What is good nutrition?

Well with the thousands of different diets/food choices out there it is truly overwhelming sometimes to decipher what good nutrition really is. Considering everything from Raw Veganism to Atkins to the food pyramid to Got Milk? and McDonalds, the average person is bombarded with an overwhelming amount of information about what they should or shouldn't be eating. And to further add to the confusion, from what I am learning (take away all of the really bad stuff), different people require different things.

Holistic nutrition focuses on eating foods that provide your body with the highest levels of nutritional value. It is much more than just eating a balanced diet. It is all about finding out what works for you as an individual. Some people will thrive as a vegetarian while others function optimally with more meat in their diets. To understand what is right for you requires listening to your body by identifying potential food allergies, possible metabolic disorders like hypoglycemia or diabetes and what just plain makes you feel better both physically and mentally.

Because there is so much information to sift through and finding your optimal diet may take some time, I thought a good place to start may be to identify some basics of holistic nutrition that apply to all individuals who wish to follow a holistic nutrition plan.

They include the following:

• Food should be organic as much as possible.


• Avoid junk food and processed food. (This means most of your shopping will take place on the perimeter of the grocery store where the fresh foods are usually found.)


• No foods with additives and preservatives.


• No sugar or caffeine. ( I know, but you will feel so healthy and alive that you won't need it, right?)


• Drink adequate amounts of pure water. (Preferably filtered and free of chlorine and other contaminants.)


• Avoid microwaves. (Concerns include the leaching of chemicals from plastic containers and possible destruction of nutrients while cooking.)


• No genetically engineered foods. (Soybeans and corn are often genetically modified.)


• Identify hidden food allergies. (For instance, many migraine sufferers have food allergies.)


• Address nutritional deficiencies. (You may need a blood test to identify vitamin/mineral deficiencies.)


• Eat whole foods in their natural state as much as possible. (See why Raw food is optimal.)
  

So no matter where you are today in your journey to a more whole life, you can't go wrong with the principles of holistic nutrition. At its most basic level, it will lead you toward a feeling of well-being, a better quality of life and a higher level of functioning.

- Shannan

Sources: www.holistichelp.net

Migraines

I've received inquiries from various sources recently wanting some natural remedies for migraines. When that happens, I know it's a burning question and it's time to post about it. If that many people in my circle of friends are questioning, then chances are it's an issue for our readers as well.

I don't want to focus as much on what a migraine is in this post. Those of you who suffer from these terrible headaches are well versed in what they are. I want to focus more on possible causes and holistic ways to treat them to hopefully avoid pharmaceuticals. I know the side effects of some of the prescribed pharmaceuticals are terrible. Just as a matter of definition though, migraine headaches are severe, throbbing headaches that may or may not be accompanied by nausea, visual disturbances, and other symptoms.

Possible Trigger for Migraines

• Certain food or beverage allergies such as cheese, chocolate, hot dogs, bacon, processed meats that contain nitrites, food containing MSG, fermented foods such as beer, yogurt, sauerkraut, yeast, brewer's yeast, aspartame, or lack of caffeine.
  
• Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) between meals. Low blood sugar causes inadequate glucose (sugar) transfer to the brain. The brain needs an almost constant supply of glucose as the brain uses glucose for energy.
  
• Hormonal disturbances


• Constipation


• Stress and emotional changes


• Liver malfunction


• Too much or too little sleep


• Sun glare or flashing lights


• Lack of exercise
  
• Change in barometric pressure

Natural Healing Therapies

Carefully review the list of triggers and see if anything can be modified. Have you tried avoiding the common food allergy items? A big issue is hypoglycemia. Are you eating frequent, small meals to keep your blood sugar at a good level for brain function? Have you thought about doing a liver detox program?

Herbal and Nutritional Therapies

• Sometimes as crazy as it sounds an external application of cabbage leaves can relieve a migraine headache.
  
• Infusion or decocotion of chamomile, cayenne, fumitory, ginger, peppermint, rosemary, valerian, willow bark, black cohosh, or wormwood.


• 2 teaspoons of honey (get more bang for your buck and have two teaspoons of honey in your tea! See the list above.)


• Eating fish, consuming fish oils, or taking primrose oil: The omega or essential fatty acids are fantastic brain food.


• Cordyceps is a Chinese Herb that may, through its ability to reduce anxiety and stress and promote sound sleep, help people who suffer from migraines.


• Include almonds, almond milk, watercress, parsley, fennel, garlic, cherries, and fresh pineapple in your diet.


• Women whose migraines occur as a result of their menstrual cycle may benefit from the use of a natural progesterone cream.

Bach Flower remedies for headaches: Bach flowers remedies focus on treating the mental and emotional factors that cause disease. I have found that they produce amazing results.

• for tension: Agrimony


• for problems with concentration: Clematis


• for feelings of stress and overwork and fear of failure: Elm


• for nervousness or impatience: Impatiens


• for grimness and stress-related tension: Oak


• for guilt feelings: Pine


• for excessive activity: Vervain


• when we are thinking too strenuously: White Chestnut

Homeopathics: although much more complex, these are basically natural, herbal remedies for everyday ailments. Once again, I have had awesome results using homeopathics. The key is to find the right one.

• Aconitum Nappellus: Characterized by a sudden, violent hadache all around the head like a band, or in the forehead like a bursting pain. The person is restless, fearful, and thirsty. The symptoms are worse in the evening or night, in a warm room, and on getting up from bed, and better in the open air.


• Belladonna: For the headache that comes on suddenly and violently, like the Aconite headache, but in addition is characterized by throbbing, pounding pain, restlessness, a hot head, and a red, flushed face.


• Bryonia: One of the most commonly indicated remedies for acute headache. The pain is stitching or tearing and is most apt to be right-sided. The person feels worse from motion, even moving the eyes or raising the head. There may be a bursting sensation on stooping or on coughing. Constipation often accompanies this headache.


• Gelsemium: May be needed by the person who has a vague but distressing headache beginning in the neck and extending up over the head, settling in a band around the head. It may develop into a bursting sensation in the eyes and forehead, and the scalp feels tender. It sometimes comes on after exposure to too much sun or from mental stress, bad news, or apprehension. It is worse from lying down. The Gelsemium person is languid, chilly, and without thirst and wishes most to be left alone.


• Iris Versicolor: Often needed when a migraine-like headache begins with blurring of vision. The scalp may feel tight and there is profuse flow of saliva with burning of the tongue, throat, and stomach. The person may lose his or her appetite and there may be nausea and vomiting. Iris headaches are usually worse in the evening and at night, and better from continued motion.


• Kali Bichromicum: Matches the symptoms often referred to as "sinus headache": pain is in the "mask" area, either over, under, or behind the eyes, or at the root of the nose in a small spot that can be pointed to with one finger. Motion aggravates the pain, as does stooping or bending forward. The person feels worse from warmth, better in the open air.


• Nux Vomica: Has a well-deserved reputation as "the hangover headache" remedy. It is a splitting headache all over the head, with nausea and an out-of-sorts feeling. The person is irritable, oversensitive to everything.


• Sanguinaria canadensis: Very often fits the typical "sick headache." It begins in the morning, increases during the day, and lasts until evening. Pain is bursting, beginning in the back of the head, spreading upward and settling over the right eye; it is accompanied by nausea and often by vomiting and dizziness.

Natural Therapies

• Reflexology Treatment where the practitioner concentrates on the points for the head, solar plexus, spine, neck, sinuses, eyes, pituitary gland, thyroid gland, ovaries, digestive system and liver.


• Acupressure and Acupuncture


• Massage Therapy

Sources: Advanced Bach Flower Therapy, The Reflexology Manual, Acupressure Techniques, Homeopathic Medicine at Home, Putting It All Together: The New Orthomolecular Nutrition, and Prescription for Nutritional Healing.

Children's Vitamins

As much as we would all love it if our kids ate perfectly, it just doesn't happen so a children's vitamin is my way of making sure my girls get what they need. We recently ran out of vitamins so I started looking around for something new and different. I still remember our pediatrician recommending Flintstone vitamins when the girls were toddlers. I knew there had to be something better.


After reading all of the bottles at Whole Foods, I decided on the Rainbow Light Kid's One MultiStars. It has a wide range of vitamins and minerals as well as herbs to prevent stomach upset and Vegetable Juice - Kale, Spinach, Dandelion Greens and Beet, equivalent to 50 mg vegetable powder. (another example of 'Sneaky Nutrition') They also contain no lactose, gluten or allergenic yeast.

Rainbow Light has been around for 25 years and prides themselves on being the creator of the first ever food-based one-per-day multivitamin. They describe how they formulate as:

Rainbow Light supplements deliver maximum absorption & are customized to effectively meet a wide range of nutritional needs!

Science-based potencies & ratios
Bioavailable nutrient forms
Absorption-activating co-nutrients
Plant-source enzymes
Energizing whole foods
Clinically-proven botanicals

Now the real scoop. The Kid's One Multi-Stars are sort of grayish in color and shaped like stars with sungalsses. The girls think they taste fine. They don't rave about the taste, but they certainly don't fight me in regard to eating them.

I can't help but feel better knowing that they are getting all of their vitamins and minerals plus some greens from food-based sources without all of the sugar, artificial flavors and colors that many of the more mainstream children's vitamins contain.

- Shannan

Glass Drinking Straws with Purpose and Style

I just returned home from a trip out West and collected my coop items and received these awesome glass straws I had ordered. For awhile now I've been concerned about my kid's straw usage. I've purchased boxes of straws and felt very wrong about that as there is alot of waste. I've also used plastic re-usable straws which makes me feel better about waste, but I'm sure the plastic in these straws has BPA and who knows what else is leaching into our drinks. Then like a gift from above, I received an email from Daedra in my coop who is now making these fantastic glass straws.

My first question to her was of course "how breakable are they?" I have a three-year-old boy and things seem to just fall apart in his little hands. She reassured me that they are made of borosilicate glass tubing which is the strongest commercially available glass. This is the same glass that Pyrex is made from. The straws are also annealed which means they are slowly cooled to make them tougher, less brittle, and (yay) dishwasher safe.

These straws are non-toxic, handmade (in the USA!), and beautiful. Daedra offers cleaning brushes for them and if you order a set of 4 or 6 straws you can get a free brush. Daedra takes the extra time and creativity to make them decorative and in a variety of colors. She offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee and will give you a full refund if you don't love the straw. She also offers a lifetime guarantee against breakage. If you break one of your straws she will replace it. I'm not sure how you could lose by ordering a set of these straws!

The kids and I were very excited to use the new straws and we made some smoothies the next morning. The straws work fantastic and they feel so fancy to use. I ran them through the dishwasher with great success and even accidentally dropped one (I'm worse than my kids). There were no chips, cracks or damage. I love my straws and am thinking about purchasing a few more.

The straws come in two lengths either 6" or 8". They also come available in two widths either regular width 9.5mm or smoothie width 12.7mm. The prices for these straws are as follows:

Regular (9.5mm)

• 8" Plain - $5.97 each; set of 4 $22.69; set of 6 $32.24


• 6" Decorative - $6.97 each; set of 4 $26.49; set of 6 $37.64


• 8" Decorative - $7.97 each; set of 4 $30.29; set of 6 $43.04

Smoothie (12.7mm)

• 8" Plain - $6.97 each; set of 4 $26.49; set of 6 $37.64


• 6" Decorative - $7.97; set of 4 $30.29; set of 6 $43.04


• 8" Decorative - $8.97; set of 4 $34.09; set of 6 $48.44

To order, check out Daedra's Etsy page at http://www.daedra.etsy.com/ or you can contact her at daedra@surowiec.com.

Karla

Veggie of the Month - Broccoli

As I mentioned in our very first post here on Living a Whole Life, one of the reasons I was inspired to start studying holistic nutrition was the fact that three friends of mine have undergone breast cancer treatment in the past year. When I started looking into what role diet plays in the development and treatment of cancer, I somehow ended up looking up the nutritional value of all kinds of different vegetables. I always knew veggies were good for me, but studying each of them individually gave me a new perspective on how important they really are to maintaining good health and fighting disease.

So, in order to further educate myself and our readers, I have decided to profile one vegetable every month. I hope you will enjoy this regular feature and gain a new appreciation for your produce!

Broccoli is a member of the cabbage family and is closely related to cauliflower. Broccoli is a highly nutritious vegetable that provides a wide range of tastes and textures. It contains significant amounts of vitamins C, K, A , Folate, and dietary fiber, among other vitamins and nutrients.

Broccoli contains the phytonutrients sulforaphane and the indoles, which have significant anti-cancer effects. A previous post I wrote on eating Raw discusses phytonutrients and why it is important not to overcook your vegetables.

Broccoli is a crucifer vegetable like kale, cabbage and cauliflower. It has been shown that a diet high in these types of vegetables are associated with lower incidence of certain cancers, including lung, colon, breast and ovarian cancer. Bladder cancer can also now be added to this list. Studies have also shown that men consuming at least one serving of cruciferous vegetables a week reduced the risk of stage III and IV prostate cancer.

According to a study published in Cancer Research the cancer-fighting capabilities of broccoli are even more successful against prostate cancer when consumed along with tomatoes. "When tomatoes and broccoli are eaten together, we see an additive effect. We think it's because different bioactive compounds in each food work on different anti-cancer pathways," said John Erdman, Profesor of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Illinois.

Broccoli is also known to support stomach health, provide help for sun-damaged skin, help to reduce heart disease, help to prevent cataracts, build stronger bones, boost your immune system, and fight birth defects.

Serving suggestions:

It is recommended that if cooking broccoli, you quickly steam or saute it as overcooking can dramatically impact the amount of nutrients you will get from your vegetables.

Try not to microwave broccoli as it will significantly decrease the levels of all its health promoting compounds.

Use Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Sunflower Oil to saute in order to preserve the vitamins and minerals.

If broccoli is not your favorite veggie to eat, try adding it to your green juice!

- Shannan

Source: The World's Healthiest Foods

Acupressure Techniques

I just finished another great book in my naturopathy courses. The book is called Acupressure Techniques and it's written by Julian Kenyon, M.D. It's a great do-it-yourself book to treat common ailments at home. The book gives some scientific backing on how acupressure can help a wide number of conditions and it then explains the treatment of approximately 30 common pain problems and thirty other minor conditions. After reading it, I am by no means an expert at acupressure massage, but the book did help me relieve some very pesky neck pain my husband was experiencing so I do think there is some value in reading this book and trying out acupressure at home. After reading this book I would love to have a professional acupressure massage and am even a little more open to the idea of acupuncture. Acupuncture has always freaked me out a little what with all the needles.

Acupressure centers around deep finger pressure over the traditional acupuncture points. Acupuncture is a very ancient treatment in Chinese medicine. The ancient Chinese considered that energy circulated in the body along specific channels, which they called meridians. This energy had to be able to circulate freely around the meridians and if there was a break in its circulation anywhere then illness or pain would result. If the energy got "stuck" somewhere then a needle inserted at the piont of discomfort whould encourage the flow to reestablish itself. In acupressure, instead of needles, one uses massage of the "stagnant energy" to reestablish the flow. Many think this all sounds a little hoky and don't understand how this can work. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine has researched acupuncture and found it effective for several conditions including pain from knee osteoarthritis, post-traumatic stress disorder, improved rates of pregnancy in women following IVF, and pain from fibromyalgia. Check out their site for more details.

Deep pressure with the thumb is the best way of stimulating the points. If the initial pressure is not uncomfortable then it's not being done correctly. Either the pressure needs to be increased or the correct point has not been located. Acupressure can be carried out on yourself, but if is much more effective if you can get a friend or significant other to do it for you. I've included a few diagrams below to get you started. Try them out. Massage in the direction of the arrow on the diagram.

Karla

Neck Pain

Insomnia


Headache (Migraine) Temporal

Headache (Migraine) Frontal

Do you feel well?

I am just finishing up my first course in holistic nutrition, Orthomolecular Nutrition. Orthomolecular nutrition/medicine is by definition "a form of complementary and alternative medicine which aims to prevent and treat disease with substances which are natural to the body. Prescriptions typically focus on providing nutrients, either through dietary supplements or modified diets which provide proper nutrition and eliminate deleterious substances such as allergens, refined foods, sugar and transfats." And although I find the concept of orthomolecular nutrition and medicine intriging, the book has been a little less than exciting to read.

Finally with only 50 pages or so to go, I ran across some information that I felt like sharing. The chapter is called "How to Find Out If Your Diet Is Normal". The title alone was enough to peak my interest. I always want to know if I am 'normal'. So in order to test your perception of your current health and well-being the author poses some simple questions:

1. Do you have enough energy to do what you want to do or are you suffering from fatigue? Are you tired too much of the time, especially when it is not appropriate to be tired? For instance, other books I have read on related subjects point out that a person should not feel tired around 3pm like many individuals do. I myself have suffered from a mid-afternoon slump in the past. This is often when people go looking for a quick pick-me-up like coffee, sugar, or soda.

2. Is your mood fairly stable, with swings into depression or cheerfulness appropriate to events around you? Would such swings be considered appropriate by other people in similar circumstances?

3. Do you feel well? Or do you have symptoms which indicate you are suffering from any disease? If this is the case you should consult your doctor to try to clear it up. If you do not have any known condition, you should then determine whether you are suffering from one of the many forms of malnutrition, from a defect arising from poor diet, or from a vitamin or mineral deficiency.

The book goes on to discuss what to do if you determine that you "are not well". Since the book is very specific regarding dosage and supplementation recommendations should not be taken out of the context, I will summarize the steps to wellness, but recommend that you consult an expert in this area or research the subject yourself to determine which and how much of a vitamin to add.

1. Eliminate all junk foods from your diet, especially all sugars and foods that you might be allergic to. In many cases an individual either has an idea that a certain food or food group makes them feel bad. One common place to start is dairy since many people are allergic. Try eliminating dairy from your diet and monitor your energy level and mood. If you feel better you may have found a solution, if not try another food like wheat, etc.

2. Add vitamin C to your diet.

3. Add a good B-complex tablet or one of the stress tablets to your diet.

4. For the rest of your life keep reviewing both your diet and the supplements you are taking because requirements change with age, sickness and degree of stress. Pay attention to how you feel and what makes you feel good or bad, energetic or sluggish. According to the book it is necessary to maintain a continual adjustment between your needs and the foods you eat.

5. If you are still not well, you probably have a more serious problem and should consult a specialist.

Having a better understanding of how diet plays such a critical role in not only weight and appearance, but mood and energy level offers even more motivation to stick to a healthy whole foods regimen. I think back to my early twenties when I lived on a sugar and caffeine roller coaster. I remember feeling exhausted in the afternoon and how I would scrounge for sugar only to suffer from a greater dip in enthusiasm when that had worn off. I truly did not feel well most days.

Today, I am much more aware of how I feel after too much sugar, caffeine or just too much food at one meal. This knowledge and awareness of my own body helps me stay on track a bit easier. And, although I know the major downfalls in diet for myself, I may be adding some vitamin C and B complex just to see if a higher level of energy is in my future.

The moral of the story...pay attention to how you feel and ask yourself if you are feeling well every once in a while.

- Shannan