Change Up Your Holiday Table with Some Greens that Prevent Cancer

Aren't you sick of the same old veggies year after year at your Thanksgiving table? Green beans, steamed broccoli, creamed corn, buttered carrots and on and on. Why not change it up a bit this year and surprise some veggie hating guests with this delicious dish. I tried it last year and it was a hit! The great thing about it is that the vegetable in question (Kale) has amazing cancer defense properties. Read below to find out just how healthy this leafy green vegetable really is. It may just become your new favorite!

"Kale is absolutely rich and abundant in calcium, lutein, iron, and Vitamins A, C, and K. Kale has seven times the beta-carotene of broccoli and ten times more lutein. Kale is rich in Vitamin C not to mention the much needed fiber so lacking in the daily diet of processed food eating Americans. The "Icing on the Kale" are the natural occurring all important phytochemicals sulforaphane and indoles which research suggests may protect against cancer. Let's not forget the all important antioxidant Vitamin E. Rest assured kale spares nothing in providing one with much needed nutrients and associated health benefits.

The naturally rich sulfur content of kale deserves a bit more discussion. Science has discovered that sulforaphane, helps boost the body's detoxification enzymes, possibly by altering gene expression. This is turn is purported to help clear carcinogenic substances in a timely manner. Sulforaphane is formed when cruciferous vegetables like kale are chopped or chewed. This somehow triggers the liver to produce enzymes that detoxify cancer causing chemicals, of which we all are exposed on daily basis. A recently new study in the Journal of Nutrition (2004) demonstrates that sulforaphane helps stop breast cancer cell proliferation."

The recipe is for Roasted Kale and Red Onions. The sweet red onions cooked with balsamic vinegar offset the naturally bitter taste of the kale and make for a delightful pairing on your palate. Here is how to make it:

Ingredients:
3 large red onions (cut in wedges)
6 Tbsp Olive Oil, divided
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp butter
2 bunches (about 1 1/4lb) Kale, stems removed, coarsely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced

Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 375. Line large roasting pan with foil, set aside. In bowl toss onion with 1 tsp of the oil, 1/4 tsp of the salt, 1/4 tsp of the pepper, set aside.

2. Heat 1Tbsp of the oil in a large skillet, add onion mixture. Cook over med-high heat 5 mins, stirring occasionally, until onions begin to brown. Reduce to heat medium-low. Add broth and vinegar. Cover and cook 15 minutes or until onions are tender. Add butter and increase heat to high. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, shaking pan occasionally or until onions are glazed. (you will look professional doing this :)

3. Meanwhile, add kale to roasting pan. Toss with remaining oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Roast uncovered 15 mins, tossing 3 times.

4. Gently toss kale and onions together and serve.

Here is to a Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving!

Vitamin D And An Easy Way To Get It!

We are all hearing more and more about Vitamin D and how it may be able to help protect us from the flu. Medical doctors will shrug this off but the facts are proving them wrong. Vitamin D is a very important component to our immune health and our diets are not providing enough of it. Sunlight is a wonderful source of Vitamin D (and you can not overdose on it) but right now the Northern Hemisphere will not be receiving optimal amounts of it. Definitely get outside when you can and bask in the rays but also keep in mind some foods and supplements that will increase your overall Vitamin D level.

Salmon, sardines and mackerel are good sources of Vitamin D as is pure cod liver oil. We use Nordic Naturals in our home and that delivers about 400IUs of Vitamin D per day (1tsp). However about 1000IUs are needed daily to protect ourselves from the flu (this is based on new scientific data - old data only recommended about 400IUs per day). Also, Vitamin D needs to come in the form of D3 otherwise the body will not absorb it. This is something to consider when you are purchasing a supplement. That is why I just bought Dr. Mercola's Vitamin D spray. Its in the form of D3 and its so easy to use. Three sprays on the tongue 3 times a day and BAM! 1000IUs delivered like nothing. I take it and I will also be giving it to my kids to supplement the Vitamin D they get from their cod liver oil. I will not give them the full 1000IUs because they already are getting 400IUs so I will only spray them 2x a day.

So far they have gotten a common cold virus from preschool. It lasted 7 days which was not fun but their symptoms were pretty mild. Low grade fever for a day or 2, runny noses and a cough. No ear infections or respiratory infections. They are back on their game right now and we are working on building back their immune systems in case more sickness should arise at their preschool.

The great thing about Dr. Mercola's spray is that its so easy to use and it tastes like spearmint gum. I am sure the boys will handle it well (as long as its not given during meal time). Please visit http://www.mercola.com/ to purchase the spray or read more about it.

Here is an excerpt of an article that discusses the additional health benefits of Vitamin D. Its not just to protect agaisnt the flu, it can actually help prolong life.

"A recent review article published by researchers from Loyola University Chicago Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing concluded that adequate intake of vitamin D may prevent or delay the onset of diabetes and reduce complications for those who have already been diagnosed. These findings appeared in the latest issue of Diabetes Educator.

"Vitamin D has widespread benefits for our health and certain chronic diseases in particular," said Sue Penckofer, Ph.D., R.N., study co-author and professor, Loyola University Chicago Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing. "This article further substantiates the role of this nutrient in the prevention and management of glucose intolerance and diabetes."

Many of the 23 million Americans with diabetes have low vitamin D levels. Evidence suggests that vitamin D plays an integral role in insulin sensitivity and secretion. Vitamin D deficiency results in part from poor nutrition, which is one of the most challenging issues for people with diabetes. Another culprit is reduced exposure to sunlight, which is common during cold weather months when days are shorter and more time is spent indoors.

One study examined for this review article evaluated 3,000 people with type 1 diabetes and found a decreased risk in disease for people who took vitamin D supplements. Observational studies of people with type 2 diabetes also revealed that supplementation may be important in the prevention of this disease.

"Management of vitamin D deficiency may be a simple and cost-effective method to improve blood sugar control and prevent the serious complications associated with diabetes," said Joanne Kouba, Ph.D., R.D., L.D.N., study co-author and clinical assistant professor of dietetics, Loyola University Chicago Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing.

Diet alone may not be sufficient to manage vitamin D levels. A combination of adequate dietary intake of vitamin D, exposure to sunlight, and treatment with vitamin D2 or D3 supplements can decrease the risk of diabetes and related health concerns. The preferred range in the body is 30 - 60 ng/mL of 25(OH) vitamin D.

"People at risk for diabetes should be screened for low vitamin D levels," said Mary Ann Emanuele, M.D., F.A.C.P., study co-author and professor of medicine, division of endocrinology and metabolism, Loyola University Health System. "This will allow health care professionals to identify a nutrient deficiency early on and intervene to improve the long term health of these individuals."

Vitamin D deficiency also may be associated with hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, hypertension and heart disease. In fact, Penckofer recently published another study in Circulation that reported on the role of chronic vitamin D deficiency in heart disease."

More health tips to come, stay tuned....

Chiropractors, Kids and Maintaining Health

The Chiropractic profession has been controversial since it became recognized as part of the medical profession. Many MD's today refuse to acknowledge the medical benefits of Chiropractic. Granted, there are some Chiropractors who don't really know what they are doing. However the same can be said for MD's. I have had first hand experience with both.

When I was pregnant with the twins, I went to a Chiropractor who knew the Webster Technique. This was supposed to align my bones such that my babies would turn head down. At the time, they were breech and transverse. Any chiro who knows the Webster technique can successfully turn a baby in a couple of visits. The key word here is BABY. I had two babies. Not much is known about whether the Webster technique would work on twins that were both facing the wrong direction. But I gave it a shot. It only took 3 sessions for Jake to turn head down. I was amazed. I had planned on continuing my sessions until I got too big to go but nature had its own plans. I started having contractions at about 26 weeks. No one knew they were harmless so I was put on bedrest and stopped visiting my Chiropractor. Within 2 weeks Jake turned back to breech and my OB planned my C section . This was a sad day for me because I felt like my pregnancy was once again out of my control. I had hoped and wished to have a vaginal delivery of my children but it just was not in the cards for me. I am thankful for modern medicine in this case because without a C section, I would have died along with my babies.

Lets fast forward to now. You may have heard that chiropractic can be practiced on children of all ages. This may scare you as it did when I first heard about it. But I learned a lot more about it talking to my good friend who happens to be certified in pediatric chiropractic. He told me that chiropractic can be used as preventative medicine in children, helping their immune system strengthen. It can also help relieve stress on the nervous system and allow for new neuropathways to develop. This is especially important in the little ones who do not have a fully developed nervous system. The nervous system is not complete until about 2 years old. So during that fragile time, chiropractic can help restore any blocked pathways and put the child back on the road to positive neurological health.

This hit home to me as one of my boys is having some sensory issues. They are mostly confined to the oral motor department (i.e won't eat certain textures of food such as fruits and veggies). Now you may be thinking, oh, the kid doesn't like fruits and veggies, who does? But if I puree those same fruits and veggies, he has no problem eating them, so we know its not the taste. I decided to look into chiropractic care for him and I stumbled up on and old friend of mine from undergrad. His name is Brian Knight. He now lives in Atlanta and is certified in pediatric chiropractic. http://www.drbrianknight.com/ Ansley Chiropractics. I brought Cole to him and he checked out his bones. Apparently, Cole's atlas bone and pelvic bone were completely out of line. The craziest part was how much sense that made to me. Cole was diagnosed as having weak trunk strength and was also diagnosed with slight torticollis at birth. Torticollis is common in twins especially when room gets tight in the uterus. I was able to use some therapy techniques when Cole was 2 months old to reverse the torticollis, at least in his muscles. But the bones didn't move and its no coincidence that his cervical spine and atlas bone would be all out of whack. I also believe that the pelvic bone's misalignment could be affecting his trunk strength as well. So Brian gave Cole some adjustments and he was such a trooper. The kid let him do whatever he had to do. There was minimal protesting and right after the adjustments he was running around just like his normal happy self!

The amazing things started to happen in the following week. Cole started babbling more and using more consonants than he ever did. His mouth began working in new ways. He still was not eating any whole fruits or veggies but I could tell that he was making more connections in his oral motor skills. Once those bones were shifted back to their proper positions, it allowed the neurons in his spine to generate new pathways and thus strengthen his nervous system. We will continue to see Brian for a while as long as it continues to help Cole. I think chiropractic is a great compliment to any sort of sensory/occupational or speech therapy.

I will continue this post as I see more results. Its just the beginning but I believe in this type of care and attitude is half the battle! So for everyone who thought Chiropractors just cracked your back and gave temporary relief, there is much more that you don't know about the practice. Its truly an overall wellness plan that can target many systems in the body to create healing and health.

Change of Season Ailments

So I haven't posted in a while but things have been a little crazy around here. I thought I would let you all know how I successfully got rid of Jake's croup within 2 days. Maybe my story will inspire you to go out and experience the power of Young Living essential oils.

About 3 days ago, Jake woke up from his nap choking. He couldn't breathe and was turning purple. I was panicked to say the least but something took hold of me and suddenly I was able to focus. I took my little Jake, gasping for air and performed the Heimlich Maneuver on him. Within seconds I was able to loosen some phlegm that must have been lodged in his airway. He swallowed the phlegm and was finally breathing. What followed was a loud and seal like cough that made him cry. I was still scared to death so I grabbed both Jake and his brother and raced to the pediatrician. They didn't even have socks on but I didn't care!

Once we got into the office, the doctor listened to Jake's lungs and determined that they were clear but noticed his honking cough and immediately diagnosed it as the croup. I was relieved to know that he didn't swallow or aspirate anything to make him choke but also wondered why his airways could close up that tight? Apparently with the croup, the pharynx becomes inflamed making breathing more difficult in certain cases. The doctor prescribed Jake a steroid which I knew I was not going to use. My mind was already jumping ahead to all the oils I have at home and which ones I would put on Jake that evening.

A quick phone call to my good friend helped me figure out which oils to use and where to apply them on his body. Here is what I did:

Immupower on his spine
Raven on his back
RC on his chest
Theives on his feet
Melrose to inhale

I did this for 2 nights. His cough is gone. He never even got a fever or a runny nose. He had 2 pretty nasty poops (sorry for the graphics) and then the virus was gone. Amazing stuff right? I am even amazed at how quickly he recovered from something that plagues young children this time of year. These poor kids can't seem to get rid of this cough and can have it for weeks.

I have also learned that peppermint essential oil is great for fevers and any swelling in the throat or pharynx. So I could have applied peppermint on his throat as well or diffused it overnight for him to breathe in. Next time I will try that.

For any of you out there who would like to experience an immune system boost, especially in this scary flu season, contact me for information. Or just go to http://www.youngliving.com/ and check out their products. I can answer any questions you may have and recommend the proper oils to use for specific ailments.

To Good Health!

What the Doctors Won't Admit

So I took my boys a while back for their 18 month well check. The pediatrician (not my normal Dr. - a fill in) was busy educating an intern throughout our entire appointment and I really didn't get many of my questions answered. However, I did get a great lecture on swine flu and all other flu's. I was told that my boys will be in severe danger if they do not receive these vaccines. They are at risk of DYING!!! Wow! those are harsh words since only a small amount of children in the US have actually died from the swine flu.

I don't appreciate the scare tactics at all. I told this pediatrician that people who are most susceptible to the flu are ones who have a vitamin D deficiency. He laughed out loud at me, "Not proven". Apparently he does not believe in any link between the flu and a lack of vitamin D. I was about to rattle off all the research I had done on the topic but something inside of me told me to just be quiet and get the heck out of there as fast as I could! So I refused a fight with this doctor and gently declined the flu shot. I also mentioned that I would not be getting the H1N1 shot and either would my children. I received another lecture on how irresponsible I was being and blah blah blah because at that point I was packing my kids up and tuning out this misinformed man. Whew! We made it out alive! Funny huh?

So just today I am reading some information on Dr. Mercola's website about a CDC study on the H1N1 virus. Apparently, out of the 36 children that did die from this flu, two thirds of them had certain predispositions such as: epilepsy, cerebral palsy and other neurodevelopmental conditions like mental retardation. Well according to what we know, neurological conditions such as these are almost always linked to childhood vitamin D deficiencies and the drugs that many of these children take for their conditions deplete their vitamin D even further. Do you think there is a link now? Are you convinced yet? I think the evidence is glaring.

We need to get our kids some vitamin D. This will protect them from ALL flu's not just H1N1. I have mentioned it before and I will do so again. Give your kids their vitamin D in a way their body will most likely absorb it (whole foods based). I give my boys cod liver oil. It comes in a fruity flavor and they take it like champs. It is a great source of vitamin D. Also, fatty fish like Salmon and sardines are abundant in vitamin D. Get your kids out in the sun and let them drink fresh raw milk! These are all ways you can help protect them from the upcoming flu season without having to inject them with harmful mercury and squalene (two ingredients in the H1N1 vaccine that will potentially cause neurological damage).

I am glad I walked out of that office because I know I am doing my best at protecting my kids. I just wish the medical community did as much research as I did. I wish they would stop being puppets of the pharmaceutical industry. As it turns out, I do not think the H1N1 will be offered to children under 2 years of age so my kids wouldn't qualify anyway but many of their little friends will.

Please read the following link that talks about the CDC findings on H1N1: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/09/22/Low-Vitamin-D-Increases-Flu-Death-Risk-in-Kids.aspx

Alzheimer's Cases to Double

I just heard on CNN today that the reported cases of Alzheimer's Disease are expected to double in the next 20 years. This is not just in the United States either. This is a worldwide epidemic that is getting more prevalent. One of the reasons they give for the increase in Alzheimer's is the longer life spans that humans are achieving but I don't buy it. One hundred Years ago Alzheimer's was virtually unheard of. It may be because it wasn't discovered and doctors just called it dementia but we all know that Alzheimer's is a neurological disease and we are seeing a rise in neurological diseases and disorders across the board (in children, adults and seniors). I truly believe that these diseases are a direct result of our poor diets and toxins that are present in the products and medications we use.

Our diets lack vital antioxidants and enzymes because the food we eat is processed and stripped of its vital nutrients. The vitamins that the vast majority of people take are synthetic and do not come from their food. Synthetic vitamins are just as good as taking nothing. The body does not absorb synthetic vitamins the way it does from enzyme rich, raw food. A diet of raw food, fermented food, and fish liver oil can help keep the nervous system healthy. Foods that are rich in antioxidants will help detox and cleanse the body of heavy metals and other chemicals that lead to nerve degeneration. The removal of all processed foods and foods containing nitrates is beneficial to overall health and can also prevent diseases of the nervous system.

The products we use everyday (personal care, cleaning, household) contain hundreds of synthetic chemicals that interact with each other in ways that have not and will never be tested by the FDA or any other regulatory body. We roll the dice every time we use these toxic chemicals and absorb them into our bloodstream and skin. I used the example of antiperspirant in a previous post. All antiperspirants contain aluminum which is a heavy metal. This is applied directly to broken skin (post shaving) every time a woman applies it to her underarms. The aluminum goes directly into the bloodstream and builds up in the body potentially leading to neurological damage down the road. This is just one example of the thousands of products we use on a weekly basis. This is why I did a complete inventory of all the consumer products I used and literally threw them all away. I started buying brands like Nature's Gate, Naturally Fresh, Young Living*, Mrs. Meyers, Shi Kai, and California Baby. Those brands are just a few of the products I switched to, please email me to get more complete information on how I saved our family from toxic chemicals.

The health care community will try to attack this disease by creating more pharmaceutical drugs and therapies that will cost Americans millions of dollars. Big pharma sees dollar signs when it hears the report of Alzheimer's on the rise. But we can prevent this from happening. We can take control of our health and avoid taking these harmful drugs. Its easy to say that Alzheimer's cases are growing because more of the population is aging but we need to take a look at the percentage of people over the age of 70 suffering from Alzheimer's and compare that to the percentage from 30 or 40 years ago. I am sure the percentage has increased because right now about 1 out of every 7 people over the age of 70 suffers from dementia (Alzheimer's being the main cause of dementia). This is a huge number to me. Much higher than the rate of Autism in boys (1 out of 99)!!

There are ways to prevent this from happening to you. Drink an antioxidant drink such as NingXia Red (Young Living's proprietary nutritional supplement) everyday. Take cod liver oil for brain health. Eat foods that are raw or as close to raw as possible. Remove nitrates and processed food from your diet. Clean out your medicine cabinets and pantries. Get rid of toxic products and opt for healthier versions. I can help you if you need direction. It will be a liberating experience and one that will benefit you for years to come. Don't become another statistic, lets change the trajectory of Alzheimer's for good.

The following link is a recent study of nitrates and their possible link to Alzheimer's:
http://www.dddmag.com/news-High-Nitrate-Levels-May-Cause-Alzheimers-Parkinsons-070609.aspx

Essential Oils in Action!

I have been meaning to share an essential oil success a story but the end of summer got away from me as we spent a week by the shore. Yesterday I sent my twin boys off to their 1st day of preschool which also took some preparation and blogging just fell off my priority list. But I am back!

As I learn more about the power of essential oils, I am amazed. These little oils have healing powers and truly do some incredible things. A good friend of mine has been suffering from an autoimmune disease that came about in her late 20's. The side effects from the strong medication she takes have had detrimental effects on her body. Unfortunately, a lot of autoimmune diseases are treated with steroids to stop inflammation but there are many other side effects that result from taking steroids such as osteoporosis, skin problems, hair loss, etc. These steroids are not meant to be taken long term but some people just do not respond well to any other type of therapy. In my personal opinion, western medication is not doing a good job at getting to the source of the problem with autoimmune diseases. Its just treating symptoms with medications that can cause a host of other problems and/or diseases. We as a society need to become more focused on prevention and preventing autoimmune disease starts from diet and the removal of toxins from the body and environment. But I digress....

In my friend's case, she had been taking the steroids for a while and had started to see some alopaecia (hairloss). This was frustrating and embarrassing for her as a beautiful woman in the prime of her youth. She read about essential oils and their healing effects on the body, specifically for hair regrowth. She contacted me with some questions and I gave her the following recipe:

4 drops Rosemary - promotes new hair growth
4 drops Thyme
4 drops Lavendar
4 drops Cedarwood

This makes a blend. Then draw up the blend in a tiny syringe and drop 5 drops of the blend in with 20 drops of olive, grape seed or fractionated coconut oil. Its the 20:80 dilution method. Once you have it combined properly, massage into your head before bed. Do it every night.

At first she was not religious with her application of the oils but as time went on she became more diligent. A quote from her latest correspondence with me: "I am pretty religious about using them almost everyday and I have definitely noticed a difference, my hair is much much thicker than it was, there is a lot of regrowth." It has been only 2 months since she started using the oils and the obvious effects are there. I was overjoyed to hear this news and especially delighted because she got the oils from my company Young Living. Young Living harvests the purest most efficacious essential oils that you can find. These are pharmaceutical grade oils, safe enough to ingest and use undiluted in most cases. Think about the market for hair regrowth products like Rogaine and Propecia. Companies are making so much money on synthetic and toxic treatments that don't even work. Why waste money on that when you can use natural plant extracts that are 100% safe and actually WORK!

There are hundreds of oils that work on different parts of the body and in conjunction can heal most ailments. I am still learning about how they all work (by themselves or as blends) and I use many of them myself as a daily regimen. On my children, I use them to boost immunity and so far it has worked as my kids have never needed antibiotics and they are 20 months. Preschool and the germs that live there will now be the true test to prove how powerful these oils truly are but I think my friend's success story is just the tip of the iceberg and I am confident I can keep my kids antibiotic free for as long as possible!

Check out the oils at http://www.youngliving.com/ and contact me if you are interested in learning more.