Next month will mark the 4th year since I lost my hair. Something I have come to notice since that big event is how women use their hair...yes, use their hair. A lot of my sexuality and how I viewed myself as a sexual being was tied to my hair. It was never anything I set out to do and never even realized how much my hair was tied to how I felt about myself until it was gone.
I spent thousands of dollars on haircare products. I plucked my eyebrows. As women, we shave our legs and under arms. We do it as part of our grooming and also to feel good about ourselves. How many women ever think about how they would feel if one day all their hair was gone. We raise our eyebrows as a way of expressing ourselves. How do you make that same expression with no eyebrows? We bat our eyelashes to get attention. How do you get that same attention when the eyelashes are gone?
Whether your hair is straight, chemically processed, or worn "natural", whether it is short, long or somewhere in between, ask yourself how much your sexuality is tied to your hair. There are overweight women I have known who spend more money on their hair and nails than they do on weight loss. My mother included her beautician fees in her monthly budget. Millions of dollars are spent on hair extensions, weaves, relaxers, perms, hair-coloring products, wigs, etc. all in an effort to feel and look beautiful.
As much as I miss having hair, I honestly think that losing it was one of the best things to happen to me. This may sound strange to many, but it has forced me to examine who I am and how I view myself. It has forced me to stop relying on external things to feel beautiful and rely heavily on my internal self to find my beauty and show my beauty to others. Our mothers always told us that beauty comes from within. We never realize just how wise our mothers were until we've done a ton of stupid things first. LOL True beauty does come from within and it took losing what I perceived as my beauty to realize just how true that was.
So, I challenge all my female friends to think the next time they look in the mirror or sit in the beautician's chair and ask themselves what they feel their "beauty" really is. If you woke up one day and your appearance was totally changed, how would you feel about yourself and how others perceived you?
Today an old classmate asked me how I could possibly look more beautiful at 56 than I did in high school. I had to think about that for a minute. In high school, I had not yet found my inner beauty. As a young adult I struggled to hold onto my inner beauty. Now, at 56, I have a very firm grip on my inner...and outer beauty and feel much stronger and healthier because of it.
Find your inner beauty.
Educating the World about CBD-Rich Hemp Oil
Monday, October 24, 2011
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Doctor-think, Research, and Disease
A few months ago I was sitting at the nurse's station at work when I overheard a senior doctor discussing treatment options for one of our patients with lupus with a young resident doctor. The patient had a laundry list of health issues going on and she was pretty sick. It was clear to me that her immune system was being attacked and she needed help quieting her internal fires. Unfortunately, I knew she would not receive that kind of treatment in the hospital. As the two were talking, I listened as the senior doctor was listing all these drug treatments that were recommended by the literature for systemic lupus as well as other details about the "typical" lupus patient. He was sounding like such an authority as the new doctor hung onto every word. People know me and how I feel about nutrition. I couldn't resist asking the senior doctor if he ever sent any of his lupus patients to a nutritionist or recommended any dietary changes with his lupus patients. He said he had never read any research that indicated dietary changes worked to control lupus symptoms. My response, was, "Oh really? I have had lupus for 30 years and am on no medications as a result of lifestyle/dietary changes I chose to make." He sat and looked at me for a while like he did not know how to respond. He seemed flustered especially since I was contradicting what he said right in front of his student. After a while he simply said, "Oh, that's nice," and kept right on talking to his resident.
I had to laugh to myself at the pure ignorance he displayed at supposedly being a man of medicine yet being so closed-minded to any alternative treatments that work. After having just completed my BSN, I noted that a lot of my classes centered around research and evidence-based practice. Evidence-based does not always have to mean evidence through research and published papers. Some times evidence-based means listening to people who have tried things and had good results or bad results.
To me, one of the biggest problems with research is that it is often conducted in too controlled of an environment. People do not live in a controlled environment. Our bodies are not controlled environments. There are too many mechanisms going on in the human body to try to assess what works or doesn't work in a sterile, closed research lab. Everything in our body works in tandem with something else. No one element is on an island...working alone.
When the senior doctor walked away to speak with the patient, I shared some things with the resident. I told him that while I understand that he has to do things a certain way while he is in training, that it is vitally important to his current and future patients that he keep an open mind to treatments that do not come in a syringe or a pill bottle. A lot of the medical schools are sponsored by drug companies. The seminars, the donated equipments, facilities, etc are often supplied by drug companies or people who support the drug companies. Thus, the new doctors come out already being indoctrinated to prescribe, prescribe, prescribe! I told him to take it upon himself to learn about nutrition and how food affects health as well as what it meant to practice functional medicine (treating the cause of the disease and not just the symptoms).
A lot of the things I have learned about nutrition and good health have not come from published papers or nursing/medical journals. A lot of what I have learned has come from talking to people, trying new things for myself, and keeping my mind and ears open. There were plenty of published papers on Vioxx. If you watch the medical news, you know how well that went. There was Thalidomide back in the 50's that women took during their pregnancies for morning sickness that caused their children to be born without arms and legs. That same drug was touted in the medical literature as well. I bet a lot of people think a drug that bad had to have been taken off the market. Well, it wasn't. It is currently used to treat multiple myeloma.
These are prime examples of how "modern" medicine, research, and drug companies do not have our best interests at heart.
Since attending the Longevity Now Conference (http://www.thelongevitynowconference.com) 2 weeks ago, I have come to realize that continuing to practice nursing in the hospital environment is becoming very difficult. I walk through the halls of my ER and all I see are people badly in need of nutritional and lifestyle balance. What they get are shots, irradiation (Xrays, CT's, MRI's), and pills. No one is trying to cure anything. Some people do go home feeling better than when they came in, but most times that is only a temporary state.
I posted something on FB the other day about the founder of AA (Bill Wilson) recommending giving the alcoholics vitamins and good food to treat their addiction back in the 30's. The medical community ignored him. The funny thing is when we get someone into the ER with alcohol intoxication, we give them folate/folic acid (a B vitamin, which occurs naturally in leafy green foods), thiamine (also a B vitamin), and a multivitamin either in pill form or combined in a liter bag of fluids. This all makes sense considering alcoholics are pretty much nutrient deficient and dehydrated. The problem is when they are discharged they are often sent home with prescriptions for Ativan, Prozac, or other medications of that type and instructed to "stop drinking". No one ever sends them home with prescriptions for B vitamins or any other kind of vitamins and instructions to eat better. My question is always, "If you know they are deficient and treat them as such in the hospital environment, then why isn't that treatment continued outside the hospital walls?" Again, to me, it is all about evidence-based practice. You do what works even if it isn't in the research literature.
Do not get so caught up in the white coat and forget that there is a reason why it is called "the practice of medicine".
I had to laugh to myself at the pure ignorance he displayed at supposedly being a man of medicine yet being so closed-minded to any alternative treatments that work. After having just completed my BSN, I noted that a lot of my classes centered around research and evidence-based practice. Evidence-based does not always have to mean evidence through research and published papers. Some times evidence-based means listening to people who have tried things and had good results or bad results.
To me, one of the biggest problems with research is that it is often conducted in too controlled of an environment. People do not live in a controlled environment. Our bodies are not controlled environments. There are too many mechanisms going on in the human body to try to assess what works or doesn't work in a sterile, closed research lab. Everything in our body works in tandem with something else. No one element is on an island...working alone.
When the senior doctor walked away to speak with the patient, I shared some things with the resident. I told him that while I understand that he has to do things a certain way while he is in training, that it is vitally important to his current and future patients that he keep an open mind to treatments that do not come in a syringe or a pill bottle. A lot of the medical schools are sponsored by drug companies. The seminars, the donated equipments, facilities, etc are often supplied by drug companies or people who support the drug companies. Thus, the new doctors come out already being indoctrinated to prescribe, prescribe, prescribe! I told him to take it upon himself to learn about nutrition and how food affects health as well as what it meant to practice functional medicine (treating the cause of the disease and not just the symptoms).
A lot of the things I have learned about nutrition and good health have not come from published papers or nursing/medical journals. A lot of what I have learned has come from talking to people, trying new things for myself, and keeping my mind and ears open. There were plenty of published papers on Vioxx. If you watch the medical news, you know how well that went. There was Thalidomide back in the 50's that women took during their pregnancies for morning sickness that caused their children to be born without arms and legs. That same drug was touted in the medical literature as well. I bet a lot of people think a drug that bad had to have been taken off the market. Well, it wasn't. It is currently used to treat multiple myeloma.
These are prime examples of how "modern" medicine, research, and drug companies do not have our best interests at heart.
Since attending the Longevity Now Conference (http://www.thelongevitynowconference.com) 2 weeks ago, I have come to realize that continuing to practice nursing in the hospital environment is becoming very difficult. I walk through the halls of my ER and all I see are people badly in need of nutritional and lifestyle balance. What they get are shots, irradiation (Xrays, CT's, MRI's), and pills. No one is trying to cure anything. Some people do go home feeling better than when they came in, but most times that is only a temporary state.
I posted something on FB the other day about the founder of AA (Bill Wilson) recommending giving the alcoholics vitamins and good food to treat their addiction back in the 30's. The medical community ignored him. The funny thing is when we get someone into the ER with alcohol intoxication, we give them folate/folic acid (a B vitamin, which occurs naturally in leafy green foods), thiamine (also a B vitamin), and a multivitamin either in pill form or combined in a liter bag of fluids. This all makes sense considering alcoholics are pretty much nutrient deficient and dehydrated. The problem is when they are discharged they are often sent home with prescriptions for Ativan, Prozac, or other medications of that type and instructed to "stop drinking". No one ever sends them home with prescriptions for B vitamins or any other kind of vitamins and instructions to eat better. My question is always, "If you know they are deficient and treat them as such in the hospital environment, then why isn't that treatment continued outside the hospital walls?" Again, to me, it is all about evidence-based practice. You do what works even if it isn't in the research literature.
Do not get so caught up in the white coat and forget that there is a reason why it is called "the practice of medicine".
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Costa Mesa - Longevity Now Conference
I promised I would write about the conference I attended last weekend once I completed my school work. So, here it is.
I learned so many new things, had many things re-enforced, and also realized I still have so much more to learn. I love learning and always tell people that you should never stop learning until you die...death, in and of itself, is a lesson that some people learn sooner rather than later.
If you have any interest in improving your quality of mental and physical life, then you owe it to yourself to check out http://www.davidwolfe.com, http://www.ronteeguarden.com, and http://www.thebestdayever.com. There is much more, but these three sites will get you on your way. There is a lot of information on these sites that is free. You can even download some of the Podcasts.
Ron Teeguarden is an Taoist Herbal Master. You can read much more about him on his web site. One of the things Ron talked about were his 30 Tips. Each tip had explanations with them, but the list alone speaks for itself.
1. Respect yourself
2. Build & protect the 3 Treasures (Jing, Qi (Chee), & Shen)
3. Develop your Will Power
4. Develop Your Adaptability
5. Take tonic herbs consistently
6. Learn the art of moderation
7. Spend some time studying the human body-mind
8. Eat naturally (and eat plenty of vegetables)
9. Chew your food very well & leave the table a empty (do not over eat)
10. Do breathing exercises daily.
These are the first ten. I will post more at a later date.
David Wolfe talked about hormones and our poor hormone health. Most women do not know there is bad estrogen and good estrogen, but I guarantee most women I know, including myself, have bad estrogen. They also do not know that the bad estrogen along with other hormonal imbalances is what is making them tired, feeling sick, and depressed. Estrone is a bad estrogen. Our exposure to pesticides and other toxins in our environment and our water are filled with bad estrogens. What we need to have more of are estriol, estrodiol, and progesterone. There are two supplements that help our bodies get rid of the bad estrogens - I3C and DIM. For the most part, these are extracted from cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, etc. I have been taking I3C for 3 years. Taking I3C, making all my lifestyle changes, and reducing my exposure to toxins helped me to get rid of my menopausal symptoms. My energy increased and my mood improved.
Those of you who are on Premarin may be interested to know that it is made from horse urine. Do your really want to take hormones made from horse urine?
Some of the other bad estrogen removers are: berries (specifically red and blue berries), agaricus bisporus - mushrooms - common button mushrooms, calcium D glucarate, citrus essential oils, citrus peel – lemon/lime, defatted flax, iodide (found in Kelp and other seed weeds and not the kind found in toxic iodized salt), lignans rich foods and extracts, melatonins, and oats (preferably wild or whole...not the instant crap). In addition, David talked about natural hormone builders: bee and pine pollens, cacao (yes, chocolate but not the pretend chocolate you buy at the candy counter), coconut products (oil, butter, young coconut water), colostrum, DHA, fennel group of plants, royal jelly, saturated fats (not all of them but like those found in coconut oil), yam/sweet potato.
Kevin Trudeau was the keynote speaker on Saturday. He told how he went around the world talking to people who have lived to 100 or greater. He wanted to know their secret to longevity. He said it did not turn out to be what he expected, but what he did find was that pretty much all of them had these things in common: they walked every day, they took off their shoes and connected with the earth, they ate non-processed food, took life lightly, they believed a flexible mind means a flexible body, they laughed a lot, and, the really big one, they didn't take medications. This last one I found interesting because I have noticed this in my practice of nursing. I often get 100+ year old patients now in the ER who have taken a fall. When I am taking their medical history, I am finding they have none. They are on no medications and often have not seen the inside of a hospital since the birth of their children (if they gave birth in one). I always joke with them that they have lived to 100 because they stayed away from doctors and hospitals.
As for vitamins, I already knew how important vitamin D was, but I did not know that ascorbic acid and not the same as and does not work the same as vitamin C. Check your vitamins and make sure the vitamin C does not come from ascorbic acid.
Do not hold on to the thinking that you have health issues due to your genetics. Your genes as they relate to many health issues can be changed by your lifestyle (bad or good). My genes say that I should have diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease by now. I have none of them.
This did not come from the conference, but it does come from one of the past speakers. Dr. Yu spoke at the conference last Spring. He talked about fish and mercury. He listed fish from highest to lowest as far as mercury content. Please take note.
Highest - Chilean sea bass, grouper, mackerel, marin, orange roughy, shark, swordfish, tuna.
Moderate - striped bass, bluefish, eel, halibut, lobster, monkfish, snapper
Low - butterfish, catfish, crab, flounder, haddock, mullet, mussels, scallops, squid, trout, white fish
Lowest - anchovies, clams, crawfish, herring, oysters, salmon (wild-caught), sardines, shrimp, tilapia.
So, if you love fish, you may want to keep this list in mind when you are shopping.
If you are ever in the LA area and want to try some delicious raw food, stop in at 118 Degrees in Costa Mesa run by Jenny Ross (also a speaker at the conference).
My last thoughts are take the right supplements. If you cannot afford a lot of things, make sure you are taking a quality multivitamin, a good fish oil with omega-3 EPA and DHA, make sure you know your vitamin D level and treat any deficiencies, take CoQ-10, and know your thyroid status. Many people have under-active thyroids and do not even know it. DO NOT drink water from plastic bottles!!!! Many of the plastics contribute to our bad estrogens as well as other toxins. Drink plenty of filtered or spring water stored in glass bottles or get a filtration system for your house that filters out fluoride, chloride, spores, and hormones but also leaves the trace minerals.
I learned so many new things, had many things re-enforced, and also realized I still have so much more to learn. I love learning and always tell people that you should never stop learning until you die...death, in and of itself, is a lesson that some people learn sooner rather than later.
If you have any interest in improving your quality of mental and physical life, then you owe it to yourself to check out http://www.davidwolfe.com, http://www.ronteeguarden.com, and http://www.thebestdayever.com. There is much more, but these three sites will get you on your way. There is a lot of information on these sites that is free. You can even download some of the Podcasts.
Ron Teeguarden is an Taoist Herbal Master. You can read much more about him on his web site. One of the things Ron talked about were his 30 Tips. Each tip had explanations with them, but the list alone speaks for itself.
1. Respect yourself
2. Build & protect the 3 Treasures (Jing, Qi (Chee), & Shen)
3. Develop your Will Power
4. Develop Your Adaptability
5. Take tonic herbs consistently
6. Learn the art of moderation
7. Spend some time studying the human body-mind
8. Eat naturally (and eat plenty of vegetables)
9. Chew your food very well & leave the table a empty (do not over eat)
10. Do breathing exercises daily.
These are the first ten. I will post more at a later date.
David Wolfe talked about hormones and our poor hormone health. Most women do not know there is bad estrogen and good estrogen, but I guarantee most women I know, including myself, have bad estrogen. They also do not know that the bad estrogen along with other hormonal imbalances is what is making them tired, feeling sick, and depressed. Estrone is a bad estrogen. Our exposure to pesticides and other toxins in our environment and our water are filled with bad estrogens. What we need to have more of are estriol, estrodiol, and progesterone. There are two supplements that help our bodies get rid of the bad estrogens - I3C and DIM. For the most part, these are extracted from cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, etc. I have been taking I3C for 3 years. Taking I3C, making all my lifestyle changes, and reducing my exposure to toxins helped me to get rid of my menopausal symptoms. My energy increased and my mood improved.
Those of you who are on Premarin may be interested to know that it is made from horse urine. Do your really want to take hormones made from horse urine?
Some of the other bad estrogen removers are: berries (specifically red and blue berries), agaricus bisporus - mushrooms - common button mushrooms, calcium D glucarate, citrus essential oils, citrus peel – lemon/lime, defatted flax, iodide (found in Kelp and other seed weeds and not the kind found in toxic iodized salt), lignans rich foods and extracts, melatonins, and oats (preferably wild or whole...not the instant crap). In addition, David talked about natural hormone builders: bee and pine pollens, cacao (yes, chocolate but not the pretend chocolate you buy at the candy counter), coconut products (oil, butter, young coconut water), colostrum, DHA, fennel group of plants, royal jelly, saturated fats (not all of them but like those found in coconut oil), yam/sweet potato.
Kevin Trudeau was the keynote speaker on Saturday. He told how he went around the world talking to people who have lived to 100 or greater. He wanted to know their secret to longevity. He said it did not turn out to be what he expected, but what he did find was that pretty much all of them had these things in common: they walked every day, they took off their shoes and connected with the earth, they ate non-processed food, took life lightly, they believed a flexible mind means a flexible body, they laughed a lot, and, the really big one, they didn't take medications. This last one I found interesting because I have noticed this in my practice of nursing. I often get 100+ year old patients now in the ER who have taken a fall. When I am taking their medical history, I am finding they have none. They are on no medications and often have not seen the inside of a hospital since the birth of their children (if they gave birth in one). I always joke with them that they have lived to 100 because they stayed away from doctors and hospitals.
As for vitamins, I already knew how important vitamin D was, but I did not know that ascorbic acid and not the same as and does not work the same as vitamin C. Check your vitamins and make sure the vitamin C does not come from ascorbic acid.
Do not hold on to the thinking that you have health issues due to your genetics. Your genes as they relate to many health issues can be changed by your lifestyle (bad or good). My genes say that I should have diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease by now. I have none of them.
This did not come from the conference, but it does come from one of the past speakers. Dr. Yu spoke at the conference last Spring. He talked about fish and mercury. He listed fish from highest to lowest as far as mercury content. Please take note.
Highest - Chilean sea bass, grouper, mackerel, marin, orange roughy, shark, swordfish, tuna.
Moderate - striped bass, bluefish, eel, halibut, lobster, monkfish, snapper
Low - butterfish, catfish, crab, flounder, haddock, mullet, mussels, scallops, squid, trout, white fish
Lowest - anchovies, clams, crawfish, herring, oysters, salmon (wild-caught), sardines, shrimp, tilapia.
So, if you love fish, you may want to keep this list in mind when you are shopping.
If you are ever in the LA area and want to try some delicious raw food, stop in at 118 Degrees in Costa Mesa run by Jenny Ross (also a speaker at the conference).
My last thoughts are take the right supplements. If you cannot afford a lot of things, make sure you are taking a quality multivitamin, a good fish oil with omega-3 EPA and DHA, make sure you know your vitamin D level and treat any deficiencies, take CoQ-10, and know your thyroid status. Many people have under-active thyroids and do not even know it. DO NOT drink water from plastic bottles!!!! Many of the plastics contribute to our bad estrogens as well as other toxins. Drink plenty of filtered or spring water stored in glass bottles or get a filtration system for your house that filters out fluoride, chloride, spores, and hormones but also leaves the trace minerals.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Upstream/Downstream
Story of Moving Upstream: “I am standing by the shore of a swiftly flowing river and hear the cry of a drowning man. I jump into the cold waters. I fight against the strong current and force my way to the struggling man. I hold on hard and gradually pull him to shore. I lay him out on the bank and revive him with artificial respiration. Just when he begins to breathe, I hear another cry for help. I jump into the cold waters. I fight against the strong current, and swim forcefully to the struggling woman. I grab hold and gradually pull her to shore. I lift her out onto the bank beside the man and work to revive her with artificial respiration. Just when she begins to breathe, I hear another cry for help. I jump into the cold waters. Fighting again against the strong current, I force my way to the struggling man. I am getting tired, so with great effort I eventually pull him to shore. I lay him out on the bank and try to revive him with artificial respiration. Just when he begins to breathe, I hear another cry for help. Near exhaustion, it occurs to me that I'm so busy jumping in, pulling them to shore, applying artificial respiration that I have no time to see who is upstream pushing them all in....” (Adapted from a story told by Irving Zola as cited in McKinlay, John B. "A case for refocusing upstream: The political economy of illness." In Conrad and Kern, 2nd edition, 1986, The Sociology of Health and Illness: Critical Perspectives. pp. 484-498.)
This is a classic public health primary prevention story. Our current approach to health care is to treat the symptoms of illness when we need to be focusing on prevention of the illness. We continue to try to "rescue" people with heart disease, diabetes, cancer by giving them medications that are supposed to be medical life preservers all the while people continue to fall in. At what point do we stop trying to rescue people and start preventing people from "falling in"?
We should start to assign a different duty to the rescuer and furnish her with some interesting "supplies." Here's our twist: When the rescuer arrives upstream she finds it is evident who is doing the pushing. She addresses the pusher, finds out why he is pushing, and does what she can to stop him from pushing anymore people into the river.
Here is another twist on the same story: "Suppose you are standing next to a river, and you see someone drowning as she floats downstream. You jump into the river and pull her ashore. As soon as you've done that, you see another person in trouble, again floating downstream, and you rescue him as well. Every time you've saved one person, you see another, and another. After you've dragged another drowning body out of the river, you're thoroughly exhausted and you know you don't have the energy to save one more person, so instead you decide you must go upstream to find out what is causing these people to end up in the river. You want to address this problem at its source. You get upstream, and see a bridge. Upon careful inspection, you find that there is a well-concealed, yet sizable hole in this bridge that is causing people to fall in. What do you do? You do what makes the most sense - you work to repair the bridge. Primary prevention means "going upstream" and repairing the bridge before more people fall through this hole. Too often we just focus on the tangible aftermath of a problem. We just keep pulling people out of the river - we set up systems to support people who are suffers of illness. While these systems of support are crucial, we also need to cultivate complementary systems that get to the core of the problem, stopping it from ever happening in the first place. We need to become proactive, go upstream to that bridge, study it, determine what resources we need to repair it, and start doing the long and hard work of primary prevention. It means examining and changing individual attitudes that lead to patterns of relating that create norms that shape the institutions in our society that allow unhealthy behavior to thrive. Addressing these underlying factors is all the more difficult because they are intertwined with the identity of our society."
The key thing about this version that I've found useful is the metaphor of a "well-concealed, yet sizable hole" in the bridge to represent the factors in our society that help support unhealthy lifestyles and yet seem/are so commonplace. So I guess this version might be more geared toward trying to get those "big picture" factors across to people, whereas other versions of this story - where you go upstream and find someone pushing people in - might work better for exposing factors that are at a more individual level.
I realize there seems to be a common theme to my writing, but there is logic behind it. It is said that people normally do not grasp an idea when they first hear or read it. It is only after repetition that people will begin to grasp the message being sent.
People will continue to do what is easy or familiar even when what is easy or familiar is bad for them. Case in point: You drive the same route to work every day. You are always angry and stressed by the time you get to work because traffic is always backed up. You do this for months and years and never think to find a different route to work. A new route may take a little longer, but has less traffic and, therefore, causes less stress. It takes time to find the new route and become familiar with it. Maybe you have to get up 15-30 minutes earlier to get to work on time. Most times people will not make the change because it is easier to stick with what they know no matter what the cost than to change their routine.
It is the same with changing your lifestyle. My significant other knows that how he eats isn't healthy. He has been taking supplements for years. Yet his reasoning for not changing the way he cooks and eats is that "he doesn't know how." Even when I give suggestions of where easy changes can be made, there is no change. There is no change because it isn't his norm.
People have to stop sticking with what is easy or comfortable even when they know it is bad for them. It is way past time for people to step out of their comfort zone and start fixing their lives. The payoff is so worth it!
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Cancer and The American Cancer Society
Today yet another classmate was buried after dying from cancer. As a result I felt compelled to write and share more things I have learned on my nutrition journey.
Here is more proof that "modern" medicine is losing the battle with cancer. http://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/medical/story/2011/04/Study-Prostate-cancer-test-doesnt-cut-death-risk---/45658684/1?csp=34news&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+usatoday-NewsTopStories+%28News+-+Top+Stories%29&utm_content=My+Yahoo
Big Pharm and doctors would have you believe otherwise, but the numbers speak for themselves! They are not close to a cure. It is time to try something other than burning people with radiation and filling them with cancer-causing chemo. American Cancer Society takes your donations and throws the word "cure" around. They are the richest non-profit organization in the world and if you look at their track record and compare it to their numbers from inception, statistically they are not doing all that great towards that "cure". It is long past time to change direction. Stop focusing so much on finding a cure and start focusing on helping people to improve their lifestyles so they can prevent the development of cancer!
Our bodies are well equipped to stave off so many diseases when it is given the right fuel. There is a reason the cancer numbers are higher in cultures that eat a "Western diet". Our food is killing us. Our environment is killing us.
People laugh and joke about having that fried chicken and slopping on that gravy, but with each mouthful you are pushing yourself closer to the grave and the path to that grave is not a pretty one lined with flowers. The American Cancer Society's approach is like "closing the barn door after the horse is already out." http://world-wire.com/news/1005070002.html
Ever notice how so many things in our society are not a result of forward thinking? The warning signs go up at the railroad crossing only after someone is hit by a train. The "may cause injury" stickers only go on after someone is injured. The "may cause cancer or heart attack" warnings always come too late. The scientists knew the dangers of smoking long before the warnings were put on the packs of cigarettes. Isn't it time for us to change our approach?
Cancer is a systemic problem. It isn't an organ-specific problem. The reason surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy have not been really successful in the treatment of cancer is that cancer is primarily a disease of abnormal body chemistry...chemistry which is controlled by organs that are distant from the site of the cancer (Haught, 1962) There are doctors that knew this in 1962. There were doctors that knew this in 1942. These same doctors were shunned by the medical community and The American Cancer Society and labeled "quacks".
Just think about it...healthcare as we know it is a money train....from the people who manufacture the alcohol pads to the ones that build the robotic equipment used in surgery. If the major diseases of our culture (heart disease, diabetes, and cancer) were cured, what do you think would happen to that train? The problem now is that train is running out of track. Healthcare has become so unaffordable for the masses that people are dying that don't need to die.
I do believe that modern healthcare serves people with acute illness or injury. However, people with chronic illness are doomed to never really getting better until they take conrol of their lives and stop hunting for that magic pill. They need to stop believing that they have to take all those medications for the rest of their lives just because the doctors said so. My doctor told me 20 years ago that I would be taking thyroid medication the rest of my life beause there was no "cure" for metabolic hypothyroidism (vs hypothyroidism caused by surgery or cancer). He was wrong! I have been off the medication for 4 years without any problems. I am off the medication because I changed the fuel I was giving my body and reduced my exposure to environmental toxins. I take supplements to support what I do not get from my food.
Everyone I know has been touched by cancer. They have lost a parent, sibling, child, spouse, or close friend. Many have watched while the radiation burned their skin, the chemo made them sick and brought on other ailments, and have watched them whither away to nothing. For the most part It is not a "good death".
The next time you light that cigarette, drink that pop/soda, eat that piece of fried chicken, or snack on that bag of chips or box of donuts, think about what is happening inside your body. Think about the cascade of illness you are creating in your body.
Stop throwing around the word "cure" and start taking personal responsibility for "prevention"!
Epstein, S. S. (2010). American Cancer Society Trivializes Cancer Risks: Blatant Conflicts of Interest . Retrieved April 2011, from World-Wire: http://world-wire.com/news/1005070002.html
Haught, S. J. (1962-1991). Dr. Max Gerson: Censured for Curing Cancer. Bonita, CA: The Gerson Institute.
Here is more proof that "modern" medicine is losing the battle with cancer. http://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/medical/story/2011/04/Study-Prostate-cancer-test-doesnt-cut-death-risk---/45658684/1?csp=34news&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+usatoday-NewsTopStories+%28News+-+Top+Stories%29&utm_content=My+Yahoo
Big Pharm and doctors would have you believe otherwise, but the numbers speak for themselves! They are not close to a cure. It is time to try something other than burning people with radiation and filling them with cancer-causing chemo. American Cancer Society takes your donations and throws the word "cure" around. They are the richest non-profit organization in the world and if you look at their track record and compare it to their numbers from inception, statistically they are not doing all that great towards that "cure". It is long past time to change direction. Stop focusing so much on finding a cure and start focusing on helping people to improve their lifestyles so they can prevent the development of cancer!
Our bodies are well equipped to stave off so many diseases when it is given the right fuel. There is a reason the cancer numbers are higher in cultures that eat a "Western diet". Our food is killing us. Our environment is killing us.
People laugh and joke about having that fried chicken and slopping on that gravy, but with each mouthful you are pushing yourself closer to the grave and the path to that grave is not a pretty one lined with flowers. The American Cancer Society's approach is like "closing the barn door after the horse is already out." http://world-wire.com/news/1005070002.html
Ever notice how so many things in our society are not a result of forward thinking? The warning signs go up at the railroad crossing only after someone is hit by a train. The "may cause injury" stickers only go on after someone is injured. The "may cause cancer or heart attack" warnings always come too late. The scientists knew the dangers of smoking long before the warnings were put on the packs of cigarettes. Isn't it time for us to change our approach?
Cancer is a systemic problem. It isn't an organ-specific problem. The reason surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy have not been really successful in the treatment of cancer is that cancer is primarily a disease of abnormal body chemistry...chemistry which is controlled by organs that are distant from the site of the cancer (Haught, 1962) There are doctors that knew this in 1962. There were doctors that knew this in 1942. These same doctors were shunned by the medical community and The American Cancer Society and labeled "quacks".
Just think about it...healthcare as we know it is a money train....from the people who manufacture the alcohol pads to the ones that build the robotic equipment used in surgery. If the major diseases of our culture (heart disease, diabetes, and cancer) were cured, what do you think would happen to that train? The problem now is that train is running out of track. Healthcare has become so unaffordable for the masses that people are dying that don't need to die.
I do believe that modern healthcare serves people with acute illness or injury. However, people with chronic illness are doomed to never really getting better until they take conrol of their lives and stop hunting for that magic pill. They need to stop believing that they have to take all those medications for the rest of their lives just because the doctors said so. My doctor told me 20 years ago that I would be taking thyroid medication the rest of my life beause there was no "cure" for metabolic hypothyroidism (vs hypothyroidism caused by surgery or cancer). He was wrong! I have been off the medication for 4 years without any problems. I am off the medication because I changed the fuel I was giving my body and reduced my exposure to environmental toxins. I take supplements to support what I do not get from my food.
Everyone I know has been touched by cancer. They have lost a parent, sibling, child, spouse, or close friend. Many have watched while the radiation burned their skin, the chemo made them sick and brought on other ailments, and have watched them whither away to nothing. For the most part It is not a "good death".
The next time you light that cigarette, drink that pop/soda, eat that piece of fried chicken, or snack on that bag of chips or box of donuts, think about what is happening inside your body. Think about the cascade of illness you are creating in your body.
Stop throwing around the word "cure" and start taking personal responsibility for "prevention"!
Epstein, S. S. (2010). American Cancer Society Trivializes Cancer Risks: Blatant Conflicts of Interest . Retrieved April 2011, from World-Wire: http://world-wire.com/news/1005070002.html
Haught, S. J. (1962-1991). Dr. Max Gerson: Censured for Curing Cancer. Bonita, CA: The Gerson Institute.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Spring and Friendships
I was thinking this morning about friendships and how/why they are formed. I do not have many close friends. It was by choice when I was younger, but it has just seemed to evolve into that as I've gotten older. My best friend lives on the other side of the country. I have a few people I consider good friends here, but schedules seem to prevent us from connecting as much as I would like.
So I was thinking about what brings people together as friends. Male friendships are different than female friendships. Don't ask me why. They just are for far too many reasons to explain here. Something I do notice some times is that often friends are also emotional crutches. Have you ever noticed the slinder girl/woman that is always with a group of overweight girls/women? When I see that, I tend to feel sorry for the slinder woman because I see a picture of someone that is insecure in her appearance and is looking to standout.
I have a very ecclectic collection of friends (both close and not so close). I enjoy having a potpourrie because they each bring something different to the table. I abhor sameness in people or things. Maybe that is why I enjoy working as a traveling nurse so much. I like and embrace the changes.
Anyway, back to friendships.... I have tried to befriend people that have been resistant to that friendship. I often wonder why. Some times as I read people's postings on Facebook, I seem to see a common thread. People who are very into their religion tend to gravitate toward people of the same ilk. I wonder if they have any non-religious close friends that might bring some new thoughts or ideas to their lives or maybe give them food for thought. Most people do tend to gravitate toward sameness. Maybe they do not want to be close with someone who will challenge their way of thinking. I guess my thinking is if you are true to your beliefs and are comfortable with them, then why be afraid of someone who might challenge those beliefs? You might teach each other something.
As people get married and have children, they tend to shed their single friends over time and lean towards other married couples with children. Even in this multicultural world I still see people that will only have close friends of their same race or nationality. What a loss for them! They never think about what they could be missing in their lives by opening up to new people, races, cultures, and thought patterns.
Maybe people chose friends they feel will not judge them...won't care if they are overweight, not real smart, maybe too smart, too tall, too short, not attractive, too attractive, have some kind of health issue or handicap, or maybe a different race or culture.
I am very much into my health and healthy eating. I often wonder if some people are uncomfortable about being around me because they know they are unhealthy. I wasn't always this way (healthy). Yes, I played a lot of sports and was always thin, but that did not necessarily equate to being healthy. I had to suffer through my own health issues before I reached where I am today. When I see other people that I know would benefit from what I've learned, I often try to reach out so I can share knowledge and, hopefully, help them to make their health better. Friendships are supposed to be about sharing and helping each other be better people. Friendships should never be about becoming a crutch to support each other's insecurities.
I want to clarify "crutch" here. When you ask your friend if a dress or pants make you look big and they say, "No, girl, you look great!" when they are actually thinking, "Damn, what are you thinking?!" I'm talking about that girlfriend that comes to console you about whatever you need consoling about and brings you pastries or donuts or ice cream knowing how you feel about your weight. How about when you are in a dangerous relationship and your friend doesn't tell you the things you need to hear about getting out of the relationship because they are afraid of losing your friendship. How about the friend that knows you have a substance abuse problem, but still goes out drinking with you instead of steering you to other activities or telling you that you have a problem and offering help and support.
I've had friends in the past that were quick to tell me how bad they thought my significant other was and how they would see him out with other people....only they told me this after I was already out of the relationship. They never stepped up to tell me when I was still in the relationship. Needless to say, they are no longer my friends. True friends will tell you what you need to hear even when you don't want to hear it. They help you get back on your feet when you fall yet encourage you to stand on your own.
Examine your friendships. Are you surrounded by people who bring positive things to your life? Do you have people that just hang-on because they think they can get something from you? Do you have people in your life that will help you back on your feet, but also give you a kick in the ass when you need it? Do you have friends who suck all the air out of the room with all their drama?
Spring is here and, as always, it's time for some Spring cleaning. Maybe your friendships could use some Spring cleaning as well. Weed out those people that bring you down, suck all the life out of you, or only bring negativity to your life. Feed and nuture those friends that encourage you to grow and continue to be a better person.
So I was thinking about what brings people together as friends. Male friendships are different than female friendships. Don't ask me why. They just are for far too many reasons to explain here. Something I do notice some times is that often friends are also emotional crutches. Have you ever noticed the slinder girl/woman that is always with a group of overweight girls/women? When I see that, I tend to feel sorry for the slinder woman because I see a picture of someone that is insecure in her appearance and is looking to standout.
I have a very ecclectic collection of friends (both close and not so close). I enjoy having a potpourrie because they each bring something different to the table. I abhor sameness in people or things. Maybe that is why I enjoy working as a traveling nurse so much. I like and embrace the changes.
Anyway, back to friendships.... I have tried to befriend people that have been resistant to that friendship. I often wonder why. Some times as I read people's postings on Facebook, I seem to see a common thread. People who are very into their religion tend to gravitate toward people of the same ilk. I wonder if they have any non-religious close friends that might bring some new thoughts or ideas to their lives or maybe give them food for thought. Most people do tend to gravitate toward sameness. Maybe they do not want to be close with someone who will challenge their way of thinking. I guess my thinking is if you are true to your beliefs and are comfortable with them, then why be afraid of someone who might challenge those beliefs? You might teach each other something.
As people get married and have children, they tend to shed their single friends over time and lean towards other married couples with children. Even in this multicultural world I still see people that will only have close friends of their same race or nationality. What a loss for them! They never think about what they could be missing in their lives by opening up to new people, races, cultures, and thought patterns.
Maybe people chose friends they feel will not judge them...won't care if they are overweight, not real smart, maybe too smart, too tall, too short, not attractive, too attractive, have some kind of health issue or handicap, or maybe a different race or culture.
I am very much into my health and healthy eating. I often wonder if some people are uncomfortable about being around me because they know they are unhealthy. I wasn't always this way (healthy). Yes, I played a lot of sports and was always thin, but that did not necessarily equate to being healthy. I had to suffer through my own health issues before I reached where I am today. When I see other people that I know would benefit from what I've learned, I often try to reach out so I can share knowledge and, hopefully, help them to make their health better. Friendships are supposed to be about sharing and helping each other be better people. Friendships should never be about becoming a crutch to support each other's insecurities.
I want to clarify "crutch" here. When you ask your friend if a dress or pants make you look big and they say, "No, girl, you look great!" when they are actually thinking, "Damn, what are you thinking?!" I'm talking about that girlfriend that comes to console you about whatever you need consoling about and brings you pastries or donuts or ice cream knowing how you feel about your weight. How about when you are in a dangerous relationship and your friend doesn't tell you the things you need to hear about getting out of the relationship because they are afraid of losing your friendship. How about the friend that knows you have a substance abuse problem, but still goes out drinking with you instead of steering you to other activities or telling you that you have a problem and offering help and support.
I've had friends in the past that were quick to tell me how bad they thought my significant other was and how they would see him out with other people....only they told me this after I was already out of the relationship. They never stepped up to tell me when I was still in the relationship. Needless to say, they are no longer my friends. True friends will tell you what you need to hear even when you don't want to hear it. They help you get back on your feet when you fall yet encourage you to stand on your own.
Examine your friendships. Are you surrounded by people who bring positive things to your life? Do you have people that just hang-on because they think they can get something from you? Do you have people in your life that will help you back on your feet, but also give you a kick in the ass when you need it? Do you have friends who suck all the air out of the room with all their drama?
Spring is here and, as always, it's time for some Spring cleaning. Maybe your friendships could use some Spring cleaning as well. Weed out those people that bring you down, suck all the life out of you, or only bring negativity to your life. Feed and nuture those friends that encourage you to grow and continue to be a better person.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Things and Pizza
I promised to post the recipe for my homemade pizza, but I felt compelled to also write about the events of Friday in Japan. I don't know if it is the nurse in me, but as I sat and watched the videos of the tsunami with my daughter, I couldn't help but be perplexed by how the events were being reports. The news people went on and on about seeing trains, cars, homes, and boats being swept away, but what I saw...at least in my minds eye,..were people being swept away. Did they think it too unpleasant to mention? I know they couldn't have been in that much denial.
This kind of devastation goes way beyond the dollars and cents that are reported on the news and discussed by politicians. As the tsunami cut its path through cities, towns, and villages, there were people in daycare centers, nursing homes, jails/prisons, hospitals, subway trains, etc that had no chance to get to higher ground. The human cost is/will be higher than anything being reported. I'm not just talking about the obvious loss of life that resulted from the earthquake and ensuing tsunami. I'm talking of the people dying in office buildings, factories, homes, and hospitals while waiting to be found. These people may be injured and die from their wounds or they may just die from lack of food and water. Some may die due to exposure to the cold. People only had minutes to respond to the tsunami warnings. Just how many people do you think were able to escape? I'm thinking not many.
It has really bothered me to watch the news reports and hear the projected death tolls so grossly underestimated. I suppose the only good thing in all of this is the fact that it is not summer over there so they do not have to worry about the spread bug-borne diseases. Not only will people die of exposure to the cold and the lack of food and water. They will die from infections that will develop from their injuries or from the toxins being released into the air from burning buildings, the burning refineries, and, of course, exposure to radiation.
From a mental health standpoint the negative effects will be great. It will be difficult, if not impossible, for some people to recover from the enormous losses of family, friends, and possessions. Many will never be able to bury their dead because they will never be found.
How do you rebuild an infrastructure when an entire city is swept away? How do you recover from having you child ripped from your arms by the raging waters?
My other burning question is what have the billions of dollars that have been spent on early warming systems been good for? We have seismologists that do nothing but watch for these kinds of things. Was there no warning the earthquake was coming? Did it not occur to anyone when the floor of the volcano in Hawaii collapsed last week spewing lava 65ft into the air that something might be amiss? How about all the smaller earthquakes that were recorded prior to the big one that hit Japan? Why is all this money being spent if it isn't saving lives?
My last words on this topic are for those of you out there who are moaning and complaining about events and people in your lives and how terrible things are. Get a grip!! Whatever you have going on in your life right now is nothing compared to what some people are enduring right now. You have food to eat, water to drink, and a roof over your head.
Chicken Spinach Pizza
I make the dough in my bread machine. If you do not have access to a bread machine, then you can substitute commercial dough. You may use either a 12" or 16" pizza pan.
1 cup beer
1 T butter or olive oil
1 t salt (I use sea salt)
2 T sugar, stevia, or honey
2 3/4 C bread flour
1 T yeast
The ingredients go into the bread machine in the order listed. Prepare the dough and preheat the oven to broil first.
This link will take you to a video on how to roast the red pepper. http://video.about.com/italianfood/Roasted-Red-Pepper.htm Prepare this ahead and then reduce the temp in the oven to 400 degrees.
Season to taste 4-5 boneless/skinless chicken tenders and cook in the oven for about 20 min. When chicken is done, cut into small cubes.
When dough is ready, place it in the pan. Let it rise if the instructions require it. Once dough has risen, brush the dough with olive oil mixed with either crushed or chopped garlic. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, pepper, and grated Parmesan cheese. Take your fresh spinach leaves (use your judgment on how much based on the size pan you are using). Stack the spinach leaves together and slice into strips. Sprinkled the spinach strips around the dough. Slice the roasted red pepper and place around the pizza. Place the chopped chicken. I get the fresh mozzarella balls (the small ones). Cut the small balls in fours and place around the pizza. Again, use your judgment on how much based on your taste and size of pan. Sprinkle entire pizza with more olive oil and Parmesan cheese. Cook in oven at 400 degrees for 20-25 min. Serve hot and enjoy!
This kind of devastation goes way beyond the dollars and cents that are reported on the news and discussed by politicians. As the tsunami cut its path through cities, towns, and villages, there were people in daycare centers, nursing homes, jails/prisons, hospitals, subway trains, etc that had no chance to get to higher ground. The human cost is/will be higher than anything being reported. I'm not just talking about the obvious loss of life that resulted from the earthquake and ensuing tsunami. I'm talking of the people dying in office buildings, factories, homes, and hospitals while waiting to be found. These people may be injured and die from their wounds or they may just die from lack of food and water. Some may die due to exposure to the cold. People only had minutes to respond to the tsunami warnings. Just how many people do you think were able to escape? I'm thinking not many.
It has really bothered me to watch the news reports and hear the projected death tolls so grossly underestimated. I suppose the only good thing in all of this is the fact that it is not summer over there so they do not have to worry about the spread bug-borne diseases. Not only will people die of exposure to the cold and the lack of food and water. They will die from infections that will develop from their injuries or from the toxins being released into the air from burning buildings, the burning refineries, and, of course, exposure to radiation.
From a mental health standpoint the negative effects will be great. It will be difficult, if not impossible, for some people to recover from the enormous losses of family, friends, and possessions. Many will never be able to bury their dead because they will never be found.
How do you rebuild an infrastructure when an entire city is swept away? How do you recover from having you child ripped from your arms by the raging waters?
My other burning question is what have the billions of dollars that have been spent on early warming systems been good for? We have seismologists that do nothing but watch for these kinds of things. Was there no warning the earthquake was coming? Did it not occur to anyone when the floor of the volcano in Hawaii collapsed last week spewing lava 65ft into the air that something might be amiss? How about all the smaller earthquakes that were recorded prior to the big one that hit Japan? Why is all this money being spent if it isn't saving lives?
My last words on this topic are for those of you out there who are moaning and complaining about events and people in your lives and how terrible things are. Get a grip!! Whatever you have going on in your life right now is nothing compared to what some people are enduring right now. You have food to eat, water to drink, and a roof over your head.
Chicken Spinach Pizza
I make the dough in my bread machine. If you do not have access to a bread machine, then you can substitute commercial dough. You may use either a 12" or 16" pizza pan.
1 cup beer
1 T butter or olive oil
1 t salt (I use sea salt)
2 T sugar, stevia, or honey
2 3/4 C bread flour
1 T yeast
The ingredients go into the bread machine in the order listed. Prepare the dough and preheat the oven to broil first.
This link will take you to a video on how to roast the red pepper. http://video.about.com/italianfood/Roasted-Red-Pepper.htm Prepare this ahead and then reduce the temp in the oven to 400 degrees.
Season to taste 4-5 boneless/skinless chicken tenders and cook in the oven for about 20 min. When chicken is done, cut into small cubes.
When dough is ready, place it in the pan. Let it rise if the instructions require it. Once dough has risen, brush the dough with olive oil mixed with either crushed or chopped garlic. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, pepper, and grated Parmesan cheese. Take your fresh spinach leaves (use your judgment on how much based on the size pan you are using). Stack the spinach leaves together and slice into strips. Sprinkled the spinach strips around the dough. Slice the roasted red pepper and place around the pizza. Place the chopped chicken. I get the fresh mozzarella balls (the small ones). Cut the small balls in fours and place around the pizza. Again, use your judgment on how much based on your taste and size of pan. Sprinkle entire pizza with more olive oil and Parmesan cheese. Cook in oven at 400 degrees for 20-25 min. Serve hot and enjoy!
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