When you eat a meal that is appropriate for your nutritional needs at the time, your body will feel fully nourished and satisfied. The sense of satisfaction is something we must look for after our eating experiences.

A nourished body will not crave other foods. When properly fed, your body will forget about food for a while and you will be able to focus on other aspects of your life. You can stop craving sugar and other foods that are not good for you! Contact Terri about further evaluation for this problem.

An overly fed body is not a pleasurable feeling. Listen to your body’s signal of pleasure as you are eating. Once eating is no longer pleasurable, stop eating. Your body will signal pleasure as long as it needs the nutrients from a particular food. Once your body is nourished, your body will stop giving you pleasure from eating it.

You must always remember to respect and listen to your body. It knows its nutritional needs. By using your sense of desire, smell, taste, and satisfaction, your body will guide you in proper food choices. When to eat, what to eat, and how much to eat are all components of your bodily intelligence. Enjoy!

Tasting delicious food is a great pleasure in life. If the food does not give you a pleasurable taste, then it is not the right food for you. Recognize that your sense of taste is one way your body’s innate intelligence communicates with your conscious self.

Respect your sense of taste. Your body tells you the proper mix of nutrients it needs by giving you pleasure when consuming them.

Several factors can alter your sense of taste. First of all, processed foods contain chemicals that can dull your sense of taste. Not only are these chemicals toxic to your body, they affect your sense of taste for a lengthy amount of time. Stop eating processed foods in order to restore your sense of taste and your body’s proper balance.

Nutritional deficiencies can also alter your sense of taste. Consume a natural, balanced diet of a variety of whole foods, and your sense of taste will return. Toxins in your mouth can also affect how you taste your food. Good oral hygiene ensures that toxins will not hinder your sense of taste.

Your sense of smell gives you lots of information about the food you consume. To be in touch with your body’s intelligence, you must respect your sense of smell. By smelling your food, you learn if it is safe to eat, has been contaminated by chemicals, if it is fresh, and if it is suitable for your body’s immediate needs.

If it is something that your body needs at the moment, the food will smell very enticing. If the food is not something that will keep your body in balance, the food will not smell good to you. Enjoy the aromas of your food and feed your body properly!

Unfortunately, in today’s world many people have a damaged sense of smell due to chemicals and synthetic perfumes. Manmade chemicals that block the olfactory receptors in our noses surround us. Once the receptors are blocked, we are unable to smell new substances – even food!

Synthetic perfumes are found in laundry detergents, soaps, cleaning supplies, fragrant candles, air fresheners, and perfumes. To restore your sense of smell, eliminate fragrant chemicals in your living and working environments. With the absence of the chemicals, you will once again have your proper sense of smell, and you’ll be able to rely on your sense of smell to select your proper nutritional needs.

There are several nutritional deficiencies that cause people not to be able to smell. Call Terri to have this evaluated.

How do we nourish and feed ourselves properly? Each of us has a unique heredity, anabolic cycle, energy production, autonomic nervous system, acid/alkaline balance, and water and electrolyte balance. All of these factors affect what we need to eat and how our body processes the food.

Luckily, your body has an innate intelligence, and it tells you what it needs to be fed. In order to recognize what your body is communicating, you need to be in touch with your senses.

The first step to properly feeding yourself is listening to your body’s desire. Desire for a certain kind of food is your body’s way of telling you what it needs. Each time you become hungry, stop and ask yourself this question: “What would I desire to eat right now?” Avoid emotional eating of sugar, fat or large portions of food. Resist getting in your body’s way by deciding what you should eat.

Desire is your body’s innate intelligence letting you know what will keep it healthy, happy, and energized. If you eat what your body desires, you will digest the food well, and your body will maintain its state of proper balance.

It is important to avoid processed foods. In today’s world, we are surrounded by processed foods that are addictive. Listening to your body’s desire for food only applies to natural foods. Avoid all processed foods, and your body will only desire natural whole foods.

Exercise is very important to me, and it should be important to us all! I am fortunate to be able to exercise under the guidance of an excellent trainer. She knows my limits and knows when I need to forge ahead.

It seems like when I am stressed, I tend to let exercise fall on my priority list. Times of stress are when our bodies need exercise the most. My trainer knows this, and she has kept me on track many times.

Even if you don’t have access to a personal trainer, you can keep your exercise a priority, too. Choose an activity you love, and put it in your schedule. Find a friend to exercise with you – this keeps you both accountable to each other, committed, and motivated.

Exercise has many benefits:

• it can make you feel less anxious & relax you
• it can make you feel better about yourself
• it can help you eat better – one good choice leads to another.

I eat a food plan that fits the needs of my body, and usually I make food choices intuitively according to how I feel on the particular day. Is my body feeling like more protein, more green vegetables, etc.? I listen to my body’s needs. I have to be aware of the effects stress can have on my food choices. It is easy for me to grab unnecessary carbs when I am short on time. I must remind myself that my energy levels stay much more balanced if I eat a balanced food plan.

The importance of snacks should not be underestimated. Snacks provide nutritious fuel for after-school activities kids are involved in. Nutritious snacks not only provide extra energy for kids’ high-energy needs, but they also help to maintain blood sugar levels. Healthy snackers make for more energetic and less grumpy kids.

Here are some suggestions for grab-and-go, healthy snacks:

• Apples or carrot sticks with hummus or a nut butter like almond butter
• Graham crackers with a nut butter or plain yogurt
• Air popped popcorn
• Low-fat string cheese
• Plain yogurt with berries or a banana
• Dried fruit
• Almonds
• Frozen Grapes

Here are some suggestions for easy to prepare, healthy snacks:

• Ants on a log: spread peanut butter on celery sticks and top with raisins
• Banana Ice: peel several very ripe bananas, break them into 1-inch pieces and freeze in a plastic bag. Combine a couple pieces of frozen banana with a small amount of water or juice in a blender and serve.
• Ice Pops: freeze fresh, unsweetened juice in ice pop molds or ice cube trays,
• Trail Mix: combine whole-grain toasted oat cereal, chopped walnuts, and dried cranberries.

Back to school time is just around the corner! It is an exciting transition for children and families, and there are many changes and adjustments that will occur in our daily lives. We must remember that in order for children to grow up strong and healthy, and in order for children to fulfill their potential in a school environment, they must have proper nutrition.

It is important to start each day with a healthy breakfast. Children’s growing bodies and cognitive development rely on the regular intake of food. By skipping breakfast, kids run the risk of physical, intellectual, and behavioral problems. The short amount of time it takes to prepare and eat a breakfast filled with protein, whole grains, and fresh fruits is an opportunity to start the day well for you and your kids.

Pack a lunch for your kids to take to school, and avoid school cafeteria lunches. Kids, like adults, have many opportunities to eat poorly. We must ensure that our children have a diet full of whole foods – protein, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables – to adequately supply all the nutrients their bodies need. A diet rich in these whole foods allows for proper development and helps to keep children healthy. By packing a lunch, you are able to provide a much more nutritious lunch than they would get at school.

Make an appointment with me to discuss your child’s nutritional needs. Let’s make this school year great by maintaining proper nutrition!

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.
 

With nutritional deficiencies, we can experience mood changes and depression. Don’t be treated for depression without having your nutritional status evaluated!

Certain essential vitamins are not stored for future use in our bodies, particularly when we are under stress. Also, depending upon how we eat, our food sources of these vitamins may not be in the proper forms to prevent deficiencies.

Research has shown that nutrition plays a large role in how our bodies maintain balanced biochemicals, which control brain hormones and neurotransmitters. In other words, our neurotransmitters need proper nutrients to function at an optimal level to prevent mood changes under stress.

Certain vitamins are destroyed by alcohol, refined sugars, and caffeine. Unfortunately, these foods are often the first we eat when we are under stress. More coffee for energy, drinks to relax, and sugar to boost our mood. These are all temporary effects, and these foods ultimately have detrimental effects on our energy level, relaxation, and mood.

It is also important to note that many drugs can contribute to nutritional deficiencies, especially when taken over a long period of time.

Depression is a complex illness with many possible causes and treatments. Call for an appointment to evaluate your entire self in order to heal your entire self.

At this time of year it is easy to eat a diet rich in antioxidants. We can choose from a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables from our local Farmers’ Markets. The Farmers’ Markets provide many choices in produce that are packed with vitamins and minerals.

Antioxidants are vitamins in certain foods and supplements that block oxidation by preventing damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals target the DNA, fats, and proteins in the body to change cell structure. Free radicals contribute to cancer, cardiovascular disease, and aging. Free radicals come from the air, toxins in our food, cosmetics, lotions, buildings, and the sun, to name a few sources.

Key antioxidants include Vitamin A, Beta Carotene, Vitamin C, E, and Selenium. Of lesser importance is CoQ 10 and L-Methionine. Although we cannot completely control our exposure to free radicals, we can have the best sources of antioxidants by eating the seasonal fruits and vegetables and rotating the foods we eat.

Foods rich in antioxidants:
Highest in all the yellow, red, and orange vegetables, including tomatoes.
Any dark skinned fruit, especially blueberries
Dark green leafy vegetables, such as Swiss chard, collard greens, and spinach

The minimum daily requirement is 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables. Keep in mind that one serving of cooked vegetables is the size of ½ of a tennis ball. One serving of raw vegetables is equal to the size of 1 tennis ball. One serving of berries is 2/3 of a cup, or 6 oz.

If you cannot eat enough fruits and vegetables in your daily food plan, take Bioprotect from Metabolic Management (www.GetBiotics.com). This is the best antioxidant supplement on the market, and it covers all bases for daily support.

… 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

Once you have tracked your food intake on www.myfitnesspal.com, you can begin to notice your nutrition patterns. It is important to look at your food diary as a weekly review to be able to figure averages of intakes of particular nutrients over the timespan. This is especially important if you are monitoring your food intake to lose weight. By looking at the diary on a weekly level, you are able to see where you are doing well and where your ideal food plan breaks down.

Here is an example of how to tailor your food plan for weight loss or maintaining your ideal weight:

Take the total calories you should consume each day and assign percentages of those calories to carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. This will give you the totals you can track each day with www.myfitnesspal.com.

Here is a mathematical look at a 1500 calorie per day food plan:

• 50% of those calories should be carbohydrates. 1500 calories x 50% = 750 carbohydrate calories. This is equal to 187.5 grams of carbohydrates per day.
• 30% of the calories should be proteins. 1500 calories x 30% = 450 protein calories. This is 112.5 grams of protein per day.
• 20% of the calories should be fats. 1500 x 20% = 300 fat calories. This is equal to 33 grams of fat per day. Most of these calories should be good fats, not saturated fats.

Don’t forget that you need to adjust this example to your individual calorie needs and exercise level.

All of us must remember that losing weight is not just about food intake. We must also exercise 3 or more times a week at your target heart rate for 30 minutes. We all need to find the exercise of choice for us, whether it is running, walking, biking, or practicing yoga.

By examining your food intake, it is easier to understand where you have been in order to get to the place you want to be!

Do you know what you eat and how much you eat every day? I have found it beneficial – and so have many of my clients – to record my daily food intake in a food diary. It is very enlightening to see exactly what was consumed in a day. How do you know where you are going if you don’t know where you are now? The food diary allows us to assess what we are eating in order to recognize the changes we need to make.

The amount of food is as important as the quality of food we eat. We must manage our portion sizes. Reading labels is also important to understand the nutrients we are feeding our bodies. Labels not only list the ingredients, but also the carbohydrates, protein, and kinds of fat that are in each serving size. Until you track this information, you may not be aware of the true amount of carbs, fats, and protein in your food intake. You might be surprised at what you are truly eating!

A client recently shared her computerized food diary with me, and it was great! An easy way to track your food intake is with this informative, fee website: www.myfitnesspal.com.  This website has a master list of food, and you can also build your own list if a food item is not already listed. At the end of the day, you simply list your food choices and the site will summarize your total calories, carbs, protein, fats, cholesterol, sodium, sugars, and fiber consumed. You may also add your workout time and type of exercise to calculate the calories burned, which you may compare with your caloric intake.

Try this great tool for a week, and you will notice where your food plan may be out of balance. Bring your food diary to your next appointment, or set up an appointment with me today to review your food intake habits.

Since we live in a dynamic environment and there is chemical exposure on a regular basis, it is up to us to make lifestyle choices that will help our bodies stay healthy and as chemical-free as possible.

Healthy food choices can help support every cell of the body to work at optimal levels. Every time you eat, you have the chance to treat your body well or to poison it. The choice is yours! By choosing high quality organic fruits and vegetables on a daily basis, you can reduce cell damage, oxidative stress, and abnormal cell growth.

Take time to review your entire lifestyle and begin simple changes to improve your health…

• Your Mind: Is it often flooded with negative thoughts or unhappiness?
• Your Body: How does it feel? Excited and full of energy for the day?
• Your Spirit: Are you living your passion and heart’s desire?
• Your Toxicity: What is in your home, office, car, and yard?
• Your Exercise: Do you do aerobic exercise 3-4 times a week?
• Your Nutrition: What types of nutrients are you putting in your body? Are you eating live food or dead food?
• Your Sleep: Do you get 8 restful hours each night?

The best way to stay out of our “sick care system” is to STAY WELL. Call for an appointment to assess your environmental exposure and lifestyle to increase your wellness.

Since 1976, the EPA has issued regulations on 5 chemicals that were determined to present unreasonable risk. These 5 chemicals are out of 80,000 known chemicals! Our regulations are far behind other countries’.

BGH (Bovine Growth Hormone) is used to increase milk production in dairy cows. Only 3 countries allow the use of BGH: the United States, South Africa, and Mexico. Dairy cows that have been given BGH produce a high insulin-like growth factor in the milk (IGF-1). Human IGF-1 is identical to cow’s IGF-1. Premenopausal women with a high IGF-1 have a 2-3 times higher risk of developing breast cancer than postmenopausal women.

In 2001, the EU classified 2 phthalates (DEHP and DBP) as Category 2 substances, defined as chemicals to impair fertility in humans and thought to cause developmental toxicity to humans. (For more information on Phthalates, see the Nov. 15, 2010 blog.) The EU Cosmetics Directive (76/768/EEC) was revised to ban 1,100 chemicals from cosmetics. The FDA in the US has restricted only 11 chemicals, and phthalates is not one of them.

The good news: Some companies (such as OPI, Body Shop, and Burt’s Bees) have made the initiative to remove these chemicals from their products. And some states, like California and Washington, are now requiring a disclosure statement on labels.

It is up to us to choose products that are chemical-free. We can also choose to drink milk that is hormone-free. Read labels and choose wisely! As consumers, we have the power to influence what chemicals are included in our food and cosmetics.

It is our responsibility to provide a healthy environment for our children, and this begins before birth. A pregnant woman is the first environment of her child.

The Environmental Working Group study of 2005 tested the umbilical cord blood of 10 newborns. The study found an average of 200 industrial chemicals and pollutants in the blood. Of the 287 chemicals tested, 180 are known to cause cancer in humans or animals, and 217 are toxic to the human brain and nervous system.

Several of the chemicals found in the cord blood are toxins we are familiar with, including:

• BPA
• Perchlorate
• PCB’s
• Lead
• Mercury

(For more information on these chemicals, see my blog posts from this past November and February.)

Pregnant mothers and their babies need DHA, found in fish oil. DHA is important for proper brain development of the babies. Many women follow the government guidelines and eat 3 oz of fish four times a week. Unfortunately, women often choose canned fish. Almost all cans are lined with BPA, which seeps into the food. We are just beginning to see cans that state they are BPA free.

Pregnant women must choose their source of DHA from a high quality fish oil supplement. They should not choose fish from a can or fish from the ocean (they often have high concentrations of mercury or other toxins). Knowing the supplement brand and the source of the fish oil (the kind of fish it comes from) is highly recommended. I can help you find the best fish oil for you!

News Update! A follow-up to the February 21st blog post, “Spring Cleaning: Wash Your Hands of BPA”...
New Pioneer Coop now uses BPA-free receipt paper in their cash registers. Let’s suggest that other retailers do the same!

We have long known that consuming a variety of foods rich in antioxidants, such as lycopene found in tomatoes, lowers the risk of certain cancers. Recently, a study at St. Michael’s Hospital in the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism found more benefits of lycopene in post-menopausal women.

In a randomized, controlled study involving 60 post-menopausal women (between 50 and 60 years of age), supplementation with lycopene-rich tomato juice (70 mg/day) or tomato capsules (30 mg/day) for a period of 4 months was found to significantly increase the serum lycopene content and the bone resorption marker, N-telopeptide (Ntx).

These results suggest that in postmenopausal women, supplementation with lycopene through juice or capsules may not only reduce oxidative stress (the accumulation of free radicals), but may improve bone health, too.

Lycopene is found in tomatoes, watermelon, paprika, and pink grapefruit. One cup of tomato juice has 20 mg’s of lycopene!

Maintaining and improving your bone health should involve participating in weight bearing exercise, eating foods high in calcium, and eating foods that help calcium be stored and used in our bodies, such as lycopene. Many women with a medical diagnosis of Osteopenia or Osteoporosis also need proper calcium supplementation to prevent further degeneration of bones.

Contact me to help design a regiment for you to keep your bones strong.

In November I attended a nursing continuing education seminar titled, “Food Addictions, Overeating, and Mood Swings.” We reviewed in depth the physical responses we have to our food choices, why we make the food choices we do, and the effects food addictions have on our bodies. Here are a couple useful tools we explored:

Food-Mood Connection:
 

Desired Effect	Dietary Approach
► Relax, anti-stress:	Carbohydrates
► Boost Alertness:	Protein
► Improve Mood:	Eat every 3-5 hours,  Limit refined carbs Combine protein & high quality carbs Eat varied diet to ensure adequate nutrients
► Beat Depression:	(same as above) Adequate carbs to boost serotonin                              Omega 3 fatty acids

 

Consequence of Nutrient Deficiency:

Nutrient	Effect of Deficiency	Food Source
► Thiamine:	Weakness irritability depression	legumes seeds fortified grains
► Folate:	Depression apathy	Leafy greens oranges legumes fortified grains
► Selenium:	Anxiety Irritability Hostility Depression	Brazil nuts Tuna Sunflower Seeds Fortified grains
► Choline:	Impaired memory	Liver Eggs Lecithin

 

When we experience unmanageable stress or we feel overwhelmed, we are vulnerable to seek out food to help us cope. Use this mental stop sign to assess the situation:

HALT
H – am I HUNGRY?
A – am I ANGRY?
L – am I LONELY?
T – am I TIRED?

Asking yourself these questions can help you determine if you are physically hungry or psychologically hungry. Food should only be consumed for physical hunger.

To gain perspective on food addictions you might have, schedule an appointment with me today.

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.

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.

While I was healing from my accident this summer, my 92-year old mother lost her sight. This has been a major adjustment in her life, especially considering she had done Tai Chi, daily brain exercises on the computer, and her own grocery shopping. This has led me to look (no pun intended) at how I am caring for my eyes, since I plan to live to be a centurion!

We often tend to focus on the symptoms to maintain our health. While it is necessary to treat symptoms, it would be even better if we did not have any symptoms to begin with. Have you considered preventative nutrition for your eyes? 

A study by the Harvard School of Public Health examined the diets of 50,000 (yes, 50,000!) nurses. It found that women with the highest beta-carotene and vitamin A intake had a 39% lower risk of developing cataracts severe enough to require surgery.

Our bodies convert beta-carotene to vitamin A, which is then sent to the eyes and converted into a substance called retinol. Retinol is required for the chemical electrical reaction to occur that allows the eyes to see.

In order to get the necessary nutrients, eat carrots (organic are best) and organic foods high in lutein and zeaxamthin (anti-oxidant compounds), found in spinach, apricots, asparagus, broccoli, and all the orange autumn vegetables coming into season now. If you would like an information sheet on Vitamin A, please email me.

All of the anti-oxidants are beneficial to the eyes. Zinc is also essential to eye health because it helps prevent or slow the development of cataracts, and zinc also delays age-related macular degeneration. Zinc is not a maintenance supplement unless it is needed. I test for Zinc deficiencies, so make sure to ask for your Zinc test at your next office visit. 

Does your diet consist of all the essential vegetables listed above? If not, then order Optic Plus, a Biotics product that ensures proper nutrition for eye health. See the Biotics web store on my website.

Today I was released from the orthopedic surgeon after breaking my back on Memorial Day. Now I am starting physical therapy! I am greatly relieved to be at this part of my recovery, and I am anticipating making great strides with my physical therapist.

As I plan the next steps in my recovery, I realize how time is a whirlwind! The summer seems to have sped by, as most summers do. In our hectic day-to-day lives, we are exposed to an overwhelming amount of information on the Internet. With all the information for us to absorb, I find myself questioning the accuracy and truth of everything I encounter.

“The Wellness Minute” is a trusted, online 3-5 minute weekly e-video that I offer for free! Watching this short e-video each week takes less time than scrolling through your favorite news site, and it is full of accurate information on a variety of health topics that apply to us all. This short video magazine is easy to understand, is archived for easy reference, and comes right to your email every Wednesday.

Look for these topics in the archives of “The Wellness Minute:”

• Should I take a Multi Vitamin?
• Reduce Toxic Overload
• Children: ADHD Research
• Anti Anxiety Stress relief
• Anti Aging

Check out your first video this Wednesday. You may sign up for this free educational service right now by clicking here:
http://www.yourhealinginsights.com/sign-up-for-insights.aspx 

By subscribing to this gift I am offering, you are making an investment of 5 minutes a week to help you stay current on your own health. These videos will help you to make informed decisions when it comes to you and your family’s health.