Free Wellness Check To Get You Through the Holidays

Looks like the flu season has arrived, along with Christmas. In LA it seems the traffic has tripled, adding to the stress of trying to get everything done.

To help you keep healthy so that you can enjoy your Holiday, we are offering a free wellness check. If you feel that you are coming down with something, book a complimentary 10 minute check. Then get the exact supplements you need so that you avoid getting sick, or at least minimize the damage and recover as quickly as possible.

Can’t make it to the office? If someone can pick up supplements for you, give us a call and we can talk on the phone. We can even mail to you, although that may take some time with the Holiday rush.

If you have little ones who can’t take supplements easily, ask about our new Echinacea transdermal cream. We mix the strongest Echinacea on the planet into an organic Aloe Vera based cream. You can rub it on your child’s skin to deliver a good dose of immune-enhancing Echinacea. This works for adult-sized kids, too. Echinacea has been proven to enhance longevity, also, so this cream has the advantage of being anti-aging.

One of the worse things about recent winter illnesses has been a lingering cough. We can use Golden Seal, Herbal Throat Spray or the amazing Pneumotrophin to stop your cough before it takes hold and moves in for the winter.

Don’t worry about coming in when you are sick. We take immune enhancers daily this time of year, another thing you might consider. If you know that you normally entertain a good winter cold or other virus in the winter.

Our Flu and Cold clinic is officially open between now and New Year’s for a free wellness check. Our gift to you to keep your Holiday as healthy as can be. 

Suffering from Post-Holiday Digestive Syndrome?

A lot of people seem to be describing digestive difficulties since the Holiday weekend. And this is just the beginning of the Season to Eat, Drink and Be Merry.

So, if you are suffering now, ask Santa for an early gift of digestive enzymes. Even if you normally take acid blockers or antacids, you need digestive enzymes. Don’t get the chewable papaya ones. They taste great, but then won’t do the job and mostly just handle protein. And the added sugar probably defeats most of the purpose. Sugar lowers your stomach acid, so interferes with protein digestion.

Look for digestive enzymes that help break down carbohydrate, protein and fat. The label will say Amylase, Protease and Lipase. If the enzyme product also has Betaine hydrochloride, even better.

You can take a couple between meals to get rid of that “over-stuffed” feeling. Then start taking two supplements at every meal. Keep on taking them throughout the Holiday season. Don’t stop January first. Most Americans are eating too few real foods that contain any enzymes, so we all need digestive help.

If you have a gut, or your waist size is bigger than your hip size, you have a muffin top, or need to lose more than five pounds, you need digestive enzymes. You can also had in probiotics. Enzymes are for the stomach digestion and probiotics work in the intestine. There seems to be a lot of confusion about this. The human stomach needs enzymes and hydrochloric acid and the gut/intestine needs probiotics.

Organic Apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon in cup of warm water before meals, can also help. Eating foods that contain live cultures, like Kefir and unsweetened yogurt, can help. Real sauerkraut is good, as is Kombucha.

Meanwhile, to end the bloating, don’t combine bread and protein or fruit and protein. Eat protein only with vegetables. Eat fruit alone. Try skipping the bread altogether, or switch to gluten-free. “Food For Life” is my favorite brand. Eat lettuce wraps instead of sandwiches.

Many people can wean off acid blockers by going on the right digestive enzymes. If you have an ulcer, don’t add hydrochloric acid, but use enzymes that contain amylase, protease and lipase. Most of us need more digestive help, not less.

Try to slow down when you eat. If you arrive at a party stressed and hungry, have some water first. Take some deep breaths. Nibble on something and wait a bit for your blood sugar to come up so you don’t binge. There is a long month of feasting ahead. Decide beforehand what kinds of things you will indulge in. For example, choose bread or dessert, but not both.

Holiday pleasures can come in small doses, and digestive enzymes will help you keep up with the feasting. This way you can spread some Holiday cheer in the direction of your digestion. Your stomach will be merrier for it.

Did You Know That Most People Have Parasites?

If you eat sushi or you have pets, chances are you have parasites. Some odd skin rashes can be caused by parasites in the blood. Acne on the cheeks is often parasite-related.

We all have trillions of organisms in our bodies. In fact, there are nine times more “buggies” in our bodies than human cells. Maybe Jeff Goldblum in “The Human Fly” wasn’t so far off!

Most of the organisms are not only helpful, but absolutely vital. That is why the overuse of antibiotics to kill pathogens is such a bad idea. Too many of the good guys die, the vital ones, die in the process.

Those organisms that just take, take, take and don’t give anything back, are the parasites. Too many of those and they can even make the host sick but robbing them of essential nutrients and wreaking havoc in the gut and blood, or other organs.

Your immune system can get rid of parasites in a few ways. Sufficient stomach acid may kill them. Your white blood cells attack them, when they are recognized. And certain enzymes can destroy them. Watch here to see a healthy immune system going after a parasite. http://imgur.com/gallery/YQftVYv

Herbal medicines have been used for centuries to get rid of parasites. And eating healthy whole foods makes an internal environment that is less inviting to parasites. Of course, parasites and funguses love junk food and sugar.

You can do a parasite cleanse any time, by taking the right supplements and making sure your stomach is digesting well. It’s a good idea to do a parasite cleanse once a year. A good detoxification program can help, also. We can send you a booklet about our favorite program. No fasting, just lots of whole foods and supplements that help you feel energetic as you lose bloat, parasites, and weight (if needed.)

You can also increase your white cell response to parasites, fungus, virus and bacteria, and even rogue cells like cancer cells. That means that your defenses are up against any invaders that make it into your blood. Congaplex, Thymex, Immuplex, Cataplex ACP, Ashwaganda, Astragalus, Echinacea or Andographis are all good choices for general immune health, and some combination of these will pull you out of a health crisis.

Why does the flu season start with Halloween and continue through the Holidays? Certainly the change in weather is a factor. But the increase in sugar consumption also plays a role. White blood cells are far less proactive after we consume sugar.

Learning to co-exist with the tiny creatures that live in our bodies, and all around us, is a lesson that Western medicine needs to learn. We cannot afford to continue on the same path, because we are killing off our own immune systems. But we can selectively eliminate the trouble makers, which makes the rest of the immune system stronger. 

Gluten-free Pumpkin Desserts

How do you enjoy the Holidays? Do you have a plan to keep the balance between pleasure and over-indulgence? I don't believe in counting calories and I do believe that food should be a celebration of life, loved ones and sharing.

Here is what I suggest, in case you don't already have a plan in place to handle the avalanche of tempting sweets and sheer abundance of food. Set high standards for yourself. Decide that you will not eat cheap processed imitation foods, but indulge in real food prepared masterfully so that it is truly a pleasure to eat, and won't bankrupt your health in the process.

Check the labels, avoid high fructose corn syrup and chemicals as much as you can. Spoil yourself with real butter. Try to use raw or coconut sugar when you bake and notice the difference in how you feel. Pile on the protein and veggies whenever you can so that your blood sugar stays balanced. Drink lots of water. Take walks often and eat slowly.

For a holiday scent in the house, put drops of essential oils of cinnamon or peppermint in a spray bottle of water and mist the air. This will give you a lift, and help you avoid artificial scents, which are toxic to the liver.

I absolutely love pumpkin, so I wanted to share a couple of my favorite recipes, that are a nice gluten-free change from pumpkin pie.

Pumpkin is a good source of vitamin A, has vitamin C, magnesium and potassium.[i] At only 30 calories per cup, it is very beneficial, and one of my favorites. I love anything pumpkin. But I am also avoiding gluten these days, so I had to figure out how to have my pie and eat it, too, so to speak.

For a beautiful presentation, to delight your guests, try the Pumpkin Trifle Parfait. Serve it in individual stemmed glasses or show off the layering, or a footed Trifle bowl, if you have one. This is not low calorie, but you can make it sugar free or very low sugar by using stevia or coconut sugar or xylitol. Stevia goes well with spicy desserts because the spices disguise the slight bitterness. You can opt for flavored stevia, such as English Toffee, Hazelnut, Vanilla Cream, or even Chocolate to add variety to the final taste.

Pumpkin Trifle Parfait

2 cups whipping cream (organic)

Vanilla

8 oz Marscapone cheese (or substitute full fat cream cheese, softened with 2 TBL cream)

1 cup Pumpkin

3 TBL raw sugar, or coconut sugar, or Stevia

1 TBL dark rum

1-2 TBL pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and all spice)

Mix pumpkin with the cheese, pumpkin pie spice and 2 TBL sugar or Stevia until well-blended.

Beat the whipping cream with ½ tsp Vanilla, 1 TBL dark rum and 1 TBL sugar or Stevia.

Spoon the pumpkin cheese mixture into stemmed glass in 4 alternate layers with the whipped cream mixture, ending with a dollop of whipped cream on top. Sprinkle with a dash of cinnamon, if desired.

You may add roasted chopped pecans to the layers, white chocolate chips or ginger snap cookie crumbs (look for gluten-free ginger snaps), for additional taste and texture.

Pumpkin Cobbler (with gluten-free options)

Adapted from tasteandtellblog.com

Bake at 350° in 2 qt baking dish for about 40 minutes or until center is set.

1 can Pumpkin

1 cup evaporated milk, or substitute coconut creamer

2 eggs lightly beaten

½ cup brown or raw sugar

½ cup raw or coconut sugar (can substitute xylitol or Stevia for all or some of the sugar)

¼ cup flour or coconut flour

1-2 TBL Pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and all spice blend)

½ tsp salt

Topping

3/4 cup flour or coconut flour

7 tsp sugar (or one of the substitutes listed above)

¼ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

2 TBL organic butter

½ cup butter milk or coconut creamer  (add 1 TBL lemon juice to milk and let stand for a few minutes to make buttermilk)

Serve warm with vanilla ice-cream or vanilla coconut-cream ice-cream. For a no-sugar version look for SoDelicious brand with Stevia.

[i] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/04/pumpkin-health-benefits_n_1936919.html