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DECEMBER 2008
FREE
T WIN C...naturally
ITIES
Your Resource For a Healthy, Active, Sustainable Lifestyle...Naturally
TOXIC BLACK MOLD
Elizabeth Vaughan, MD
How to Boost
Your self esteem
winter Blues
Dr. Joseph Sweere
Gluten free
ree Holida
HolidaY
BakinG
is lack of sleep
makinG You
fat?
a Publis
e
m
o
he
c
r!
Be
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ur mission is to provide valuable insight, information and
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Twin Cities Naturally Magazine
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DECEMBER 2008
3
PUBLISHERletter
Readers:
What's your favorite healthy restaurant?
Please send in the name and city of
your best place to eat out at with a
brief description of why, and you will
be eligible for a free drawing of a $50
gift card to that healthy restaurant of
choice!
E
ven during this time of year,
we are trying to become
more ecologically conscious with our giving of gifts to
one another. One way to fulfill the spirit of giving only requires time, especially
considering kids and the elderly. Make plans to spend time doing things for and
with the ones you love. You will build some lasting memories that can make
the best gifts of all! We also plan on choosing our gifts more conscientiously
with usefulness and intention in mind. Please do look through the magazine
and see what our advertisers have to offer. They truly have some wonderful
products and offer great services, with your health in mind!
Please mail in to:
To get in the holiday spirit, you may want to try out the recipes in this issue,
including some gluten free treats. If the baking and aroma haven’t improved
your mood, you may want to read the article Winter Blues by Dr. Joseph Sweere.
It addresses Seasonal Affective Disorder--which many people suffer from this
time of year--and the holistic ways to address it.
TCNaturally
Best Restaurant entry
PO Box 63
Elko, MN 55020
An interesting connection is made in the article Is Lack of Sleep Making You Fat?
So many of us miss out on getting a good night’s rest, but few are aware of the
additional consequences it can take on our bodies, mind and spirit. There are
many other great articles, so make sure you don’t miss out on any of them!
Name:
City, zip:
Email:
Phone:
As we approach the holidays and the end of this year, we just want to express
our gratitude to all of you. Thank you to the advertisers, the writers, readers and
all of the amazing people we have met on this journey so far. We wish everyone
blessings, joy, peace and good health!
In our January issue we will also list
the top restaurants chosen.
Restaurant:
City:
What makes this the best place in
town?
P.S. Don't miss your last chance for an entry in the best restaurant drawing. In
January, we will be announcing our $50 gift certificate winner and listing the
top three rated restaurants. Thank you for all of the responses so far!
4
TCnaturally.com
contents
Inside This Issue
TOXIC BLACK MOLD
Elizabeth Vaughan, MD
10
Departments
NEWSbriefs
6
8
COOKINGCorner
Paulette Mitchell
8
How to Boost Your Self Esteem
Cindy Locher, C.Ht.
15
C'MONlet'sLAUGH
Marilyn Sprague-Smith
9
Winter Blues
Dr. Joseph Sweere
16
Prescription for Living
Bernie Siegel, MD
18
Gluten-Free
Holiday Baking
Charli Mills
20
Exercise:
An Excellent Tool for Health
Meaghan Kirschling, DC, RN, MS
22
16
20
NUGGETSofWISDOM
30
What is Colon Hydrotherapy?
Angela Rasmusen
23
Know Your Herbs
Wendy Evenson
33
Is Lack of Sleep Making
You Fat?
Jade Teta, ND, CSCS
Keoni Teta, ND, LAc, CSCS
24
Why Live Blood Analysis
is Important
Alex Thompson
28
MOVEMENTasMEDICINE
Jade Teta, ND, CSCS
Keoni Teta, ND, LAc, CSCS
24
COMMUNITYresources
35
33
COMMUNITYevents
37
DECEMBER 2008
5
NEWSbriefs
Brain State Conditioning
Offices Team Up in
December
D
uring December only, Mind Symmetry and Neuro Strength,
the two Minnesota Brain State Conditioning™ (BSC) offices, have co-located in Bloomington to offer simultaneous
brain training sessions. This is a convenient option for couples,
friends, parent-child pairs, and those coming from longer distances who wish to experience greater balance and harmony.
Most clients are encouraged to experience one or two 2-hour
sessions daily. The ability to train concurrently with a friend or
family member is a time saving option. Additionally, the benefit
of discussing the training with a friend having the same experience is most valuable.
BSC™ balances and harmonizes the brain, which can result
in positive physical, emotional and spiritual outcomes of better
sleep, improved memory, greater happiness, and more.
To learn more or to make an appointment, please contact
Paulette (952-888-0011, www.NeuroStrength.com) or Alina
(952-201-9706, www.MindSymmetry.com). See ad on page
Valley Natural Foods Co-op's
Expansion is Complete!
A
fter nearly five months of construction noise and dust, Valley Natural Foods co-op in Burnsville, MN emerged larger,
more open and fully stocked. The 2008 expansion to the 31-year
old cooperative business added over 3,000 more square feet to
the building owned by 6,600 co-op members. The fresh departments grew the most. The produce market has doubled its fresh,
local and organic array of seasonal fruits and vegetables. The
meat and seafood market now has a full-service counter with
all pork and beef cuts from its in-house facility. They also offer
fresh fish daily. The deli department now offers the Take-Away
Café that includes an impressive salad bar, made-from-scratch
soups and daily hot dishes for lunch or dinner. The new eating
area can seat up to 40 and has a beautiful limestone fireplace.
Keeping with the co-op’s mission of a healthy community,
shoppers can view video clips on how to prepare seasonal
foods and who the co-op’s farm partners are. Look for these
clips, recipes and even a construction photo gallery online at
www.valleynaturalfoods.com. Everyone is welcome to shop
the co-op. Ask about the membership advantage of investing
in this thriving local business.
For more information on hours and services, go to www.valleynaturalfoods.com.
6
TCnaturally.com
Essentials for Life
Opens in New Location
E
ssentials for Life.... that is, the new “Essential Life Center” in
New Prague would like to offer to their clients & customers...
A place where you can be educated on living a more whole,
healthy life, and a place where you can be connected to the
goods and services that can assist you in that journey.
It has been two years since they opened up the cozy shop
and classroom/meeting space in New Prague, offering monthly
networking, classes and a place to connect with others. Now
the dream of expanding and adding other great services has
become a reality. The new space, located at 107 Central Ave.
N. in New Prague, will provide clients not only a place to
shop for healthy and unique gifts, but there will be massage,
embroidering & marketing, counseling and financial services
available "in-house" as well. There is still room for other likeminded individuals looking to offer their services or business.
It's a great place for group meetings and it will continue to
offer Monthly Networking and support to small business. The
"Spirit of Women in Business" write and publish a monthly
newsletter which is distributed throughout the cities in more
than 11 locations.
This cooperative of businesses also offers ongoing classes to
people covering topics such as: Making Storybooks with your
photos, healthy lifestyle ideas, free chair massage and lot's of
interesting and fun classes!
Please visit the center during their new expanded business
hours: M: 10-5, T: 10-3, W: 10-3, Th: 12-7 & Fr: 10-3. Call (952)
649-1771 or go to www.essentiallife.us for more information.
Have a News Brief to Share?
Email:
[email protected]
Study Confirms Genetically
Engineered CropsThreaten
Human Fertility and
Health Safety
A
long-term feeding study commissioned by the Austrian
Agency for Health and Food Safety, managed by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Health, Family and Youth, and carried
out by Veterinary University Vienna, confirms genetically engineered (GM) corn seriously affects reproductive health in mice.
Non-GMO advocates, who have warned about this infertility
link along with other health risks, now seek an immediate ban of
all GM foods and GM crops to protect the health of humankind
and the fertility of women around the world.
Feeding mice with genetically engineered corn developed
by the US-based Monsanto Corporation led to lower fertility
and body weight, according to the study conducted by the
University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna. Lead author of the
study Professor Zentek said, there was a direct link between the
decrease in fertility and the GM diet, and that mice fed with
non-GE corn reproduced more efficiently.
In the study, Austrian scientists performed several longterm feeding trials over 20 weeks with laboratory mice fed a
diet containing 33% of a GM variety (NK 603 x MON 810),
or a closely related non-GE variety used in many countries.
Statistically significant litter size and pup weight decreases
were found in the third and fourth litters in the GM-fed mice,
compared to the control group.
The corn is genetically engineered with genes that produce
a pesticidal toxin, as well as genes that allow it to survive applications of Monsanto’s herbicide Roundup.
A book by author Jeffrey M. Smith, Genetic Roulette distributed to members of congress last year, documents 65 serious
health risks of GM products, including similar fertility problems
with GM soy and GM corn: Offspring of rats fed GM soy showed
a five-fold increase in mortality, lower birth weights, and the
inability to reproduce. Male mice fed GM soy had damaged
young sperm cells. The embryo offspring of GM soy-fed mice
had altered DNA functioning. Several US farmers reported sterility or fertility problems among pigs and cows fed on GM corn
varieties. Additionally, over the last two months, investigators in
India have documented fertility problems, abortions, premature
births, and other serious health issues, including deaths, among
buffaloes fed GM cottonseed products.
The principle GM crops are soy, corn, cottonseed and
canola. GM sugar from sugar beets will also be introduced
before year’s end.
Jeffrey Smith is the Executive Director of the Institute for Responsible Technology and author of Genetic Roulette. You
can download a free Non-GMO Shopping Guide at www.
HealthierEating.org.”
Seward Co-op's New Store
O
n Thursday, Jan. 8, 2009, Seward Co-op Grocery & Deli
will move into its new home at 2823 E. Franklin Ave. The
co-op opened in 1972, and has been providing healthful, locally
produced foods to the Seward neighborhood ever since.
The new $10.5 million dollar store will double the co-op’s
existing sales space, allowing it to better serve the needs of its
member-owners and the Seward community. An expanded deli
features full salad and hot bars, and a larger grab-and-go area.
A new meat and seafood department will include a unique
selection of local products, while existing departments will be
expanded, offering shoppers more selection on produce, dairy,
grocery and wellness items.
Another exciting element is the co-op’s community classroom, equipped with a full kitchen. The classroom fulfills a
long-time goal of the co-op’s to provide a community space
for education. It gives members and neighborhood residents
an opportunity to take courses on cooking, natural foods and
many other topics.
As for the building itself, the co-op has chosen to pursue a
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification in its construction. The overall design considers efficiency
and environmental quality, making the new co-op one of the
“greenest” grocery stores in the country.
As Seward Co-op expands, its staff and board of directors
remain dedicated to its commitment to sustain a healthy community that has equitable economic relationships, positive
environmental impacts, and inclusive socially responsible
practices. We welcome everyone to visit our new store.
Seward Co-op will open its new store at 2823 E. Franklin Ave.
on Thursday, Jan. 8. The co-op will be open daily from 8 a.m. to
10 p.m. For more information, visit www.seward.coop, or call
Marketing Manager Tom Vogel at 612-436-2850, ext. 2
HealtH, Vitality, Balance, longeVity, Happiness
all begin with the right food
Feed your pet biologically appropriate,
life nourishing, freshly made pet food
Woody's pet Food Deli
cooked and Raw
3008 West 50th st
Minneapolis, Mn 55410
orders/Delivery: 612-208-0335
www.woodyspetdeli.com
DECEMBER 2008
7
COOKINGcorner
Paulette Mitchell
MOCHA SAUCE
Makes 1 2/3 Cups
C
hocolate is one of the world’s most beloved flavors.
This rich and potent substance has long been valued
as a food for the gods and an aphrodisiac. It’s no wonder why – it contains natural compounds that stimulate the
nervous system and trigger the release of endorphins to create a pleasurable feel and mood boost.
Caffeine, also, makes us feel good, and
some 19,000 studies have linked coffee
to health benefits, including reduced
risks for some cancers, diabetes, and
gallstones.
This incredibly simple sauce, which
pairs chocolate with coffee, is a lovely
surprise that will impress even your
most discriminating guests. And, consumed sensibly, it has many positive attributes.
Serve the sauce immediately after preparing or make it in advance and
store in a tightly closed container in the refrigerator for up to 2
weeks. The sauce thickens as it cools, so thin the amount you
need in the microwave on LOW heat and serve warm over ice
cream, cake, or poached pears.
Ingredients:
10 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup freshly brewed strong coffee
2 tablespoons coffee-flavored liqueur
Preparation:
Heat water until simmering
in the bottom pan of a double boiler over high heat. Put the
chocolate in the top pan of the double boiler and place over
the simmering water.
Reduce the heat to medium; stir occasionally as the
chocolate melts. Add the espresso and stir for 2 minutes
until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened.
Remove the top pan of the double boiler and let
cool for 5 minutes. Stir in the liqueur.
Tip:
A double boiler is a double pan, with one sitting
part way inside the other. The lower pot is used to hold
simmering water, which gently heats the mixture in the
top pot. Adjust the level of the water so it does not touch
the bottom of the top pan. Use a double boiler to cook
heat-sensitive foods, such as custards, delicate sauces,
and chocolate. If you don’t have a double boiler, use a
stainless-steel bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water.
Recipe from The Complete 15-Minute Gourmet: Creative
Cuisine Made Fast and Fresh by Paulette Mitchell. Paulette is
known internationally for her quick-to-prepare gourmet recipes. She is a lecturer, cooking instructor, television personality, and the author of 12 cookbooks, including The Spirited
Vegetarian, and A Beautiful Bowl of Soup. Visit amazon.com
to purchase her cookbooks.
Give the Gift of Health!
Twin Cities Naturally
Yearly subscription for only $30.
email:
[email protected]
8
or call 952-461-1551
TCnaturally.com
C’MONletsLAUGH
Marilyn Sprague-Smith, M.Ed.
Joy for All
N
ot long ago, the newest edition
of Nordstrom’s holiday catalog arrived in the mail. With its
shiny fatigue green cover, silver lettering
and glossy pages of luxurious merchandise and chic models, it was a welcome
reprieve from the incessant gloomy economic forecast heralded by the media.
Something far more valuable than
a retailer’s “Joy for All” message also
arrived on the same day. It was a message from afar, an e-mail reconnecting
two like-spirited women. It brought back
memories of a faculty Christmas party
where our enduring friendship sparked.
I remember the thrill of being a new
faculty member at a private two-year
fashion merchandising college. Everything was new to me and I fell in love
with being on Nicollet Mall, the sleek,
no-automobiles-allowed, artery running
through the heart of downtown Minneapolis. For me, it was an exciting time to
be in the city’s cultural and commerce
hub.
I don’t remember too many details
of that first quarter, other than adoring
every moment I was on campus. Some of
the students asked me if I was on drugs
because I was so “high.” I just laughed
and told them what they were witnessing was the joy of doing that which
makes spirit soar. I’m not sure they got
it, but I can still tap into that feeling.
Quicker than one can plug in a car
on a subzero Minnesota winter night,
the quarter ended, students went home
to celebrate the holidays and faculty and
staff gathered at the annual Christmas
party. That was the night I met Lynne.
Festivities were waning and I was
giving serious consideration to making
an exit. That is until Lynne grabbed a
bottle of champagne from the ice bucket
sitting on the table, strolled over to where
I was sitting, pulled up a chair, poured
two glasses of champagne and said, “Hi,
I’m Lynne. I’m an artist and teach Color
and Design. What about you?”
The intellectual tenacity of our ensuing conversation transcended typical
first-time conversations filled with small
talk about people, places and events.
We were early thirty-something females
willing to share philosophy, ideas, hopes,
dreams and a few past disappointments
too. When the janitorial service requested that we leave so they could lock up,
we both knew the evening wasn’t about
a holiday party, it was about the gift of
friendship. As we stepped out into the
December cold, laughing and making
plans to sensationalize our lesson plans
for the upcoming quarter, we stopped to
admire Nicollet Mall in its bedazzling
holiday décor.
That was more than two decades
ago. Yet, when I picked up the phone,
dialed Lynne’s number in Hawaii and
heard her voice, it was as though I was
once again sitting with Lynne, sipping
champagne.
“Lynne, this is Marilyn. Your e-mail
said you’re thinking of moving to Colorado. What’s up?”
Once again, there wasn’t any small
talk. In our short conversation, we updated each other on the details of our
lives spanning the seven-years since we
last talked—her adventures in Hawaii,
the evolution of her artwork now posted
on Etsy, the
whereabouts
of her children, her plans to come to
Colorado; my pending divorce, crosscountry move to Colorado, and plans
to reconstruct my life after twenty-one
years of marriage. We promised to get
together in Denver this summer when
she visits her daughter. When I hung up
the phone, it did feel like joy for all.
Our nation may be facing economic
hardships, but there is a holiday gift each
of us can give that sends a true message
of joy. It’s a gift that cannot be ordered
from an upscale catalog, doesn’t come
with a couture price tag and cannot be
contained in a gift wrapped box under
the tree. It’s a gift of friendship. C’mon,
Let’s Laugh! as we take some time dur
during this holiday season to reconnect with
life long friends. I guarantee it’s easy on
the budget and results in an Obama-like
infusion of hope and optimism.
Marilyn Sprague-Smith, M.Ed. is an
award-winning trainer, author, professional speaker and certified laughter
leader. She resides in Colorado Springs
with Spirit, her white, male Bishon. Visit
www.miraclesmagicinc.com for info
about her keynotes, meeting energizers,
breakout sessions and customized training services.
DECEMBER 2008
9
the devastating effects of
TOXIC BLACK MOLD
I
leaned over and gave Melinda a long hug. I had not seen her in
almost a year. The slender, Asian American, 25 year old woman
looked worn out. She was in a wheelchair and had a catheter bag
draining her bladder. She complained, “I can’t see you, Dr. Vaughan, but
I know your voice and your hugs.”
I teared up, “You’ve been through a lot, Melinda. I think we can get
you better. But you have to promise me that you won’t get pregnant this
time!”
“I promise I’m not going to get pregnant again,” she
swore.
A local teaching hospital discharged her after treating her for Devic’s Disease, a neurological autoimmune
disease of unknown cause. It is similar to but distinct
from multiple sclerosis. It’s more common in Asians
than other races. Melinda developed the characteristic symptoms of Devic’s shortly after the birth of her
second child. She became paralyzed below her chest
(due to her second episode of transverse myelitis) and
lost all vision in her left eye. She had previously developed complete blindness in her right eye after the
birth of her first son. She received high-dose steroids
and plasmapheresis at the teaching hospital which
removed damaging antibodies and toxins from her
blood. This saved her life.
“My Mom’s taking care of Eric, the baby, and my
Mother-in-law is taking care of David, my 3-yearold,” Melinda said.
“Well, your kids want their Mommy back,” I said.
“We need to start you on the treatment for Black Mold
that we talked about last year before you got pregnant.
Hopefully, you’ll regain strength in your legs, get rid of
the bladder catheter and get some vision back in your
left eye.”
“I’m ready,” Melinda replied. “That’s why I’m
here.” Melinda and I both knew what had caused
the blindness and paralysis…Toxic Black Mold.
Past History
As I looked at Melinda, I thought about the first
time I met her. She had walked into my office a
year ago because she thought that she had illness
due to Toxic Black Mold, Stachybotrys chartaru or
Stachy for short.
10
TCnaturally.com
by Elizabeth R. Vaughan, MD
She had moved into a trailer with
her boyfriend four years ago. Around the
same time she also had some silver fillings replaced with composites. Shortly
afterwards she started getting sick all
the time. She developed a flu-like illness with profound fatigue and never
really recovered from this. She had occasional pain in her eyes. They were red,
irritated, teared up a lot and were sensitive to fluorescent light. She got sinus
congestion and felt short of breath all
the time. She developed irritable bowel
with alternating diarrhea and constipation. Her joints and muscles hurt. And
she couldn’t think clearly anymore. She
had problems remembering names, carrying on conversations, and felt like she
was in a fog much of the time.
Two and half years ago, she awakened with severe pain behind her right
eye. Her eyelid was puffy and she went
to the Emergency Room. A CT scan
showed that she had some swelling of
the occipital nerve behind the right eye
and she was diagnosed with optic neuritis. Within 24 hours she went blind in
that right eye and high-dose intravenous
steroids did not help. Tests to determine
the cause were all negative including
those for multiple sclerosis.
She continued to develop new
weird symptoms. She didn’t like people
touching her skin. She sweated more
at night. She was moody, irritable, and
thirsty all the time. She had numbness
and tingling, and a metallic taste in her
mouth at various times.
Then she got pregnant and many of
her symptoms cleared up. She was still
blind in her right eye, but most of the
other problems calmed down. She felt
great when she was pregnant.
After delivery, most of her symptoms
came back and were worse than she had
ever experienced before. On top of that,
she developed sudden numbness in her
trunk and legs. A neurologist diagnosed
her with acute transverse myelitis and
this time the high-dose intravenous steroids improved her symptoms.
She continued to have problems
thinking clearly. She developed increased sensitivity to chemicals. She
couldn’t wear or be around perfumes or
burning candles. She eliminated all the
air fresheners in her house. She wasn’t
able to shop because of the odors from
chemicals in stores. Household cleaning products were the worst. All of these
made her sick.
She saw a neurologist, rheumatologist, ophthalmologist and her primary
care physician. She had a lot of lab work
done suggesting she might have an autoimmune disease like lupus, Sjogren’s
syndrome or scleroderma. But the tests
were not definitive enough to pin a specific diagnosis on her. She had the test
for Lyme disease. That was negative too.
Melinda asked if the Black Mold in her
trailer could cause her illness. No one
knew enough about it and didn’t think
that was the underlying problem.
First Visit, One Year Ago
Melinda told me her history and it
was all too familiar. I had seen many patients who had neurodegenerative disorders due to toxic mold exposure and
sensitivity. Many physicians do not recognize illness due to Black Mold, Asper
Aspergillus and various other molds that produce toxins called myco (from fungus)
toxins. Illness due to toxic mold causes a
variety of different symptoms and rarely
causes the exact same combination in
different people. This is why it is so difficult to diagnose.
I had seen patients with illness due
to toxic mold that had been given diagnoses of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, irritable bowel, dementia, multiple sclerosis, asthma, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid
arthritis, unexplained weight gain, migraine headaches and menstrual irregularities. They all recovered with treatment for toxic mold.
Melinda had moved from her trailer
18 months before after recovering from
the transverse myelitis because she
thought the mold in her trailer was causing her illness. She had read everything
she could about Black Mold on the Internet. She was on a lot of supplements
and medications.
“I don’t want to lose the vision in my
left eye,” Melinda said. “I really think this
is all caused by Black Mold even though
the tests that I did in my trailer were
negative. I got
mold plates
and it didn’t
show
any
Stachy. I still
think it was
there. I don’t
want to get
pregnant before finding
out what is going on.”
“I agree completely,” I reassured.
“Black Mold or Stachy usually isn’t
picked up with plates or air samples. You
have to swab the surfaces, and even then,
you may miss it. Just don’t get pregnant
until we sort out what’s going on and
get you treated. As you saw with your
first pregnancy, many of your symptoms
cleared up transiently. When a woman
is pregnant, her body is more tolerant
of foreign invaders and substances. Her
immune system calms down. This allows
her to tolerate and not attack her own
baby. But behind the scenes, the mold
is causing progressive damage which
causes an even more severe eruption of
the illness after delivery.”
I drew blood work for antibodies to
Stachy. We also obtained a sample of her
sputum and sent this off for a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test to identify
tiny amounts of DNA from Stachy that
might be living in her lungs. There were
many other tests I wanted to get, but she
DECEMBER 2008
11
could only afford these two.
Follow Up
I saw her back in the office to review the results of her lab work which
showed that she had extremely high levels of antibodies to Stachy.
“Melinda, the normal range for
IgM antibodies is 0-1735. Your level is
close to 7000. Normal levels for IgG are
0-1583. Your level is close to 5000. You
clearly have ongoing exposure to the
mold in your current home. Your numbers should be much lower if you left
all the Stachy behind when you moved
from your trailer 18 months ago. These
high levels of antibodies are not left over
from being exposed to mold in the trailer.
You’re going to have to decontaminate
your house, either that or move out.
“My favorite quote from Dr. Walter
Crinnion, NMD, who taught me about
Black Mold Illness, is ‘Walk out of the
front door of the house, strip off all your
clothes and get in your car and drive
away.’ He didn’t feel that it’s possible to
do mold remediation (clean the mold out
of the house) when the mold is Stachy
and a person has the genetic makeup
that triggers an autoimmune reaction to
the mold. I’ll leave it up to you. Stachy
can be in your clothes, upholstery, drapery, books, shoes, carpeting, and almost
any household item. You may need to
replace many of these things or leave
them behind,” I explained.
“We did a lot of things before we
moved, so I’ll see what else we can do.
We just can’t afford to move right now,”
Melinda replied.
“I understand, but at least you’re
aware of what you’re fighting,” I said.
“The good news is that your PCR
testing was negative. This means that
you don’t have an overwhelming infection of Stachy in your lungs. It doesn’t
rule out the possibility that you have a
little Stachy in your lungs. I suggest treating you with an antifungal in addition
to treatment for the mycotoxins themselves.
“I’m certain that you have Black
Mold Illness causing a neurodegenerative disorder with your right eye blindness, the transient transverse myelitis
causing numbness, the fatigue, and your
memory problems. Not being able to
think clearly is a form of encephalitis
or inflammation of the brain due to the
autoimmune reaction triggered by the
Stachy,” I explained.
“I knew it all along,” said Melinda.
“Thanks for believing me and doing the
test.”
I scheduled her for a series of nutritional IVs to help her get stronger before I tested her for toxic metals. Patients
frequently have heavy metal toxicity in
addition to mold illness and toxic metals complicate the treatment of Stachy.
I prescribed a strong antifungal to kill
Stachy, Diflucan or fluconazole 200 mg
a day.
Set Back
Melinda called a couple of days
later, “I’m pregnant. I’m happy and I’m
scared! What do I do now?”
“You’ll probably feel better within
a few weeks. Have your OB/GYN start
you on the fluconazole when it’s safe for
you to take it during your pregnancy and
continue working on removing the mold
from your house. The only other way
12
TCnaturally.com
that you can reduce the mycotoxins in
your body during your pregnancy that is
safe for the baby would be to get a series
of colonics. Stay in touch, especially after you deliver,” I cautioned, shaking my
head in disbelief.
Melinda called us back a couple of
weeks later and spoke to Tammy, “I’m
feeling so much better. So many of my
symptoms have cleared up. Maybe it
will stay gone.”
“I’m really happy for you. Let us
know if we can do anything for you,”
replied Tammy.
Nine Months Later
Melinda called the office nine
months later. She had had an uneventful pregnancy and her son was in good
health. She had never taken the fluconazole. About one month after delivery,
brain fog, irritable bowel symptoms,
chest pain and shortness of breath all recurred. New symptoms, this time, were
loss of vision in her good eye and progressive new leg weakness that started
in her feet and now went up to her hips.
Lastly, she couldn’t empty her bladder.
“Dr. Vaughan, can you see me this
afternoon?” Melinda asked.
“I can’t help you right now,” I teared
up. “Go to the emergency department at
the hospital, now. You need emergency
evaluation and treatment. I can see you
after you are stable.”
Back to the Present
Six weeks later, Melinda returned
to my office. She sat in her wheelchair
with her catheter bag. She could move
her arms and she had some movement
in her legs but she was extremely weak.
Her eyes were dull. She was not been
able to see out of either eye.
“Let’s do a couple of nutritional IVs
and then we’ll test you for heavy metals using intravenous chelators to determine whether or not you have heavy
metals contributing to this. I’m going to
go ahead and start you on fluconazole,”
I said.
Melinda agreed and each time she
came in for her nutritional IV’s she felt
better. She was still blind and had pro-
found weakness in her legs. But her
shortness of breath improved, her chest
pain cleared up and she was able to stop
using the bladder catheter within a few
weeks.
She always brought in new information about treatment options and asked
to switch to a different antifungal, itraconazole, Sporanox.
“I’m fine with that. It is stronger and
much more expensive, but it should
work well. I’ll write a prescription for
you. Stop the fluconazole,” I said. Inwardly, I smiled. Treating complicated
patients like Melinda was very much a
partnership. Other doctors might feel
threatened by patients who want to direct their medical care, but most of these
people have lost all faith in the medical
system. They learn out of necessity that
they aren’t going to get well without being actively involved in their care. Even
a little pushy. I found my only problem
was keeping up with them.
The itraconazole worked even better
for her. She still had the weakness in her
legs, but she had more energy and she
was more awake. Some of the tingling in
her legs started getting better.
Several weeks later, I felt that she
was strong enough to be tested for heavy
metals. On the day of the test, she tolerated the IV chelation without any problems. Several hours after her chelation,
Tammy’s phone rang. She had given Melinda her number and when she heard
Melinda’s voice, Tammy’s heart stopped.
She was afraid Melinda had had a bad
reaction to chelation since she was so
fragile. “How are you doing?” Tammy
asked.
New Vision
Melinda started crying, “I can see,
Tammy. I can actually see the best I’ve
been able to see in months. I am walking around my house. I couldn’t do this
a couple of hours ago. I’ve been standing up for several minutes now. Usually
I can’t stand for this long a period of
time. I’m calling you on my cell phone
because I want you to be with me as I
walk into my son’s room. I’m opening
his door. I’m going to be able to see my
baby, Eric, for the first time since I got
sick.”
“Praise Jesus,” said Tammy. “I’m so
happy for you!”
“My son is so beautiful. I can’t pick
him up because I am holding onto the
cell phone, but he is so beautiful sleeping in his crib. I can’t believe how much
better I feel. I can see again out of my
left eye and I’ve been standing and walking for longer than I have since I got out
of the hospital. I haven’t been able to do
this for months,” said Melinda.
“Well, there’s good news and bad
news Melinda,” said Tammy calmly. “I
am really happy for you, but this may
not last.”
“Oh no!” said Melinda.
“People get better transiently and
then their symptoms generally come
back. Each time you get chelation, you’ll
get a little bit better; but your symptoms
will come back within a couple of hours
to a day or two. As you continue chelation, that window of improved symptoms and feeling better will get longer
and longer each time. It’s going to take
many rounds of chelation before you
stabilize and your vision stays clear
and you stay stronger permanently,” explained Tammy.
“I got it. When can I come back for
my next round?” asked Melinda. “I don’t
want to get worse.”
“You can’t rush it,” said Tammy.
“You have to wait a couple of weeks before your next round of chelation. Take
the oral chelator for five days then take
the mineral supplements to replace any
minerals that the chelators washed out
of you. When you come back to review
the results of your test, we can chelate
you again. This response means you
have significant levels of heavy metals
on board,” said Tammy.
“Well, why can’t I go ahead and get
chelation later this week?” asked Melinda.
“Chelating drugs wear you down if
you do it too often. They don’t just chelate the toxic metals. They also use up
other nutrients. These are powerful drugs
and we have to follow a well-defined
established clinically tested protocol or
DECEMBER 2008
13
else you’ll get more tired,” Tammy explained.
“Whatever you say, I’ll do it. I just hope this lasts long
enough today so I can see my husband and he can see me
walk,” said Melinda.
“I hope so too Melinda. But when it starts to fade over
the next several hours or even tomorrow, don’t get too upset
because you’ll get it back, if it cleared up that much this time,”
reassured Tammy.
Tammy hung up the phone and screamed “Praise Jesus”
again and ran through the office telling everyone about Melinda’s vision and strength. We all cried at the same time. I had
seen this happen a number of times with different patients and
it was always a good sign that they would improve substantially with chelation.
Three Weeks Later
Melinda returned to the office in her wheelchair. The vision
in her left eye was gone again. All of her symptoms returned
except they were not quite as severe as they had been.
I reviewed the results of her urine toxic metals test. “You
have elevated levels of aluminum, cadmium, lead, nickel and
thallium. You also have small amounts of arsenic, bismuth, tin
and tungsten. We tested for fifteen toxic metals and you have
nine of them in your body. This suggests that you were exposed
to them, but you can’t get rid of them efficiently. These can
cause immune, hormonal and neurological damage. They also
interfere with your ability to detoxify other chemicals which
is why you’ve developed the chemical sensitivity. Lastly, they
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AmSAT certified teacher
Woodbury, Minnesota
651-739-6099
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TCnaturally.com
can trigger auto-immune disease just like the Stachy. This is
when your body gets confused and attacks itself. So you have
lots of reasons for being as sick as you are: mold, mycotoxins,
toxic metals, and other chemicals. Fortunately, you have very
little mercury. You were able to eliminate it from your body
after you had your silver feelings removed several years ago.
Trust me, if you had not had that done you would probably be
much sicker now than you are.”
“Well, at least I did something right,” Melinda responded.
I arranged for her to continue chelation and her itraconazole. She came in every three weeks to get IV chelation followed by an oral chelator. With each treatment she slowly got
stronger and the vision in her left eye improved.
Follow up testing after 16 rounds of chelation showed that
she still had small amounts of ten toxic metals in her system.
However, all of her levels were much lower than they had
been. She stopped chelation for a while because she felt so
much better. Now she was able to focus on other things in her
life besides her health.
Six Months Later
I called her to see how she was doing, “How have you
been Melinda? How is your vision?” I asked.
“Well, I’ll never be able to see anything out of the right
eye, but I’m able to read and work on the computer again
which I couldn’t do before. I’m still not able to drive, but my
vision is good enough in my left eye that I can function,” Melinda responded.
“How about the weakness in your legs?” I asked.
“That’s gone. My legs are fine. I still don’t have normal
feeling in my left leg. I can’t feel temperature in that leg. Otherwise, I’m doing great,” she replied.
“What about your brain fog? Your moods? How clearly are
you thinking?” I asked.
“Pretty good. I know I need more treatment, but it’s so
much better. I read about this doctor up in Maryland who uses
a cholesterol drug for treating Black Mold,” she said. “Right
now we’re getting ready to move because my husband is getting sick in this house.”
“You probably need to move for your kids’ health also.
They share your genes,” I said. “When you can, come back
and see us. I’m familiar with Dr. Shoemaker’s work in Maryland; in fact I talked to him about Black Mold at a recent conference. You may be right, you may need additional treatment.
We can learn together. For now, I’m delighted that you’re doing so much better,” I said.
“I’ll call and make an appointment to see you after we
finish moving,” replied Melinda.
“Take care of your self, Melinda.”
Dr. Elizabeth Vaughan treats patients throughout the United
States. For more information, call Vaughan Integrative Medicine at 336-808-3627 or visit www.VaughanIntegrative.com
How to Boost
Your
Self Esteem
By Cindy Locher, C.Ht.
"Photo © Ron Chapple Studios | Dreamstime.com
H
aving low confidence or self esteem contributes to
many issues that people struggle with. In recent times,
low self-esteem has been one of the most popular and
frequently invoked psychological explanations for behavioral
and social problems. Self esteem issues have been linked with
everything from drug and alcohol abuse, obesity, delinquency
and criminal activity.
In any good hypnotherapy practice, it is often necessary to
address clients’ self-esteem issues in order to help them achieve
success in the desired area. Increasing self-esteem through
hypnosis is something, therefore, that is incorporated into many
clients’ sessions. Increasing self-esteem also increases the effectiveness of the work done to address the primary issue, and
is therefore very rewarding.
After self-esteem work, clients often report that they are
able to look people in the eyes, find themselves holding their
heads up, and report that others notice the change in their
demeanor and behavior. Some people have even said they
are like a totally new person. Since self-esteem underlies so
much of our behavior, and can affect the success or failure of
our undertakings, it is important to increase it. Boosting self
esteem can be done with hypnotherapy and also with many
conscious techniques. The effects of doing so will astound you,
but it's not an overnight process.
You must do certain things to set the wheels in motion
to gradually boost your confidence and self esteem. The tips
below will get you started:
1. Take an inventory of where you are now. Consider
where you are in regard to your health, your knowledge,
your social life, your finances, family, relationships with
your partner/significant other, spirituality, career/business,
giving to others and giving to yourself. Rate each area out
of 10, with 0 being that you're not happy with that area
of your life and 10 being that you are completely satisfied
with that area of your life.
2. Take note of the areas where you scored a 5 or less
and list these.
3. Pick one area you would like to work on first, then
pretend you have "fixed" your life and that area you picked
is now perfect. Write a description of what is different to
your current situation (remember, you're pretending!). For
example, if you rated your finances a 2 out of 10 write
about how easily it is now to pay your bills, what having
the money you need has done for your life, what you can
now have that you didn't have before.
4. Brainstorm ideas on how you can achieve the result
you wrote about previously. If you wanted more money,
then what can you do to earn more money? If you wanted
more knowledge in a certain area, what's the best way to
gain that knowledge? If you wanted a better relationship
with your partner, what can you do to make it better?
What is the first step you will need to take to achieve a
10 in that area?
5. This is the simplest but the hardest thing you need to
do: Take that step. Take action! Just do it! Then take the
next step, and so on!
Now, you're probably wondering how all of this can boost
your confidence, so let me explain.
Once you have taken the necessary steps to help you
move towards a desired situation, you will start to notice some
very subtle changes. Not only in yourself, but in your world.
Things will start to look better. Life will get a little happier. It
will probably also get a bit scarier, but that's just your mind
getting you ready for personal growth and it will pass. You will
soon look back on your progress and wonder what you were
so scared about!
You don't have to do everything all at once. Each tiny step
you take is one step closer to your goals and that is what will
give your confidence and self esteem the boost it needs. Try
doing at least one thing every day to get you closer to your goals
and your life will change. Try it and see for yourself!
Cindy Locher, C.Ht. is a Clinical Hypnotherapist practicing in
Apple Valley, MN. Cindy produces brainwave entrainment
CDs and can help you to reach your goals through hypnosis
and BWE. Visit her on the web at www.mn-hypnosis.com, or
call 763/218-3231. See ad on page
DECEMBER 2008
15
Winter
B
lues
Dr. Joseph Sweere
16
TCnaturally.com
If insomnia, restlessness and anxiety are among your symptoms,
use of valerian root extract, chamomile or Sleepy Time tea can
be helpful along with avoidance of caffeine products including
coffee, black and green teas, most soft drinks, chocolate and
various over-the-counter pain medications.
For symptoms of depression or moodiness, you may consider use of readily available amino acids such as L-tryptophan,
which is known to raise brain levels of serotonin, as well as
the amino acid L-phenylalanine, both of which are commonly
used to treat mild to moderate states of anxiety and depression. St. John’s Wart is another naturally occurring herb commonly used to safely and effectively treat depression. SAM-e
(S-adenosylmethionine) is effective as a pain reliever as well
as a naturally occurring antidepressant. Since these agents are
somewhat complex to understand for the average lay person,
you may wish to discuss these naturally occurring substances
with your care provider or knowledgeable health foods store
manager. It is also imperative for persons struggling with SAD
to avoid monosodium-glutamate (MSG) as well as all of the
various artificial sweeteners such as aspartame. Both of these
are considered to be toxic to the brain and nervous system and
the body’s ability to maintain harmony and balance.
Exercise to the Rescue
Among the most simple and effective means of elevating
mood and reducing physical pain is exercise. Body movements
of any type, including walking, swimming, bicycling, jogging,
cross-country skiing, dancing, martial arts or demanding physical labor will all do the trick. Like magic, physical exertion
increases the secretion of enkephalins and endorphins, both
of which are naturally occurring opiates secreted by the brain
that reduces the sensation of pain and elevating mood, both
critical in alleviating the symptoms of SAD.
One of the more poignant expressions of the value of work
and physical exertion in eliminating depression has to do with
the life of President Abraham Lincoln. Perhaps you are aware
that he battled the demons of depression for most of his life,
and when faced with the overwhelming challenges of the Civil
War, he would at times become almost dysfunctional and fell
into periods of deep despair. He often felt totally incapacitated
and incapable of providing the kind of leadership the country
Photo© Tracy Whiteside | Dreamstime.com
A
s the autumn season changes to winter, the days become
shorter and the north wind seems to penetrate through to
your bones, you may gradually find yourself struggling
with what has become known as Seasonal Affective Disorder
(SAD). Its acronym, SAD seems aptly termed because it results
in a variety of emotional symptoms including varying degrees
of depression and sadness along with anxiety, irritability, loss
of interest in activities, moodiness, weight gain, cravings for
sweets and alcohol, crying spells, fatigue, headaches and insomnia. Obviously, similar to many illnesses, symptoms vary
from person to person and some have only very mild expressions of the disorder.
Studies indicate that up to 5% of Americans are afflicted
with the condition and become so negatively affected that they
seek out medical attention for their distress. It is likely that many
more individuals do not feel their symptoms to be so disturbing
as to seek medical advice or counseling, but simply slog their
way through the challenge, plodding through the long, dark
days of winter, patiently (or impatiently) waiting for the longer
and cheerier days of spring.
Some experts also refer to SAD as Seasonal Adaptation
Syndrome because this, for many, is exactly the source of their
symptoms. Their body is simply not capable of adapting to the
changing environment the new season brings. Of particular
importance is the reduction in sunlight that winter days provide.
Some doctors and therapists actually refer to the disorder as
“winter depression” because it develops in the darker winter
months, especially in parts of the world with colder climates,
which keep people indoors and out of direct sunlight.
As you might expect, the simple primary treatment for SAD
is light therapy. Obviously, the most ideal treatment is direct
sunlight when and where available. This is another reason so
many people who live in the northern hemisphere feel almost
compelled to take a winter vacation on the beaches along the
Gulf of Mexico and other seaside resort areas where they can
expose their skin to the warmth and healing rays of the sun.
Since winter vacations are commonly not an option for
many SAD victims, a variety of additional natural approaches
can be helpful. Ultraviolet light from any source, including tanning beds can be utilized with great benefit. Supplemental use of
vitamin D3, combined with supplemental magnesium (about 5
milligrams per body weight/day) and fish oils may be warranted.
so desperately needed during those bleak and unpredictable
days. In his memoirs he reflected how he would force himself
through these difficult times by picking up and axe and splitting wood. He wrote that there was nothing more powerful or
effective to help him break the cycle of disabling depression
than three or four hours of vigorous manual labor, sometimes
over several days in a row.
A Holistic Perspective
From the above, it seems that my emphasis has been
focused exclusively on the physical aspects of SAD. While the
physical and biochemical factors are critically important, it is
well to remember that virtually all disorders and diseases are
multi-factorial in nature. For this reason, it is practical and more
effective to address the condition from a broad perspective that
includes holistic, whole-person, body/mind/spirit considerations. One of the key things to remember is that virtually everyone who lives in cold climates has the same lack of sunlight
and short, dark days to contend with along with temperature
ranges from 70 degrees indoors to shifts as extreme as -20 or
30 degrees outdoors. However, statistically most persons who
live in such circumstances do not suffer from SAD, therefore
aside from a genetic predisposition to the condition, each of
us has to recognize the role of our attitudes, choices and belief
systems as we approach the resolution to any expression of
dis-ease, or full-blown disease for that matter.
You may recognize old sayings such as “Be careful what
you think about, for what you think about you will attract”;
“Whatever you label something, it will become”; “If you claim
an impediment, it is yours”; “Fear not, for your fears shall be
realized”; “As a man thinketh and believeth in his heart, so it
shall be”; The thoughts and emotions that you feed upon and
nurture, will become your reality”; and, “What you think about
and dwell upon will come into your life”. Each of these sage
expressions, derived from time-honored and ancient wisdom
traditions suggest the significant importance of guarding our
thoughts and attitudes in our goal to maintain a state of wellness and vibrant health.
Learn to cultivate the emotions of gratitude, forgiveness
and tolerance. Relish the qualities of pleasure, humor and
cheerfulness in yourself and others. Laughing matters! Live
with the confidence that you retain within you the gift of the
innate wisdom that created your body. This innate intelligence
is linked with the infinite power of the universe and will never
abandon you. Among its properties is an ability to keep you well
by helping you to adapt to the continuous stream of changes
in your environment. Stop comparing yourself to others. Stop
judging. Stop whining. Live expectantly by visualizing in your
mind’s eye the perfect outcomes you are seeking. Continually
cherish the abundance and beauty that abounds in our daily
experiences. Pay careful attention to relationships as much
human physical illness and emotional suffering is the result
of damaged, broken or disturbed relationships. Learn to love
your body, for it is the temple of your soul. Learn to meditate
and practice being totally still and quietly reflective for short
periods each day.
Revere Your Body
During the time you inhabit this earth, you must revere
your body and each of its parts. In your thoughts, take every
opportunity to bless your body and all its wondrous capabilities.
Realize that the human body represents the most highly developed phenomenon in the known universe! With this practice
you will come to realize that you and your body are special
and beautiful beyond imagination. Finally, be generous with
your healthy self. The most important gift you can give others
is your own good health. Know in your heart of hearts that
optimal health is an expression of harmony within body, mind
and spirit. Finally, be willing to humbly and tactfully share your
knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality.
Dr. Joseph Sweere, Professor, Department of Clinical Sciences,
College of Chiropractic, Northwestern Health Sciences University, Bloomington, MN. Author of Golden Rules for Vibrant
Health, in Body, Mind and Spirit – A Holistic Approach to
Health and Wellness.
Is your favorite
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DECEMBER 2008
17
PRESCRIPTIONforLIVING
by Bernie Siegel, MD
your body’s
Language
Y
our body can guide you to the
life you were truly meant to live,
which the majority of the world is
not living. Monday mornings we have
more suicides, strokes, illnesses and
heart attacks. I think our bodies are trying very hard to tell us something about
how our lives, jobs, relationships and attitudes affect our bodies and our health.
Centuries ago in the Gospel of St.
Thomas, Jesus shared these words: If
you bring forth what is within you, what
you bring forth will save you. If you do
not bring forth what is within you, what
you do not bring forth will destroy you.
If we do not pay attention to our feelings
and the messages from our body then
our body will assume we do not enjoy
life and get us out of here as quickly as
possible.
His words present us with further insight: He who seeks to save his life will
lose it but he who is willing to lose his
life will save it. The message is: stop living your untrue self’s life, which others
imposed upon you, and eliminate not
yourself but what is killing you. Thus, by
paying attention to the messages from
within your body, you can save your
life.
Yes, you can be born again and
restore your body to its healthiest state
while letting it guide you to healing your
life. A healed life carries many benefits,
one of which can be a cured disease.
Just as bacteria, viruses and plants alter
their genetic make up to resist antibiotics, vaccines and weather changes we
are capable of inner healing too. It is a
lot harder for us because our lives are
more complicated, but if we listen to the
messages from our intelligent cells and
create an internal environment that nurtures life, then self induced healing can
become a more frequent occurrence.
But first you must be willing to pay
attention to your body and feelings
and not live solely in your head and
thoughts. Distractions and drugs are not
necessarily the proper response to your
feelings. As a lawyer said in a time of
crisis, “I came to a conclusion that was
imminently reasonable, totally logical
and completely wrong because while
learning to think I almost forgot how to
feel.”’
The reason most people have a hard
time paying attention to their feelings is
because their feelings are painful. The
majority of people grow up with mottoes
to die by rather than mottoes to live by.
They need to abandon their painful pasts
and get over the destructive messages
received from various authority figures
such as parents, teachers, clergy, doctors
and others. The effect of words upon chil-
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dren,
up to
the age
of six, is hypnotic and very difficult
for them to overcome when they
grow older. Often the search for better feelings leads to a variety of addictions and violent behavior due to
damaged nervous systems.
The language of your body
doesn’t have to remain a secret. We
would like you to learn from your
body how to survive and be strong
enough to stand up to the forces of
nature while still supple enough to
bend when the circumstances require it. By bringing meaning to
your symptoms you can be guided to
heal. Pain is necessary for us to protect and define ourselves. If we never
experienced pain it would be a disaster for our lives and bodies. But
when we give the pain or affliction
meaning we do not have to suffer.
Pain and suffering are two distinct
entities. Consciousness is non-local
and we need to tune into the messages we are receiving. Since organ
recipients can tell you about the lives
of their donors we must realize our
life is stored within us.
Several years ago I developed
vertigo while training for a marathon
and doing all the other things I normally do. I asked myself how I would
describe this feeling to others and
the words I heard were, “The world
is spinning around”. I knew my body
was telling me to slow down and
rest. My body was making it hard for
me to get out of bed in the morning.
You can talk to your body and learn
from it.
If you are willing to rehearse and
practice you can become the person
you want to be. We know that your
blood chemistry is changed by the
role you play. Even actors experience
changes in their immune function
chronic problems and
and cortisol levels when
Develop your
not need a disease to get
performing in a play. A
multiple personalities
my needs met. So stop
tragic play can lead to
worrying about doing it
illness while acting in a
and let the child within
right or failing because
comedy can help an actor
come forth.
of messages from your
resist disease. Remempast. Participate in your
ber we are talking about
Experience love
life and play as well as
healing your life. Healing
and humor
you can.
and curing are separate
The body is our gift.
and feel what it does
entities but a healed life
It demonstrates what
resists many illnesses and
for your body.
our lives are about just
is more likely to lead to a
as a TV screen shows
cured body.
you the content of the
Don’t let your beliefs get in the way. Let your experience program being viewed. I work with pabe what guides you. I have learned from tients’ dreams and drawings and know
my body and the work of healers that that the body can communicate in symamazing things can be accomplished bols too. I use them to help make diagthat were never taught to me or dis- noses so that patients can see their inner
cussed in medical school. If you live wisdom displayed and help them make
the way we are discussing, you are no therapeutic choices.
The colors used in their drawings
longer a submissive, long-suffering patient but a responsible participant. So also carry meaning and express emodevelop your multiple personalities and tions. Art therapists and Jungian theralet the child within come forth. Experi- pists are aware of this, though it is not
ence love and humor and feel what it mentioned in medical school. It is no
does for your body. My wife Bobbie did accident that Solzhenitsyn, in his book
stand up comedy at our presentations Cancer Ward, describes self induced
and what impressed me was how much healing as “a rainbow colored butterfly.”
healthier everyone’s bodies looked after There you have the symbol of transforfifteen minutes of laughter. And she re- mation and all the emotions associceived more thanks when we were done ated with it in one symbol. So do not
be afraid to step forward and listen to
than I did.
So learn from your body and your your body. This is not about doing it right
problem and let the charcoal under or wrong, being good or bad, but about
pressure become a diamond that frees being open to the universal language of
you from the darkness and disability. I the unconscious as spoken through our
must mention because of how so many bodies. Let your body help guide you to
of us are brought up that this is not the right choices and treatment and ultiabout guilt, shame and blame. This is mately the self healing of your life too.
not about what you did wrong but about
what you can do right by participating Submitted by Dr. Bernie Siegel, who
in your life and communicating with the prefers to be called Bernie, not Dr. Siewisdom within you. Yes, I have been in- gel. For more information about him can
jured and developed health problems, be found at www.berniesiegelmd.com.
which were not about emotional issues He has touched lives all over our planbut things like accidents and tick bites. et through his medical practice and his
However, by listening to my body I can many books, which include Love, Medihelp myself heal more rapidly, avoid cine & Miracles; Peace, Love and Heal-
ing; Prescriptions for Living and more.
Bernie currently resides in Connecticut.
He submits articles to the Slower Network through our Hartford, CT affiliate
magazine, Natural Nutmeg published
by Dr. Diane and Chris Hindman.
A Touch of Tranquility
Our focus is on health rather
than a spa treatment.
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in expert hands.
You will experience
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We offer:
Relaxation massage
Sports massage
Deep tissue massage
Hot stone massage
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Energy work
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Appts 10am to 8pm Mon. - Fri.
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DECEMBER 2008
19
Photo by Charli Mills
Gluten-Free
Holiday Baking
By Charli Mills
W
isps of winter snow blow lightly against my kitchen
window as I organize my recipes for the holidays.
I sort through old clippings I’ve never tried in 22
years and cards handed down to me from family and friends.
Years ago I started tabbing pages in my cookbook, marking the
baking recipes that excited me the most. Then of course there
are the new clippings, cards and print-outs from my favorite
food-oriented websites.
This annual ritual gets me in the mood for holidays as much
as the actual baking, sharing and eating does. However, this
year is a bit different. My oldest daughter, a junior in college,
recently announced that eating gluten-free was clearing up her
crabby digestive system. This problem has persisted throughout
her college years despite mom advising probiotics and her commitment to eating better than most college students do.
She had “hoped I wouldn’t mind” a gluten-free holiday
break this year. Mind? Of course not! I was excited to infuse
new life into my old recipes. I have witnessed the initial despair
people feel when adapting to a new eating lifestyle. It is because
the new “free” lifestyle ads up to “can’t have.” I’m here to tell
you all about what you can have. And that is the approach my
family is taking this holiday season.
Let’s start with pumpkin pie. That was my daughter’s initial
disappointment. Take heart—if you are gluten-free and even
dairy-free as well, pumpkin pie is still on the list of can have”
for the holidays. There are gluten-free pie crust mixes and even
frozen gluten-free pies that you can buy at most co-ops. But
this fun and tasty pie crust recipe pairs well with pumpkin. For
the filling, try the tofu-based pumpkin pie that will surprise you
with how yummy it tastes.
GLUTEN-FREE ALMOND PIE CRUST
1 C. Almond Meal (also known as almond flour)
¼ C. powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. chilled margarine
1½ Tbsp. of non-dairy cream
In a food processor, blend all ingredients until dough
clumps together. Chill 15 minutes. Roll out dough on wax
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paper dusted with either cornstarch or tapioca flour. Transfer
to a 9-inch tart pan.
DAIRY-FREE PUMPKIN PIE
1 ½ pkgs Mori-Nu Ex-Firm Tofu (for lighter texture, use
Mori-Nu Firm Tofu)
2 cups canned or cooked pumpkin
2/3 cup honey
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
¾ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 unbaked 9” pie crust
Drain tofu and blend in a food processor or blender until
smooth. Add remaining ingredients, blend well. Pour into 9”
unbaked pie crust. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees oven for
approximately 1 hour. Filling will be soft, but will firm up as
it chills. Chill and serve.
*Pumpkin Crème Pie: For a creamier version, blend 1 pkg
Mori-Nu Silken Lite Ex-Firm, 4 Tbsp water, 2 pkgs Mori-Nu
Mates Vanilla Pudding Mix, 1 can pumpkin, and spices. Follow directions above.
It’s a matter of learning to substitute. You can do the same
thing for some of your own holiday favorites, including cookies.
Here is a great example for gluten-free baking:
GLUTEN-FREE MACADAMIA NUT BUTTER COOKIES
1 (8oz) jar macadamia nut butter
½ tsp. baking soda
1 ½ tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ C. raw sugar
1 (10oz) bag white chocolate
½ C. firmly packed brown sugar
baking chips
1 large egg
whole pretzel. Using small tongs makes job easier. Let excess
chocolate drip back into bowl. If the chocolate gets too thick,
put back in the microwave for about 15 seconds or place it
back on the double boiler and stir until it melts down again.
Sprinkle desired topping on each pretzel. Do this over a tray
or bowl. Place coated pretzels on parchment or wax paper.
To hurry up the setting process, place in the refrigerator. Wrap
and store pretzels in a cool place.
While you are contemplating the many choices you do
have for holiday baking be sure to try my family’s favorite hot
apple cider. It has always been gluten-free!
Optional:
1 tsp. Xanthan gum
Coconut
1 C. rice flour or alternative Chopped macadamia nuts
Preheat oven 375 degrees. Combine macadamia butter,
vanilla, sugars, and egg. Add Xanthan gum, flour, baking
soda and salt. Add baking chips and optional ingredients or
use later as toppers. Form dough into quarter size balls and
flatten slightly. Place dough on ungreased cookie sheet and
bake 9-11 minutes.
VANILLA-SCENTED MULLED CIDER
8 C. apple cider
12 black peppercorns, crushed
8 whole allspice
2 bay leaves
1 (3-inch) piece vanilla bean, split lengthwise and
scraped
1 (2 x 1/2-inch) strip lemon rind
Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a
simmer. Cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain cider
through a sieve, and discard solids.
Charli Mills is a freelance writer and photographer. She writes
on behalf of Valley Natural Foods, a community-owned co-op
in Burnsville, MN specializing in local, organic and special diet
foods such as gluten-free.
Then there are the easy, no-bake recipes we always like
to make during the holidays. These recipes are a great substitute:
GLUTEN-FREE DATE CLUSTERS
Bring to a boil:
½ C. butter
¾ C. sugar
1 lb. chopped dates
1 beaten egg
Photo © Cathleen Clapper | Dreamstime.com
Mix and add:
1 Tbsp. milk
Dash of salt
1 tsp. vanilla
Cool and pour over 2 C. of gluten-free crispy rice cereal.
Shape into balls and roll in shredded coconut.
GLUTEN-FREE CHOCOLATE-COVERED PRETZELS
1 (12oz) bag gluten-free pretzels
6 oz of gluten-free chocolate chips
Sprinkles of your choice (like crushed candy canes, nuts
or seas salt)
Melt chocolate over double boiler or in microwave. If you
use microwave, heat for 30-secong intervals, stirring between
each one, until chocolate is melted smoothly. Dip each pretzel
into melted chocolate or spoon chocolate over to cover the
DECEMBER 2008
21
Exercise:
An Excellent Tool
for Health
A
s the current medical paradigm continues to focus on
searching and prescribing the latest and greatest pharmaceutical products and surgeries, mainstream medicine
tends to gravitate toward the recent medical advancements for
the answers to ongoing health problems. Unfortunately, since
the majority of people tend to look for the answers this way, as a
society we get further and further away from the basics of health
and wellness. This current model for medicine approaches
diseases almost as if they occur due to a lack of a certain drug
and not a dysfunction or shutdown of certain physiological
pathways in the body. The truth of the matter is that we have
not evolved to be a species that is deficient of pharmaceutical
drugs, but we are wired to need certain fundamental basics that
are vital for health. Because of this focus, the United States for
the most part has become a nation of disease treatment and not
a nation of disease prevention or wellness maintenance.
Doctors rarely talk to patients about such basics of health
as diet, lifestyle, nutritional support, sleep, and stress control.
One of the most basic health staples is exercise, and exercise is
highly misunderstood by the general public. To keep it simple:
exercise is movement and includes any movement at all. This
movement does not have to be high intense marathon training or strenuous weightlifting. It can include tapping your foot
while waiting for the bus, dancing, writing, or walking. The
problem is that we have gotten away from being creatures in
motion and moved towards a society of couch potatoes. Humans are not engineered to sit around all day, either in front
of a computer at work or in front of the television at home. It
has been estimated that our human ancestors walked 12 miles
per day. 12 miles per day! Most Americans don’t even walk
1 mile a day total. Only recently have we become a civilization that is dependent on automobiles for transportation and
our day jobs now include sedentary work from the desk. This
lack of exercise has a negative effect on our health, especially
our nervous systems.
Exercise is an amazing tool for wellness maintenance, due
to the fact that it stimulates the brain and nervous system and
improves the circulatory and lymph system. By stimulating
the brain, this improves long term memory, problem solving,
reasoning, attention, and short term memory. Exercise also
can be utilized to improve mental and emotional wellness. It
regulates the three neurotransmitters of serotonin, dopamine,
and norephinephrine that help to control emotion and mood.
It increases blood flow to tissues, improves immune function,
increases oxygen consumption of the tissue, and decreases
the risk for most diseases. Our central nervous system needs
oxygen, blood, and stimulus to the brain in order to prosper
and exercise is the best stimulus to the brain. And research
has proven that there is a decreased risk for certain diseases
such as Alzheimers, dementia, depression, anxiety, and stroke.
Increasing exercise also increases oxygenation to the cells and
this helps the body to heal, thrive, and detoxify.
The bottom line is that we are animals that have been
sculpted due to motion. If you look at the human brain, one
of the largest areas of the brain is the cerebellum. This part of
the brain is much larger in humans than other animals, and is
responsible for movement, coordination, and balance. Therefore, we are truly engineered to be movers and shakers. The
gold standard for the proper amount of exercise is 30 minutes
of exercise two to three times a week, but any additional movement adds benefits and improves health. One great way to
increase your activity is to wear a pedometer and monitor your
activity throughout the day. Moving more during the day will
help your emotional, physical, and chemical wellbeing. And
it can be used as a great tool for wellness maintenance, health
prevention, and improved aging.
Written by Meaghan Kirschling, DC, RN, MS who practices
holistic medicine at Synapse Clinic, 4480 Erin Drive, Eagan,
MN 55414. Phone 651-209-9906. See ad page 21.
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{
What is Colon Hydrotherapy?
C
olon Hydrotherapy (also known as "colonics", “colon
lavage", "colon irrigation", or "high colonic") is a safe
and effective method of cleansing the large intestine of
accumulated waste by gently flushing the colon with warm, purified water. Colon Hydrotherapy has been utilized for centuries
as an adjunct to proper nutrition and personal hygiene.
Is it safe?
Yes. In fact, with new colon therapy equipment, treatments
are much safer than the common enema.
What can I expect during a Colon Hydrotherapy session?
A small, plastic tube is inserted into your rectum and you
are asked to lie on your back throughout the session. While
the warm water is flushing your colon, your therapist massages
your abdomen to help with the elimination process. Many
people report their Colon Hydrotherapy sessions as being both
refreshing and relaxing. You remain completely clothed/covered
during your session and because we use a “closed system”,
there is no embarrassing smell or sound. You can return work
and resume regular activities immediately because you will feel
just as you would after a regular bowel movement. A strong
emphasis is placed on educating clients on colon health during
each session. The importance of fiber in your diet, drinking pure
water, utilizing proper stool habits and establishing a good flora
balance are some of the topics that may be discussed during
each session.
Why should I consider Colon Hydrotherapy?
Clinically speaking, you are constipated if you have only
one bowel movement a day. The proper balance of nutrition,
lifestyle changes and Colon Hydrotherapy work to re-train your
colon and promote two to three bowel movements per day.
Moving your stool often is critical in reducing the re-absorption
of toxins in the body. Colon Hydrotherapy encourages the body
to release toxins. Education on toxicity along with the importance of fiber, water, good flora balance and proper bowel habits
are discussed at length during your sessions.
What does Colon Hydrotherapy do to the colon?
1. Cleanses the Colon: Toxic material is broken down so
it can no longer harm your body or inhibit assimilation
and elimination. Even debris built up over a long period
is gently, but surely removed in the process of a series of
treatments. In this very real sense a colonic is a rejuvenation treatment.
2. Exercises the Colon Muscles: The build up of toxic debris
weakens the colon and impairs function. The gentle filling
and emptying of the colon improves peristaltic (muscular
contraction) activity by which the colon naturally moves
}
material. A colonic is a 45-minute workout session for
your colon muscles!
3. Reshapes the Colon: When problems exist in the colon,
they tend to alter the shape of the colon. The gentle action of the water, coupled with the massage techniques of
the colon therapist helps to eliminate bulging pockets of
waste and narrowed, spastic constrictions finally enabling
the colon to resume its natural state.
4. Promotes Detoxification: A colonic removes waste
and toxins during the therapy. Other organs in the body
are stimulated to release toxins when the colon is clean.
Therefore, the liver, skin, kidneys and lymph system will
dump toxins into the colon during the therapy, thereby
promoting detoxification.
Major indications for Colon Hydrotherapy are as follows:
· Bloating, gas, constipation, cramping or diarrhea
· Signs of toxicity such as acne, headaches, irritability or
fatigue
· Detox regiments such as liver, gall bladder, lymph and
tissue cleanse
· Celiac’s Disease
How does a Colon Hydrotherapy treatment compare to an
enema?
An enema only reaches the rectum and lower part of the
colon (8-12 inches), whereas with Colon Hydrotherapy the
entire length of the colon is reached (the large intestinal tract
is approximately 5 to 5½ feet in length). Enemas generally use
higher pressure and often send the colon into spasm, thus the
minimal fills and some discomfort. Colon Hydrotherapy, utilizing lower pressures and properly controlled temperatures, is
many more times effective.
To achieve optimal colon health, most clients benefit from
colon hydrotherapy once per week for at least six weeks. This
will allow you to re-train your colon and flush toxins from the
body.
From 1996 –2004, Angela Rasmusen worked as a registered
Radiologic Technologist and Vascular Technician at several
hospitals in the Twin Cities and served as a compliance coordinator for a major medical device company. Through this
experience, she had an inside look at modern medicine and her
interest in alternative therapies prompted her to open a Colon
Hydrotherapy business in 2005. She has enjoyed her journey
on the path to wellness and looks forward to assisting you in
your own journey. You can reach Angela at 651.353.2758 or
651.209.9906 or via email at [email protected].
DECEMBER 2008
23
MOVEMENTasMEDICINE
This month we are departing from our usual forays into the intricate science of exercise and focusing
on something a little different. Sleep may seem like it has nothing to do with exercise, but in fact
it is one of the most crucial aspects of recovery from exercise. Without sleep, the benefits of exercise
would cease to exist. During exercise, the body is damaged and during sleep it grows back
stronger and younger. So this month, we hope you will enjoy this article on the
most important thing you can do to aid your exercise endeavors:
Sleep.
Is Lack of Sleep
Making You
Fat?
S
leep is one of the most basic physiological responses in the animal
world. Everyone knows that you
can’t function for long when you are
sleep deprived. Sleep can be regarded
as the physiological equivalent to the
reset button on your computer. When
a computer crashes, the surest way to
solve the problem is to reboot. It seems
we modern day humans have forgotten
our intimate connection to sleep. We
do everything we can to circumvent it.
We stay up nightly watching late night
TV, surfing the Internet, and feeding ourselves under artificial light.
In the morning we rip ourselves
away from the bed using all manner of
stimulants to jump-start our bodies and
allow us to function once again. Like
most things in the modern world, sleep
is treated as more of an annoyance than
a critically essential process for whole
body function. It is not uncommon for
people to brag they only require four
hours of sleep. However, in order to keep
them functional, it requires large cups
of coffee, along with plenty of bagels,
cookies, chocolate, pasta...you name it.
Most of these people are self-diagnosed
carbohydrate junkies and regard their
weight issue as a hereditary defect rather
than a symptom of chronic sleep deprivation. The loss of fat from the human
body is a complex process that goes far
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beyond simple one-dimensional models
of calorie counting. Sleep holds the key
to restoring your fat burning software
and it is all related to ancient human
metabolism.
Sleep and Hormones
You may be wondering what sleep
can possibly have to do with fat metabolism. Well, you have heard of hormones, right? Hormones in the body
are powerful chemical messengers that
tell the body how to respond to the outside world. When most people think of
hormones, they think of the sex steroids
like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. These are definitely examples of
hormones, but there are many different
types of signaling molecules in the body
and they extend beyond concerns of reproduction. Maybe you have heard of
some of the key hormones involved in
fuel metabolism? Insulin, leptin, cortisol,
adrenaline, growth hormone and others
act like computer software to the body.
They give the body instructions about
how, when, and why to respond to the
outside world. Survival is the major concern of any species, and hormonal regulation of fat metabolism has been essential to human existence for millennia.
If hormones are the body’s computer software, then the sense organs
are its input devices. Your eyes, ears,
nose, mouth, and sense of touch, temperature and perception are analogous
to the mouse, keyboard, CD drive, Internet connection, and input devices on
your computer. Just like typing a command into a computer keyboard or loading a new program on your computer
hard-drive, signals coming in from your
body’s sense organs are the prime movers of hormonal metabolism.
Easily the most important signal received by the body is light. Light influences metabolism so acutely that studies have shown a single photon of light
shining into the back of the knee in an
otherwise blacked out environment, can
elicit a hormonal response in the body.
Here is how light works: as the sun rises,
those first beams of light hitting your
closed eyelids send signals to the body’s
nervous system. These signals produce a
hormonal response characterized by a
slow, steady climb of stress hormones;
adrenaline, nor-adrenaline, and cortisol. These hormones then begin to
raise blood sugar, increase respiration,
stimulate fuel metabolism and elevate
energy to wake you from sleep. From
there, you are off. The body receives environmental inputs and issues hormonal
commands all day long. Food, sounds,
light, exercise, stress, and beliefs provide the stimulus for hormonal reactions
By Jade Teta ND, CSCS and Keoni Teta ND, LAc, CSCS
that determine whether you burn fat or
store it, age fast or slow, or maintain a
state of health or disease. The power of
your choices to affect hormonal balance
is profound. Sleep more than any other
choice has the power to balance your
hormonal software for the coming day.
Sleep, The Ancient Fat Regulator
Before getting to the specifics of how
sleep elevates fat burning, it is important
to clarify what we mean by weight loss.
We have all heard of calories and most
in the fitness world feel calorie burning
is the end all be all of weight loss. The
first thing to understand is weight loss is
an inaccurate descriptor of what most
desire. Fat loss is what people really
want, and weight loss does not necessarily equal fat loss. That is why a focus
on calories is so misleading, because
the type of calorie burned, whether fat
or sugar is what is most important. Hormones determine how much and what
type of calories will be burned. Most
people’s bodies are programmed to burn
sugar and conserve fat. This is an ancient
survival mechanism that evolved to help
our ancestors survive periods of famine.
For almost all of human existence, food
was not guaranteed and those who were
able to conserve fat easily fared better.
However, there are and always have
been environmental signals that told the
body to burn fat. Light and sleep are the
major determinants.
Why does sleep have this effect?
Consider the role light and sleep have
played in our evolution as humans. For
millions of years we evolved with the
seasons. Summer days are longer, brighter, and accompanied by abundant food.
Winter days have longer nights, colder
days, and less food. This may seem obvious, but before the amenities of artificial light, heat, and readily available
and processed foods, the only option at
night was to sleep. Summer and winter
in the natural world send distinct and
clear signals to a mammal’s physiology.
In the case of summer, the lengthened
days meant elevated stress hormones
like adrenaline and cortisol. The excess
food meant higher amounts of insulin to
signal fat storage and leptin to increase
hunger. The whole goal of summer is to
mate and then eat as much as you can
to get fat for the coming winter. As fall
approaches, the body has been exposed
to high amounts of the stress hormones,
insulin, and leptin for so long it becomes
resistant to their action creating a unique
state where the ability to use fat or sugar
for fuel is compromised. Sound familiar? This is the modern day equivalent of
what doctors call metabolic syndrome.
To ancient man, reaching this state of
hormone resistance was essential to surviving winter. Without high sugar, blood
fat, and ample fat depots, the chances
of surviving a long cold winter were diminished.
For a mammal wanting to get
through the long winter, hormone resistance is good news because it means
the body is now nothing but a fat storing machine. By the time winter dawned
historic humans would have shown
a decreased ability to use fuel, lack of
motivation, depression of all body functions, and fatigue. This is exactly the
response needed to induce hibernation
in a harsh prehistoric winter. Jovial energetic cavemen with low body fat would
not have lasted long. This is identical to
any mammal’s preparation for hibernation and can describe many modern day
humans.
Winter was our prehistoric savior.
DECEMBER 2008
25
The shorter days and longer nights of winter forced prolonged
periods of sleep. Sleeping throughout the winter reversed the
hormone resistance that was so prevalent in the late summer
months. Less light exposure, a complete reliance on animals
for food, and prolonged sleep induced a new hormonal program that turned on all the fat burning genes. By the time
spring returned, the body was primed for action and burning
through its fat stores at an accelerated rate. The problem for
modern man is we have induced an artificial summer that never ends. We have a constant and steady supply of sugar-rich
foods. We keep the temperatures stable through heating and
air conditioning. And most importantly, we extend our days
and decrease our sleep through exposure to artificial light in
the form of TV, computer and the light bulb. In this artificial
summer, winter never comes, yet we continue to respond as if
we were in the natural world. Leptin, insulin, and cortisol run
a hormonal program instructing us to eat as much as we can
to get fat for the coming winter. The result? We get fatter, more
tired, and more depressed. Sleep is the way out.
Does Science Support Sleep As a Fat Burner?
Maybe you are wondering if our theory holds up in the
scientific world. Is there any objective data to support what we
are saying? One study published online at the Public Library
of Science illustrates how sleep is connected to hormones that
control appetite. This study published December 7th 2004
looked at 1,024 subjects and their sleep and eating habits. In
subjects who slept less than 7 to 8 hours a significant increase
was noted in BMI and appetite. These short sleepers ate significantly more and weighed more than those people who slept
longer. The study also showed that leptin and ghrelin, two key
hormones regulating appetite, were the major reason for this
finding.
Another more recent study bolsters the fact that light and
lack of sleep are related to obesity. This study published in the
June 2006 International Journal of Obesity, was a very comprehensive study wanting to discover all the factors related to
the increasing prevalence of obesity. In addition to the wellrecognized connection between diet and exercise, this study
found something interesting and unexpected. It found that
deficits in sleep were a major predictor of weight gain and
obesity. This study also showed that heating and air conditioning were playing a role. This lends strong support to the fact
that human avoidance of natural factors such as light and temperature has caused hormonal confusion as to how to manage
our fat stores. The two studies above, and others like them,
lend serious credibility to the artificial summer hypothesis
and show that key hormones related to fat burning are altered
negatively with reduced sleep.
There are many other studies on circadian rhythm, sleep
and hormone balance, and increased appetite in the sleep
deprived. The important thing to remember is that you don’t
need science to tell you what makes sense intuitively. Most
people know that if they get a good night’s rest, they are more
likely to feel energetic, motivated, and make better choices.
However, it is not always easy to know exactly what you can
do to ensure you get the most fat burning potential from your
sleep.
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Choosing Sleep
It all starts with your choices. Don’t get the wrong idea, we
are not telling you to go hang out in a cave for three months
and hibernate. We realize the demands of life. We know you
are busy, work hard, exercise, and try to find time to do the
things you enjoy. However, we also know that if you are serious about fat loss, you will need to consider some changes.
You have to ask yourself what is more important: do you want
to burn fat, or watch your favorite late night TV show.
Frequently people do not feel tired and take that as a sign
they should stay up until they can go to sleep. This is the wrong
choice. How to you think your body is going to feel when you
feed it high sugar foods all day and bathe it in artificial light.
It is going to feel like it is summer. What do animals feel compelled to do in summer? They want to find food and be active.
Have you ever wondered why people who sit down in from
of the TV at night always feel compelled to make their way to
the refrigerator? Feeling tired is no longer a reliable indicator
of the need for sleep because everything in the environment
is sending the hormonal signal to stay awake. The only way to
change this is make different choices.
Technology can help. Using dimmers on your lights and
computer screens can decrease stress hormones at night. Using candles is another option. Tivo and other recording devices are available to record your favorite late night TV shows,
so you can go to bed closer to sundown. There are all kinds of
ways to send your body proper signals and rewrite your hormonal software programs. Here are some pointers to help:
2 8 hours is minimum; 9 is optimal
The body needs long hours of uninterrupted sleep for hormonal balance. Every night your body goes through its rhythm
of hormonal computing to repair, regenerate, and revitalize
the tissues of the body. This process is complicated and takes
time. At least eight hours is necessary, but nine is best.
When downloading a new piece of software on your computer, things happen in sequence and are done meticulously
so the software will function correctly. It is no accident that
whenever you download new software on a computer you
have to restart. If the process is interrupted, you have to reboot
and start again. It is similar in the body.
Time is essential for your body’s hormonal software to
download and complete its functions. As the hours pass during sleep, your fat storing hormonal machinery is turned down.
Leptin, cortisol, insulin, and adrenaline are lowered. This allows the body to respond to the signals of these hormones
once again. At the same time, glucagon, HGH, testosterone,
and other growth promoting and antioxidant hormones like
melatonin increase their activity.
The combination of this hormonal environment signals
the body to burn fat. It is important to remember this process
takes time. The longer you sleep the better chance you have
of enjoying several hours of fat burning. If you sleep less than
8 hours a night you may never reach fat burning at all. Nine
hours of sleep assures maximum fat burning potential
2 By 10pm is best
Your natural sleep cycle is also related to time. Remember, light is what turns on your hormonal wake-up software.
If you are exposed to light at night you will not be able to
easily switch into relaxing sleep. Some people are more susceptible to this than others. Your physiology is programmed to
go to sleep shortly after sundown. Artificial lighting, TV, and
computer screens circumvent this response by lengthening the
time your hormonal wake software is active. The longer you
are exposed to light after sundown the more you push back
your hormonal sleeping signals.
Parts of these signals include fat burning and anti-aging
hormones like HGH, glucagon, and testosterone. When light
comes up again the next morning, these hormones are shut
off. This means sleeping eight hours, but going to bed at midnight only gives you five or so hours of sleep in the dark. This
is not long enough to reset your hormones and commence fat
burning. People going to sleep closer to midnight have higher
cortisol levels in the morning than those going to bed around
ten o’clock. This is true even if both groups of people get equal
amount of time sleeping. To insure your fat burning hormones
are working, the time you go to bed is just as important as how
long you sleep.
2 Turn the lights out
There are things you can do to minimize the effect of light
after sundown. Dimmers allow enough light so that you can
see, and more closely resemble moonlight than sunlight. Candles create a similar effect. By using dimmers and candles you
can help sleep quality and quantity. TVs and computers are
equipped with dimmers too.
2 Don’t eat before bed
If it is difficult for you to sleep properly, then you can
simulate sleep’s affects by avoiding food at night. Sleep is incompatible with eating, which is one important benefit. Good
sleep quality and quantity creates the optimal situation for lasting weight loss: lower calories and hormonal balance. One of
the most effective tools for fat loss is the avoidance of food
for at least 10-12 hours every night. That means the last meal
of the day will need to be around 7 or 8pm for most. Staying
away from food after the sun goes down helps reverse the hormone resistance of cortisol, insulin, and leptin and makes you
a far more efficient fat burner.
Sweet Dreams
By now, we hope you have gotten the point. Calories,
drugs, surgeries, supplements and the latest magic rainforest juice may provide some benefits, but can never rewrite
your ancient hormonal program to which your genes and metabolism are tuned. Sleep can. Getting back to sleep is like
loading a brand new software program into your body. It tells
the body to decrease insulin and leptin. It lowers cortisol and
other stress hormones, and it has direct power over fat burning hormones like human growth hormone. Now that you understand how your ability to burn fat is directly impacted by
sleep, you can construct an environment that is more in line
with your ancient metabolic processes. Sweet dreams.
Drs. Jade and Keoni Teta are naturopathic physicians and experts in the science and application of exercise. Visit www.
metaboliceffect.com or www.naturopathichealthclinic.com
for more information, or email [email protected] or
[email protected]
Editorial Calendar 2009
January
Let’s Get Fit
(Healthy Weight Management, Fitness)
Fitness for Kids
February
Stress and the Heart
Relationship Stress
March
Toxic Overload – Home and Body
Boosting Nutrition with Organics
April
Complementary, Alternative, Integrative Medicines: Definitions and Differences
Saving Our World – Earth Day and Every Day
May
Women’s Health: Osteoporosis
Care for the Caregiver
June
Men’s Health: How Men Handle Stress
and Depression
5 Top Health Concerns for Men
July
Body Based Medicine
The Health Hazards of Black Mold
August
Raising a Healthy Generation
Holistic Pediatrics
September
Oral Health and Your Body
Inflammation and the Role of Nutrition
October
The Essence of Estrogen
The Care and Feeding of Celiac Disease
November
Nutritional Basics for Optimal Health
Suddenly Senior – Staying Fit, Mind & Body
December
Living With Purpose
Taking Care of Yourself
DECEMBER 2008
27
Why
Live Blood Analysis
is Important
D
o you want to see how healthy you really are? Look at
your blood. The morphology, or how the blood changes, will reveal to what extent your body is changing. If
the blood initially looks good at the time of the test, but starts to
rapidly degrade or change, then your physical condition may be
poorer than suspected, and a great deal of work to build your
immunity, nutritional support and absorption may be needed. If
the blood initially looks somewhat less than ideal, but doesn’t
degrade much within the time of the test, it is possible that your
constitution is strong and therefore less work may be necessary
to help you regain or retain vibrant health.
Live blood analysis may be useful to help change current
conditions or symptoms, and it may play an important role in
possibly preventing more serious problems by a simple testing
of a single drop of blood. This may include the early detection
of platelet aggregation, which can lead to clots, and freefloating
plaque which may be a sign of cardiovascular problems.
First, blood is taken from the finger in the form of a single
drop. The slides are used with a cover glass to reduce rapid
deterioration and oxygen damage. Two or three slides are
prepared to help determine if similar blood patterns are visible
in all samples. These live blood samples are then examined
under a darkfield/phase contrast microscope which displays
the image on a television monitor. The following conditions
may be ascertained:
• Low vitamin B12 and Folic Acid utilization
• Disturbance in protein utilization
• Fat metabolism problems
• Cholesterol crystals
• Liver/bowel toxicity
• Circulatory impairment
• Excessive free-radical damage
• Platelet aggregation (clots)
• Allergic reactions
• Systemic infections
• Immune system function & activity
What the Blood Reveals
Rouleau.
This is the singular of rouleaux in French, and means a
“row of coins”. Red blood cells are disc-shaped, and when
found in this pattern, may indicate a lack of sufficient stomach
acid, or an acute phase reaction to an improper food, stress
28
TCnaturally.com
(adrenalin), or an allergen. Rouleau may be described as having
a large number of cells with a greatly decreased surface area.
The cells are aggregated into columns that resemble a stack of
coins, which decreases the amount of oxygen and nutrients
carried to the tissues. Circulation is compromised and oxygen
transport and carbon dioxide exchange is diminished.
Symptoms may include poor stamina and overwhelming fatigue, shortness of breath, bad digestion, inflammation,
edema, and low skin temperature.
Erythrocyte Aggregation.
When the red cells are drawn together, as if by a magnet,
this is a condition known as an erythrocyte aggregation. This is
a problem similar to rouleau, but the cohesion is formed into
a “clump” instead of a row. It is considered to be more severe
than rouleau. It is also referred to as “blood sludge” and when
very large formations are evident they may potentially be
lifethreatening.
Symptoms are similar to those found in rouleau, but even
more problematic and usually not short term, as in a food allergy
or stress-related fatigue. Saturated fats and poor fat utilization,
as well as excessive proteins are found to be problematic.
Chylous.
This is fat in the blood. It is an evaluation of the triglyceride
fat, cholesterol, phospholipids and proteins in the blood at the
time. It correlated with what the individual ate before the test. It
appears in the bloodstream within 45 minutes after eating and
should clear within 4 hours. However, if the person consumed
little fat and small portions, but we see considerable fat in the
blood, we know that they have high blood fats (cholesterol/
triglycerides), poor digestion of fat, and/or a weak liver that is
unable to clear this fat.
Spicules.
These are needle-like inclusions which are formed from
fibrin. We generally see this condition along with sticky red cells
and chronic inflammatory or degenerative problems. This may
indicate a liver damaged by blood pressure medications, antihistamines, steroid and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents,
antibiotics, alcohol, and other drugs. Fibrinogen is involved in
clotting, and when the fibrin needles begin to appear quickly
after taking the sample, we need to look at using supplements
that reduce inflammation and clotting.
Poikilocytes.
These are deformed red cells. They may resemble bottlecaps
or are generally deformed and are not round with sufficient
cell wall flexibility. Researchers believe that free-radical damage causes membrane rigidity. However, poor fat metabolism
may also be involved. The red blood cell walls are composed
primarily of fats. These membranes are subject to peroxidation
in the presence of oxygen.
Fatigue usually accompanies poikilocytosis. Cell walls that
are deformed don’t have sufficient elasticity to pump oxygen
and nutrients to the tissues. Fried foods, saturated and hydrogenated fats, people who work in or are exposed to the sun for
prolonged periods, or patients undergoing chemotherapy or
radiation often exhibit this problem. Also, as stated earlier, poor
fat metabolism will show similar cell-wall distortions.
Anisocytosis.
Abnormal sizes of red blood cells indicate low iron, folic
acid, and vitamin B-12 deficiencies. Anisocytosis is seen in
autoimmune hemolytic anemia, liver disease, megaloblastic
anemia of infancy, pernicious anemia, and sickle cell disease.
Intrinsic factor is a relative small glycoprotein secreted by the
stomach wall that is essential for the absorption of vitamin B-12.
Insufficient B-12 must be replaced by either injection or to a
lesser extent by sublingual absorption. Anisocytes are larger or
smaller than the normal size cells.
Macrocytes.
These are larger than normal red cells, with a diameter
greater than 9 microns. The normal average is 7.2 microns.
Some of the conditions associated with macrocytes are poor
absorption, pernicious anemia, lack of hydrochloric acid and
quick food transit. Macrocytes, like other anisocytes, are found
in vitamin B-12 and folic acid deficiencies. Macrocytes are
frequently seen in individuals who have had stomach surgeries,
tumors, small bowel inflammation, parasitic bowel infection
and inflammation of the pancreas.
Microcytes.
Microcytes are smaller than normal red cells, with a diameter of less than 6 microns compared to a normal of 7.2 microns.
They frequently have an MCV of less than 80-82 cubic microns.
They often have less hemoglobin than normal cells and are seen
in iron deficiency anemia and other forms of anemia.
looking like a target. Target cells can indicate iron deficiency
or reduced hemoglobin synthesis. Less often, they may indicate
thalassemia. Possible low iron, bile insufficiency, or liver issues
may be causal.
In women, target cells often appear during menstruation
and pregnancy. Symptoms may include pale skin and low energy due to malabsorption.
Echinocytes (Burr Cells).
Echinocytes are deteriorating red blood cells. They derive
their name from the Greek word for “sea urchin”. They indicate
damaged cells (either improper slide preparation or internal
conditions), toxins, alcohol, poor dietary habits, antibodies due
to possible infection, or a pH imbalance.
Symptoms may include low energy, circulatory problems,
and degenerative disease.
Ghost Cells.
These are “shadow” cells. Ghosting may occur as a result of
pressure from the cover glass resting on the slide. The pressure
may cause weakened cell walls to loose their shape. However,
if ghosting is seen while the specimen is being examined, there
may be an overall cell-wall weakness. The membrane walls have
lost integrity and allowed the hemoglobin to escape.
Poor fat metabolism or utilization, oxidative stress, smoking, alcohol, or drug-induced damage may also be problematic. Usually low energy and depression may accompany this
condition.
Plaque.
Plaque is an irregular, hard or soft, abnormal formation that
is generally composed of a lipid core (fat), along with thrombocyte aggregations plus calcification and collagen formations.
This indicates poor fat metabolism/utilization, and may also
indicate dehydration. Generally, accumulated debris from the
blood stream has solidified to form this destructive mass.
Conditions associated with plaque include cold hands
and feet, poor circulation, reduced energy and stamina, pain
in the calves when walking, chest pain, and high blood pressure. Plaque may indicate a history of diabetes, heart attack,
or stroke.
Ovalcytes.
These are oval-shaped red cells which have more total
volume than normal sized cells. They indicate folic acid and
vitamin B-12 deficiency. Without sufficient folic acid or vitamin B-12, DNA synthesis is interrupted. Junk food may be a
major causative factor. They are often found in late stages of
pregnancy, depression, alcoholism, individuals with poor fat
metabolism, and those with vitamin B depletion caused by
certain medications.
Thrombocyte Aggregation.
This is also called platelet aggregation. Platelets are less
than 2 microns, or approximately 1/3 to 1/4 the size of a red
blood cell, and normally circulate freely in the blood. They are
essential to the clotting of blood immediately after injury.
An elevated amount of thrombocyte aggregation may indicate high stress, high fat diet or poor fat metabolism, drugs,
food allergy, high serum epinephrine, and/or injury (acute phase
reaction). Stress increases the release of adrenaline into the
bloodstream. Smoking, alcohol, and caffeine can also stimulate
abnormal platelet aggregation.
Codocytes.
These are also called Target Cells. They are red cells whose
membranes have collapsed inwards, leaving a ring of elevated
membrane around a central “hole” with a dot in the center,
Alex Thompson offers live blood analysis at Vaughan Integrative
Medicine, 1301-A West Wendover Avenue in Greensboro.
Call 336-808-3627 for an appointment or visit www.VaughanIntegrative.com for ore information.
DECEMBER 2008
29
NUGGETSofWISDOM
Peace on Earth
W
hether you celebrate ChristChrist
mas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, BoBo
dhi Day, Hajj or any other, December
is full of religious and cultural traditradi
tions. Whatever your belief or tradition, your neighbor may hold another one dear.
Reach out to them, and wish them peace...that works well for all of us.
December 8:
December 12:
December 13:
December 21-29:
December 25:
December 26:
December 26-January 1:
December 31:
B
Bodhi Day (Buddhist) and Eid'ul-Adha (Muslim)
Fiesta of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Mexican)
St. Lucia Day (Swedish)
Hanukkah (Jewish)
Christmas Day (Christian)
Boxing Day (Australian, Canadian, English, Irish)
Kwanzaa (African American)
Omisoka (Japanese)
Recyle / Reuse
RIBBON
etween Thanksgiving and New Year's day,
Americans throw away a million extra tons of
garbage weekly, including holiday wrapping and
packaging, according to Robert Lilienfeld, coauthor of the book Use Less Stuff: Environmental
Solutions for Who We Really Are.
So why not recycle holiday gift wrap? Lilienfield notes that if every family reused just 2 feet of
holiday ribbon, the 38,000 miles of ribbon saved
could tie a bow around the entire planet.
Cinnamon Room
Freshener
C
innamon stimulates a sluggish digestion and combats intestinal infection. It acts as a respiratory and cir
circulatory stimulant, and helps to fortify
the immune system against chills
and infections. It can also relieve
mental fatigue, improve poor
concentration and help to lift
depression. Why not keep it
around your house?
For a room freshener
that stimulates and refreshes the mind, relieves
tension and soothes the
nerves: sprinkle a few drops
of diluted cinnamon leaf oil
on rolled cinnamon sticks and
add to potpourri made from dried
orange peel, orange oil and basil.
E
ating more cranberries this holiday season? Rich in Vitamins C & A, cranberries
contain a substance that affects the acidity of the urine and acts as a bactericide.
A daily glass of cranberry juice will help prevent and treat cystitis, and discourage kidney stones.
‘Tis the Season for
Cranberries
30
TCnaturally.com
Fresh cranberries and cranberry juice are used in the treatment of prostate problems and urinary tract infections.
Crushed cranberries, boiled in distilled water and skinned, can be added to a
cup of warm water to help overcome an asthma attack.
Light Up with LEDs:
I
f you are installing holiday lights, consider purchasing more energy efficient
Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs). They
have an average life span of 100,000
hours (vs. 1,500) and reduce energy
consumption by up to 80-90%. Up to
25 strings can be connected end-to-end without overloading the typical household circuit. The
sturdy epoxy lenses are nearly indestructible and their coolburning personality makes combustion nearly impossible no matter
how long they are left on.
The Real Thing
I
f you've been wondering which is better, the simple answer is that real trees are the more eco friendly choice.
Although artificial trees last for many years they are
made from metal and derivatives of PVC --- requiring large amounts of energy to make and creating
by-products such as lead, which can be harmful to
both the environment and human health.
The average life of an artificial tree is just 6
years and given that they are not naturally biodegradable they will potentially pollute a landfill site
for many years to come. Most artificial trees sold are
now made in Taiwan and China and so have additional
energy costs associated with transport.
Real trees are carbon neutral, absorbing as much carbon dioxide as they grow as
they will emit when burnt or left to decompose. They are also a wildlife habitat and
a naturally renewable resource, and generally feel much nicer in your home. They
can be planted in your garden after Christmas, and even used again next year.
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DECEMBER 2008
31
One Great Product.
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The most complete
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Independent Distributors
For information or to order, go to www.myvemma.com/wdorman
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Ask us about having your own home-based business
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TCnaturally.com
KNOWyourHERBS
M
ove over, Viagra (the name
under which drug company
Pfizer sells Sildenafil citrate, a
drug that is used to treat ED) researchers
in Italy report that an ancient Chinese
herbal remedy known as Horny Goat
Weed shows potential in lab studies as
source for new future drugs to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). For men too embarrassed to consult their doctor, it just
might be the answer to their bedtime
prayers.
For centuries, men around the world
have relied on natural herbal remedies
to help them stay vigorous and viril.
Whether you call it Epimedium, Barrenwort, Bishop’s Hat, Fairy Wings, Yin
Yang Huo or Horny Goat Weed, this is
one plant that has been popular for decades.
Horny Goat Weed is a traditional
botanical medicine used in both China
and Japan. Although it has a history of
traditional use for disorders of the kidneys, joints, liver, back and knees, its
principle use is as an aphrodisiac. Basically Horny Goat Weed works for men
with ED by helping to make sure that the
blood vessels dilate as they should naturally. It works quickly as well, which is
definitely a positive thing for men who
are dealing with the frustration of ED.
WHAT IS IT USED FOR?
Behind the funny name of Horny
Goat Weed stands a time-tested aphrodisiac that increases libido in men and
women, and improves erectile function
in men. An all-natural phyto-aphrodisiac,
it's based on the latest scientific research
into male performance and well-being.
According to one herbal author, Horny
Goat Weed has testosterone-like effects.
It stimulates sexual activity in both men
and women, increases sperm production, stimulates the sensory nerves, and
increases sexual desire.
Viagra is just one of several prescription medications available today in the
WHAT FOLK MEDICINE SAYS:
United States that is widely prescribed
for erectile dysfunction, a condition that
affects an estimated 18 million men in
the US alone. Viagra, and other drugs
like it, can cause side effects such as
headache, stomach problems and visual
disturbances. As part of a new screening program to find natural alternatives
to Viagra, recent studies have analyzed
a number of herbal extracts long used
for male impotence, including Ferula
hermonis or Lebanese Viagra; Cinnamomum cassia or Chinese cinnamon;
as well as Epimedium brevicornum aka
Horny Goat Weed. All three extracts are
reputed to improve sexual performance.
The main active component of
each extract was tested against an enzyme known as phosphodiesterase-5A1,
which regulates necessary blood supply.
Inhibition of this enzyme results in more
blood flow. Icariin, the active ingredient
of Horny Goat Weed, inhibited PDE-5
to a greater degree than the other compounds tested. This coincides with the
same way that Viagra works on the human body.
Horny Goat Weed has been a folk
remedy for ED for many years. It never stopped being sold for that purpose
when Viagra hit the market, but we're
just now getting around to actually testing it. There have been many folk remedies through the years that have proven
quite effective, so it's not that huge a
surprise that this one appears to work
too.
According to folklore, Horny Goat
Weed's reputed aphrodisiac qualities
were discovered when a Chinese goat
herder noticed increased sexual activity
in his flock after they ingested the weed.
Animal studies indicate that Horny Goat
Weed may work by increasing nitric oxide levels, which relaxes smooth muscle
and allows increased blood flow to the
desired areas. Some evidence suggests
Horny Goat Weed may modulate levels
of the hormones cortisol, testosterone,
and thyroid hormone, bringing low levels back to normal.
The use of Epimedium (HGW) as a
medicinal herb dates back thousands of
years. Shen Nong's Canon of Medicinal
Herbs, compiled around 400 A.D., mentions its use. The odorless, bitter herb has
been used as a kidney tonic to help relieve problems of frequent urination and
correct problems of light-headedness
and weakness associated with improper
body fluid volumes, as a reproductive
system tonic to treat impotence and premature ejaculation, and as a rejuvenating tonic, as an aphrodisiac or to relieve
fatigue. The herb, which dilates blood
vessels, has also been used to treat coronary heart disease, asthma, bronchitis,
and sinusitis. As an expectorant, it can
be used to control coughing, and it can
also be used to lower blood pressure.
Studies have shown that Epimedium
raises adrenaline, noradrenaline, serotonin, and dopamine levels in animals.
It is the dopamine that may be responsible for the herb's use as a reproduc-
DECEMBER 2008
33
tive tonic. The increased dopamine levels in the body set off a chain reaction
that leads to a release of testosterone,
the male sex hormone. Other evidence
suggests the herb increases sensitivity in
nerve endings, which may explain why
it is prescribed as an aphrodisiac.
WHAT HAS BEEN PROVEN:
Horny Goat Weed (Epimedium) has
a two thousand year history of use as a
sex-enhancer. The leaves of Horny Goat
Weed contain a variety of flavonoids,
polysaccharides, lignans, sesquiterpenes, phenolic and penethylol glycosides, ionones, sterols, and an alkaloid
called magnaflorine. Used by practitioners, Horny Goat Weed is several species of epimedium, a leafy plant which
grows in the wild, most abundantly at
higher altitudes. And while the exact
way that Horny Goat Weed works is
still being researched, the plant has long
been employed to restore sexual fire and
alleviate menopausal discomfort.
WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY:
According to Mario Dell’Agli, a researcher at the University of Milan who
led the Italian study, "Through research
efforts, Horny Goat Weed has been the
subject of much hoopla as the subjects
participating in the research all reported
favorable results showing an improved
sex drive, more energy, and improved
erectile condition. Some experts remain
skeptical however. The tests we have
done so far are only preliminary ones.
We should remain undecided about the
value of this herb until further research
is completed. In my personal opinion, I
think that Horny Goat Weed will have a
huge impact on the medical community
but there will always be critics, and in
order to prove that Horny Goat Weed
is a medical asset, we have to conduct
further tests and try to figure out how it
exactly works.”
WHAT RESEARCH CONFIRMS:
Italian researchers report that laboratory studies show that the compound
has the potential to treat ED, and possibly
with fewer side effects than its pharmaceutical cousin, Viagra. Although there
is still much work that needs to be done,
the study is expected to be published in
the Oct. 24, 2008 issue of the Journal
of Natural Products, a publication of the
American Chemical Society.
HOW DO I USE IT?
The herb can be ingested as a tea
infusion. To make the tea, one ounce of
the cut leaves are added to a pint of hot
water. The recommended dosage is one
to three cups per day. The tea should be
taken with food. It is also available in
capsules.
As of this writing, there has been
insufficient clinical studies of Horny
Goat Weed to provide a basis for dosage recommendations, but from a quick
survey of available products it looks like
500 - 600 mg is a somewhat standard
daily dose.
Because of the lack of clinical trial
data, use during pregnancy is NOT recommended.
IN SUMMARY:
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34
TCnaturally.com
Horny Goat Weed is a Chinese plant
that may be able to tackle impotence
with fewer side effects than Viagra, according to scientists from the University
of Milan.
Both Viagra and Horny Goat Weed
contain ingredients that block phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5), an enzyme
which limits blood flow to the penis and
therefore prevents erections. Previously,
Sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra was shown to be 80 times more ef-
fective than icariin, a compound found
inside the Horny Goat Weed. However,
Mario Dell'Agli, the lead pharmacologist on the Italian study said that by producing a modified version of the icariin
molecule a version that works as well as
Viagra can be made. A drug made from
it could also have fewer side effects than
those associated with the little blue pills.
People with heart problems are unable
to take Viagra as it affects enzymes that
are essential for the heart. Early testing
suggests icariin does not have this problem.
Horny Goat Weed is on the market
and is available at herb and health related shops, but the buyer should beware.
Many supplements on the market promise outrageous results but upon closer
examination of their labels, you will find
that the manufacturers often fail to include the proper blend of the herb they
are selling. Therefore, you aren’t getting
what you want. For this reason, many
herbal supplements have received a bad
rap. You'll find some bottles of Horny
Goat Weed that have more fillers and/
or chemicals than herbs. But you'll also
find Horny Goat Weed products that
contain 10 percent icariin. This is what
you are looking for because two to four
capsules per day should be sufficient to
boost flagging libido and juice up your
sex life.
Remember that Horny Goat Weed
has been used safely for more than 2,000
years. Why? Because it works.
Be aware that the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration does not strictly regulate
herbs and dietary supplements. There is
no guarantee of strength, purity or safety
of products containing or claiming to
contain Horny Goat Weed. Decisions
to use herbs or supplements should be
carefully considered. Individuals using
prescription drugs should discuss taking
herbs or supplements with their pharmacist or health care provider before starting.
Submitted by Wendy Evensen. For more
information, visit www.carolinaherbsandcandles.com
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Appointments now available.
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY
Halvorson health llc
Mark Halvorson
[email protected]
952-292-1940
Work from home in your own homebased business. Enjoy the tax benefits
of business ownership. No inventory to
carry. Great products to help others while
earning income.
Charitable events
Selfless Opportunities
Glen & Laura Frechette
Founders
www.SelflessOpportunities.com
651.285.2828
Our website is created to heighten public
awareness of "selfless" events and empower people and communities with the
ability to post their particular charitable
event for FREE! See www.SelflessOpportunites.com.
Votre Vu
952-212-9112
[email protected]
www.votrevu.com/colleen
Colleen consultant ID 0012790
A NEW BUSINESS ADVENTURE-- Hip,
fun French skincare company is launching soon. Natural, spa-quality skin care
and SO much more from Paris France.
Ooh la la...You are going to love this
innovative start up adventure! Internet,
retail and party sales. Votre Vu is backed
by 80 years of research and development
in France. Your definition of success is
your choice...your you…Votre Vu. Make
YOUR reservation today…call Colleen
952-212-9112. See ad on page 39.
GREEN PRODUCTS
Green Clean Solutions
10760 55th St
Clear Lake, Mn
320-266-5906
www.gogreencleansolutions.com
Care for your home with Green Clean
Solutions' aromatheraputic products produced by hand with the highest quality
certified organic plant based ingredients
and pure essential oils. You can find yours
at the Mpls Farmers Market Annex, Twin
Cities Green, and the Maple Grove Farmers Market. Or visit our website. See Ad
on page 9.
ORGANIC SALONS
Kasia Organic Salon
Your Retreat for Beautiful Health
2920 Bryant Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55408
612.386.4044
www.kasiaorganicsalon.com
At Kasia Organic Salon, we believe your
health is as important as your beauty.
Kasia uses the most luxurious, all-natural
& organic products as well as ammonia
free hair color.
Simply Organic Hair Care
Kasia Beautiful Health Skin Care
Mastey Zero-Ammonia Hair Color
Immuno-Viva Health/Beauty Supplements
See ad on page 22.
Recycled products
Discount Post and pole
11680 Hwy 10 SE
Becker, MN 55308
612-986-7306
Your resource for recycled cedar lumber
and timbers. Low cost supplier of mulch,
fenceposts, poles and utility poles. Just
2 miles west of Becker Furniture World.
See ad on page 31.
DECEMBER 2008
35
COMMUNITY resource guide
resource guide
healthy resources
MASSAGE
HEALTHYEXPOSURE® INC
Darren Vigil, CEO & founder
Prior Lake, MN 55372
612-216-2453
[email protected]
www.healthyexposure.com
HealthyExposure® is your connection to a
Healthier Homes, Offices and Lifestyles.
We have the finest Contractors, Service
providers and Hygienist for what ever
your needs may be. Our services range
from remediation, design, remodels, additions, new construction, foam insulation, ventilation, air and water filtration,
duct cleaning, maintenance, landscaping, lawns, ponds and more.
hypnotherapy
Clinical Hypnotherapy
14622 Hanover Lane
Apple Valley MN 55124
763.218.3231
cindylocher@hotmail
www.mn-hypnosis.com
Achieve more, quickly
and easily, with hypnosis. Stop smoking,
break insomnia, lose
weight, release fears
and phobias, reduce
stress and more. Private, custom sessions.
See ad on page 11.
MASSAGE
LITE FORCE BODY SCULPTING &
WITHIN REACH MASSAGE & BODY
WORKS
Burnsville, MN
Kathy Joy Grove 952-922-2992
Mary Grove 612-968-5284
www.kathyjoy.com
Under the caring hands of Kathy Joy you
will leave our office feeling refreshed &
rejuvenated, with Mary you will leave
relaxed & peaceful. Kathy’s lymphatic
detoxification massages gentle releases
toxins from the body. Mary’s Bowen
therapy assists the body in self-healing.
Both are knowledgeable in health &
nutrition and share valuable information
with their clients. Mary is also certified
in these massage therapies: Pre & PostNatal, Sports, Deep Tissue, Swedish and
Hot Stone.
Therapy With Hope
Massage & Nutrition
1060 Centerville Circle
Vadnais Heights, MN 55126
612-232-4829
www.TherapyWithHope.vpweb.com
[email protected]
Receive 25% off
your first massage
or nutritional consultation when you
mention this ad!
Gift Certificates are
available!
We Offer:
Swedish and Deep
Tissue Massage, Hot
Stone Massage,
A Touch of Tranquility
14510 Pennock Ave
Apple Valley, MN
952-432-2550
www.atouchoftranquility.biz
Massages at A Touch of Tranquility are
tailored to the individual needs of the
recipient. We offer several massage
modalities, including, but not limited to,
relaxation, sports, deep tissue and prenatal massages. Gift cards are always
available for that special someone. We
accept Visa/MC . Call for appointment
or more information, or see our website.
See ad on page 19.
supplements
J.J. & Liza Hedden
952-236-8880
[email protected]
www.biofitness.usana.com
USANA Health Sciences is led by scientists with backgrounds in microbiology,
immunology, and cell culture utilizing the
latest clinical research in human nutrition. This means that what you read on
the label is what you actually get. Optimal nutrition with the right combination.
Truly, “Nutritionals You Can Trust”. See
ad page 18.
Pre-natal Massage, Seated Chair Massage, Ear Candling, Health Classes and
Nutritional Consultations with our main
focus on detoxifying the body of built-up
toxins…you will be amazed how great
you feel. For more information about
us and our classes call or go to www.
TherapyWithHope.vpweb.com
Let Us Take Care of You… Call Today!See
ad on page 39.
Go to our website for more:
www.tcnaturally.com
36
TCnaturally.com
COMMUNITYevents
WELLNESS CENTER
Serenity Now Healing Center,
LLC
7043 20th Ave
Centerville, MN 55038
651-429-0661
www.serenitynowhealingcenter.com
We are focused on the healing process,
and providing nature's healing environment along with therapeutic treatments
for relaxation, pain relief, muscle flexibility and well-being. Healing Therapies
include Reiki, La Stone Massage, Swedish
Massage, Deep Tissue Massage, Sports
Massage, Pregnancy Massage, Infant
Massage, SOQI Total Health Spa, Healing
Touch, Raindrop Technique and Ear Candling. We also offer wellness & fitness
classes - Yoga, Pilates, strength & Cardio
and Kettlebells. Check out our website for
more information on dates and times for
classes. See ad on page 34 and 39.
CLASSIFIEDS
Tuesday, December 2
Monday, December 8
Homeopathy: Alleviate the Limiting
Symptoms of Headaches & Depression
Aaron Means 6.30-8.00pm
Learn about homeopathy and how to use
it. We will discuss some of the common
homeopathic remedies used to relieve
the troublesome symptoms of these
conditions that affect your life, and how
remedies can restore your body’s internal
balance to help prevent future occurrences. Handouts will be given. Bring a
notebook and pen, as well as a family
member or friend!
Location: Mississippi Market Coop, 622
Selby Ave, St Paul
Register: RSVP 651-310-9499, info@
msmarket.coop
Help Your Teen Soar Instead of Crash
Deb Bollom, PCC, PC-ACG, CPCC Life
and Business Coach
6:45 pm - 9pm
Learn about the top five things that can
help your teen through Middle School,
High School, and beyond and what signs
to look for to avoid the pitfalls that can
trap a teen. Alternatives to medications
and alternatives that can be used in
conjunction with medications will be addressed. Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran
Church, 12650 Johnny Cake Ridge Road,
Apple Valley, MN
Cost per session $10 per person, 15 per
family. For more information, contact
Brenda Brookman 952-322-2176 [email protected]
Wednesday, December 3
Tuesday, December 9
Health & Nutrition Classes:
Experience hands on the health benefits
of Essential Oils Offered EVERY Wednesday of the month
6:30 to 7:00 emphasis on weight management
7:00 to 8:00 focus on Essential Oils
Burnsville, MN 55372
Contact: Kathy Joy Grove 952-9222992
www.kathyjoy.com/Events.ht
L-I-F-E- Unlimited II No Meeting Traditional Christmas Break!!! Look for meetings to resume January 13, 2009.
Friday, December 5
Want to be green
and recycle?
Sell it in our
classifieds.
Only $1 per word.
Email:
[email protected]
"Grand Holiday Open House" at
Essential Life Center 4-8p.m. Come
and join us in celebrating our new location and services! We'll have food, wine
tasting, photos with Mrs. Clause, free
chair massage and lot's of great goods to
help you get your Holiday off to a bang.
Proceeds benefit local children in need.
Bring an unwrapped toy and receive a
valuable coupon book with lot's of great
deals.
107 Central Ave. N. New Prague, MN.
56071 (952) 649-1771
Wednesday, December 10
Health & Nutrition Classes:
Experience hands on the health benefits
of Essential Oils Offered EVERY Wednesday of the month
6:30 to 7:00 emphasis on weight management
7:00 to 8:00 focus on Essential Oils
Burnsville, MN 55372
Contact: Kathy Joy Grove 952-9222992
www.kathyjoy.com/Events.ht
DECEMBER 2008
37
COMMUNITYevents
Saturday, December 13
Saturday, December 13
Sunday, December 14
ESSENTIAL OIL INTRODUCTORY I $20
($30 PER MARRIED COUPLE)
• Aromatherapy • Herbs vs Essential
Oils • The difference between therapeuticgrade and other Essential Oils. •
International uses of Essential Oils • How
the oils support our bodies in creating
a environment of optimal healing for
physical - mental - emotional wellbeing.
• The use of Essential Oils on animals. •
How to use the oils to heighten intuition
• How internally cleansing our body and
PH influence our health & the effectiveness of Essentials Oil • How the oils
positively and dramatically effect chronic
& degenerative conditions. Excellent for
increasing stamina and athletic performance. We will be outside in the weather
so dress appropriately.
Whole Health Veterinary (formerly: Central Bird & Animal Hospital)
13060 Central Ave NE Blaine, MN 55435
Please bring a chair, also plenty of spring
water to drink.
For directions only 763-785-2700 www.
wholehealthvet.com Cherie is teaching,
To register: 763-545-7347
**Practical Uses of Essential
Oils/Intro II/Q&A
** You must attend an Introductory session prior to participating in this class $20
($30 PER MARRIED COUPLE)
Participate in an open question/answer
session to learn which oils /supplements
work best for specific concerns.
•Daily uses for Essential Oils •Various
uses: how and when to diffuse, apply
topical, & internal applications
•Spiritual uses •Increasing intuitive ability •Cleansing•Wound care•Using oils
with pets •Increasing immune function
•Increasing stamina, endurance, & athletic performance
Sat. Dec. 13 5:30-8pm Whole Health
Veterinary (formerly: Central Bird & Animal Hospital)
13060 Central Ave NE Blaine, MN 55435
Please bring a chair, also plenty of spring
water to drink.
For directions only 763-785-2700 www.
wholehealthvet.com Cherie is teaching,
To register: 763-545-7347
NATURE'S AMAZING HEALING OILS
W/ANIMALS $30*
** You must attend an Introductory session prior to participating in this class
($40 PER MARRIED COUPLE) 1-5pm
Experience how Essential Oils produce
extreme positive effects with behavioral
changes, wounds, injuries, viruses, &
chronic conditions. Hands on demos,
using a variety of techniques. Open
Q&A session following. Including proven
wholistic methods for the treatment &
care of West Nile Virus, staph, strep, ecoli, etc. • 100% kill factor on harmful
bacteria, fungus, mold, tumors & virus. •
Rapid regeneration of wounds, injured &
damaged tissue. We will be in and out of
the weather so dress appropriately. Whole
Health Veterinary (formerly: Central Bird
& Animal Hospital)
13060 Central Ave NE Blaine, MN 55435
Please bring a chair, also plenty of spring
water to drink.
For directions only 763-785-2700 www.
wholehealthvet.com Cherie is teaching,
To register: 763-545-7347
Wednesday, December 17
Peace on
Earth
38
TCnaturally.com
Health & Nutrition Classes:
Experience hands on the health benefits
of Essential Oils Offered EVERY Wednesday of the month
6:30 to 7:00 emphasis on weight management
7:00 to 8:00 focus on Essential Oils
Burnsville, MN 55372
Contact: Kathy Joy Grove
952-922-2992
www.kathyjoy.com/Events.html
Holiday Marketplace
Thai Massage
School & Clinic
Student Practice Massage
$50 for 90 minutes
Appointment with a Professional
or an Instructor to Help You Heal
GIFT CARDS AVAILABLE!
6420 W. Lake St.
St. Louis Park, MN 55426
Auto Insurance Accepted
(952) 926-2411
www. Thaihealing.biz
Give the Gift of Relaxation & Wellness
this Holiday Season!
Buy Gift Certificates right online for the following services:
• Swedish, Sports, Deep Tissue, La Stone,
Pregnancy & Infant Massages
• Reiki
• SOQI Total Health Spa
• Raindrop Technique
• Ear Candling
7043 20th Ave, Centerville, MN 55038
www.serenitynowhealingcenter.com
651-429-0661
Luxurious, Natural French
Skin Care Products...Save
25% on Holiday Gift Sets!
Colleen Bradsher
952.212.9112
www.votrevu.com/colleen
[email protected]
VOTRE VU...Ooh La La!
Organic Fed - Free Range
CHICKENS/EGGS
Limited Christmas Turkeys
Available
2140 260th St. East Webster, MN 55088
952-758-5055
20 Minutes south of Burnsville
Building Healthy Spirit,
Mind & Body
For the Whole Family
No Joiner’s Fee
Save $79
MN Valley Family YMCA
13850 Portland Ave. S.
Burnsville
952-898-9622
www.ymcatwincities.org
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TCnaturally.com