Too Young

This night I post after a long day ...just to reiterate how much I hate cancer. It took the life of a beautiful women today. A childhood friend... a mother, a person who made others smile and feel welcomed. And although I cannot even begin to understand why some are called Home so young...and we humans cannot control such things...  I do know that our health care system is not up to par when compared to the European countries. I know, that may seem like a strange statement, but I am angry about the death of this women and the path of health care given given years ago.
Sometimes traditional medicine is not in our best interest...not because it is intentional, but because doctors may not know any other way...as education comes from the drug companies, per Dr. Stacey Bean, Dr. John Lee, Dr. Joe Mercola, Dr. Russel Blaylock, Platt, Weil...and a host of others who repeat this time and time again in their books, newsletters and other resources. (I'm an avid reader of health and wellness.)
If a young woman has polycystic ovarian syndrome - too often the answer is a hysterectomy. The after affects of this procedure are typically comprised of a form of Hormone Replacement Therapy - aka HRT.  HRT is linked to a multitude of side effects, some may be minor, but others, such as cancer...can be fatal.
I'm speaking to the ladies reading this post.... be on guard for your own health's sake!!  Do NOT take everything your doctor states as truth...it may not be, but it may be all they know. Doctors are busy people...they do not have time to study outside the realm of their practice, other than what drug companies provide on their latest products. Unless, as some do, they take the initiative and sacrifice perhaps family time to read up on the latest information that may not be published in the American Journal of Medicine. Drug companies have a say in what is published in medical journals as well... per Dr. John Lee, they have a hand in keeping natural healing remedies out of these journals...the fact is, natural does not sell Rx.
Only synthetic, drug company derived prescriptions can make their company money - not God's healing medicines of herbs and other botanicals. The Creator has given us a virtual medicine chest...and there are those well versed in botanicals and science that can take plants, combined with science, to make a bio-identical product that mimics what the body produces...when our bodies fail to produce enough.
In case you are not aware, I am talking about BIO-IDENTICAL HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY, or bHRT.  In regards to my friend, it is possible progesterone could have taken care of her problem back in her 20s, vs. the operation at age 32 that may have been the catalyst for what was to come.
I can't do anything about the past, but I can continue to answer the call to educate as many as will listen, or read, about the benefits of progesterone cream.
An excerpt from an article on uterine cancer: "We know now that progesterone deficiency is linked to an increased risk of cancer. Uterine cancer, for example, is known to be caused by unopposed estrogen. That’s why women who have an intact uterus and take estrogen replacement therapy must also be given some form of progesterone to oppose estrogen and reduce this risk. This is generally given in the form of synthetic progestin (that carry health risks) designed to block estrogen effects, but differs considerably from the molecule that is human-identical progesterone."

To explain this, I would encourage you to read the entire article offered by one of my go to sources:
http://www.natural-progesterone-advisory-network.com/endometrial-uterine-cancer-and-natural-progesterone/

Please understand I am not bashing the medical profession...doctors do as they are told and educated by those who they must answer to, which is probably the hospital that employs them, and hospitals benefit with Big Pharma "partnerships". If you ever have a chance to talk with someone who USED to be in pharmaceutical sales...you will understand. For many, their hands are simply tied.
You don't have to go to med school to be your own best health advocate, but you do need to read and learn. What are you willing to give up to take charge of your health? A weekly television program, reading "shades of gray"...such things are not life changing past times, correct?  If you take some time to explore the web site I link above - I suspect you will find the time spent life changing, it could even save your life, or certainly improve it.
My passion is educating family, friends, strangers...seriously, I will talk to anyone who will listen about bHRT. It certainly has contributed to my own well being, and I have had so many women share their testimonies about the improvements to their overall well being once they discover bHRT - aka USP certified bio-identical progesterone transdermal cream.  Obviously I cannot convince everyone, especially those in the medical profession. Often there is no interest until cancer hits home. Then, perhaps, this information will be of interest, and unfortunately it can be too late.
Please look into it, contact me if you have questions on this subject and I can probably send you documents, links to articles, etc.  As a reminder, I am not nor do I profess to be a doctor - I simply pass along information from those doctors who HAVE taken the time to study that which is not taugh in med school - bHRT. I may not have MD credentials...but frankly, I know more on this subject than those with credentials. Sadly, it does not qualify me to educate family members of those affected by cancer at a local organization geared toward serving families with cancer...the irony of it all.
Our families deserve us, don't you think? I am doing all I can to be around for my children. No, I cannot control my fate, but I can be proactive and make wisened decisions for my own healthful benefit. I hate cancer and hate that it rips families apart. Please be pro-active in  your own health care.

In honor of heaven's new angel, God's peace,
Rita S.

Should I Try Miracle Whey?

Ideally, we would eat a whole, raw food diet for each and every meal. Whole food nutrition is always best, but for a busy lifestyle, it is not always practical. For my family, protein shakes are the “easy button” that allows us to make a fast, healthy choice in our rushed mornings.

Today, I decided to compare my morning Essential vegan protein shake made with pea/brown rice/cranberry protein to whey based Miracle Whey. Should I consider switching brands? Afterall, both contain 100% of the essential amino acids, and Dr. Mercola, whom I respect, is an advocate for Miracle Whey.

I listened to his video, and definitely agree with him that whey protein isolates have detrimental, long term effects – the processing of these proteins, done with acids, makes them “putrid” as described by Mercola. It is a very acidic product. His product, like the brand I use, is cold processed, and maintains the integrity of the original whole food sources.

An obvious difference between the two is the type of proteins, one being lactose based and the other vegan. People have told me they have a bloated feeling with whey protein, including a top brand called Dream protein.  For many, dairy and lactose based products are difficult to digest.

Personally – my husband and I both find our joints are less noisy when we avoid dairy. Many people do not realize that having a food allergy and food sensitivity are different, yet both affect the body.  An allergy, as you might expect, causes one to have a very apparent adverse reaction. A food sensitivity, on the other hand, may cause minor symptoms that a person may not even realize, or attribute, to a type of food. That is, unless they eliminate the food for several weeks, ideally a month, and note the improvement and recurrence as soon as the food is reintroduced to the diet.

For my husband and myself – our joints, the ol’ knees in particular, become much more noisy when we consume dairy. Dairy products, in general, are inflammatory.  Since eliminating dairy milk from my meals I no longer have acid reflux, which was pretty bad during the night.

As I understand it, Miracle Whey is made from whey derived from grass-fed cows, and I believe this then would be anti-inflammatory as the whey contains CLA, which is a healthy fat. Therefore, I cannot choose between the two based on inflammatory properties, as I believe both protein powders have anti-inflammatory properties. I'm not a scientist, so don't quote me on that...

Regarding purity, both are free of trace metals and other harmful ingredients. Trace metals, which build up in the body and contribute to a toxic inner-body environment, are found in many brands found in chain nutrition stores, and off your grocery or drug store shelves.

On a pH scale I would believe Miracle Whey to be further down the acidic side of the scale than a vegan protein – I would actually have to obtain a Miracle Whey sample and test it with one of my pH strips to compare. Because my eating lifestyle is cancer preventative focused – my goal is to eat as much on the alkaline side as possible in hopes of achieving a neutral body pH. This is speculation on my part, so I may actually have to spend some money on obtaining Miracle Whey in order to place a pH strip in it.

I printed out the Miracle Whey ingredient label and compared side by side. Caloric intake per serving is the same at 160. Calories from fat – again, both match at 30, however, here the difference is the vegan shake does not contain any saturated fat or cholesterol.

Miracle Whey delivers 32 grams of  protein and 0 fiber, whereas essential protein delivers 20 grams of protein, but does offer a smidgen of soluable fiber at 1 gram.  On this note I will say that Mercola recommends Miracle Whey as a post-workout recovery shake, and not necessarily a meal replacement; whereas the product I use is a meal replacement, and satiates for longer periods when I add a scoop of soluable fiber that is both tasteless and non-grainy.

The real skinny on the comparison takes place when I compare vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants. Truly, there is no comparison in this regard. With Miracle Whey one gets calcium, of course, some iron, and potassium. That’s it.

With my current brand I get a broad spectrum of 20 essential vitamins and minerals, including A, complex B, calcium, and magnesium, the latter of which is deficient in every cancer patient. My shake contains no iron, which I prefer, as Americans consume too much iron and iron toxicity is being linked to cancer, and is a hot topic on the cancer prevention front currently.

What really sets my morning protein shake apart, however, are the anti-oxidants, and for me – trying to live a cancer preventative lifestyle – anti-oxidants are critical in renewing health on a cellular level. A few of the anti-oxidants I consume every morning in my shake include CoQ10, selenium, and has added benefits of alfalfa, kelp and ginseng root powder.  (All non GMO, of course.)

In summary, although I am curious about Miracle Whey, I am already experiencing great benefits with my vegan pea/brown rice/cranberry based protein powder.  My doctor is very pleased with my “age reduction” that goes hand in hand with my 85 lb. weight reduction. My shakes taste great, and I have already tasted a premium whey protein side by side before that was just awful, and cost $30 more per container for the same amount of servings. I cannot imagine Miracle Whey is really going to taste any better than the other whey product, and certainly not as good as the one I am using.

Perhaps I should follow my dad’s advice from my childhood, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

To your health,
Rita S.

Thyroid and the Iodine Bully

Thyroid disorders are at an all-time high – and iodine deficiency is the TOP reason. Contrary to what you may believe, iodine, an essential mineral, is not prevalent in our foods – unless you are eating a lot of raw sea weed and algae.

The iodine you do consume is likely being blocked by iodine inhibitors present in your processed food and even your hygiene. Per the Women’s Health Institute of Texas, “Iodine is fairly easily displaced from your body by toxins called toxic halides… fluoride, bromine and chloride.

Fluoride is by far the worst culprit. Found in toothpaste and in your water supply, every time you take a shower, brush your teeth or drink from the tap, your body gets a little exposure to fluoride, leeching out good iodine. And contrary to popular belief, fluoridated water is actually rather poor at preventing tooth decay.
Why is it in our water supply? Poor science combined with corporate greed and political ignorance paved the way. Basically a toxic by-product of aluminum production, fluoridation was sold as a way to prevent cavities because some areas with natural fluoride in the water also had lower instances of tooth decay. Based upon that spurious observation, fluoridation began. ^29 30 
Then there’s bromine, an endocrine disruptor that competes for the same receptors that capture iodine. Essentially, bromine crowds out iodine.
How prevalent is bromine? Consider this, every time you bite into a piece of store bought bread, you’re probably ingesting some bromine. It’s used to make bread dough more elastic and thus easier to handle, but not by very much.”

The article goes on to site products containing bromine…in addition to store bought bread, your citrus flavored drinks (including Mountain Dew, Gatorade, Sun Drop, Squirt, Fresca), hair dyes, medicines (such as Atrovent Inhaler, Atrovent Nasal Spray, Pro-Banthine for ulcers, and anesthesia agents), pesticides, pastas (for the same reason it is used in bread dough I suppose) toothpaste, mouthwash, fire retardant fabrics, swimming pools, hot tubs, and even your car.  (crazy, huh?) Be aware that bromine may be used in the very same spa you go to to detox – now is that counterproductive, or what?! In addition, plastics – such as those used to make computers, contain bromine…ha, guess what I am typing on?!

Bromine is a natural element…which again, reiterates that just because something is natural does not mean it is good for you…mineral oil and glutamate are tops on my mental list.

Dr. Joe Mercola states in an article on the same topic: “methyl bromide is used as a pesticide predominantly on California strawberries; Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO) is used in citrus drinks to help suspend the flavoring, and potassium bromate is used as a dough conditioner in bakery goods and pastas.”

Mercola goes on to describe - Bromine as The Bully of the Halide Group. “When you ingest or absorb bromine, it displaces iodine, and this iodine deficiency leads to an increased risk for cancer of the breast, thyroid gland, ovary and prostate -- cancers that we see at alarmingly high rates today. This phenomenon is significant enough to have been given its own name -- the Bromide Dominance Theory. Aside from its effects on your endocrine glands, bromine is toxic in and of itself. Bromide   builds up in your central nervous system and results in many problems. It is a central nervous system depressant and can trigger a number of psychological symptoms such as acute paranoia and other psychotic symptoms.”  

http://www.breastcancerchoices.org/bromidedominancetheory.html

Our body is full of receptors – this is something I have learned over the past two years. Just as an abundance of estrogen creates a hormone imbalance, taking over progesterone receptors, essential minerals do the same thing. Bromine and iodine compete for receptors, and it seems that bromine wins – preventing iodine from being absorbed and used by your very important thyroid gland.

If this is not reason enough to read labels and take heed – bromine and iodine deficiency is also linked to breast cancer and other cancers.

Chlorine is also on the halide list, an endocrine disruptor. As we gear up for summer and swimming pool season – my family will utilize the knowledgeable staff at Patio Pleasures, in Madison for their “green” pool option to chlorinated chemicals.

If you are struggling with weight gain, especially mid-section, in all likelihood there is a hormone imbalance – thyroid is a hormone just as is estrogen and progesterone – and all work together. Progesterone is, in fact, a precursor to the thyroid hormone. If you are deficient on both progesterone and thyroid – yikes, problems may be forthcoming!

Bromine not only decreases iodine receptors, it also INCREASES ESTROGEN reception and DECREASES PROGESTERONE receptors. Goodness, in my mind this makes it all the more dangerous as an ingredient and ranks right up there with petro-chemicals!

I hope today’s post helps you become more aware of environmental factors affecting your health. How to counter the underactive thyroid epidemic? Try to greatly reduce the foods and products mentioned above. My family claimed victory to find a bread that is not made with high fructose corn syrup – and now, it looks like we will have to look for the B ingredient on the label. Personally, I am happy to have written bread primarily out of my life!

 If your hormones are out of balance (you can find plenty of articles in this blog that discuss this in further detail – search for “hormone”), find a doctor, or  health practitioner experienced in BIO-IDENTICAL hormone therapy.

Of course, consume iodine (but remember, avoid the bromine or your body won’t utilize the iodine as needed) – use a Celtic or Himalayan sea salt containing iodine and known for its healing properties (I have found amazon.com to offer these salts reasonably), and look for dietary supplementation containing iodine. Our family, both adults and kids, utilize a daily power pack of vitamins containing iodine with a high rate of bio-availability (10,000 ORAC), and as well – our vegan, pea based protein powder also contains iodine.

Readers of my blog…what do you think after reading this? I don’t know if you find this helpful information, or if it makes you think one can’t enjoy food and life for fear of ingredients.  Let me make it clear – we don’t lose sleep over this. We simply took action – we have found brands that are pure and safe, we have our grocery shopping list fine-tuned with the research behind . We enjoy eating as much as the next family  – and feel great because of our choices.  It may take a bit to get started, but as my husband said this evening after his first bike ride of the season, “it feels great to climb a hill with ease that would have “killed me” a year ago”.  This man has probably not had a "workout" since the last biking season - and he did not lose breath or run out of energy! Purely living is a lifestyle, and it makes life great to live!

To your health,

Rita S.

Is Your Baby's Skin Care Toxic?

Babies are amazing, little miracles - they are of a DIVINE design, intricate in all their workings, inside and out. Thier systems are carefully planned out by the Creator - every vessel, strand of DNA and amino acid working together to create a human body. Babies are born in an alkaline state - they smell so good, without the aid of extraneous powders and lotions.
In contrast, nursing homes do not smell so good, because by then - the human bodies have become toxic, highly acidic and typically on the far left side of the pH scale.
How do we go from pure, pH balanced bodies (assuming the baby in the womb had proper nutrition and safety from environmental exposure) to out of balance, toxic bodies as senior citizens? Well, it is a lifetime of environmental and chemical exposures and poor food choices; and it all starts with the products our mothers patted on our soft baby hineys and rubbed on our arms and faces. Products, most likely, recommended by the family doctor or pediatrician.
I remember visiting a friend's nursery, all set up for the baby to come - and being apalled at seeing Johnson and Johnson baby oil on the changing table. This person had already been told about the detrimental effects of mineral oil, but it was a product her doctor recommended.  It is good to trust in your doctor for many reasons, but it is also good to realize that they are human, and BUSY, and don't have time to continue their education outside their clinic life and learn in great part, from the reps of the drug companies that pay them a visit.
Dr. Joe Mercola, who has made time to learn outside his practice and is helping people live healthier lives through awareness (of that mentioned above) and nutrition, makes a statement in his newsletter today about baby care that everyone who is expecting, has a baby, has children, or grandchildren...should be made aware of. Mercola writes:

In my opinion, if you had a hospital birth, you may need to trash some of the sales samples you were given there, and shed your preconceived notions about caring for your new little bundle of joy.
You probably know that there are very few softer surfaces than a newborn's skin.
It is important to remember that most items you apply to this soft skin, just like your skin, will be absorbed into their bloodstream. There are plenty of reasons to be especially concerned with what you allow to go on your baby's skin – for these four reasons.

• Your baby's skin is ten times thinner than yours is
• Their sebaceous glands are not fully developed, making them more sensitive to mother's hormones – and by extrapolation, probably other things
• Like you, their skin is their largest organ
• Your baby's rapidly dividing cells make her even more sensitive to DNA-disrupting toxins than an adult is.
• So it stands to reason that your baby's (or grandbaby's) skin care products may have much more 'damage' potential than even your own skin products do.

Think about the brands that are sent home with your from the hospital. These are BIG NAME companies, companies who want you to keep on using their products once those samples are gone. Do you think the hospital gets some kind of kickback for handing out those product samples? No doubt...and in doing so they lead unwary new parents into thinking they are using safe baby care products on their newborn.
I saw "good" ol' Vasoline Petroleum Jelly on a table while visiting a friend who had a baby a few months ago. These friends are very much aware of the food they eat - organic consumers, whole foods, nothing processed. Yet they were using a petro-chemical, an endocrine disruptor, on the baby for naval care - just as we were instructed to do when our son was born. Had I only known then what I know now.  Food choices and skin care choices are not seperate factions of living a healthy life style - they go hand in hand. Both feed our organs.
Consider what you use on your newborn baby's body, born pH balanced in a hopefully healthy alkaline state. Everything you do...from lotions to food will affect the health and long-term well being of the child. And it all begins in the womb...from what the mother uses and absorbs through her skin and consumes for nutrients. Learn to read your labels, not to trust every product sample given to you, and look for products that are PURE, SAFE and BENEFICIAL for the sake of your precious, little miracle - who depends on you to make smarter choices.

To your health, and that of your family's a well!
Rita S.

Gone, But Never Forgotten

I know this man smiles down at me. His name is Marv. Many of you who read my blog were never privileged to have met him. When people pass on, as Marv did two years ago June 7, it is not uncommon for people to forget.  For me personally, and for many whose lives Marv touched - he will not be forgotten.
Marv left a legacy. He left his written word. He left his meditations on God's word for others, so that we all may grow closer to Christ, or perhaps come to know him for the first time. Marv planted seeds of faith, and this day those seeds are growing as others begin to develop a relationship with our Lord. I glanced at his writing for June 7 in his devotion, "God's Word Revealed", which I had the privilege of helping him publish, and he writes about the marriage covenant. Let man not divide a man and his wife. I am thankful to be yoked with a fellow believer.
This blog began while Marv was still with us, although his journey was near the end. I should clarify that to say his earthly journey, because frankly, Marv was excited to be going Home to his heavenly Father, although those of us who loved him wept openly at the thought of "losing him".
Marv had cancer. That nasty C word that I hate -  which drives my passion to educate others on lifestyle changes that may help prevent cancer. Even though Marv's children are adults, as am I, and although not his child by blood - we certainly adopted one another as a part of Christ's family.
For years my husband and I met with Marv and his wife, Carol, every Monday night for a bible study in our home. We did not break for summer, rarely for a holiday. It was a cherished time to be in the Word and really dig in to the verses and their meaning for us. We experienced times of renewed vigor in Marv as we prayed over him for his health and healing. We shared love and fellowship. Cancer broke Marv and Carol's marriage covenant - and she misses her brother in Christ more than she misses her husband.
Cancer can tear apart those family rituals, which is why I hate it. I don't even like the word hate, we are called to love, but in this case, I don't think God minds my pairing cancer with hate.
It is because cancer tears families a part that I vowed to take charge of my health and turn it around. I knew where I was headed ...and it was a dark path that likely included lots of medications that would have a ripple effect in degrading my health and quality of life even more. Gaining weight each year, my body feeling more worn with each passing day - I knew I was on the fast track to nursing home care. What right do I have to burden my children with the astronomical costs? And what right do I have to live my latter years in poor health, so that I cannot enjoy quality time with my family or they with me?
If you have not yet read "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Breast Cancer" by Dr. John Lee, Virginia Hopkins and Dr. David Zava - get it reserved at the library. Or spend $8 and highlight and revisit it often like I have. It is a book you will want to share with every woman you hold dear. Because of this book, my health has taken a 180 degree turn - and franky, a few paragraphs about nutrition was the catalyst. I did not do Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, South Beach, MediFast or any of those diets that focus on weight loss without long term, lasting effects.  More so, knowing what I now know about ingredients, healthy food choices, foods that we are brainwashed into thinking they are healthy...I will not touch a Yoplait yogurt, a Nutrigrain bar, or hydrolized protein isolates. I retrained myself how to eat. I learned about the pH of food, and processing that makes much of our grocery store food acidic and toxic.
I have made lifestyle changes that our entire family has embraced. Today a friend saw a photo of our daughter in first grade, next to one of her taken a few weeks ago - and he commented that he could even tell in her photos that she looks healthier since Arbonne came into our lives. For me personally, everyone has seen the change in me - 85 fewer pounds is not something people can miss. Some do not even recognize me if it has been a while. That makes me smile. I love my pure anti-aging products. :-) And I know Marv smiles down at me, too. I know he is proud of my accomplishment in becoming a healthy woman.
I know he is proud that I have found a way to serve others and educate people about making choices that will benefit their body. It is my prayer that I will  leave a legacy, as Marv did. I am thankful my business can leave a legacy to my children. More so, I pray that my legacy will be that of making a difference in people's lives...the baby who was born because his mother may have miscarried without progesterone cream - Dr. Lee provided the education and I provided the product. Or the person who is free of depression medication and who is able to think more clearly than she has in years since her own battle with cancer. My personal life change inspiring a woman who heeded my coaching for a lifestyle change and lost 50 lbs, and is still losing. People can enjoy greater health because of my teaching and coaching, and should something happen to me tomorrow, I know my team and collegues in the business will continue to educate and make a difference in people's lives.
Knowing how much I miss Marv, I know that Carol misses him even more. Please keep her in prayer this day, June 7, as we celebrate a life that left a legacy.  If you knew Marv, please read the book I mention above. What I learned could have helped Marv had I read it in the earlier stages of his cancer, and perhaps prevented it all together had I read it 15 yrs ago. Armed with knowledge, my husband uses progesterone cream in hopes that he will not venture down the same path as our dear friend. It is one thing to embrace death with excitement of going to heaven, but I would like to do so healthy to my last living day.

To your health, and to the memory of a man whose simple faith changed lives- praise God.
Rita S.