Health freedom

Healthy is Holy in The Season of Jolly

Did you know that the word Holy has the same root as whole and heal? They all come to us from Old English, traced back through Dutch and German and originally from Old Norse heill. If you consider this a holy season, then you are also saying that it is a season to be whole and heal. 

 The word “health” has the same root. No wonder that restoration to health can be considered a miracle when someone is suffering.

 So, now is a time to mention some healthy basics we can all agree on.

 The Christmas/Holiday winter season, even in warm LA, is hard on our health, for all the obvious physical reasons. If sugarplums only danced in our heads they wouldn’t be a problem. But they seem to magically turn into sugar cookies (and chocolate truffles, and candy canes) on our plates. Sugar has something in common with viruses-increased inflammation, and suppressed immune response. 

 Alcohol stresses the liver, one of the main detox organs, and a major player in our immune system. And it suppresses our central nervous system, impairing a control center that we need to function well.

 But, the biggest factor in general health is our emotional health. The holidays can carry us in either direction. Some people find joy and happiness, and others are haunted by the sadness of ghosts from Christmas past.

 The challenges to our immune systems are greater than ever, but are not the same for all. Recovery from the 2020 virus seems to impart a great deal of natural immunity, according to the studies I have seen. Injections of medical drugs, even when they are meant to help, generally offer the body challenges because they are never “natural” and compatible with body processes. 

 Regardless of what your status is regarding the 2020 virus, there are things you can do to give yourself the best chance of staying healthy and strong through this next winter. If ever there was a time to be proactive, this is it. Virus variants are always with us, whether flu virus or others. Antibodies aren’t even the first line of defense. Active T-cells are first way the body defends itself. Kids have significantly higher T-cell response to pathogens than adults. That is probably why kids had such mild symptoms from the 2020 virus.

 There may be a false sense of security for those who have gotten the injection. I have seen issues with the immune system for some. Just like when you take antibiotics, your innate immune system needs to be supported with probiotics and immune boosters like Immuplex, Congaplex, Cat’s Claw (a herb I have come to love!) and Andographis. Black Cumin Seed Oil and Wormwood are two specific herbs that I highly recommend, as prevention and as treatment.

 There are inevitably going to be new “variants” because viruses like to survive and find more hosts. Fortunately, many decades of research and observation tell us that mutations are often less strong and more contagious. Witness the humble and ubiquitous Common Cold, a coronavirus that we humans share with each other every year. Think about the logic here-weaker strains mean that more people get infected and spread the virus around, which is the general goal of any particular virus.

 But the best thing is to be able to handle the exposure without getting sick.  One study showed that 70% of people in LA had antibodies against the 2020 virus. Only a fraction of those actually got sick and showed symptoms. We have no idea how often we might feel a little more tired one day for no apparent reason, and our immune system is actually successfully fighting off an invading bug. Kind of a miracle how that happens.

 Our immune systems are very powerful survival tools. Maintaining that tool in the best condition is a gift to ourselves, and our families and friends.

 Many of you have contacted me directly with questions about your health and protecting it. There is no one-size-fits-all in health and medicine. We each have unique needs. But there is common sense and awareness of your own strengths and weaknesses. 

 For those of you who want greater natural immunity, I can recommend certain things. Right now I have a few bottles of homeopathic treatment available. Contact me if you would like to find out more. 

 If you know that you have extra risk factors, such as being overweight, Diabetes, allergies, smoking or vaping, heart conditions, I do recommend not relying on the injection to keep you well. 

 As always, I recommend staying away from the news channels, because scaring us is their bread and butter. Fear is the greatest enemy of human intellect and good sense, and leads to the Dark Side, as Yoda warned. 

 Eat a lot of greens with those sugar cookies, and explore some non-sugar options like monk fruit and stevia. 

Mostly, I hope you will find a lot to be happy about. Our immune system may be internal, but so is our capacity for joy. Funny how the two may be linked!

 As always, I am here to help. 

 Wishing you a Holy, Healthy, Merry Christmas, and the most Peaceful and Happy Holidays ever. 

 

 

 

 

 

What Does Prop 64 Really Bring to California?

Regardless of what you think about the legal use of marijuana for non-medical purposes, you should understand what Prop 64 really means.

Prop 64 is being pushed by big money interests to commercialize and market recreational marijuana. Many people think that no one should go to jail for smoking a little pot. That is not what this Prop is about. Commercialization and marketing of marijuana means that it will be marketed and advertised to adults. What does that mean for our kids?

Alcohol is not supposed to be marketed and advertised to kids. So, do kids turn off the TV when beer ads are shown? Apparently not, since alcohol is the most abused drug among California teen-agers.

Alcohol costs California billions of dollars for the social problems it creates, and leads the country as number one for alcohol consumption.

Background:

California is the largest alcohol market in the United States. In 2005 alone,Californians consumed almost 14 billion alcoholic drinks, which contributed to many severe and potentially fatal alcohol-related illnesses and conditions. Alcohol use also causes violent and non-violent crimes, as well as injuries and traffic collisions. While several studies have estimated the magnitude and cost of these problems nationally and others have analyzed underage drinking costs, no overall cost estimate at the state level currently exists for California. We present the first comprehensive estimate of the cost of alcohol consumption in California. 

Results:

Alcohol consumption in California led to an estimated 9,439 deaths and 921,929 alcohol-related problems, such as crime and injury in 2005. The economic cost of these problems is estimated at between $35.4 billion and $42.2 billion. Our main estimate is $38.5 billion, of which $5.4 billion was for medical and mental health spending, $25.3 billion in work losses, and $7.8 billion in criminal justice spending, property damage and public program costs. In addition, alcohol is responsible for severe reductions in individuals’ quality of life in California. We estimate that the disability caused by injury, the personal anguish of violent crime victims, and the life years lost to fatality are the largest costs imposed by alcohol. The total value for this reduced quality of life in California is between $30.3 billion and $60.0 billion. Our main estimate for quality-of-life costs is $48.8 billion

 ://www.eatdrinkpolitics.com/wpcontent/uploads/CostAlcoholCaliforniaSimon.pdf

Do you think that legalizing marijuana will give us less of a drug problem? Do you want your kids eating THC-laced gummy bears on the way to school? Just as alcohol is regulated, so would pot. But the kids don’t seem to have much trouble getting their hands on alcohol, and there is no reason to think they could not figure out how to get marijuana, particularly when the edibles come in the form of candy bars, “pot tarts”, and chewing gum. A young patient of mine from Colorado Springs told me that pot shops are now as common as 7-11’s in Colorado.

Sound public drug policies are supposed to encourage less addiction and abuse. More drug use of any kind creates social problems that harm communities and families and clog social services. Regardless of whether or not you think that pot smoking should be decriminalized, realize that Prop 64 is not sound policy because it puts big money interests ahead of the well-being of families, kids and the community. It will allow George Soros, the largest investor in Monsanto, and Sean Parker (cofounder of Napster and first president of Facebook) to make billions of dollars when pot is advertised like cola drinks. Marketing is always aimed at the most vulnerable and gullible populations, so targeting young people, minorities, and under-served communities makes good business sense if money is your sole motivation. http://wakeup-world.com/2016/07/20/monsanto-big-pharma-george-soros-and-the-push-to-legalize-marijuana/?doing_wp_cron=1469633726.8202860355377197265625  It is speculated that Monsanto will create GMO marijuana seeds and may even intend to corner and patent the seeds in order to dominate the world market.

80% of addictive substances like tobacco and alcohol are consumed by 20% of the population. Drug manufacturers never want you to be responsible in your behavior. They want you dependent so they can have you as a life-long customer. Check this out to follow the money on Prop 64. http://theweedlynews.com/2016/08/28/when-you-follow-the-money/

This is not about adult freedoms. It is about the “freedom” of greed and vested interest to market their wares to vulnerable people. Watch the celebrities and sports stars get on board for marketing purposes if Prop 64 passes. And what will our kids think about drug use then?

How harmful is marijuana to developing children? This has been a controversial topic, but it makes sense to be concerned about any chemical substance that is introduced to an immature system. For details about neuropsychological decline and decline in IQ for heavy users who started as adolescents see this study. chttp://www.moffittcaspi.com/sites/moffittcaspi.com/files/field/publication_uploads/Meier_PNAS_Cannabis_2012Published_0.pdf

This is not your grandmother’s pot anymore. I recall observing motivational issues in heavy pot smokers among my college classmates in the 70’s when the THC content was 1%. Through years of hybridization and sharing of seeds and plants, the marijuana growers have created plants that have a THC content that ranges from 16 to 32%, and may go even higher, as will you, if you smoke it. It would take 17.5 joints of the 1975 vintage to equal 1 joint today. http://herb.co/2015/09/30/modern-day-weed-vs-hippie-weed/

Marijuana plants do have medicinal properties and one company in particular is in late-stag testing. But guess what? It is not THC that is medicinal- it is another component of the plant called cannabidiol or CBD. When THC goes up, CBD goes down and vice-versa. So, the hallucinogenic and “high” aspect is not medicinal, but just the opposite. CBD has anti-inflammatory effects that hold promise for the treatment of pain and inflammation and a variety of conditions. We don’t need commercialized high dose THC marijuana for that purpose. https://www.leafly.com/news/cannabis-101/whats-the-deal-with-these-high-cbd-strains/

We may need reform regarding our laws about marijuana, but only 1% of our prison population is incarcerated for possession. http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/lists/top-10-marijuana-myths-and-facts-20120822/myth-prisons-are-full-of-people-in-for-marijuana-possession-19691231

Since marijuana is already easily available in California, Prop 64 is not needed and, if passed, may cause great harm to our kids and teenagers at a time when their developing minds and neurological systems are most vulnerable.

“Other symptoms of Colorado’s pot culture include increased use among teens, resulting in educational problems in middle schools and high schools, a spike in “edibles”-related emergency room visits, consumption by children and pets resulting in illness and death and regulatory confusion surrounding public consumption and enforcement.” http://www.newsweek.com/unexpected-side-effects-legalizing-weed-339931

“Marijuana-related emergency room visits grew 57 percent in two years, from 8,198 in 2011 to 12,888 in 2013, the study found, with a 29 percent increase in emergency room visits for teens. The report also found that drug-related suspensions and expulsions increased 32 percent between the 2008-2009 and 2012-2013 school years. The majority of expulsions were for marijuana violations.” https://www.rt.com/usa/316148-marijuana-related-deaths-injuries-study/

Raising teenagers is difficult enough these days. I am very grateful that my sons’ schools did not have more of a drug problem. It is now up to us to decide what kind of drug problems our kids and grandkids will face going forward. Prop 64 will surely make them worse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is Your Quality of Life?

Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "The quality, not the longevity, of one’s life is what is important."

Quality of Life. Noun: the general well-being of a person or society, defined in terms of health and happiness, rather than wealth. 

You may agree that the state of health can determine happiness. If you feel unwell or have pain, it is hard to feel happy. You may feel grateful for loved ones and circumstances in life, but being ill, or having uncomfortable or unwanted symptoms, can severely curtail the very activities that bring happiness.

Our current medical system is not geared towards health or happiness. When drugs alone are used to manage symptoms, there may be some temporary relief. But the side-effects alone can wear down the body and produce weakness in the organs and immune system that lead to further distress or foster disease. 

As a Naturopath my job (and my great passion) is to help determine which factors are the barriers to the body's innate ability to heal. And it is such a joy to witness those healing powers on a daily basis. 

Recently one of my long-term patients experienced a true medical miracle. Diagnosed with a blood/lymph cancer a couple of years ago, this brave lady set out on a journey to heal. She changed her diet, studies alternative treatments, and traveled to Europe twice to seek knowledgeable health professionals. All the while she also came to me for supplements and natural medicine to boost her immune response and supply the building blocks for healthy cells.

Many of you watched the "The Truth About Cancer", the series of videos that presented alternative treatments and survivors' stories from around the world. Based on what I learned from that program, I suggested adding Frankincense Essential Oil to my patient's regimen. She put it on her tongue and massaged it into the tumor, which was visible as a large lump on one side of her throat. Two weeks later, on her next visit, I asked how she was doing and she requested that I look at her throat, as I had done twice monthly for the past couple of years.

This time, there was nothing to see. The tumor had completely disappeared. Instead, I saw pink, healthy, and normal-looking tissue in the place of the tumor. I might not have believed that something could change so rapidly if I had not seen it with my own eyes.

Would the Frankincense Essential Oil have triggered the miracle on its own? We will never know. Perhaps it was just the final burst of support that the body needed for the immune system to slay the dragon. Certainly the patient needed to make the dietary changes she made, and she used many other intelligent and researched treatments-all of them alternative and all designed to support correct cell formation and restore the balance of health. 

And now that her health is restored, she is happier and busier than she has been in a long time. Her quality of life is greatly enhanced.

This is the power of natural medicine. We have been led to believe that natural medicine is not enough, that we need the chemicals and invasive treatments provided by Big Business Medicine. And sometimes we do and I am grateful for those treatments when they are correctly provided.

But there is a great deal of power in plant medicine, in nutrition, and in the loving support of our family, friends and dedicated practitioners. My first professor in Holistic Nutrition told us that our job was to help people find their own medical miracles. What I really prefer is helping you ensure that you never need one. 

Like Martin Luther King, Jr., I have a dream. I dream of a day when holistic medicine and conventional medicine are prescribed according to the needs of the person, without regard to bottom line of corporations. I dream of a day when yearly check-ups involve testing to see what is needed for prevention of disease and improvement in quality of life, and not to test whether you have a disease and are ready to take your turn on the medical Merry-go-round. I dream of a day when all kids have access to fresh, healthy, organic, non-GMO foods every day, at a price that is affordable for families. 

I hope you share my dream because we can make this happen. Meanwhile, let us know how we can help improve the quality of your life, as well the lives of your family and friends. What part of your health is preventing you from pursuing your own path to happiness?

 

W