Reduce Holiday Over-eating

There are some simple things you can do to reduce the effects of holiday over-eating like bloating, gas, and eating too much. We’ve all heard the tips that say: use a small plate, or eat before you go to a party, and more. But what can you actually do to keep your body from asking for more food than you need or want? How do you develop the discipline to not over-eat? Train your body to want just a little and to obey your mind. Mindless eating can lead to over-eating. Keeping your blood sugar levels stable is the key to self-control.

• Keep your blood sugar stable for several days (including the day of the party)
• Tell yourself that all you need is a small amount of the foods being offered. You don’t have to eat an entire plate of food at every party, just a little

How do you keep your blood sugar levels stable?

• Reduce sugar, caffeine, fruit and fruit juices, and refined grains
• Eat within the first half hour of getting up, should contain protein
• Eat little bits of vegetables, cheese, or nuts every 2-3 hours

What if you eat too much at dinner or a party? Make sure you follow these suggestions to help you digest better.

• Chew every mouthful until it is liquid before you swallow
• Take digestive enzymes with every meal

It’s very important to eat within the first half hour of getting up to fuel your body with positive energy. It doesn’t take a lot, a sugar-free green drink, even one from powdered green foods and there are a lot of them. You could have a boiled egg, small piece of cheese, a few nuts, even a quarter of an apple is fine if it is accompanied by a few nuts or a small piece of cheese, celery stick with nut butter, a little bit of left over protein, a few slices of zucchini.

Of course you could just eat breakfast in the first half hour of getting up.  For people who want to do exercise, yoga, or meditation when they get up and it is essential to bring up the blood sugar levels to prevent them from going up and down all day and night. So a small amount of something with protein is all you need.

When your blood sugar levels are up and down you will have no self-control, you might suffer from confusion, anxiety, allergies, pain, fatigue, fears, irritability, excessive hunger, leg cramps, and more. But it’s the lack of self-control and excessive hunger that are the most influential during holiday parties. When your blood sugar is low you may not be able to tell right from wrong either, so you might drink too much and then do something stupid like trying to drive your car.

A young woman from the UK who was a client in the Nutritional and Preventative Medical Clinic in Toronto brought me a newspaper clipping her mother had sent her from England. The title was: Oranges Stop Thievery. The article went on to report that if large department stores gave people an orange to eat before they entered the store it would reduce stealing. They had it correct. When a person’s blood sugar is low, they might be tempted to do a lot of things they normally wouldn’t do, like steal things. Eating the orange would bring up their blood sugar so they could remember the difference between right and wrong. And choose to not be tempted.

If you don’t think you have time for breakfast then your blood sugar is low and you can’t think. Every part of your body needs blood sugar as the fuel to give you energy and work all parts of your body, including your brain.

If you tell me that you can’t face eating first thing in the morning, you are telling me your blood sugar is low.  It could be because you ate a huge or heavy meal late at night and then your blood sugar dropped so low during the night you can’t face food in the morning. Or you might have eaten something sweet like a bowl of ice cream, chocolate, soft drinks, or liquor or beer, and in the morning your blood sugar was low. So low that you can’t get organized or feel like eating. Some people who have lowered their blood sugar this way might even throw up if they eat the wrong thing in the morning. The wrong things would be something sweet, high fat, or hard to digest. The best way to avoid this is to never eat after about 8:00 PM.

If you are eating late at night or your blood sugar is up and down because you didn’t eat during the day, you might have restless sleep or insomnia. Then in the morning you feel like you have been drugged or run over by a truck. That’s because your blood sugar dropped lower during the night because you ate either too much or too sweet late in the evening. Too sweet includes beer, soft drinks, ice cream, and anything with sugar or white flour like bread and cookies. (I can’t say this enough!) This can set you up for a day of your blood sugar going up and down making you want all the wrong foods like caffeine, sugar, or alcohol.

So to regain self-control during the holidays EAT BREAKFAST! I always suggest you eat within the first half hour of getting up in the morning. It’s best if it has protein in it. According to Dr. Joel Furman greens have protein. So eating something with greens in it like a powdered green drink or fresh green smoothie is a great way to start the day. Or you could have a low sugar or no sugar breakfast bar. Read the label to make sure that there is no sugar or high fructose corn sugar in it. A protein shake is also a great way to start the day as long as it has no sugar or high fructose corn syrup or sugars in it. Do not confuse fructooligosaccharide with high fructose corn sugar. Fructooligosaccharide is a prebiotic that helps your body absorb nutrients better.

If you are not going to exercise or meditate you might want to have a protein shake breakfast within the first half hour of getting up. I like to have a shake with a lot of green veggies like kale, parsley, celery, and baby greens and hemp protein. Yum!

A high fiber and moderate vegetable or whey protein shake can keep your blood sugar stabilized for several hours. After a few hours it is important to have a snack like veggie sticks, a spoon of nut butter, or a no sugar protein snack bar. If you eat dairy you can also have a piece of cheese. If you eat meat a small amount of meat like sardines or tuna would be good. Do not eat processed meats like salami, ham, or other luncheon meats as they contain chemicals, sugar, and salt; all things that can throw your blood sugar and metabolism out of whack and make you lose self-control when faced with holiday goodies. You might even want to take a nutritional supplement with every meal for stabilizing your blood sugar to give you the self-control you want for avoiding overeating. Eating smart can help you avoid overeating during the holidays. For more information on how to keep your blood sugar stabilized you can read all about it in the Anger Cure.

Kathleen O’Bannon, CNC, has helped people find energy, health, and freedom from disease for more than 30 years. She is an internationally recognized speaker and media personality and the author of 10 books on nutrition. You can contact her through her web site: www.healthaliveproducts.com

Winter Healing Foods

What if there was a food that can keep colds and flu away? What if this food could keep winter dry skin away? What if this food was also tasty, inexpensive, and available in almost every grocery store?

Sounds like a miracle food doesn’t it?  It isn’t a miracle that foods can keep us healthy. That’s what food is for!

What is this fabulous, tasty, and inexpensive food?  SQUASH.  Winter squash to be precise. Pumpkin is a winter squash. They are great for eating, not just for decoration.

Winter squash have thick, tough shells that protect the sweet, rich flesh inside which makes them excellent storage vegetables. Some varieties are available year-round, but their natural season runs from late summer to mid-winter.

No matter what variety of winter squash or pumpkin you choose, always pick winter squash that feel heavy for their size.

One of my favorites is turban squash, part of the cucurbita maxima family of winter squash. There are so many to choose from it’s hard to even list them all. The more popular ones are acorn, butternut, delicata, hubbard, kabocha, turban, and pumpkin.

Deep orange vegetables are great sources of beta-carotene. This vegetarian source of Vitamin A is good for the skin and mucus membranes. Keeping the nasal passages, throat, and lungs healthy can make them strong enough to resist colds and flu. It also helps if you are in a cold climate to breathe only through your nose when out in the cold, unless you have a scarf around your mouth. The cold air can compromise your lungs and make you susceptible to colds and flu.

Keep it simple when you start cooking winter squash. The easiest way is to bake it whole. You don’t need to cut it up, peel it, or remove the seeds. Just wash it off, make sure the bottom is flat. Put it in an oven-proof pan like a cake or pie pan or even a roasting pan*, depending on the size of the squash. Take a very sharp knife and pierce the top part of the squash in 2 places to let the steam out. The knife should be inserted all the way into the hollow seed bed.

Some of my students told me years ago that they baked a squash that exploded in the oven. That won’t happen if you have made steam escape holes.

Preheat the oven to 375® or 400° F. Put the punctured quash in its pan into the oven and bake it for 45-90 minutes depending on the size of the pumpkin. Check it with a sharp knife after 45 minutes. When the knife inserts easily into the soft flesh, it’s done.

Remove it from the oven and cut it open in a dish to catch the juices. Scoop out the seeds and serve scoops of delicious deep orange delight. I like to eat it with just the addition of butter or coconut oil, salt, and pepper. You don’t need to mask it with sugary additions; it is sweet on its own.

If you have a really large squash you can purée it and freeze it in serving size baggies. I like to make a cake of cooked squash so I freeze the cooked and pureed squash in the size to use in the recipe. If you want to make a pie, freeze the exact amount the recipe calls for and you can bake pumpkin pie all year round. Get creative, any squash can make a nice pie, the deeper orange it is the better the taste will be.

An easy soup can be made of pureed squash, sautéed onion and garlic, and enough liquid to create the desired consistency. You can use prepared stock or just add coconut milk. Heat and serve.

Vegan Dinner Pumpkin

Instead of turkey, many people stuff a squash and serve it as a main course. When it is cooked you can slice crescent wedges so that everyone has a ring of squash filled with the spicy filling.

1 medium pumpkin or other squash

2 tablespoons coconut oil

2 small brown onions

2 cloves garlic

4 mushrooms

¼ cup toasted cashews or pecans

500 g Chinese style tofu, often called soft

2 teaspoons dried tarragon

1 teaspoon dried sage

1 tablespoon dark miso paste

1-2 cups cooked toasted buckwheat or brown rice

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

Heat the coconut oil over a medium-high heat and sauté finely chopped onions, garlic, mushrooms, and nuts until the onions are soft and slightly browned. Set aside to cool while you prepare the filling.

Preheat the oven to 375-400° F.

Wash the pumpkin in veggie wash and dry. Cut the top off to make a removable lid on the pumpkin. Scoop out seeds and set aside.

Blend the tofu until it is smooth and then add in the tarragon, sage, and miso and blend to mix together. A blender or food processor is best for this.

Mix the onion mixture, cooked buckwheat, and tofu together and spoon into the hollowed out pumpkin. Cover with the pumpkin lid, place in a baking dish or casserole dish and bake for 45-90 minutes until the pumpkin is cooked and the filling is firm, not runny.

To serve: Place on a dish or plate with a rim* and slice crescent pieces so that everyone gets the filling surrounded by pumpkin. It is best for it to be firm enough that it stays together when sliced for a nice presentation. If it is not set up or firm in the middle, no problem just slice the pumpkin and add a scoop of the filling next to it.

Sprinkle fresh parsley on top to garnish. Serve with cranberry relish and a green salad.

*We use pans or bowls with this because the pumpkin can be juicy and it prevents it from getting on the table or in the oven, making a huge mess.

You can alter the filling to be brown rice, garlic, onion, miso and dill. Any cooked grain and seasoning can be used. This is the kind of great looking festive meal that can be made with the ingredients you have in your pantry. You can prepare it ahead of time and bake it later. Make sure the pan underneath can go from fridge to oven. Blended tofu is a great replacement for eggs in any kind of stuffed vegetable dish or even pumpkin pie where it can replace both the eggs and the cream. Using tofu requires you to use more seasoning than you normally would. The tofu seems to suck up the flavoring.

This classic recipe comes from Kathleen’s Cooking and Nutrition Centre and is part of her newest recipe book Healing Foods For the 21^st Century™.  Kathleen is available for Wellness Coaching and speaking engagements at:  kathleen@healthaliveproducts.com. Let Kathleen’s 40 years of helping people feel better with nutrition be part of your life.

Drug Addiction Starts at Home

Many people have said that marijuana is the gateway drug  to heroin, but now research is showing that it is not the gateway drug, prescription pain killers are. Your medicine cabinet could contain the pills that get children and teens started on their way to heroin.

Oxycontin and hydrocodone (also known as vicodin) are narcotics that can be purchased on prescription at pharmacies. They also mimic the high of heroin. Once children or adults start on this high, they often continue to search for more pills or graduate to heroin to get a stronger high. These pain killers should be kept under lock and key if there are children or teens in the house. Please keep track of the number of pills in your bottles, especially if you are no longer taking them for pain. When you have finished using them if you have any left, please take them to one of the many locations that take prescription drugs and dispose of them safely. They are generally run by police or emergency responders and will take your unused prescription pills for no charge.

There are many natural pain reducers that are not narcotics and work equally as well as these drugs but do not lead to heroin use. They can be found in most health food stores, pharmacies that sell natural health supplements, or on line.

Single herbs that can replace prescription pain killers have been used for hundreds if not thousands of years.

• White willow bark is one of them. This amazing natural product is the herb that aspirin was fashioned after. The early settlers to the U.S. used white willow bark as their main pain reducer.
• Curcuma longa also known as turmeric is used by itself or in combinations with other herbal ingredients and has been used in Ayurvedic Medicine in India for centuries. My favorite is called Zyflamend and is available in most health food stores.
• Valerian root is a great muscle relaxer and can often reduce pain just because it helps you relax and/or sleep.
• Ginger root is a powerful anti-inflammatory and is also useful to stop nausea, even during morning sickness.
• Wood betony is very good for reducing pain

Combination pain relievers might also contain rosemary and holy basil along with white willow bark, turmeric, and valerian root. Another combination might contain wood betony, rosemary, and valerian. Turmeric, valerian, ginger, and holy Basil is another good combination. All of these pain relievers are nonnarcotic, non-habit forming, and very effective. They work by eliminating stress and tension or inflammation. Inflammation is often the reason for pain from arthritis, sprains, bruises, accidents, or surgery.

Topical applications of camphor and menthol such as the combination in many Chinese healing balms have been used for more than 100 years to relieve the pain of inflammation.

In homeopathy, arnica is the plant-based pain reliever in both internal and topical use. Homeopathic remedies often work so fast that many people think they are instant. There are many combination products for topical use containing homeopathic doses of arnica and other inflammation and/or pain relieving ingredients. Taking a homeopathically prepared oral supplement of arnica and applying topical arnica can help reduce pain and inflammation from the inside and the outside.

If you have need of pain reducers, please consider using natural herbal ones.  These ingredients will not lead to the desire for heroin.

Marijuana is used to relieve pain, create relaxation, and reduce the tumors of cancer. In many states that allow the use of this powerful natural medicine, topical pain relievers using marijuana are available.  Mother Earth Herbals in San Diego has developed a pain relieving formula based on the formula in the Bible. It’s called Holy Oil and uses marijuana (called ‘cane’ or ‘sweet-smelling cane’) along with other herbal ingredients and olive oil. Research going back many years of using marijuana for pain relief, asthma, and cancer can be found in our U.S. history.

Recently many books and medical journal articles have been published on using marijuana for pain relief. Generally it is not smoked but ingested in pill form, baked goods, infused butter, or inhaled with a vaporizer. It is not smoked when used for healing pain as the fire can create additional health problems. Recently I read a book on Arthritis and Marijuana written as a first-hand report with photographs of exercises. Mr. Cook used the pain relieving form of marijuana called Indica to cure his arthritis pain. This is available in the states that allow medical use of marijuana (Cannabis indica). It is regulated in that a doctor has to recommend you or give a prescription for you to be able to purchase it.

A new and very interesting health use of cannabis is now being used. It is the fresh juice of the entire plant. When not heated the medicinal properties are all that you get and none of the “high” associated with smoking marijuana. I have attended several conferences in San Diego on using cannabis for pain. I heard first-hand testimonies from people who used it to cure themselves of chronic pain, arthritis, diabetes, cancer, and migraine headaches.  In Los Angeles there are many open forum groups that discuss the use of cannabis for healing various maladies, but the main focus is cancer:  relieving cancer pain and reducing tumors.

Marijuana, when used medicinally, is not the gateway drug to heroin, oxycontin and hydrocodone are. Are they in your bathroom cabinet right now?

 

 

 

 

 

Tastes Like a Candy Bar!

This was a line in an advertisement for a so-called healthy snack bar: tastes like a candy bar. What has happened to our taste buds when a candy bar taste is so appealing that it is being used to advertise something that isn’t supposed to be a candy bar?

We have gone from a nation that eats good food to a nation that only wants to eat sugary foods. How did this happen?

Muffins! They are the culprits! Yes, I said muffins!

 Look in any cookbook published before about 1980 and you will see that muffins are a food with very little sugar. They were just a touch sweeter than biscuits. They were even considered health food when made with whole wheat pastry flour and dried or fresh fruit, or nuts and seeds were added. A recipe for a dozen medium muffins that used a cup and a half of flour used 2-3 tablespoons of sugar or less. Then came the muffin store craze. They started springing up in shopping malls, subway stops, and even free-standing locations.

A recipe for a dozen medium muffins that had taken 1-2 tablespoons of sugar for decades changed.  Muffins with a cup of sugar or more for the same cup and a half of flour became the norm.  Some recipes even went as high as a cup and a half of sugar for each dozen medium muffins. Savory corn muffin recipes often use more than a half cup of sugar. Some muffin recipes contain only ¾ cup of white sugar but also contain a mashed banana. One tablespoon of sugar has 48 calories, a banana has 16 calories.

So a recipe that calls for 9 tablespoons of sugar (more than a half cup) and a mashed banana will have 448 calories. Each muffin will then contain 27 calories from the sugar alone. Compare this to the old recipes that would contain 48- 96 calories from sugar for the entire recipe of a dozen muffins. That’s about four and a half times more sugar than in the 1940-70s. Commercial muffins generally contain a lot more calories when the flour and fat are included. One medium Otis Spunkmeyer Blueberry Muffin contains a whopping 360-420 calories. (This includes the sugar, fat, and flour calories.)

So muffins, a nice low sugar treat, became dessert; as sweet as cupcakes, in some cases even sweeter. The size of the muffins also increased as the sugar increased.

So muffins that used to be considered a ‘health food’ are now so full of sugar and calories that they no longer qualify. Muffin stores operate on a profit, not good nutrition. The more people’s tastes want that sugar, the more they will continue to serve these high-sugar muffins. We can’t tell which came first: our increased desire for sugar or the corporations making everything contain more sugar so we become so addicted to the sugar and high sugar taste that nothing else will do. It doesn’t matter  which came first if you have fallen for eating so much sugar hidden in previously healthy foods.

Back to the candy bars. There is a series of TV commercials for a candy bar that shows people who are cranky, nasty, scrappy, or bullying eating a candy bar and recovering. They say you aren’t yourself when you are hungry. It’s a cute ad. But it is encouraging people to eat a candy bar when their blood sugar drops.

When you go without eating your blood sugar will drop because food provides blood sugar as the fuel to run your body. This is why it is so important to eat small frequent meals and keep your blood sugar levels balanced to have the most energy for physical and mental work. If you don’t eat and your blood sugar drops, please don’t use a quick fix and eat a candy bar, caffeinated drink with sugar, or a sugary muffin. This is a quick fix that can often lead to headaches, lack of sex drive, allergies, forgetfulness, obesity, depression, indecisiveness, insomnia, rage, and more. A full list of the symptoms and the solutions can be found in The Anger Cure.

Reduce your dependence on sugar as a quick way to get energy. Eating sugar frequently will let you down in a few hours and create health problems for the rest of your life. Eating fresh vegetables and fruits will not. Small frequent snacks of vegetables, cheese, nuts, tofu, sardines, or a combination of these will give you sustainable energy that will not let you down a few hours later. A small snack could be a quarter of an apple with 2 ounces of natural cheese, a stick of celery spread with a teaspoon of nut butter, a small handful of unsalted and unroasted nuts. Veggie sticks like cucumbers, broccoli, zucchini, red or green pepper, or even jicama, would be great snacks that will be low in calories and great tasting and healthy. Eating vegetable snacks frequently during the day will be a great help in consuming the 8-10 half cup servings of vegetables and fruits a day that nutritionists now feel are essential for good health.

The obesity epidemic created by eating sugary foods is causing many health problems. Here is a quote from the Director of the National Institutes of Health.

“Obesity is a major problem in the US and globally. More than two thirds of Americans are overweight or obese. Type 2 diabetes, which affects 26 million Americans, goes hand in hand with obesity. Type 2 diabetes raises the risk of stroke, heart attack, blindness, amputations, kidney failure, nerve damage and a long list of other health problems.” Dr. Francis Collins, NIH Director

Eating so many calories daily as we outlined here can contribute to obesity and a lot of other health conditions. Please consider trading sugary treats for vegetable and nut snacks. You’ll feel better, sleep better, and have more energy.

 

Kathleen O’Bannon, CNC, is a nutritionist, Wellness Coach, and dynamic public speaker. For  information on health please see her best-selling books: The Anger Cure: A Step-by-Step Program to Reduce Anger, Rage, Negativity, Violence, and Depression in Your Life, Basic Health Publications and Nutrition & Health in the Bible, Thomas Nelson. Kathleen is available to speak to your corporation or group on nutrition and health. Wellness at Work, “Help I think I’m losing my mind” is one of her most requested topics. Contact Kathleen at: Kathleen@kathleenobannon.com

 

 

You Don’t Have to Suffer!

 

Headaches? Stomach problems? Insomnia? Blood sugar imbalances? High cholesterol? Depression? Anger? High blood pressure? Overweight? Moody? Frequent colds or flu? Fatigue?

Are you suffering from any of these and more? They are just some of the health challenges that can often be easily overcome.

How can this be done? With nutrition, of course. A simple mineral tissue check using a specific hair sample can often determine at least 40 different diseases created by an imbalance in minerals or toxic minerals or metals in your body.

For more than thirty-five years I have helped people with my personalized system. I have created a database of the results and the foods and/or supplements to take to correct the imbalances and recover from these health challenges and more.

Mary (not her real name) and her family ate some bad seafood and had something like food poisoning for a month. They recovered after that but for a year Mary had raging diarrhea. She had to wear a diaper at all times and her teenage boys were embarrassed to go shopping with her. That’s when she had Wellness Coaching done to get at the root of the problem. Her hair analysis showed mineral imbalances and she took the necessary minerals in supplement form as well as the foods high in the minerals she was low in. In less than a week she was back to normal. That’s right! After a year of over-the-counter diarrhea meds that did no good, she began taking the minerals that were so low they were creating the problem, and she became normal.

Danny had terrible anxiety, depression, and may have even been what is now called bi-polar. He also had some personality disorders. His hair analysis showed that he was low in several minerals and very high in the toxic metals lead and mercury. He also was addicted to caffeine. He took about a month to be totally over the anxiety and depression because he refused to give up the caffeine at first and was not very compliant with taking the foods and supplements required. His family thanked me because they were all really tired of him being out of control and anxious.

The hair analysis for Margaret showed that she had low energy, fatigue, and slight depression. Her thyroid was low, it ran in her family. But she was creating a worse problem for herself because she ate broccoli or kale every day which are known to be anti-thyroid. When she added the foods that supported her thyroid to her diet and reduced the frequency of the anti-thyroid foods, she regained her energy and reversed her fatigue and started to lose the extra weight she had gained because of the mineral imbalance in her body.

The most exciting one was the woman who was trying to get pregnant. She had high mercury from eating canned tuna fish every day. She gave up the tuna, started eating breakfast, and took the minerals she showed low in on the hair analysis as well as eating the foods that chelated (removed) the toxic metals  and she was able to get pregnant after a few months of correcting the imbalances in her body.

Tommy had what his doctor told him was a problem with small kidneys. He got up several times a night to urinate and he was only 19. He also had a sore knee that wouldn’t go away from a bicycle accident a few months earlier. His hair analysis showed that there was only one mineral he was low in. He started on the supplement and in a few days both problems started to clear up.

If you have an imbalance of minerals or even vitamins (only minerals and metals show on a hair analysis) that create certain symptoms why take medication for the symptoms when correcting the imbalance will resolve the problem? This is the holistic way: fix what’s out of balance; don’t cover it up with a drug. It’s easier, cheaper, and longer lasting.

A simple hair test with no interpretation will not give you much success. For example a hair chart could show that you are high in calcium so you would think that you are taking too much calcium. You’d be wrong! It shows that your digestion is not working properly and you aren’t breaking down and utilizing the calcium you are getting. That’s why it is so important to see the whole picture. That’s also why I keep updating this data base.

Here are three samples from the database that will give you an idea of how this works.

1.       High calcium and reduced potassium are often associated with antisocial personality patterns. Candidiasis can also be responsible for antisocial personality patterns so have this checked.

2.       Copper is a very interesting mineral. Copper often acts on the nervous system causing behavioral dysfunction when elevated. This can be causing you mental and emotional problems, even a violent or quick temper. Many hair dyes contain copper so let me know if you color your hair. Elevated copper causes behavior patterns characterized as erratic, volatile, moody or schizophrenic. Sulphur containing chelating foods are known to help remove copper from your system. They are eggs, beans (especially soy beans), onions, and garlic. Zinc and manganese supplements in a specific ratio often remove excess copper. You might also be suffering from tennis elbow or tendonitis. This is known as a manganese deficiency, but when you have high copper and low manganese, you will not be able to remove the copper either. In other words the copper might be high because you are low in manganese. Manganese reduces excess copper.

Sources of copper can be copper lined kettles or pans (the copper has to touch the liquid, so copper clad pans do not count), often people with antique tea kettles have high copper in their hair, copper pipes, various elements in electric kettles have copper, copper bracelets, copper beads, and some kinds of sprays on vegetables.

If there is a family history of Wilson’s disease, please have that checked.

3.       Boron is a mineral that is essential for absorbing calcium (along with vitamins D & K and the mineral magnesium). Your boron is slightly low. To avoid osteoporosis, it is essential to have boron rich foods. Boron is high in dark green leafy vegetables, and also spirulina and chlorella.

 

You don’t have to suffer or take OTC or prescription drugs for things that are really nutritional imbalances in your body. I’m taking on new clients for Wellness Coaching at this time. If you are interested in becoming as healthy as possible and taking charge of your health, both physical and emotional, please contact me for an appointment. Kathleen@healthaliveproducts.com

 

Kathleen O’Bannon, CNC, is a nutritionist, Wellness Coach, and dynamic public speaker. The information for this blog was taken from her best-selling books: The Anger Cure: A Step-by-Step Program to Reduce Anger, Rage, Negativity, Violence, and Depression in Your Life, Basic Health Publications and Nutrition & Health in the Bible, Thomas Nelson. Contact Kathleen at: Kathleen@kathleenobannon.com

 

Healthy Summer Tips

Summer should be a fun and relaxing time for families and pets. It can be if you follow some simple tips to stay healthy and safe.

Hydration

Most importantly keep hydrated. Many things that we do in summer can dehydrate our body so drinking pure water is essential. How much should we drink? That is a controversy that still has no simple answer. If you are out in the sun you need more water as the sun can dehydrate you. If you exercise and perspire, you will need more water, since perspiring will lead to dehydration.  Drinking caffeinated and/or sugar laden beverages can cause dehydration (although it is now controversial about caffeine causing dehydration) so it is best to switch to pure water instead of soft drinks or sweet tea.

The Mayo Clinic defines the symptoms of mild dehydration as:

• Sleepiness or tiredness — children are likely to be less active than usual
• Thirst
• Dry, sticky mouth
• Decreased urine output — no wet diapers for three hours for infants and eight hours or more without urination for older children and teens
• Few or no tears when crying
• Dry skin
• Headache
• Constipation
• Dizziness or lightheadedness

If you have any of these symptoms while out in the sun or playing outside, please immediately drink more pure water. It also means that you are not drinking enough or not paying attention to your water consumption. It is essential to have some water every half hour or so; that’s why you see people passing out water at marathons and races. Drinking 2-3 quarts of water daily is recommended.

Years ago in hot climates like Texas, they had salt tablets in  machines in the airport for people to take who were not used  to the sun and heat. They don’t seem to anymore because someone has gotten the idea that salt is bad and can cause hypertension. This is a yin/yang controversy! Sodium (salt/yang) retains water; potassium (often found in fresh fruits/yin) releases it. If you are outside in the summer and getting a lot of exercise and perspiring a lot it might be a good idea to have some salted nuts with you if you begin to feel dehydrated and are drinking water and it doesn’t seem to help.

In India when I was there in the desert on a pilgrimage they served salted nuts and salted tomato soup almost every day. Many of the people wouldn’t eat them because they weren’t ‘health food ‘. I brought little plastic baggies and saved as many salted cashews as I could. Then when one of the individuals on our tour was fatigued and exhausted, I gave them a few of the nuts and they came around in a few minutes. It wasn’t magic, it was science!

In hot sunny countries they generally wear white outside in the heat because it reflects the heat. Black can attract the heat so it is best to avoid black if you are trying to keep cool outside.

Sun Protection

Wear loose clothing that covers your body or special sun protective clothing  that filters out the harmful UV rays. Many sporting goods stores carry this special clothing and if you are going to be in a place that has more sun than you are used to it could be a life saver.

Bare body parts should also be protected with a natural sunscreen or sunblock. Most require reapplication after going in the water or perspiring so read the labels.

Bug Protection

Bugs are never wanted at a picnic, BBQ, or any outdoor activities; and here are some tips to keep them away. Keep food covered so that bugs are not attracted to it.

Wear the appropriate clothing. Mosquitos can only see dark colors so if you are going to be in an area where there are mosquitos do not wear dark colors, including blue. Mosquitos can drill right through blue jeans. They cannot see bright colors so wear them when there are mosquitoes.

Unfortunately the opposite is true of flies and bees. They love bright colors especially the colors of flowers like red, yellow, pink, and pale lilac. So this is the time to wear blue and black to avoid being bitten by bees and files.  Even no-see-ums can be attracted to dark colors, so avoid them in the spring or early summer when these pesky little bugs are biting. If you are truly allergic to bee stings remember to bring your epi pen with you in case of an emergency.

Avoid sweets and sweet foods like bananas that might attract bugs right to your skin. There are actually some people that find their skin gives off a sweet smell in the sun and they are hounded by bugs, so it is useful for them to follow the bug avoidance color schemes in their clothing.

Do not wear scents on your skin or hair. If you are sensitive to bugs and they are in season always shower off all the scents before going out so that the scent doesn’t attract these little pests. This is true for both you and your pets.

The major exception to wearing scents is that lavender essential oil is known for repelling bugs. You might also want to burn a citronella candle outside to repel bugs. They can be purchased at most hardware and drug stores. Although some people use it on their skin others have found it irritating, so test it first.

Pennyroyal herb is an excellent bug repellant and works on mosquitos, flies, and even fleas. If you have the plant in your herb garden just cut off a small branch and lightly bruise it and rub it on your skin or make a tea of it to splash on. Do not use it if you are pregnant! I used to make a tea of it with the fresh leaves and carry it with me when I was hiking in the swamp. When the bugs started to come too close I just splashed some on me. It worked every time.

Essential Oil Bug Repellant

2 cups distilled water

10 drops essential oil of pennyroyal

2-4 drops each of eucalyptus and lemongrass essential oils to cover up the smell of the pennyroyal which some people find objectionable. Or you could use essential oil of lavender for the scent and get doubly protected from bugs.

Shake it well and put it in a shaker or spray bottle and you are ready to go.

Spray it on exposed skin, pets, tents, screens, even the table cloths before food is put out and you will have bug protection. Keep it away from eyes, lips, and noses because it might sting. It is not dangerous to ingest it (unless you are pregnant) but not a good idea.

Many natural pet supply stores carry pennyroyal collars for pets or just apply some of the essential oil of pennyroyal to the underside of their regular collar and a drop or two near the tail.

I try to stay away from products containing deet because it can be a dangerous chemical to some people. Take a look at this YouTube video for more information from a scientist: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtWxCEF2jOQ

Healthy Food and Snacks

During summer it is also important to eat healthy foods. Carry snacks with you of unsalted nuts and seeds or fresh veggie sticks. Unsweetened and unsulfured dried fruit and fruit rolls are good unless you are going to be outside in the sun and worry about attracting bugs, then you will want to avoid the dried fruits.

Salads with lots of really green veggies like romaine and leaf lettuce, spinach, arugula, parsley, and kale are great in the summer. Cucumbers and radishes are refreshing additions to salads along with sweet red, yellow, or orange peppers. Add some nuts and seeds or smoked tofu for protein and you will have a fabulous salad meal. Choose a light dressing of oil and lemon or apple cider vinegar. Any herbs will add to the flavor and aroma and should be chopped and added to the dressing for the most potent effect. Try using marjoram, rosemary, mint, basil, or dill for a tasty treat. If you are traveling put the salad in a sealed container and the dressing in a glass jar. Assemble when you are ready to eat.

If you are going to a National Park, many of them are now serving healthier foods including vegan and vegetarian choices. Look on their web site for a park that serves these foods before you head out for a day trip or make your reservation for camping.

Have a healthy summer!

 

Kathleen O’Bannon, CNC, is a nutritionist, Wellness Coach, and dynamic public speaker. She is the author of 10 books on nutrition and health, including  The Anger Cure, Basic Health Publications. Contact Kathleen at: kathleen@kathleenobannon.com

 

Thinning or Disappearing Lips?

 

You might be causing it without even knowing it. Thinning lips are part of the complex of symptoms of a vitamin B2 deficiency. Vitamin B2 is also known as riboflavin.

The deficiency symptoms include:

• Thinning of the lips, especially the upper lip
• Oily skin and hair
• Cracks at the corners of the mouth, nose, or eyes similar to a paper cut
• Shredding of the skin on the lips
• Inability to adjust to bright lights
• And more…

Vitamin B2 is a water-soluble nutrient which functions to help body cells create energy from the metabolization of carbohydrates, protein, and fat.

Riboflavin is critical for normal growth and repair and is needed to facilitate normal reproduction, cell growth and repair, and development of tissues. The body utilizes vitamin B2 to keep tissues healthy and to help accelerate healing of injuries.

Along with iron, vitamin B2 is an essential nutrient for the production of red blood cells, which are responsible for the transport of oxygen throughout the body.

Riboflavin acts to help the immune system function properly. It bolsters the immune system by reinforcing the body’s reserve of antibodies, which guard against infection.

Vitamin B2 helps to promote and maintain healthy skin. It can improve the secretion of mucus in the skin, which may help to clear up rosacea. It is also used to prevent and treat skin problems such as dermatitis and eczema. Vitamin B2, along with some other nutrients, is vital for healthy vision and for preventing cataracts.

Riboflavin is also helpful in getting relief from migraines. New research has shown that as little as 25 mg a day can be effective, whereas previous research suggested 400 mg a day. It’s also used for migraine in children along with other alternative supplements like CoQ10 and the herb feverfew.

In Canada in the 1970s clinics were using injections of vitamin B2 to eliminate the desire for alcohol in alcoholics.

Is It My Fault?

How might you be causing the vitamin B2 deficiency? It’s a matter of balance. B2 needs to be balanced with vitamin B6, known as Pyridoxine. They need to be taken together. Many weight loss products and supplements for women have more B6 than B2. Some often have only B6 and no B2. This can create the need for more B2 or a deficiency of B2. Look at all your multiple vitamins and supplements (especially for women’s issues and weight loss) containing vitamins and see if they have a similar amount of B2 and B6, If not and you have any of these symptoms above, you might want to consider taking an equal amount of B2 with the B6. This should eliminate most of the symptoms in a short period of time.

WHAT ARE THE B COMPLEX VITAMINS?

Most of the B vitamins go by numbers, but there are coenzymes and other forms that do not. Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, and B12 are all called by numbers, and biotin, choline, folate or folic acid (also called B9), PABA, and inositol are called by names. If you take a B complex supplement, all eleven of these ingredients should be in it.

B Vitamin Robbers

B vitamins are removed from wheat flour, rice, and sugar when they are refined. But people need B vitamins to help digest starch or carbohydrates. That means every time you eat refined white flour, white rice, or white sugar products you are robbing B vitamins from somewhere else in your body to help digest these denatured foods. That’s why only whole grains should be part of a healthy diet, not refined white flour products. Whole grains have not been refined so they contain the B complex vitamins necessary for proper digestion and utilization of the nutrients. If you are going to eat bread, rice, noodles, pasta of any kind, or sugar, please make sure it’s unrefined and natural. Brown rice, whole wheat, pot barley, and unrefined sugar are the only way to eat these products if you want to remain healthy.

Eating white sugar and white flour products can actually cause fatigue, depression, anger attacks, anxiety, and reduced health. If you think drinking a sugar-laden soft drink all day is giving you energy, think again. It’s robbing you of precious B complex vitamins! Even artificial sugars are bad for you because they can cause other health problems.

Alcohol is made from refined sugar. All kinds of alcoholic drinks rob you of the essential B complex vitamins you need to stay healthy. Many of the “beauty” problems of alcoholics are directly related to B vitamin deficiencies brought on by drinking alcohol and not eating whole grains, dark green leafy vegetables, and other sources of B complex vitamins.

How Much, How Many?

B complex vitamins are heat-, light-, and water-soluble. That means they have to be replenished several times a day. It is important to take them three times a day in a low dose rather than once a day in a high dose. I consider 12 to 25 milligrams (mg) of each of the B vitamins enough for most people to take in each low-dose supplement. Fifty to 100 mg is considered a high dose and is not necessary except under severe stress. A sustained or timed-release B complex vitamin of 50 mg is fine because it will be released into your system over four to six hours, but you will need to take one with your morning meal and one with your evening meal for it to be most effective.

The B vitamins help eliminate stress and stress can use up all the B vitamins, so if you are under stress, whether it’s emotional or physical, you will need more B vitamins.

The Solution to Thinning Lips

So if you find that your lips are thinning and you think it might be due to age, please check to see if you are taking more B6 than B2 and add vitamin B2 into your routine three times a day. You might be surprised at how many of your beauty or health complaints just seem to fade away once you take in the B vitamins in a balanced way.

Kathleen O’Bannon, CNC, is a nutritionist, Wellness Coach, and dynamic public speaker. The information for this blog was taken from her best-selling books:  The Anger Cure: A Step-by-Step Program to Reduce Anger, Rage, Negativity, Violence, and Depression in Your Life, Basic Health Publications and Nutrition & Health in the Bible, Thomas Nelson. Contact Kathleen at: Kathleen@kathleenobannon.com

 

Vitamin D: Do we need it?

 

Vitamin D is needed for absorption of calcium and prevention of rickets. New research published by William D. Fraser, M.D. in 2013 shows that vitamin D plays a supportive role in diabetes, cardiovascular disease, MS, cancer, psychiatric disorders, and neuro-muscular diseases. Because of its antibacterial, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory properties it may also play a role in lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease and even eczema in children.

Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency

There is no clear pattern of symptoms. In fact many people remain asymptomatic despite low levels. But here are the more common symptoms:

• Fatigue
• General muscle pain and weakness
• Muscle cramps
• Joint pain
• Chronic pain
• Weight gain
• High blood pressure
• Restless sleep
• Poor concentration
• Headaches
• Bladder problems
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Cognition in adults

Diseases associated with Vitamin D deficiency

Vitamin D deficiency has been shown to play a role in almost every major disease. This includes:

• Osteoporosis and Osteopenia
• 17 varieties of Cancer (including breast, prostate and colon)
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Obesity
• Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes
• Autoimmune diseases
• Multiple sclerosis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Osteoarthritis
• Bursitis
• Gout
• Infertility and PMS
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Fibromyalgia
• Chronic Pain
• Periodontal disease
• Psoriasis

 

Vitamin D3 is the best form to use as a supplement. Although the new recommended daily allowance (RDA) and the Reference Daily Intakes (RDI) is now set at 800 IU for adults, the dose required for helping with autoimmune and cardiac diseases is now as much as 4,000 IU daily. The Mayo Clinic often recommends 2,000 IU daily in several doses for 3 days to help improve respiratory diseases including COPD in adults.

Vitamin D is an essential part of a calcium supplement if you are interested in preventing osteoporosis. A good supplement would include calcium, magnesium, vitamins D and K, and boron. Many people taking this complement of nutrients have reported to me that they have reversed bone loss in their jaws, and other areas as well as found it useful in healing bone fractures and breaks. I am now an inch and a half taller than when I graduated from high school and I give the credit to this kind of complete supplement.

Here is the conclusion of a study published in 2012 in Therapeutic Advances in Endocrinology and Metabolism:

“It appears that vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis, and that vitamin D deficiency may be linked to disease severity in RA. As vitamin D deficiency has been linked to diffuse musculoskeletal pain, these results have therapeutic implications. Vitamin D supplementation may be needed both for the prevention of osteoporosis as well as for pain relief in patients with RA.”

If you have an autoimmune disease, immune disease, bone loss, or any of the deficiency signs listed here, please check with your doctor before you take any vitamin D above 1,000 IU a day. If you are wondering whether vitamin D deficiencies might be playing a role in your health, even though you get at least 20 minutes of sun a day, please ask your doctor to do a blood test to determine your levels. Many people who live in areas where there is a lot of sun shine are showing up deficient in blood tests.

 

Kathleen O’Bannon, CNC, is the author of 10 books on nutrition including “The Anger Cure: A step-by-step Program to Reduce Anger, Rage, Negativity, Violence, and Depression in your Life.” Kathleen can be heard on many radio stations throughout the US and Canada and is available for wellness coaching and speaking engagements. Kathleen@kathleenobannon.com

 

Energy Foods

Energy Food

Kathleen O’Bannon, CNC

 

The energy to run your body and mind comes from food. Food = Energy, no food = no energy. It’s that simple. You won’t need to take pep pills or energy drinks if you eat the right foods at the right time. Here are my tips:

1. Eat a little bit of protein within the first half hour of getting up like a boiled egg, 6 almonds, or a few spoons of cottage cheese then eat more later in the morning
2. Eat small frequent meals and/or snacks of things like vegetable sticks, cheese, nuts
3. Take a multivitamin & mineral supplement, additional B complex vitamins, & 1,000 mg of calcium with magnesium & vitamins D & K
4. Avoid caffeine, nicotine, sugar, refined grains
5. If you get tired during the day and are following this plan then you may need more vitamin B12 which you can get from a sublingual or liquid supplement or eat liver cooked medium or less.
6. Stretch, walk, or do exercises daily, this includes deep breathing and relaxing

Kathleen O’Bannon, CNC, is the author of 10 books including the best sellers Sprouts, The savory source for health and vitality Alive Books, and The Anger Cure, A Step-by-Step Program to Reduce Anger, Rage, Negativity, Violence, and Depression in Your Life, Basic Health. She is available for Wellness Coaching at Kathleen’s Cooking and Nutrition Wellness Centre. www.kathleenobannon.com

 

 

Energy Food

 

The energy to run your body and mind comes from food. Food = Energy, no food = no energy. It’s that simple. You won’t need to take pep pills or energy drinks if you eat the right foods at the right time. Here are my tips:

1. Eat a little bit of protein within the first half hour of getting up like a boiled egg, 6 almonds, or a few spoons of cottage cheese then eat more later in the morning
2. Eat small frequent meals and/or snacks of things like vegetable sticks, cheese, nuts
3. Take a multivitamin & mineral supplement, additional B complex vitamins, & 1,000 mg of calcium with magnesium & vitamins D & K
4. Avoid caffeine, nicotine, sugar, refined grains
5. If you get tired during the day and are following this plan then you may need more vitamin B12 which you can get from a sublingual or liquid supplement or eat liver cooked medium or less.
6. Stretch, walk, or do exercises daily, this includes deep breathing and relaxing

Kathleen O’Bannon, CNC, is the author of 10 books including the best sellers Sprouts, The savory source for health and vitality Alive Books, and The Anger Cure, A Step-by-Step Program to Reduce Anger, Rage, Negativity, Violence, and Depression in Your Life, Basic Health. She is available for Wellness Coaching at Kathleen’s Cooking and Nutrition Wellness Centre. www.kathleenobannon.com