Vitamin D3 which is viewed by many as the most important of the D vitamins is, in fact, more of a “pro hormone” than a vitamin. Our bodies produce vitamin D3 through the reaction of a chemical in our skin, in response to sunlight. Being deficient in this vitamin can cause us to be more susceptible to, and may in some cases double the risk for, many diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, asthma and autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis.

Our bodies produce vitamin D3 through the reaction of a chemical in our skin, in response to sunlight.

So what exactly is Vitamin D and its role in our health? Vitamin D is a fat-soluble hormone essential for growth. It is a necessary component in maintaining strong healthy bones and in supporting the immune system, which makes Vitamin D instrumental in the body protecting itself against cancer and other diseases.

Most health experts are suggesting daily doses of 2,000 to 5,000 IU of Vitamin D to protect against these deficiencies. That may seem like an excessive amount, but if you consider that your skin produces 10,000 IU from 20 to 30 minutes of sun exposure it isn’t that unreasonable. Many might ask if it only takes about 20 minutes of sun exposure to get your daily dose of Vitamin D why are so many people deficient?

There is a number of contributing factors, but sunscreen is at the top of the list. As a society, we have been indoctrinated into the belief that we must wear sunscreen any time that we expect to be out in the sun or we increase our risk of skin cancer, but it simply isn’t true. Sun exposure alone is not what raises our risks of cancer. Poor diet and lack of exercise also are contributing factors as are stress and exposure to too many chemicals.

Mineral sunscreens that use Zinc Oxide may be a better choice.

I find it ironic that there are studies that show that Vitamin D is one of the vitamins that actually fights cancer, yet in our efforts to avoid UV rays and the possibility of skin cancer we are blocking out one of the very things that can help in the fight against cancer. In addition to this I also find it interesting that in those sunscreens, that are supposed to be protecting our skin, we can find ingredients that may contribute to the growth of cancer. If that isn’t a catch 22 conundrum I don’t know what is.

The active ingredients Oxybenzone and Octinoxate, are two of the most concerning of the ingredients which are used in a variety of commonly used sunscreens in the USA. These ingredients are known to penetrate the skin and have been found in mother’s milk.

They have an estrogen like effect on the body and can cause hormone disruption. They have been associated with increased endometriosis in women, and with reproductive and thyroid problems in laboratory studies. These ingredients are also associated with reasonably high rates of skin allergies as well.

They are chemicals and it is a valid concern that the additional toxic exposure, especially for those who use it daily, may compromise the immune system opening the door to diseases like cancer.

We spend far too much time inside.

Mineral sunscreens that use Zinc Oxide may be a better choice if you are going to be in the sun for long periods of time. They have shown no evidence of hormone disruption and are not an allergic concern, though some concern has been raised with inhalation since zinc oxide is often used as a powder or spray.

And don’t forget the inactive ingredients, particularly those used as preservatives.  Methylisothiazolinone was named allergen of the year in 2012 by the American Contact Dermatitis Society. This year the Environmental Working Group found this ingredient on the labels of 94 sunscreen products including 6 that were marketed for children.

Other contributing factors to low Vitamin D exposure may include the modern lifestyle which includes sitting in an office most of the day or indoor recreation such as TV watching and video game playing. If we never set foot outside except to get into our car to go to our next indoor destination than the odds of getting enough sunshine are pretty low.

So what are some things we can do to increase our Vitamin D intake in a healthy way?

First, we need to stop being afraid of the sun. There is no rule that says you must spend your time in the sun during the hottest part of the day. I have a naturally pale complexion. So I try to take time outside in the early morning or the late afternoon and early evening hours.

This way I am still able to enjoy being in the sunshine without over exposing myself. This aids in my Vitamin D intake and also enhances my mood by getting me out in nature.

Very few foods in nature provide adequate amounts of Vitamin D, however, a small portion of your daily needs can be gotten through certain foods such as Salmon, Swordfish, and Tuna in addition to beef liver, cheese, and eggs yolks.

The problem with vitamin fortified foods is that those vitamins are nearly always synthetically produced with chemicals in a laboratory. Synthetic vitamins are made to mimic the way natural vitamins act in our bodies but many of them lack the necessary transporters and co-factors of vitamins found in nature. Because of this they simply do not absorb into our systems as well as their natural counterparts.

Most of these fortified foods are also highly processed and provide little more than empty calories. Cold cereal is probably one of the most widely eaten fortified foods, which is advertised to be part of a good breakfast, but which is more or less a dead food lacking in the whole food nutrition that is essential to good health.

So maybe give up the makeup with sunscreen in it and be judicious in exposing yourself to moderate amounts of direct sunlight. Be careful when relying on fortified foods for your vitamin needs, and choose whole foods and a good whole food supplement whenever possible instead. These things will meet your bodies needs better and without the overload of chemicals and added calories.

For a healthier, you, remember… All things in moderation, and common sense. Fewer chemicals, and more of what was given to us in nature.

To read more of Denise’s articles, click here.

Resources

http://doctormurray.com/low-vitamin-d3-levels-linked-to-13-of-all-causes-of-death-in-the-usa/

http://www.ewg.org/sunscreen/report/getting-enough-vitamin-d/#.WX8-3seGPIU

http://www.ewg.org/sunscreen/report/the-trouble-with-sunscreen-chemicals/#.WX84gseGPIU

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/

https://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/synthetic-vs-natural-vitamins/

Denise Mastrocola

Denise is a Michigander turned Pennsylvanian, who has been writing stories since Elementary School. Denise won an award at the annual Lansing Youth Talent Show, when she was in 10th grade, for a short story entitled Procrastination is Fatal, but didn’t decide on writing as a career until she was 28 years old. While homeschooling her older children she spent 4 years working through a course from The Institute of Children’s Literature.

Through the years Denise’s children have had a variety of health issues, many of which have been linked to various sensitives; having spent more than 20 years researching and trying different things Denise has a boots on the ground view on healthier living.

Denise currently writes for 2 blogs and has several books in different stages of completion. She is planning to break ground in e publishing, and hopes to have her first Historical Fantasy book which is set during the renaissance, “Lisa, My Lisa?” ready by the first of the year.

There are many different species of ticks throughout the world, but only a few bite and transmit diseases to humans.

These are the species, and where they are most likely to be found:

The American Dog Tick: East of the Rocky Mountains, and limited areas along the California coast

The Brown Dog Tick:  Worldwide

The Black Legged Tick:  Northeast and Upper Midwest United States

The Western Black Legged Tick:  Pacific Coast of United States particularly in northern California

The Gulf Coast Tick:  Atlantic and Gulf Coast of the Unites States

The Lone Star Tick:  South Eastern and Eastern United States

The Rocky Mountain Wood Tick:  Rocky Mountain United States, Southwestern Canada

Most ticks have stages that they go through beginning as egg, larva, nymph and adult. Once they have come out of their eggs, ticks must feed on blood during each stage of their growth in order to survive.

While most ticks prefer to find a different kind of host for each stage of it’s growth they will attach themselves to any available host if necessary. Different kinds of ticks can sense body odors and body heat in addition to an animal’s breath, vibrations and even it’s shadows. They will position themselves along areas that get a lot of use and will rest on the tips of grass stems, shrubs or leaves.

Ticks cannot jump or fly at their prey, but they can hold onto the perch by their back legs while stretching out their front legs to grasp onto their host as it passes by. Some will find a place on their host and attach quickly while others will wander for a while looking for a spot like the ear where the skin is thinner and easier to pierce. This looking for the perfect place can take from 10 minutes to 2 hours depending on the tick.

Once it has attached itself the tick will slowly feed for up to two days. If the host has a blood borne disease the tick will ingest it. Once the pathogen has gotten into the tick it can now pass it along to it’s next host.

While Lyme Disease gets most of the attention there are numerous diseases that can be passed along through a tick bite, and people should be aware of what they are and how to spot the symptoms.

Tick disease transmission list:

The American Dog Tick may transmit:Tularemia and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

The Brown Dog Tick may transmit: Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

The Black Legged Tick  may transmit: Lyme Disease, Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, and Powassan Disease

The Western Black Legged Tick may transmit: Anaplasmosis, and Lyme Disease

The Gulf Coast Ticks may transmit: Rickettsia Parkeri Rickettsiosis which is a form of spotted fever.

The Lone Star Tick may transmit: Ehrlichosis, Tularemia, and STARI (southern tick-associated rash illness)

The Rocky Mountain Wood Tick may transmit: Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Colorado Tick Fever, Tularemia

The symptoms of Tularemia

Symptoms will depend on how the bacteria enters the body, and symptoms can range from mild to life-threatening. Each form of this disease will have a fever, which can be as high as 104 °F. but because this disease can have many varying symptoms I would recommend reading about them on the CDC’s website https://www.cdc.gov/tularemia/signssymptoms/index.html

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Symptoms may include fever, headache, abdominal pain, vomiting, and muscle pain which usually appear within 1 to 2 weeks after being bitten.

Lyme Disease

Symptoms may include fever, headache, fatigue, and the characteristic Bulls Eye Rash seen usually 3 to 30 days after being bitten. Untreated Lyme disease can spread to the joints, heart and nervous system  and can cause severe disabilities.

Anaplasmosis

Symptoms are fever, headaches, chills, and muscle aches occurring usually within 1 to 2 weeks of the bite.

Babseosis

Many times this does not have discernible symptoms though some people do develop nonspecific flu like symptoms such as fever, chills, body aches, headaches etc. If you have been bitten by a tick and experience these symptoms see your doctor to have a blood sample examined.

Powassan Disease

This disease is rare, only about 75 cases were reported in the United States in the past 10 years. Most of the cases that have occurred have been in the Northeast and Great Lakes regions of the United States. Symptoms of infection include fever, headache, vomiting, weakness, confusion, seizures, and memory loss.

Rickettsia Parkeri Rickettosis  

These are a group of diseases that are closely related to Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and will have similar symptoms including headache, fever, and rash.

Ehrlichosis

A bacteria that can affect both animals and humans. The human Ehrlichosis usually displays symptoms of fever, headache, fatigue, and muscle aches. Symptoms occur within 1 to 2 weeks following the tick bite.

STARI

This stands for Southern Tick Associated Rash Illness. Symptoms are a rash, similar to the rash from Lyme disease, fatigue, fever, headache, muscle and joint pain.

To read more of Denise’s articles, click here.

Prevention is your best line of defense. However, if you find a tick that seems to have been attached long enough to become engorged from it’s ingestion of blood, then be on the look out for any symptoms that might indicate that a pathogen has been transmitted.

If you suspect that you, or someone you know, have been infected see your doctor as soon as possible. Early detection and treatment is the key to your best chance for a full recovery.

Resources

www.cdc.gov/ticks/geographic_distribution.html

https://www.cdc.gov/stari/

https://www.cdc.gov/tularemia/signssymptoms/index.html

https://www.cdc.gov/rmsf/

https://www.cdc.gov/powassan/index.html

https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/index.html

https://www.cdc.gov/anaplasmosis/

https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/babesiosis/

https://www.cdc.gov/ehrlichiosis/

https://www.cdc.gov/coloradotickfever/index.html

Denise Mastrocola

Denise is a Michigander turned Pennsylvanian, who has been writing stories since Elementary School. Denise won an award at the annual Lansing Youth Talent Show, when she was in 10th grade, for a short story entitled Procrastination is Fatal, but didn’t decide on writing as a career until she was 28 years old. While homeschooling her older children she spent 4 years working through a course from The Institute of Children’s Literature.

Through the years Denise’s children have had a variety of health issues, many of which have been linked to various sensitives; having spent more than 20 years researching and trying different things Denise has a boots on the ground view on healthier living.

Denise currently writes for 2 blogs and has several books in different stages of completion. She is planning to break ground in e publishing, and hopes to have her first Historical Fantasy book which is set during the renaissance, “Lisa, My Lisa?” ready by the first of the year.

According to Clare Cooper Marcus, professor emeritus at the University of California at Berkeley and one of the founders of environmental psychology, “Simply spending time in nature reduces stress, lowers blood pressure and relieves muscle tension.”

But there can be deterrents to spending large amounts of time outdoors, and these will vary from person to person and from area to area.

Ticks are becoming a major problem in many places around the world and while they can be found virtually anywhere, my home in eastern Pennsylvania has the dubious honor of being one of the highest risk areas for Lyme Disease in The United States. We do not go out into the yard, much less into the woods or any other outdoor place, without taking precautions and doing a thorough check for hitchhikers when we go back inside.

I have a real aversion to chemical repellents, especially ones that are applied to the skin, but there are other ways to reduce the chances that ticks will be drawn to you, or that they will have the opportunity to attach themselves.

Let’s start with how we can keep ticks out of our yards.

1. Keep the grass mowed and shrubs trimmed. Also clean up leaves and weeds. These are some of the ticks favorite hangouts. If you have wood piles, either stack them neatly in an area that gets enough sun to dry them out, or get rid of them. Ticks love to climb around in damp wooded areas. They do not like sunny dry areas.

2. Ticks do not like walking over wood chips or gravel, so if you live near a woodsy area like we do you might want to consider edging your property between the grass and any wooded areas with one of these materials to deter them from crossing over onto your property.

3. Planting tick repelling plants might be another option. According to the people at Rodale Organic Gardening the leaves from the American Beauty-Berry Bushes have been shown to repel ticks.

,

4. Having a bird friendly yard can also help as Robins and some other birds like to eat ticks. If you live in an area that allows it you might consider keeping a few chickens as they love to make ticks part of their everyday diet. However some birds will accidentally carry ticks in on them so keep areas with bird baths and feeders clear of anything that ticks could use to hide in.

Different situations require other precautions

When you are away from home it is a different situation. Whether you are out for a hike, camping, or simply playing with your children at the local park you never know when you might encounter a tick.

1. Wear light color clothing whenever possible; this way if a tick does get onto you it will be so much easier to see. A hat is also a good idea, and check each other from time to time to see if a tick is making it’s way up your clothing toward any exposed skin.

2. Stay out of tall grass and weeds, and wear long pants, socks, and shoes.

3. Stay on the path, but if you must venture into the foliage tuck your pants into your socks to make it more difficult for them to hide.

4. If you feel that you must apply a chemical repellent apply it to the edges of your clothing where ticks are more likely to first come in contact with you. If I had to choose between a tick born disease and allowing toxins into my system I suppose I would opt for the latter, but never apply it to skin except in the most serious conditions where you have no choice. Your skin is an absorbent sponge and toxins from these chemical pest products will freely enter your system if applied that way.

Mosquitoes are another pest that will keep people in their homes.  

These stinging pests make it very unpleasant to spend time in your yard and in other places that you might go to enjoy time with friends and nature. With mosquito-borne diseases like West Nile Virus, Malaria, or Zika becoming more and more prevalent mosquitoes are more than just a nuisance today, but there are ways to combat them as well.

First, the obvious. If you have tall grass or weeds deal with them now. If you have areas of standing water drain them. Replace planters that don’t drain properly, and clean out clogged storm gutters in addition to removing damp wood piles or moving them to areas that receive more sunlight so that they can dry out properly. Finally, don’t let junk like old tires accumulate with standing water in them. These are all perfect breeding areas for mosquitoes.

To read more of Denise’s articles, click here.

Mosquitoes are attracted to odors like human sweat, but they do not like strong scents that come from certain plants. Plants like Lemon Balm, Basil, Lavender, Peppermint, Sage, and Rosemary are easily found in most garden centers and will make a difference just being in your yard. But you can take it a step further by using them in other ways to deter these pests.

A study was done in 2009 that showed that the essential oils that come from the Basil plant are toxic to mosquito larvae, so planting this herb, especially near water areas such as ponds may help control how many eggs get laid in the area.

Mosquitoes are not fond of Lemon Balm either but it can be an invasive plant so it might be a good idea to plant it in pots around patio areas where mosquitoes might be a problem.  That way you get the benefits without it taking over your garden.

Lavender essential oils, or even the flowers themselves can be rubbed on the skin and is an excellent repellent.  Rosemary and Sage can be thrown into a fire pit because many insects do not like the incense that is given off when these two herbs are burnt. This will be a great way to repel them if you are having a cookout and can stay near the fire, or if you are just sitting around a campfire enjoying the night air.

These are just a few ideas for keeping unwanted pests at bay so that you can enjoy the upcoming seasons as much as possible. Here’s looking forward to a wonderful and relaxing summer!

                                                               Resources

http://www.nextavenue.org/gardenings-surprising-health-benefits/

https://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/wellbeing/natural-tick-repellants-protect-your-yard/slide/2

https://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/garden/8-plants-that-repel-mosquitoes-naturally

Denise Mastrocola

Denise is a Michigander turned Pennsylvanian, who has been writing stories since Elementary School. Denise won an award at the annual Lansing Youth Talent Show, when she was in 10th grade, for a short story entitled Procrastination is Fatal, but didn’t decide on writing as a career until she was 28 years old. While homeschooling her older children she spent 4 years working through a course from The Institute of Children’s Literature.

Through the years Denise’s children have had a variety of health issues, many of which have been linked to various sensitives; having spent more than 20 years researching and trying different things Denise has a boots on the ground view on healthier living.

Denise currently writes for 2 blogs and has several books in different stages of completion. She is planning to break ground in e publishing, and hopes to have her first Historical Fantasy book which is set during the renaissance, “Lisa, My Lisa?” ready by the first of the year.

I understand this hits families especially hard. When I was raising a young family I fell into the trap of quick and easy meals and snacks to make my life a little less hectic. This was especially tempting when my older girls began having activities outside of the house several days a week, and I began to feel like an underpaid taxi service.

I didn’t feel that I had the time to fix meals from scratch, much less baking my own treats for hungry kids. But we paid for these quick fix dinners and snacks with my boys who developed various neurological and behavioral disorders that have effected their lives ever since they were young.

Having been a mother of an overly busy family of six children I understand only too well the allure of those packaged mashed potatoes, cans of ravioli, or the boxed cookies and crackers that kids love so much. But I also know the anguish of learning many years later that the problems that my boys are now living with may very likely have been exacerbated by, and possibly even have been caused by, those very foods that we were eating so that I could get through each day with a little bit less stress.

Of course the long term use of those pre-packaged convenience foods that I was using to help me save my sanity only served to make my life more complicated in the end. But how could I have known then that the excess of sugar, food coloring, flavor enhancing chemicals, bad fats, hybridized wheat, and those new highly praised GMO foods were over stimulating my children’s immune systems, and causing leaky gut, in addition to depriving their bodies of the very nutrients they needed for proper grow. The labels always made it sound like these were healthy foods and no one, including our doctors, ever warned me that any of this was going to cause a problem.

But the increase in inflammatory diseases and neurological disorders is shining a light on a situation that we as a society can no longer ignore.

When I had my oldest son evaluated four years ago by a specialist in neurological disorders they ran a series of blood work where they discovered that not only was he highly sensitive to gluten and oats, he was also severely vitamin deficient and was tipping the scale for toxicity.

A few years later I had my younger son evaluated and discovered that he was also gluten sensitive and hypoglycemic in addition to having vitamin deficiencies.

It was clear we had to make changes, and we had to make them immediately.

First I think it is important to understand that sensitivity to gluten is not an allergy. It is a condition in your gut where gluten is not able to be digested properly, leaving the undigested food to stay in your intestines.  This condition flattens out the micro-villi within your intestines which keeps you from absorbing all of the nutrients from your food and leaving a toxic mess behind. When this happens it irritates the wall of your gut lining leaving it unable to fully contain the waste products that would normally be filtered out, allowing toxins into your body where they don’t belong.

This leaky gut situation opens you up to a host of possible chronic conditions that range from fatigue, nutrient deficiencies, skin rashes, allergies, depression, neurological disorders, unexplained weight gain and more. If you remove gluten from the diet, and re balance the gut micro flora it will heal itself in time and a myriad of problems will eventually disappear.

So after getting our diagnosis the first thing I did was to take the gluten out of my son’s diet the best that I could.  But this was a real struggle. He didn’t want to give up the foods he loved and was used to eating, and the transition was made even more difficult because most of the gluten free foods I could find at the time were not very appetizing.

For example, the first brand of gluten free bread that I bought for him was like eating cardboard, and the gluten free pasta turned to a gloppy mess when I cooked it 1 minute longer than the box said to do it. It was a disaster and my son fought me every step of the way.

At the time I had a coworker who had Celiac Disease, and he was incredibly helpful in pointing me to the best choices of gluten free products that were on the market. There weren’t very many to choose from, and even fewer stores that carried them, but his assistance was invaluable in helping me through a difficult transition. The next loaf of bread was so much better thanks to this good man who was willing to help me learn the ropes.

Today, only a few short years later, there are many good choices out there. But it’s a double edged sword. There are more companies that are willing to put the money into the research and development of new gluten free foods that are more palatable than what was available in years past. But it has only come about because of the countless numbers of people who already have, or soon will find that they are gluten intolerant. There is big money now to be made in the gluten free market.

It’s a heavy price to pay thanks to the rapid change in the hybridization of wheat and the development of GMOs in this country, and our bodies inability to evolve fast enough to keep up with it. This is not a situation that will go away by itself. In fact I believe we are only beginning to see the sad results of what happens when man tampers with nature.

European countries like Italy, who use wheat that has not been altered, and places like India, that use a variety of ancient grains in their cooking, are not seeing the problems with gluten that we are experiencing in the United States.

Knowing what we are eating is more important today than ever. The big food companies do not have your families best interests at heart, and even many packaged gluten free foods are still junk foods in many ways. The only way you can be sure of what you are getting in your foods is to read the labels carefully in addition to buying more whole foods and preparing them yourself.

To read more of Denise’s articles, click here.

Many people are developing allergies and sensitivities to various foods, gluten being one of the worst offenders. But even if you don’t have a sensitivity to gluten, today’s wheat is so different from what humans were designed to digest that it wouldn’t hurt any of us to reduce our consumption of it.

If you don’t see the need to eat gluten free I would at least suggest buying Organic flour and making your baked goods yourself. This will minimize the issues with GMO crops that are heavy in toxins, and flours that have been bleached to make them more aesthetically pleasing.

However if you are interested in reducing the gluten load in your system, but still want to make your family yummy treats, I am including a gluten free Brownie recipe that my family loves. If you like brownies you will find that it is hard to keep this one on the shelf for long. In fact we always make a double batch so that they will last more than a couple of days.

Gluten Free Brownies

1 ½ Cups Organic Cane Sugar                            

½ Cup Butter

1 teaspoon gluten free vanilla extract

¾ Cup Organic Cocoa

3 Organic Eggs

¾ Cup Gluten Free Multi-Purpose Flour

1 teaspoon aluminum free Baking Powder

(You may use a gluten free flour mix where the Baking Powder is already in the mix if you prefer).

1 Cup Mini Organic Chocolate Chips

Coconut Oil for greasing the pan

Place sugar and butter in a small saucepan on med/low heat and stir occasionally until butter is melted and sugar is completely dissolved. Pour mixture into a large bowl.

Gently whisk your vanilla and cocoa into this mixture, then add the eggs and blend until shiny

Fold in your flour mix (and baking powder if needed)

Finally stir in the chocolate chips

Use Coconut Oil to grease a 9” by 9” pan. Pour into the pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until the top is set. Use a wooden pick inserted into the center. If it comes out clean your brownies are done.

Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes. Cut before they are completely cool then store in a container with a tight fitting lid.

Resources:

http://www.healthy-holistic-living.com/gluten-intolerance-just-fad-todays-wheat-really-toxic.html

https://www.glutenfreesociety.org/leaky-gut-syndrome-is-gluten-at-the-root/

Denise Mastrocola

Denise is a Michigander turned Pennsylvanian, who has been writing stories since Elementary School. Denise won an award at the annual Lansing Youth Talent Show, when she was in 10th grade, for a short story entitled Procrastination is Fatal, but didn’t decide on writing as a career until she was 28 years old. While homeschooling her older children she spent 4 years working through a course from The Institute of Children’s Literature.

Through the years Denise’s children have had a variety of health issues, many of which have been linked to various sensitives; having spent more than 20 years researching and trying different things Denise has a boots on the ground view on healthier living.

Denise currently writes for 2 blogs and has several books in different stages of completion. She is planning to break ground in e publishing, and hopes to have her first Historical Fantasy book which is set during the renaissance, “Lisa, My Lisa?” ready by the first of the year.

This article is going to be more of a series of questions for readers to think about than an article where everything is laid out for you and tied up in a neat package. I’d like to get us thinking about how we are taking care of the bodies that we have been given. Are we treating them like the Temples that they are?

We have a serious problem in this country where the majority of our population have come to rely on readily available, inexpensive junk foods for the mainstay of their daily diets. Now when I say junk foods I am not necessarily saying that people are eating cookies and cakes for breakfast or filling up on chocolate bars for dinner. But they might as well be for all the difference it makes to their health and well being.

Big business has done a real number on the American population with false claims in their advertising, and big money lobbying to keep the truth from an unsuspecting public. While there are health advocates out there who are trying to get the truth into the hands of the general populace, the agencies that were set up by the government to oversee the safety of our environment and food supply have not done their job.

Instead of protecting the American people from these hazards, they have bowed to big money and corporate lobbyists, allowing many of these unsafe foods and fake foods to remain on our grocery shelves with labels that mislead and outright lie to us.  So if our health is important to us we can no longer assume that others are working in our best interest. We must do our own research and look to the safety of our families ourselves.

So here are some questions that we as consumers need to be asking ourselves about what we are eating, and why these unhealthy food products are even on our grocery store shelves to begin with.

1.)   Why is it that food dyes, many of which are derived from petroleum products, are not only found in our foods but are most frequently found in foods that are marketed to children? Some of the most obvious foods being imitation fruit drinks, gelatin, cereals, yogurt, and a variety of packaged desserts and candies.  

I understand that this is what people of the last couple of generations have become used to, but our grandparents grew up and thrived without the benefit of rainbow colored cereals and candy. Meanwhile in the last 40 years or so, as the consumption of these processed foods has increased, conditions like ADHD and a host of other disorders have escalated to point where it is epidemic. Coincidence? Many concerned parents and health practitioners think not.

Perhaps it is time to return to a simpler way of eating in order to better control what we put into this intricate, yet delicate system of digestion which then affects every other part of our bodies from the quality of our hair and skin to our brain’s ability to function to its full capacity.

Some of these artificial colors have been linked to conditions like hyperactivity, cancer and cell deterioration, so the big question is: why have these products been banned in places like Norway, Finland, Austria, France and the United Kingdom, but not in the United States?

2.)   Another question might be why, in our quest for weight loss, have we been caught up in the quick fix lies of the low fat and fat-free food industry? The real culprit in the battle against obesity isn’t fat, at least not naturally occurring fats. The greatest contributing factors in the epidemic of weight gain in this country have been eating too much sugar and the increased use of artificial man-made fat.

One of the biggest lies in the food industry is the idea of fat-free and low fat foods. When they take out the natural fats in a food they have to replace it with something else or it won’t taste good. Those replacement flavor enhancers are nearly always imitation fats and or sugars. A perfect recipe for weight gain, not weight loss.

Our bodies need fat in order to be healthy, in fact we need a balance of EPA and DHA fish oils, monounsaturated fats, and yes, even saturated fats. There has been a lot of confusion and contradictory evidence on the subject of saturated fats, but the right kind of saturated fat, being naturally occurring fats like coconut oil, organic meats, and milk products are beneficial in reasonable amounts.

You want to avoid like the plague man made Trans fats like margarine and shortening which are made through the process of hydrogenation, which manipulates vegetable and seed oils by adding hydrogen atoms. This process produces a rancid, thickened oil that only puts profits in the pockets of processed food manufacturers by prolonging the shelf life of their products.

The only thing it has done for consumers is elevate their cholesterol levels, and increase obesity rates, while increasing the numbers of patients suffering with heart disease, and Alzheimer’s.

Another attempt by the food industry to make money off of people’s attempts to lose weight was a fat substitute called Olestra. This product is an additive that was found in foods like fat-free potato chips, french fries, and corn chips.

Unfortunately Olestra didn’t just remove fat from foods; it also reduced the body’s ability to absorb essential vitamins like A, D, E, and K. It also had the added side effects of causing cramps, bloating, gas, and leaky gut. Olestra was banned in countries like China, Canada and the European Union. Because of the bad press it was receiving the manufacturers changed the name to Olean, using the word lean in the name to make it appear healthier. Under it’s new name it can still be found in some fat free foods.

To read more of Denise’s articles, click here.

Other sources of fats that it would be wise to avoid would be oils made from genetically modified plants that are sprayed heavily with pesticides such as corn oil, canola oil, soy oil, safflower oil, and sunflower oil. Some of these can be found in organic versions,  but I would not use anything in that category that isn’t organic; they are simply too toxic for our bodies.

Food manufacturers are sneaky and are constantly thinking of new ways to make their profits, so consumers must be constantly on their guard. In fact, unless you are able to eat 100% organic, fixing everything you eat from scratch, it is virtually impossible to not get some of these substances into your diet. Our best hope is to minimize them the best we can.

In my next article I will continue to explore the foods we eat and how we can eat a more healthy diet.

Sources

http://www.deseretnews.com/top/1603/2/Olestra-or-Olean-8-readily-available-foods-in-the-US-that-are-banned-in-other-countries.html

https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelhennessey/2012/08/27/living-in-color-the-potential-dangers-of-artificial-dyes/#34a9bd02107a

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2015/04/avoid-the-hidden-dangers-of-high-fructose-corn-syrup-video/

http://bodyunburdened.com/artificial-food-dye/

http://www.livingnaturally.com/PDFDocs/1/1878d2450a24467b84fd63740fd8f720.PDF

Denise Mastrocola

Denise is a Michigander turned Pennsylvanian, who has been writing stories since Elementary School. Denise won an award at the annual Lansing Youth Talent Show, when she was in 10th grade, for a short story entitled Procrastination is Fatal, but didn’t decide on writing as a career until she was 28 years old. While homeschooling her older children she spent 4 years working through a course from The Institute of Children’s Literature.

Through the years Denise’s children have had a variety of health issues, many of which have been linked to various sensitives; having spent more than 20 years researching and trying different things Denise has a boots on the ground view on healthier living.

Denise currently writes for 2 blogs and has several books in different stages of completion. She is planning to break ground in e publishing, and hopes to have her first Historical Fantasy book which is set during the renaissance, “Lisa, My Lisa?” ready by the first of the year.

When we sleep we usually go through stages of sleep known as stages 1,2,3,4, and REM (Rapid Eye Movement). I don’t want to get too technical in this article, but in essence stage 1 is a light sleep and we can be woken easily during this time. Each level of sleep puts us deeper into sleep with stages 3 and 4 being the most difficult to wake from if we are disturbed.

REM sleep is where we dream. A complete sleep cycle takes between 90 and 110 minutes, and each new cycle has a different amount of time for each stage with the deep sleep stages becoming shorter with each new cycle until by morning people are spending most of their sleep cycle in stages 1,2 and REM.

Sleep cycles

These stages run in a cyclical pattern and can explain why we sometimes awake refreshed and ready to go, while at other times we wake up groggy and can’t seem to get moving. Our bodies have natural rhythms and cycles which our modern lifestyles are at odds with so we don’t always sleep and wake when we should. In a perfect world we would go to sleep and awake when our bodies tell us to, but our modern day work and recreational pursuits seldom accommodate our personal body clock.

Electricity allows us to work or play late into the night, and that handy dandy alarm clock will ensure that we are up in time for early morning seminary, or that tedious rush hour commute regardless of whether or not we got enough sleep to get us through the day. But we pay a heavy price for burning our candles at both ends with reduced cognitive abilities, emotional and intellectual, in addition to a compromised immune system.

Your immune system uses sleep to stay healthy. Prolonged periods of lack of sleep can alter the way your immune system responds to infections. Indeed, if you are sleep deficient, you will be more likely to have trouble fighting common infections and may frequently feel a bit, under the weather. When I was growing up, during the days of common sense medicine, that was always my Mother and Grandmother’s first line of defense. If we were sick, especially if we were running a fever, we were put to bed. The result being that with some extra rest and fluids you were usually feeling much better by the next day.

Health

Sleep also appears to ward off disease. Studies have shown that, in addition to overall health, sleeping aides in the healing and repair of your heart and blood vessels. An increased risk of Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, and Stroke have been linked to chronic sleep deficiency. Given what we know about sleep it wouldn’t be surprising to discover with further studies that sleep heals the body of many ailments.

Sleep also aids us in cognitive function. Our brains are very active during certain stages of sleep. REM sleep stimulates the brain regions used in learning. Studies have shown that when people were taught a skill and then deprived of sleep during the early stages they could still recall what they had learned but people deprived of REM sleep could not. This would seem to indicate that the REM stage of sleep is critical to memory and learning.

So how can we ensure that we get the sleep we need?

Set a schedule:

Establish a set time for going to bed each night, and a similar schedule for getting up in the morning. It is tempting to stay up late getting work done, or remaining in bed a little longer on your days off, but doing this will upset your body’s internal clock and make it harder to get back on schedule later.

Exercise:

Try to get 20 to 30 minutes of exercise each day. It doesn’t have to be intense cardio or anything like that, but doing something active often helps people to get a good night’s sleep. Working out right before bedtime however may interfere with the ability to go to sleep so it is recommended that you try to get that exercise about 5 to 6 hours before bedtime.

Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol:

It is best to avoid things that contain caffeine before bedtime. Some foods and drinks are obvious, but not everyone knows that things like chocolate, various soft drinks, diet drugs, and some pain relievers contain caffeine also. If you are unsure if something you are eating or drinking has caffeine, check the labels or do an internet search. If you are not already abstaining from tobacco products and alcohol you might want to consider these less known facts about these substances and sleep.

On average smokers sleep lightly and tend to wake early due to nicotine withdrawal, and alcohol keeps people from getting their REM sleep because it also keeps them in the lighter stages of sleep throughout the night instead of allowing them to cycle through the normal stages of sleep.

Relax before bed:

Put away your work for the day and try doing something relaxing before bedtime. You could take a warm bath, read a book or listen to music that is calming to your mind.  Make it a habit and train your mind to associate these kinds of activities with sleep.

Sleep until sunlight:

Unless your work or school schedule makes it impossible try to sleep until the sun is up. If that is not possible then use very bright lights in the morning. Light helps your internal clock to regulate itself. Sleep experts recommend an hour of sunlight in the morning for people who have trouble getting to sleep at night.

Don’t lie in bed awake:

If you can’t sleep don’t lie in bed stressing over it. Anxiety  can actually make sleep problems worse. Get up and do something that will help you relax until you feel tired.

Control your room temperature:

Keeping a comfortable  temperature in your bedroom is also important if you want a good night’s sleep. Extreme temperatures will make it difficult to get to sleep and may wake you up during the night when you are in your lighter sleep phase.

See a doctor if your sleeping problem continues:

To read more of Denise’s articles, click here.

If you have chronic sleep problems, that these suggestions do not help, you may have a sleep disorder and should see your family physician. If they cannot help you they may be able to recommend a specialist who can.

Adequate, restful, sleep is essential to a healthy mind and body so be good to your body and give it what it needs so that you can be at your best throughout your life!

Resources:

https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Understanding-Sleep#sleep_and_disease

https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Understanding-Sleep

http://www.newsmax.com/Health/Dr-Blaylock/restful-sleep-insomnia-sleep-inducing-drugs-DrRussell-Blaylock/2013/12/11/id/541194/

Denise Mastrocola

Denise is a Michigander turned Pennsylvanian, who has been writing stories since Elementary School. Denise won an award at the annual Lansing Youth Talent Show, when she was in 10th grade, for a short story entitled Procrastination is Fatal, but didn’t decide on writing as a career until she was 28 years old. While homeschooling her older children she spent 4 years working through a course from The Institute of Children’s Literature.

Through the years Denise’s children have had a variety of health issues, many of which have been linked to various sensitives; having spent more than 20 years researching and trying different things Denise has a boots on the ground view on healthier living.

Denise currently writes for 2 blogs and has several books in different stages of completion. She is planning to break ground in e publishing, and hopes to have her first Historical Fantasy book which is set during the renaissance, “Lisa, My Lisa?” ready by the first of the year.

Different times in my life have presented different challenges when it has come to sleeping.

Some of the biggest culprits in my life have been wanting to stay out late doing things with my friends in my teens and early twenties. While later in my life it was pacing the floors with fussy babies, or just wanting to get something done after the children were in bed because it was the only time I had to get certain household tasks accomplished.

There have been many times when I have been willing to trade sleep for a bit of peace and quiet with a good book because it was so seldom that I got any quiet during those years when our children were young. As the children got older and I went back to work, trying to balance my need for sleep around my job and the needs of everyone else in my life became my biggest stumbling block. I need to be Super Mom, but I just don’t have what it takes.

Wow! I’m feeling overwhelmed just thinking about it.

The way we feel when we are awake is in large part dependent on our sleep habits. When we are sleeping, our bodies are working to ensure healthy brain function and physical health. Sleep improves our brains function so that we can process information, and improving our learning capacity.  In addition to this, sleep allows our bodies to heal from the stresses of each day and strengthens our immune system, keeping it ready to fight off invaders that would make us sick or cause diseases to take root in us. During our childhood and teenage years, proper sleep also helps with growth and development, so getting a good night’s sleep is essential!

People who are sleep deficient may have difficulty coping with emotional situations. They might experience mood swings, lack motivation, or have feelings of depression. Problem solving skills are impaired, and they may have difficulty paying attention and retaining materials they have read or been given through verbal instructions.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, more than 40% of Americans experience daytime sleepiness that is severe enough to interfere with their routine activities a few days each month.

A sleep study done at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan gave sleepy, as well as fully, alert subjects a series of computer tasks to complete. They discovered in this study that people who had less sleep were not as good as their well-rested counterparts at making rational decisions and that they were more likely to take risks.

Being sleep deprived can also be a serious situation for people whose jobs involve using dangerous equipment, or who must drive long hours.

The Department of Transportation states that 1% to 4% of all highway crashes are due to sleepiness, especially in rural areas, and four percent of these crashes are fatal.

In its statistics, the Department of Transportation indicated that people at highest risk for drowsy driving crashes are:

1. People who drive late at night or in the early morning
2. Patients with untreated excessive sleepiness
3. People who obtain six or fewer hours of sleep per day
4. Young adult males
5. Commercial truck drivers
6. Night shift workers driving after their shift
7. Medical residents driving after their shift 

According to William Dement, M.D., Ph.D at the Stanford University Center of Excellence for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Sleep Disorders, 55% of all drowsy driving fatalities occur under the age of 25.

Why is this?

To read more of Denise’s articles, click here.

Doctor Dement feels it is in great part a lack of education about sleep and dreams, the nature and consequences of sleep deprivation, and common sleep disorder symptoms, all of which is essentially absent from the nations school curriculum. In fact, it seems most teenagers and young adults feel that it is just part of the deal to be sleep deprived during the school year. Staying up late or pulling the occasional all-nighter is not seen by most as that big of a deal. In contrast, he says that nearly all students entering at the college level have received ample information about nutrition and physical fitness. So why this huge deficit in information about something as critical as sleep?

In my next article, we will delve deeper into sleep and its importance to our health and well-being, as well as some ideas on how to help us to get those much-needed hours of restful slumber.

Resources

http://www.apa.org/topics/sleep/why.aspx

https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/sdd/why

http://web.stanford.edu/~dement/sleepless.html

Denise Mastrocola

Denise is a Michigander turned Pennsylvanian, who has been writing stories since Elementary School. Denise won an award at the annual Lansing Youth Talent Show, when she was in 10th grade, for a short story entitled Procrastination is Fatal, but didn’t decide on writing as a career until she was 28 years old. While homeschooling her older children she spent 4 years working through a course from The Institute of Children’s Literature.

Through the years Denise’s children have had a variety of health issues, many of which have been linked to various sensitives; having spent more than 20 years researching and trying different things Denise has a boots on the ground view on healthier living.

Denise currently writes for 2 blogs and has several books in different stages of completion. She is planning to break ground in e publishing, and hopes to have her first Historical Fantasy book which is set during the renaissance, “Lisa, My Lisa?” ready by the first of the year.

Herbs are the fresh and/or dried leaves of plants and are usually green in color. Spices are the flowers, fruit, seeds, bark, or roots of plants, often tropical, and come in a range of colors. Their main uses are to add color or flavor to food, in addition to preserving food for later use. But many have medicinal qualities as well.

Most spices have a pungent flavor while herbs are less intense.

Spices have a strong flavor, and a little goes a long way.

Spices have an interesting history, can be found all over the world, and are an essential part of many culinary practices. An Egyptian scroll called the Ebers Papyrus lists plants that were being used for medicinal purposes as far back as 1550 B.C. A few of the spices listed on this scroll are anise, mustard, saffron, cinnamon, and cassia. The study of herbs is well-documented as there is evidence of students studying herbs in Egypt which dates back to around 3000 B.C.

There are hundreds of different spices around the world, but only about 50-60 are commonly used in many different countries.

At this time of the year when so many people are spending time together at family gatherings and other holiday events we use a lot more in the way of spices in food preparations and our favorite holiday baked goods.

There is something inviting about the aroma of freshly baked pies and cookies, the scents of vanilla, cinnamon, and cloves permeating our senses. You can buy imitation flavorings but why would you want to cut corners on such amazing ingredients?

Real vanilla – from the vanilla bean is more than just delicious and aromatic, the vanilla bean contains a wide array of chemical compounds and beneficial oils, which have their own health perks. Studies have shown that it can control blood pressure, reduce heart rate, soothe the nerves, regulate the body metabolism, induce sleep, and build strong bones.

Herbs have a milder flavor.

Cinnamon – which can be used in so many kinds of baked goods as well as food such as sweet potato, and squash can (among other things) reduce inflammation, eliminate pain, manage diabetes, eliminate infections, reduce excess gas, and improve heart health.

Anise Seed – is a spice with antioxidant capabilities, that aides digestion, is an expectorant, and is a great source of vitamins and minerals like iron, potassium, copper, and manganese. It helps to increase the circulation and oxygenation in the body while boosting the immune system and improving the quality of the skin.

Cloves – have a very strong taste. They are antioxidants, have antiseptic qualities, and are anti-inflammatories. They also contain a number of organic compounds and oils that are good at protecting against cancer, managing heart rate, balancing bodily fluids, improving digestion, and strengthen the membranes throughout the body. They can preserve an apple, flavor a ham, or add a distinct taste to desserts like pumpkin pie and ginger bread.

Allspice – is another spice that is commonly used in baked goods. It has anti-inflammatory effects and has been linked to reducing cancer, improving oral health, stimulating digestion, facilitating bone growth, boosting the immune system, reducing blood pressure, and acting as an analgesic or anesthetic substance.

The use of spices combined with wholesome real ingredients like butter or coconut oil and organic flour and cane sugar, instead of the bleached GMO versions of these products, will give you not only a delicious way to celebrate the holidays, but also go a long way to protecting your health.

Try new things in your holiday baking. For instance I used to use maraschino cherries in cookies and fruit breads until I discovered how they were made. Now I substitute with dried cherries or cranberries and the results have exceeded my expectations. Below is a family favorite that I have adapted to include healthier ingredients than the original version. Enjoy!!

Denise’s 3 C Holiday Bread

Combine together

2 ½ Cups Flour

1 Cup Sugar

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Cinnamon

In a small bowl mix together

3 Eggs

½ Cup Milk

½ Cup Coconut Oil

Stir in with dry ingredients until moistened. Then fold in

2 Cups Shredded Carrots

1 ½ Cups Flaked Coconut

½ Cup dried Cranberries

½ Cup Raisins

½ Cup Chopped Nuts of Choice (Pecans are a good choice)

Pour into prepared baking pans and bake for 40 to 45 mins at 350 degrees F or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before cutting or storage.

* For a festive holiday tradition we like to bake this bread and give it to our friends. To make it extra special bake it in tin cans instead of standard bread tins. To do this I start saving cans about a month before so that I will have enough. Due to the possibility of sharp edges on the cans use extra care when greasing and flouring the cans. After preparing the cans spoon the batter into them.  Fill the cans about 2/3 full with batter and bake for about 30 mins. The baking time is an estimate only, you will have to keep an eye on the baking time as different size cans will require different amounts of time. Using the toothpick method is the best way to be sure if they are done.

To read more of Denise’s articles, click here.

After 10 mins gently run a butter knife around the inside edges of the can to loosen the bread and slide it out onto a clean surface. Allow the bread to completely cool. Put the bread onto the center of a large square of foil and roll it up leaving the ends to be tied together with colorful ribbons or crinkle tie. These make a festive and unique addition to any gift basket!

References:

https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/herbs-and-spices/spices.html

http://extension.psu.edu/plants/gardening/fact-sheets/herbs/herb-and-spice-history

Denise Mastrocola

Denise is a Michigander turned Pennsylvanian, who has been writing stories since Elementary School. Denise won an award at the annual Lansing Youth Talent Show, when she was in 10th grade, for a short story entitled Procrastination is Fatal, but didn’t decide on writing as a career until she was 28 years old. While homeschooling her older children she spent 4 years working through a course from The Institute of Children’s Literature.

Through the years Denise’s children have had a variety of health issues, many of which have been linked to various sensitives; having spent more than 20 years researching and trying different things Denise has a boots on the ground view on healthier living.

Denise currently writes for 2 blogs and has several books in different stages of completion. She is planning to break ground in e publishing, and hopes to have her first Historical Fantasy book which is set during the renaissance, “Lisa, My Lisa?” ready by the first of the year.

Let’s start with your home. According to the EPA the air quality indoors is often two to five times worse than outdoor air. This is due in part to the many chemicals that we have in our modern homes. If you have carpeting, or furniture that is covered in fabric it has more than likely been treated with chemicals to make them flame retardant and resistant to stains.

There are chemicals all around us.

Shower curtains, plywood, particle board, cabinets, computers, and a variety of cleaning products to name just a few, let off poisonous gases that we come in contact with daily.  Appliances that use fuel, such as gas stoves and kerosene heaters also produce significant amounts of these toxin as well.

Some of the worst offenders of these indoor pollutants are: Formaldehyde, Trichloroethylene, Benzene, and Carbon Monoxide.

It is virtually impossible to rid our homes of all of these substances, but there are things that can be done to minimize our exposure.

Whenever possible purchase cleaners that do not use these chemicals, or make your own from natural ingredients. Vinegar and baking soda are great natural cleaners. For a chemical free toilet bowl cleaner pour 1 Cup Baking Soda into the toilet bowl followed by 2 cups of white vinegar. After the fizzing stops scrub the bowl.

For the porcelain surfaces of your tub and sink use a mixture of 1 Cup Baking Soda and ½ Cup Castile Soap. Mix them together in a bowl to make a paste. Add a few drops of essential oil and scrub those surfaces clean! This cleaner can be used on many household surfaces through each room of your home including kitchen sinks, window frames and more.

Baking Soda is a great, non-toxic cleanser.

Windows, mirrors, door handles and metal surfaces can be cleaned using a half and half mix of water and white vinegar that will leave them clean and virtually streak free.

Open the windows of your home whenever the weather allows, for air flow throughout the house, and use a diffuser with your favorite essential oil to give your home a fresh cleaned smell when you need a boost but don’t want to fill the air with chemical air fresheners.

House plants are also useful as some plants can actually remove dangerous toxins from the air while providing an increase in oxygen levels in the home. This is important to consider now that we are heading into the cold weather months when it won’t always be possible to let the fresh air in.

Some of the best plants for this purpose are: Palms, Boston Ferns, English Ivy, Spider Plants, Dracaenas, Daisies and Mums.

I love having plants around me, and all of these plants, and others, may be good choices for an office situation, but when choosing plants for your home it is important to consider who will be in the area because not all plants are safe to have around inquisitive children and pets.

A few examples of toxic plants are:

Easter Lillies are beautiful, but toxic if eaten.

(Lilium longiflorum): Cats have been known to suffer serious damage after eating Easter lilies. Eating small amounts of any part of the plant can lead to a cat’s death from kidney failure if not treated by a veterinarian within 18 hours. The plant is not poisonous to children, but they can choke on pieces of it.

(Dieffenbachia): This popular houseplant, also known as dumb cane, grows particularly well in low-light conditions so it is popular as an indoor plant. The sap of this plant however causes the tongue to burn and swell enough to block off air to the throat. It can be fatal to both humans and pets if ingested in large amounts.

(Hedera helix): Large quantities of ivy must be eaten to cause serious problems, but all parts of English ivy can cause symptoms that include skin irritation, and a burning throat after eating the berries. It can also cause a fever, and rash.

(Nerium oleander): All parts of Oleander, a popular indoor flowering shrub, are poisonous. Wear gloves and wash your hands when pruning and taking cuttings to be sure you don’t accidentally ingest the sap. It can be fatal if eaten.

(Philodendron): This is an extremely popular house plant, but they are poisonous to humans and pets. Eating them can cause burning and swelling of lips, tongue, and throat; it can also cause vomiting; and diarrhea.

Philodendron leaves are also toxic.

(Epipremnum aureum): A close relative of philodendron, Pothos unfortunately causes the same symptoms as philodendron if ingested.

(Cycas revoluta): One of the oldest living plants on earth, all parts of this plant, including the seeds and roots, are poisonous. Eating Sago palm causes vomiting and diarrhea, and may lead to liver failure.

(Zamioculcas zamiifolia): Is a drought-tolerant plant and is good in low-light situations in homes and offices, but all parts of this plant are poisonous. Keep it away from children and pets, and wash your hands or wear gloves if you need to handle it.

Now this list is not meant to scare you off, but rather to make sure that whatever plants you choose are beneficial without being a potential threat.

If one or more of the plants on this list happen to be a favorite, just think strategically and find a place where you can enjoy it without having to worry. I found that placing plants on the top of a book shelf for instance didn’t necessarily keep it away from our cat who would do whatever he had to do to find a way to get to it, but hanging a plant from a hook in the ceiling was a very effective way to keep it out of reach.

There are many ways to rid our homes of unwanted toxins, and these are a few of the easiest to accomplish.

To read more of Denise’s articles, click here.

So spend some time outdoors and enjoy the refreshing autumn days while you can, and then when the time comes to close up the house for winter, you can do so knowing that you have the knowledge to keep your home clean while minimizing your body’s toxic chemical load.

Resources

Tox-Sick   by Suzanne Somers

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/21/business/despite-cancer-risk-embalmers-stay-with-formaldehyde.html?_r=0

http://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/healthy_living/hic_Steps_to_Staying_Well/hic_Household_Chemicals_Chart_Whats_in_my_House

http://www.naturalnews.com/024429_chemicals_asthma_products.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/028018_indoor_air_pollution.html

http://www.bhg.com/gardening/houseplants/projects/poisonous-houseplants/

http://www.organicauthority.com/sanctuary/3-best-essential-oils-for-cleaning.html

http://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/home/natural-disinfectant

Denise Mastrocola

Denise is a Michigander turned Pennsylvanian, who has been writing stories since Elementary School. Denise won an award at the annual Lansing Youth Talent Show, when she was in 10th grade, for a short story entitled Procrastination is Fatal, but didn’t decide on writing as a career until she was 28 years old. While homeschooling her older children she spent 4 years working through a course from The Institute of Children’s Literature.

Through the years Denise’s children have had a variety of health issues, many of which have been linked to various sensitives; having spent more than 20 years researching and trying different things Denise has a boots on the ground view on healthier living.

Denise currently writes for 2 blogs and has several books in different stages of completion. She is planning to break ground in e publishing, and hopes to have her first Historical Fantasy book which is set during the renaissance, “Lisa, My Lisa?” ready by the first of the year.

Autumn has always been my favorite season. Fresh air flows through the open windows of our home, and sleeping with a light cover has once again become possible.

But there is a downside to this time of year. People with mold allergies may see an increase in discomfort, and cold and flu season is right around the corner.

Our immune systems are critical to our health and well-being, but most of us never give it a second thought until it has already been compromised and we are starting to feel sick.

The immune system is the body’s defense in the battle against infection and illness. Every day we are exposed to things such as viruses, bacteria, parasites, mold, or a host of other foreign invaders. Symptoms may include a stuffy nose, headache, fever, sore muscles, etc. If your immune system is working efficiently the symptoms should subside within a few days to a week and all will go back to normal. Unfortunately, if your immune system has been compromised by stress, antibiotics, poor diet, or not enough sleep it may be necessary to get some help.

Did you know that 70% of your immune system lives in your gut?

This having been said, balancing the good and bad bacteria in your  digestive tract is essential if you want to enjoy good health.

Dr. Blum a board-certified physician in the field of preventive medicine, and an assistant clinical professor in the Department of Preventive Medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City has much to say on the subject of strengthening our immune systems and the importance of doing so.

According to Dr. Blum, and other experts in the fields of immunology and disease prevention, there are a number of things that we need to be aware of to keep our immune systems strong.

1. Eat antioxidant-rich foods and take a quality whole food supplement: Fresh fruits and vegetables, especially the cruciferous vegetables and citrus fruits, are essential in the battle against illness. Fruits and vegetables that are deep colors of green, red, and orange are usually good choices for anti-oxidant rich foods. These foods are the building blocks upon which to build a healthy diet.

2. Eat foods rich in omega 3’s: Wild caught salmon, eggs, grass fed meats, flaxseed, walnuts and almonds are a few of the foods high in omega 3s. It is important to remember that wild caught salmon, like grass-fed meats, will be higher in omega 3s because of their natural diets and salmon, raised on farms will be higher in omega 6s due to their diet of grains such as corn.

Always buy wild caught or grass fed if you want a healthier food.

Remember whatever is fed to the fish or fowl that you eat will get into your system too.

3. Get adequate sleep every night: In addition to repairing themselves when we are sleeping, our bodies are better able to handle stress when we are not sleep deprived as well. Stress is a major contributing factor in the health of our immune system so it is important to get enough sleep.

4. Make sure you are getting enough Vitamin D: Vitamin D is critical to a healthy immune system, but many people suffer from a lack of it. A simple blood test can show if you have adequate levels of Vitamin D in your system. Ten to fifteen mins. of sun exposure a day should be adequate for most people, but if you live in an area that doesn’t get adequate sunshine year round, a Vitamin D3 supplement would be a good idea. A dosage of 2000 IUs is recommended for most people.

5. Take a probiotic supplement: Seventy percent of our immune system is in the digestive tract. We need to balance the good and bad bacteria in the gut in order to have our immune system functioning at its best. You will want a product that contains these two vital strains: Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, and it should have at least 20 billion live organisms in each dose.

6. Limit gluten: Please take note that I said limit, not eliminate. Unless you have a disease or neurologic disorder that is complicated by gluten, it is not necessary to take it out of your diet entirely, but most of us eat too many processed foods that contain most of the gluten found in today’s diet. Gluten can cause inflammation, and that in turn can cause our immune system to go into overdrive.

This reaction can cause us to feel run down, tired, experience mild joint pain, bloating and brain fog among other nondescript symptoms that plague the general population. This can also, in extreme cases cause the immune system to start attacking the body’s own tissues in response to what it believes is an attack from a foreign invader.

To read more of Denise’s articles, click here.

So there is a lot you can do to improve your health through strengthening your immune system, and now is the time to do it. Your body is a temple. Don’t wait until you are feeling under the weather to start treating it with the respect it deserves. Start today to get more sleep, eat whole foods, and take supplements to give your system a boost. Then enjoy the rewards of renewed vigor, and fewer sniffles and coughs.

The beauty of autumn awaits you, so treat yourself well and go out and enjoy it!

Resources:

http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/food-nutrition/healthy-eating/5-foods-high-in-omega-36.htm

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/omega-3-foods

The immune system Recovery Plan by Dr. Susan Blum MD, MPH

Health Radar – March 2014

Denise Mastrocola

Denise is a Michigander turned Pennsylvanian, who has been writing stories since Elementary School. Denise won an award at the annual Lansing Youth Talent Show, when she was in 10th grade, for a short story entitled Procrastination is Fatal, but didn’t decide on writing as a career until she was 28 years old. While homeschooling her older children she spent 4 years working through a course from The Institute of Children’s Literature.

Through the years Denise’s children have had a variety of health issues, many of which have been linked to various sensitives; having spent more than 20 years researching and trying different things Denise has a boots on the ground view on healthier living.

Denise currently writes for 2 blogs and has several books in different stages of completion. She is planning to break ground in e publishing, and hopes to have her first Historical Fantasy book which is set during the renaissance, “Lisa, My Lisa?” ready by the first of the year.