DECEMBER 2008 FREE T WIN C...naturally ITIES Your Resource For a Healthy, Active, Sustainable Lifestyle...Naturally TOXIC BLACK MOLD Elizabeth Vaughan, MD How to Boost Your self esteem winter Blues Dr. Joseph Sweere Gluten free ree Holida HolidaY BakinG is lack of sleep makinG You fat? a Publis e m o he c r! Be Are you an entrepreneur with a passion for wellness? Allow your Passion to bring you Proп¬Ѓt... By being part of the SLOWER Network you will have the opportunity to bring your natural health community together by being The Resource for a Healthy, Active, Sustainable Lifetstyle...Naturally. We are a growing network...not a franchise. NO franchise fees and NO royalties based on sales. www.SlowerNetwork.com Contact us at 336-369-4170 or email: enquiries@slowR.com Triad, NC 2 TCnaturally.com Minneapolis, MN Hartford, CT PUBLISHERS/EDITORS Mark & Nancy Halvorson Publisher@TCnaturally.com SALES & MARKETING O Mark & Nancy Halvorson Mark@TCnaturally.com ur mission is to provide valuable insight, information and resources that will allow our readers to maintain a healthy, active, sustainable lifestyle. Twin Cities Naturally contains timely information on natural health, complimentary and alternative medicine, nutrition, fitness, personal growth, green living, and the products and services that support good health. ADVERTISING If you would like to advertise in Twin Cities Naturally or request a media kit please contact us at 952-461-1551 or Email advertising@TCnaturally.com. Media kits are also available for download at our website - TCnaturally.com EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email article submissions or News Briefs to: editor@TCnaturally.com. Writing guidelines can be found in our media kit. Email Calendar Events to: calendar@TCnaturally.com Deadlines are the 1st of the month prior to publication for all articles, and the 5th for advertising. All submissions must be sent electronically. Twin Cities Naturally EZINE Receive emails directing you to new interesting articles and opportunities not found in the magazine. Sign up at TCnaturally.com In keeping with our concern for the environment, Twin Cities Naturally is proudly printed on recycled paper with soy based ink. All past issues are available for download at Give the gift of health... a Subscription to Twin Cities Naturally. TCnaturally.com Only $25 for 12 issues. Twin Cities Naturally is a free publication supported solely by our advertisers. It is available at many locations throughout the Minneapolis-St. Paul and surrounding areas. Please call for a location near you. Call us at 952-461-1551 if you would like copies placed at your place of business. ADMINISTRATION Tami Curlo Tami@TCnaturally.com SALES & DISTRIBUTION Mark Halvorson Mark@TCnaturally.com WEBMASTER Matt Milunic Matt@iComDesign.com MEDICAL DIRECTOR Elizabeth Vaughan, MD Vaughan Medical Center ADVISORY BOARD Elizabeth Vaughan, MD Jade Teta, ND Keoni Teta, ND TCnaturally.com Twin Cities Naturally Magazine PO Box 63 Elko, MN 55020 (phone) 952-461-1551 (fax) 952-461-1552 В© 2008 by Twin Cities Naturally. All rights reserved. Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that permission be obtained in writing. We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised. We welcome your ideas, articles and feedback. DECEMBER 2008 3 PUBLISHERletter Readers: What's your favorite healthy restaurant? Please send in the name and city of your best place to eat out at with a brief description of why, and you will be eligible for a free drawing of a $50 gift card to that healthy restaurant of choice! E ven during this time of year, we are trying to become more ecologically conscious with our giving of gifts to one another. One way to fulfill the spirit of giving only requires time, especially considering kids and the elderly. Make plans to spend time doing things for and with the ones you love. You will build some lasting memories that can make the best gifts of all! We also plan on choosing our gifts more conscientiously with usefulness and intention in mind. Please do look through the magazine and see what our advertisers have to offer. They truly have some wonderful products and offer great services, with your health in mind! Please mail in to: To get in the holiday spirit, you may want to try out the recipes in this issue, including some gluten free treats. If the baking and aroma havenвЂ™t improved your mood, you may want to read the article Winter Blues by Dr. Joseph Sweere. It addresses Seasonal Affective Disorder--which many people suffer from this time of year--and the holistic ways to address it. TCNaturally Best Restaurant entry PO Box 63 Elko, MN 55020 An interesting connection is made in the article Is Lack of Sleep Making You Fat? So many of us miss out on getting a good nightвЂ™s rest, but few are aware of the additional consequences it can take on our bodies, mind and spirit. There are many other great articles, so make sure you donвЂ™t miss out on any of them! Name: City, zip: Email: Phone: As we approach the holidays and the end of this year, we just want to express our gratitude to all of you. Thank you to the advertisers, the writers, readers and all of the amazing people we have met on this journey so far. We wish everyone blessings, joy, peace and good health! In our January issue we will also list the top restaurants chosen. Restaurant: City: What makes this the best place in town? P.S. Don't miss your last chance for an entry in the best restaurant drawing. In January, we will be announcing our $50 gift certificate winner and listing the top three rated restaurants. Thank you for all of the responses so far! 4 TCnaturally.com contents Inside This Issue TOXIC BLACK MOLD Elizabeth Vaughan, MD 10 Departments NEWSbriefs 6 8 COOKINGCorner Paulette Mitchell 8 How to Boost Your Self Esteem Cindy Locher, C.Ht. 15 C'MONlet'sLAUGH Marilyn Sprague-Smith 9 Winter Blues Dr. Joseph Sweere 16 Prescription for Living Bernie Siegel, MD 18 Gluten-Free Holiday Baking Charli Mills 20 Exercise: An Excellent Tool for Health Meaghan Kirschling, DC, RN, MS 22 16 20 NUGGETSofWISDOM 30 What is Colon Hydrotherapy? Angela Rasmusen 23 Know Your Herbs Wendy Evenson 33 Is Lack of Sleep Making You Fat? Jade Teta, ND, CSCS Keoni Teta, ND, LAc, CSCS 24 Why Live Blood Analysis is Important Alex Thompson 28 MOVEMENTasMEDICINE Jade Teta, ND, CSCS Keoni Teta, ND, LAc, CSCS 24 COMMUNITYresources 35 33 COMMUNITYevents 37 DECEMBER 2008 5 NEWSbriefs Brain State Conditioning Offices Team Up in December D uring December only, Mind Symmetry and Neuro Strength, the two Minnesota Brain State Conditioningв„ў (BSC) offices, have co-located in Bloomington to offer simultaneous brain training sessions. This is a convenient option for couples, friends, parent-child pairs, and those coming from longer distances who wish to experience greater balance and harmony. Most clients are encouraged to experience one or two 2-hour sessions daily. The ability to train concurrently with a friend or family member is a time saving option. Additionally, the benefit of discussing the training with a friend having the same experience is most valuable. BSCв„ў balances and harmonizes the brain, which can result in positive physical, emotional and spiritual outcomes of better sleep, improved memory, greater happiness, and more. To learn more or to make an appointment, please contact Paulette (952-888-0011, www.NeuroStrength.com) or Alina (952-201-9706, www.MindSymmetry.com). See ad on page Valley Natural Foods Co-op's Expansion is Complete! A fter nearly five months of construction noise and dust, Valley Natural Foods co-op in Burnsville, MN emerged larger, more open and fully stocked. The 2008 expansion to the 31-year old cooperative business added over 3,000 more square feet to the building owned by 6,600 co-op members. The fresh departments grew the most. The produce market has doubled its fresh, local and organic array of seasonal fruits and vegetables. The meat and seafood market now has a full-service counter with all pork and beef cuts from its in-house facility. They also offer fresh fish daily. The deli department now offers the Take-Away CafГ© that includes an impressive salad bar, made-from-scratch soups and daily hot dishes for lunch or dinner. The new eating area can seat up to 40 and has a beautiful limestone fireplace. Keeping with the co-opвЂ™s mission of a healthy community, shoppers can view video clips on how to prepare seasonal foods and who the co-opвЂ™s farm partners are. Look for these clips, recipes and even a construction photo gallery online at www.valleynaturalfoods.com. Everyone is welcome to shop the co-op. Ask about the membership advantage of investing in this thriving local business. For more information on hours and services, go to www.valleynaturalfoods.com. 6 TCnaturally.com Essentials for Life Opens in New Location E ssentials for Life.... that is, the new вЂњEssential Life CenterвЂќ in New Prague would like to offer to their clients & customers... A place where you can be educated on living a more whole, healthy life, and a place where you can be connected to the goods and services that can assist you in that journey. It has been two years since they opened up the cozy shop and classroom/meeting space in New Prague, offering monthly networking, classes and a place to connect with others. Now the dream of expanding and adding other great services has become a reality. The new space, located at 107 Central Ave. N. in New Prague, will provide clients not only a place to shop for healthy and unique gifts, but there will be massage, embroidering & marketing, counseling and financial services available "in-house" as well. There is still room for other likeminded individuals looking to offer their services or business. It's a great place for group meetings and it will continue to offer Monthly Networking and support to small business. The "Spirit of Women in Business" write and publish a monthly newsletter which is distributed throughout the cities in more than 11 locations. This cooperative of businesses also offers ongoing classes to people covering topics such as: Making Storybooks with your photos, healthy lifestyle ideas, free chair massage and lot's of interesting and fun classes! Please visit the center during their new expanded business hours: M: 10-5, T: 10-3, W: 10-3, Th: 12-7 & Fr: 10-3. Call (952) 649-1771 or go to www.essentiallife.us for more information. Have a News Brief to Share? Email: editor@tcnaturally.com Study Confirms Genetically Engineered CropsThreaten Human Fertility and Health Safety A long-term feeding study commissioned by the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, managed by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Health, Family and Youth, and carried out by Veterinary University Vienna, confirms genetically engineered (GM) corn seriously affects reproductive health in mice. Non-GMO advocates, who have warned about this infertility link along with other health risks, now seek an immediate ban of all GM foods and GM crops to protect the health of humankind and the fertility of women around the world. Feeding mice with genetically engineered corn developed by the US-based Monsanto Corporation led to lower fertility and body weight, according to the study conducted by the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna. Lead author of the study Professor Zentek said, there was a direct link between the decrease in fertility and the GM diet, and that mice fed with non-GE corn reproduced more efficiently. In the study, Austrian scientists performed several longterm feeding trials over 20 weeks with laboratory mice fed a diet containing 33% of a GM variety (NK 603 x MON 810), or a closely related non-GE variety used in many countries. Statistically significant litter size and pup weight decreases were found in the third and fourth litters in the GM-fed mice, compared to the control group. The corn is genetically engineered with genes that produce a pesticidal toxin, as well as genes that allow it to survive applications of MonsantoвЂ™s herbicide Roundup. A book by author Jeffrey M. Smith, Genetic Roulette distributed to members of congress last year, documents 65 serious health risks of GM products, including similar fertility problems with GM soy and GM corn: Offspring of rats fed GM soy showed a five-fold increase in mortality, lower birth weights, and the inability to reproduce. Male mice fed GM soy had damaged young sperm cells. The embryo offspring of GM soy-fed mice had altered DNA functioning. Several US farmers reported sterility or fertility problems among pigs and cows fed on GM corn varieties. Additionally, over the last two months, investigators in India have documented fertility problems, abortions, premature births, and other serious health issues, including deaths, among buffaloes fed GM cottonseed products. The principle GM crops are soy, corn, cottonseed and canola. GM sugar from sugar beets will also be introduced before yearвЂ™s end. Jeffrey Smith is the Executive Director of the Institute for Responsible Technology and author of Genetic Roulette. You can download a free Non-GMO Shopping Guide at www. HealthierEating.org.вЂќ Seward Co-op's New Store O n Thursday, Jan. 8, 2009, Seward Co-op Grocery & Deli will move into its new home at 2823 E. Franklin Ave. The co-op opened in 1972, and has been providing healthful, locally produced foods to the Seward neighborhood ever since. The new $10.5 million dollar store will double the co-opвЂ™s existing sales space, allowing it to better serve the needs of its member-owners and the Seward community. An expanded deli features full salad and hot bars, and a larger grab-and-go area. A new meat and seafood department will include a unique selection of local products, while existing departments will be expanded, offering shoppers more selection on produce, dairy, grocery and wellness items. Another exciting element is the co-opвЂ™s community classroom, equipped with a full kitchen. The classroom fulfills a long-time goal of the co-opвЂ™s to provide a community space for education. It gives members and neighborhood residents an opportunity to take courses on cooking, natural foods and many other topics. As for the building itself, the co-op has chosen to pursue a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification in its construction. The overall design considers efficiency and environmental quality, making the new co-op one of the вЂњgreenestвЂќ grocery stores in the country. As Seward Co-op expands, its staff and board of directors remain dedicated to its commitment to sustain a healthy community that has equitable economic relationships, positive environmental impacts, and inclusive socially responsible practices. We welcome everyone to visit our new store. Seward Co-op will open its new store at 2823 E. Franklin Ave. on Thursday, Jan. 8. The co-op will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. For more information, visit www.seward.coop, or call Marketing Manager Tom Vogel at 612-436-2850, ext. 2 HealtH, Vitality, Balance, longeVity, Happiness all begin with the right food Feed your pet biologically appropriate, life nourishing, freshly made pet food Woody's pet Food Deli cooked and Raw 3008 West 50th st Minneapolis, Mn 55410 orders/Delivery: 612-208-0335 www.woodyspetdeli.com DECEMBER 2008 7 COOKINGcorner Paulette Mitchell MOCHA SAUCE Makes 1 2/3 Cups C hocolate is one of the worldвЂ™s most beloved flavors. This rich and potent substance has long been valued as a food for the gods and an aphrodisiac. ItвЂ™s no wonder why вЂ“ it contains natural compounds that stimulate the nervous system and trigger the release of endorphins to create a pleasurable feel and mood boost. Caffeine, also, makes us feel good, and some 19,000 studies have linked coffee to health benefits, including reduced risks for some cancers, diabetes, and gallstones. This incredibly simple sauce, which pairs chocolate with coffee, is a lovely surprise that will impress even your most discriminating guests. And, consumed sensibly, it has many positive attributes. Serve the sauce immediately after preparing or make it in advance and store in a tightly closed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. The sauce thickens as it cools, so thin the amount you need in the microwave on LOW heat and serve warm over ice cream, cake, or poached pears. Ingredients: 10 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped 1 cup freshly brewed strong coffee 2 tablespoons coffee-flavored liqueur Preparation: Heat water until simmering in the bottom pan of a double boiler over high heat. Put the chocolate in the top pan of the double boiler and place over the simmering water. Reduce the heat to medium; stir occasionally as the chocolate melts. Add the espresso and stir for 2 minutes until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened. Remove the top pan of the double boiler and let cool for 5 minutes. Stir in the liqueur. Tip: A double boiler is a double pan, with one sitting part way inside the other. The lower pot is used to hold simmering water, which gently heats the mixture in the top pot. Adjust the level of the water so it does not touch the bottom of the top pan. Use a double boiler to cook heat-sensitive foods, such as custards, delicate sauces, and chocolate. If you donвЂ™t have a double boiler, use a stainless-steel bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Recipe from The Complete 15-Minute Gourmet: Creative Cuisine Made Fast and Fresh by Paulette Mitchell. Paulette is known internationally for her quick-to-prepare gourmet recipes. She is a lecturer, cooking instructor, television personality, and the author of 12 cookbooks, including The Spirited Vegetarian, and A Beautiful Bowl of Soup. Visit amazon.com to purchase her cookbooks. Give the Gift of Health! Twin Cities Naturally Yearly subscription for only $30. email: publisher@tcnaturally.com 8 or call 952-461-1551 TCnaturally.com CвЂ™MONletsLAUGH Marilyn Sprague-Smith, M.Ed. Joy for All N ot long ago, the newest edition of NordstromвЂ™s holiday catalog arrived in the mail. With its shiny fatigue green cover, silver lettering and glossy pages of luxurious merchandise and chic models, it was a welcome reprieve from the incessant gloomy economic forecast heralded by the media. Something far more valuable than a retailerвЂ™s вЂњJoy for AllвЂќ message also arrived on the same day. It was a message from afar, an e-mail reconnecting two like-spirited women. It brought back memories of a faculty Christmas party where our enduring friendship sparked. I remember the thrill of being a new faculty member at a private two-year fashion merchandising college. Everything was new to me and I fell in love with being on Nicollet Mall, the sleek, no-automobiles-allowed, artery running through the heart of downtown Minneapolis. For me, it was an exciting time to be in the cityвЂ™s cultural and commerce hub. I donвЂ™t remember too many details of that first quarter, other than adoring every moment I was on campus. Some of the students asked me if I was on drugs because I was so вЂњhigh.вЂќ I just laughed and told them what they were witnessing was the joy of doing that which makes spirit soar. IвЂ™m not sure they got it, but I can still tap into that feeling. Quicker than one can plug in a car on a subzero Minnesota winter night, the quarter ended, students went home to celebrate the holidays and faculty and staff gathered at the annual Christmas party. That was the night I met Lynne. Festivities were waning and I was giving serious consideration to making an exit. That is until Lynne grabbed a bottle of champagne from the ice bucket sitting on the table, strolled over to where I was sitting, pulled up a chair, poured two glasses of champagne and said, вЂњHi, IвЂ™m Lynne. IвЂ™m an artist and teach Color and Design. What about you?вЂќ The intellectual tenacity of our ensuing conversation transcended typical first-time conversations filled with small talk about people, places and events. We were early thirty-something females willing to share philosophy, ideas, hopes, dreams and a few past disappointments too. When the janitorial service requested that we leave so they could lock up, we both knew the evening wasnвЂ™t about a holiday party, it was about the gift of friendship. As we stepped out into the December cold, laughing and making plans to sensationalize our lesson plans for the upcoming quarter, we stopped to admire Nicollet Mall in its bedazzling holiday dГ©cor. That was more than two decades ago. Yet, when I picked up the phone, dialed LynneвЂ™s number in Hawaii and heard her voice, it was as though I was once again sitting with Lynne, sipping champagne. вЂњLynne, this is Marilyn. Your e-mail said youвЂ™re thinking of moving to Colorado. WhatвЂ™s up?вЂќ Once again, there wasnвЂ™t any small talk. In our short conversation, we updated each other on the details of our lives spanning the seven-years since we last talkedвЂ”her adventures in Hawaii, the evolution of her artwork now posted on Etsy, the whereabouts of her children, her plans to come to Colorado; my pending divorce, crosscountry move to Colorado, and plans to reconstruct my life after twenty-one years of marriage. We promised to get together in Denver this summer when she visits her daughter. When I hung up the phone, it did feel like joy for all. Our nation may be facing economic hardships, but there is a holiday gift each of us can give that sends a true message of joy. ItвЂ™s a gift that cannot be ordered from an upscale catalog, doesnвЂ™t come with a couture price tag and cannot be contained in a gift wrapped box under the tree. ItвЂ™s a gift of friendship. CвЂ™mon, LetвЂ™s Laugh! as we take some time dur during this holiday season to reconnect with life long friends. I guarantee itвЂ™s easy on the budget and results in an Obama-like infusion of hope and optimism. Marilyn Sprague-Smith, M.Ed. is an award-winning trainer, author, professional speaker and certified laughter leader. She resides in Colorado Springs with Spirit, her white, male Bishon. Visit www.miraclesmagicinc.com for info about her keynotes, meeting energizers, breakout sessions and customized training services. DECEMBER 2008 9 the devastating effects of TOXIC BLACK MOLD I leaned over and gave Melinda a long hug. I had not seen her in almost a year. The slender, Asian American, 25 year old woman looked worn out. She was in a wheelchair and had a catheter bag draining her bladder. She complained, вЂњI canвЂ™t see you, Dr. Vaughan, but I know your voice and your hugs.вЂќ I teared up, вЂњYouвЂ™ve been through a lot, Melinda. I think we can get you better. But you have to promise me that you wonвЂ™t get pregnant this time!вЂќ вЂњI promise IвЂ™m not going to get pregnant again,вЂќ she swore. A local teaching hospital discharged her after treating her for DevicвЂ™s Disease, a neurological autoimmune disease of unknown cause. It is similar to but distinct from multiple sclerosis. ItвЂ™s more common in Asians than other races. Melinda developed the characteristic symptoms of DevicвЂ™s shortly after the birth of her second child. She became paralyzed below her chest (due to her second episode of transverse myelitis) and lost all vision in her left eye. She had previously developed complete blindness in her right eye after the birth of her first son. She received high-dose steroids and plasmapheresis at the teaching hospital which removed damaging antibodies and toxins from her blood. This saved her life. вЂњMy MomвЂ™s taking care of Eric, the baby, and my Mother-in-law is taking care of David, my 3-yearold,вЂќ Melinda said. вЂњWell, your kids want their Mommy back,вЂќ I said. вЂњWe need to start you on the treatment for Black Mold that we talked about last year before you got pregnant. Hopefully, youвЂ™ll regain strength in your legs, get rid of the bladder catheter and get some vision back in your left eye.вЂќ вЂњIвЂ™m ready,вЂќ Melinda replied. вЂњThatвЂ™s why IвЂ™m here.вЂќ Melinda and I both knew what had caused the blindness and paralysisвЂ¦Toxic Black Mold. Past History As I looked at Melinda, I thought about the first time I met her. She had walked into my office a year ago because she thought that she had illness due to Toxic Black Mold, Stachybotrys chartaru or Stachy for short. 10 TCnaturally.com by Elizabeth R. Vaughan, MD She had moved into a trailer with her boyfriend four years ago. Around the same time she also had some silver fillings replaced with composites. Shortly afterwards she started getting sick all the time. She developed a flu-like illness with profound fatigue and never really recovered from this. She had occasional pain in her eyes. They were red, irritated, teared up a lot and were sensitive to fluorescent light. She got sinus congestion and felt short of breath all the time. She developed irritable bowel with alternating diarrhea and constipation. Her joints and muscles hurt. And she couldnвЂ™t think clearly anymore. She had problems remembering names, carrying on conversations, and felt like she was in a fog much of the time. Two and half years ago, she awakened with severe pain behind her right eye. Her eyelid was puffy and she went to the Emergency Room. A CT scan showed that she had some swelling of the occipital nerve behind the right eye and she was diagnosed with optic neuritis. Within 24 hours she went blind in that right eye and high-dose intravenous steroids did not help. Tests to determine the cause were all negative including those for multiple sclerosis. She continued to develop new weird symptoms. She didnвЂ™t like people touching her skin. She sweated more at night. She was moody, irritable, and thirsty all the time. She had numbness and tingling, and a metallic taste in her mouth at various times. Then she got pregnant and many of her symptoms cleared up. She was still blind in her right eye, but most of the other problems calmed down. She felt great when she was pregnant. After delivery, most of her symptoms came back and were worse than she had ever experienced before. On top of that, she developed sudden numbness in her trunk and legs. A neurologist diagnosed her with acute transverse myelitis and this time the high-dose intravenous steroids improved her symptoms. She continued to have problems thinking clearly. She developed increased sensitivity to chemicals. She couldnвЂ™t wear or be around perfumes or burning candles. She eliminated all the air fresheners in her house. She wasnвЂ™t able to shop because of the odors from chemicals in stores. Household cleaning products were the worst. All of these made her sick. She saw a neurologist, rheumatologist, ophthalmologist and her primary care physician. She had a lot of lab work done suggesting she might have an autoimmune disease like lupus, SjogrenвЂ™s syndrome or scleroderma. But the tests were not definitive enough to pin a specific diagnosis on her. She had the test for Lyme disease. That was negative too. Melinda asked if the Black Mold in her trailer could cause her illness. No one knew enough about it and didnвЂ™t think that was the underlying problem. First Visit, One Year Ago Melinda told me her history and it was all too familiar. I had seen many patients who had neurodegenerative disorders due to toxic mold exposure and sensitivity. Many physicians do not recognize illness due to Black Mold, Asper Aspergillus and various other molds that produce toxins called myco (from fungus) toxins. Illness due to toxic mold causes a variety of different symptoms and rarely causes the exact same combination in different people. This is why it is so difficult to diagnose. I had seen patients with illness due to toxic mold that had been given diagnoses of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, irritable bowel, dementia, multiple sclerosis, asthma, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, unexplained weight gain, migraine headaches and menstrual irregularities. They all recovered with treatment for toxic mold. Melinda had moved from her trailer 18 months before after recovering from the transverse myelitis because she thought the mold in her trailer was causing her illness. She had read everything she could about Black Mold on the Internet. She was on a lot of supplements and medications. вЂњI donвЂ™t want to lose the vision in my left eye,вЂќ Melinda said. вЂњI really think this is all caused by Black Mold even though the tests that I did in my trailer were negative. I got mold plates and it didnвЂ™t show any Stachy. I still think it was there. I donвЂ™t want to get pregnant before finding out what is going on.вЂќ вЂњI agree completely,вЂќ I reassured. вЂњBlack Mold or Stachy usually isnвЂ™t picked up with plates or air samples. You have to swab the surfaces, and even then, you may miss it. Just donвЂ™t get pregnant until we sort out whatвЂ™s going on and get you treated. As you saw with your first pregnancy, many of your symptoms cleared up transiently. When a woman is pregnant, her body is more tolerant of foreign invaders and substances. Her immune system calms down. This allows her to tolerate and not attack her own baby. But behind the scenes, the mold is causing progressive damage which causes an even more severe eruption of the illness after delivery.вЂќ I drew blood work for antibodies to Stachy. We also obtained a sample of her sputum and sent this off for a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test to identify tiny amounts of DNA from Stachy that might be living in her lungs. There were many other tests I wanted to get, but she DECEMBER 2008 11 could only afford these two. Follow Up I saw her back in the office to review the results of her lab work which showed that she had extremely high levels of antibodies to Stachy. вЂњMelinda, the normal range for IgM antibodies is 0-1735. Your level is close to 7000. Normal levels for IgG are 0-1583. Your level is close to 5000. You clearly have ongoing exposure to the mold in your current home. Your numbers should be much lower if you left all the Stachy behind when you moved from your trailer 18 months ago. These high levels of antibodies are not left over from being exposed to mold in the trailer. YouвЂ™re going to have to decontaminate your house, either that or move out. вЂњMy favorite quote from Dr. Walter Crinnion, NMD, who taught me about Black Mold Illness, is вЂ�Walk out of the front door of the house, strip off all your clothes and get in your car and drive away.вЂ™ He didnвЂ™t feel that itвЂ™s possible to do mold remediation (clean the mold out of the house) when the mold is Stachy and a person has the genetic makeup that triggers an autoimmune reaction to the mold. IвЂ™ll leave it up to you. Stachy can be in your clothes, upholstery, drapery, books, shoes, carpeting, and almost any household item. You may need to replace many of these things or leave them behind,вЂќ I explained. вЂњWe did a lot of things before we moved, so IвЂ™ll see what else we can do. We just canвЂ™t afford to move right now,вЂќ Melinda replied. вЂњI understand, but at least youвЂ™re aware of what youвЂ™re fighting,вЂќ I said. вЂњThe good news is that your PCR testing was negative. This means that you donвЂ™t have an overwhelming infection of Stachy in your lungs. It doesnвЂ™t rule out the possibility that you have a little Stachy in your lungs. I suggest treating you with an antifungal in addition to treatment for the mycotoxins themselves. вЂњIвЂ™m certain that you have Black Mold Illness causing a neurodegenerative disorder with your right eye blindness, the transient transverse myelitis causing numbness, the fatigue, and your memory problems. Not being able to think clearly is a form of encephalitis or inflammation of the brain due to the autoimmune reaction triggered by the Stachy,вЂќ I explained. вЂњI knew it all along,вЂќ said Melinda. вЂњThanks for believing me and doing the test.вЂќ I scheduled her for a series of nutritional IVs to help her get stronger before I tested her for toxic metals. Patients frequently have heavy metal toxicity in addition to mold illness and toxic metals complicate the treatment of Stachy. I prescribed a strong antifungal to kill Stachy, Diflucan or fluconazole 200 mg a day. Set Back Melinda called a couple of days later, вЂњIвЂ™m pregnant. IвЂ™m happy and IвЂ™m scared! What do I do now?вЂќ вЂњYouвЂ™ll probably feel better within a few weeks. Have your OB/GYN start you on the fluconazole when itвЂ™s safe for you to take it during your pregnancy and continue working on removing the mold from your house. The only other way 12 TCnaturally.com that you can reduce the mycotoxins in your body during your pregnancy that is safe for the baby would be to get a series of colonics. Stay in touch, especially after you deliver,вЂќ I cautioned, shaking my head in disbelief. Melinda called us back a couple of weeks later and spoke to Tammy, вЂњIвЂ™m feeling so much better. So many of my symptoms have cleared up. Maybe it will stay gone.вЂќ вЂњIвЂ™m really happy for you. Let us know if we can do anything for you,вЂќ replied Tammy. Nine Months Later Melinda called the office nine months later. She had had an uneventful pregnancy and her son was in good health. She had never taken the fluconazole. About one month after delivery, brain fog, irritable bowel symptoms, chest pain and shortness of breath all recurred. New symptoms, this time, were loss of vision in her good eye and progressive new leg weakness that started in her feet and now went up to her hips. Lastly, she couldnвЂ™t empty her bladder. вЂњDr. Vaughan, can you see me this afternoon?вЂќ Melinda asked. вЂњI canвЂ™t help you right now,вЂќ I teared up. вЂњGo to the emergency department at the hospital, now. You need emergency evaluation and treatment. I can see you after you are stable.вЂќ Back to the Present Six weeks later, Melinda returned to my office. She sat in her wheelchair with her catheter bag. She could move her arms and she had some movement in her legs but she was extremely weak. Her eyes were dull. She was not been able to see out of either eye. вЂњLetвЂ™s do a couple of nutritional IVs and then weвЂ™ll test you for heavy metals using intravenous chelators to determine whether or not you have heavy metals contributing to this. IвЂ™m going to go ahead and start you on fluconazole,вЂќ I said. Melinda agreed and each time she came in for her nutritional IVвЂ™s she felt better. She was still blind and had profound weakness in her legs. But her shortness of breath improved, her chest pain cleared up and she was able to stop using the bladder catheter within a few weeks. She always brought in new information about treatment options and asked to switch to a different antifungal, itraconazole, Sporanox. вЂњIвЂ™m fine with that. It is stronger and much more expensive, but it should work well. IвЂ™ll write a prescription for you. Stop the fluconazole,вЂќ I said. Inwardly, I smiled. Treating complicated patients like Melinda was very much a partnership. Other doctors might feel threatened by patients who want to direct their medical care, but most of these people have lost all faith in the medical system. They learn out of necessity that they arenвЂ™t going to get well without being actively involved in their care. Even a little pushy. I found my only problem was keeping up with them. The itraconazole worked even better for her. She still had the weakness in her legs, but she had more energy and she was more awake. Some of the tingling in her legs started getting better. Several weeks later, I felt that she was strong enough to be tested for heavy metals. On the day of the test, she tolerated the IV chelation without any problems. Several hours after her chelation, TammyвЂ™s phone rang. She had given Melinda her number and when she heard MelindaвЂ™s voice, TammyвЂ™s heart stopped. She was afraid Melinda had had a bad reaction to chelation since she was so fragile. вЂњHow are you doing?вЂќ Tammy asked. New Vision Melinda started crying, вЂњI can see, Tammy. I can actually see the best IвЂ™ve been able to see in months. I am walking around my house. I couldnвЂ™t do this a couple of hours ago. IвЂ™ve been standing up for several minutes now. Usually I canвЂ™t stand for this long a period of time. IвЂ™m calling you on my cell phone because I want you to be with me as I walk into my sonвЂ™s room. IвЂ™m opening his door. IвЂ™m going to be able to see my baby, Eric, for the first time since I got sick.вЂќ вЂњPraise Jesus,вЂќ said Tammy. вЂњIвЂ™m so happy for you!вЂќ вЂњMy son is so beautiful. I canвЂ™t pick him up because I am holding onto the cell phone, but he is so beautiful sleeping in his crib. I canвЂ™t believe how much better I feel. I can see again out of my left eye and IвЂ™ve been standing and walking for longer than I have since I got out of the hospital. I havenвЂ™t been able to do this for months,вЂќ said Melinda. вЂњWell, thereвЂ™s good news and bad news Melinda,вЂќ said Tammy calmly. вЂњI am really happy for you, but this may not last.вЂќ вЂњOh no!вЂќ said Melinda. вЂњPeople get better transiently and then their symptoms generally come back. Each time you get chelation, youвЂ™ll get a little bit better; but your symptoms will come back within a couple of hours to a day or two. As you continue chelation, that window of improved symptoms and feeling better will get longer and longer each time. ItвЂ™s going to take many rounds of chelation before you stabilize and your vision stays clear and you stay stronger permanently,вЂќ explained Tammy. вЂњI got it. When can I come back for my next round?вЂќ asked Melinda. вЂњI donвЂ™t want to get worse.вЂќ вЂњYou canвЂ™t rush it,вЂќ said Tammy. вЂњYou have to wait a couple of weeks before your next round of chelation. Take the oral chelator for five days then take the mineral supplements to replace any minerals that the chelators washed out of you. When you come back to review the results of your test, we can chelate you again. This response means you have significant levels of heavy metals on board,вЂќ said Tammy. вЂњWell, why canвЂ™t I go ahead and get chelation later this week?вЂќ asked Melinda. вЂњChelating drugs wear you down if you do it too often. They donвЂ™t just chelate the toxic metals. They also use up other nutrients. These are powerful drugs and we have to follow a well-defined established clinically tested protocol or DECEMBER 2008 13 else youвЂ™ll get more tired,вЂќ Tammy explained. вЂњWhatever you say, IвЂ™ll do it. I just hope this lasts long enough today so I can see my husband and he can see me walk,вЂќ said Melinda. вЂњI hope so too Melinda. But when it starts to fade over the next several hours or even tomorrow, donвЂ™t get too upset because youвЂ™ll get it back, if it cleared up that much this time,вЂќ reassured Tammy. Tammy hung up the phone and screamed вЂњPraise JesusвЂќ again and ran through the office telling everyone about MelindaвЂ™s vision and strength. We all cried at the same time. I had seen this happen a number of times with different patients and it was always a good sign that they would improve substantially with chelation. Three Weeks Later Melinda returned to the office in her wheelchair. The vision in her left eye was gone again. All of her symptoms returned except they were not quite as severe as they had been. I reviewed the results of her urine toxic metals test. вЂњYou have elevated levels of aluminum, cadmium, lead, nickel and thallium. You also have small amounts of arsenic, bismuth, tin and tungsten. We tested for fifteen toxic metals and you have nine of them in your body. This suggests that you were exposed to them, but you canвЂ™t get rid of them efficiently. These can cause immune, hormonal and neurological damage. They also interfere with your ability to detoxify other chemicals which is why youвЂ™ve developed the chemical sensitivity. Lastly, they The Alexander Technique driving lessons for the human vehicle Tully Hall AmSAT certified teacher Woodbury, Minnesota 651-739-6099 dbbstbn@aol.com www.alexandertechtully.com 14 TCnaturally.com can trigger auto-immune disease just like the Stachy. This is when your body gets confused and attacks itself. So you have lots of reasons for being as sick as you are: mold, mycotoxins, toxic metals, and other chemicals. Fortunately, you have very little mercury. You were able to eliminate it from your body after you had your silver feelings removed several years ago. Trust me, if you had not had that done you would probably be much sicker now than you are.вЂќ вЂњWell, at least I did something right,вЂќ Melinda responded. I arranged for her to continue chelation and her itraconazole. She came in every three weeks to get IV chelation followed by an oral chelator. With each treatment she slowly got stronger and the vision in her left eye improved. Follow up testing after 16 rounds of chelation showed that she still had small amounts of ten toxic metals in her system. However, all of her levels were much lower than they had been. She stopped chelation for a while because she felt so much better. Now she was able to focus on other things in her life besides her health. Six Months Later I called her to see how she was doing, вЂњHow have you been Melinda? How is your vision?вЂќ I asked. вЂњWell, IвЂ™ll never be able to see anything out of the right eye, but IвЂ™m able to read and work on the computer again which I couldnвЂ™t do before. IвЂ™m still not able to drive, but my vision is good enough in my left eye that I can function,вЂќ Melinda responded. вЂњHow about the weakness in your legs?вЂќ I asked. вЂњThatвЂ™s gone. My legs are fine. I still donвЂ™t have normal feeling in my left leg. I canвЂ™t feel temperature in that leg. Otherwise, IвЂ™m doing great,вЂќ she replied. вЂњWhat about your brain fog? Your moods? How clearly are you thinking?вЂќ I asked. вЂњPretty good. I know I need more treatment, but itвЂ™s so much better. I read about this doctor up in Maryland who uses a cholesterol drug for treating Black Mold,вЂќ she said. вЂњRight now weвЂ™re getting ready to move because my husband is getting sick in this house.вЂќ вЂњYou probably need to move for your kidsвЂ™ health also. They share your genes,вЂќ I said. вЂњWhen you can, come back and see us. IвЂ™m familiar with Dr. ShoemakerвЂ™s work in Maryland; in fact I talked to him about Black Mold at a recent conference. You may be right, you may need additional treatment. We can learn together. For now, IвЂ™m delighted that youвЂ™re doing so much better,вЂќ I said. вЂњIвЂ™ll call and make an appointment to see you after we finish moving,вЂќ replied Melinda. вЂњTake care of your self, Melinda.вЂќ Dr. Elizabeth Vaughan treats patients throughout the United States. For more information, call Vaughan Integrative Medicine at 336-808-3627 or visit www.VaughanIntegrative.com How to Boost Your Self Esteem By Cindy Locher, C.Ht. "Photo В© Ron Chapple Studios | Dreamstime.com H aving low confidence or self esteem contributes to many issues that people struggle with. In recent times, low self-esteem has been one of the most popular and frequently invoked psychological explanations for behavioral and social problems. Self esteem issues have been linked with everything from drug and alcohol abuse, obesity, delinquency and criminal activity. In any good hypnotherapy practice, it is often necessary to address clientsвЂ™ self-esteem issues in order to help them achieve success in the desired area. Increasing self-esteem through hypnosis is something, therefore, that is incorporated into many clientsвЂ™ sessions. Increasing self-esteem also increases the effectiveness of the work done to address the primary issue, and is therefore very rewarding. After self-esteem work, clients often report that they are able to look people in the eyes, find themselves holding their heads up, and report that others notice the change in their demeanor and behavior. Some people have even said they are like a totally new person. Since self-esteem underlies so much of our behavior, and can affect the success or failure of our undertakings, it is important to increase it. Boosting self esteem can be done with hypnotherapy and also with many conscious techniques. The effects of doing so will astound you, but it's not an overnight process. You must do certain things to set the wheels in motion to gradually boost your confidence and self esteem. The tips below will get you started: 1. Take an inventory of where you are now. Consider where you are in regard to your health, your knowledge, your social life, your finances, family, relationships with your partner/significant other, spirituality, career/business, giving to others and giving to yourself. Rate each area out of 10, with 0 being that you're not happy with that area of your life and 10 being that you are completely satisfied with that area of your life. 2. Take note of the areas where you scored a 5 or less and list these. 3. Pick one area you would like to work on first, then pretend you have "fixed" your life and that area you picked is now perfect. Write a description of what is different to your current situation (remember, you're pretending!). For example, if you rated your finances a 2 out of 10 write about how easily it is now to pay your bills, what having the money you need has done for your life, what you can now have that you didn't have before. 4. Brainstorm ideas on how you can achieve the result you wrote about previously. If you wanted more money, then what can you do to earn more money? If you wanted more knowledge in a certain area, what's the best way to gain that knowledge? If you wanted a better relationship with your partner, what can you do to make it better? What is the first step you will need to take to achieve a 10 in that area? 5. This is the simplest but the hardest thing you need to do: Take that step. Take action! Just do it! Then take the next step, and so on! Now, you're probably wondering how all of this can boost your confidence, so let me explain. Once you have taken the necessary steps to help you move towards a desired situation, you will start to notice some very subtle changes. Not only in yourself, but in your world. Things will start to look better. Life will get a little happier. It will probably also get a bit scarier, but that's just your mind getting you ready for personal growth and it will pass. You will soon look back on your progress and wonder what you were so scared about! You don't have to do everything all at once. Each tiny step you take is one step closer to your goals and that is what will give your confidence and self esteem the boost it needs. Try doing at least one thing every day to get you closer to your goals and your life will change. Try it and see for yourself! Cindy Locher, C.Ht. is a Clinical Hypnotherapist practicing in Apple Valley, MN. Cindy produces brainwave entrainment CDs and can help you to reach your goals through hypnosis and BWE. Visit her on the web at www.mn-hypnosis.com, or call 763/218-3231. See ad on page DECEMBER 2008 15 Winter B lues Dr. Joseph Sweere 16 TCnaturally.com If insomnia, restlessness and anxiety are among your symptoms, use of valerian root extract, chamomile or Sleepy Time tea can be helpful along with avoidance of caffeine products including coffee, black and green teas, most soft drinks, chocolate and various over-the-counter pain medications. For symptoms of depression or moodiness, you may consider use of readily available amino acids such as L-tryptophan, which is known to raise brain levels of serotonin, as well as the amino acid L-phenylalanine, both of which are commonly used to treat mild to moderate states of anxiety and depression. St. JohnвЂ™s Wart is another naturally occurring herb commonly used to safely and effectively treat depression. SAM-e (S-adenosylmethionine) is effective as a pain reliever as well as a naturally occurring antidepressant. Since these agents are somewhat complex to understand for the average lay person, you may wish to discuss these naturally occurring substances with your care provider or knowledgeable health foods store manager. It is also imperative for persons struggling with SAD to avoid monosodium-glutamate (MSG) as well as all of the various artificial sweeteners such as aspartame. Both of these are considered to be toxic to the brain and nervous system and the bodyвЂ™s ability to maintain harmony and balance. Exercise to the Rescue Among the most simple and effective means of elevating mood and reducing physical pain is exercise. Body movements of any type, including walking, swimming, bicycling, jogging, cross-country skiing, dancing, martial arts or demanding physical labor will all do the trick. Like magic, physical exertion increases the secretion of enkephalins and endorphins, both of which are naturally occurring opiates secreted by the brain that reduces the sensation of pain and elevating mood, both critical in alleviating the symptoms of SAD. One of the more poignant expressions of the value of work and physical exertion in eliminating depression has to do with the life of President Abraham Lincoln. Perhaps you are aware that he battled the demons of depression for most of his life, and when faced with the overwhelming challenges of the Civil War, he would at times become almost dysfunctional and fell into periods of deep despair. He often felt totally incapacitated and incapable of providing the kind of leadership the country PhotoВ© Tracy Whiteside | Dreamstime.com A s the autumn season changes to winter, the days become shorter and the north wind seems to penetrate through to your bones, you may gradually find yourself struggling with what has become known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Its acronym, SAD seems aptly termed because it results in a variety of emotional symptoms including varying degrees of depression and sadness along with anxiety, irritability, loss of interest in activities, moodiness, weight gain, cravings for sweets and alcohol, crying spells, fatigue, headaches and insomnia. Obviously, similar to many illnesses, symptoms vary from person to person and some have only very mild expressions of the disorder. Studies indicate that up to 5% of Americans are afflicted with the condition and become so negatively affected that they seek out medical attention for their distress. It is likely that many more individuals do not feel their symptoms to be so disturbing as to seek medical advice or counseling, but simply slog their way through the challenge, plodding through the long, dark days of winter, patiently (or impatiently) waiting for the longer and cheerier days of spring. Some experts also refer to SAD as Seasonal Adaptation Syndrome because this, for many, is exactly the source of their symptoms. Their body is simply not capable of adapting to the changing environment the new season brings. Of particular importance is the reduction in sunlight that winter days provide. Some doctors and therapists actually refer to the disorder as вЂњwinter depressionвЂќ because it develops in the darker winter months, especially in parts of the world with colder climates, which keep people indoors and out of direct sunlight. As you might expect, the simple primary treatment for SAD is light therapy. Obviously, the most ideal treatment is direct sunlight when and where available. This is another reason so many people who live in the northern hemisphere feel almost compelled to take a winter vacation on the beaches along the Gulf of Mexico and other seaside resort areas where they can expose their skin to the warmth and healing rays of the sun. Since winter vacations are commonly not an option for many SAD victims, a variety of additional natural approaches can be helpful. Ultraviolet light from any source, including tanning beds can be utilized with great benefit. Supplemental use of vitamin D3, combined with supplemental magnesium (about 5 milligrams per body weight/day) and fish oils may be warranted. so desperately needed during those bleak and unpredictable days. In his memoirs he reflected how he would force himself through these difficult times by picking up and axe and splitting wood. He wrote that there was nothing more powerful or effective to help him break the cycle of disabling depression than three or four hours of vigorous manual labor, sometimes over several days in a row. A Holistic Perspective From the above, it seems that my emphasis has been focused exclusively on the physical aspects of SAD. While the physical and biochemical factors are critically important, it is well to remember that virtually all disorders and diseases are multi-factorial in nature. For this reason, it is practical and more effective to address the condition from a broad perspective that includes holistic, whole-person, body/mind/spirit considerations. One of the key things to remember is that virtually everyone who lives in cold climates has the same lack of sunlight and short, dark days to contend with along with temperature ranges from 70 degrees indoors to shifts as extreme as -20 or 30 degrees outdoors. However, statistically most persons who live in such circumstances do not suffer from SAD, therefore aside from a genetic predisposition to the condition, each of us has to recognize the role of our attitudes, choices and belief systems as we approach the resolution to any expression of dis-ease, or full-blown disease for that matter. You may recognize old sayings such as вЂњBe careful what you think about, for what you think about you will attractвЂќ; вЂњWhatever you label something, it will becomeвЂќ; вЂњIf you claim an impediment, it is yoursвЂќ; вЂњFear not, for your fears shall be realizedвЂќ; вЂњAs a man thinketh and believeth in his heart, so it shall beвЂќ; The thoughts and emotions that you feed upon and nurture, will become your realityвЂќ; and, вЂњWhat you think about and dwell upon will come into your lifeвЂќ. Each of these sage expressions, derived from time-honored and ancient wisdom traditions suggest the significant importance of guarding our thoughts and attitudes in our goal to maintain a state of wellness and vibrant health. Learn to cultivate the emotions of gratitude, forgiveness and tolerance. Relish the qualities of pleasure, humor and cheerfulness in yourself and others. Laughing matters! Live with the confidence that you retain within you the gift of the innate wisdom that created your body. This innate intelligence is linked with the infinite power of the universe and will never abandon you. Among its properties is an ability to keep you well by helping you to adapt to the continuous stream of changes in your environment. Stop comparing yourself to others. Stop judging. Stop whining. Live expectantly by visualizing in your mindвЂ™s eye the perfect outcomes you are seeking. Continually cherish the abundance and beauty that abounds in our daily experiences. Pay careful attention to relationships as much human physical illness and emotional suffering is the result of damaged, broken or disturbed relationships. Learn to love your body, for it is the temple of your soul. Learn to meditate and practice being totally still and quietly reflective for short periods each day. Revere Your Body During the time you inhabit this earth, you must revere your body and each of its parts. In your thoughts, take every opportunity to bless your body and all its wondrous capabilities. Realize that the human body represents the most highly developed phenomenon in the known universe! With this practice you will come to realize that you and your body are special and beautiful beyond imagination. Finally, be generous with your healthy self. The most important gift you can give others is your own good health. Know in your heart of hearts that optimal health is an expression of harmony within body, mind and spirit. Finally, be willing to humbly and tactfully share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality. Dr. Joseph Sweere, Professor, Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Chiropractic, Northwestern Health Sciences University, Bloomington, MN. Author of Golden Rules for Vibrant Health, in Body, Mind and Spirit вЂ“ A Holistic Approach to Health and Wellness. Is your favorite pick-up spot out of Twin Cities Naturally? Call us at 952-461-1551 ...we'll refill it! DECEMBER 2008 17 PRESCRIPTIONforLIVING by Bernie Siegel, MD your bodyвЂ™s Language Y our body can guide you to the life you were truly meant to live, which the majority of the world is not living. Monday mornings we have more suicides, strokes, illnesses and heart attacks. I think our bodies are trying very hard to tell us something about how our lives, jobs, relationships and attitudes affect our bodies and our health. Centuries ago in the Gospel of St. Thomas, Jesus shared these words: If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you. If we do not pay attention to our feelings and the messages from our body then our body will assume we do not enjoy life and get us out of here as quickly as possible. His words present us with further insight: He who seeks to save his life will lose it but he who is willing to lose his life will save it. The message is: stop living your untrue selfвЂ™s life, which others imposed upon you, and eliminate not yourself but what is killing you. Thus, by paying attention to the messages from within your body, you can save your life. Yes, you can be born again and restore your body to its healthiest state while letting it guide you to healing your life. A healed life carries many benefits, one of which can be a cured disease. Just as bacteria, viruses and plants alter their genetic make up to resist antibiotics, vaccines and weather changes we are capable of inner healing too. It is a lot harder for us because our lives are more complicated, but if we listen to the messages from our intelligent cells and create an internal environment that nurtures life, then self induced healing can become a more frequent occurrence. But first you must be willing to pay attention to your body and feelings and not live solely in your head and thoughts. Distractions and drugs are not necessarily the proper response to your feelings. As a lawyer said in a time of crisis, вЂњI came to a conclusion that was imminently reasonable, totally logical and completely wrong because while learning to think I almost forgot how to feel.вЂќвЂ™ The reason most people have a hard time paying attention to their feelings is because their feelings are painful. The majority of people grow up with mottoes to die by rather than mottoes to live by. They need to abandon their painful pasts and get over the destructive messages received from various authority figures such as parents, teachers, clergy, doctors and others. The effect of words upon chil- Burning the Candle at Both ends? Make Money Marketing our Healthier, Natural Vegetable Wax Candles. Clean Burning, No Petroleum Over 100 incredible true to life scents! Great iNCOMe POteNtial Start for under $50 www.candlebusinessinfo.com 952-239-7040 18 TCnaturally.com dren, up to the age of six, is hypnotic and very difficult for them to overcome when they grow older. Often the search for better feelings leads to a variety of addictions and violent behavior due to damaged nervous systems. The language of your body doesnвЂ™t have to remain a secret. We would like you to learn from your body how to survive and be strong enough to stand up to the forces of nature while still supple enough to bend when the circumstances require it. By bringing meaning to your symptoms you can be guided to heal. Pain is necessary for us to protect and define ourselves. If we never experienced pain it would be a disaster for our lives and bodies. But when we give the pain or affliction meaning we do not have to suffer. Pain and suffering are two distinct entities. Consciousness is non-local and we need to tune into the messages we are receiving. Since organ recipients can tell you about the lives of their donors we must realize our life is stored within us. Several years ago I developed vertigo while training for a marathon and doing all the other things I normally do. I asked myself how I would describe this feeling to others and the words I heard were, вЂњThe world is spinning aroundвЂќ. I knew my body was telling me to slow down and rest. My body was making it hard for me to get out of bed in the morning. You can talk to your body and learn from it. If you are willing to rehearse and practice you can become the person you want to be. We know that your blood chemistry is changed by the role you play. Even actors experience changes in their immune function chronic problems and and cortisol levels when Develop your not need a disease to get performing in a play. A multiple personalities my needs met. So stop tragic play can lead to worrying about doing it illness while acting in a and let the child within right or failing because comedy can help an actor come forth. of messages from your resist disease. Remempast. Participate in your ber we are talking about Experience love life and play as well as healing your life. Healing and humor you can. and curing are separate The body is our gift. and feel what it does entities but a healed life It demonstrates what resists many illnesses and for your body. our lives are about just is more likely to lead to a as a TV screen shows cured body. you the content of the DonвЂ™t let your beliefs get in the way. Let your experience program being viewed. I work with pabe what guides you. I have learned from tientsвЂ™ dreams and drawings and know my body and the work of healers that that the body can communicate in symamazing things can be accomplished bols too. I use them to help make diagthat were never taught to me or dis- noses so that patients can see their inner cussed in medical school. If you live wisdom displayed and help them make the way we are discussing, you are no therapeutic choices. The colors used in their drawings longer a submissive, long-suffering patient but a responsible participant. So also carry meaning and express emodevelop your multiple personalities and tions. Art therapists and Jungian theralet the child within come forth. Experi- pists are aware of this, though it is not ence love and humor and feel what it mentioned in medical school. It is no does for your body. My wife Bobbie did accident that Solzhenitsyn, in his book stand up comedy at our presentations Cancer Ward, describes self induced and what impressed me was how much healing as вЂњa rainbow colored butterfly.вЂќ healthier everyoneвЂ™s bodies looked after There you have the symbol of transforfifteen minutes of laughter. And she re- mation and all the emotions associceived more thanks when we were done ated with it in one symbol. So do not be afraid to step forward and listen to than I did. So learn from your body and your your body. This is not about doing it right problem and let the charcoal under or wrong, being good or bad, but about pressure become a diamond that frees being open to the universal language of you from the darkness and disability. I the unconscious as spoken through our must mention because of how so many bodies. Let your body help guide you to of us are brought up that this is not the right choices and treatment and ultiabout guilt, shame and blame. This is mately the self healing of your life too. not about what you did wrong but about what you can do right by participating Submitted by Dr. Bernie Siegel, who in your life and communicating with the prefers to be called Bernie, not Dr. Siewisdom within you. Yes, I have been in- gel. For more information about him can jured and developed health problems, be found at www.berniesiegelmd.com. which were not about emotional issues He has touched lives all over our planbut things like accidents and tick bites. et through his medical practice and his However, by listening to my body I can many books, which include Love, Medihelp myself heal more rapidly, avoid cine & Miracles; Peace, Love and Heal- ing; Prescriptions for Living and more. Bernie currently resides in Connecticut. He submits articles to the Slower Network through our Hartford, CT affiliate magazine, Natural Nutmeg published by Dr. Diane and Chris Hindman. A Touch of Tranquility Our focus is on health rather than a spa treatment. You are literally in expert hands. You will experience rejuvenation and relaxation We offer: Relaxation massage Sports massage Deep tissue massage Hot stone massage Myofascial release Pre-natal massage Energy work Seated chair massage Couples massage 20% off with Ad or mention code: TCN 14510 Pennock Avenue Apple Valley, MN 952-431-4880 www.atouchoftranquility.biz Appts 10am to 8pm Mon. - Fri. 10am to 3pm Sat. Visa/MC accepted DECEMBER 2008 19 Photo by Charli Mills Gluten-Free Holiday Baking By Charli Mills W isps of winter snow blow lightly against my kitchen window as I organize my recipes for the holidays. I sort through old clippings IвЂ™ve never tried in 22 years and cards handed down to me from family and friends. Years ago I started tabbing pages in my cookbook, marking the baking recipes that excited me the most. Then of course there are the new clippings, cards and print-outs from my favorite food-oriented websites. This annual ritual gets me in the mood for holidays as much as the actual baking, sharing and eating does. However, this year is a bit different. My oldest daughter, a junior in college, recently announced that eating gluten-free was clearing up her crabby digestive system. This problem has persisted throughout her college years despite mom advising probiotics and her commitment to eating better than most college students do. She had вЂњhoped I wouldnвЂ™t mindвЂќ a gluten-free holiday break this year. Mind? Of course not! I was excited to infuse new life into my old recipes. I have witnessed the initial despair people feel when adapting to a new eating lifestyle. It is because the new вЂњfreeвЂќ lifestyle ads up to вЂњcanвЂ™t have.вЂќ IвЂ™m here to tell you all about what you can have. And that is the approach my family is taking this holiday season. LetвЂ™s start with pumpkin pie. That was my daughterвЂ™s initial disappointment. Take heartвЂ”if you are gluten-free and even dairy-free as well, pumpkin pie is still on the list of can haveвЂќ for the holidays. There are gluten-free pie crust mixes and even frozen gluten-free pies that you can buy at most co-ops. But this fun and tasty pie crust recipe pairs well with pumpkin. For the filling, try the tofu-based pumpkin pie that will surprise you with how yummy it tastes. GLUTEN-FREE ALMOND PIE CRUST 1 C. Almond Meal (also known as almond flour) Вј C. powdered sugar 2 Tbsp. chilled margarine 1ВЅ Tbsp. of non-dairy cream In a food processor, blend all ingredients until dough clumps together. Chill 15 minutes. Roll out dough on wax 20 TCnaturally.com paper dusted with either cornstarch or tapioca flour. Transfer to a 9-inch tart pan. DAIRY-FREE PUMPKIN PIE 1 ВЅ pkgs Mori-Nu Ex-Firm Tofu (for lighter texture, use Mori-Nu Firm Tofu) 2 cups canned or cooked pumpkin 2/3 cup honey 1 ВЅ tsp ground cinnamon Вѕ tsp ground ginger Вј tsp ground nutmeg 1/8 tsp ground cloves 1 unbaked 9вЂќ pie crust Drain tofu and blend in a food processor or blender until smooth. Add remaining ingredients, blend well. Pour into 9вЂќ unbaked pie crust. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees oven for approximately 1 hour. Filling will be soft, but will firm up as it chills. Chill and serve. *Pumpkin CrГЁme Pie: For a creamier version, blend 1 pkg Mori-Nu Silken Lite Ex-Firm, 4 Tbsp water, 2 pkgs Mori-Nu Mates Vanilla Pudding Mix, 1 can pumpkin, and spices. Follow directions above. ItвЂ™s a matter of learning to substitute. You can do the same thing for some of your own holiday favorites, including cookies. Here is a great example for gluten-free baking: GLUTEN-FREE MACADAMIA NUT BUTTER COOKIES 1 (8oz) jar macadamia nut butter ВЅ tsp. baking soda 1 ВЅ tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. kosher salt ВЅ C. raw sugar 1 (10oz) bag white chocolate ВЅ C. firmly packed brown sugar baking chips 1 large egg whole pretzel. Using small tongs makes job easier. Let excess chocolate drip back into bowl. If the chocolate gets too thick, put back in the microwave for about 15 seconds or place it back on the double boiler and stir until it melts down again. Sprinkle desired topping on each pretzel. Do this over a tray or bowl. Place coated pretzels on parchment or wax paper. To hurry up the setting process, place in the refrigerator. Wrap and store pretzels in a cool place. While you are contemplating the many choices you do have for holiday baking be sure to try my familyвЂ™s favorite hot apple cider. It has always been gluten-free! Optional: 1 tsp. Xanthan gum Coconut 1 C. rice flour or alternative Chopped macadamia nuts Preheat oven 375 degrees. Combine macadamia butter, vanilla, sugars, and egg. Add Xanthan gum, flour, baking soda and salt. Add baking chips and optional ingredients or use later as toppers. Form dough into quarter size balls and flatten slightly. Place dough on ungreased cookie sheet and bake 9-11 minutes. VANILLA-SCENTED MULLED CIDER 8 C. apple cider 12 black peppercorns, crushed 8 whole allspice 2 bay leaves 1 (3-inch) piece vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped 1 (2 x 1/2-inch) strip lemon rind Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a simmer. Cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain cider through a sieve, and discard solids. Charli Mills is a freelance writer and photographer. She writes on behalf of Valley Natural Foods, a community-owned co-op in Burnsville, MN specializing in local, organic and special diet foods such as gluten-free. Then there are the easy, no-bake recipes we always like to make during the holidays. These recipes are a great substitute: GLUTEN-FREE DATE CLUSTERS Bring to a boil: ВЅ C. butter Вѕ C. sugar 1 lb. chopped dates 1 beaten egg Photo В© Cathleen Clapper | Dreamstime.com Mix and add: 1 Tbsp. milk Dash of salt 1 tsp. vanilla Cool and pour over 2 C. of gluten-free crispy rice cereal. Shape into balls and roll in shredded coconut. GLUTEN-FREE CHOCOLATE-COVERED PRETZELS 1 (12oz) bag gluten-free pretzels 6 oz of gluten-free chocolate chips Sprinkles of your choice (like crushed candy canes, nuts or seas salt) Melt chocolate over double boiler or in microwave. If you use microwave, heat for 30-secong intervals, stirring between each one, until chocolate is melted smoothly. Dip each pretzel into melted chocolate or spoon chocolate over to cover the DECEMBER 2008 21 Exercise: An Excellent Tool for Health A s the current medical paradigm continues to focus on searching and prescribing the latest and greatest pharmaceutical products and surgeries, mainstream medicine tends to gravitate toward the recent medical advancements for the answers to ongoing health problems. Unfortunately, since the majority of people tend to look for the answers this way, as a society we get further and further away from the basics of health and wellness. This current model for medicine approaches diseases almost as if they occur due to a lack of a certain drug and not a dysfunction or shutdown of certain physiological pathways in the body. The truth of the matter is that we have not evolved to be a species that is deficient of pharmaceutical drugs, but we are wired to need certain fundamental basics that are vital for health. Because of this focus, the United States for the most part has become a nation of disease treatment and not a nation of disease prevention or wellness maintenance. Doctors rarely talk to patients about such basics of health as diet, lifestyle, nutritional support, sleep, and stress control. One of the most basic health staples is exercise, and exercise is highly misunderstood by the general public. To keep it simple: exercise is movement and includes any movement at all. This movement does not have to be high intense marathon training or strenuous weightlifting. It can include tapping your foot while waiting for the bus, dancing, writing, or walking. The problem is that we have gotten away from being creatures in motion and moved towards a society of couch potatoes. Humans are not engineered to sit around all day, either in front of a computer at work or in front of the television at home. It has been estimated that our human ancestors walked 12 miles per day. 12 miles per day! Most Americans donвЂ™t even walk 1 mile a day total. Only recently have we become a civilization that is dependent on automobiles for transportation and our day jobs now include sedentary work from the desk. This lack of exercise has a negative effect on our health, especially our nervous systems. Exercise is an amazing tool for wellness maintenance, due to the fact that it stimulates the brain and nervous system and improves the circulatory and lymph system. By stimulating the brain, this improves long term memory, problem solving, reasoning, attention, and short term memory. Exercise also can be utilized to improve mental and emotional wellness. It regulates the three neurotransmitters of serotonin, dopamine, and norephinephrine that help to control emotion and mood. It increases blood flow to tissues, improves immune function, increases oxygen consumption of the tissue, and decreases the risk for most diseases. Our central nervous system needs oxygen, blood, and stimulus to the brain in order to prosper and exercise is the best stimulus to the brain. And research has proven that there is a decreased risk for certain diseases such as Alzheimers, dementia, depression, anxiety, and stroke. Increasing exercise also increases oxygenation to the cells and this helps the body to heal, thrive, and detoxify. The bottom line is that we are animals that have been sculpted due to motion. If you look at the human brain, one of the largest areas of the brain is the cerebellum. This part of the brain is much larger in humans than other animals, and is responsible for movement, coordination, and balance. Therefore, we are truly engineered to be movers and shakers. The gold standard for the proper amount of exercise is 30 minutes of exercise two to three times a week, but any additional movement adds benefits and improves health. One great way to increase your activity is to wear a pedometer and monitor your activity throughout the day. Moving more during the day will help your emotional, physical, and chemical wellbeing. And it can be used as a great tool for wellness maintenance, health prevention, and improved aging. Written by Meaghan Kirschling, DC, RN, MS who practices holistic medicine at Synapse Clinic, 4480 Erin Drive, Eagan, MN 55414. Phone 651-209-9906. See ad page 21. 22 TCnaturally.com { What is Colon Hydrotherapy? C olon Hydrotherapy (also known as "colonics", вЂњcolon lavage", "colon irrigation", or "high colonic") is a safe and effective method of cleansing the large intestine of accumulated waste by gently flushing the colon with warm, purified water. Colon Hydrotherapy has been utilized for centuries as an adjunct to proper nutrition and personal hygiene. Is it safe? Yes. In fact, with new colon therapy equipment, treatments are much safer than the common enema. What can I expect during a Colon Hydrotherapy session? A small, plastic tube is inserted into your rectum and you are asked to lie on your back throughout the session. While the warm water is flushing your colon, your therapist massages your abdomen to help with the elimination process. Many people report their Colon Hydrotherapy sessions as being both refreshing and relaxing. You remain completely clothed/covered during your session and because we use a вЂњclosed systemвЂќ, there is no embarrassing smell or sound. You can return work and resume regular activities immediately because you will feel just as you would after a regular bowel movement. A strong emphasis is placed on educating clients on colon health during each session. The importance of fiber in your diet, drinking pure water, utilizing proper stool habits and establishing a good flora balance are some of the topics that may be discussed during each session. Why should I consider Colon Hydrotherapy? Clinically speaking, you are constipated if you have only one bowel movement a day. The proper balance of nutrition, lifestyle changes and Colon Hydrotherapy work to re-train your colon and promote two to three bowel movements per day. Moving your stool often is critical in reducing the re-absorption of toxins in the body. Colon Hydrotherapy encourages the body to release toxins. Education on toxicity along with the importance of fiber, water, good flora balance and proper bowel habits are discussed at length during your sessions. What does Colon Hydrotherapy do to the colon? 1. Cleanses the Colon: Toxic material is broken down so it can no longer harm your body or inhibit assimilation and elimination. Even debris built up over a long period is gently, but surely removed in the process of a series of treatments. In this very real sense a colonic is a rejuvenation treatment. 2. Exercises the Colon Muscles: The build up of toxic debris weakens the colon and impairs function. The gentle filling and emptying of the colon improves peristaltic (muscular contraction) activity by which the colon naturally moves } material. A colonic is a 45-minute workout session for your colon muscles! 3. Reshapes the Colon: When problems exist in the colon, they tend to alter the shape of the colon. The gentle action of the water, coupled with the massage techniques of the colon therapist helps to eliminate bulging pockets of waste and narrowed, spastic constrictions finally enabling the colon to resume its natural state. 4. Promotes Detoxification: A colonic removes waste and toxins during the therapy. Other organs in the body are stimulated to release toxins when the colon is clean. Therefore, the liver, skin, kidneys and lymph system will dump toxins into the colon during the therapy, thereby promoting detoxification. Major indications for Colon Hydrotherapy are as follows: В· Bloating, gas, constipation, cramping or diarrhea В· Signs of toxicity such as acne, headaches, irritability or fatigue В· Detox regiments such as liver, gall bladder, lymph and tissue cleanse В· CeliacвЂ™s Disease How does a Colon Hydrotherapy treatment compare to an enema? An enema only reaches the rectum and lower part of the colon (8-12 inches), whereas with Colon Hydrotherapy the entire length of the colon is reached (the large intestinal tract is approximately 5 to 5ВЅ feet in length). Enemas generally use higher pressure and often send the colon into spasm, thus the minimal fills and some discomfort. Colon Hydrotherapy, utilizing lower pressures and properly controlled temperatures, is many more times effective. To achieve optimal colon health, most clients benefit from colon hydrotherapy once per week for at least six weeks. This will allow you to re-train your colon and flush toxins from the body. From 1996 вЂ“2004, Angela Rasmusen worked as a registered Radiologic Technologist and Vascular Technician at several hospitals in the Twin Cities and served as a compliance coordinator for a major medical device company. Through this experience, she had an inside look at modern medicine and her interest in alternative therapies prompted her to open a Colon Hydrotherapy business in 2005. She has enjoyed her journey on the path to wellness and looks forward to assisting you in your own journey. You can reach Angela at 651.353.2758 or 651.209.9906 or via email at rejuvenateMN@comcast.net. DECEMBER 2008 23 MOVEMENTasMEDICINE This month we are departing from our usual forays into the intricate science of exercise and focusing on something a little different. Sleep may seem like it has nothing to do with exercise, but in fact it is one of the most crucial aspects of recovery from exercise. Without sleep, the benefits of exercise would cease to exist. During exercise, the body is damaged and during sleep it grows back stronger and younger. So this month, we hope you will enjoy this article on the most important thing you can do to aid your exercise endeavors: Sleep. Is Lack of Sleep Making You Fat? S leep is one of the most basic physiological responses in the animal world. Everyone knows that you canвЂ™t function for long when you are sleep deprived. Sleep can be regarded as the physiological equivalent to the reset button on your computer. When a computer crashes, the surest way to solve the problem is to reboot. It seems we modern day humans have forgotten our intimate connection to sleep. We do everything we can to circumvent it. We stay up nightly watching late night TV, surfing the Internet, and feeding ourselves under artificial light. In the morning we rip ourselves away from the bed using all manner of stimulants to jump-start our bodies and allow us to function once again. Like most things in the modern world, sleep is treated as more of an annoyance than a critically essential process for whole body function. It is not uncommon for people to brag they only require four hours of sleep. However, in order to keep them functional, it requires large cups of coffee, along with plenty of bagels, cookies, chocolate, pasta...you name it. Most of these people are self-diagnosed carbohydrate junkies and regard their weight issue as a hereditary defect rather than a symptom of chronic sleep deprivation. The loss of fat from the human body is a complex process that goes far 24 TCnaturally.com beyond simple one-dimensional models of calorie counting. Sleep holds the key to restoring your fat burning software and it is all related to ancient human metabolism. Sleep and Hormones You may be wondering what sleep can possibly have to do with fat metabolism. Well, you have heard of hormones, right? Hormones in the body are powerful chemical messengers that tell the body how to respond to the outside world. When most people think of hormones, they think of the sex steroids like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. These are definitely examples of hormones, but there are many different types of signaling molecules in the body and they extend beyond concerns of reproduction. Maybe you have heard of some of the key hormones involved in fuel metabolism? Insulin, leptin, cortisol, adrenaline, growth hormone and others act like computer software to the body. They give the body instructions about how, when, and why to respond to the outside world. Survival is the major concern of any species, and hormonal regulation of fat metabolism has been essential to human existence for millennia. If hormones are the bodyвЂ™s computer software, then the sense organs are its input devices. Your eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and sense of touch, temperature and perception are analogous to the mouse, keyboard, CD drive, Internet connection, and input devices on your computer. Just like typing a command into a computer keyboard or loading a new program on your computer hard-drive, signals coming in from your bodyвЂ™s sense organs are the prime movers of hormonal metabolism. Easily the most important signal received by the body is light. Light influences metabolism so acutely that studies have shown a single photon of light shining into the back of the knee in an otherwise blacked out environment, can elicit a hormonal response in the body. Here is how light works: as the sun rises, those first beams of light hitting your closed eyelids send signals to the bodyвЂ™s nervous system. These signals produce a hormonal response characterized by a slow, steady climb of stress hormones; adrenaline, nor-adrenaline, and cortisol. These hormones then begin to raise blood sugar, increase respiration, stimulate fuel metabolism and elevate energy to wake you from sleep. From there, you are off. The body receives environmental inputs and issues hormonal commands all day long. Food, sounds, light, exercise, stress, and beliefs provide the stimulus for hormonal reactions By Jade Teta ND, CSCS and Keoni Teta ND, LAc, CSCS that determine whether you burn fat or store it, age fast or slow, or maintain a state of health or disease. The power of your choices to affect hormonal balance is profound. Sleep more than any other choice has the power to balance your hormonal software for the coming day. Sleep, The Ancient Fat Regulator Before getting to the specifics of how sleep elevates fat burning, it is important to clarify what we mean by weight loss. We have all heard of calories and most in the fitness world feel calorie burning is the end all be all of weight loss. The first thing to understand is weight loss is an inaccurate descriptor of what most desire. Fat loss is what people really want, and weight loss does not necessarily equal fat loss. That is why a focus on calories is so misleading, because the type of calorie burned, whether fat or sugar is what is most important. Hormones determine how much and what type of calories will be burned. Most peopleвЂ™s bodies are programmed to burn sugar and conserve fat. This is an ancient survival mechanism that evolved to help our ancestors survive periods of famine. For almost all of human existence, food was not guaranteed and those who were able to conserve fat easily fared better. However, there are and always have been environmental signals that told the body to burn fat. Light and sleep are the major determinants. Why does sleep have this effect? Consider the role light and sleep have played in our evolution as humans. For millions of years we evolved with the seasons. Summer days are longer, brighter, and accompanied by abundant food. Winter days have longer nights, colder days, and less food. This may seem obvious, but before the amenities of artificial light, heat, and readily available and processed foods, the only option at night was to sleep. Summer and winter in the natural world send distinct and clear signals to a mammalвЂ™s physiology. In the case of summer, the lengthened days meant elevated stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. The excess food meant higher amounts of insulin to signal fat storage and leptin to increase hunger. The whole goal of summer is to mate and then eat as much as you can to get fat for the coming winter. As fall approaches, the body has been exposed to high amounts of the stress hormones, insulin, and leptin for so long it becomes resistant to their action creating a unique state where the ability to use fat or sugar for fuel is compromised. Sound familiar? This is the modern day equivalent of what doctors call metabolic syndrome. To ancient man, reaching this state of hormone resistance was essential to surviving winter. Without high sugar, blood fat, and ample fat depots, the chances of surviving a long cold winter were diminished. For a mammal wanting to get through the long winter, hormone resistance is good news because it means the body is now nothing but a fat storing machine. By the time winter dawned historic humans would have shown a decreased ability to use fuel, lack of motivation, depression of all body functions, and fatigue. This is exactly the response needed to induce hibernation in a harsh prehistoric winter. Jovial energetic cavemen with low body fat would not have lasted long. This is identical to any mammalвЂ™s preparation for hibernation and can describe many modern day humans. Winter was our prehistoric savior. DECEMBER 2008 25 The shorter days and longer nights of winter forced prolonged periods of sleep. Sleeping throughout the winter reversed the hormone resistance that was so prevalent in the late summer months. Less light exposure, a complete reliance on animals for food, and prolonged sleep induced a new hormonal program that turned on all the fat burning genes. By the time spring returned, the body was primed for action and burning through its fat stores at an accelerated rate. The problem for modern man is we have induced an artificial summer that never ends. We have a constant and steady supply of sugar-rich foods. We keep the temperatures stable through heating and air conditioning. And most importantly, we extend our days and decrease our sleep through exposure to artificial light in the form of TV, computer and the light bulb. In this artificial summer, winter never comes, yet we continue to respond as if we were in the natural world. Leptin, insulin, and cortisol run a hormonal program instructing us to eat as much as we can to get fat for the coming winter. The result? We get fatter, more tired, and more depressed. Sleep is the way out. Does Science Support Sleep As a Fat Burner? Maybe you are wondering if our theory holds up in the scientific world. Is there any objective data to support what we are saying? One study published online at the Public Library of Science illustrates how sleep is connected to hormones that control appetite. This study published December 7th 2004 looked at 1,024 subjects and their sleep and eating habits. In subjects who slept less than 7 to 8 hours a significant increase was noted in BMI and appetite. These short sleepers ate significantly more and weighed more than those people who slept longer. The study also showed that leptin and ghrelin, two key hormones regulating appetite, were the major reason for this finding. Another more recent study bolsters the fact that light and lack of sleep are related to obesity. This study published in the June 2006 International Journal of Obesity, was a very comprehensive study wanting to discover all the factors related to the increasing prevalence of obesity. In addition to the wellrecognized connection between diet and exercise, this study found something interesting and unexpected. It found that deficits in sleep were a major predictor of weight gain and obesity. This study also showed that heating and air conditioning were playing a role. This lends strong support to the fact that human avoidance of natural factors such as light and temperature has caused hormonal confusion as to how to manage our fat stores. The two studies above, and others like them, lend serious credibility to the artificial summer hypothesis and show that key hormones related to fat burning are altered negatively with reduced sleep. There are many other studies on circadian rhythm, sleep and hormone balance, and increased appetite in the sleep deprived. The important thing to remember is that you donвЂ™t need science to tell you what makes sense intuitively. Most people know that if they get a good nightвЂ™s rest, they are more likely to feel energetic, motivated, and make better choices. However, it is not always easy to know exactly what you can do to ensure you get the most fat burning potential from your sleep. 26 TCnaturally.com Choosing Sleep It all starts with your choices. DonвЂ™t get the wrong idea, we are not telling you to go hang out in a cave for three months and hibernate. We realize the demands of life. We know you are busy, work hard, exercise, and try to find time to do the things you enjoy. However, we also know that if you are serious about fat loss, you will need to consider some changes. You have to ask yourself what is more important: do you want to burn fat, or watch your favorite late night TV show. Frequently people do not feel tired and take that as a sign they should stay up until they can go to sleep. This is the wrong choice. How to you think your body is going to feel when you feed it high sugar foods all day and bathe it in artificial light. It is going to feel like it is summer. What do animals feel compelled to do in summer? They want to find food and be active. Have you ever wondered why people who sit down in from of the TV at night always feel compelled to make their way to the refrigerator? Feeling tired is no longer a reliable indicator of the need for sleep because everything in the environment is sending the hormonal signal to stay awake. The only way to change this is make different choices. Technology can help. Using dimmers on your lights and computer screens can decrease stress hormones at night. Using candles is another option. Tivo and other recording devices are available to record your favorite late night TV shows, so you can go to bed closer to sundown. There are all kinds of ways to send your body proper signals and rewrite your hormonal software programs. Here are some pointers to help: 2 8 hours is minimum; 9 is optimal The body needs long hours of uninterrupted sleep for hormonal balance. Every night your body goes through its rhythm of hormonal computing to repair, regenerate, and revitalize the tissues of the body. This process is complicated and takes time. At least eight hours is necessary, but nine is best. When downloading a new piece of software on your computer, things happen in sequence and are done meticulously so the software will function correctly. It is no accident that whenever you download new software on a computer you have to restart. If the process is interrupted, you have to reboot and start again. It is similar in the body. Time is essential for your bodyвЂ™s hormonal software to download and complete its functions. As the hours pass during sleep, your fat storing hormonal machinery is turned down. Leptin, cortisol, insulin, and adrenaline are lowered. This allows the body to respond to the signals of these hormones once again. At the same time, glucagon, HGH, testosterone, and other growth promoting and antioxidant hormones like melatonin increase their activity. The combination of this hormonal environment signals the body to burn fat. It is important to remember this process takes time. The longer you sleep the better chance you have of enjoying several hours of fat burning. If you sleep less than 8 hours a night you may never reach fat burning at all. Nine hours of sleep assures maximum fat burning potential 2 By 10pm is best Your natural sleep cycle is also related to time. Remember, light is what turns on your hormonal wake-up software. If you are exposed to light at night you will not be able to easily switch into relaxing sleep. Some people are more susceptible to this than others. Your physiology is programmed to go to sleep shortly after sundown. Artificial lighting, TV, and computer screens circumvent this response by lengthening the time your hormonal wake software is active. The longer you are exposed to light after sundown the more you push back your hormonal sleeping signals. Parts of these signals include fat burning and anti-aging hormones like HGH, glucagon, and testosterone. When light comes up again the next morning, these hormones are shut off. This means sleeping eight hours, but going to bed at midnight only gives you five or so hours of sleep in the dark. This is not long enough to reset your hormones and commence fat burning. People going to sleep closer to midnight have higher cortisol levels in the morning than those going to bed around ten oвЂ™clock. This is true even if both groups of people get equal amount of time sleeping. To insure your fat burning hormones are working, the time you go to bed is just as important as how long you sleep. 2 Turn the lights out There are things you can do to minimize the effect of light after sundown. Dimmers allow enough light so that you can see, and more closely resemble moonlight than sunlight. Candles create a similar effect. By using dimmers and candles you can help sleep quality and quantity. TVs and computers are equipped with dimmers too. 2 DonвЂ™t eat before bed If it is difficult for you to sleep properly, then you can simulate sleepвЂ™s affects by avoiding food at night. Sleep is incompatible with eating, which is one important benefit. Good sleep quality and quantity creates the optimal situation for lasting weight loss: lower calories and hormonal balance. One of the most effective tools for fat loss is the avoidance of food for at least 10-12 hours every night. That means the last meal of the day will need to be around 7 or 8pm for most. Staying away from food after the sun goes down helps reverse the hormone resistance of cortisol, insulin, and leptin and makes you a far more efficient fat burner. Sweet Dreams By now, we hope you have gotten the point. Calories, drugs, surgeries, supplements and the latest magic rainforest juice may provide some benefits, but can never rewrite your ancient hormonal program to which your genes and metabolism are tuned. Sleep can. Getting back to sleep is like loading a brand new software program into your body. It tells the body to decrease insulin and leptin. It lowers cortisol and other stress hormones, and it has direct power over fat burning hormones like human growth hormone. Now that you understand how your ability to burn fat is directly impacted by sleep, you can construct an environment that is more in line with your ancient metabolic processes. Sweet dreams. Drs. Jade and Keoni Teta are naturopathic physicians and experts in the science and application of exercise. Visit www. metaboliceffect.com or www.naturopathichealthclinic.com for more information, or email jade@metaboliceffect.com or keoni@metaboliceffect.com Editorial Calendar 2009 January LetвЂ™s Get Fit (Healthy Weight Management, Fitness) Fitness for Kids February Stress and the Heart Relationship Stress March Toxic Overload вЂ“ Home and Body Boosting Nutrition with Organics April Complementary, Alternative, Integrative Medicines: Definitions and Differences Saving Our World вЂ“ Earth Day and Every Day May WomenвЂ™s Health: Osteoporosis Care for the Caregiver June MenвЂ™s Health: How Men Handle Stress and Depression 5 Top Health Concerns for Men July Body Based Medicine The Health Hazards of Black Mold August Raising a Healthy Generation Holistic Pediatrics September Oral Health and Your Body Inflammation and the Role of Nutrition October The Essence of Estrogen The Care and Feeding of Celiac Disease November Nutritional Basics for Optimal Health Suddenly Senior вЂ“ Staying Fit, Mind & Body December Living With Purpose Taking Care of Yourself DECEMBER 2008 27 Why Live Blood Analysis is Important D o you want to see how healthy you really are? Look at your blood. The morphology, or how the blood changes, will reveal to what extent your body is changing. If the blood initially looks good at the time of the test, but starts to rapidly degrade or change, then your physical condition may be poorer than suspected, and a great deal of work to build your immunity, nutritional support and absorption may be needed. If the blood initially looks somewhat less than ideal, but doesnвЂ™t degrade much within the time of the test, it is possible that your constitution is strong and therefore less work may be necessary to help you regain or retain vibrant health. Live blood analysis may be useful to help change current conditions or symptoms, and it may play an important role in possibly preventing more serious problems by a simple testing of a single drop of blood. This may include the early detection of platelet aggregation, which can lead to clots, and freefloating plaque which may be a sign of cardiovascular problems. First, blood is taken from the finger in the form of a single drop. The slides are used with a cover glass to reduce rapid deterioration and oxygen damage. Two or three slides are prepared to help determine if similar blood patterns are visible in all samples. These live blood samples are then examined under a darkfield/phase contrast microscope which displays the image on a television monitor. The following conditions may be ascertained: вЂў Low vitamin B12 and Folic Acid utilization вЂў Disturbance in protein utilization вЂў Fat metabolism problems вЂў Cholesterol crystals вЂў Liver/bowel toxicity вЂў Circulatory impairment вЂў Excessive free-radical damage вЂў Platelet aggregation (clots) вЂў Allergic reactions вЂў Systemic infections вЂў Immune system function & activity What the Blood Reveals Rouleau. This is the singular of rouleaux in French, and means a вЂњrow of coinsвЂќ. Red blood cells are disc-shaped, and when found in this pattern, may indicate a lack of sufficient stomach acid, or an acute phase reaction to an improper food, stress 28 TCnaturally.com (adrenalin), or an allergen. Rouleau may be described as having a large number of cells with a greatly decreased surface area. The cells are aggregated into columns that resemble a stack of coins, which decreases the amount of oxygen and nutrients carried to the tissues. Circulation is compromised and oxygen transport and carbon dioxide exchange is diminished. Symptoms may include poor stamina and overwhelming fatigue, shortness of breath, bad digestion, inflammation, edema, and low skin temperature. Erythrocyte Aggregation. When the red cells are drawn together, as if by a magnet, this is a condition known as an erythrocyte aggregation. This is a problem similar to rouleau, but the cohesion is formed into a вЂњclumpвЂќ instead of a row. It is considered to be more severe than rouleau. It is also referred to as вЂњblood sludgeвЂќ and when very large formations are evident they may potentially be lifethreatening. Symptoms are similar to those found in rouleau, but even more problematic and usually not short term, as in a food allergy or stress-related fatigue. Saturated fats and poor fat utilization, as well as excessive proteins are found to be problematic. Chylous. This is fat in the blood. It is an evaluation of the triglyceride fat, cholesterol, phospholipids and proteins in the blood at the time. It correlated with what the individual ate before the test. It appears in the bloodstream within 45 minutes after eating and should clear within 4 hours. However, if the person consumed little fat and small portions, but we see considerable fat in the blood, we know that they have high blood fats (cholesterol/ triglycerides), poor digestion of fat, and/or a weak liver that is unable to clear this fat. Spicules. These are needle-like inclusions which are formed from fibrin. We generally see this condition along with sticky red cells and chronic inflammatory or degenerative problems. This may indicate a liver damaged by blood pressure medications, antihistamines, steroid and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, antibiotics, alcohol, and other drugs. Fibrinogen is involved in clotting, and when the fibrin needles begin to appear quickly after taking the sample, we need to look at using supplements that reduce inflammation and clotting. Poikilocytes. These are deformed red cells. They may resemble bottlecaps or are generally deformed and are not round with sufficient cell wall flexibility. Researchers believe that free-radical damage causes membrane rigidity. However, poor fat metabolism may also be involved. The red blood cell walls are composed primarily of fats. These membranes are subject to peroxidation in the presence of oxygen. Fatigue usually accompanies poikilocytosis. Cell walls that are deformed donвЂ™t have sufficient elasticity to pump oxygen and nutrients to the tissues. Fried foods, saturated and hydrogenated fats, people who work in or are exposed to the sun for prolonged periods, or patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiation often exhibit this problem. Also, as stated earlier, poor fat metabolism will show similar cell-wall distortions. Anisocytosis. Abnormal sizes of red blood cells indicate low iron, folic acid, and vitamin B-12 deficiencies. Anisocytosis is seen in autoimmune hemolytic anemia, liver disease, megaloblastic anemia of infancy, pernicious anemia, and sickle cell disease. Intrinsic factor is a relative small glycoprotein secreted by the stomach wall that is essential for the absorption of vitamin B-12. Insufficient B-12 must be replaced by either injection or to a lesser extent by sublingual absorption. Anisocytes are larger or smaller than the normal size cells. Macrocytes. These are larger than normal red cells, with a diameter greater than 9 microns. The normal average is 7.2 microns. Some of the conditions associated with macrocytes are poor absorption, pernicious anemia, lack of hydrochloric acid and quick food transit. Macrocytes, like other anisocytes, are found in vitamin B-12 and folic acid deficiencies. Macrocytes are frequently seen in individuals who have had stomach surgeries, tumors, small bowel inflammation, parasitic bowel infection and inflammation of the pancreas. Microcytes. Microcytes are smaller than normal red cells, with a diameter of less than 6 microns compared to a normal of 7.2 microns. They frequently have an MCV of less than 80-82 cubic microns. They often have less hemoglobin than normal cells and are seen in iron deficiency anemia and other forms of anemia. looking like a target. Target cells can indicate iron deficiency or reduced hemoglobin synthesis. Less often, they may indicate thalassemia. Possible low iron, bile insufficiency, or liver issues may be causal. In women, target cells often appear during menstruation and pregnancy. Symptoms may include pale skin and low energy due to malabsorption. Echinocytes (Burr Cells). Echinocytes are deteriorating red blood cells. They derive their name from the Greek word for вЂњsea urchinвЂќ. They indicate damaged cells (either improper slide preparation or internal conditions), toxins, alcohol, poor dietary habits, antibodies due to possible infection, or a pH imbalance. Symptoms may include low energy, circulatory problems, and degenerative disease. Ghost Cells. These are вЂњshadowвЂќ cells. Ghosting may occur as a result of pressure from the cover glass resting on the slide. The pressure may cause weakened cell walls to loose their shape. However, if ghosting is seen while the specimen is being examined, there may be an overall cell-wall weakness. The membrane walls have lost integrity and allowed the hemoglobin to escape. Poor fat metabolism or utilization, oxidative stress, smoking, alcohol, or drug-induced damage may also be problematic. Usually low energy and depression may accompany this condition. Plaque. Plaque is an irregular, hard or soft, abnormal formation that is generally composed of a lipid core (fat), along with thrombocyte aggregations plus calcification and collagen formations. This indicates poor fat metabolism/utilization, and may also indicate dehydration. Generally, accumulated debris from the blood stream has solidified to form this destructive mass. Conditions associated with plaque include cold hands and feet, poor circulation, reduced energy and stamina, pain in the calves when walking, chest pain, and high blood pressure. Plaque may indicate a history of diabetes, heart attack, or stroke. Ovalcytes. These are oval-shaped red cells which have more total volume than normal sized cells. They indicate folic acid and vitamin B-12 deficiency. Without sufficient folic acid or vitamin B-12, DNA synthesis is interrupted. Junk food may be a major causative factor. They are often found in late stages of pregnancy, depression, alcoholism, individuals with poor fat metabolism, and those with vitamin B depletion caused by certain medications. Thrombocyte Aggregation. This is also called platelet aggregation. Platelets are less than 2 microns, or approximately 1/3 to 1/4 the size of a red blood cell, and normally circulate freely in the blood. They are essential to the clotting of blood immediately after injury. An elevated amount of thrombocyte aggregation may indicate high stress, high fat diet or poor fat metabolism, drugs, food allergy, high serum epinephrine, and/or injury (acute phase reaction). Stress increases the release of adrenaline into the bloodstream. Smoking, alcohol, and caffeine can also stimulate abnormal platelet aggregation. Codocytes. These are also called Target Cells. They are red cells whose membranes have collapsed inwards, leaving a ring of elevated membrane around a central вЂњholeвЂќ with a dot in the center, Alex Thompson offers live blood analysis at Vaughan Integrative Medicine, 1301-A West Wendover Avenue in Greensboro. Call 336-808-3627 for an appointment or visit www.VaughanIntegrative.com for ore information. DECEMBER 2008 29 NUGGETSofWISDOM Peace on Earth W hether you celebrate ChristChrist mas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, BoBo dhi Day, Hajj or any other, December is full of religious and cultural traditradi tions. Whatever your belief or tradition, your neighbor may hold another one dear. Reach out to them, and wish them peace...that works well for all of us. December 8: December 12: December 13: December 21-29: December 25: December 26: December 26-January 1: December 31: B Bodhi Day (Buddhist) and Eid'ul-Adha (Muslim) Fiesta of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Mexican) St. Lucia Day (Swedish) Hanukkah (Jewish) Christmas Day (Christian) Boxing Day (Australian, Canadian, English, Irish) Kwanzaa (African American) Omisoka (Japanese) Recyle / Reuse RIBBON etween Thanksgiving and New Year's day, Americans throw away a million extra tons of garbage weekly, including holiday wrapping and packaging, according to Robert Lilienfeld, coauthor of the book Use Less Stuff: Environmental Solutions for Who We Really Are. So why not recycle holiday gift wrap? Lilienfield notes that if every family reused just 2 feet of holiday ribbon, the 38,000 miles of ribbon saved could tie a bow around the entire planet. Cinnamon Room Freshener C innamon stimulates a sluggish digestion and combats intestinal infection. It acts as a respiratory and cir circulatory stimulant, and helps to fortify the immune system against chills and infections. It can also relieve mental fatigue, improve poor concentration and help to lift depression. Why not keep it around your house? For a room freshener that stimulates and refreshes the mind, relieves tension and soothes the nerves: sprinkle a few drops of diluted cinnamon leaf oil on rolled cinnamon sticks and add to potpourri made from dried orange peel, orange oil and basil. E ating more cranberries this holiday season? Rich in Vitamins C & A, cranberries contain a substance that affects the acidity of the urine and acts as a bactericide. A daily glass of cranberry juice will help prevent and treat cystitis, and discourage kidney stones. вЂ�Tis the Season for Cranberries 30 TCnaturally.com Fresh cranberries and cranberry juice are used in the treatment of prostate problems and urinary tract infections. Crushed cranberries, boiled in distilled water and skinned, can be added to a cup of warm water to help overcome an asthma attack. Light Up with LEDs: I f you are installing holiday lights, consider purchasing more energy efficient Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs). They have an average life span of 100,000 hours (vs. 1,500) and reduce energy consumption by up to 80-90%. Up to 25 strings can be connected end-to-end without overloading the typical household circuit. The sturdy epoxy lenses are nearly indestructible and their coolburning personality makes combustion nearly impossible no matter how long they are left on. The Real Thing I f you've been wondering which is better, the simple answer is that real trees are the more eco friendly choice. Although artificial trees last for many years they are made from metal and derivatives of PVC --- requiring large amounts of energy to make and creating by-products such as lead, which can be harmful to both the environment and human health. The average life of an artificial tree is just 6 years and given that they are not naturally biodegradable they will potentially pollute a landfill site for many years to come. Most artificial trees sold are now made in Taiwan and China and so have additional energy costs associated with transport. Real trees are carbon neutral, absorbing as much carbon dioxide as they grow as they will emit when burnt or left to decompose. They are also a wildlife habitat and a naturally renewable resource, and generally feel much nicer in your home. They can be planted in your garden after Christmas, and even used again next year. DISCOUNT POST & POLE Fence Posts вЂў Poles вЂў Mulch вЂў Recycled Cedar Products вЂў Landscape Timbers Your resource for recycled cedar lumber and timbers 11680 Hwy 10 SE 612-986-7306 Becker, MN 55308 2 MILES WEST OF BECKER FURNITURE WORLD It smells so good... He just asked the mop to dance. And itвЂ™s great for the planet too! 320.266.5906 www.gogreencleansolutions.com Clear Lake, MN DECEMBER 2008 31 One Great Product. Two Great-Tasting Choices. The most complete Liquid Nutrition Program on the market Complete Nutrition Program Complete Nutrition Program + Energy Formulation Windell and Maggie Dorman Independent Distributors For information or to order, go to www.myvemma.com/wdorman or call 336-454-6469 Ask us about having your own home-based business 32 TCnaturally.com KNOWyourHERBS M ove over, Viagra (the name under which drug company Pfizer sells Sildenafil citrate, a drug that is used to treat ED) researchers in Italy report that an ancient Chinese herbal remedy known as Horny Goat Weed shows potential in lab studies as source for new future drugs to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). For men too embarrassed to consult their doctor, it just might be the answer to their bedtime prayers. For centuries, men around the world have relied on natural herbal remedies to help them stay vigorous and viril. Whether you call it Epimedium, Barrenwort, BishopвЂ™s Hat, Fairy Wings, Yin Yang Huo or Horny Goat Weed, this is one plant that has been popular for decades. Horny Goat Weed is a traditional botanical medicine used in both China and Japan. Although it has a history of traditional use for disorders of the kidneys, joints, liver, back and knees, its principle use is as an aphrodisiac. Basically Horny Goat Weed works for men with ED by helping to make sure that the blood vessels dilate as they should naturally. It works quickly as well, which is definitely a positive thing for men who are dealing with the frustration of ED. WHAT IS IT USED FOR? Behind the funny name of Horny Goat Weed stands a time-tested aphrodisiac that increases libido in men and women, and improves erectile function in men. An all-natural phyto-aphrodisiac, it's based on the latest scientific research into male performance and well-being. According to one herbal author, Horny Goat Weed has testosterone-like effects. It stimulates sexual activity in both men and women, increases sperm production, stimulates the sensory nerves, and increases sexual desire. Viagra is just one of several prescription medications available today in the WHAT FOLK MEDICINE SAYS: United States that is widely prescribed for erectile dysfunction, a condition that affects an estimated 18 million men in the US alone. Viagra, and other drugs like it, can cause side effects such as headache, stomach problems and visual disturbances. As part of a new screening program to find natural alternatives to Viagra, recent studies have analyzed a number of herbal extracts long used for male impotence, including Ferula hermonis or Lebanese Viagra; Cinnamomum cassia or Chinese cinnamon; as well as Epimedium brevicornum aka Horny Goat Weed. All three extracts are reputed to improve sexual performance. The main active component of each extract was tested against an enzyme known as phosphodiesterase-5A1, which regulates necessary blood supply. Inhibition of this enzyme results in more blood flow. Icariin, the active ingredient of Horny Goat Weed, inhibited PDE-5 to a greater degree than the other compounds tested. This coincides with the same way that Viagra works on the human body. Horny Goat Weed has been a folk remedy for ED for many years. It never stopped being sold for that purpose when Viagra hit the market, but we're just now getting around to actually testing it. There have been many folk remedies through the years that have proven quite effective, so it's not that huge a surprise that this one appears to work too. According to folklore, Horny Goat Weed's reputed aphrodisiac qualities were discovered when a Chinese goat herder noticed increased sexual activity in his flock after they ingested the weed. Animal studies indicate that Horny Goat Weed may work by increasing nitric oxide levels, which relaxes smooth muscle and allows increased blood flow to the desired areas. Some evidence suggests Horny Goat Weed may modulate levels of the hormones cortisol, testosterone, and thyroid hormone, bringing low levels back to normal. The use of Epimedium (HGW) as a medicinal herb dates back thousands of years. Shen Nong's Canon of Medicinal Herbs, compiled around 400 A.D., mentions its use. The odorless, bitter herb has been used as a kidney tonic to help relieve problems of frequent urination and correct problems of light-headedness and weakness associated with improper body fluid volumes, as a reproductive system tonic to treat impotence and premature ejaculation, and as a rejuvenating tonic, as an aphrodisiac or to relieve fatigue. The herb, which dilates blood vessels, has also been used to treat coronary heart disease, asthma, bronchitis, and sinusitis. As an expectorant, it can be used to control coughing, and it can also be used to lower blood pressure. Studies have shown that Epimedium raises adrenaline, noradrenaline, serotonin, and dopamine levels in animals. It is the dopamine that may be responsible for the herb's use as a reproduc- DECEMBER 2008 33 tive tonic. The increased dopamine levels in the body set off a chain reaction that leads to a release of testosterone, the male sex hormone. Other evidence suggests the herb increases sensitivity in nerve endings, which may explain why it is prescribed as an aphrodisiac. WHAT HAS BEEN PROVEN: Horny Goat Weed (Epimedium) has a two thousand year history of use as a sex-enhancer. The leaves of Horny Goat Weed contain a variety of flavonoids, polysaccharides, lignans, sesquiterpenes, phenolic and penethylol glycosides, ionones, sterols, and an alkaloid called magnaflorine. Used by practitioners, Horny Goat Weed is several species of epimedium, a leafy plant which grows in the wild, most abundantly at higher altitudes. And while the exact way that Horny Goat Weed works is still being researched, the plant has long been employed to restore sexual fire and alleviate menopausal discomfort. WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY: According to Mario DellвЂ™Agli, a researcher at the University of Milan who led the Italian study, "Through research efforts, Horny Goat Weed has been the subject of much hoopla as the subjects participating in the research all reported favorable results showing an improved sex drive, more energy, and improved erectile condition. Some experts remain skeptical however. The tests we have done so far are only preliminary ones. We should remain undecided about the value of this herb until further research is completed. In my personal opinion, I think that Horny Goat Weed will have a huge impact on the medical community but there will always be critics, and in order to prove that Horny Goat Weed is a medical asset, we have to conduct further tests and try to figure out how it exactly works.вЂќ WHAT RESEARCH CONFIRMS: Italian researchers report that laboratory studies show that the compound has the potential to treat ED, and possibly with fewer side effects than its pharmaceutical cousin, Viagra. Although there is still much work that needs to be done, the study is expected to be published in the Oct. 24, 2008 issue of the Journal of Natural Products, a publication of the American Chemical Society. HOW DO I USE IT? The herb can be ingested as a tea infusion. To make the tea, one ounce of the cut leaves are added to a pint of hot water. The recommended dosage is one to three cups per day. The tea should be taken with food. It is also available in capsules. As of this writing, there has been insufficient clinical studies of Horny Goat Weed to provide a basis for dosage recommendations, but from a quick survey of available products it looks like 500 - 600 mg is a somewhat standard daily dose. Because of the lack of clinical trial data, use during pregnancy is NOT recommended. IN SUMMARY: Massage Yoga Pilates + more вЂњRelax and Heal Your BodyвЂќ 651-429-0661 www.serenitynowhealingcenter.com Located in Centerville, MN 34 TCnaturally.com Horny Goat Weed is a Chinese plant that may be able to tackle impotence with fewer side effects than Viagra, according to scientists from the University of Milan. Both Viagra and Horny Goat Weed contain ingredients that block phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5), an enzyme which limits blood flow to the penis and therefore prevents erections. Previously, Sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra was shown to be 80 times more effective than icariin, a compound found inside the Horny Goat Weed. However, Mario Dell'Agli, the lead pharmacologist on the Italian study said that by producing a modified version of the icariin molecule a version that works as well as Viagra can be made. A drug made from it could also have fewer side effects than those associated with the little blue pills. People with heart problems are unable to take Viagra as it affects enzymes that are essential for the heart. Early testing suggests icariin does not have this problem. Horny Goat Weed is on the market and is available at herb and health related shops, but the buyer should beware. Many supplements on the market promise outrageous results but upon closer examination of their labels, you will find that the manufacturers often fail to include the proper blend of the herb they are selling. Therefore, you arenвЂ™t getting what you want. For this reason, many herbal supplements have received a bad rap. You'll find some bottles of Horny Goat Weed that have more fillers and/ or chemicals than herbs. But you'll also find Horny Goat Weed products that contain 10 percent icariin. This is what you are looking for because two to four capsules per day should be sufficient to boost flagging libido and juice up your sex life. Remember that Horny Goat Weed has been used safely for more than 2,000 years. Why? Because it works. Be aware that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not strictly regulate herbs and dietary supplements. There is no guarantee of strength, purity or safety of products containing or claiming to contain Horny Goat Weed. Decisions to use herbs or supplements should be carefully considered. Individuals using prescription drugs should discuss taking herbs or supplements with their pharmacist or health care provider before starting. Submitted by Wendy Evensen. For more information, visit www.carolinaherbsandcandles.com COMMUNITY resource guide ALKALINE WATER BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Vista Water And Wellness 6440 Flying Cloud Dr, Suite 101 Eden Prairie, MN 55344 612-290-3333 Mia Bella's Gourmet Candles www.CandleBusinessInfo.com CandleBusinessInfo@gmail.com 952-239-7040 Vista Water and Wellness is committed to educating people about the many health benefits of Alkaline/Antioxidant-filtered water. Our approach is very simple: we supply individuals with good comprehensive educational material and then allow those who are sincerely interested in water and health, to take one of our counter top units that simply hooks up to the kitchen faucet and experience the health and energy benefits of drinking "living alkaline - antioxidant rich" water. For free informational package and a 162 page book The Miraculous Properties of Ionized Water, please call us at 612-2903333. See ad on page 12. Get More Out of Life! Natural gourmet candles can be your path to achieving financial and time freedom. Enjoy the benefits of owning your own home business. 6 year old company with generous compensation plan is looking for local distributors. Request free information packet. See ad on page 18. ACUPUNCTURE IN HARMONY ACUPUNCTURE AND HERBS 2920 Bryant Ave S, Ste 1 Minneapolis, MN 55408 612.823.3554 www.inharmonyacupuncture.com In Harmony Acupuncture and Herbs specializes in the treatment of WomenвЂ™s Health and Fertility through the tools of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Discover a new perspective on your health, while restoring your bodyвЂ™s balance and vitality. Appointments now available. BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Halvorson health llc Mark Halvorson halvorsonhealth@gmail.com 952-292-1940 Work from home in your own homebased business. Enjoy the tax benefits of business ownership. No inventory to carry. Great products to help others while earning income. Charitable events Selfless Opportunities Glen & Laura Frechette Founders www.SelflessOpportunities.com 651.285.2828 Our website is created to heighten public awareness of "selfless" events and empower people and communities with the ability to post their particular charitable event for FREE! See www.SelflessOpportunites.com. Votre Vu 952-212-9112 colleenoohlala@gmail.com www.votrevu.com/colleen Colleen consultant ID 0012790 A NEW BUSINESS ADVENTURE-- Hip, fun French skincare company is launching soon. Natural, spa-quality skin care and SO much more from Paris France. Ooh la la...You are going to love this innovative start up adventure! Internet, retail and party sales. Votre Vu is backed by 80 years of research and development in France. Your definition of success is your choice...your youвЂ¦Votre Vu. Make YOUR reservation todayвЂ¦call Colleen 952-212-9112. See ad on page 39. GREEN PRODUCTS Green Clean Solutions 10760 55th St Clear Lake, Mn 320-266-5906 www.gogreencleansolutions.com Care for your home with Green Clean Solutions' aromatheraputic products produced by hand with the highest quality certified organic plant based ingredients and pure essential oils. You can find yours at the Mpls Farmers Market Annex, Twin Cities Green, and the Maple Grove Farmers Market. Or visit our website. See Ad on page 9. ORGANIC SALONS Kasia Organic Salon Your Retreat for Beautiful Health 2920 Bryant Ave S Minneapolis, MN 55408 612.386.4044 www.kasiaorganicsalon.com At Kasia Organic Salon, we believe your health is as important as your beauty. Kasia uses the most luxurious, all-natural & organic products as well as ammonia free hair color. Simply Organic Hair Care Kasia Beautiful Health Skin Care Mastey Zero-Ammonia Hair Color Immuno-Viva Health/Beauty Supplements See ad on page 22. Recycled products Discount Post and pole 11680 Hwy 10 SE Becker, MN 55308 612-986-7306 Your resource for recycled cedar lumber and timbers. Low cost supplier of mulch, fenceposts, poles and utility poles. Just 2 miles west of Becker Furniture World. See ad on page 31. DECEMBER 2008 35 COMMUNITY resource guide resource guide healthy resources MASSAGE HEALTHYEXPOSUREВ® INC Darren Vigil, CEO & founder Prior Lake, MN 55372 612-216-2453 info@healthyexposure.com www.healthyexposure.com HealthyExposureВ® is your connection to a Healthier Homes, Offices and Lifestyles. We have the finest Contractors, Service providers and Hygienist for what ever your needs may be. Our services range from remediation, design, remodels, additions, new construction, foam insulation, ventilation, air and water filtration, duct cleaning, maintenance, landscaping, lawns, ponds and more. hypnotherapy Clinical Hypnotherapy 14622 Hanover Lane Apple Valley MN 55124 763.218.3231 cindylocher@hotmail www.mn-hypnosis.com Achieve more, quickly and easily, with hypnosis. Stop smoking, break insomnia, lose weight, release fears and phobias, reduce stress and more. Private, custom sessions. See ad on page 11. MASSAGE LITE FORCE BODY SCULPTING & WITHIN REACH MASSAGE & BODY WORKS Burnsville, MN Kathy Joy Grove 952-922-2992 Mary Grove 612-968-5284 www.kathyjoy.com Under the caring hands of Kathy Joy you will leave our office feeling refreshed & rejuvenated, with Mary you will leave relaxed & peaceful. KathyвЂ™s lymphatic detoxification massages gentle releases toxins from the body. MaryвЂ™s Bowen therapy assists the body in self-healing. Both are knowledgeable in health & nutrition and share valuable information with their clients. Mary is also certified in these massage therapies: Pre & PostNatal, Sports, Deep Tissue, Swedish and Hot Stone. Therapy With Hope Massage & Nutrition 1060 Centerville Circle Vadnais Heights, MN 55126 612-232-4829 www.TherapyWithHope.vpweb.com TherapyWithHope@gmail.com Receive 25% off your first massage or nutritional consultation when you mention this ad! Gift Certificates are available! We Offer: Swedish and Deep Tissue Massage, Hot Stone Massage, A Touch of Tranquility 14510 Pennock Ave Apple Valley, MN 952-432-2550 www.atouchoftranquility.biz Massages at A Touch of Tranquility are tailored to the individual needs of the recipient. We offer several massage modalities, including, but not limited to, relaxation, sports, deep tissue and prenatal massages. Gift cards are always available for that special someone. We accept Visa/MC . Call for appointment or more information, or see our website. See ad on page 19. supplements J.J. & Liza Hedden 952-236-8880 heddenteam@hotmail.com www.biofitness.usana.com USANA Health Sciences is led by scientists with backgrounds in microbiology, immunology, and cell culture utilizing the latest clinical research in human nutrition. This means that what you read on the label is what you actually get. Optimal nutrition with the right combination. Truly, вЂњNutritionals You Can TrustвЂќ. See ad page 18. Pre-natal Massage, Seated Chair Massage, Ear Candling, Health Classes and Nutritional Consultations with our main focus on detoxifying the body of built-up toxinsвЂ¦you will be amazed how great you feel. For more information about us and our classes call or go to www. TherapyWithHope.vpweb.com Let Us Take Care of YouвЂ¦ Call Today!See ad on page 39. Go to our website for more: www.tcnaturally.com 36 TCnaturally.com COMMUNITYevents WELLNESS CENTER Serenity Now Healing Center, LLC 7043 20th Ave Centerville, MN 55038 651-429-0661 www.serenitynowhealingcenter.com We are focused on the healing process, and providing nature's healing environment along with therapeutic treatments for relaxation, pain relief, muscle flexibility and well-being. Healing Therapies include Reiki, La Stone Massage, Swedish Massage, Deep Tissue Massage, Sports Massage, Pregnancy Massage, Infant Massage, SOQI Total Health Spa, Healing Touch, Raindrop Technique and Ear Candling. We also offer wellness & fitness classes - Yoga, Pilates, strength & Cardio and Kettlebells. Check out our website for more information on dates and times for classes. See ad on page 34 and 39. CLASSIFIEDS Tuesday, December 2 Monday, December 8 Homeopathy: Alleviate the Limiting Symptoms of Headaches & Depression Aaron Means 6.30-8.00pm Learn about homeopathy and how to use it. We will discuss some of the common homeopathic remedies used to relieve the troublesome symptoms of these conditions that affect your life, and how remedies can restore your bodyвЂ™s internal balance to help prevent future occurrences. Handouts will be given. Bring a notebook and pen, as well as a family member or friend! Location: Mississippi Market Coop, 622 Selby Ave, St Paul Register: RSVP 651-310-9499, info@ msmarket.coop Help Your Teen Soar Instead of Crash Deb Bollom, PCC, PC-ACG, CPCC Life and Business Coach 6:45 pm - 9pm Learn about the top five things that can help your teen through Middle School, High School, and beyond and what signs to look for to avoid the pitfalls that can trap a teen. Alternatives to medications and alternatives that can be used in conjunction with medications will be addressed. Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, 12650 Johnny Cake Ridge Road, Apple Valley, MN Cost per session $10 per person, 15 per family. For more information, contact Brenda Brookman 952-322-2176 bpbrookman@aol.com Wednesday, December 3 Tuesday, December 9 Health & Nutrition Classes: Experience hands on the health benefits of Essential Oils Offered EVERY Wednesday of the month 6:30 to 7:00 emphasis on weight management 7:00 to 8:00 focus on Essential Oils Burnsville, MN 55372 Contact: Kathy Joy Grove 952-9222992 www.kathyjoy.com/Events.ht L-I-F-E- Unlimited II No Meeting Traditional Christmas Break!!! Look for meetings to resume January 13, 2009. Friday, December 5 Want to be green and recycle? Sell it in our classifieds. Only $1 per word. Email: crg@tcnaturally.com "Grand Holiday Open House" at Essential Life Center 4-8p.m. Come and join us in celebrating our new location and services! We'll have food, wine tasting, photos with Mrs. Clause, free chair massage and lot's of great goods to help you get your Holiday off to a bang. Proceeds benefit local children in need. Bring an unwrapped toy and receive a valuable coupon book with lot's of great deals. 107 Central Ave. N. New Prague, MN. 56071 (952) 649-1771 Wednesday, December 10 Health & Nutrition Classes: Experience hands on the health benefits of Essential Oils Offered EVERY Wednesday of the month 6:30 to 7:00 emphasis on weight management 7:00 to 8:00 focus on Essential Oils Burnsville, MN 55372 Contact: Kathy Joy Grove 952-9222992 www.kathyjoy.com/Events.ht DECEMBER 2008 37 COMMUNITYevents Saturday, December 13 Saturday, December 13 Sunday, December 14 ESSENTIAL OIL INTRODUCTORY I $20 ($30 PER MARRIED COUPLE) вЂў Aromatherapy вЂў Herbs vs Essential Oils вЂў The difference between therapeuticgrade and other Essential Oils. вЂў International uses of Essential Oils вЂў How the oils support our bodies in creating a environment of optimal healing for physical - mental - emotional wellbeing. вЂў The use of Essential Oils on animals. вЂў How to use the oils to heighten intuition вЂў How internally cleansing our body and PH influence our health & the effectiveness of Essentials Oil вЂў How the oils positively and dramatically effect chronic & degenerative conditions. Excellent for increasing stamina and athletic performance. We will be outside in the weather so dress appropriately. Whole Health Veterinary (formerly: Central Bird & Animal Hospital) 13060 Central Ave NE Blaine, MN 55435 Please bring a chair, also plenty of spring water to drink. For directions only 763-785-2700 www. wholehealthvet.com Cherie is teaching, To register: 763-545-7347 **Practical Uses of Essential Oils/Intro II/Q&A ** You must attend an Introductory session prior to participating in this class $20 ($30 PER MARRIED COUPLE) Participate in an open question/answer session to learn which oils /supplements work best for specific concerns. вЂўDaily uses for Essential Oils вЂўVarious uses: how and when to diffuse, apply topical, & internal applications вЂўSpiritual uses вЂўIncreasing intuitive ability вЂўCleansingвЂўWound careвЂўUsing oils with pets вЂўIncreasing immune function вЂўIncreasing stamina, endurance, & athletic performance Sat. Dec. 13 5:30-8pm Whole Health Veterinary (formerly: Central Bird & Animal Hospital) 13060 Central Ave NE Blaine, MN 55435 Please bring a chair, also plenty of spring water to drink. For directions only 763-785-2700 www. wholehealthvet.com Cherie is teaching, To register: 763-545-7347 NATURE'S AMAZING HEALING OILS W/ANIMALS $30* ** You must attend an Introductory session prior to participating in this class ($40 PER MARRIED COUPLE) 1-5pm Experience how Essential Oils produce extreme positive effects with behavioral changes, wounds, injuries, viruses, & chronic conditions. Hands on demos, using a variety of techniques. Open Q&A session following. Including proven wholistic methods for the treatment & care of West Nile Virus, staph, strep, ecoli, etc. вЂў 100% kill factor on harmful bacteria, fungus, mold, tumors & virus. вЂў Rapid regeneration of wounds, injured & damaged tissue. We will be in and out of the weather so dress appropriately. Whole Health Veterinary (formerly: Central Bird & Animal Hospital) 13060 Central Ave NE Blaine, MN 55435 Please bring a chair, also plenty of spring water to drink. For directions only 763-785-2700 www. wholehealthvet.com Cherie is teaching, To register: 763-545-7347 Wednesday, December 17 Peace on Earth 38 TCnaturally.com Health & Nutrition Classes: Experience hands on the health benefits of Essential Oils Offered EVERY Wednesday of the month 6:30 to 7:00 emphasis on weight management 7:00 to 8:00 focus on Essential Oils Burnsville, MN 55372 Contact: Kathy Joy Grove 952-922-2992 www.kathyjoy.com/Events.html Holiday Marketplace Thai Massage School & Clinic Student Practice Massage $50 for 90 minutes Appointment with a Professional or an Instructor to Help You Heal GIFT CARDS AVAILABLE! 6420 W. Lake St. St. Louis Park, MN 55426 Auto Insurance Accepted (952) 926-2411 www. Thaihealing.biz Give the Gift of Relaxation & Wellness this Holiday Season! 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