to it. That's what the shamanic work is. TUNING IN, not out.

I started to feel agitated, and irritable, and I wasn't sleeping.
All signs of a drop in ESTROGEN.
Ok. But I am estrogen dominant. I have TONS of estrogen. What else is going on?
Well, I could be estrogen dominant because I am not producing enough progesterone.
Or is it that I am not STORING enough progesterone? See, Progesterone is ALSO stored in fat cells, but if our oestrogen receptors are taking up all the cellular space-then we can't store progesterone-unless we get more fat cells....could our bodies be trying to do that?

See I think our bodies are doing the best they can with what they have.

What is clogging up and confusing the estrogen receptors?
Well, how about the xenoestrogens and synthetic estrogens that mimic the same molecular structure? Our bodies are being tricked. Surprise.

By going raw, we are getting our bodies to clear the clogged cells and attach to phytoestrogens which come from leafy vegetables and good fats like the omega 6s from food sources-yams, avocados, flax, coconut. These then feed our bodies with exactly the nutrients that we need. Exactly what feeds us. But it takes up to 3 mns for those new improved cellular generations to cycle in-and several cellular rotations for the future generations to recognize and prefer the phytoestrogns. So, keep doing the raw. GOOD GOOD GOOD.

And
here's the biggest of the food myths-no fat.
we DO have to eat fat. Lots of fat. GOOD fats. Organic olive oil, flax seed oil, UDOs, yes, even though it has omega 6 which we are overloaded in. AVOCADOS, COCONUTS. Exactly what we have been called to eat! Surprise that when we listen our bodies DO know what they need, when we get out of the way.

BAD Omega 6 oils are all the cooked oils, all the vegetable oils. Sunflower, canola, on and on. Anything that has these-like crackers, and packaged foods. Omega 6 goes to estrogens. Omega 3s go to progesterone. Our thyroid LOVES progesterone.
hah. Of Course. It's about our power and progesterone makes us feel more powerful.

Omega 6s are awful for us because they are loaded with rancid cooked omega 6 oils. Lots of them. Omega 6 converts to estrogen, and clog us up. We are supposed to have much more omega 3 than 6, but our modern diet, since the 1940s has shifted us into a predominance of processed foods which means a predominance of omega 6 and lower and lower omega 3s.
Omega 3s convert to progesterone by the way, and our thyroid-LOVES PROGESTERONE. But in our country, women especially have low functioning thyroid. NOT to mention that the medical community considers it normal and natural for us to have a DECLINING thyroid function as we get "oler". Piss on that. Why??? What is normal and natural about having less vital life force?

We get our energy and the get up and go from progesterone. And our thyroid is our metabolism and it loves progesterone. So, what do they give "perimenopausal" women? ESTROGEN therapy. Hmmmmm

We get our sluggish want to sit from estrogen and estrogen dominance leads to insulin resistance.
While we need both, we need them in the correct ratio. And HRT increases our heart disease and cancer rates which are now the two leading causes of death in women in our country.

Ok-so lots of information fast.

If you want to experiment gently-
add the apple cider vinegar for a week and let me know what happens to your intestines and bowel movements.
Do this BEFORE you submit to a colonic. Just try it. Just try it.
I am passing some interesting really DARK colors that I haven't eaten so more than you want to know! :)

And I am dropping the bloat.

BE GENTLE ON YOURSELVES

It's not about good day or bad day. It's about noticing how you feel and coming back to center. None of this is about perfection!
It's about opening up to the center of you, and feeling it all the way in and out again! Like great big deep breaths that we take with our eyes closed and tasting the air.

This is all about the quality of our lives! I am so so so impressed and delighted and excited about all of us! It's been a great ride! It's about waking up. It's about feeling alive.

I was thinking why can't we approach the exercise the same way we did the raw? Do it from the process rather than the procedure. I mean, we got into this raw food thing from the process of it. The colors, the flavors, the textures, the combinations, the feelings, the artistry of the plates. We jumped over the standard rules. We jumped over the limitations and boxes of weigh, measure, portion, combine.

So, what are the restrictions around exercising and moving that we are balking at?
What are those gremlin voices saying about moving?
Can you hear them whispering? Yep. They are different whiney baby gremlins.
What are the "you can't make mes?"
What are the "I will when I'm good and readys?"
What are the voices of anger, or pain that are hiding under staying still?

It's exactly the same as the food.
We really like eating well. Ok. We know we really feel better when we move. So. Same same. Why aren't we? Same same.

We need to reframe exercise the same way we did food.
So, here's my idea.
We have to make it all about the joy of moving. No pun intended. Walking in the sunlight, and tasting the air (ok not down there-it tasted like chlorine yesterday-what is THAT about???)

Wonderful music that makes us want to sway...and dance! A walk around the block with the dog and your camera. A dog's walk-meaning smell the flowers, enjoy the sites. Go to the park and watch kids!! They love it. Let's schedule some hikes or a photographic trip to the desert for the day. Or a weekend in MOAB. Anyone up for that? We could go this time of year and get 2 rooms that adjoin and have a girl trip.

Remember, the myths. What are the movement myths in your childhood-life? I hated PE class. I found it embarassing and judgmental. I never seemed to be fit enough even when I ran track and swam swim team. I always was critical of my body, my thighs.

I put that study on the lightlinxx blog earlier. They've now decided that normal daily MOVING is enough. It doesn't have to be miles of cross training. It's about moving ourselves in our daily lives. That means to me...moving with INTENT. Moving with MINDFULNESS. Moving with LOVE FOR MOVING. So for 30 days, can we do moving with intent and moving with love, and moving with mindfulness? Shamanic walks in nature to collect beautiful things. And shamanic walks in nature to commune. It's not about attacking movement like it's a task to be added to our list of things I have to do! I think the "I have go move more" is exactly what is pushing our butons-unconsciously of course.

Wow! That took me a long time to get this one. We almost missed it. It's about LOVING MOVING IN OUR BODIES AGAIN>not having to move our bodies. hah! We are feeling lighter! We are feeling like dancing. Let's dance! I want to sign up for a belly dancing class! Anyone else?

What is the body of moving? What is the emotion of moving? What are the beliefs around moving. What is the spirit of moving?

Long deep breaths. And mindful moving. Hmmmmm
That's already reframing it TOTALLY for me. Anyone else?

Opening the Labrynth this summer

Hey guys! Look what I found on my camera! Remember this? This was the opening of the Labrynth! It's under 2 foot of snow at the moment...oh for spring.