Tapping Into Possibilities

12 12 12

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Not the date and not an alternative to Herman Cain’s 9-9-9…..

Simply, in the 12 months of 2012, the 12 favorite books (actually 12 authors, 15 books) I’ve read…..in no particular order.

I read to laugh, cry, learn, explore, wonder, question, escape, grow and ponder.

The Invisible Bridge (2010) by Julie Orringer

Tiny, Beautiful Things. Advice on Love & Life from Dear Sugar (2012) and Wild by Cheryl Strayed

Navigating the Collapse of Time (2011) by Dave Cowan

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (1962) by Joan Aiken

The Presence Process (2010) by Michael Brown

The Hunger Games Trilogy (2008-2010) by Suzanne Collins

Learning to Breathe (2011) by Pricilla Warner

I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman (2008)  by Nora Ephron

A Simple Thing (2012) by Kathleen McLeary

When the Killings Done (2011) by T.C. Boyle

Choose To Be Happy: The Craft & Art of Living Beyond Anxiety (2001) by Swami Chetanananda

The Language of Flowers (2011) by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

I usually have 3 books going at once. Some take longer than others to finish. Some just days, others weeks. I like to learn something new every day, something that stirs my imagination or makes me have an “ah ha” moment. Reading is about taking flight in your imagination, observing, discovering and exploring your world, both inside and out.

My morning books are my books for personal and spiritual development. Ones that help me expand my world, my appreciation, my awe, that affirm or rock my belief systems that make me grateful that I am here in the here and now. My evening books are are often fiction, but always for relaxation, entertainment, escape, that take me across the world, across time, that explore human nature. And the mid day reading (books/journals/articles/studies) are for personal and professional development in my field (and sometimes not) because there is always more to learn and better ways to communicate and share what I know.

Some might say it’s a luxury that I read so much. Rather, I think it’s a necessity.

I think of reading as part of my anti-aging regimen and definitely as a component of keeping my mental body healthy.

Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. Henry Ford

What I’m reading this week: The Great Work of Your Life by Stephen Cope, The Beginners Goodbye by Anne Tyler and The Essential Rumi translated by Coleman Barks.

“There is something called the rapture of the deep, and it refers to what happens when a deep-sea diver spends too much time at the bottom of the ocean and can’t tell which way is up. When he surfaces, he’s liable to have a condition called the bends, where the body can’t adapt to the oxygen levels in the atmosphere. All of this happens to me when I surface from a great book.”  Nora Ephron from I Feel Bad about My Neck and Other Thoughts on Being a Woman

 

 

The information provided on this website is not intended to substitute for medical counseling. Intentional Health does not treat, prevent, cure, or diagnose any disease or ailment.

 

 

Thanks Giving Days

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Lots of blogs and posts and articles this week about Thanksgiving Day and gratitude and even more about food, food, food but I’m thinking bigger, much bigger.

Every day is Thanksgiving or at least it should be.

Thanks: to express gratitude, appreciation or acknowledgement, a grateful feeling.

Giving: to give a gift, to present voluntarily without expecting something in return.

Gratitude: the quality or feeling of being thankful or of appreciation

When someone does or says something nice to you or for you, how does that make you feel?

So as you begin to feed your tummy consider the following:

Wear gratitude like a cloak and it will feed every corner of your life Rumi

Nothing to be grateful for? Consider what the great American jazz trumpeter and singer Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong (1901-1971) had to say in his 1967 classic What a Wonderful World.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3yCcXgbKrE

Happy thanks giving days to you and all whom you love.

 

WHITTLE YOUR WATTLE

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Wattle: a fleshy, wrinkled, often brightly colored, fold of skin or growth hanging from the head or neck of certain animals.

You’re probably giving some thought this week to ordering your turkey and making that wonderful gravy with the giblets and turkey neck.

But what about that other “turkey neck”? Do you give it any thought at all?

The neck may be one of the least favorite body parts of women of a certain age but it got that way because it’s one of the most neglected body parts in the skin care regimen of all women, regardless of age. This is the area where those fragile, crepey (is this even a word) lines and liver spots appear first (now you know why turtlenecks have never gone out of style!).

Skin on the neck and chest is thin with little connective tissue and the area has fewer stem cells which promote skin renewal. The neck and chest area lose elasticity more easily (earlier) and are dryer because of changing hormones, sun exposure and less attention.

Building neck muscles not only reduces tension, reduces pain and reduces stress but also makes wrinkles less apparent.

Here are things I do to reduce tension and pain in the neck area and reduce wrinkles; what you might call “killing two turkeys with one stone”!

Posture: pay attention to it and keep your chin up. Don’t tilt your head to one side or the other while on the phone.

Line of vision: change it. Don’t look down while reading or looking at the cell phone or tablet.

Pillows: sleep with less. Too many pillows forces your neck down.

Water: Just make sure you’re adequately hydrated and water is your drink of choice. Water carries nutrients to all cells and removes toxins from all cells.

Silica: consider a bioavailable silica supplement which helps strengthen the skin as it plays a part in the synthesis of elastin and collagen. Silca is a trace mineral which decreases as we age. Consider, BioSil, JarroSil or Cellfood Essential  Silica from www.iherb.com (couponcode BOT164 for discount on first order).

Excercise: 1) Tilt head towards ceiling and pretend to chew for 2-3 minutes 2) Cat & Cow pose.  See Neck exercises in 2012 Articles above.

Sunscreen: need I say more.

Tightening Skin Masks:  My favorite is 1 egg white, 1 teaspoon each of honey, lemon juice and olive oil. Whisk egg white and other ingredients. Pat on skin of face, neck and chest and leave on for 15 minutes. It will still be liquid but it will dry and tighten.  Wash gently off with cool water then gently rub on coconut oil. Google for other ideas using ingredients you already have in your house.

Coconut Oil: There are many neck specific skin care products out there but a jar of virgin coconut oil from your health food store is my favorite and has multiple uses. Before bed gently massage the neck and face and anywhere else in small circles. Coconut oil will relax the skin, minimize wrinkles and moisturize the skin. There are many health benefits of coconut oil both topically and internally including increasing blood circulation which helps generate new cells. Try Nutiva Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil from www.iherb.com

Disclaimer: The information provided here is not intended to substitute for medical counseling. Intentional Health does not treat, prevent, cure, or diagnose any disease or ailment.

 

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ODE to GREENS

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I laugh as I reread this post which I couldn’t publish on June 29th when our area had a massive, many day, power failure not to mention record heat, no rain and  even a few days of water restrictions but now that I’m back home with power, my garden continues to produce, provide and bring not just joy but awe……

As the temperatures soar to near 100◦ today, I think about last week and what Goldilocks said, “not too hot, not too cold but just right”. It was a beautiful week especially for gardens.

A week ago, my single cucumber plant had climbed about 4 feet of a 6 foot trellis and was covered in blossoms. Six days later it has climbed 3 feet above the trellis on to a tree and I picked 2 6” cucumbers to slice and sprinkle with sea salt for dinner. Delicious, and many more to come.

As I welcome the cucumbers and the beginning to ripen tomatoes, I say farewell to all the late lettuces, spinach and arugula that finally bolted in the heat.

The kale and swiss chard are still going strong and will last all summer though we eat most of it now because the leaves are sweeter. Swiss chard, especially Rainbow Chard, makes a beautiful decorative plant in a container so it does double duty.

Kale is basically the #1 rated green for nutrients -A, C, K, calcium, 45 flavonoids (think anti-oxidant/anti-inflammatory). Kale is in the cabbage family (broccoli, cauliflower, brussel spouts and another great leafy green, collard greens). My favorite is Lacinato aka Tuscan.

Swiss Chard  is also packed with A,C, K, iron, protein, folate and fiber and is anti-inflammatory. Chard is from a family of plants called Chenopods that also includes beets, spinach and, go figure, quinoa!

Even if you have little space or no green thumb these greens are so easy to grow and do well in containers. And they really are delicious. Are you getting your recommended number of servings of “dark leafy green vegetables”/the anti-cancer food?

In honor of these wonderful greens and to the first  (green) eggs from my granddaughter’s chickens, Condi, Hiliary and Merkel , click on Recipes above and try Green(s) Eggs and Mushrooms from the drop down menu. An easy, fast, vegetarian, gluten-free, delicious year round dish especially with greens and sage from your own garden.

Disclaimer: The information provided on this website is not intended to substitute for medical counseling. Intentional Health does not treat, prevent, cure, or diagnose any disease or ailment.

 

 

 

Gluten Free “Baking” – another Oxymoron?

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I love to bake so going gluten-free was definitely a challenge. I’m from German stock; we bake; I have my great grandmother’s recipes. What are the holidays with out days of baking cookies and breads?

Recipes for gluten-free zucchini bread or raspberry bars, cookies and cakes, etc. are everywhere now, not just in specialty magazines but in main stream magazines and there are numerous gluten-free cook books.

But there’s a hitch, they require a variety of “flours” and additives. Do you have room for bags of xanthum gum, white rice flour, brown rice flour, almond flour, coconut flour, garbanzo bean flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, corn starch, guar gum, and corn meal, all to replace a single bag of unbleached all-purpose flour? Not to mention many have expiration dates long before you could use it all.

Rarely did any of the recipes get more than a grade of “B” and frankly, I missed my tried and true family recipes.

So what to do?

I experimented with the pre mixed “baking flours” in my own recipes. Some were dismal flops, literally. Without gluten to make dough stick together and rise and even with the addition of xanthum gum which does help avoid crumbling, gluten-free baked goods are heavier and just not born to rise.   And I’ve come to the sad realization that some things like Granny’s Christmas cookies or Auntie’s Marble Cake will never be gluten-free.

Unfortunately, all pre mixed “baking flours” are not created equal and some are down right awful. But all is not lost for you bakers out there.

These are the 3 “flours” that I have had the most success with: Kinnikinnick All Purpose Flour Blend, Williams Sonoma’ Cup4Cup and King Arthur’s Gluten-Free Multi-Purpose Flour.

Kinnikinnick www.kinnikinnick.com is a Canadian company. I placed an order on Monday and it arrived Wednesday and you can purchase them on Amazon. Not only have I had great success with their flour but their Graham Style Crumbs and Bread Crumbs are wonderful. Kinnikinnick is also a dairy, peanut and tree nut free facility in addition to gluten and wheat free.

Yeasty breads and multi layer fluffy cakes may become a distant memory but settling for only cheesecakes and brownies and sheet cakes isn’t so bad.

 

 

My Take on Gluten-Free Products

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As usual the “market” has jumped on the gluten-free bandwagon much like they did with soy, packing the aisles with gluten free breads, crackers, cookies, pretzels, pastas and even labeling naturally gluten-free foods such as brown rice and polenta as “gluten free”.

Five years ago there were no gluten-free sections even in health food stores and most people didn’t know what gluten and gluten-free meant. Now, everyone is talking about “going gluten free” and we’re overwhelmed with gluten-free products.

While it is great to have some gluten free-alternatives and substitutes for  your pasta, crackers, cookies and breads, it is still processed.

Processed food, whether gluten free or not, is not real food.

It is also important to know is that while the products may be gluten-free, they are usually higher in carbs and calories and sugar. Think the “fat free” rage years ago.

If you suspect you might have a “gluten intolerance”  (officially know at Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS) whose symptoms range from moodiness, ADD, digestive problems to fatigue) and want to experiment but just can’t bear the thought of no snacks or pasta here are some of our favorites to help get you started.

Kame Original Rice Crackers (forget the other brands they leave a yucky taste). We’ve bought this brand since long before I’d ever heard the word  gluten-free.

Bionaturae Pastas (in our house no child or guest has ever noticed the difference). Personally, most of the other brands/types on the market like the corn and quinoa and even the brown rice pasta makes me gag.

Glutino Pretzels. I’m not a fan of most of their products but these are delicious.

Trader Joe’s GF Chocolate Chip Cookies (the ginger snaps will do but have a funny texture and the meringues are great but you can easily make your own) are crunchy not chewy and really, really good.

Breads? Udi’s when toasted is definitely acceptable but “gluten free bread” is really an oxymoron (a combination of contradictory or incongruous words). Definitely the hardest thing to give up.

As Michael Pollan’s Rule #39 in Food Rules stated, Eat all the junk food you want as long as you cook it yourself or find a restaurant/bakery that has created some wonderful sweets and “breads”. The factory/processed stuff just doesn’t do it for me.

OLDIES BUT GOODIES

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Ancient Grains are now staples in my pantry.

I’m sure you’ve added Quinoa (Keen-wah) to your culinary repertoire. It is great hot or cold and kids like the nutty taste. It is a great source of protein; it’s gluten-free and readily available.

For soy free vegetarians, which between you and me we all should be, quinoa is a must have staple.

But my favorites are Millet and Amaranth and they are gluten-free as well.

Quinoa – a pseudo grain since it’s not a grass but a seed. It is a complete protein with a balanced set of amino acids. It has the highest protein content of any grain (18%). Quinoa has a natural coating of saponins which give it a soapy taste and difficult to digest (birds won’t eat it). Always rinse once before cooking but if your brand hasn’t been prewashed, make sure to soak for several hours and rinse to remove the saponins. Quinoa was a staple and sacred food of the Incas, called chisaya mama or “mother of all grains”. It was domesticated in the Andean region of Boliva and Ecuador over 3000 years ago.

Amaranth – also not a true grain, it’s an annual herb. It has been cultivated for 8000 years. It was a staple of the Aztecs and provided 80% of their caloric consumption. It was primarily cultivated in ancient Mexico, Guatemala and Peru. A very good source of protein (12-17%) but not a balanced set of amino acids, it is easily harvested and is heat and drought resistant. It is fermented in Peru to make “chichi” (beer) and is now grown in Illinois, Nebraska and Colorado. It makes a delicious hot breakfast porridge.

Millet – an important part of the prehistoric diet in India, China and Korea, millet as a primary food source dates back to 8000 B.C.. It is drought resistant and a main cereal grain today in the poor, dry areas of India, Africa, China and Russia. Millet’s protein content is only about 11% but is high in iron, B vitamins (B6 and niacin), potassium and magnesium. Millet is high in silica which helps flexibility. The bran does contain a goitrogen so millet shouldn’t be consumed in large amounts by those with thyroid issues. Millet with a little sea salt and pastured butter makes a wonderful side dish and alternative to rice.

While this is neither a cooking blog nor a recipe sharing site, I can’t help but share the occasional recipe that we have found so wonderful and that has inspired a post or vice versa.

Under the Recipes drop down above, click on Deep Dish Greens with Millet and Amaranth. This recipe is vegetarian, easy, gluten- free and delicious.

Disclaimer: The information provided on this website is not intended to substitute for medical counseling. Intentional Health does not treat, prevent, cure, or diagnose any disease or ailment.

 

GLUTEN FREE, NOT A FAD

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John Kelly’s mocking of food intolerances may make him laugh but not so to the estimated 20 million Americans with non-celiac sensitivity and 3 million with celiac disease, a genetic disorder.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/waiting-for-word-that-im-food-intolerant/2012/03/02/gIQAb9RErR_story.html

Gluten is what gives kneaded dough its elasticity. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley and some oats due to contamination during transportation and processing. If you have Celiac disease any gluten is a problem and there is a wealth of information at www.celiac.com and other sources online.

The winter wheat used for American bread flour has a higher gluten content in order to make our soft, fluffy breads and huge bagels. American wheat is also hybridized i.e. selectively bred to have a higher gluten content unlike European wheat. The difference between heavy, dense loaves of bread and fluffy,light bread is the gluten content.

There are many surprising products and foods that contain gluten including lipsticks, play doh, beer, “natural flavors” and malt. I was very unhappy when I had to give up my favorite movie theater candy, Malted Milk Balls!

Many doctors who specialize in auto immune disorders (lupus, MS, RA) suggest their patients eliminate gluten. “Gluten often causes the body to flood with inflammatory chemicals called cytokines which send an already wound up immune system in to hyperdrive, attacking tissue”, says Naturopathic physician Brooke Kalanick, N.D..

What you need to know: A gluten sensitivity isn’t just a gut problem. The New England Journal of Medicine reports 55 diseases that can be linked to gluten ranging from osteoporosis to depression, to migraines to fatigue, to balance problems.

Dr. Mark Hyman, founder of The Ultra Wellness Center in MA and author of one of my favorite books, The UltraMind Solution, considers gluten sensitivity an auto immune disease because it causes inflammation through the body. He recommends treating the cause (gluten) rather than the disease first.

So how do you treat the cause? Simply,but not always easily, by eliminating gluten from your diet for 2-4 weeks and see how you feel. No expensive blood tests needed.

Is it worth trying? You bet. Many parents report that learning and behavioral problems, even some symptoms of autism, are reduced or disappear with a gluten free diet.

Disclaimer: The information provided on this website is not intended to substitute for medical counseling. Intentional Health does not treat, prevent, cure, or diagnose any disease or ailment.

Cast in Stone or Just a Blueprint

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My great grandfather was both an architect and a builder in the late 1800’s/early 1900’s in Washington DC. I like the idea that while he designed the structure and drew up the plans, those plans were not cast in stone. As the house evolved, he could make changes and the finished home could look significantly,or just slightly,different from the original plans.

Everybody’s talking about DNA and your genes these days. Do you have this marker or that predisposition? Everybody’s talking as though this blueprint is cast in stone.

Or is it?

Nurture vs Nature? My money’s on the Nurture, again.

Like my great grandfather, I want to be able to alter those blueprints if I want to and I’m glad to report I can.

Research shows that lifestyle i.e. how you live and what you eat is 3 times more important than what your genes “say”. 30-40% of who you are is determined by your genes and the rest is up to you (60-70% are pretty good odds to me).

While your DNA may be passed down, it is NOT fixed. Your lifestyle CAN modify your genes.

Research from the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State shows that cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage and spinach can protect a baby’s genes in utero from mutation and toxins such as BPA. You really are what you eat.

What we hear about is Genetics: the study of genomes (our chromosomes and the inherited DNA they contain).

What we don’t hear much about (yet) is Epigenetics: the study of epigenomes which is the cellular material on top of your genomes that can be altered.

Think of genomes as the hardware in your computer and epigenomes as the software.

And how do I rewrite that software? Well, I think we all know the answers; now we just need to make them a priority. Real Food. Exercise (walking and dancing do count) and Stress Reduction i.e. figuring out how to create “ease” in your life which for me is more breath work, meditating and getting rid of stuff.

The world would have you agree with its dismal dream of limitation. But the light would have you soar like the eagle of your sacred visions. Alan Cohen

NURTURE YOUR HEART

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Nurture: to feed and protect, to support and encourage, to educate and train.

My father had a heart attack at 44 playing tennis (he was overweight, smoked and drank martinis at lunch); 30 years later (he was his ideal weight, he didn’t smoke or drink martinis at lunch) he had a pacemaker installed and 10 years later died of a heart attack on the golf course. Current “medical” wisdom may say, I am “predisposed” to heart disease but I put my money on Nurture not Nature.

There are many heart healthy foods and many not so heart healthy foods. You can find lists and list of foods that will explain all the reasons you should eat them but the important thing is to find foods you love that also love you.

Just because a food loves you (take Mackerel for instance) doesn’t mean you’ll love it or even eat it for that matter so enjoy as many of the foods listed below as often as possible.

Foods I Love that Also Love My Heart
Sweet Potatoes – high in carotenoids which protects the heart from free radicals
Dark Chocolate – contains phenols which are anti-inflammatory keep arteries unclogged
Walnuts – rich in omega-3 ALA which appear to have blood thinning benefits
Garlic – a fresh clove a day will keep that doctor away
Green Tea – loaded with anti-oxidant polyphenols which block LDL absorption in gut
Oatmeal – soluble fiber which helps eliminate LDL (bad) cholesterol & fatty compounds
Tumeric – eat lots of curry as the curcumin stops artery clogging fatty deposits and cellular waste
Papaya – full of potassium which is needed for a healthy heart beat
Oranges – high in flavonones which decrease LDL, increase LDL
Dried Plums aka Prunes – high in soluble fiber and antioxidants & frozen make a great dessert for dieters
Asparagus – high in saponin which reduces LDL
Wild Caught Salmon – omega 3’s which help prevent oxidation of LDL
Olive Oil – rich in monounsaturated fats that lower LDL
More Foods Rich in Soluble Fiber: lentils, apples, strawberries and black beans

Foods which You May Love (but I don’t) that also Love Your Heart
Cayenne – capsaicin improves circulation, lowers cholesterol, prevents blood clots
Mackerel & Herring- loaded with omega 3’s that reduce plaque & risk of arrhythmia
Flax seeds – vegetarian omega 3’s

The thousand mysteries around us would not trouble but interest us, if only we had cheerful, healthy hearts. Friedrich Wilheim Nietzsche, 19th c German philsopher

Disclaimer: The information provided on this website is not intended to substitute for medical counseling. Intentional Health does not treat, prevent, cure, or diagnose any disease or ailment.