It is the time of year to boost your immune system with a generous intake of seasonal foods high in Vitamin A. I have enjoyed this recipe for years! The recipe is from my sister, Beth, and all foods in the recipe are organic.


Ingredients:
2 Acorn Squash (about 2lbs each)
2 Butternut Squash
8 Tbsp. Butter
8 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
3 Carrots, peeled and halved
1 large Onion, thinly sliced
10 cups Chicken Stock
¾ tsp. ground Mace
¾ tsp. ground Ginger
1 pinch Cayenne Pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut squash in half, length-wise, scoop out seeds & discard
Place squash, skin-side down in a shallow roasting pan.
Place 1 Tbsp. butter and sugar in each cavity
Arrange carrots & onion slices around squash
Pour 2 cups of chicken stock in pan, cover tightly with foil and bake for 2 hours.
Remove pan from oven and let cool slightly
Scoop the squash pulp out and place in a soup pot
Add carrots, onions and cooking liquid
Add remaining 8 cups of stock & seasonings, and bring to a boil
Reduce to simmer for 10 minutes, uncovered.
Puree soup in batches in a food processor.

This recipe is delicious and is full of Vitamin A.

[See more about boosting your immune system with yellow & orange vegetables from my blog entries of October 2010.]

Hay fever is an allergic reaction. It is the response of your immune system to foreign material in the air you breathe. Hay fever generally refers to allergies from outdoor, airborne materials such as pollens and molds. Approximately 15-20% of the population of the United States has some degree of hay fever. It is found equally in men and women.

In research that correlates with projections by the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, plant and allergy experts found that ragweed pollen season lasted as much as 27 days longer in 2009 than in 1995. The further north you are in the Western Hemisphere, the more dramatic the change in the length of pollen season.

Ragweed was used in the research because its season is naturally easy to track, although the studies probably hold true for other pollens, too. Ragweed begins blooming when the days get shorter, meaning after the summer solstice on June 21st. Ragweed stops flowering with the first frost. This means that the later the frost, the more pollen we will have.

Treat hay fever before it treats you! Here are some tips for treating hay fever:

• Avoid known or suspected allergies if you can.
• Reduce dairy, wheat, and sugar in your diet.
• Increase servings of seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Boost your immune system.
• Use a Netti Pot. (Ask me for some recipes for nasal rinse solutions to find which is best for you)
• Thin the nasal mucus to avoid sinus congestion and future infections.
• Natural antihistamines are available (These are invaluable for people who can’t take over the counter antihistimines.)

Call for an appointment today for more help in treating hay fever.
 

… for us to get the required amount of invaluable sunlight.

Sunlight is essential to the human body. The light helps to regulate the body’s internal clock, and it also makes fat-soluble Vitamin D. We need to be cautious of exposure to sunlight, though, because it can be damaging to our bodies.

Benefits of Sunlight:

The body’s internal clock is regulated by light. Light enters the eyes, and the optic nerve carries the sensory responses to the pineal gland. The pineal gland controls the production of melatonin, which helps to set our body clock.

Although we can get our Vitamin D through some foods, we absorb it best from skin exposed to the sun.

Detriments of Sunlight:

Sunlight has two kinds of rays, UVA (Ultraviolet A) and UVB (Ultraviolet B). UVA rays are absorbed more deeply into the skin and, therefore, cause more skin damage. UVB rays cause the immediate burning of the skin, which we experience as sunburn. Both types of rays are also reflected off snow, water, and sand.

Skin damage from UVA and UVB rays can result in wrinkles, spots, and skin cancer. The most dangerous form of skin cancer is Melanoma. This is a deadly skin cancer, and it has been increasing in occurrence every year for the past 10 years.

Next week: evaluating your sunscreen choices

We are all greater than the sum of our parts. We are individuals with minds, bodies, emotions, and spirits. Contrary to what we might have been taught, we are more than our parents’ biology! A maximum of 10% of all diseases are caused by genetics. Science has proven repeatedly that our environments cause 90% of all diseases. In other words, what we eat, how we manage and interpret our stress, how we exercise, and, of course, how we think and view the world greatly affects our health.

We can be in charge of our own physical, mental, emotional and spiritual healing. Some days our environmental stress can feel overwhelming, and it can be difficult to maintain a sense of control. Our bodies are our individual doors to healing because they experience everything we see, hear and do. Unfortunately, our bodies hold beliefs and myths we have been told. These beliefs and myths often limit opportunities to change and let go of the past, which would allow us to heal.

I recommend the book Healing Myths, Healing Magic: Breaking the Spell of Old Illusions, Reclaiming Our Power to Heal by Donald Epstein. This book examines the deeply ingrained stories or myths that we commonly hold about how our bodies heal. These myths actually inhibit healing, and we all have them. Healing can be possible after we look at social, biomedical, religious, and new age beliefs that we hold in our thought patterns, which contribute to illness and disease.

Not sure how to tackle all of this? Come in for an office visit to discuss your beliefs that may be holding you back from getting well, feeling well, and living a happy, full life!

Check out Donald Epstein’s book on my Resource Links page.

Phthalates:
Phthalates are chemicals used to make medical packaging, food packaging, and toys. The use of Phthalates has steadily increased since the 1950s. Recent studies have proven that Phthalates migrate out of food packaging materials and into the food, particularly when put in a microwave. (“A Consumer’s Dictionary of Food Additives” by Ruth Winter, M.S.)

 Heath problems arise because of chronic exposure to Phthalates. Recent research has found that exposure to Phthalates causes adverse health effects, including:

• Preterm deliveries
• Fetal malformations
• Behavior, emotional and mental ability problems
• Premature sexual development in young girls
• Low sperm counts in males, causing reduced fertility

Studies have also shown that women with high Phthalate levels were 2.2 times more likely to develop breast cancer!

Food is the major source of Phthalates exposure, but Phthalates can also be found in

• Fragrances
• Hair products
• Personal care products

Parabens:
Parabens are the most commonly used antimicrobial preservative in the U.S. It is estimated that 75-90% of cosmetics use Parabens. Parabens behave like the hormone, estrogen, in the body. High levels of estrogen contribute to abnormal cell growth, which often results in cancer.

Parabens can be found in products such as

• Shampoos
• Hair products
• Make-up
• Lotions
• Deodorants
• Pharmaceuticals
• Foods
• Beverages

Read labels and ingredient lists on product packaging to determine if Phthalates or Parabens are included. If they are, choose to use different products!

The research continues on ways the environment affects our health. We all need to consciously make choices to live cleaner lives. If you feel toxic or have had an environmental exposure, please contact me to receive treatment to correct chemical imbalances you may be experiencing!

The President’s Cancer Panel has made recommendations for ways we can minimize the toxicity of our living environments. Below is a summary of these recommendations:

• Eat organic foods and wash other, non-organic foods to remove residues
• Eat free range / natural or grass-fed meat to reduce exposure to antibiotics, growth hormones and toxic run-off from livestock feedlots
• Choose “green” household cleaners
• Choose “green” garden products
• Be aware of and reduce exposures to toxic environments while pregnant
• Ensure children’s play areas and toys are free of toxins
• Select medicines and medical tests for children that limit toxins
• Remove your shoes before entering your home
• Wash work clothes separately from other laundry
• Filter tap or well water at home
• Use only stainless steel, glass or BPA and phthalate-free containers
• Microwave food in glass containers – not plastic (I would recommend not using a microwave altogether, as it reduces the vitamin and mineral content in food)

All of these recommendations are helpful, easy to accomplish, and should be taken very seriously. Another recommendation I have to eliminate a toxic environment is to read labels in order to discover any chemical additives. Next week’s blog will have ingredients to stay away from in your foods and cosmetics. Call me for an appointment to discuss additional ways to adapt your lifestyle to live in a cleaner personal environment.

We have all heard people express concerns about being sick without being able to receive a proper diagnosis. Some health problems simply do not fit a disease pattern, which leads me to discuss Environmental Medicine.

Environmental Medicine is a field of medicine that involves studying the interactions between our environment and our health, and the role our environment plays in causing disease.

We have been taught to believe our health is caused by genetics. This is true to an extent. The environment also causes health issues. Exposures to certain environments damages our DNA, and the exposure may also initiate or promote cancer growth by disrupting our normal immune and endocrine system functions.

In May 2010, the President’s Cancer Panel submitted a report titled, “Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk: What do we do now?” The main focus of the report stated: “the true burden of environmentally induced cancer has been grossly underestimated.” The panel urged the President to “remove the carcinogens and other toxins from our food, water, and air that needlessly increase our health care costs, cripple our Nation’s productivity and devastate American lives.” These are very strong statements made by two medical doctors in the cancer field of medicine.

The environmental contaminants are categorized into 6 areas:

• Industrial & Manufacturing
• Agricultural Sources
• Exposure to Modern Lifestyles
• Hazards from Medical Sources
• Military
• Natural Sources

If you feel like you have had environmental exposures, contact me for an appointment. I can determine the necessary treatment for you through understanding the type of exposures and symptoms you experience. Read next week’s blog for recommendations on how to create a cleaner personal environment.

To read the entire report by the Cancer Panel, go to http://deainfo.nci.nih.gov/advisory/pcp/annualReports/pcp08-09rpt/PCP_Report_08-09_508.pdf

There is much controversy over the safety and necessity of flu shots. Last year was especially controversial with the media frenzy on the H1N1 flu pandemic. In August, the World Health Organization declared the Swine (H1N1) flu pandemic as passed. Any worries about this pandemic are not necessary, and possibly were never necessary from the start.

I advise you to please investigate the positive and negative sides of receiving a flu vaccination. Personally, I have never had a flu shot and do not recommend them to my patients. However, individuals must decide for themselves.

I have offered the 4-part series on boosting your immune system this month as alternative – or supplementary – ways to help you and your family remain healthy during the cold and flu season!

A final addition to boosting your immune system is remembering to take care of yourself. What does that mean? It means to take time for you: schedule some fun, laugh, take a hot bath, have a massage or a Reiki session. Pamper yourself a little, relax, and remember to enjoy life!

Developing the skill of listening to your body is important so that at the first sign of a cold or flu, you can take immediate action to restore health. Many of my clients – adults and children – take supplements to support their immune systems all winter. This preventative treatment is well worth avoiding illnesses. Schedule an appointment with me today to determine what supplements are good choices for you and to set up your winter maintenance plan.

Please review the entire 4-part series for immune system health, and take action for a healthy winter!!

Yellow and Orange autumn vegetables are very tasty! It is no coincidence that nature provides us with these colorful vegetables in the autumn – they offer a much-needed boost to our immune systems before the winter months. Enjoy these vegetables all season, and store more in your freezer for the winter!

Vitamin A boosts our immune system by maintaining the integrity of the mucus membranes in our bodies. The wide variety of squashes, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and carrots are high in Beta-Carotene, which our bodies convert to vitamin A. Yellow, orange and dark green (such as spinach, collard greens, kale, swiss chard) vegetables are excellent sources of Beta-Carotene.

In foods, adults can safely intake up to 25,000 IU’s (measured in international units) per day.

• Broccoli, I medium stalk = 4500 IU’s
• Pumpkin, 1 cup cooked = 8000 IU’s
• Spinach, 1 cup = 7300 IU’s
• Sweet Potato, 1 medium = 12,000 IU’s
• Winter Squash, 1 cup = 4300 IU’s

Some symptoms of Vitamin A deficiency:

• Dry Eyes
• Night Blindness
• Reduced Immunity
• Respiratory Infections

Deficiency can be caused by low intake of vitamin A, absorption problems, and deficiency of protein or zinc in the diet. If you have any of these symptoms, I can further evaluate your concern by scheduling an appointment.

Next week: Flu Shots and Something Better, the conclusion of the 4-Part Series to Boost Your Immune System.

The FDA has allowed the food industry to call sugar by many different names on food labels. This disguises sugar from the general public. Educate yourself in order to be able to find sugar or any of its other names on labels of processed food. Consider any label that has the words sweetener, syrup, or other word ending in “ose” to contain added sugar.

Here is a list of common words to indicate that sugar has been added:

→Corn Sweetener
→Corn Syrup / Corn Syrup Solids
→Dehydrated Cane Juice
→Dextrin
→Dextrose / Maltose / Sucrose
→Fruit Juice Concentrate
→Glucose
→High Fructose Corn Syrup
→Invert Sugar Maltodextrin
→Malt Syrup
→Raw Sugar
→Saccharose

The worst kind of sugar on the list, if I had to choose one, is High Fructose Corn Syrup. This is a simple carbohydrate. The quick absorption of High Fructose Corn Syrup stresses the pancreas, and causes a fluctuating blood sugar level, which interferes with focus, clarity and general brain function. This kind of sugar can become very addicting, as can any sugar. Not to mention that High Fructose Corn Syrup is a source of empty calories in our diets, and it will create added weight.

Carefully read food labels in order to avoid sugar in your diet! For a full nutritional evaluation and food plan suggestions, please contact me for an appointment.

Next week: Colorful foods of Yellow and Orange!

With the changing colors of the trees and the new chill in the air, we find ourselves in the heart of autumn with winter to follow soon. The weather changes we are experiencing are often accompanied by increased occurrences of colds and flu viruses. This time of year is a great opportunity for us to examine ways to avoid catching these viruses.

I suggest 4 approaches to keep your immune system strong and healthy. The practice of these approaches is simple, and it will provide the best protection against colds and flu.

1. Restore your body’s natural acid-alkaline balance. You can do this by adding fresh lemon juice to water, teas, or salad dressings. By doing this, you are able to maintain a healthy pH balance that supports healthy bacteria in your body and reduces the acidic environment where viruses are able to grow. If the lemon juice is not appetizing, the Biotics Organic “NitroGreens” offers acid/alkaline balance along with other vitamins and minerals. The easy, once-a-day dose is 1-3 teaspoons per day mixed in water or juice.

2. Eat fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables. These are loaded with vitamin C and vitamin A, which protect and boost the cells of your immune system. Your optimum choices are darkly colored produce, such as leafy greens, orange and yellow colored vegetables, and an assortment of berries.

3. Increase the frequency and length of time hand washing. Use warm, quality soapy water to clean your hands after shopping, using public transportation, and always before eating. Remind your family to keep hands and fingers away from their mouths and noses. For instance, it is easy to rest your head on your hand while watching television. Being mindful of hand hygiene is essential to immune protection.

4. The final – and most important – approach to practice is the elimination of sugar from your food plan. This is something you should begin immediately. Many studies have shown that sugar intake suppresses the immune system. I enjoy eating many fresh fruits, and I think you will find this is a very satisfying source of sweetness.

Where is the sugar in your day-to-day food intake? Read next week’s entry to learn more.