Swine Flu...Don't Run for the Hills Just Yet

Well, I had planned to blog about swine flu today, but my darling husband beat me to it! Shoot! I certainly can't ignore the biggest news in the health world in a blog about health, so I am reposting his blog. Enjoy!


Swine Flu: Facts and Fiction

We have all recently been inundated by the media with fear of this latest killer virus. Egypt has ordered the slaughter of 300,000 pigs despite one case in that country, people have been told to halt all travel to Mexico, wear surgical masks in public, stay away from crowded areas and to get their flu shots! Haven't we heard this before? Remember SARS, the bird flu, and last year's seasonal flu. Remember the shortages of flu vaccines and anti-viral medications (Tamiflu) after all the hysteria?

This is NOT the First Swine Flu Panic
This this isn’t the first time the public has been warned about swine flu. The last time was in 1976. It resulted in the massive swine flu vaccine campaign. Do you happen to recall the result of this massive campaign? Within a few months, claims totaling $1.3 billion had been filed by victims who had suffered paralysis from the vaccine. The vaccine was also blamed for 25 deaths. However, several hundred people developed crippling Guillain-Barré Syndrome after they were injected with the swine flu vaccine. Even healthy 20-year-olds ended up as paraplegics. And the swine flu pandemic itself? It never materialized.


Click Below for video and the rest of the article:
http://drtullius.blogspot.com

L & G~
Erin

Rejuvenation Vacations

So...as many of you know, I have been on vacation. I fully intended to blog while I was gone, however, the universe had other plans for me. Without a way to access my computer, I was forced to fully unplug and enjoy my vacation! haha

As I watched my fellow travelers, it brought to mind something I find very interesting. Summer is approaching and I am sure many of you have vacations planned in your near future, but how do you plan to spend that vacation? You see, so many of us spend our vacation running from snorkeling to fishing to golfing, gorging ourselves on too many all-you-can-eat buffets, drinking more mai tais than we thought was humanly possible, and then passing out in the pool lounge chair. What if we all used our vacation time to rejuvenate, recharge, and actually come back a few pounds lighter?

Here are a few tips for your next vacation:
1. Go to bed at a reasonable hour. Wake up early and take a walk, enjoy the sunrise, do yoga, meditate, etc.
2. Find a local farmer's market and take advantage of the fresh, local produce you may not be able to find in your area. Fruit is an easy snack to take to the beach and all you may need to find is a knife!
3. Do something active every day. Go for a hike and explore the local scenery, take a dip in the pool and tread water or swim laps, rent a bike, kayak, etc.
4.Unplug from your life at home (or, if you must, set aside a couple of hours throughout the week to get things done and leave it at that). Turn off the TV. Forget the newspaper. Relax, meditate, do some soul-searching, set goals, or read an inspirational book.
5.Make your own food, if you can. Just a fridge will do to store some fruit and veggies as well as some of your leftovers. Most hotels offer them now if you request one and some even have mini-kitchenettes.

Make your next vacation one of true rejuvenation!

In Love and Gratitude~
Erin

Mainstream Medicine and The Truth

"Why I Left Mainstream Medicine-From a Nurse"

So, while this may be a bit dramatic for some (and a bit long for others) it brings up some very real situations. It was created by a nurse who, when she became ill, learned that she could not turn to her doctors for help. She healed herself through nutrition and has left mainstream medicine to share her story. I hope to raise awareness by posting this that you have options that may not be talked about (or, even worse, talked about with cynicism) by the people who surround you in allopathic medicine. They are not malicious people, they simply aren't given truthful information.

Always remember who is selling and who is profitting...

With Love & Gratitude~
Erin

Gluten-Free

About a year or two ago, my sister began eating a gluten-free diet and almost immediately she began to lose weight that she had not been able to lose despite an active lifestyle. It was definitely of interest to me as I had heard many holistic docs speak of the benefits of a gluten (and dairy) -free diet, but maybe because of past conditining, I wasn't yet convinced. I am what many people consider a definite health nut and others would consider a fanatic about my diet, but grains were still not something I felt the need to totally eliminate.



Last month, however, at a visit to a naturopath, I asked if a gluten-free diet might help me with some of the issues I was having. She was optomistic that it may help and I gave it a go.



Within the first week of my own experiment, I must have dropped 4 or 5 pounds (though this cannot be confirmed...see "Tipping the Scales" post) and I felt increased energy and less bloating and constipation. The mysterious flem in my throat disappeared and the "cloudiness" in my thinking cleared up.

While I am only one case study, it seems only obvious that I must have some sensitivity or allergy to gluten. Here I was, walking around thinking I had these little "annoying" symptoms because of some deficiency, when really, it was the toxicity of the gluten that was causing me to feel this way.

I wonder how many people experience these same syptoms every day without having any clue it is the gluten that is causing it.

What is Gluten?

Gluten comes from the grass grains such as wheat, barley, and rye. A few things to be leery of are some ice creams and soy sauce as well as any processed foods as gluten may be added in the form of vegetable protein (unless is says it is from corn). Many soy products (especially soy "meats") contain gluten as a binder. Ideally, however, if you are trying to go gluten-free you will want to make the majority of your meals at home.

The good news is that gluten in not found in the following: buckwheat, corn, wild rice, quinoa, millet, amaranth, potatoes and soy. It is not found in oats, however those sensitive to gluten may want to eliminate oats as well as it can be a trigger for symptoms.

What to Eat?

Actually, I have found it relatively simple to stay away from gluten. The best idea is to stick mainly with fruit, vegetables, and lean proteins. I enjoy a small fish fillet (grilled), with quinoa and steamed vegetables or tacos (corn tortillas) or a burger (some restaurants add bread crumbs so be slightly cautious) wrapped in lettuce!

There are even several gluten-free products on the market such as pancakes, breads, and cereals. Most supermarkets carry a small selection and your local natural foods market will be a great resource. You can even purchase gluten-free flours to make your own baked goods!

Your Challenge

I am going to put my loyal readers up to a challenge. I would like you all to try going gluten-free for at least one week (preferably as many as four) and just see if it makes a difference for you. Even if it doesn't, you may find you eat a bit healthier as you will stay away from bread-heavy meals and stick more to the veggies and protein (and that's never a bad thing!).

Let us know how it goes!

With Love and Gluten-Free Gratitude~

Erin

Why Organic?

Check out this humorous take on a serious subject:

Kevin Gianni from "The Renegade Health Show" puts things into perspective with this great video. This is a question I get often and regardless of all the research I can throw at them, I think this really hits it home for many people.

Organic is how food should be. Organic is not just a fad or a buzz word (though there are many dangers in purchasing food in boxes labeled "organic"). Organic means the food has not been sprayed with pesticides, genetically modified, irradiated, etc. It means that it was grown as Mother Nature herself intended.

Ideally, you will want to purchase your organic food locally. This way, you will know it is fresh and you can even ask the grower about their practices to ensure they are ethical as well.

With Love and Gratitude to all who supply me with local, organic food!
Erin

Rocket fuel chemical found in baby formula!

The CDC conducted a study last month and found the chemical perchlorate to be present in several brands of infant formulas. (see article link below) This information they would have gladly swept under the rug if not for a press release issued by the Environmental Working Group on Thursday. The CDC researchers have declined to let the public know the formulas in which the checmical was found because....why, exactly??!!

Certainly not because they are in cahoots with the manufacturers of these products. (insert sarcasm here) And the FDA certainly is doing their best to protect the American people by not releasing the names of these companies.

Just more proof positive that the FDA and the CDC are not in existence to protect the public.

If you are currently giving your child formula, I would recommend looking into alternative formula recipes or to strictly breastfeed. Regardless of what your pediatrician tells you, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests breastfeeding for 1 year (though, I admit, this is a gray area on their website) and the World Health Organization recommends a 2 year minimum. You have the right to breastfeed your baby as long as you deem necessary and/or appropriate.

Whatever you have chosen to do for you and your family, we as a society need to hold the food manufacturers responsible for such irresponsible actions. If they did not know about the chemical previously, if they had any moral character, they would be pulling it from the shelves!

http://health.yahoo.com/news/ap/baby_formula_perchlorate.html

Love & Gratitude for you and your babies~
Erin