Honor your Body

Don’t you think it’s sort of strange that we “live” in our body but have no idea how it works? We depend on what our parents have taught us about eating, hygiene and sleeping, among other things, but generally we just take it for granted that the good old body will function no matter what we throw at it.

When people get a cold or the flu or other illnesses and they go to the doctor thinking he will “fix” them they’re under-estimating the body’s innate ability to take make itself “right” again. But if they’ve only eaten fast or processed food all their life or never seem to get a “good” night’s sleep or are so stressed out by work that they have indigestion all the time they are making the job of the body so much harder. People just want to take a pill to make them feel better and they want it now! So it becomes a vicious cycle with the pills masking the symptoms and the “silenced” symptoms then leading to other, perhaps worse, illnesses.

Don’t get me wrong….I think Doctors are essential for emergencies but I also think they should help us/teach us HOW to look after ourselves better. If we understood how the body worked we’d realize that those symptoms are the body’s way of telling us something has to change. It needs help if it’s going to heal itself and it CAN heal itself because that’s what it’s designed to do. Even when we already have symptoms, there are ways to support the body so it can rebuild and get back its vitality.

Take a headache, for example. When people get a headache, most will reach for the Pain relievers without taking a minute to figure out WHY they have a headache. Are they dehydrated? Stressed? Are the muscles in their neck so tight they feel like boulders? Was it something they ate that they might be sensitive to? They could try to drink a big glass of water and see if that helps. They could massage peppermint oil along the back of their neck and on their temples to see if that eases things – including those tight muscles. They could try some deep breathing to take more oxygen in. I think pain relievers should be used as a last resort if possible (and I know it’s not always possible). I still rely on some of my Mom’s and Grandma’s remedies. When I get a sore throat I still gargle with warm salt water and vinegar. When I have a chest cold, I still grab the good old Vapour Rub (Vicks) AND YES I will take a swig of Buckleys if things get real bad (and, touch wood, I haven’t had to do that in a long time). The important thing to remember is that our body CAN fight off most viruses and other illnesses IF we keep our immune system strong and we LET the body do the fighting. A fever is a sign that the body is fighting the virus so don’t take meds to get rid of the fever – take a cool shower or bath instead, drink plenty of water and REST – unless the fever gets alarmingly high at which time a doctor should be consulted. A cough is the body trying to expel the build up of mucous – so don’t take a cough suppressant. Get the idea?

Did anybody watch CNN’s special the other night, “Deadly Dose” about the over prescribing of pain meds in America (and, trust me, Canada too)? The U.S. consumes 80% of the world’s pain medications yet they have only 20% of the world’s population!! Scary! We are a generation of pill poppers and quick fixes and we do so at a tremendous cost to our health. Is it any wonder that with all of our technology and advances in medicine there has actually been an INCREASE in many diseases. I truly believe it’s because we don’t ever let our body do what it’s supposed to do. That, combined with the intense stress most people are under, poor diets and not enough sleep/ relaxing or physical activity are all factors that we DO have control over.

I think people are starting to “get it”. When we honor the body and “listen” to what it’s trying to tell us we have a much better chance of avoiding illness or dealing with illnesses in a way that won’t ultimately do more harm.

A Long and Happy Life

As I come to the end of 3 years of my Holistic Nutrition studies I understand clearly how this kind of "wellness-care" will become the 21st century’s answer to solving our escalating health issues. “Holistic” care encompasses our entire being – our Body, our Mind and our Spirit. It recognizes that each individual is unique but also that our state of mind and our spirituality are intrinsically tied to HOW our bodies function and, therefore, to our overall health.
I see this in every person I meet but really recognize it in people like me who are middle-aged or older, have raised their families and are, perhaps, uncertain about what the future holds for them. When I turned 50 I was about 20 lbs overweight, had various aches and pains, migraine headaches and absolutely no energy. I chalked it up to “getting old”. I believed from what others said and what society accepted that getting old “allowed” us to feel tired and drained; to carry extra weight; to have no sense of excitement; to simply get older and, eventually, die. What?? No way!! It was at that point that I realized, “50 isn’t OLD” and took steps to change my health but, maybe more importantly, my outlook.

Almost everyone I talk to and see around me are stressed, overweight, exhausted and NOT smiling. If anything their faces have a pinched look, they’re yelling at their kids or spouse, they are gulping down an energy drink or another “double-double” coffee just to make it through the afternoon. Their health is suffering, their relationships are suffering and they’re on their way to getting old before their time.
Our bodies are designed to live for well over a hundred years. Let’s consider what happens after we’re born. Babies are not always breast-fed anymore and are introduced to refined and processed foods at a very young age leading to various ailments including allergies, ADHD, ear infections (which leads to antibiotic overuse) and more. They are not encouraged to be active. The first “babysitter” is often the television to keep them occupied. They spend a lot of time indoors rather than outside breathing in fresh air and absorbing beneficial sunshine. This trend continues throughout their childhood and into their school-aged years. They see their parents stressed and working long hours to try and stay ahead and they become like them. As adults, we feel the pressure to succeed at any cost and give up things we may have enjoyed in the past. We no longer have time to pursue things that make us feel good. We no longer have time to cook a good meal so we use the drive-thru. Family time becomes an hour or so squeezed into every day. We fall onto the sofa in the evening, exhausted, and fall asleep watching the next “reality” show. Unfortunately, this has become society's new reality and, I believe, it’s what is a huge contributor to our current health crisis.

Stress is the beginning of our downward health spiral. When we are stressed physically or psychologically the body suddenly shifts its energy resources to fighting off the perceived threat. In what is known as "fight or flight response", the sympathetic nervous system signals the adrenal glands to release adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones make the heart beat faster, raise blood pressure, change the digestive process and boost glucose levels in the bloodstream. Once the crisis passes the systems usually return to normal. But what happens when we are constantly stressed? Our systems never have the chance to return to normal.
When cortisol and epinerphine are released, the liver produces more glucose, a blood sugar that would give you the necessary energy to fight or flight in an emergency. So, not surprisingly, constant stress leads to too much blood sugar which can lead to weight gain and Type II diabetes not to mention an overworked liver, heart and every other system in our body. Our immune system becomes suppressed because our body is using all of its energy to handle the stress.

So, in a holistic approach to improving health, we must not only support the body’s systems nutritionally but we must learn how to relieve stress and have a good mental outlook. We need to find balance in every aspect of our life. We need to nurture ourselves and find what makes US happy and content. In my opinion, there is nothing worse than finding yourself middle-aged, unhappy, unfulfilled AND unhealthy. If that’s where you find yourself ask this simple question – “What is something I’ve always wanted to do but have never done?” then go and DO it! You may recognize this  as a “bucket list” but whatever we call it, it is really the first step to improving every aspect of your life, including your health.
50 is NOT old! It is the beginning of some of the best years of our lives. We finally have the time to do the things we didn’t have time for before. We are interesting, we are knowledgeable and we have a lot to share with the younger generation. It is OUR time to be true to WHO we are, not who others think we SHOULD be. We need to find what we are passionate about and DO it!

If you are only in your 20’s or 30’s and think this doesn’t apply to you, think again! Most adults your age who I meet look and feel middle-aged already! If you can implement changes now, while you’re still young, you’ll be able to greet aging with enthusiasm and good health. We are only given ONE life to live and as we reach middle age we realize the clock is ticking. But it’s never too late to embrace life, experience it and enjoy every minute with calm, peace, joy and abundance rather than wasting it being stressed about things that don’t mean much in the big picture. 

Note:  No matter what your age or your current health condition I invite you to consider looking at FGX PowerStrips™ as an all-natural way to regain your health, relieve your pain AND your stress.  Ask me for more details:  seawellness@hotmail.com  www.seawellness.fgxpress.com

Enzymes - Did you know...?

The things I've learned while taking my Holistic Nutritionist course have made me realize how much we take for granted the miracle of how our bodies work. What I've recently discovered about enzymes really opened my eyes. Did you know that without enzymes our cells can die? That's because enzymes are responsible for every chemical reaction in our body.

"The healing power of enzymes is absolute and proven. Almost every regulatory system in out body depends on enzymes and suffers by their depletion: coagulation, inflammation, wound healing, and tissue regeneration, to name just a few."

The enzymes throughout our body is replenished by the living foods we eat.


Enzymes are ONLY found in living foods like vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, RAW meat and RAW fish which is why it's so important to eat as many raw, whole foods as you can. Now, I'm not a fan of eating raw meat or fish so I depend on raw plant-based food to replenish my enzymes daily.

When you eat food that is processed or full of preservatives the enzymes are destroyed by those preservatives and therefore the food cannot be broken down in your stomach. If your daily diet is mostly those types of food you are seriously compromising your health. The body has to work itself to exhaustion just to try and digest the non-foods you've eaten. When the body is malnourished like this it results in health problems like a lowered immune system, fatigue, higher cholesterol and blood pressure, toxin build-up and an overabundance of yeast and molds in your body.


When people get chronic conditions like fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, candida, allergies and just feel poorly in general they should take a very close look at their diet. Sadly, most go to the doctor who will prescribe a number of prescriptions that will mask the problem but will never address the CAUSE of the problem. And the medications will often make the problem worse over the long-term.

The new ForeverGreen "Raw Promise Program" is based on eating "real" food. www.seawellness.rawpromise.com  By doing so for just 14 days, your health will improve dramatically and you will start to lose weight, have increased energy, better sleep, clearer skin....the list goes on and on.

I've attached a very easy-to-read reference about enzymes that I know you'll find interesting. www.jigsawhealth.com/pdf/how_do_enzymes_work_in_your_body_langford.pdf

Education is the key that is going to help us solve the new health crisis being caused by foodless foods or, as I like to refer to them...."Frankenfoods". Keep learning and being aware of everything you put into your body - the results will amaze you.

The Spice of Life

The little things in life really are the "spice" of our lives, the things that bring a smile to our face or enrich our experiences on an otherwise regular day.  Things like a beautiful sunrise, someone opening a door for you, a smile from a stranger or the giggle of a child.  Activities like dancing, yoga, working out, hobbies or reading a good book.  These are the things we tend to take for granted but they can make a big difference in how we enjoy our life.

The same is true of spices in the nutritional world.  I've been on a kick lately to try new spices like cummin, tumeric and, my favorite, cinnamon.  The health benefits of spices have been known for centuries and cultures who use spices all the time like the Indian and Mexican people tend to be very healthy.  I did a bit of research and it's fascinating stuff. 

Chili and Cayenne:  relieves pain, heart health, stops ulcers

Cinnamon:  antimicrobial, stops bacteria and yeast, lowers cholesterol and blood sugar

Tumeric:  arthritis relief, powerful anti-inflammatory for Chron's disease, cancer and Alzheimers

Oregano:  powerful antibacterial agent, has 4x the antioxidants of blueberries
(ForeverGreen's "Immuneyes" has both Oil of Oregano and Virgin Coconut Oil and is one of the best products I've ever used for preventing colds/flu or stopping them once you have them)   https://www.poweredbyforevergreen.org/content/library/IMMUNEYESBrochure.pdf

Garlic:  anti-fungal, antiviral, heart health

Ginger:  helps ease nausea, cancer fighter, relaxes blood vessels

Parsley:  fights cancer, neutralizes carcinogens

We depend so much on pharmaceuticals these days and it amazes me that the relief we're seeking could just as easily be found in nature and we'd get the extra benefit of enjoying our food more too.  So I invite you to try out new recipes or just add some new spices to your food.  For example, I often add cinnamon to my morning smoothie.  It's so good and so very easy.  Even something as simple as Ginger Tea has such great health benefits.

Let me know of any recipes you may have that use spices we don't normally think of like cummin or tumeric. 

Also be sure to answer my question on the right of this page :)

Yours in Health,

Mary-Lou

Choices

We are faced with, and make, choices everyday.  What to wear?  Which movie to watch?  What to do today?  What to eat?  And we make those choices based on something - how we're feeling at the time or if we need something like warm clothes because it's cold outside or if we need to go to work because we need a paycheque or food because we're hungry.
When it comes to our health I think we make choices based on a variety of things but one of the the most important things we should have to help make those choices is good information.  We are constantly bombarded with conflicting information from various sources. 
To make the best decision when it comes to our health one should, first of all, list to our intuition.  Most of us intuitively know when something about our health has changed.  Maybe we've gained extra weight; we're getting headaches when we never did before; we wake up feeling "puffy" or not rested.  These are all indicators that something is going on that is affecting our overall health.
For many of us, the first thing we do is look for relief at the drugstore - that "quick fix" - but this is where it's most important to take a step back and learn a bit more. 

What I've found while studying for my Holistic nutrition course is that one should pay close attention to what you're eating on a daily and weekly basis.  A good way to do this is with a Food Diary/Journal where you write down every single thing you put in your mouth (food AND drink) on a daily basis and do it for a minimum of 7 days.  This is such a good way to see what kind of nutrition you're putting into your body and to determine if you're getting all of the nutritional tools your body needs to function or if, on the other hand, you're eating a lot of "non-food" items that could actually be putting your overall health at risk and, perhaps, that is what's giving you symptoms.   Once you've identified potential problems in how you're eating you can start to omit those things and, quite often, your "symptoms" will go away without you having to go to the drugstore at all! 

Once we're educated about what we're putting into our bodies it's much easier to make good choices.  At times we will still choose to eat the wrong things but at least we know what the results might be and the next time we might not make the same choice.   
Here are a couple of things you can add to your "knowledge file" that might help you make good choices:  Soft drinks of any kind are NOT food and they have NO nutritional value not to mention the overdose of sugar in them that could cause you to become diabetic.  Diet soft drinks are WORSE because they contain aspartame - don't be fooled into thinking that "diet" soft drinks are doing you ANY good - they're actually poisoning you.  "Refined" foods really have no nutritional value ie.  refined sugar and flour.  So steer clear of them.  One more thing - when grocery shopping try and stay away from the "middle" aisles or, if you do make a lot of your purchases there, make note of what kinds of "food" is actually there.  Pretty much all processed and packaged food is found in the middle aisles.  The fresh produce and meats are normally found around the perimeter of the store.  Try to make 80-90% of your shopping choices there and stay away from the middle!  Your health will be better off.

If anyone wants more information about doing a Food Diary or help analyzing what a Food Diary is indicating, let me know.  I also have to complete several Case Studies for my course and would gladly to an overall Health Assessment on you if you're interested.

Until next time, stay healthy and make good choices :)

Mary-Lou

I'm reposting this blog from last August because I think it's a good reminder how we shouldn't take what we're eating for granted. Just being more aware of what exactly we're putting in our bodies is the first step to a healthier life.
*****************************************************
One of the biggest contributors to our poor state of health these days is sugar. That’s not to say our bodies don’t need sugar – they do, just as we need salt, fats, carbs, proteins, minerals and vitamins. The key is to get all of this in a BALANCE that is best for how our body functions.
Studies show that the average North American intake of refined sugar is somewhere between 15 tsps (60 g) and 25 tsps (100 g) a DAY or 120 lbs a year! Keep in mind that is only sugar we get from processed and fast foods. It doesn’t include naturally-occurring sugars from wholesome foods . To maintain good health we should try and stay under about 40 grams of refined sugar intake per day. Less than that is even better. And don't make the mistake that many people do by thinking that artificial sweetners are better for you because they absolutely ARE NOT unless they are from a naturally-occurring source like stevia, xylitol or agave.
Too much sugar in our bloodstream or sugar overload can cause sinus congestion, frequent colds, migraines, asthma, backaches, hypoglycemia, sleepiness, bloating, immune system dysfunction, indigestion, loss of short-term memory, water retention and yeast infections, to name a few. And if that isn’t enough, sugar is empty calories meaning it has absolutely no nutrient value. None of us would knowingly eat 120 lbs of extra sugar a year, would we? I don't think so. The problem is we don’t realize that a lot of what we’re eating has high amounts of sugar. It’s time we found out.
I bring up this topic because since I’ve learned this I’ve started reading food labels to keep track of how much extra sugar I’m getting each day and it has astounded me! I’m not one who craves sweets and I’m trying to eat healthier these days but I am blown away by how much sugar I’m getting from foods I never would have suspected. Let me give you some examples:
- Honey Nut Cheerios: 9 g/serving
- Flavored yogurt: approx 10 g/100 grams *depending on brand and flavor
- Whole kernel corn, canned,: 5 g/ 1/3 cup
- Tomato soup: 13 g/1/2 cup
- Quaker Instant Oatmeal: 13 g/1 packet
- Ketchup: 4 g/tbsp
- Wheat Thin crackers: 4 g/serving


See how fast seemingly “healthy” food adds up? Now let’s look at an example of what a teenager might eat for, say, breakfast and lunch:


- 1 bowl of Frosted Flakes: 13 g
- ½ c. 1% milk: 6 g.
- Big Mac: 9 g
- Medium Coke: 56 g !!


This kid is already at 84 grams of sugar and it's only lunch time! Is it any wonder today’s kids are overweight, diabetic and being diagnosed with ADHD? As adults let’s set good examples and try to provide children with healthier choices just by being “informed consumers”. Teach kids to read labels and make a game of keeping track of the sugar (and fat and sodium) they might be getting by making certain choices. If we make them more aware at a young age they will, at least, be armed with knowledge to make that choice. As it is now, they assume (as I did) that what we’re feeding them or what they’re choosing to eat must be good for them because, after all, it’s “food”.
Just for the heck of it, track how much sugar you’re eating on an average day. I think you will be surprised. Read the labels of everything, even things that aren’t sweet just to see how many empty calories you might be getting. And if you have some of the symptoms of the health problems previously listed, maybe try to cut back on your sugar intake or ever quit sugar completely for a day or 2 and see if you feel any better. If you notice a difference that might be the clue you need to get on the road to improving your health.

 Mary-Lou
www.seawellness.myforevergreen.org/CAN_Products.html
www.seawellness.versativa.org

Our Digestive System & the Rodney Dangerfield Effect

"I get no respect".  The line made famous by Rodney Dangerfield can also apply to our poor digestive system which, no matter what we throw at it, tries to keep doing its job.  When you think of years of nutritional abuse we put our stomach through it truly is amazing it works at all.  Granted, our health probably suffers because nothing is working properly but, hey, it's keeping us alive. 

Consider this.  When a baby is born, it's digestive system is brand new, ready to work as it was created to work - take in nutrition, process it, send it to the cells, blood, brain, organs and get rid of whatever isn't needed.  Simple.  Really?


So, the optimum food for newborns for their first 6 months of life is breast milk. 
Aw, but that's just not convenient so let's substitute something that's been formulated to be almost as good as the real thing.  Actually, it's better because it's fortified with even more than breast milk can provide AND it's convenient. 
Really? 
OK, so when that baby is ready for solid foods the best things to start with are real foods from Nature like fruits and vegetables so get out the blender and make it nice and mushy so it slides down real easy and is easy to digest.  After all, we want to keep these brand new digestive systems working their best. 


Aw, but that's not convenient and, besides, it's tasteless.  Let's stock up on those cute little jars and we should add a little flavour - maybe some salt or sugar??  And if the little fella is REALLY good maybe we'll give him a treat!  Say, a taste of ice cream or chocolate.  Yummy! 
Really?


Now that baby is a toddler and he's a pretty picky eater so let's entice him with fruit-flavored cereal or cereal-bars (both from a box).  And he doesn't like veggies so we'll give him pizza.  The tomato sauce counts as a vegetable doesn't it?  And the cheese is dairy - that's important, right?  And those fruit snacks in the package count as fruit so we've got that covered.


Are you starting to get the picture?  From Day 1, we abuse our bodies with food that isn't really food at all.
We assume we can eat anything we want and the stomach will magically do its thing and our body will continue to work and you know what?  It does continue to work but it becomes "hardened" to the junk we keep throwing at it and we suffer because of it by developing a variety of health problems from allergies to asthma, irritable bowel and gallbladder problems and kidney stones. And let's not forget obesity and Type II diabetes, the two fastest growing health problems in children today.  The list goes on and on. 
The good news is that our bodies are miraculous in their ability to heal if we change the way we eat and start giving them the proper foods and nutrition.   A great rule of thumb is "If Nature made it, eat it in abundance. If Man made it, eat very little or leave it alone" (Ron Williams, CEO ForeverGreen)

It's never too late to start giving our digestive system the optimum "fuel" it needs to allow it to work to perfection.  Let's start respecting our body and, in return, it will Thank us by being ailment-free - by functioning the way it was born to.
If you get a chance I urge you to go and see the documentary, "Forks Over Knives" this summer.  http://forksoverknives.com  I can't wait to see it and have heard many great reviews about it.  Movies like this are what start a "shift" in how people think and when I see the sad state of our health today I truly believe we are overdue for those changes.