Flu season is upon us once again and the media feeding frenzy has begun as have the "scare tactics". I don't know what your personal views are on flu shots but I have never had a flu shot and don't plan on getting one anytime soon. Now, this could be because I generally don't get the flu but I've always just had a "gut feeling" about this subject and now that I'm taking my Holistic Nutritionist course I am more convinced than ever that there is a better way to fight the flu that won't compromise our immune system.
The human body has the amazing ability to fight pathogens, viruses and anything that threatens it but IT HAS TO BE HEALTHY to do this effectively and most of us are not that healthy to begin with. Our immune system has been weakened by years of poor nutrition, lack of exercise, being on antibiotics and getting flu shots. I think we're all aware of how overused antibiotics are and have been in the past, which has led us to a world of "superbugs" - viruses that are resistant to antibiotics. The reason this happened is because Mother Nature has a built-in protective system that applies to all living things and, like it or not, viruses and bacteria are living things. When something threatens it (like antibiotics) it naturally evolves to offset that threat. It's a vicious cycle with mankind trying to beat Nature and, if I were a betting person, I would bet on Nature winning everytime.
The really interesting thing I've learned recently is that there are products in nature that are as effective at killing pathogens and viruses as antibiotics are! One of these products from nature is Oil of Oregano. Just "Google" it and read about the amazing antibiotic properties of this essential oil. Actually, all of the essential oils have phenomonal healing properties and have been used for centuries & ForeverGreen has a whole product line of these oils - I'm definitely going to be looking more closely at them!
I am also very pleased that ForeverGreen is, once again, proving itself to be a company that is at the forefront of making clean, natural products available to those of us interested in being healthy as naturally as possible. They are launching a new product on Oct 1st called "Immuneyes" - just in time for flu season - that contains Oil of Oregano, Virgin Coconut Oil AND Marine Phytoplankton! Using products found in Nature to kill off bacteria and viruses makes a lot of sense to me - sort of like letting Nature take it's course - rather than introducing man-made pharmaceuticals into our bodies which kill off not only the "bad bugs" but also kill off any of the "good bugs" we need to have a strong immune system.
If you are someone who is skeptical about having the flu shot or would just like to educate yourself about possible natural alternatives to the flu shot and antibiotics, please visit: http://seawellness.immuneyesdaily.com/ for a short but thought-provoking video. Also watch the following 3rd party video for more very interesting information: http://www.injectionprotection.com/
I totally respect every individual's beliefs when it comes to taking care of themselves and their family. I just hope that people aren't blindly trusting in something that the government and medical authorities tells them they MUST do by using scare tactics and fear-mongering. After the H1N1 fiasco of last season, I personally don't believe much of what the "authorities" have to say. That's not to say that antibiotics and immunzations aren't important - they ARE! But I'd like to think that they're there for real life-threatening emergencies, not for a sore throat or the sniffles. Medical advancements have been huge in our lifetime but I believe preventative medicine, where we do all we can to STAY healthy, makes more sense than just depending on over-worked doctors and pharmaceuticals to "fix" us when we've let our health go.
As always, thanks for letting me rant and I hope I've left you with "food" for thought.
Mary-Lou
"Health" is so much more than visiting your doctor when you don't feel good. True health is achieved through "wellness"....of the body, mind and spirit...to achieve balance on all levels and to do so in a way that honors WHO you are. We are a part of Nature and, as such, should look to Nature for our wellness.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
Restoration Biology
41 years ago a song called "In the Year 2525" by Zager & Evans was released. It's theme about man's overdependence on technology was popular as evidenced by the song's being #1 for 6 weeks on the Top 100. I remember that song because, as an elementary student, it prompted me to write a story about the future and I recall writing about our food being nothing more than a pill that we'd pop everyday and how we'd have withered arms and legs because we wouldn't need to use them - robots and machines would do everything for us. I never imagined that just a few decades later we would actually be teetering on the brink of that reality.
What brought this to mind was "Vitamin Water" of all things. I started thinking "what the heck is wrong with good old water that someone felt the need to ADD things to it?" If people are that concerned about being deficient in vitamins, maybe they should start eating something more than cardboard disguised as food. Food manufacturers take all of the nutrition out of real food and then add things back into it to ensure that it tastes better than the original, it won't spoil and, most of all, it will be convenient. By doing that they have, in many cases, changed the molecular structure so that it isn't really the same food at all - in fact, it can't even be considered FOOD anymore!
As consumers we've been led to believe that advances in technology are always for our well-being. Nothing could really be further from the truth, especially when it comes to the food we put into our bodies. Products like artificial sweetners, artificial flavors, added colors and, yes, even vitamins added to water are doing much more harm than good. The damage to our health may not show up for many years and by then the damage is done and a whole new crop of chronic diseases emerge to put more pressure on our already stressed healthcare system.
I know how confusing it is to figure out which vitamins and nutrients we're supposed to be getting when a different study comes out almost daily touting the benefits of one vitamin over another. The most recent Vitamin that's getting rave reviews is Vitamin D, which many of us in the northern part of the world often don't get enough of with our short summers and short winter days because Vitamin D is what we get from the sun. But ALL vitamins are important, as are minerals and because our "modernized" diet is sorely lacking in natural sources of these important nutrients we are usually always lacking something that our body needs.
That's why, when I found ForeverGreen products, I was happy to have found nutritional supplements that contained ALL of the daily vitamins and minerals we need and THEY CAME FROM NATURAL SOURCES. The marine phytoplankton in and of itself contains nutrition that is second to none and with the addition of specific fruits and plants I'm also ensured of getting one of the highest levels of antioxidants of any product currently on the market. The ForeverGreen product line offers restoration support in the areas of Cardio, Immune System, Weight Management, Beauty and Skin Care, Natural Energy, Physical Fitness, and overall General Health.
The improvements to my health have been many. I no longer suffer from migraines, my aches and pains are gone, my skin is smooth and younger-looking, I have more energy than I've had in ten years, I feel calm, focused and optimistic and my hot flashes have completely disappeared. I just feel GOOD! And I know it's because I'm giving my body all of the vital nutrients it needs on a daily basis. These products are also immediately bioavailable to our cells unlike capsules or pills that first have to be digested and, in most cases, don't ever get the chance to release the stated amount of the supplement.
ForeverGreen's premise is that it's not the products themselves that give us the increased health benefits but how our bodies react to having optimal nutrition provided. As Ron Williams, the President of ForeverGreen says, "our bodies will perform miracles by the minute when edified with the proper raw materials." And that, in a nutshell, is what Restoration Biology is - providing the best clean, organic food as well as marine phytoplankton to the body so that it can "restore" itself to it's true biological age. How many of us are, say, 40 years old chronologically but FEEL 60? The combination of poor food choices, stress and lack of exercise are undermining our health at a younger and younger age. School age children are obese, lethargic, depressed and, often, on the brink of health issues like cardiovascular disease and diabetes but it doesn't have to be this way.
The body we have is the only body we've been given (at least until technology is able to provide us with a new one!) so, I believe we can choose to nourish and nurture it or neglect it and see just how much it can take before it gives up. It's my hope that by the year 2525 we will have technology to thank for many things but will have also realized that the greatest "gift" we possess is the body in which we reside - and it is up to us, not technology, to take care of it.
Until next time, "food" for thought.
Mary-Lou
www.seawellness.myforevergreen.org/CAN_Tree.html
What brought this to mind was "Vitamin Water" of all things. I started thinking "what the heck is wrong with good old water that someone felt the need to ADD things to it?" If people are that concerned about being deficient in vitamins, maybe they should start eating something more than cardboard disguised as food. Food manufacturers take all of the nutrition out of real food and then add things back into it to ensure that it tastes better than the original, it won't spoil and, most of all, it will be convenient. By doing that they have, in many cases, changed the molecular structure so that it isn't really the same food at all - in fact, it can't even be considered FOOD anymore!
As consumers we've been led to believe that advances in technology are always for our well-being. Nothing could really be further from the truth, especially when it comes to the food we put into our bodies. Products like artificial sweetners, artificial flavors, added colors and, yes, even vitamins added to water are doing much more harm than good. The damage to our health may not show up for many years and by then the damage is done and a whole new crop of chronic diseases emerge to put more pressure on our already stressed healthcare system.
I know how confusing it is to figure out which vitamins and nutrients we're supposed to be getting when a different study comes out almost daily touting the benefits of one vitamin over another. The most recent Vitamin that's getting rave reviews is Vitamin D, which many of us in the northern part of the world often don't get enough of with our short summers and short winter days because Vitamin D is what we get from the sun. But ALL vitamins are important, as are minerals and because our "modernized" diet is sorely lacking in natural sources of these important nutrients we are usually always lacking something that our body needs.
That's why, when I found ForeverGreen products, I was happy to have found nutritional supplements that contained ALL of the daily vitamins and minerals we need and THEY CAME FROM NATURAL SOURCES. The marine phytoplankton in and of itself contains nutrition that is second to none and with the addition of specific fruits and plants I'm also ensured of getting one of the highest levels of antioxidants of any product currently on the market. The ForeverGreen product line offers restoration support in the areas of Cardio, Immune System, Weight Management, Beauty and Skin Care, Natural Energy, Physical Fitness, and overall General Health.
The improvements to my health have been many. I no longer suffer from migraines, my aches and pains are gone, my skin is smooth and younger-looking, I have more energy than I've had in ten years, I feel calm, focused and optimistic and my hot flashes have completely disappeared. I just feel GOOD! And I know it's because I'm giving my body all of the vital nutrients it needs on a daily basis. These products are also immediately bioavailable to our cells unlike capsules or pills that first have to be digested and, in most cases, don't ever get the chance to release the stated amount of the supplement.
ForeverGreen's premise is that it's not the products themselves that give us the increased health benefits but how our bodies react to having optimal nutrition provided. As Ron Williams, the President of ForeverGreen says, "our bodies will perform miracles by the minute when edified with the proper raw materials." And that, in a nutshell, is what Restoration Biology is - providing the best clean, organic food as well as marine phytoplankton to the body so that it can "restore" itself to it's true biological age. How many of us are, say, 40 years old chronologically but FEEL 60? The combination of poor food choices, stress and lack of exercise are undermining our health at a younger and younger age. School age children are obese, lethargic, depressed and, often, on the brink of health issues like cardiovascular disease and diabetes but it doesn't have to be this way.
The body we have is the only body we've been given (at least until technology is able to provide us with a new one!) so, I believe we can choose to nourish and nurture it or neglect it and see just how much it can take before it gives up. It's my hope that by the year 2525 we will have technology to thank for many things but will have also realized that the greatest "gift" we possess is the body in which we reside - and it is up to us, not technology, to take care of it.
Until next time, "food" for thought.
Mary-Lou
www.seawellness.myforevergreen.org/CAN_Tree.html
Friday, September 3, 2010
Chew, Chew, Chew
During this personal quest of mine for better health I am finding that "self-awareness" is a key component. For example, in my last blog I talked about reading labels and keeping track of how much sugar you're actually eating daily. I'd love to hear from any of you who are doing this and if you were surprised by what you found. When we become more aware of what's going into our mouths it's amazing how our usual habits start to change, little by little.
Today, I'm going to ask you another question: "How many times do you chew a mouthful of food when you're eating?" Now, you may be thinking this is sort of a strange question but do me a favour and, tonight when you're eating supper, count how many times you chew each bite.
Digestion of food begins in our mouths - in fact, it's one of the most important steps in the digestive process. And, let's face it, if your food isn't being properly digested and just sits like a lump inside you you're bound to have symptoms like indigestion and uncomfortable feelings of fullness. Worse than that, because the food isn't being broken down properly, your body is not getting the nutritional value from that food that it so desperately needs to function. Poor digestion leads to many chronic ailments like a weakened immune system, allergies, chronic fatigue, arthritis, insomnia, joint and muscle pain, and skin disorders. Quite often, symptoms that we think are just from getting older, can be eliminated by changing how we eat and what we eat.
To make sure your digestive system has a fighting chance to work properly, you should chew soft foods 5 to 10 times and harder foods like meat up to 30 times before swallowing. When I first started counting my own bites it was quite funny! My hubby had always teased me about how fast I ate, saying I "inhaled" my food. He was almost right! My average number of "chews" was about 5 - including meat! Wow! Now I'm really trying to chew, chew, chew and I'm finding that 1) I don't eat as much before I feel full and 2) it takes longer to eat so I'm relaxing more during the meal which is important too.
Another important point that surprised me (but makes sense) is you shouldn't drink water or other beverages, like a big glass of milk with meals. Doing so actually slows down digestion because the liquid dilutes the stomach acids and they aren't as strong as they need to be to do the best job. Drink your fluids 20-30 minutes BEFORE or AFTER the meal.
Who knew feeding ourselves was so complicated? I hope you're trying some of the things I'm throwing out there and please let me know if any of it's making a difference in how you feel. I know it is for me. Feel free to email me with your comments or observations: seawellness@hotmail.com
Until next week, enjoy the last long weekend of summer! Let's hope we get decent weather!
Mary-Lou
www.seawellness.myforevergreen.org/CAN_Products.html
Today, I'm going to ask you another question: "How many times do you chew a mouthful of food when you're eating?" Now, you may be thinking this is sort of a strange question but do me a favour and, tonight when you're eating supper, count how many times you chew each bite.
Digestion of food begins in our mouths - in fact, it's one of the most important steps in the digestive process. And, let's face it, if your food isn't being properly digested and just sits like a lump inside you you're bound to have symptoms like indigestion and uncomfortable feelings of fullness. Worse than that, because the food isn't being broken down properly, your body is not getting the nutritional value from that food that it so desperately needs to function. Poor digestion leads to many chronic ailments like a weakened immune system, allergies, chronic fatigue, arthritis, insomnia, joint and muscle pain, and skin disorders. Quite often, symptoms that we think are just from getting older, can be eliminated by changing how we eat and what we eat.
To make sure your digestive system has a fighting chance to work properly, you should chew soft foods 5 to 10 times and harder foods like meat up to 30 times before swallowing. When I first started counting my own bites it was quite funny! My hubby had always teased me about how fast I ate, saying I "inhaled" my food. He was almost right! My average number of "chews" was about 5 - including meat! Wow! Now I'm really trying to chew, chew, chew and I'm finding that 1) I don't eat as much before I feel full and 2) it takes longer to eat so I'm relaxing more during the meal which is important too.
Another important point that surprised me (but makes sense) is you shouldn't drink water or other beverages, like a big glass of milk with meals. Doing so actually slows down digestion because the liquid dilutes the stomach acids and they aren't as strong as they need to be to do the best job. Drink your fluids 20-30 minutes BEFORE or AFTER the meal.
Who knew feeding ourselves was so complicated? I hope you're trying some of the things I'm throwing out there and please let me know if any of it's making a difference in how you feel. I know it is for me. Feel free to email me with your comments or observations: seawellness@hotmail.com
Until next week, enjoy the last long weekend of summer! Let's hope we get decent weather!
Mary-Lou
www.seawellness.myforevergreen.org/CAN_Products.html
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