I’ll be the first to tell you I love coffee.

And I get a little sparkle in my eye when I admit it. My lips will curl up slightly and my voice deepens, betraying my deep appreciation (or addiction, if you insist upon labeling it that way).

Coffee, however, does not do well in my system. I began drinking espresso when I was 15. Mom always used to tell me it would stunt my growth, but I had largely stopped growing a few years beforehand so I didn’t hold much credence to it. Coffee was the media through which I connected with friends in high school and my father when he would come and pick me up from school. It was a warm creamy beverage that took the Alaskan chill out of my bones. My mother ordered fancy flavored coffees through the mail and had that creepy artificial creamer that came in fancy flavors as well.

By time I hit college, I peaked with 32 ounces of drip coffee in the morning to get me through the double whammy of biology and chemistry back to back beginning at 7:30 or 8am. Then I rotated between 24 ounces of drip and a double shot in the afternoon. Or a quadshot if I was working back-to-back shifts and studying. My body began complaining a lot. I had PMS, random panic attacks, and any additional stressors would cause me to hit stationary objects with my vehicle. (not intentionally!) I began having stomach problems; it was receiving so much acid it realized it didn’t need to make its own anymore!

(more…)

The pinnacle of the average distance runner’s acheivement is the Boston marathon. Boston has the longest consecutively running marathon in history (this is its 113th year). To enter, you must qualify by running a marathon at a certain speed within the previous year.

I *never* thought I’d qualify for Boston. Seriously. the best I had hoped for was to stay injury-free and not slow with age so that I could make it after I turned 45.  I’ve always been a pretty conservative runner because I value the peace and accomplishment I get from running too much to have my body give out on me and force me into retirement. I’m much rather get sick of running and choose something else (like Roller Derby!) than have my body give out while my mind still thrived on it.

Lo and behold, last May an incredible thing happened. The weather was right, the course was right, the support I received was more than I had ever had before. I raced a marathon like I had never raced it. I was like a cheetah, fast and strong and having the time of my life (a cheetah on catnip, maybe?). I ran 45 seconds per mile faster than I had previously raced in 3 marathons, suddenly acquiring not only a wicked Personal Record (or PR in runner’s lingo) but the Golden Ticket to Boston.

15 years early, at that!

I could hardly believe this gift! I had not even realized it until I was on my way home. In my head I confused the qualifying time and thought I had been 4 minutes shy of it. This is the power of disbelief!

So I have been waiting for Boston. I have trained and run since then, and here I am 5 weeks shy of flying to the east coast to run in the runner’s event.

…And I am canceling my flight.

Significantly cutting back on my training

…and waiting until next year.

This is NOT an easy decision to make. I will not candy-coat it by telling you it is anything less than absolutely (insert favorite expletive ending in -ly here).

It is not injury that has me sidelined. It is not a lack of accommodations, or schedule conflicts. It is the messages my body is telling me. The messages I know not to ignore, because I see how ignoring the signals affects other runners I have run with over the years.

While I am not injured, my body is exhibiting signs of not being ready. I’m taking too long to recover from training runs, my stamina is lessened and other life stressors have depleted extra reserves necessary for accumulating those miles properly. I sense that, if I chose to keep going and push through the fatigue for the Idea(l) in my head, I could very well end up injured. My body is telling me that 19 miles is a bit too much right now.

In hindsight, Boston would be my third marathon in 12 months. That is something I have never done before, and I may not have the solid base miles under me yet to hold that kind of load. These last two marathons came after an 18 month reprieve from marathons and I came back really strong. But that strength and power and excitement I experienced in Eugene last May is not with me.

So I have to say no. In good conscience, it is my only choice.

You are welcome to send flowers.

The reason I choose to share this with you is because sometimes the right thing is the thing that does not feel good in the moment.  It’s kind of like being a good parent. Discipline is sometimes a situation in which parent and child both feel crummy, but it is important for reasons not immediately experienced.

This situation is applicable to most aspects of health and well-being.  Limiting the Starbucks drive-through may feel like deprivation, but the reward in seen later the wallet and waistline. Holding off on fast-food in general is less convenient and may result in some whining from the backseat, but the rewards in health care savings, energy, and lifelong vitality far outweigh any Supervalue meal.

More commonly, having the awareness to recognize when to stop eating, when to go to the gym anyway, when to say ‘no’ and when to take a risk allow us to live our lives with fewer regrets, greater satisfaction, and feeling of control and competence even though it can be a pain in the butt and a lot of hard work to hone that skill.

But I’d rather postpone Boston for a year than mark it as the end of my running career, or come back and humbly confess to my running group that I did not stop when I should have. (yes – there is some pride at stake, here!)

How about you?

What has internal discipline given you? Did you ever ignore the messages and what was the outcome? Have you cultivated that awareness or does it still like a mystery?

I began the work in a final attempt to come to peace with food and to learn a new way of coping with life so that I did not turn to bowls of popcorn and tortilla chips, chastise myself for it, and repeat the habit the next time I was overwhelmed. What I gained from devoting myself to learning it over the following two years was profound.

• I became more in touch with what I was feeling and more clear in expressing myself.
• I was able to see the pattern and break it before I engaged in it. When I did engage in it, I recovered more quickly and compassionately than I ever had been capable of before.
• My ability to work within the stresses of day-to-day life skyrocketed-now there is very little panicking, getting frustrated, or feeling trapped! 
• I witnessed others doing the work with me also experience greater calm and joy in their lives as they became well-versed in their internal world and learned to choose different responses.

The numerous small and large ways in which it has affected me cannot be measured. My heart is lighter, I can laugh at myself more, and I have come to peace with how much of life has unfolded.  Last year I began training to become a provider for this Method myself, so that I can share these skills with others who are looking for less stress and greater joy in their lives.
With so much seemingly out of control these days, having an internal safe haven is paramount to getting through the rough patches with our hair and wits intact!

I encourage you to learn a bit more about the Method, and look for more information on telegroups and individual coaching from VIBRANCE to appear in the next few weeks. Wired for Joy, the 6 week introductory course to the Solution Method, will begin in early May.
If you are interested in registering for Wired for Joy or wish to begin individual coaching now, please contact me at aimee@vibrancenutrition.com or by calling 206-227-1231

For more information on Developmental Skills Training and the Solution method, please click here and here.

I also highly recommend the book The Pathway, by Laurel Mellin – developer of the Solution Method.

This post is part of FoodRenegade’s Fight Back Fridays, a blog carnival promoting the Real Food Revolution

Herbs have been used for centuries to not only flavor our meals, but to provide powerful medicine to keep the body healthy and strong. Below are some of the medicinal properties of herbs commonly used in cooking. Growing fresh herbs in your home is a wonderful way to not only give your food spectacular flavor, but boost your immune system, prevent food poisoning, and give your body powerful plant medicine!

Bon appetite!

Oregano: oregano is a strong antimicrobial, antiviral and antifungal. The aromatic oils in this herb offer natural food preservation due to these qualities, and have been used for thousands of years to treat bad breath, arthritis, cough, wounds, and bacterial & fungal infections. Oregano also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant qualities as well and may prevent cellular damage.

Basil: Basil is great for cardiovascular health, promoting lowering of cholesterol, stable blood sugar, and supporting the body’s ability to cope with stress. It contains triterpenoids (similar to ginseng, eleuthero) giving the body resistance to internal and external stressors. It has sedative, calming qualities and is often prescribed to alleviate anxiety (Holy Basil specifically is renowned for this). Traditionally it has been used for stomach aches, nausea, mouthwash, headaches, urinary complaints, and healing infection. Like oregano, it contains many antimicrobial properties and has powerful amounts of antioxidants.

Rosemary: a natural mood booster and energizer, rosemary has been used in aromatherapy for centuries to facilitate memory and boost mood. Medicinally, this herb have been used to soothe and facilitate the digestive tract and reduce anxiety. In ancient times, many Western cultures wrapped their meat in rosemary to retard spoilage. Rosemary can also be added to oils and used to massage achiness out of sore muscles.

Sage: Crushed leaves can be applied to wounds to speed healing. Sage is also reputed to be a powerful antiperspirant. It is the sacred cleansing herb of the Native Americans and is used to cleanse both body and environment of physical and spiritual impurities. Sage tea helps regulate menses and the herb in cooking helps reduce inflammatory conditions (arthritis, asthma, arterial damage). It also has been shown to improve brain function (citation)

Cayenne: as anyone who has tasted it knows, cayenne is potent! It has a strong ability to bring circulation and movement to the body, benefiting the joints (it’s an ingredient in many arthritis creams), heart, and speeding healing. Cayenne can be sprinkled in your socks on a cold day to keep your feet warm and is an essential addition to natural cold and flu therapies. It helps expel mucus from the body, kill infections and stimulates saliva and stomach secretions to improve overall digestion.

Cilantro: this herb is commonly seen in salsas and guacamole. Like the other medicinal plants listed here, cilantro is a great digestive assistant and reduces gas. It has been used traditionally to ease anxiety and (for what it is worth) one study with mice supports this. (Can we rule out the placebo effect here?) In the United States, the leaves of this plant are known as cilantro, its seeds are known as coriander.  Dodecenal, a compound found in the fresh leaves, is shown to kill the Salmonella bacteria. It seems logical that its popularity occurs in regions where heat (Mexico, India) cause rapid spoilage.

To get started on your own indoor herb garden, click here!

This weekend I began coaching a group with Club 26.2 for the AFC Half marathon and as I was introducing myself I realized (and shared) that I have been running for a decade now.

That’s amazing!
I can hardly believe it’s been 10 years of solid, consistent running! (Wait — is this a sign I’m getting old?)

Reflecting on the ways running has enhanced my life, I’m offering 10 lessons I have learned in the last 10 years that i may not have learned if I hadn’t been lacing up my shoes and hitting the roads…

10) How You Train is No Indication of How You Will Race: You can train perfectly and have a terrible race due to circumstances beyond your control. Likewise, you can feel totally unprepared for a race and set a personal best. Life is full of surprises – don’t set your expectations in stone!

9) Cold isn’t Always a Bad Thing: I grew up in Alaska and have vehemently hated cold weather. That said, running in the cool weather is much more pleasant than the heat of late summer. And believe it or not, ice baths are AWESOME. Take home lesson – everything has its place and time, be open to changing your mind sometimes.
Rest is Essential: I first learned this on the trail, then began to apply it in other areas of my life. Rest is mandatory, period. When you train too hard and neglect rest, all sorts of things happen. You become injured, grouchy, your immune system fails. When you refuse to rest in life (vacation, reasonable work hours, allowing time to play) you become grouchy, get carpal tunnel, and your immune system fails! A lot of us wait for forced rest in both personal and athletic lives – be it stress fractures,  a nasty virus we cannot ignore, or a full-blown heart attack. By choosing rest, we not only avoid unnecessary trauma, we also strategically prepare ourselves to rebuild and come back stronger. This is the purpose of tapering miles before a marathon. In other areas rest is essential to maintain our quality of life. I find when I take breaks with the seasons and allow myself vacations and weekends off I come back mentally prepared, inspired, and have better interactions all around.

7.) Don’t skimp on quality: When you cut corners on shoes and fuel, your training suffers. When your training suffers, you suffer. Take Home Message – be willing to give yourself quality to get the most out of what you love. The payback is well worth it.

6.) Body Knows Best – it holds all the answers and is never wrong. Running has gotten me in tune with the fine messages and signals my body sends me. Having this kind of relationship is precious. A healthy relationship between body and mind is as rewarding as a healthy relationship between horse and rider. Just as the rider can read the horse’s non-verbal cues, everyone can learn the clear, unique messages sent by the body. Miles and hours of solo time with my body and holding an inquisitive, curious approach to such signals has allowed me to discover how to best care for myself and stay active without significant injury, consistently improving race quality for a full decade.

5.) Little Changes Matter: A 100-calorie pack of gel can get you to the finish line; double-knotting your shoes saves a lot of hassle; the difference between 30 minutes and 50 minutes is huge when it comes to refueling and a tiny patch of moleskin can save 3 days of pain. Little adjustments can yield big results. This has become both how I live my life and guide my clients.

4.) Support Supercharges Everything: For my first race, my former husband was at the finish line. We had fought all weekend and he was there because he was expected to be. Despite 11 months of training and a nearly perfect regimen, that was the hardest race and recovery I have ever experienced in my life (the course was also a factor). For my last two marathons, I had friends cheering me along the course; they were there because they WANTED to be and were really excited for me. I have spent much of my running career flying solo when it comes to support, and have found that the camaraderie from training with a group and the support of friends and loved ones along the course and finish line to be energizing and inspiring in a way that no amount of training or fueling can offer. Likewise, having support from family, friends, or a group of similar people in all aspects of life allows us so much more endurance and tenacity than trying to do it all alone.  Having a cheer team doesn’t make you weak; it keeps you strong and allows you to bounce back from everything quicker and easier.

3.) Hills Make You Stronger: Part of the reason that first marathon was such a disaster was that I did no hill training. Hillwork (adversity, swimming upstream, going against the grain) strengthens you, makes you a better runner, and pushes your mental stamina as well. When you get to the top of the mountain or hill, you have a huge sense of accomplishment and a boost of awesome brain chemicals dopamine and endorphins, contributing to a sense of reward and that sought-after “runner’s high”. In life, this has translates to meeting adversity head-on and moving through challenges; running has made me more fearless and confident in life.

2.) Appreciate Your Body: Running has really reinforced how amazing the human body is. And the great news is that we each get one! Despite any perceived imperfections, it is strong, allows me to do so many wonderful things and has amazing powers of regeneration. It works for me to get back into balance when I make mistakes and always does its best to accommodate my (sometimes absurd) demands. My body is undeniably an amazing vehicle that transports me through this life and is deserving of the utmost care and consideration.

1.) Attitude is everything: How you talk to yourself will make or break your training and racing. Ultimately you are the only cheerleader that is with you every single, sweaty mile. For the hours you devote to exercise it is far more supportive to have positive, uplifting encouragement than a barking drill sergeant on your back.  As soon as my thoughts turn negative (“this is hard…I’m so out of shape…I should be faster/stronger”) my body starts to feel MORE weary and heavy; I’m more likely to throw in the towel early or call it quits all together! However, just some simple encouragement (“Look how far you have already gone! 1 mile left; anyone can run a mile!…You are staying strong and doing well! Almost there….”)This applies not only to training, but to all aspects of living joyfully.

For those of you who run – what has running taught you? What lessons have you gained in exercise that you have found apply in other areas as well?

What is it that motivates you to keep going when you get discouraged?

According to the most recent statistics offered by the American Heart Association, one in three American adults has one or more types of cardiovascular disease (high blood pressure, angina, heart attack history, heart failure and/or stroke). Over half of these individuals are under the age of 60. I personally find this information shocking and saddening. Heart disease is largely a disease of lifestyle choice – choices we make on a day-to-day basis culminating over time. The amount of suffering for these individuals and those who care about them cannot be measured.
Our culture has not been set up to combat this disease effectively. Reliance upon extreme measures (surgery and drugs) remain the norm and well-supported by current health plans, while remedies which have been proven to be the most effective (diet and exercise changes) remain ignored and unsupported in our culture.
There has been a call to step forward and begin to take responsibility as a nation on many levels. Our health is just one area which can make a profound difference and have a powerful ripple effect nation-wide – stemming from our personal sphere of family, friends and co-workers to a more national level of insurance policies, health care plans, and the medical and food industries.
Begin with small, powerful changes to improve your heart health. The shift that can happen for you is beyond transformational. It requires simple steps, but it can be difficult to implement within the context of one’s day-to-day life. This is where support from your health providers, family members, a personal trainer and various communities becomes essential. As a friend of mine says, “Together, we can do better.”

* Move a little bit every day: Park further away, take an after dinner stroll for 10 minutes, take the stairs instead of the elevator, enlist the help of a personal trainer. 30 minutes a day or more. It doesn’t have to be all at once! Alternatively,use a pedometer to keep track of how many steps you take in a day – aim for 10,000!
* Eat Your Greens! Green foods are powerful heart protectors. They are full of fiber, antioxidants and are low in calories, helping to shed excess weight. I have written much about greens and different ways to get them into one’s daily diet. A great book to get started is Greens, Glorious Greens.
* Reduce Meat Consumption: The frequency of and quality of our animal food consumption
in this country is not supportive for the health for our bodies or the planet. If you have cardiovascular disease, multiple sources of research point to the benefit or reducing or eliminating consumption of beef, pork, and even chicken from your diet. Traditional cultures with low risk of disease use animal foods as a condiment and flavoring rather than a main course. Try eating a vegetarian diet 50% of the time (or more) and reserving meat for special occasions. There are many ways to do this that can be satisfying, nutritionally-sound, and even decadent! The work of T. Colin Campbell, Dean Ornish, and John McDougall may be of interest to you. Also, take a vegetarian cooking class to learn more about how lovely meat-free eating can be!

* Stop Smoking: If you are a smoker, quitting smoking alone will radically improve your health. Do what you can to kick butt, being certain to implement stress-reduction techniques to help you stay smoke-free for the rest of your life.

* Bring in Reinforcements for Those Weak Spots: I have found in my practice that many people are diligent about one aspect of their health, but struggle with others. The expert dieter has a heck of a time sticking to an exercise regimen and the exercise enthusiasts struggle to keep their food streamlined. Regardless of your preference, it’s likely that you struggle with work-life balance, emotional nourishment, and adequate restoration. All these factors play into restoring your heart health. Reach out to those around you for support. If you need additional help, hiring a health professional or personal trainer to facilitate this transition can be a richly rewarding and empowering experience.

Seasonal Affective Disorder is a very real and common winter phenomenon. Historically we have called it the “winter blues” or “cabin fever”. I don’t doubt that its root is multi-faceted, but lack of sunlight hours in the winter months have a very strong and real impact on our physiology. The farther north one lives, the more likely one is to drive to work or school in the dark, sit in a building all day with artificially lighting, then drive back home afterward in the dark.

I grew up in Alaska and experienced severe seasonal affective disorder from the ages of 14 until I moved away at 22. It is what prompted me to get involved in exercise, as I found it to offer some relief from very debilitating depression. There were months where I saw very little sunlight because it was too cold to be outside or I would be sitting in windowless classrooms all day. Those of you who know me personally know I have a fairly strong response to cold, wintery behavior. This is partially in response to associating winter with such extreme emotional dispondency. At the time, all that was offered as a remedy was the new and exciting SSRI’s that Eli Lilly and other companies were manufacturing. I tried most of them at least once with varying degrees of relief.

Initially, I would like to say that a decrease in energy and vigor in the winter is PERFECTLY NORMAL. The world around us – plants and non-migratory animals – go into a state of dormancy or hibernation. Like them, we are an integral part of this cycle. Winter is a time of rest and reflection so that we have the reserves required for spring and summer’s bustle of activity. In our disconnection from nature’s cycles we have asked our body to continue with high productivity month after month and year after year. Our rest comes in the form of sick days and paid vacations. It is out of rhythm with the greater cycle we live in. This is, I believe, part of the reason why this condition has become so debilitating.

Older and wiser, I have found some non-pharmaceutical solutions to the winter blues. I am eternally grateful for exercise, the accidental discovery that gave me something to work with during my adolescence and has since become an integral part of my life and career. I have also found other tools over the years which are of benefit:

• Light Therapy: Sunlight affects our mood and energy by encouraging production of both melatonin and serotonin through messages sent from the retina to the brain. “Light boxes” simulate the intensity of sunlight on a clear spring day and can help normalize mood and sleep. I’ve also had clients benefit from dawn simulators to help with waking up in the morning.
• Taking Breaks during daylight hours: If you work in an environment which has little access to natural light, be sure to get out for 10-20 minutes a day while the sun is still up. It’s amazing how much of a boost a brisk walk can do mid-day.
• Get thee to thy local gym! If the weather is too crummy to be outside, get into the gym for three hours a week. The time you take for this will be returned in increased productivity, better moods, and decreased illness. Lift weights, watch the news while taking a brisk walk on the treadmill — just get your heart pumping and your blood moving. Hire a quality trainer or get an exercise buddy f you have trouble making it to the gym.
• Omega-3′s: A natural part of many diets in far-northern countries are high-doses of omega-3 fats from marine life. Cultural and laboratory studies demonstrate marked improvement from or absence of depressive symptoms when high doses of omega 3 fatty acids are consumed regularly. Dosage is dependent on symptoms; speak to a health professional knowledgable in nutrition and brain health for your specific needs.
• Expect Less of Yourself: This has been my most recent change and has really made a difference. Knowing that I am not seperate from the natural world around me has given me permission to slow down a bit from November through February. I do not expect as much from myself, I do not push myself and I allow more time for soothing, restorative activities: cooking, reading, having tea with loved ones, sleeping in a little more on weekends, and so on. Traditionally a Type A, this shift has taken some time to embrace but now that I have there is a lot less struggle in the winter months. Keep your appointment book a little more open for downtime, get a massage, sit in a cafe with a friend you’ve been dying to catch up with and re-connect.
• Monitor Yourself: Keep tabs on how you are doing. If you are trying to wean off of medication, make sure you have professional support to ensure a smooth transition. If you find that coming off of medication is not an option, the above suggestions can still be of benefit to you. Implement them as a means of not just surviving SAD, but moving through the season gracefully and pleasantly. You are not alone; upwards of 10% of northern populations experience symptoms.

I’d love to hear about your own persoanl experience with the winter blues and how you have worked with this season to stay happy, whole and healthy. Your ideas and suggestions may offer relief to someone struggling. Please comment below and share your experiences.

More Information:

Exercise and Depression
Omega-3-for-depression
http://www.mcmanweb.com/omega3.html
Light Therapy Products and SAD Information

Thanksgiving is about harvest and gratitude. We each contain many gifts which are the fruits of our experiences here on earth. Some are easy to reach — theya re inherent gifts and talents that come easy to us. Others we have access to but were grown through great challenges and labors. We also have high hanging fruits — talents and attributes we know are within us but feel difficult to reach at times.

What are some of your low-hanging fruits? You easy-to-pick, lush berries that are the effortless talents of your uniqueness?

What gifts have you been given as a result of challenges and hardships you have faced? These fruits are often very important to look at and acknowledge, for they counter the difficulties you experienced in growing them.
Finally, what attributes do you have that feel just out of reach or require greater effort to access? These fruits often inspire us to grow and stretch forward, to evolve to our highest self. They may be what we have always wanted and hoped for ourselves but do not reach for because they take a little extra effort.

Take a moment to write down all your fruits — low-hanging, hard won, and hard to reach. Be grateful for that which comes easy to you, the fruits of your more labourous adventures and the fruits which inspire you to stretch and grow to greater heights. These gifts are unique to you; they are your treasures to use and share as you please. This exercise can bring an awareness of the abundant gifts and talents you possess, the rewards for life’s struggles, and inspiration to grow into your best self in the upcoming year.

I was reviewing a lecture given by Walter Willet of Harvard University and he shared some really profound information about the power of food and lifestyle choices and disease risk. All the data shared here stems from the Nurse’s Health Studies. The Nurses’ Health Studies are among the largest and longest running investigations of factors that influence women’s health.

Researchers taking a  look at the information gathered over the last twenty years wanted to determine how significantly diet and activity can reduce modern diseases of our time. They chose to make their criteria fairly reasonable for the average person to follow, yet scientifically validated for disease reduction. Based on what is known, the following factors reduce heart disease and diabetes:

• A BMI of less than 25. Basically, this puts you at a reasonable weight for your height. A BMI slightly lower than this is optimal, but it was determined that it was fair to ask for Americans to strive for a BMI of 25 if they were not there already.
• Non-smokers. I needn’t explain this one.
• 30 minutes of exercise a day or more (brisk walking is a great example)
• Follow a good diet. What does this mean?

1. A Low Glycemic Diet. This is a dietary lifestyle that chooses foods which do not raise blood sugar rapidly. Whole grains, lean proteins and lots of fruits and vegetables. Basically a whole foods diet with little white sugar, white flour, white rice, soda or candy.
2. A diet reasonable in good fats and low in bat fats. The percentage of fat itself isn’t as important as the quality of fat. Diets high in trans fats (the kind of fat we see as “partially hydrogenated” or “hydrogenated” oils on labels) are far more lethal to the body than saturated fats found in lard, bacon, and palm oils.
3. Consume fish at least twice a week – cold water fish is high in omega-3 fats, which are cardio-protective as well as brain protective!
4. Meet the RDA for folate — folate reduces homocysteine levels, protecting one from heart disease.
5. A diet high in fiber – conveniently, this is also found in foods which have a low glycemic lload – whole grains, fruits, and veggies. The soluble fiber in apple and oatmeal is well known to reduce heart disease. Fiber also keeps the rest of the body running smoothly, so to speak.
6. Limited alcohol consumption: 1 drink every other day or less.

Of the more than 200,000 participants in the study, only 3% met this criteria. And this 3% of the studied population had an 82% less likelihood of having heart disease and 92% less risk of Type 2 Diabetes!

To give you a rough comparison of what this means, the most successful and commonly used drug family to reduce heart disease – statin drugs – reduce your risk by only 25%. And along with the reduction comes a host of nasty side effects.

It’s information like this that inspired me into this field when I was a young girl. Most of the disease that we have in this country is largely avoidable by what we choose to put upon our plate! This is the most empowering knowledge! Each of us, every day, make a vote to improve our health or promote disease with every bite on our fork.

If you or someone you love has already been diagnosed, it certainly is not to late. The human body has an amazing capacity for healing and rejuvenation when given the right nutrition. Begin changing your diet by using the steps above, many which complement and assist one another, and enlist support from your family, health professionals, and friends. All recipes on my website are heart healthy – try one tonight!
It’s never too late to choose differently.

More Sources:
The Nurses Health Study
Willet, Walter. Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy. Free Press, 2001

Slowly, the pantry is being taken over by kombucha.

Since my original kombucha post, many batches have come and gone. I have not been diligent in scientific record-keeping, but each batch is unique. Some are sweeter, some more vinegary depending on length of fermentation. I have used green tea, black tea, blackberry sage tea (yum!) and am fermenting a batch now with pomegranate green tea. I am going to start recording days brewed, flavor, and differences with different teas used. I am also going to start branching out with utilizing honey, agave, and other sweeteners.

Yesterday I received a call from Terri P. in New Orleans. She had gotten my name and number through the world wide web and knew I brewed kombucha. We talked a bit about SCOBYs, brewing, and the differences she has noted since beginning a regular kombucha consumption in April of this year. She drank two bottles a day before brewing her own. Changes she has noted is an increase in fullness and thickness of her hair. Her daughter recovered from torn ligaments and tendons quickly enough to become a follower, and her friend Glenn, who introduced her to kombucha, eliminated 20+ years of adult acne by drinking it. She also spoke of someone she had spoken to who gives it to his two year old, and the child has had no seasonal illnesses since, despite being in daycare. Now THAT is a miracle!

Her enthusiasm rekindled my own, and now I am set to experiment with more flavors, variations, and options. I have kept to my original recipe, although have not been exact in measurements. My SCOBY (Symbiotic Colony Of Bacteria and Yeast) has not suffered. In fact, I have begun the process of giving away “babies” to interested parties. I typically drink my kombucha with frozen berries because I am all about convenience. The berries add a hint of flavor and I do not get the Vitamix dirty.

Upcoming experiements will be posted here. I am glad to have become part of a nationwide kombucha following. I highly encourage everyone spending more than $20 a month on storebought kombucha to begin brewing your own. It really is quite easy!