Choices

"Man is either the master of himself, or his appetite and sensual pleasures master him."

Did you know food could do this?

Whether it's too much, the wrong kind or not enough of the right kind, apparently food can make you crazy. (With all the ADD and depression it's becoming more clear.)

And if the cause is nutritional doesn't it stand to reason that a large part of the cure should be nutritional?

You tell me.

What causes schizophrenia?

Although there are cases where people go crazy for purely psychological reasons, there is now overwhelming evidence that in most people so diagnosed, something isn’t right in the brain. Researchers from the London Institute of Psychiatry have confirmed that the frontal cortex of the brain is involved in schizophrenia. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), they have also been able to show that the deterioration in brain function in schizophrenia is not irreversible.

The best results we’ve seen in helping those with so-called schizophrenia are achieved by investigating a number of possible avenues. These include:

• Blood sugar problems made worse by excess stimulant and drug use

• Essential fat imbalances

• Too many oxidants and not enough antioxidants

• Niacin (Vitamin B3) therapy

• Methylation problems helped by B12 and folic acid

• Pyroluria and the need for zinc

• Food allergies

If we had as much trust in ourselves, how much healthier would we be?

This article stunned and saddened me, not for it’s assertion that people were relieved of their symptoms more rapidly when the only variable was that they received more “quality time” from their physician but the fact that so much of our time, money and quality of life is wasted because we do not have this same level of trust in ourselves. It left me wondering how much better off we would be if we knew that inherent in us was the capacity to provide an even greater level of healing when we turn our trust inward. 

What do you make of these findings?

A surprisingly potent placebo: face time with me

DR. MICHAEL EVANS

From Tuesday's Globe and Mail

July 1, 2008 at 9:27 AM EDT

The word placebo has many connotations. Many think of it simply as a fake pill containing sugar.

Some see the term as derogatory since its effect could imply that a problem is not "real."

Some see it as proof of the incredible power of the mind.

But my question is not about the research value of placebos or how effective they are.

My question is: Am I a placebo?

A recent study in the British Medical Journal led by Ted Kaptchuk found patients who received better communication and more attention from their doctors saw a dramatic improvement in their medical condition than those who had a "colder" relationship and little face time with their physician.

Read the entire article here

Cause and Cure: Chicken Pox

It is the perspective of the Natural Hygienist physician that there is really only one cause of disease and not the myriad causes that the typical Western doctor proffers. This single cause of disease is toxemia. It is understood by Natural Hygienist physicians that healthy, disease free bodies can be a lifelong reality if individuals begin by clearing the body of toxic poisons, housed at the deepest cellular level. These toxins are introduced into our systems through the foods we eat (both poor quality and excess quantity), the environmental poisons we are exposed to and the resultant immune deficiencies created by our body’s inability to metabolize and eliminate the waste from these stressors in a timely and efficient manner.

When we cease eating, we begin the process that allows nature, in her unmatched wisdom, to construct the necessary cure. 

With a new school year just around the corner, I thought Dr. J.H. Tilden’s review of the cause, symptoms and treatment for chicken pox, a timely subject.

CHICKEN POX (Varicella)

DEFINITION.--This is a slightly contagious disease of children, characterized by an eruption of vesicles on the surface of the body. Children may get off with a dozen pox, and sometimes the disease is so severe that they have one hundred and fifty to two hundred on the entire body As a rule, it is a very insignificant disease. By that I mean that it is not of sufficient importance to worry about.

CAUSE.--The disease occurs in epidemic, endemic, and sporadic forms; that is to say, it may spread all over the country, it may be confined to just one locality, and then again a case may occur in a community without any other cases developing. This is true of all so-called contagious diseases, showing that contagion requires a proper physical state of the one taking the disease before it will manifest itself. No one will take any of the so-called epidemic or contagious diseases who is not in a favorable condition to be stricken down.

SYMPTOMS--It is said that after exposure it requires from ten to fifteen days for the disease to develop. In some cases it starts with a slight chill. Most children are a little irritable and cross--just as they might be with indigestion; and, indeed, they have indigestion, or they would not take the disease. The question, therefore, is: Is it the indigestion that causes the disease, or causes the chicken-pox, or does the chicken-pox cause the indigestion? The epidemic influence exists for certain diseases, but it must find the constitutional derangement exactly fitted before chicken-pox, or any other specific disease, can manifest. All such diseases represent a peculiar chemical state of the fluids of the body. Then, when the proper domestic or civic influence is created, the combination ends in a certain type of disease. This is true of all so-called contagious diseases. This definition may be used for diphtheria, scarlet fever, smallpox, etc. Nothing will come of chicken-pox per se. Children who are abused very greatly and have deranged digestions, and who possibly are predisposed to tuberculosis, may break down from an attack of chicken-pox; but it is a mistake to recognize chicken-pox as the cause. It only marks the beginning of the breaking-down, because the constitutional derangement was in existence before the chicken-pox developed.

TREATMENT--Children should be put to bed and the bowels washed out daily. No food at all, but all the hot water desired may be given. As soon as there is freedom from discomfort and no increase in temperature, feeding may begin with fresh pressed fruit juices and water, half and half, the first day; fruit two meals and salad one meal the next few days. Then return to regular eating*.

Excerpt from “Impaired Health, Its Causes and Cure” by Dr. J.H. Tilden, M.D.

*In all cases “regular eating” is reference to a diet of mostly fresh fruits and vegetables, no processed foods or refined sugar and little or no animal products.

Can fasting stop the "aging cascade"?

Imagine if you will.......

There are no age related diseases. 

Never have been. Never will be.

Aging and age-related degeneration is simply progressive, diminishing organ functioning. 

Over time and exposed to overfeeding and the Standard American Diet, organs that make digestive enzymes secrete less enzymes causing the immune system to degenerate. The degenerated immune system loses the ability to mobilize as effectively when the body is attacked. Liver and kidney efficiency declines. The adrenals tire, becoming incapable of dumping massive amounts of stress-handling hormones or of repeating that effort time after time without considerable rest in between. The consequences of these interdependent deteriorations is a cascade of deterioration that contributes to even more rapid deteriorations. The name for this cascading process is aging. 

Long fasts (between 7 and 21 days) repair and rebuild poorly functioning organs following the initial period of concentrated detoxification. These repaired organs then function more optimally, extending the life span of the organism, which in this case would be the human.

Imagine that.

FastGirls Feature Food: Watermelon

A summertime favorite, watermelon is cold sweet and alkalizing. It only has half as much sugar as an apple yet tastes sweeter because it’s mostly (92%) water. Watermelon is a good source of beta-carotene, vitamin C, potassium and silicon. It also contains the pigment lycopene, which is being investigated as a cancer preventative, and glutathione, which guards against cataract formation. The inner pale green rind of watermelon contains chlorophyll and can be eaten along with the pink meat. The fruits black seeds contain curcurbocitrin, which dilates the capillaries and are a traditional remedy for strengthening the kidneys.

Watermelon has anti-bacterial, antioxidant, anticoagulant, diuretic and laxative properties. It lubricates the intestines, has an affinity for the bladder, kidney, stomach and heart and is considered a rejuvenating tonic for the blood. Watermelon can help lift the spirits from depression and has been used in treatments for halitosis, hangover, mouth sores, sore throat and urethral pain. It is a digestive aid and makes an ideal food for a cleanse.

When on the vine, the melon develops a white spot where it touches the ground; when this white spot turns yellow or cream colored, it indicates ripeness. A ripe melon will also be heavy for it’s size, have a sweet fragrance and have skin that can be scraped off easily with a fingernail. It will also make a dull, hollow sound when thumped. Watermelon is best enjoyed on its own but it can be added to fruit salad, juiced or you can freeze the puree for cool watermelon sorbet. For an invigorating watermelon tonic that will help build the blood and strengthen the glands try juicing the seeds, rind and pink meat all together.

And for the men we love...

Watermelon may be a natural Viagra, says a researcher. That’s because the popular summer fruit is richer than experts believed in an amino acid called citrulline, which relaxes and dilates blood vessels much like Viagra and other drugs meant to treat erectile dysfunction (ED).

“We have known that watermelon has citrulline,” says Bhimu Patil, PHD, director of the Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center at Texas A&M University, College Station. Until recently, he tells WebMD, scientists thought most of the citrulline was in the watermelon rind. “Watermelon has more citrulline in the edible part than previously believed,” he says.

How could watermelon be a natural Viagra? The amino acid citrulline is converted into the amino acid arginine, Patil says. “This is a precursor for nitric oxide, and the nitric oxide will help in blood vessel dilation.”

One Man's Journey: V-log

One woman's story of a three day gift

There’s Nothing Wrong with Fast Girls March 2, 2008
Posted by Michele in Living In This Body.

Today I did something I’ve never done before. And I gotta tell ya, I like the way it feels. Today I’m finishing up the last day of a three-day fast.

Those of you who know me are probably asking, “What ever possessed her to fast for three freakin’ days straight?” I thought the same thing when I started toying with the idea a few days ago. Then, last Thursday I went to lunch with a friend and ordered chili topped with cheese. It was the first time I’d eaten beef or dairy in a couple of weeks – the direct result of a cow vs. forklift video I was unfortunate enough to catch on the evening news.

By Thursday night my left eye was swelled up like a balloon. When I woke up Friday morning the eye had gone down some, but the sinus was still inflamed. Allergies? Maybe. But one thing was for sure, I needed to cleanse my system, and this crazy bodily reaction was confirmation that I should go forward with the fast. I needed a fresh start without all the toxins in my body driving cravings and weighing me down.

Now, usually after six or eight hours without food I’m a danger to others. But this weekend I’ve learned that the hunger you experience after a carb and sugar orgy is much more sever than the hunger you have after three days of fasting. Now, if you’d told me this last week, I’d have probably thought you were lying – like when we tell pregnant women that childbirth really isn’t that bad because we don’t want to scare the crap outta them. But I have to admit, I feel pretty damn good.

Now that’s not to say that I didn’t have a few mild headaches back on day one. And, on day two I took a four-hour nap (because of the lack of food, my son and husband were afraid to wake me). And, okay, this morning I did have one minor meltdown – but in my defense my husband was making fried potatoes and they just smelled so good. Anyway, overall I think I did alright.

Besides, what I learned from this fast far outweighs any of the side effects my family might have endured. This weekend I learned what it feels like to fully reside within this body. I felt the simple pleasure of a cup of herbal tea with lemon. I felt the warmth of a hot bath and the softness of baby oil on my skin. I felt the joy of a long nap. I felt the sense of accomplishment in reaching my goal. And I felt the deep satisfaction of caring for and loving my body in ways I’ve never done before.

On heredity, disease and the family table

"Eating is a very habitual and unconscious activity; frequently we continue to eat as adults whatever our mother fed us as a child. I consider it unsurprising when people develop the very same disease conditions as their parents. They wrongly assume [and doctors wrongly assert] the cause is genetic inheritance, when actually it was just because they were putting their feet under the same table as their parents." 

-Dr. Isabelle A. Moser

Eden Kitchen: Kale and Avocado Salad

Ingredients:
1 head kale, shredded
1 cup tomato, chopped
1 avocado
2 tablespoons grapeseed or olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
celtic sea salt, to taste
½ teaspoon cayenne

Preparation:
In mixing bowl, toss all ingredients together. Mush everything together (with hands) to created marinated/wilted effect on kale. This makes it much tastier and easier to digest.

Introduction to "FastGirls: An Ancient Practice for the Modern Girl"

This is my testimony.

A weekly practice of fasting has made my hair and resolve stronger, skin clearer and the act of peeling back the emotional layers of my life, less painful. It has made my waist slimmer, my periods lighter and turned my temperament from a searing blaze to a warm ember. Fasting allows me creative courage and more complete sleep. Its regular practice has helped me clear the cobwebs from my head and heart and given me discipline to finally finish a book after thirteen years. It has coached me on a better way to speak to my children so that I don’t bruise them with the sharp whip of my loose tongue. It has made me more compassionate towards those who have nothing and less judgmental of those who have, but give nothing. Spending long days dependant on spiritual fuel instead of food has made me sure of my Eternal Self, of the continuous availability of my inner strength. It makes me walk taller – literally and figuratively – and ushers me into more mindful ways of speaking and being. Fasting has helped me shed the weight of my past failings and celebrate the truth that they took place solely to teach. Going without food for twenty-four to thirty-six hours every week allows me to see my self; the parts of me that withhold and those that lash out, and teaches me how to adjust towards right action. Every week when I meet the day with the intention to fast I am saying to myself and to the Infinite, teach me what I need to learn, show me what I need to see, give me the death I need so that I may truly live.

And sometimes it feels like that. Like I am surely going to die. But I don’t. I live. More fully during and after the fast, than ever before.

Food for Thought

Guard your thoughts. Your thoughts are the gatekeeper, controlling what comes out of and what goes into, your mouth.

The Buchinger Clinic on NPR

The Buchinger clinic in Germany provides a safe and luxurious space where people come and pay thousands of dollars to.....fast!

All Things Considered, November 21, 2007 · At a clinic high in the hills above Lake Constance in southern Germany, people pay thousands of dollars a week to not eat. The Buchinger Clinic is famous for promoting fasting as a cure-all.

The clinic's chief doctor, Christian Kuhn, says fasting naturally leads people to focus inward and opens them to what he calls "spiritual nutrition" — what people really need, he says, to heal or change their lives.


Check it out. See what you think.

Buchinger Clinic
Buchinger Clinic On NPR

Critical Mission: Getting the Mucous Out

Of all the benefits of fasting, clearing the body of disease promoting mucous (in excess of protective levels) is one of the most significant. For many of us who regularly eat the Standard American Diet, we are living in a constant state of disease as mucous clogs up the entire piping system of the body. Whether the illness is actively manifesting itself in the form of a virus, reproductive, respiratory or autoimmune disease, or simply perched on a dangerous precipice, waiting only for the clock to strike the appropriate hour before showing its face, the levels of mucus in our bodies and the amounts of mucous promoting food that we consume, leave us in an extremely vulnerable position when it comes to the preservation of our health.

A simple test of the amount of mucous in our systems can be had as we pay attention to the number of times we reach for a tissue to blow or wipe our noses or clear our throats. Or maybe you have a slow postnasal drip which moves down the back of your throat into your sinus cavity. This storage of toxic mucous begins to accumulate in the body from birth. It is the product of undigested and uneliminated unnatural food substances. Mucous is found not only in the nose, throat and lungs but throughout the entire 30 feet of our gastrointestinal tract which begins at the mouth and extends to the rectum. It's overpopulation in the system is the cause of many diseases, the most deadly of which is pneumonia.

One thing we can do fast day (and every other day as well) to further aid the body in reducing the amount of mucous in the system is to add fresh lemon juice to our distilled, purified or filtered water. This can be done by squeezing juice directly from the lemon into a glass of water or preparing a pitcher of water with lemons slices soaked in it. If this prepared method works best for you, the pitcher can be refilled with water as long as the lemons continue to float. The pitcher should preferably be glass and not plastic. Chemicals used to create plastics leach into the water, contributing to the levels of toxicity in our system.

As you drink the water, especially on fast day, you will find that it is literally pulling the mucous from the body. This can be seen most obviously by the increased need to spit it out but mucous is also being removed through the more typical eliminative functions as well.

Mucous producing foods:

All Dairy Products

All Meat

Wheat

Sugar

Bananas

Processed Foods

Saturated Fats

Food for the Soul: Controlling Our Tongues

"If we cannot control our appetites and hold to a simple fast, how can we eventually overcome the temptation to judge and condemn others and succeed at the formidable task of controlling our tongues"

-Bishop Chrysostomos

Original photograph of a Sioux Indian Fasting. The photo is by Curtis, and was taken in 1907. The image is captioned, "Fasting".

Gaining Perspective Through Fasting

In Carole Garibaldi Rogers' book "Fasting: Exploring a Great Spiritual Practice," writer Mary Aktay talks about the revelation that came to her while fasting during the holy month of Ramadan.

"The rationale in Ramadan is that it's not about giving up food. It's about not doing anything else during the day that would take your mind off God. At first I wondered how that could be since when you're hungry all you can think of is food. Then, as I got older and wiser, I started thinking , well, where does the food come from? The food comes from the grace of God. And then that brought me into justice issues and solidarity with the poor. The food comes from the grace of God, but it also comes from the sweat and labor of people like the migrant farm workers."

Neglectful Medicine?

I was reading the site below on Fibroids and what medical professionals have to say about the condition and treatment. If I had not been convinced, I am now sure that the medical professionals are either completely neglectful of woefully and willfully ignorant about how to really heal us.

If we do not do our own research and understand the critical importance of a healthy diet cutting back on ALL estrogen producing foods, ie. meats and dairy products), cleansing, and maintaining balance physically, emotionally and socially , we will suffer from maladies as easily preventable and curable as fibroids - or worse - forever.

Let me know what you think of the information and treatment recommendations made in the article.

I am amazed that they would rather give women a drug that prevents our bodies from making estrogen (introducing new toxins into the system as well as halting natural processes) rather than tell a patient to alter eating habits that are causing estrogen levels to skyrocket. 

They are killing me. Literally.

EveryDay Health - Fibroids

Fasting in Hinduism

We find that so many faiths have a common connection when it comes to the practice of fasting.

The Sanskrit word for fasting is Upavasa. Upa means "near" and vasa means "to stay." Implicit in the word is that fasting means "to stay near (the Lord)," to keep the Lord close in your heart and mind. In the Hindu faith, The very word for fasting has in inbuilt orientation to the Divine.

Fasting Linked to Mormon's Healthy Hearts

Mormons Have Less Heart Disease Due to Monthly Fasting Says Study
Report to American Heart Association says people who skip meals better off

Nov. 6, 2007 - Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS or Mormons) have lower rates of heart disease than other Americans and a new study of older people indicates it may be linked to their religious practice of skipping food for one day a month. The Mormon religion also prohibits smoking and it was previously assumed this was the reason they enjoyed healthier hearts.

“People who fast seem to receive a heart-protective benefit, and this appeared to also hold true in non-LDS people who fast as part of a health-conscious lifestyle,” said Benjamin D. Horne, Ph.D., M.P.H., study author and director of cardiovascular and genetic epidemiology at Intermountain Medical Center and adjunct assistant professor of biomedical informatics at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

FastGirls Feature Food: Jicama

The root vegetable Jicama (pronounced “HEE-ka-ma”) has a flavor similar to that of water chestnut. Jicama is rich n beta-carotene, B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, calcium, iron and potassium.

Select jicama that is firm and heavy for its size. Overly large or shriveled jicama is likely to be woody and tough. Jicama can be stored whole and unwrapped in the refrigerator for several weeks but storing it in plastic accelerates mold growth. Once it is cut it is best to use within a day or two. It can be used in salads or peeled, sliced and served with dips. In Latin America it is common to serve jicama with a squeeze of lemon or lime and a dash of salt. Jicama can be juiced, grated into salador grated to the size of rice grains and used as a rice replacement.

To peel jicama, cut in half and use the edge of a regular spoon to ply under the skin which will peel right off (figure I). Jicama has a papery-thin skin, and using a spoon will prevent you from tearing it. When the jicama is peeled, place it in a little lemon juice and water to maintain the color, texture and taste. It will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of days until you're ready to use it. (You can apply the same technique to gingerroot.)