Deja Vu…

Strange deja vu moment today.

Back in September, right after my son had surgery, I wrote this post  about the government wanting to put restrictions on supplements.

And here we are again, shortly after his second surgery, and I get ANOTHER email request to take action and call government officials.

Clearly we need to stop the surgeries 🙂

This is an excerpt I got today from a Know the Cause email, written by Doug Kaufmann:

“I’m concerned that we have a dilemma on our hands with the FDA accepting funds from pharmaceutical companies – those whom they should be governing rather than commingling with. At the very least, this represents a blatant conflict of interest. At worst, I am concerned that this improper relationship between our FDA and the pharmaceutical companies may be one of the very reasons that our FDA is now considering imposing legislation against the freedoms we enjoy in health food stores…”

I’m flabbergasted.  Why the FDA would want to partner up with the big pharm companies is beyond me.  No wait.  I do get it.  I just don’t agree with the money-driven motive…

This is the way I see it….Big pharm companies are annoyed that they can’t patent (and sell at a ridiculously inflated price) naturally occuring supplements/minerals, etc. like Chlorella. So they partner up with the FDA, slip this government agency some $$$, and buying supplements (that these pharmaceutical companies can’t make any money off of) becomes much more difficult. Does anyone else smell a skunk?

ANYWAY, there is a link to voice your concern:

http://www.anh-usa.org/fda-food-detention-powers-endanger-food-and-supplements (scroll down to the last paragraph right before the facebook share button and click on that link…it’ll bring you to a demographic form and prewritten letter.)

BUT the comments are only accepted through tomorrow–Friday, 12/2/11. So please don’t save this for a better time. Take 2 minutes and do it right now 🙂  This is a big deal!

 

Are Colds Inevitable?

Remember when I mentioned that I hardly ever get sick anymore?

I should have knocked on some wood.  I got a cold this week.

I didn’t actually get it, I received it. From the kind lady sitting next to me on my flight to Vancouver who liked to share her life story.  And her germs.  A big ol sneeze in my face.  Really?!

Anyway, the cold manifested itself the day after I landed.  Had I been at home, I have quite a few things I try when I feel like I’ve been exposed to cold germs or may be coming down with something:

• Zinc
• Elderberry
• Vitamin C
• Oregano
• Olive leave nasal spray
• Extra rest
• Make sure my diet is on track

The  supplements are all sitting in a clear storage box, standing at the ready, waiting to be used (which isn’t all that often).  And they usually dramatically help the situation and the cold doesn’t develop into a full-blown situation.

BUT, I was traveling and didn’t imagine the great need for cold remedies on a 4 day trip.  So they were at home. Useless to me.

When I went to the Canadian pharmacy, the only items I felt comfortable buying were Vitamin C and a small tube of Vaseline for my Rudolph nose.  And a bunch of those pocket-size Kleenix packages.

Had I been visiting for longer, I would have let the cold run its course.  But because my return flight was 48 hours later, I needed to speed up the process. (Have you ever flown with a cold? Wow, your ears feel like they just want to explode!)

So I turned to over-the-counter meds. Not my favorite option usually, but I needed relief.  Fast!

The pharmacist recommended Dristan (Afrin), which I’m not usually a fan of (there’s a rebound effect with this medicine and it isn’t safe to take more than a day or two in a row), but desperate times call for desperate measures. I also loaded up on my vitamin C and oregano (since I never leave home without it!). My colds have a tendency to go deeper into my chest (perhaps because of my history with asthma?) and the oregano helps to prevent that from happening. It’s also an anti-viral, and colds are viruses, so it’ll help clear it out faster too.

I got home on the red-eye this morning. And the good news is that my ears are still attached to my body.  It was rather painful on the quick descent on the first leg, but then I took some Motrin and that seemed to help for the second leg of my journey.

So what’s the takeaway message here?

Prevention.  When you’re traveling, make sure to wash your hands often (especially before eating or rubbing your eyes), and if you’re seated next to someone with an obvious cold, you might even move to a different seat if your flight isn’t full.  (I would have, but the plane was at capacity.)  And get plenty of rest before you go on your trip since a sleep debt is a contributing factor to how well your immune system will react under pressure.  (My sleep before the trip was average at best.  This, I’m sure, contributed to the severity of the cold.)

And next time I’ll bring my cold remedies. If I bring them I won’t need them. Kind of like an umbrella.

Oh.  And I will be practicing my dodge and duck reflexes to avoid this situation in the future!

Do you have any vitamins, supplements, remedies you use when you feel a cold coming on?

 

My Bare Essential Supplements and Vitamins

I am going on a trip.  On Tuesday.  To a different country! 

As I’m making lists of items not to be forgotten, I got a little stuck when it came to supplements and vitamins.  I don’t take any prescription medications for my asthma or PCOS anymore, but I rely on supplements and vitamins (and of course a healthy diet) to keep me healthy and strong. And I take more than most.

Here is my bare essential list so far:

• Multi-vitamin
• Probiotic
• Vitamin D
• Calcium/Magnesium
• Co-Q10
• Astaxanthin
• B-12
• Oregamax and Oreganol

I am also bringing some supplements for blood sugar as my PCOS is usually under control at home, but I have less control over my diet when I travel, so better safe than sorry!

These are the ones I take everyday, without exception. (Except the oregano…those are on an as-needed basis.)  I feel GOOD on this particular regimen.  Along with my diet, these are keeping me healthy as most people in my neck of the woods are starting to gets sniffles and coughs.

So here are some questions for YOU:  For those who travel (solely with carry-on baggage) with supplements/vitamins (not RXs), do you leave the pills in the bottles, or do you stick them in a ziplock bag? And what about the gelcaps? They’re technically liquid, so do you put them in your 1 qt liquid bag? What vitamins and supplements are you sure to have in YOUR suitcase?

Strangely, on airline websites, travel blogs, and other areas for information, this particular topic has varied answers, which surprises me since rules for travel these days are pretty strict.

Hopefully I can figure this out in the next 36 hours 🙂 

 

 

 

 

 

But Supplements and Eating Healthy Are Expensive…

This is one of the primary reasons people tell me they can’t “do what I do.” But have you looked at what is costs to be in a hospital these days? OUCH!

I am going to attempt to show you there are ways to make your healthy living experience more manageable…

Let’s start with food:  Buy things that don’t come in a box.

Sounds too simple, but think about it.  The actual cardboard box costs money, but so do the pretty pictures and catch phrases that were paid for with a big marketing budget (not to mention the commercials to get that favorite cereal/snack/pizza box in your line of vision). These costs are factored into the price YOU pay at the register.

And things that come in boxes are PROCESSED, many times with ingredients you can’t pronounce. Box-free=Healthier. (Exception: my boxes of quinoa from Trader Joes…those are healthy. I’m not fond of the loose bins where you can buy grains/nuts/spices…They are not emptied and cleaned out regularly and they aren’t all that sanitary either.)

So pick fresh fruits and vegetables, herbs and spices, meat, eggs, some cheese, etc…basically all the foods on the perimeter of the store. They are healthier and aren’t marked up like the prepackaged items. I daresay if you do your “normal” shopping trip for the week and one with just these items, you’ll pay about the same.  The only big difference is that you won’t have snack foods for the late night munchies 🙂

If Whole Foods (or as many call it “Whole Paycheck”) is out of your league for everyday shopping (join the club!), try Trader Joes. My little sister, Megan, is a fellow blogger and pretty much talks about TJ like it’s a person, one of her favorite people 🙂 They have organic fruits and veggies (a package of organic carrots is .89), grass-fed beef (5.99/lb) and organic free range chicken and eggs, at a fraction of the price of WF.

And I don’t eat out very much. Not only are restaurants marking up their prices on the food because of the exquisite recipes and delightful ambiance, but they aren’t usually using the quality of food that I eat at home (read: grass-fed, organic, etc.) A dinner out with my husband or a night of take out usually equals a weeks worth of groceries at Trader Joes. I’m a math tutor, so I know which one makes more sense!

As for vitamins and supplements:

• Online prices are usually much lower than store prices, so use sites like RetailMeNot.com to see if there are any discount codes for the stores that sell your supplements
• Get the App “Scandit” and scan bar codes for your favorite supplements (or any product) and it’ll tell you where to find it for the cheapest price (I use this one for kids’ toys too 🙂 [FREE]
• Join the Vitamin Shoppe Healthy Rewards Club and get money back each year to spend in the store [FREE]
• Join Ebates (I LOVE Ebates) which gives you a % cash back for shopping at 800+ stores (i.e. the Vitamin Shoppe is 6% back) and will tell you any discount/free shipping codes for each site (I’ve been a member for several years, and haven’t seen any downside or catch…just over $700 back so far!? But when the kids were little, I did almost all of my shopping online) ANYWAY, if you use this link, they’ll start you with $5 in your account (and give me $5 too 🙂 Everybody wins! [FREE]
  http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=mvrffye8ss1ijWUeXug%2Bpg%3D%3D
• Perhaps the wisest advice I can give is to do an assessment of the supplements and vitamins you’re currently taking (including ones you are thinking of adding to your regimen) and make sure you aren’t overlapping (which is not only expensive, but potentially hazardous to your health).  Many multi vitamins or “combo” vitamins will give you enough of your daily recommended allowance…except with Vitamin D. They usually only have 400IU and as you can see from an earlier post, this is a vitamin you don’t want to skimp on.

So besides these ideas, I’d like to plant another in your noggin: Prevention is usually easier (financially, emotionally and physically) than curing an ailment.   Wouldn’t you rather pay a little more for better quality foods and supplements that you know your body needs than wait for the ball to drop on your health sometime in the future? YOU are the only one that can take care of your health. Be proactive!

I’ll step down now from my soapbox 🙂 Happy shopping!

What’s your best tip for saving some $$ in your pursuit of good health?

I Wish the Government Would Stay Away From My “Medicine” Cabinet!

Sorry for the hiatus…my little guy had surgery on Friday and we were (kind of still are) knee-deep in recovery 🙂

When I resurfaced and checked email, I found this article from Dr. Mercola:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/09/13/fda-to-ban-new-supplements-and-classify-them-like-food-preservatives.aspx?e_cid=20110913_DNL_art_1

Apparently the FDA wants to ban supplements.

Personally, I don’t appreciate it when people I don’t know tell me what to do, especially when it comes to my health. And when I have successfully treated my ailments (including a biggie like asthma), I am not only scared that I won’t be able to take care of my health but worried/annoyed that others won’t have the same opportunity to help themselves to better health.

So, I’ve made my voice heard. I’ve contacted my local representatives and hope that many (many) others will as well.

There was a very similar scenario back in 1994.  The people rebelled and contacted their local officials and the FDA backed off. Until now.

Will you sit back and do nothing? Or spend 5 minutes contacting your representatives? At the end of the Mercola article, there is a link to find your representatives’ contact info, talking points and even an email template (although rumor has it calls and faxes make the most impact). Let’s work together and make them back down AGAIN!

If for no other reason, it’ll put a damper on this blog! Without supplements to test out, you’ll be reading 101 blog posts about different broccoli preparations 🙂

The Benefits of Astaxanthin

I have a confession to make.

I can’t actually pronounce Astaxanthin.  I sound a bit absurd going into the Vitamin Shoppe and babbling syllables over and over again until one of the staff shushes me (nicely, of course) and points me in the right direction.

Sure, if you’re looking at the word, you can slowly sound out the syllables (“as tuh xan thin”). But I don’t usually shop with note cards.

ANYWAY, here’s the scoop.  Astaxanthin is a dye naturally made by marine algae.  When salmon, shellfish and flamingoes eat this algae, it gives them their pink color.

Studies show that this supplement:

• Can cross the blood-brain barrier (getting through the layer of cells around your brain and flushes toxins which contribute to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS, multiple sclerosis, and lupus)
• Can improve eye health and slows macular degeneration
• Is anti-inflammatory
• Is a powerful antioxidant
• Increases strength and endurance
• Boosts immune system
• Reduces the risk for cardiovascular disease
• Can help carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms
• Can ease allergy symptoms
• Has no known side effects
• Acts like a natural sunscreen

Since astaxanthin is fat soluble, it must be taken with a meal (that includes fat) so your body will absorb it.

If you’re re-evaluating the supplements you’re taking, ask your doctor if this one would be good to add to your regimen.

But remember that without changing your lifestyle and diet, you won’t be able to reap the full benefit of added supplements 🙂

One of THE Most Important Vitamins

Did you know that when you have healthy levels of this vitamin, it’s virtually impossible to get a cold or the flu…and with even higher levels, it can potentially prevent and treat cancer and heart disease?

Can you guess what it is?

Nope, not Vitamin C.

Not Zinc either (zinc is actually a mineral, so not in the running for this contest).

It’s Vitamin D.  Surprised?

Vitamin D is vital for a healthy immune system, calcium absorption, regulating inflammation, and decreasing the risk of chronic disease.

There have been studies that link these diseases and medical issues with a Vitamin D deficiency:

• Parkinson’s
• High blood pressure and arterial stiffness
• Cancer (and research has showen that cells are killed by high enough levels of Vitamin D)
• Asthma
• Depression
• Ricketts
• Osteoarthritis
• Type 2 Diabetes (and studies show that infants who get Vitamin D supplementation reduce their risk by 80% of developing Type I diabetes over the next 20 years)
• Schizophrenia
• Multiple sclerosis
• Colds and flu

The good news is that with adequate levels, many conditions will improve.  But just because this is a remarkable vitamin does NOT mean it has super-hero abilities.  If you have some of these very serious issues and think a bottle of Vitamin D will make you 100% well, remember that there are other factors that need to be addressed before optimal health is achieved.

Your diet. Clean it up!  No sugar (feeds cancer cells) or flour (turns into sugar when metabolized). Cut down on your sodium intake and eliminate artificial sweeteners. You can read more about the diet that I subscribe to here. And exercise.  Exercise affects every system in your body, helps to build muscle, manage weight, releases a “feel good” hormone.

The next step is to get your Vitamin D level checked through a blood test.  There is a specific test that you should ask your doctor for (it has become the standard test for many physicians, but always good to ask).  It is 25(OH)D.

Here are the appropriate levels of Vitamin D according to Dr. Mercola:

• <50 ng/ml                      Deficient
• 50-70 ng/ml                  Optimal
• 70-100 ng/ml                Treat cancer and heart disease
• >100 ng/ml                    Excess

Mine was 17. (No wonder I could catch a cold just by watching a Puffs Plus commercial!)  My boys’ levels were about 40.

It is estimated that about 40-70% of the population is deficient in Vitamin D.  (Even on the low end, that’s a pretty high number.)  76% of pregnant woman are Vitamin D deficient (which predisposes both mom and infant to the ailments listed above).

So now we all take Vitamin D3 supplements (here is a study about D2 verses D3) and I’m happy to report that I have gotten just one cold since starting the supplementation two years ago…and I still believe it was because my youngest sneezed so close to my face that the cold germs could literally crawl up my nose 🙂  Sorry.  Too much information?

I do also try to also use good old sunshine during the warmer months (which we know are few in Chicago).

There is so much information about Vitamin D, this only scratches the surface. But if it motivates you to get your level checked, then I’ve done what I set out to do!

Supplements and Surgery

If you’re reading this blog, you’re probably familiar with some types of supplements (unless you stumbled on this site on your way to goodsnacksgoodtreats.com).

And if you’ve developed a supplement regimen with your physician, you’re probably on the right track.

But what happens when you need surgery? Doctors often ask about prescriptions medications you are taking, but don’t always ask about the herbal supplements you may be taking.  Here are some (not an exhaustive list, by any means) that you should tell your surgeon about and discontinue at least 2 weeks prior to surgery:

• Echinacea–can have drug interactions, could interfere with wound healing
• Ephedra–causes hypertension, palpitations, tachycardia
• Fish Oil–can cause bleeding problems
• Garlic–can thin the blood, can cause hypotension
• Gingko–thins the blood
• Ginseng–can thin the blood, cause hypoglycemia, can have drug interactions
• Goldenseal–can have drug interactions
• Kava–can make waking up from anesthesia difficult, can have drug interactions
• Licorice–can have drug interactions
• St. John’s Wort–can make waking up from anesthesia difficult, can cause photosensitivity
• Valerian root–can make waking up from anesthesia difficult, can have drug interactions

Each of these has been shown to help certain issues. St. John’s Wort is used for depression. Kava is used as a sleeping aid. Valerian root can help with anxiety and sleep issues.

But supplements, while often times healthy on their own, besides causing the issues listed above, can change the absorption and elimination of conventional drugs.

BUT there are supplements and vitamins that are actually ENCOURAGED prior to and following surgery:

• CO Q-10–taken prior to surgery, CO Q-10 may improve outcomes and the likelihood of normal heart rhythm in recovery; taken post-op, CO Q-10 can strength the heart muscle and help with free radical damage
• Vitamin A–required for cell growth, production of connective tissue and growth of new blood vessels
• Vitamin C–aids the body in producing wound-healing collagen and elastin, boosts immune system
• Vitamin E–helps to stop fatty acids from building up in the arteries (atherosclerosis), improvement in heart function following surgery, neutralizes free radicals
• Zinc–helps wounds heal faster, helps in the production of collagen

So in the event that you have a scheduled surgery coming up, be sure to tell your surgeon about the prescription, over-the-counter medications and herbal supplements you are taking. It could make a significant difference in your surgery outcome and recovery. And ask about the vitamins and supplements you should be taking after your surgery. It may help you to heal even faster.  Good luck with your surgery and here’s to a speedy recovery!

The Benefits of Cinnamon

When I think of cinnamon, I can smell the cinnamon buns my great-grandmother used to make and the cinnamon toast I ate nearly every day before school (on Wonder Bread, no less).

But now my life is (nearly) wheat- and yeast-free. Do I bid a fond farewell to my jar of cinnamon?

Definitely not!  After learning that cinnamon could be beneficial with my PCOS diagnosis, I started to research this aromatic spice.  Little did I know how healthy it could be. Did you know that cinnamon:

• Is high in calcium, iron, manganese and fiber
• Is antifungal and inhibits growth of candida albicans
• Is antibacterial and can get rid the intestines of germs
• Is anti-inflammatory and can act as a muscle relaxant
• Helps lower LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol)
• Helps to regulate blood sugar by helping the body to use the insulin in a more effective way (helpful for Type 2 diabetics)
• Is a digestive aid for indigestion, nausea, morning sickness, gas, upset stomach
• Can help cognitive activity and memory loss (Wheeling Jesuit University study)…and the benefits can be found by just smelling cinnamon
• Been shown to reduce the growth of leukemia and lymphoma cells (Study by the US Department of Agriculture in Maryland)
• Can help with cramps–intestinal, menstrual and leg cramps
• Can be a natural birth control–it can delay menstruation after childbirth if taken regularly [But do not supplement with cinnamon if you are pregnant.]
• Removes impurities in the blood (which can help with pimples!)
• Acts as an insect repellent–use a few drops of cinnamon oil on a paper towel or ribbon to ward off the bugs

The oil can contain elements that are harmful and/or cause irritation or allergic reactions. Some people add it to their foods, but it seems to be used more widely as aromatherapy.

The cinnamon bought in grocery stores, usually Cassia, is often too old to be medicinal and may contain higher amounts of coumarin, which is an element that thins the blood and may harm your liver.  [If you are taking Coumadin or have any type of bleeding disorder, don’t supplement with cinnamon.] Certainly safe though for eating in dishes and sprinkled over hot cereal, but not what you want to supplement with.

If you want to get the full benefit in a safe way, look for powdered bark in capsules from a health or vitamin store. Or try to find Ceylon cinnamon which is the “pure” form and grind it up yourself.

This is probably more information than you ever thought you’d get about a little jar in your spice cabinet, right??  Is your mind spinning thinking about the rest of the spices in your kitchen? Patience friends…we’ll get to those too 🙂

So with all of the health benefits, it makes sense to incorporate this spice into the daily menu.  Cook some steel-cut oats for breakfast and add some cinnamon and a little stevia to sweeten it up. Or mix some in almond butter and spread on a green apple. (A much better afternoon snack that anything you can buy out of a vending machine!) Or try an Indian recipe for chicken masala…

What’s your favorite way to enjoy cinnamon? You know I’m always looking for healthy recipes 🙂

[And before I go, I’ll state the obvious again…I am not a cinnamon farmer, doctor or scientist, or any cinnamon type expert.  (I just research A LOT and take copious notes 🙂  Foods are be medicinal, so it is important to talk to your doctor before supplementing with cinnamon.]

Super Green: Spirulina and Chlorella

A year and a half ago, if you had asked me what Spirulina and Chlorella were, I would have guessed Cinderella’s step sisters.

But then my five year old had some complications after surgery for a ruptured appendix and Spirulina changed our lives.

It was December 23, 2009 and he was 6 weeks post-op with incredible pain and he had lost 20% of his body weight.  The doctors speculated adhesions, but had nothing to offer besides Tylenol, rest and desserts to fatten him up.

Eh? I’m sure I can do better than that.

So I called the local acupuncturist and hearing the desperation in my voice, coupled with the fact that it was 5 minutes before closing for the holiday, he recommended Spirulina and Chlorella over the phone.

After researching these supplements, I was amazed by all of the benefits! This article by Mike Adams (Consumer Wellness Research Center) is quite long, but if you’re like me, you’ll read it in one sitting. These are truly super foods.  Spirulina and Chlorella are:

• A wonderful source of protein (12x more digestible protein than beef)
• Able to provide every vitamin we should be consuming in a natural form
• Being used for people with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s to repair nerve damage
• Clinically proven to reverse cancer
• Super rich in essential fatty acids (like GLA)
• Able to reduce carb cravings by regulating blood sugar
• Shown to improve survival rates after chemotherapy
• Able to protect you from environmental toxins (like pesticides) that we are bound to eat with today’s conventional diet
• Grown in any climate…could be an excellent source of food to end global malnutrition.
• Would cost $100/gram if drug companies could patent it…but it’s natural, so they can’t!

It would be silly for me to bullet point every health benefit of Spirulina and Chlorella…I’d probably run out of disk space. Read the article and you’ll want to go out on your lunch break and buy some!

2 things to keep in mind when choosing Spirulina and Chlorella: where they are grown and manufactured and how much Vitamin A (and other vitamins they contain).  Just like buying food, toys, etc., there are certain countries you should be weary of buying supplements from. And when you read the suggested dose in the article (determined by your weight), you will likely take 7 or 8 times what the bottle recommends for your daily allowance.

So back to my son…I gave him the dose recommended for a child every day for a week. And guess what? We started to see him willingly get off the couch. He even started talking about going back to school!

After a month, he was good as new.  Now, I can’t say that they were totally responsible for the pain going away (it may have gone away on its own eventually), but I believe it did something pretty amazing for him. If nothing else, these green foods helped to remove the effects of radiation from the body (he had 8 X-rays and 2 CT Scans in the hospital).

Ask you doctor about incorporating these super foods into your diet. I can only say good things about them. They are truly perfect foods.

[Note: If you have intestinal issues, be cautious in using Chlorella as it can cause diarrhea in some people…]