Filed under: mental health | Tags: grief, healing grief, loss of a child, loss of a parent, supporting a grieving friend
I sometimes use the phrase, “Good grief” when I am exasperated by something. For the first few years of our relationship, Keith would reply, “Is there such a thing as ‘good grief’?” I would respond by saying, “Absolutely! Grief is healing and helps us to move on.” So now that I am in the midst of my own grief over losing my dad to cancer almost a year ago (June 
I find myself experiencing the pain and healing of grief.
I notice that many people don’t talk about grief in this society. I think sometimes it makes us uncomfortable or we are afraid we are going to upset the other person if we bring up their grief. Just yesterday I was meeting a new friend and it came up that my dad had died almost a year ago. As we spoke, tears came to my eyes and she offered not to talk about it anymore saying she, “didn’t want to upset me.” I appreciate the care that went behind that comment but I assured her that if she was okay if I got a little emotional, it did my heart and my healing good to talk about my grief and my dad.
I love the phrase my sister Marie borrowed from Shrek (the movie) about grief, “Better out than in.” Now Shrek was referring to bodily gases but I think it is equally true for grief. I believe that our bodies hold on to negative emotions as a form of toxic energy and over time they can cause their own “dis-ease.” The only way to heal our bodies is to work through the emotions and heal ourselves. So if you will indulge me today, I will share a bit of my grieving process and a few tips that have helped me as I have grieved in my life.
For those of you who don’t know me personally, my dad is not the first major loss I have had in my life. Besides losing three of my four grandparents in my childhood, Great-Aunts, and pet gerbils, when I was 14 a young man I had been dating (behind my parent’s back, I might add) committed suicide. I wasn’t overly close to him as we didn’t see each other that often and I was actually on the verge of breaking up with him, which initially made my grief even harder to deal with. Bless my mom because not only did she not freak out that I had been dating an 18 year old behind her back she also helped me to work through my grief. I remember clearly that after a beloved pet had died or something upsetting had happened in my day, my mom would come upstairs to my bedroom and listen to my story then ask if she could give me a hug.
Fast forward in life to 2005 and my sister was in a terrible car accident. Not only did she almost die, we did lose her two children and a friend of my nephew’s was in the car and died also. It was the worst of times but in some ways it was the best of times. If that sounds odd to you I want to reassure you that expressing your love and concern to someone going through a tough spot makes a HUGE difference. Just “being there in the fire” (as my friend Sherry would say) and letting the person know you are thinking of them, sending them loving prayers, and maybe a card from time to time really helps to wrap the grieving person in a cloak of love. The car accident was right before Thanksgiving and I want you to know that that Thanksgiving is the best one I have ever had in my life.
Monday is the 51-week anniversary of my dad’s death and if you all will indulge me (not that you really have a choice because I control the “publish” button) I will write more on my grief in that post and I will include tips that have helped me to deal with not only my dad’s loss but also the loss of my niece and nephew.
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor (www.Shaklee.net/DonnaCopeland) and she credits her Shaklee supplements with keeping her healthy through this past year of grieving. She found the “Gentle Sleep Complex” is helpful for those nights that it is hard to turn off the grief to get much-needed rest. She believes that as we walk this journey of life together we can learn from each other and lend support along the way.
Filed under: supplements | Tags: 60 Minutes, anti-aging, cancer, CBS, cellular anti-aging, prevention, resveratrol
Did anyone else see 60 Minutes last night? I caught the tail-end as Keith and I were working in the garden. For those of us in the north, what a glorious day to work outside! Anyway, the piece on resveratrol is actually a repeat from one CBS aired about six months ago and they didn’t even have any updates on it. That tells me that something pretty amazing was there that intrigued the public the first time it was shown or they wouldn’t have done a repeat. Raise your hand if you are interested in anti-aging and living longer with a higher quality of life.
If you didn’t catch it, here is a link you can go to and see for yourself (it is about 12 minutes long): http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5037314n&tag=main_home_MediaBox
They were speaking about the development of a synthetic form of resveratrol, the substance found in red wine that has been studied extensively for its anti-aging affect. It is pretty amazing what the research is showing that the natural form of resveratrol is effective at either preventing or treating. See if any of these are a concern to you or someone you love:
- Neurological health (Alzheimers, dementia)
- Cardiovascular health (athletic performance, heart disease, etc)
- Cancer prevention AND treatment
- Joint health (arthritis, etc)
- Osteoporosis
- Hair loss
- Diabetes prevention AND control
- Macular degeneration
- Cholesterol support (increase the good, decrease the bad)
Pretty impressive list, isn’t it? Keith and I both have concerns for our health. He was somewhat abusive to his body in his early years and I had years of sun damage from lifeguarding and swimming outside in those pre-sunscreen years of the eighties. Besides, who wouldn’t want to prevent cancer or dementia? We started taking a reseveratrol supplement that is the best on the market because it has been extensively researched (more about that in a minute). We were simply looking to have a longer, healthier life. In addition to eating healthy, exercising, avoiding toxins, we thought this would be an excellent addition to the supplements we take each day.
About five months after beginning the Vivix (the name of our resveratrol supplement) I walked into the room and Keith was studying his arm. I was concerned he had picked up a tick or something else was wrong. He said, “Look at my arm.” I looked closely but couldn’t see anything that concerned me. He said, “Where are my age spots?” I looked again and could barely find the trace of where his age spots had been. The only thing he had changed in his regimen was adding the Vivix supplement.
Another personal experience is that about two months after Keith began taking Vivix he had an appointment with the skin doctor to get a spot on his neck looked at (it looked kind of wart-like). The doctor removed it and sent it off to be biopsied. You may be familiar with the fact that when they remove those spots they go pretty deep to make sure they get down into the surrounding tissue for a clean sample. Anyway, two weeks later, that spot was completely healed and just looked like normal skin. Amazing.
Click here to go directly to my site to learn more about Shaklee’s resveratrol tonic, Vivix.
Our resveratrol supplement, Vivix, is unique in a few ways:
- It has a polyphenol blend which includes ellagic acid which promotes quick healing. That is why the spot on Keith’s neck healed so quickly. By the way, it was skin cancer but the doctor got all of it in that one cut. Hopefully with Vivix there won’t be any more skin cancer for either of us!
- Vivix is cold processed to retain all of the potency of the resveratrol.
- There were 30 scientists researching Vivix for FOUR YEARS!
- Vivix is a liquid tonic because it is sensitive to light and heat and will be less effective if powedered or dried.
- It is kept in the refrigerator in glass bottles (three small bottles = one month supply).
- There is a money-back guarantee.
One of the things about the 60 Minutes piece is that this drug form of resveratrol will not be available for five years. First of all, if you read my blog with any regularity you will know I am not a fan of synthetic vitamins or drugs. I think our bodies do not accept them as they do whole foods and whole food vitamins. In addition, you don’t need to wait five years to get this drug. You can take the natural form of resveratrol right now, today (well okay, maybe not today but as soon as your shipment arrives!).
Vivix helps your body to heal at a cellular level, this has been extensively researched and clinically-proven. If you would like to know more about this and see scientific data (there is a lot of it as over 3,000 research articles have been published) please be in touch with me.
If you are ready to try Vivix, go to: www.Shaklee.net/DonnaCopeland/Vivix to learn more and place your first order.
For more information on resveratrol, check out my post written on anti-aging in January. To your health!
Visit Donna’s Shaklee website at: www.Shaklee.net/DonnaCopeland
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who believes in the power of supporting our bodies to create the health and longevity we seek. Donna enjoys educating people on natural ways to promote healing from within through our nutrition, supplements, and lifestyle choices. She lost her father to cancer a year ago and wishes she had access to Vivix to help him.
Filed under: Green Living | Tags: improving air quality, indoor air quality, prevention, toxins, VOC
You may have heard the statistic from the EPA about indoor air quality being two to five times worse than the outdoors. That is pretty amazing. I was just having a conversation yesterday with a realtor who focuses on being green and helping people to find more eco-friendly homes and we were discussing all the things that decrease air quality. So let’s cover a few of those things first so you can see where you might be able to avoid making your air quality worse. Then we will look at simple ways you can improve your home or business’s indoor air quality.
Things that are bad for air quality:
- New furniture, especially foam-based. It puts off gases from the foam. If the furniture was treated to be protected against spills and stains that would make it more of an issue.
- New carpet. This is the same issue as the furniture in that the carpet and padding often put off harmful gases. Especially if you have a baby crawling around the floors you want to think twice before installing new carpet.
- Adhesives. Glues that are used in construction or household projects can be very harmful if inhaled. You may have heard about the issues with the trailers from FEMA that people lived in (some still do live in them) after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. Mobile homes and trailers seem to have an extra-high amount of adhesives used in their construction.
- Paint. I’m sure we can all relate to the smell of a freshly painted building that it isn’t very pleasant. Thankfully there are some safer alternatives which we will cover in the “improvement” list.
- Cleaning products. When your cleaning label has a safety precaution on it that is simply warning of the short term danger to you for using the product. So it says to “use in a well-ventilated area” or “wear gloves.” It doesn’t tell you that long term exposure to these chemicals can seriously compromise your health and the health of your family. There are some wonderful alternatives that work really well out there. Even when they are capped up and stored in a cupboard there is still an odor that escapes from many of them. If you don’t believe me than walk down the cleaning aisle in the grocery store the next time you are there.
The scariest part about all of this is that people often think they are doing something good by purchasing a brand new home or laying new carpet and painting the nursery (while the mom is still pregnant). The baby is still getting exposed to everything that the mom is even when they are inutero. Researchers have looked at the cord blood of babies and discovered that dozens of toxins are found there. These are developing bodies and organs; they need us to look out for them.
Let’s see how we can improve our indoor air quality.
- Open the windows. I read in a magazine that just opening the windows for five minutes a day has a huge impact (for the positive) on air quality.
- Stop using artificial air fresheners. If you must cover up the smell of your home, use essential oils dripped onto a cotton ball (and make sure they are essential oils, not from a major company that says the product “contains” essential oils.”
- Paint using “low VOC” paints. These don’t cost much more and are available all over the place. If you are hiring a painting company, insist that they use low VOC paints. Most of them are more than willing to accommodate. “VOC” stands for “volatile organic compounds”; doesn’t that sound like something you want to keep down in your home?
- Have plants in your home. Plants, like they do outside, clean the air naturally. Plus they can be soothing to look at and nurture (although I will admit that my plants are lucky if I remember to water them once per week). If you have furry guys in your home (or small children) make sure the plants you have are not poisonous.
- Avoid new carpet or go with an eco-friendly version that is recyclable AND doesn’t put off harmful gases.
- Avoid new furniture. Keith and I buy most of our furniture second-hand at estate sales. Our cat may be sharpening his little claws on it so that feels a lot better than paying hundreds or thousands of dollars for something new but I realized later that our frugality has an extra benefit in that the furniture “off-gased” in someone else’s home. I believe as the environmental movement continues to grow and companies realize the concerns people have there will be more options for eco-friendly furniture. My guess is there are already some out there and more will be coming.
- Tell your governmental representatives you want companies to not be permitted to use known carcinogens in the production of our household products. Seems like it should already be covered, but it’s not.
- Use environmentally safe cleaning products that are ALSO safe for you. I say that because some companies say their products are “eco-friendly” and that may mean they are highly concentrated so they aren’t shipping water across the country. Be clear that the company really DOES produce safe cleaning products.
There you have it. A few simple ways you can improve your air quality of your home. This is the perfect time of the year to open the windows. If you have family members dealing with seasonal allergies (and I used to), please read one of my earlier blogs that address how you can take care of allergies. Together we can improve indoor air quality, for ourselves and future generations. What small step will you take today?
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who passionately believes in educating people in ways that they can keep themselves and their families more healthy through prevention. For more information, go to Donna’s website at www.Shaklee.net/DonnaCopeland
Filed under: Healthy Nutrition, Uncategorized | Tags: candida, candida symptoms, natural candida treatment, yeast overgrowth
Have you ever looked at a symptom list for candida (an overgrowth of yeast in the body)? I remember shortly after I was diagnosed with candida and I was getting some counseling on how we were going to battle those guys and I had just learned I had to cut ALL sugar out of my diet, including ALL fruits, for six weeks. I lamented, “But I LOVE sugar.” This lovely and patient woman pointed at my stomach and said, “THEY love sugar.”
Sugar cravings are at the top of the list for candida signs. They live on sugar and are quite cranky when they don’t get it. Since you are probably curious now, I’ll give you a short list of symptoms:
Brain/Nervous System
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Headaches
- Irritability
Immune/Respiratory
- Frequent infections (esp. ears/tonsils)
- Sinus congestion
- Environmental sensitivities
Reproductive
- Endometriosis
- Uterine Fibroids
- PMS
- Infertility
- Loss of libido
Digestive
- Colitis/Irritable Bowel
- Constipation
- Bloating/Gas
- Diarrhea
- Bad Breath
Other
- Acne/Skin disorders
- White coated tongue
- Athlete’s foot
- Canker sores
- Fatigue
See yourself in any of that?
The next question is always, “How does someone get it?” We are so used to only thinking of feminine “parts” for yeast infections. Candida overgrowth often comes after we disturb the natural balance of our bodies. There are two main causes:
- Introducing antibiotics, hormones (including birth control pills), or steroid-based medications (like cortisone) into our bodies
- Consuming diets too high in sugars and refined carbohydrates and/or too low in fresh fruits and veggies.
Now, how do we get rid of the bad guys and get our bodies back into balance?
You want to reduct yeast growth AND increase the good guys so you can do that by taking:
- Garlic (helps to reduce the numbers of the bad guys)
- Optiflora pre and pro biotic to reintroduce more of the good guys
I also took an oil of oregano for the first week or two but it made me nauseous and I begged my doctor to let me stop taking it a few days early. He agreed.
You want to increase your body’s immunity because it has taken a beating from the candida so take:
- Multi vitamin (high quality)
- Sustained release Vit C
- Nutriferon to stimulate the immune system
- CarotoMax to give you powerful antioxidants
You also want to reduce those sugar cravings and you can do that by taking:
- Glucose Regulation Complex
- B Complex
- Fiber
- Soy Protein
Reduce inflammation with OmegaGuard Omega 3’s
Balance hormones with GLA (Omega 6’s)
To assist your body in recovering its natural health and balance it is helpful to do a mild detoxification. As the yeast dies it releases toxins which can cause headaches, achiness, fatigue, and other overgrowth symptoms. To detoxify:
- Liver DTX
- Purified water
- Alfalfa
- HerbLax
Diet is extremely important both during the treatment of candida and on-going to ensure that you do not upset the balance again.
Foods to avoid:
- Sugar (including maple syrup, honey, molasses, and corn syrup)
- White flour products (white bread, crackers, snacks, etc)
Foods to include in your diet that nourish your body and cells:
- Protein-rich foods (fish, eggs, poultry, soy protein)
- Vegetables (dark salad greens, spinach, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, brussel sprouts, summer squash, cucumbers)
Our bodies are a great example of consequences. If we treat them well and take care of them they provide us with health and vitality. If we mistreat them and avoid giving them what they need we will end up with illness, on-going discomfort, and a feeling like our body is not fully taking care of us. Maybe think about the reverse of that…how well am I taking care of my body?
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who went through her own treatment of candida several years ago. She deeply appreciates Barb Lagoni, for her assembly of the symptoms and treatment of candida information provided here. For more information you can contact Donna at www.Shaklee.net/DonnaCopeland
Filed under: Green Living | Tags: action, green cleaners, triclosan, water conservation
Sometimes it can be overwhelming to consider how we can each do our part to help the environment. I thought it might be helpful if I focused on one room of the house where we can all make small choices for a big impact. I don’t know about you but I sure do appreciate the convenience of indoor plumbing and hot water! When I was about 20 years old I travelled to Russia for six weeks and while I was there we experienced water shut offs and at one point we only had cold water and then a few days later we could only get super HOT water. You couldn’t shower because the water was too hot. We also had toilet paper (when it was available) that was more like scratchy brown paper hand towels. So let’s start by giving three cheers for the right mix of hot and cold water that is available any time we ask for it. We are pampered compared to the rest of the world.
One easy thing to do is to use recycled products for your toilet paper and facial tissue. I will admit that when I have a sinus issue (which I can’t remember when that happened last) I do go for the “good Kleenex” that pamper my nose. I am not saying that I always do these things 100% of the time but each time I use a recycled tissue, that is one less tree that needed to sacrifice its life so I could blow my nose. I have found Trader Joe’s has the best prices on recycled toilet paper and facial tissue. We do use their toilet paper every day, no exceptions.
When showering you can re-use your towels for days, as long as they hang properly to dry. Some people get grossed out by drying their face on the same towel that dried their nether-regions yesterday so I suggest you use two towels, one for your face and one for the rest of your body (or however you want to divide it up).
You have also probably heard about taking shorter showers. This will not only help the environment it will also save you money because your family will be using less hot water. There are four minute shower timers that are helpful to get a handle on how long your showers actually take OR you could take on a challenge like I did. I read about it in the “Green Living Journal” that is published in southern Tennessee near my in-laws. The suggestion is that “washing and rinsing are two separate activities” so you should get wet, turn the water off, soap up, then turn the water back on and rinse off. I actually end up turning the water back on two times because I condition my hair so it needs to be rinsed twice. I thought at first I would get really cold but I don’t. I can even shave like that as long as I have a cup of warm water to rinse my razor out it (which also works great for men either in the shower or at the sink).
Speaking of water…I’m sure you have heard not to allow the water to run while you’re brushing your teeth or washing your hands. What about switching to non-antibacterial soaps? There are two dangers with the over-use of antibacterial soaps and sanitizers: 1) The development of “super bugs” that are resistant to antibiotics and 2) a chemical commonly used is triclosan and there are lots of concerns that are coming to light about its impact on both the environment and our bodies.
Women, consider going to www.gladrags.com and checking out their reusable feminine supplies. They are not only good for the environment, they are also better for your body.
And finally, think about the cleaning products you use on your bathroom. It is usually a small room with poor ventilation so for your own safety avoid products like bleach, butyl cellosolve, and phosphoric acid as these all do damage to your lungs. Switch to green cleaners that are TRULY green (for example, “Simple Green” actually has butyl cellosolve in it so you can’t trust the name). Contact me for additional help on any of the suggestions I made.
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who loves the earth and is committed to lowering her own impact on the planet. She believes in each of us making numerous small adjustments over time to have a positive impact for this and future generations. You can visit her website at www.Shaklee.net/DonnaCopeland
Filed under: Healthy Nutrition | Tags: anti-oxidants, cancer prevention, garlic, health, immune support, immune system, prebiotics, prevention, probiotics, supplements, Vitamin D
This will be the last post on creating a healthy immune system for a while. I want to make sure though that you have a clear picture of what it takes to create a healthy body and to maintain your health. There is nothing more precious than that (unless it is the health of our loved ones).
There are many illnesses and diseases that are associated with a challenged immune system. Sometimes people are not even aware that they have a choice, that they can do something to boost their immunity. They may think, “I have always been sickly.” Or, “I just can’t kick this case of athletes foot.” Immunity is quite simply our body’s ability to successfully combat anything that is not optimum health. Think of skin conditions (like eczema, psoriasis, warts), chronic diseases like macular degeneration or fibromyalgia, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, allergies, the list goes on. There is a certain aspect of these illnesses that may be genetic but a larger part is associated with our body’s ability (or inability) to fight against it.
So what can we do to create a healthy immune system through supplements?
- A Good Multi-Vitamin (The foundation for your body to get some of the nutrients it needs on a daily basis.)
- Vitamin D (The latest research is linking low levels of Vitamin D with everything from certain cancers to fibromyalgia, allergy, and skin conditions; check out an earlier post)
- Vitamin C (Antioxidant; Reduce risk of cancer, cataracts, inflammation, colon polyps, help wounds heal)
- Antioxidants (Help to protect us against toxic exposure in our daily lives; help protect DNA damage to our cells which assists us in avoiding Alzheimers, ALS, MS, and more)
- Garlic (Anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-biotic, anti-inflammatory, lowers glucose in diabetics, increases production of white blood cells)
- Flavonoids (Antioxidants; Supports the heart, lungs, cardiovascular system, and liver; Beneficial to: skin conditions, gout, natural antibiotic, preventing cancer, colds and flu)
- Carotenoids (Support health of eyes, prostate, lungs, cervix, and heart; Especially helpful for family history of cancer, cervical dysplasia, and macular degeneration)
- Soy Protein (Providing our body’s with absorb-able protein that is filled with essential amino acids and properly processed so those amino acids remain viable; make sure it is non-GMO)
- Optiflora (Beneficial pre and probiotics are essential to immunity; Did you know well over 50% or our body’s immunity comes from our digestive system? These have also been discussed on other posts.)
- Echinacea (This was mentioned a couple posts ago; short term use only)
- Zinc (This was mentioned a couple posts ago)
- Resveratrol (This has been mentioned in a few different posts)
- Nutriferon (Great for everyone; helps with allergies, preventing colds and flu, cancer, and more; Developed by the same researcher in Japan who discovered interferon in the 1950’s and is the only clinically-proven natural interferon-booster available; Interferon occurs naturally in our bodies to shore up our immunity and researchers have created synthetic interferon to use with cancer and AIDS patients)
- Lactoferin (For children; a protein found in breast milk that has been shown to give added immunity to breastfeeding infants)
Make sure your supplements are:
- Whole food supplements, not synthetics.
- Tested for purity.
- Quality checked to make sure the quantities on the label are the quantities in the supplement. Especially with whole food supplements how much Vitamin A is in a carrot will vary based on how much rain and the soil conditions. The manufacturer needs to make sure each batch has the proper dosage.
Allow me to close with a quote by the Journal of the American Medical Association: “In the coming decades, the most important determinants of health and longevity will be the personal choices made by each individual.”
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who delights in helping others to make healthier choices and creating more longevity in their lives. Please contact her for a consultation or for additional information. You may also go to her website at www.Shaklee.net/DonnaCopeland
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: immune boosting, immune support, supplements, toxins
The information I shared a week ago appeared to be very helpful to many of you, based on the number of hits the site had. I have additional ways to boost your immune system that I thought you might appreciate. It is a relief to hear that the health professionals have said that we likely don’t have much to worry about with Swine Flu but what hasn’t been emphasized is:
- Keeping our immune systems strong is our best defense against Swine Flu or any other disease, both from catching the virus in the first place and especially from death.
- There will be more illnesses coming around. We don’t know if they will come next week or next month or next year. Of course each year there is a new strain or two of the flu that makes it’s way around. What about the next “bug” that no one has seen before?
So some additional immune-boosting tips are:
- Have an Echinacea and zinc supplement “standing by” to boost your immune system when you have been exposed to illness or are starting to feel a little run down. Echinacea is not meant to be consumed every day of every year because our bodies will develop a tolerance. Instead use if for a couple weeks at a time to give yourself a quick boost then stop taking it again. Just keep it handy because when you feel like you need it, you don’t want to have to be running around trying to find it.
- Avoid sugar. I did a post last week on some of the dangers of sugar. What I didn’t discuss was that sugar is the “anti-nutrient” and it actually depletes your body of vitamins and minerals that are essential for your immune system (like B Vitamins, antioxidants, and zinc). A side note, based on the number of hits for THAT post, people don’t want to read about the dangers of sugar. So, I am going to take a lesson from the food industry and rather than outright address sugar, I am going to incorporate my anti-sugar message in places where you wouldn’t expect to find it. That is what the food industry has done.
In 1900 the average person ate 10 pounds of sugar a year. In 1985 that was up to 124 pounds per year. In the year 2000 we reached 160 pounds per year. When will it stop? How much sugar do YOU want to consume each year? How much sugar do you want your kids to consume each year? I’m not saying to never have sugar. I had rhubarb crisp as a Mother’s Day dessert with my mom and later I had a chocolate, peanut, and caramel candy last night, two actually. They were tasty! I’m suggesting that we be more thoughtful in our sugar intake and reduce BOTH how much we consume and how often we consume it.
- Reduce exposure to toxins. It is remarkable how many things we have been conditioned to think are actually a good thing are, in fact, dangerous to us. Everything from air fresheners to having a green and dandelion-free lawn increase our levels of toxic exposure. The air quality in our homes is 2 – 5 times worse than the outside air, according to the E.P.A.
Some of the top toxins our bodies are battling everyday (in my opinion):
- Household chemicals that touch our skin or that we inhale (cleaners, detergents, etc)
- Pesticide or herbicide foods (most farms that produce our foods use pesticides, fertilizers, and herbicides to create “prettier” and more plentiful results then we consume that when we consume our food)
- Artificial, synthetic drugs that we take. You have probably heard that many of the drugs that are available actually were originally discovered in nature. And that is true. What isn’t stressed is that the researchers take the natural component, isolate it, and figure out how to make a synthetic version of it (for two main reasons: 1) They can better control the consistency of dosage with synthetics because natural components vary in their dosage based on water and nutrients in the soil. 2) They can put a patent on a synthetic compound and then sell it for higher profit. The downside is that there are side-effects for drugs. Look at the warning labels. How many of them warn against damage to your liver or all kinds of damages to your stomach or eyesight? For some of them the cure is worse than the disease.
There is a time and a place for drugs but my belief is that time should be few and far between. We need to keep our body’s strong and be less reactionary about our health. We, as Western humans, tend to expect that we can ignore advise about eating healthy and exercising and figure that the medical community can take care of our ailing bodies when that time comes.
There will be more “Immune-Boosting” tips to come! In the meantime, choose one or two things for yourself that you could see yourself doing that will boost your immunity.
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who dislikes seeing other people in pain or hurt. It is her mission to help make the world a safer and healthier place for all by sharing information about how we can easily impact our health and the health of others and the planet through our consumption choices. She blogs on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays about a variety of health and wellness tips. You can visit her website at www.Shaklee.net/DonnaCopeland.
Filed under: Healthy Nutrition | Tags: digestive problems, food allergies, prevention, supplements
I used to think I was extra-suseptable to the stomach flu because I would get a case of vomiting and diarrhea at least a few times a year. I also used to think that I would end up living with some digestive discomfort because that was “normal” (at least for me). We humans become way too accustomed to abnormalities in our bodies and accepting them as normal when it is more likely that our bodies are trying to tell us something and if we made some changes we would feel a whole lot better.
Do you know how many people I speak to that have told me they have digestive problems but the doctors don’t know precisely what it is? So they end up on diets where they can’t have caffiene or nuts or seeds but yet they still suffer. Of course you should consult a doctor if you are having digestive problems but today I am going to share a few possible causes and some possible assists that may open your eyes to other possibilities and relieve your symptoms. Pay attention to the quiet whisperings of your body before you end up in the hospital with a serious case.
A FEW causes of digestive problems:
- Food allergy or intolerance. For me it was gluten for others it may be lactose, soy, or something else.
- Sugar. I notice now that when I am having digestive problems (pretty minor compared to what I have had in the past) I almost always have had sugar in larger quantities AND often without any other food (meaning protein or fiber) to buffer it.
- Preservatives. I believe, and I don’t have any scientific evidence to back this up, that preservatives that are used by the packaged food industry are often upsetting to our digestive tracts. They are designed to keep food on a shelf for longer periods of time, why wouldn’t that alter our body’s ability to digest them or process them?
- Artificial sweeteners. I know (because I paid attention to my body) that if I consume aspartame I will get stomach cramping. I never used to consume a ton of artificial sweetener but in my earlier days I would occasionally indulge in a diet something. Now I avoid it like the plague.
- Artificial colors. Red food dye is particularly troublesome for some folks. It can cause other reactions as well beyond the digestive. What is this adding to our diet? Not one helpful thing. It is completely about LOOKING appealing.
- Over-eating. Who here ends up with digestive difficulties on Thanksgiving?
- Red meat. Especially in large quantities our bodies can really struggle with processing red meat (and sometimes as we age other types of meat proteins as well).
- Not chewing. A nutritionist once told me that my food should be “processed” like baby food before it is swallowed. It is much harder on your body to digest food that is still in chunks, even small ones.
- Not enough water. This one should probably go at the top of the list. Drink AT LEAST 2 oz of water for every gram of fiber you should eat. Men, that means 60 – 70 oz of water, women that is 50 oz of water…minimum!
- Not enough fiber. Adult men should have 30-35 grams of fiber per day. Women should have 25 grams per day. Children should have their age plus ten grams of fiber per day (a 10 year old should have 20 grams of fiber per day). Make sure you are also getting enough water or you end up with bigger problems.
- Missing the good guys. Our bodies need good bacteria in our digestive tracts. For many of us that means regular “re-population” of pre and probiotics can relieve a lot of symptoms. Let’s give the good guys an advantage!
Okay, these are just a few things that I have found can cause digestive issues. Many people live with digestive problems for years and that can lead to damage that isn’t easily reversed. I encourage you, especially those of you who are parents, to look at the list and make some changes in your family’s consumption habits today.
I have found lovely relief with “Stomach Soothing Complex” for those days I have over-indulged and am feeling some discomfort. I also take a probiotic every day and a prebiotic when I know my diet has been off. These are priceless additions to your medicine closet and don’t have any side affects. They are available through my website www.Shaklee.net/DonnaCopeland if you are interested or send me a note.
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who has had more than her share of digestive difficulties in her 37 years. The information shared is not intended to replace a doctor’s care but rather to open up some additional possibilities to be considered for lifestyle changes to create longer, healthier, and happier lives.
