Tapping Into Possibilities

Archives for 2011

My Two Cents on Migraines Part II

By Leave a Comment

Magnesium is not just the anti stress mineral. It plays a vital role in the functioning of the nervous system and stabilizes blood vessel walls. Magnesium deficiency can be tested by the blood but since most of us are deficient, consider adding it to your regimen. A study using 600 mg of magnesium daily for 6 weeks showed a 41.6% reduction in headaches. See 2011 Articles above for more information on magnesium.

Food sensitivities are also a very common trigger. The most common are gluten, eggs, dairy, soy, corn and nuts. Sulphites from wine, food additives (msg and aspartame) and cheese (molds) are also common triggers. Eliminate the foods you suspect for two weeks then introduce one new food every three days to see which ones, if any, lead to a headache.

You can also get an IgG food sensitivity test and then depending on the results consider NAET to help eliminate the sensitivity (www.naet.com)

For hormonal imbalances,  lower your estrogen and increase your progesterone.  Eliminate soy products, take a B complex with at least 50 mg of B-6, calcium citrate (800-1000 mg), magnesium (400-600mg) and a good multi vitamin. A topical progesterone cream might help (it helped my adolescent son with his acne and interestingly enough he has only had 1 migraine in the year he used the progesterone cream).

Studies have shown that 400 mg daily of vitamin B2 (riboflavin) reduced the frequency and severity of migraines in 37-50% of those taking the vitamin over 3 months.

Feverfew is an herb which can interrupt inflammatory reactions in your head that irritate nerve endings which then cause blood vessels to expand. A 2005 study found that a combination of the herbs feverfew and ginger relieved migraines in 48% of the participants. Daily use can prevent migraines and reduce severity and duration. 250-300 mg of standardized feverfew in morning and evening on empty stomach for 4-6 weeks.

Other things in my tool box: accupuncture, biofeedback, 5-HTP which converts to serontonin (400-600 mg daily); GLA (an omega 6 fatty acid which is anti inflammatory). A Berlin study showed GLA reduced the severity, frequency and duration  of migraines in more than 80% of the participants. Try 1300-1600 mg of GLA from borage or evening primrose oil in divided doses 2x day (don’t take with anti seizure medication).

And yes, I confess, I do have a bottle of Excedrin just in case.

Pain, Pain, Go Away or My Two Cents on Migraines

By Leave a Comment

I could not help but write about migraines since everyone and their mother is talking about migraines this week.

Heads up, this will be a two parter, since my goal is 300 words or less so you don’t fall asleep.

I do not like man made toxins, whoops, I mean medications.

If you haven’t figured me out already, I do everything in my power to avoid prescription and OTC medications. In my book, a side effect is a bad effect.

My philosophy is to try the things that can’t hurt you first and  make educated decisions. For instance, I’d try Omega 3 fatty acids, niacin and vitamin D and lifestyle changes (eat real food, lose weight) before starting a statin drug.

But back to migraines…..I no longer take “medication”. Yes, I admit in my foolish youth I did what the doctor said.

All western medicine solutions like beta blockers, imitrex or nerve injections have side effects. Triptan prescriptions like Imitrex increase risk of heart attack and stroke. Beta blockers cause fatigue and weight gain and only mask the pain.

Whether I’ve learned to manage them or those tempermental hormones have balanced themselves, I’m one of the lucky ones.

But they didn’t just magically go away. I tried different things, lots of things. I educated myself.

I believe that if you can find the cause of your migraines (or anything), you can eliminate them. If you take drugs for the symptoms you will be on the drugs for the rest of your life.

The most common causes: magnesium deficiency, hormonal imbalances of estrogen and progesterone, food allergies or sensitivities and chemical sensitivities.

For me, eliminating caffeine was the first step plus improving my magnesium levels, reducing stress and using massage to reduce the stress and tension in my neck and shoulders.

Next post……

Firework

By Leave a Comment

This song gives me goose bumps. Not the Katy Perry verison which has 205,000,000+ hits on youtube but the PS22 version which only has 300,000.

PS22 is a public elementary school in Staten Island with a music teacher with a vision, with a faith in these kids that should be a lesson for all of us.

It’s not that I don’t like Katy Perry or her version (she did co write the song so she does deserve a lot of credit). But somehow her voice doesn’t ring true to me or give me goose bumps (maybe because it is a performance, maybe because she tried to outshine these kids on Oprah). Click on the link below and just listen to little Denise belt out

Just own the night like the 4th of July. Cause baby you’re a firework.  Come on show them what you’re worth.

and I hope you’ll know what I’m talking about. Watch the faces on these 5th graders and you can’t help but believe in them (and maybe even yourself) and feel something. Is that joy stirring in you? Is there a smile on your face?

Do you ever feel so paper thin, like a house of cards one blow from caving in? Do you know there’s still a chance for you  cause there’s a spark in you….Come on let your colors burst.

And if you have any doubt about your own gifts and talents, your own worth, doubt no more.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGpdULugKo4

PS To help light that spark, find music that you don’t just like but music that gives you goose bumps.

Who is Weston A. Price and What does his research mean to you?

By Leave a Comment

Dr. Weston A. Price (1870-1948) was a dentist whose goal was to discover the factors responsible for good dental health. He was a nutrition pioneer. His worldwide research revealed a direct correlation between beautiful, straight teeth, free from decay (as well as good health and resistance to disease) and traditional diets rich in nutrient dense whole foods and fat-soluble vitamins.

The Weston A. Price Foundation headquartered in Washington D.C. was founded to disseminate Dr. Price’s research and is dedicated to restoring “nutrient dense foods to the American diet through education, research and activism” through accurate nutrition labeling and instruction, organic farming, pasture feeding of livestock, community supported farms, universal access to certified raw milk and the ban of soy-based infant formulas.

Check out their website: www.westonaprice.org and consider joining. Their quarterly magazine is a wealth of information about “real” food.  There are local chapters throughout the country that help you find locally grown meat, eggs, dairy and produce.

Nuts to You

By Leave a Comment

Hopefully you were not surprised to learn last week that 100 calories of walnuts are healthier for you than 100 calories of french fries.

A federally funded 20 year study led by the Harvard School of Public Health found “striking differences in how various food and drinks, as well as exercise, sleep patterns and other lifestyle choices affect whether people get gradually fatter”.

So it’s not just the amount of calories but the kind and the quality of the food that has an impact on weight gain.

Come on people, this is not rocket science. You are what you eat. And most of the things (notice I did not say food) in a grocery store that aren’t around the perimeter of the store are not even “real” food.

We live in a primitive body that really is not much different from 100,000 years ago. Nuts (almonds, cashews, pecans, pine nuts, walnuts) and seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, sesame) were an important component of early man’s diet so it should be no surprise that nuts in spite of their high fat content helped people in this study avoid weight gain.

Unfortunately, all nuts are not created equal……

See my recipe for Roasted Nuts (in the Recipe drop down menu above) adapted from a wonderful cookbook called Nourishing Traditions. If you want to know what real food is or you already do but want to learn more, this is a great cookbook to add to your collection. For more information check out www.westonaprice.org

Let they food by thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food. Hippocrates

Age Related Joy

By Leave a Comment

We turn not older with years but newer every day. Emily Dickinson

I think I can honestly say I am comfortable in my own skin. I can appreciate where I have been, where I am and I am excited about where I am going.

If you haven’t guessed, I had a Milestone birthday earlier this month. While not all milestones are happy, they are significant, literally, a stone acting like a marker or a milepost along the road of life.

While the crow’s feet and sun spots may hint at which decade I’ve just left, I am happy about exactly where I am. But I must note, that I place a priority on finding balance in my life and figuring out how to stay healthy.

Western society has put such a premium on youth and beauty and fixing stuff on the outside that we have neglected what goes on inside. Ageing, in fact, is really the weakening of the immune system by diet, stress, drugs, chemical toxins, etc. which then makes us susceptible to disease.

For some fun or a wake up call go to www.realage.com and take the test to see how old you are biologically as opposed to chronologically.

In Japan, ageing (and they have a specific word for it, Shibui) is  considered “the revelation of beauty, the time when the inherent radiance becomes visible” (Beauty by John O’Donohue, p 185). I rather like the idea that rather than being over the hill, I’m just hitting my stride.

So rather than wasting this time worrying about Age Related Macular Degeneration and the like, I’m embracing this time with Age Related Joy and faithfully taking my Vitamin D, CoQ10, B1 and Omega 3’s.

Your Personal Alarm Clock

By Leave a Comment

Most of us still use a clock to wake up whether it’s your cell phone, a clock radio or an old fashioned alarm clock. Sometimes we jump out of bed before it even goes off, sometimes we rise as soon as it goes off, sometimes we hit the snooze button once, twice, multiple times and sometimes we just ignore it, or at least try to for as long as possible.

Think of pain as your personal alarm clock. Pain is telling you to wake up, pay attention, smell the roses or, more likely, take the trash out. Pain can be physical, emotional, mental.  It can be that painful knee or that pain in the neck, whoever it might be. What’s causing your pain? Your husband? Your job? Your lower back?

Whether it’s a “nudge from God” or not, pain is that big neon sign warning you that something has to change.

What ever your pain, an incredible Rx for pain with no side effects is Qi Gong (pronounced chee gung).

Qi Gong is an ancient (dating back to at least 300 BC) Chinese practice of aligning breath, movement and mindfulness. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) uses Qi Gong both preventively and curatively for a wide range of ailments from stress, arthritis, back pain, balance. Qi Gong is also an important component in martial arts training.

Qi Gong activates the parasympathetic nervous system and tells tight muscles to relax. It’s the inflammatory response that causes pain and movement improves blood flow which calms the inflammatory response.

For a demo check out this you tube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-EA86oKkPs

Qi Gong somehow seems to magically improve one’s immune response and ability to heal and recover.

Pain is the root of knowledge Simone Weil, French Philsopher, 1910-1943

B12 Beware

By Leave a Comment

B12 deficiency can be a serious health problem and many factors contribute to a deficiency: vegetarian diets, antacids, diabetes medications, iron deficiency, aging and digestive disorders.

This vital nutrient is needed to prevent anemia. It aids folic acid in regulating the formation of red blood cells and helps in the utilization of iron. B12 is required for proper digestion, absorption of foods, the synthesis of protein and the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats. B12 aids in cell formation and cellular longevity. B12 prevents nerve damage and maintains the fatty sheaths that cover and protect nerve endings.

B12 is linked to neurotransmitters that assist memory, learning, mood and sleep patterns allowing a more restful and refreshing sleep.

The most common symptoms of B12 deficiency include fatigue, dizziness, drowsiness, headaches, memory loss, poor concentration, depression, bone loss, neurological damage, nerve damage including tingling in hands and feet and tinnitis. Symptoms of B12 deficiency usually occur long before the deficiency is severe enough to cause dementia or anemia.

Up to 30% of people over the age of 50 may not get enough B12 and it is estimated that more than 50% of all long term vegetarians and vegans are deficient. Even if you’re a meat or mollusk eater you may be deficient because it takes stomach acid to release the B12 from protein and as you get older you produce less of this acid.

One of my daughters is a vegetarian and frequently vegan so this essential nutrient is one supplement I’m particularly passionate and vigilant about. We supplement daily but also have blood tests twice per year.

B12 is not well absorbed orally. Injections or tablets taken sublingually (dissolved under the tongue) are the way to go. We take one Jarrow Formula Methyl B12 1000 mcg for maintenance. Take more to correct a deficiency. Blood levels normalize within 2 weeks but whole body stores take 6 months.

Singing the Blues….I Mean Blueberries

By Leave a Comment

Today I had my first local blueberries. From blueberry salsa to blueberry muffins to just plain blueberries, I’m going to enjoy every minute of our local three week (depending on the heat) season and then another few weeks as local becomes PA and NJ.

I love blueberries not just because they taste good but they are a health packed incredible super food.

Whether it’s an aging brain, a tumor cell, high blood pressure, persistent urinary tract infections or your weight, this food’s for you.

Research from Harvard and East Anglia University has shown blueberries work as a prevention of high blood pressure. Just 1 serving per week reduces your change by 10%.

Research at Texas Woman’s University showed blueberries, which contain polyphenols, “inhibit a critical path leading to obesity at the molecular level” and “inhibit the creation of new fat cells by altering lipid metabolism”.

Research last year from of City of Hope in LA showed blueberry extract appeared to stop cancer cell growth in triple negative breast cancers. More research is underway but based on animal studies, 2 cups a day appear to show promise.

Blueberries contain the same compounds as cranberries (and taste a heck of lot better). A Rutgers study showed these compounds “reduce the ability of E coli (the most common bacteria causing UTI’s) to attach to the mucosal lining.

It’s the anthocyanins, a powerful flavanoid antioxidant, in blueberries and other blue and red fruits and vegetables that make blueberries such a superfood. There is also evidence that these anthocyanins help in fighting brain aging, cognitive decline and Parkinsons (as reported this year at the American Academy of Neurology’s annual meeting) by protecting the brain from oxidative stress.

If all this isn’t reason enough to eat a cup of blueberries daily, try my Blueberry Salsa recipe above under articles.

Grow New Neurons and Have Some Fun at the Same Time

By Leave a Comment

When was the last time you hula hooped?

Did you have one of those cheap plastic $5 hula hoops when you were a kid? Well, hula hoops are not just for kids anymore.

Hula hooping requires both concentration and coordination; it engages you mentally and physically. It really requires that  mind/body connection thing that every one keeps talking about and it’s fun.

Your brain grows new neurons as long as you keep your brain active. And to keep that hula hoop moving up and down and around requires the active engagement of your brain. It’s definitely more fun than sudoku.

How often do you have fun? What do you do for fun? One thing about fun and play, is that it takes your mind off whatever problem/stress you have in your life at that moment.

While hoops have been found in many cultures through out the centuries and have been made of different materials like willow, rattan and stiff grasses, the hoop went viral in the late 1950’s when a plastic version was marketed for kids. In 1958 more than 25 million were sold in 4 months.

While 28” hula hoops for kids have remained a childhood staple, the adult versions are heavier and bigger (mine is 46” in diameter). Now it’s called Hooping or Hoop Dance and there are even websites and clubs devoted to it.

Whatever you call it, its fun and the benefits are many. Hooping tones your body, helps you burn fat, and your abs and core will definitely feel it. It also improves your coordination and the flexibility of your spine. It improves your mood and will definitely make you laugh if you’re  doing it with friends or family. My daughter and I laugh so hard watching each other(or my son) that, of course, we lose concentration and drop it but that’s the point, isn’t it, to have some fun?