Klean Kanteen

I forgot where I got this link but I’m hoping to order some for us soon.

Relief part 2

The post you’ve all been waiting for. Well, maybe not but I am going to write about my second visit to the doctor. My blood test had confirmed that my progesterone level was low compared to the estrogen which is also a little low according to my social symptoms during the latter half of my cycle (fatigue, irritability, depression, etc). So he ordered me a progesterone cream which also contains pregnenolone (I think that’s right) which will allow my body to make more of the other hormones as well.

Creams are better than pills because you can take less and not tax your liver, etc. He uses Women’s International Pharmacy which specializes in custom compound prescriptions for men and women. I’ve been very impressed with them. If you’re a woman headed for menopause you may want to check them out. But whatever you do, don’t do hormone replacement therapy. It and the birth control pill only provide one kind of estrogen. You need the three major ones (estrone, estriol, and estradiol) so taking only one kind of estrogen puts you off balance. Also, take bioidentical hormones (that’s what’s in my cream). Synthetic estrogen causes sex changes in fish so who knows what it does to humans. Read this for more info. 

I can take the cream for as long as I want. I may find that a few months from now it has done it’s job and I want to quit. If the symptoms return, I can go back on it. He said sometimes people will be off for years and then a big stress happens in their life and they feel off so need to go back on. Which leads me to the cause of my imbalance. He said you can have a weakness because of your genes (and it is certainly not surprising to think it’s in my genes) but may never know it until something environmental–like stress–causes the weaknesses to collapse. So taking a cream can even that out. The cream can be “tweaked” if I find that it isn’t helping because it is made just for me! You could buy a similar cream at a natural food store but it would be one size fits all.

So I start my cream next month. He had ordered it as soon as he got the test results and I could have started this month but I chose not to because– . . . dare I say it? Yes, I promised integrity. I took an anti-biotic for a very bad sinus infection/chest congestion that I still can’t get rid of. I haven’t been on an anti-biotic in years (and haven’t been sick in months) and was trying to use garlic, vit C, etc but don’t have a routine for that down yet and was doing things to make the congestion worse like sleeping in a very cold room (don’t ask) so I broke down but I was sure to take some probiotics afterwards! As it turns out, I could have taken the cream at the same time, but I’m actually glad I didn’t because this way I have my notes of symptoms when I wasn’t on the cream to compare with my symptoms when I’m on the cream.

I think that’s all from the visit. It was a bit shorter this time; I think maybe he doesn’t go by the clock. I think he talks until he has nothing more to say and neither do you as long as it doesn’t go over an hour. I haven’t submitted my reimbursement paperwork to my insurance company yet. Pray that they’ll cover the normal 80%.

Oh, I should add that I was reading that one over-looked cause of depression is hormonal imbalance. Before going on an anti-depressant you should have your hormones checked out by a doctor who knows that it’s not whether the levels are too high or too low compared to a pool of data but whether they’re too high or too low for you and whether the ratio of estrogen to progesterone is correct. I’ll eventually do a whole post on anti-depressants but for now, suffice it to say that if you’re not on them, don’t start but if you’re on them, you can’t just quit. You need to be weaned slowly under supervision of a doctor because of all the side-effects, some quite dangerous.

O Holy Night

I was listening to Christmas music on the way back from Imboden and O Holy Night came on. I’ve always like it but it occured to me as I listened how theologically correct the lyrics are. It really describes what Christmas is. So often we get used to songs and since we listen instead of read them we don’t get a chance to meditate on each individual line. So take a minute to read each line and pause to consider what it means.

O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
O’er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friend.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!

Russell Means part 2

Russell Means ran for the Libertarian nomination for President in 1987.

Libertarians stand for free-market economics, and no government interference for people’s lives. Means wrote (pg. 482) “it is a party of principle; the platform does not change from year to year. Libertarians do not compromise. They do not sell out. In contrast, Demopublicans insist that politics is the art of compromise. I believe politics should be the art of principles.”

Gift ideas

Still don’t know what to get loved ones for Christmas? Here are some ideas:

Restaurant gift certificates are great, especially for the oldest generation who has everything but has to eat and cooking can come with difficulty.

Get a book: The Maker’s Diet is a great one.
Buy a sheep, chick or water buffalo for a poor family from Heifer in the name of your loved one.

Pay for a housekeeper for any woman you know.

Or give one of the many great Shaklee products:

pH balanced, non-carcinogenic and environmentally friendly personal care products such as: the lip treatment, balancing moisturizer, purifying cleansing gel, Aspire fragrance, hand wash concentrate, blush, foundation, etc.

AirSource air purifier or BestWater water filtering systems

high quality vitamins, omegaguard, Optiflora

Or my favorites, the laundry products: fresh laundry liquid, soft fabric dryer sheets, and Nature Bright.

Visit www.shaklee.net/fruth and drop me an email with your name if you order: hcjerika

Statin drugs and cholesterol

“A new review paper has raised doubts about the cholesterol-lowering recommendations made two years ago by the U.S. government’s National Cholesterol Education Program panel. “  Click for full article.

Part of Mercola’s comment:

“I’m glad to see that more researchers are questioning the recommendations set two years ago by the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) that urge heart disease patients to reduce their LDL cholesterol levels by taking worthless statin drugs.

There is no evidence to support their low target numbers, and, what’s more, the combination of two or three statin drugs that patients can be prescribed to hit those targets will invariably do far more harm than good in the long run for most who try this strategy.

Even if the lower cholesterol numbers were beneficial, one must look at the overall effect of the drug, which lowers an important liver enzyme, coenzyme Q10. Since most rarely receive this as a supplement when they are on statin drugs, many will actually have an increase in cardiac risk as a result of this drug-induced vitamin deficiency.”

Italics Heather.

Russell Means part 1

I’m going to have to divide this post up because I wrote a lot about it (it’s a thick book and covers a lot of topics).

I recently finished Russell Mean’s autobiography, Where White Men Fear to Tread (1995). I was going to encourage everyone to go out and read it because I learned so much about the 60’s-80’s (you never get that far in history class) and because in spite of his faults, Russell has a lot of good insights from a Native American perspective. But as I was looking something up on google, I stumbled across AIM’s (American Indian Movement) webpage on Russell. Apparently the book is more his perspective than 100% fact.

Nevertheless, I’d like to quote some from it, things that struck me.

Shaklee

Thought it was time for another Shaklee plug.

What does Shaklee have that you need?

Chemicals in your household cleaners are linked to allergies, birth defects, cancer and psychological abnormalities. * Women who work at home have a 54% higher death rate from cancer than women who work away from home because the fumes of household cleaners can linger a long time in the air after use and can seep out of the bottles when not in use. * The most toxic substances to aquatic organisms are bleach, all-purpose cleaner, laundry detergent and dish detergent–even more than paint and car wax. If it’s not good for aquatic organisms, it can’t be that good for us. * Included in the top 12 cancer causing products: Ajax Cleanser, Lysol Disinfectant. (Source: National Cancer Prevention Coalition)

Shaklee’s laundry detergent outperforms Shout and Spray’n'Wash on stains and, coupled with Nature Bright, does better than Tide with Bleach Alternative. It gets out smells that regular detergent doesn’t (I say this from experience, not any literature and Matthew has had the same experience.) Detergent is in your bloodstream 90 seconds after you put on your clothes. In fact, a urine test can reveal which laundry detergent you use so you want a detergent that won’t fill your body with chemicals.

Do some research: http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/ and http://toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/town/main.html

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Why take a natural vitamin supplement? Your body recognizes the difference between a synthetic and a natural vitamin and may not respond well to the synthetic. * Shaklee vitamins are guaranteed to be absorbed and assimilated into the bloodstream. If your vitamin doesn’t break down in water in 30 minutes it may be passing right through your body. *Shaklee does not process with heat and pressure which can damage the enzymes that allow the body to absorb the nutrients. * Shaklee vitamins do not contain sugars, artificial colorings, artificial sweeteners, artificial preservatives, or fillers. * There is a full money back guarantee!

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Chemicals and metals in personal care products (shampoo, make-up, etc.) are linked to acute toxicity, tumors, reproductive complications, biological mutation, skin and eye irritations. * Shaklee personal care products are not harmful to humans or the environment. They are pH balanced so you won’t strip your body of the natural oils that are part of your immune system. I’ve tried several shampoos and toothpaste from the natural food store here and have not liked the taste or the smell. I do like Shaklee’s though. Whew. Good thing.

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At Shaklee, each year approximately 83,000 laboratory and quality assurance tests are performed on nutritional products and their ingredients alone. Shaklee screens their products for more pesticide residue than are covered in the Council for Responsible Nutrition guidelines.

Shaklee has more than 45 patents and patents-pending worldwide.

Shaklee’s multivitamin is the result of 90 years of research and development. Shaklee had the first environmentally safe household cleaner (developed in 1960–Basic H), the first sustained-release vitamin C, had the first clinically proven soluble fiber, and first natural interferon booster. Shaklee is also the nation’s first climate neutral certified company.

530,000 tons of household waste go into our soil and streams each year. That’s bad news but the good news is you can do something about it!

Visit my friend’s site: www.shaklee.net/fruth If you decide to place an order please drop me an email so I’ll get credit; I don’t have my own site yet.

Buying a new product means changing the habit of buying the old, but when it comes to your health and especially that of your children, it’s worth it.

Hungry?

Below is a portion of the latest email from News Target.

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The top three most dangerous ingredients I’ve found in my research are:

1) Sodium nitrite — causes cancer, found in processed meats like hot dogs, bacon, sausage. Used to make meats appear red (a color fixer chemical). (Heather’s comment: why can’t we eat it the regular color?)

2) Hydrogenated oils — causes heart disease, nutritional deficiencies, general deterioration of cellular health, and much more. Found in cookies, crackers, margarine and many “manufactured” foods. Used to make oils stay in the food, extending shelf life. Sometimes also called “plastic fat.” (Heather’s comment: in Spain we used to miss American peanut butter . . .now I won’t buy it.)

3) Excitotoxins — aspartame, monosodium glutamate and others (see below). These neurotoxic chemical additives directly harm nerve cells, over-exciting them to the point of cell death, according to Dr. Russell Blaylock. They’re found in diet soda, canned soup, salad dressing, breakfast sausage and even many manufactured vegetarian foods. They’re used to add flavor to over-processed, boring foods that have had the life cooked out of them. . . . . . . . . (Heather’s comment: that’s why I’m trying to make my own food as much as possible.)

Mercola on prescription drugs

Good read.

Here is part of it:

Nearly the entire modern health care system is responsible for allowing countless unnecessary surgical procedures, drug prescriptions, and errors to occur.

Most people are relatively clueless to the dangers and risks of taking medications. Does that mean that they should always be avoided?

Absolutely not, but they need to be used with great caution and respect for the serious danger and damage that they can cause.

That is why it is important for you to understand one of the important principles in resolving your illness: focus on finding the underlying cause of the problem, and then seeking to understand it, so you can resolve it by addressing its cause.

What many people do not realize is that it is possible to maintain total health by avoiding unnecessary drugs and by gaining a comprehensive, clear and researched understanding of good nutrition and proper lifestyle choices:

• Eliminate sugar and most grains
• Eat unprocessed, high-quality foods, organic if possible, right for your metabolic type
• Eat your food as close to raw as possible
• Consume enough omega-3 fats
• Exercise regularly

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By the way readers, I actually was working on a post Sunday but it still needed tweaking (and still does since I have been busy and sick) so no weekend post. We were in Imboden Friday and Saturday but that’s the last of our crazy October weekends . . .