Musings In Mourning...

I am ready to add Newtown, Connecticut to my list.

Lullaby baby, lullaby dear

Sleep, little baby; have nothing to fear.

Lullaby baby, lullaby dear.

Jesus will care for his little one here.

 

As fearful mothers sing this tender Christmas lullaby to their little ones, they must be silently hoping and praying that someone will care....

....before Jesus gets sole custody.


Dead Wrong: How Psychiatric Drugs Can Kill Your Child
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HUdHXtOMtI

The Marketing of Madness
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41_8hZoVKjE

http://www.naturalnews.com/038353_gun_control_psychiatric_drugs_adam_lanza.html#ixzz2FMiHlNjN



Seasons Greetings....

As I listened to the radio in the car, I happened upon an interview with a Muslim man who has converted to Christianity. He spoke of the trials and dangers surrounding the lives of many Christians in Muslim countries and even mentioned that in Saudi Arabia converting to Christianity is punishable by death.

 

I am grateful that in this country we are still allowed a Christmas season of gift giving and celebration in remembrance of our Savior and of that which we hold so dear and sacred, the right to worship as we please. 

 

As our family discussed appropriate Christmas greeting card messages for our non-Christian friends, our daughter, Julie, suggested a great idea and one that we extend to each one of you as well:

 

 

Happy Holidays--from Jesus!

Candida Warrior Recipes.... 
 

Refreshing Probiotic Drink

  

1/3 cup coconut water kefir  (see video below)

1/2 cup water

1/4 (or more) unsweetened cranberry juice such as Just Cranberry by Knudsen's.

1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar

 powdered stevia to taste

(for sparkle, add 1/2 tsp baking soda and be prepared for the rising fizz!)

How to make your own Coconut Water Kefir:

p.s.  Since I don't have access to great fresh coconuts, I use canned coconut water. (Brian and Amy's, C2O or Zico brands)  Unpasteurized coconut water is better, but is also pricey.  I start by putting Body Ecology Kefir Starter into a Mason jar with a 17.5 oz. can of 100% (no other ingredients) coconut water at the 92 degrees as in the video.  For seven subsequent batches, I just save about a half cup kefir to add to more coconut water and let the jar sit on top of my fridge to culture.

If you want to make milk kefir, here is an instructional link:

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=gmail&attid=0.1&thid=13b6983061a90712&mt=application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document&url=https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui%3D2%26ik%3Dc7a1c4b459%26view%3Datt%26th%3D13b6983061a90712%26attid%3D0.1%26disp%3Dsafe%26zw&sig=AHIEtbSnyWguQW_-Kfnutvo04OBb5VQBfA

 

Candida Warrior Recipes....

Creamy Strawberry Pie Filling

                     (from Colette Dilworth)
  

1/2 cup pitted dates (or 1/8 tsp powdered stevia extract)

2 tbls water

1 1/2 cups cashews (soaked for 6+ hours or overnight)

3 cups fresh or frozen chopped strawberries

Mix:

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbls raw apple cider vinegar

1 tbls vanilla extract

Blend cashews in a food processor until chopped well.

Add dates and water and blend for about 3 minutes, scraping sides as needed, until creamy.

Add all other ingredients and blend for about 5 minutes more.

Place on a nut crust and spread evenly with a spatula. See nut crust recipe.

Put in freezer for 2-3 hours to firm up. Take out 2-3 hours before serving.

Eat when chilled and still firm.
Top with sliced strawberries.

Candida Warrior....

Cancer Reasoning
                                                If..........then 

  

2007:  Professor Dr. Alwin Kramer (at the Cancer Research Center located at the University of Heidelberg) discovered that the antifungal drug griseofluvin killed cancer cells.
http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/67/13/6342.full 

April 2010:  Stanford University study showing that the use of itraconazole (an anti-fungal medication) suppresses the growth of basal cell carcinoma (cancer) cells in mice.    http://www.cell.com/cancer-cell/abstract/S1535-6108(10)00070-X?switch=standard

 

Update: November, 2012:  Stanford is now doing clinical trials.

http://med.stanford.edu/clinicaltrials/detail.do?studyId=5722

 

June, 2011:  Johns-Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center study shows that itraconazole (same anti-fungal drug) delays the need for chemotherapy in advanced prostate cancer.      http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/antifungal_drug_delays_need_for_chemo_in_advanced_prostate_cancer

 

August, 2012:   Texas University at Austin article in Medical News Today shows that thiabendazole (another anti-fungal drug)  reduced the growth of blood vessels in fibrosarcoma tumors.      http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/249400.php

 

October 23, 2012:  Long Island man saved by anti-fungal intervention.  A doctor who wasn't fooled by the cancer/fungus deception.       http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/10/121023161111.htm

 

IF.....
 

1. Fungal yeast masses can look like and grow like cancer, penetrating into the tissues.

2. Cancer and fungus both grow in an anaerobic, acidic environment. 

3. They both thrive on sugar and refined carbohydrates.

4. Studies have shown that anti-fungal medications kill or retard cancer.

 

THEN......Does not this line of reasoning suggest something to you?

 

IN APPRECIATION

                 ...he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious.
                                                                         (Doctrine and Covenants  78:19) 

Many years ago while attending a summer music camp for violin teachers, I was in my usual position of feeling awkward and inadequate in company with so many seasoned colleagues and mentors.  As I was trying hard to improve my skills as a teacher, to work with young violin students and assist on the piano when necessary, I was introduced to the honored guest instructor.  She simply shook my hand, smiled and said warmly, "I like you."  I nearly crumbled on the spot as I realized she had noticed my efforts and cared enough to say something encouraging and kind.

To you, my invisible friends, who know how, in a myriad of ways, to express gratitude for my clumsy efforts, I say:  I like you...you make every day a Thanksgiving Day!  

Candida Warrior Recipes...

PUMPKIN PIE FILLING

Pumpkin Pie Filling

In a saucepan, combine:

1 (.25 ounce) pkg. unflavored gelatin

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon sea salt

Stir in:

1 (14 oz.) can full-fat coconut milk

¼ teaspoon powdered stevia extract

2 eggs, beaten

Mix well. Let stand one minute, then place over low heat, stirring constantly for about 10 minutes, or until gelatin dissolves and mixture thickens. Remove from heat.

Stir in:

1 (15 oz.) can organic pumpkin puree

 

Mix throughly, pour into crust and chill for at least 3 hours before serving.  Since this is an uncooked pie, it will have more of a custard consistency.

Recipes for last year's Nut Crust and Pumpkin Pie Filling here.

Candida Warrior...

Fungus:  No Respecter of Persons

                                                     ....for a desolating sickness shall cover the land.
                                                                                                (D & C 45:31)

In 1984 in a paper published in Mycopathologia, researchers said that systemic infection caused by candida albicans induces a nonspecific immunosuppression.  This pathogenic yeast will take advantage of any weakness in the body that can be caused by anything from living in a moldy home, poor nutrition, chemical exposure and bacterial infection to drugs like antibiotics, steroids, pain killers, sleeping pills, chemotherapy, radiation, immune suppressors and birth-control pills.
http://www.foodmatters.tv/articles-1/what-every-woman-should-know-about-the-pill

Candida loves a moist, warm and acidic environment and  thrives on sugar, processed carbohydrates and a low-mineral diet.   It creates fungal poisons, called mycotoxins, which greatly resist being broken down in digestion.  They remain in the food chain in meat and dairy products and even temperature treatments such as cooking and freezing do not destroy some mycotoxins.    (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycotoxin) 

Candida poisons will cause severe food allergies, muscle and joint pain, headaches, asthma, sinusitis, nausea, digestive disorders, inadequate nutrient assimilation, skin rashes, chronic constipation, chronic vaginitis, chemical and environmental sensitivities, poor memory, mental fog, depression, PMS and loss of sex drive.

In addition, slowly increasing levels of environmental toxins like carbon monoxide, ozone, formaldehyde, insecticides, cleaning agents and beauty products cause the immune system to dysfunction and create hypersensitivity to various foods and fungi.  The body doesn't know what to do with all these eco-poisons so they get metabolized quickly and damage the brain's ability to make decisions. 

Dr. C. Orion Truss, M.D. discusses how in addition to the previous symptoms there are different problems related to age and gender:

Women's symptoms are especially related to female hormone function.
 

Men, when affected by this (Candida) yeast, exhibit the same abnormalities of intestinal function and the same classic allergic manifestations (e.g. hay fever, asthma).  But the effect on the brain is manifest more as a chronic ill temper and low-grade depression, without the wide fluctuations and acute agitation experienced by women.                                                         

Teenage boys with this condition appear depressed or ill-tempered, and lacking in ambition. It can have devastating effects on intellectual performance and mood.  

Besides allergies and ear infections, Candida causes young children to become high-strung, easily upset or hyperactive. 
                                                                                                        (The Missing Diagnosis)

It seems no one is immune. 

 

Diseases caused by fungi and their mycotoxins (Costantini, A. et al. The Garden of Eden Longevity Diet. Fungalbionics Series. 1998):

• AIDS • Alcoholic cirrhosis • Alzheimer’s • Amyloidosis • Anorexia Nervosa • Atherosclerosis • Balkan Nephropathy • Bechet’s • Biliary cirrhosis • Cardiomyopathy • Crohn’s disease • Cushing’s disease • Diabetes • DIC • Muscular Dystrophy • Encephalopathy

• Ergotism • Familial Mediterranean Fever • Gout • Heart failure • Hyperactivity Syndrome • Hyperaldosteronism • Hyperlipidemia (high lipids) • Hypertension • Infertility • IgA Nephropathy • Kidney stones • Leukocytoclastic vasculitis • Inflammatory bowel disease • Mollaret’s meningitis • Multiple Sclerosis • Nephritis (kidney inflammation)

• Obesity • Osteoarthritis • Osteoporosis • Precocious puberty • Psoriasis • Pulmonary Hypertension • Raynaud’s Syndrome/disease • Reye’s syndrome • Rheumatoid Arthritis • Sarcoidosis • Scleroderma • Shoulder-hand syndrome • Thrombocytopenic purpura • (low platelets) • Vasculitis

LORENZO'S OIL
          ...AND OTHER DOCUMENTARIES

In 1992, the movie Lorenzo's Oil  (starring Nick Nolte and Susan Sarandon and based on a true story) captured my attention and became embedded in my subconscious.  I was astonished that something as ordinary as plant oils could have healing properties and little did I realize how much I would come to need them myself.        http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15008350

My undying thanks to those who care enough make this information available.
Bless you!

Other True Documentaries Worth Viewing:

Forks Over Knives
Super Size Me
Food, Inc.
Hungry for Change
Sugar:  Sweet, White and Deadly
Burzynski--The Movie
Finding Joe
Vanishing of the Bees
Dying to Have Known
Healing Cancer
The Gerson Miracle
Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead
Under Our Skin
Doctored
The Greater Good

Life has meaning only in the struggle. 
Triumph or defeat is in the hands of the Gods.
So let us celebrate the struggle.    
                        (Swahili Warrior Song from Lorenzo's Oil)

CANDIDA WARRIOR:  MY STORY

 

I am telling my story because ten years ago in November of 2002, I was literally on my deathbed--at age 52. I was not able to walk without support and at one point my husband was having to feed me. I had a continuous rash over my entire body which kept me in so much pain that I never slept, except in utter exhaustion. I became malnourished. Neither my medical doctors nor I had any idea what Candida was or that it could kill.

As a child I developed eczema at age two and through the years my parents tried everything they could think of to keep the rash under control, mostly with topical steroid creams and occasional treatments by a naturopathic doctor. I had a severe outbreak as a missionary in Taiwan and was on two or three weeks of cortisone tablets. As a young mother I developed intermittent asthma, bronchitis, IBS and then chronic vaginal yeast infections and UTI's. I don't recall ever having a normally-functioning digestive system. Then I began having severe allergic reactions and chemical sensitivities. Doctors told me that my digestive disorders were not worrisome and prescribed several rounds of antibiotics for the infection. I continued to get worse.

In the summer of 2002, I decided to go to my dermatologist and ask if there were any new products for skin rashes. He prescribed Protopic. The allergist prescribed Elidel.  Little did I realize, both products are immune suppressors. After that, all hell broke loose. I developed a full-body rash and had "electric shocks" shooting through my legs.

I began doing research online and found a doctor who was willing to communicate through email and telephone calls. He knew what was wrong with me and began to teach me about Candida yeast and the damage it was doing to my digestive tract. He helped me change my diet completely to exclude sugar, grains and fruit and told me what natural supplements to take. These included large amounts of probiotics, anti-microbial herbs, glandular extracts, enzymes, vitamins, minerals, amino acids and herbs for intestinal and respiratory immune support. He also recommended prescription anti-fungals that would help kill the organisms like Lamisil, Fulvicin, Nystatin and Diflucan. So I went back to my dermatologist for help and he listened. I slowly began to recover.

In 2006, I went to a local nurse practitioner who found strep on my back and prescribed Keflex, another antibiotic. She also put me on another three months of Lamisil and I stayed on probiotics.

In 2008 I saw my family doctor for H. pylori and was given two antibiotics. More yeast flare-up. So I took lots of probiotics and added supplements such as slippery elm bark, turmeric, raw apple cider vinegar and raw garlic with olive oil at various times and I finally recovered. Later, the doctor was persuaded to prescribe some Nystatin and Diflucan. I went to a naturopathic doctor for massage and colonics. I have gradually been able to build up to a regular exercise routine.

During this time I asked lots of questions and prayed a lot. I wanted to know why and how everything worked. The computer became my best friend. I Googled everything. I did not and do not now believe everything I read, but I just compiled information in my mental files and watched for patterns of agreement among health professionals and scientists that supported going in a specific direction. I began to see another view of health and nutrition that I had never seen before.

With my husband's help I began to clean up my environment. We bought air purifiers and a filter to clean the air. We bought a water filter for our home and shower filters to clean up the water supply. We got rid of most of our carpet and tried to buy all-natural fabrics. I discarded all my household cleaners and beauty products and replaced them with all-natural products. I learned about nasal rinsing and essential oils.

Most importantly I operated on the assumption that GOD MADE IT RIGHT! He created my body to heal itself if I would take care of it properly. So I began to do anything I could to put only the purest things into my body. I learned more and more about herbs and super foods that were highly nutritious. I avoided all processed and genetically-modified foods.

Year by year I have continued to improve but I am determined to be diligent. My Candida may never be completely eradicated, but I am going to fight for others until I run out of time and then I will turn the fight over to you, the next generation, to continue the battle. May God bless you in your efforts.

 

THE CRACK IN THE MIRROR

For almost thirty years I have lived with a crack in my bathroom vanity mirror.  It's low, doesn't distort the image in the glass and doesn't seem to get in the way of my morning routine, but it does remind me daily that there are flaws in virtually everything I do and say.  

I remind myself that anything of true beauty has an element of imperfection.  In every piece of great music or art or indeed, in each of our lives, there is something strategicallly placed to infuse a bit of unpredictability, humor or mystery--a kind of unsettling tension--that when resolved leaves us with a powerful feeling of fulfillment and peace.  We all have a truly unique, God-given kind of flawed beauty, but it is comforting to think that in spite of the flaws in our "mirror," we are still usable. 

In the Book of Mormon, God tells us, "I give unto men weakness that they may be humble," but we shouldn't use that as an excuse for negligence.  In spite of our weakness we still have a work to do!  He promises "I will make weak things become strong...." (Ether 12:27) and that as we come unto Him, He will "consecrate our performance" and it will be sufficient.
(2 Nephi 32:9)  

It is through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that we are enabled, every minute of every day, to receive power from on high (Grace) to overcome our weakness, to rise above our natural inclinations and the conventional wisdom of the world; to be healed, both spiritually and physically, that we may serve.

Yes, I have to admit, that reflection in my glass is broken, but it will serve.

Candida Warrior Recipes...

RAW LASAGNA AND FLATBREAD

 

Raw Lasagna

For bottom “cheese” layer, blend in food processor until creamy.

(May need to add a little water or olive oil to achieve a spreadable consistency):

1½ c cashews, soaked for 6 hrs. (or almonds) 

2-3 cloves pressed garlic

dash sea salt and pepper

juice of 1 lime or lemon

½ tsp dried oregano leaves

½ tsp dried basil leaves

Marinara:

In food processor puree:

1 cup sun-dried tomatoes (soaked for about one hour)

2 T extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil

1 clove pressed garlic

dash of sea salt and pepper

½ tsp each dried oregano and basil

Add:

3-4 medium chopped Roma tomatoes (may puree or leave chopped)

Layer nut cheese on bottom of 8x8 pan.

Top with:

1 medium grated zucchini

1 cup chopped baby spinach or other greens

1 chopped avocado.

Top with marinara and olives.

Serve at room temperature.

The Miracle Mayo recipe makes a great "dressing" for this lasagna.   See previous post:

 

FLATBREAD
(From Kristin Kons--Know the Cause)

Ingredients
• 1 ½ cups blanched almond flour
• ¾ cup tapioca flour
• 1/3 cup (2 TBS whole seeds) ground flax or ground chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon xylitol or raw honey or 7 drops liquid stevia
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 3 organic eggs
• 1/3 cup plain organic yogurt, preferably full fat or low fat
• Any dried herbs with sea salt– Italian seasoning, Frontier Adobo Seasoning blend (my favorite!), or whatever seasoned salt you like.

Directions
1. Pre-heat oven to 350º
2. In a large bowl, combine almond flour, tapioca, ground flax or chia, xylitol, baking soda and salt.
3. In a small bowl, blend eggs and yogurt with an electric mixer for about 30 seconds.
4. Add the egg mixture into the dry ingredients and use mixer or stir to combine until it forms a sticky, wet dough.
5. Pour batter onto a 12×16 jelly roll pan/cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or asilicon baking mat. Smooth batter out with a spatula over the entire surface area, so it is thin and even.
6. Sprinkle herbs of choice and sea salt (if you're using a salt-free seasoning blend) evenly over dough.
7. On center rack of oven, bake at 350º for 8 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Don't over bake or it will be too dry.
8. Cool and cut into desired size. I like using a pizza cutter to do this.

Quick Notes
Storage: I wrap my bread in parchment paper and then seal it in a Ziploc bag. I prefer to store mine in the refrigerator to keep it fresher for longer.
Freezes beautifully in parchment paper and a ziploc.
The number of servings vary depending on what you are using it for and how big the slices are.

Phase 1 Diet Friendly Variations
Make a sandwich with pesto, turkey, tomato and spinach or toast it and top with some almond butter.
Use it as an appetizer or side and dip it into some olive oil mixed with some herbs and spices, hummus or just a little butter. Use your imagination the possibilities are endless!

When there is nothing wrong with you....

MAGIC VALLEY

     CANDIDA SUPPORT GROUP

I just spent the last ten years recuperating from a mysterious disease.  Few medical doctors have heard of it and even those who have don't know how to successfully treat it.  I was one of those who was told:  It's all in your head....Your tests all came back negative....There is nothing wrong with you....It must be stress....But before you leave, I can give you a prescription for (fill in the blank) and recommend that you go see an endocrinologist, a gastroenterologist, a dermatologist, an allergist, an otolaryngologist, a cardiologist, an oncologist, a urologist, a gynecologist, an immunologist, a neurologist and a psychiatrist...and by the way, see the last one first!)

That's when I became a warrior.  During my recovery, I studied, I researched, I read countless books and became a colossal annoyance to my family and friends.   Now I am determined to annoy YOU!  Why?  Because Candidiasis is real and it is estimated to affect one third of the population, especially anyone with an auto-immune disorder.  According to Dr. C. Orion Truss, it is The Missing Diagnosis.

If you are chronically ill and have been left to fend for yourself, I have gathered a few comrades-in-arms and started a Candida Support Group in the Magic Valley.  It's free and I am not selling anything.  Anyone is welcome and we meet the first Tuesday of each month at 10:00 a.m. at 839 Eastwind Drive in Twin Falls, Idaho.

In My Fantasy
                   ...I see a bright world where even the night is less dark.

I could pick on Columbine or Aurora, Colorado but the house next door seems to leave more of a personal impression.  Unexplained murders.  Fuming, I frantically look for someone to blame, and as mass killings occur around the nation by obviously disturbed perpetrators at increasing frequency, there is certainly plenty of blame to go around. Social inequities get blamed, the gun lobby gets blamed, producers of violent video games along with incessant violence on TV certainly should share in the blame.

However, when I looked at the deranged face of James Holmes on the nightly newscast, my immediate thought was that kid is on some kind of psychiatric prescription drugs!  Then as I followed the lethargic investigation, I lashed out at my poor husband:  WHY AREN'T THEY TALKING ABOUT THE DRUGS HE WAS TAKING!!!

You know I would be one of the first to blame the standard American diet for bizarre behavior, but I have a sneaking suspicion that it is something more insidious than that. 

A former chief of the American Psychiatric Association admits that some of the 'mistakes' the APA made in its diagnostic manual have had 'terrible consequences,' which have mislabeled millions of children and adults, and facilitated epidemics of mental illness that don't exist.

Time Magazine reported on a recent study identifying 31 drugs that are disproportionately linked with violent, even homicidal behavior.  The list of top ten offenders:  Chantix, Prozac, Paxil, Amphetamines, Lariam, Strattera, Halcion, Luvox, Effexor and Pristiq.

The bulk of American media is afraid to blame psychiatric drugs because they know the Big Pharma attack dogs will be close on their heels.  Why don't the doctors and researchers who have seen these dark side effects speak out!   I'm betting that someone will go after Holmes' psychiatrist, Lynne Fenton, saying that she was an incompetent doctor--just one more person to blame.  The true perpetrators aren't going to accept any responsibility.  Too much money at stake.

As I write this I am listening to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square perform the haunting Nella Fantasia (from The Mission) and hoping that one day it's message will transform into reality.

 

In my fantasy I see a just world,

Where everyone lives in

peace and honesty.

 

In my fantasy....

 

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/10/28/psychiatry-needs-spect-imaging.aspx?e_cid=20121028_PRSNL_Art_1

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/10/24/children-adhd-drugs.aspx?e_cid=20121024_PRNL_art_2 http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/10/17/scientific-research-retractions.aspx? http://www.naturalnews.com/036633_Aurora_Lynne_Fenton_psychiatrist.html

Frightful Fodder


Well, here it is, the beginning of the annual candy fest:  Halloween!  Thankfully, some parents are searching for alternative fun and in case you didn't know, some dentists out there are actually buying candy from children to send to other unsuspecting victims.  If they were to just throw it in the trash it could be construed as a conflict of interest. 

Now I have learned there is new hope!  This year well-meaning dentists can send it to the ranchers in the Midwest who have taken to feeding candy to their beef cattle to fatten them for slaughter--a truly scary idea.

I'm not sure whether these meat producers have been misinformed as to proper animal husbandry, have no respect for their animals or the humans that consume them--or they are just greedy.  But hey, I guess that's the name of the game.  They developed that trait years ago as children when they went out to trick-or-treat. 

Videos: 
Big Sugar:  Sweet, White and Deadly   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hcAjyOFX1M
Sugar:  The Bitter Truth   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM 

Childhood Vaccines and Tomatoes

One of my fans asked me to blog about childhood vaccinations.   Hmm...Ok, here goes.  (I have my shield ready.)    In our current emotionally-charged world, it seems people who have an opinion are either adamantly for or against them, but as I have done research, I have learned several things  which I wish I had known years ago. 

These things need to be considered carefully:  (documentation below)

 1. There has been no convincing scientific evidence that mass immunization has reduced the death rate for any disease such as measles.
  "Up to 90% of the total decline in death rate of children between 1860-1965 due to whooping cough, scarlet fever, diptheria, and measles occured before the introduction of immunisations and antibiotics." (Dr. Archie Kalokerinos, MD)
 2. Since vaccination were introduced, there has been an epidemic of other diseases, some of which are far more serious.
 3. Vaccinated children can still get the measles.
 4. Disease dangers have been exaggerated.
 5. Government officials are resorting to fear-mongering and pressure.
 6. Contrary to government statements, vaccines are not safe.   Money has been paid to children who have had proven serious side effects.
 7. Governments are run by the Corporations--many are representatives of pharmaceutical companies. This is a huge conflict of interest.
 8. The list of dangerous ingredients is downplayed. I am not happy thinking about putting thimerosol (mercury), aluminum, formaldehyde, eggs, ammonium sulfate, sorbitol, monosodium glutamate, phenoxyethanol (antifreeze) or animal byproducts into children.
 9.  Too many "safe" pharmaceutical concoctions have been recalled to trust the industry any more.
10. The best immunization possible is breastfeeding.

Many doctors no longer recommend or are cutting back on the vaccination of children.  Here is a MUST SEE interview by Board Certified Dr. Lawrence Palevsky, MD on how to work with your physician. 
 http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/10/06/dr-palevsky-disease-vaccines.aspx?e_cid=20121006_PRNL_art_1

There is also an organization called the National Vaccine Information Center that (unlike the CDC) seems to be not in the business of badgering, but of educating the public. They have promoted a film called The Greater Good.   Take a look at it.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/10/30/the-greater-good.aspx
  Other resources:   
http://www.alternative-doctor.com/vaccination/16reasons.htm#1a.
http://voices.yahoo.com/vaccine-ingredients-know-re-injecting-425593.html
^{http://www.foodmatters.tv/articles-1/vaccinated-children-five-times-more-prone-to-disease}

Please don't throw tomatoes at me.  Just be informed so you can have an intelligent conversation with your doctor and school officials. 

Do No Harm

As I go through life trying to be a good wife, mother and grandmother, a faithful church member, a caring friend and a professional music teacher I often ponder on the Old Testament's King Hezekiah.  He has a thought-provoking story.  According to 2 Kings,  Hezekiah became king of Judah at age 25.  He trusted in the Lord and was considered a righteous king.  Several years later Hezekiah becomes sick unto death and the prophet Isaiah tells him:

Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.  Hezekiah prays in desperation:  "I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight.  And Hezekiah wept sore.

The Lord hears his prayer and says through Isaiah:  ...behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD.  And I will add unto thy days fifteen years...

So fifteen years later, Hezekiah dies.   However, within those extra fifteen years given to him, he has a son named Manasseh who becomes the king at age twelve and ... did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.  Manasseh has a horrific reign and sheds so much innocent blood that it filled Jerusalem from one end to another....including, tradition tells us, that of the great prophet Isaiah who was sawn asunder during the reign of Manasseh.

So sad.  Having been spared from an early death myself, I think this message is for me.  No matter how much more time I might have on this earth, perhaps I should not focus so much on trying to do good but just hope that in all my endeavors I DON'T DO TOO MUCH DAMAGE!!! 

If I have, please forgive me....it's a real challenge.

A Word of Wisdom



After my last two posts I started thinking about grains.  So many of you my invisible friends have asked this question that I may as well blog about it publicly:  

 

Why do I have to stop eating whole wheat bread?  The Word of Wisdom states that grain is the staff of life and wheat is for man.

Well, I guess the simple answer is, you don't--that is, if you are happy with your state of health right now and aren't concerned about your future.  If you aren't sick, don't get colds and flu, have allergies, auto-immune or other diseases.  If you don't have high cholesterol, digestive disorders or sleep disorders.  If you aren't obese, gluten intolerant, have blood sugar or insulin issues, have a thyroid disorder or Candidiasis (about 1/3 of the U.S. is known to have yeast overgrowth: http://www.candidafree.net/resource_21.htm)

Here is the actual quote:

14 All grain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts, to be the staff of life, not only for man but for the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven, and all wild animals that run or creep on the earth;

                                                                                                             (Doctrine & Covenants 89) 

                                                                     

As I read it, all grain is for our use.  If one variety makes us sick, then we have others that will work just as well.  Staff means to support in time of need.  How is it we came to eating wheat (or corn) nearly every meal? 

If you have any of the aforementioned disorders, then wheat should probably not be your grain of choice, especially wheat that includes yeast.  Bread yeast feeds all these problems.

In addition, there is one other factor you should know about.  It is addressed by Dr. Mark Hyman, M.D., (http://drhyman.com/about-2/about-dr-mark-hyman/ author of The Blood Sugar Solution and family physician who specializes in blood sugar issues: 

 

Three Problems with Wheat/Bread:

The wheat of today is not the same as the wheat of 50 years ago. It has different starches, genetics (change in number of chromosomes) and (gliadin) proteins. Over 50 years ago, a scientist was awarded the Nobel Prize for developing a hybridized, genetically modified new dwarf, dense and starchy wheat strain. The theory was that it could feed more people. The problems that arose:

1. Super Starch: More quickly-absorbed starch (amylopectin) and inflammatory proteins.

2. Super Gluten: More inflammatory proteins.

3. Super Addictive Properties: Has exitotoxins (gluteomorphins) that create hunger and cravings and addiction.
 

Two slices of bread will raise your blood sugar more than two tablespoons of table sugar.

Oh, and here is one more:  http://bodyecology.com/articles/the-top-3-most-addicting-foods-why-they%E2%80%99re-destroying-your-health-and-how-to-get-your-kids-off-them?utm_source=The+Body+Ecology+Newsletter&utm_campaign=edaa091fb8-MailChimp_Top_3_Most_arch_below_art&utm_medium=email&mc_cid=edaa091fb8&mc_eid=0518d46541#.UDu-fdZlRsL

 All this just to explain why I prefer quinoa pancakes!  Sorry.... 

Back to School Lunch

School is upon us!  And since all health-conscious grannies are busy giving unwanted advice I am putting in my two cents worth.  There is one thing more important than school supplies:  School food!

 If you are worried that your child will not have enough healthy food options at school, send a lunch to school with them. We ancients lived in the era where packing a lunch was not considered cool!  Plus, we also had the dilemma of knowing that we could pack a great lunch for our kids only to have it thrown in the trash or send an assortment of packaged foods that we knew the kids would eat, but which were loaded with salt, sugar and empty calories.   

You can do better than we did.  Packing a healthy lunch day after day is not easy but it is do-able.   Make sure you include your children in the planning and preparing of their own lunches. That will help a lot.   

Now, here's your big challenge:  Avoid sandwiches and processed, packaged foods.  OK, wait!  Before you say anything, do not despair!  I am going to give you some great alternatives.  Kids love a variety of foods, especially finger foods so start with that.

Sliced fruits, carrot and celery sticks, tree nuts (no peanuts), little tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, or cheese sticks.  Add to that, black bean hummus (see my previous blog post), home-flavored organic, commercial plain yogurt or goat yogurt, pre-cooked organic, free-range meat slices/patties, or homemade muffins (see previous blog post), or leftovers in an insulated food jar like the ones shown here: 
http://by148w.bay148.mail.live.com/default.aspx?rru=inbox#n=1847087659&rru=inbox&fid=1&fav=1&mid=d1067fd0-ec4c-11e1-a9c6-00215ad96bc4&fv=1

Don't be tempted to send boxed juices.  If you doubt it, check out the following:  (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/linda-larrowe-bergersen/why-fruit-juice-emisntem_b_677830.html )   

And don't buy into the Dairy Council-promoted myth that says kids need milk.   http://milkmyths.org.uk/health-nutrition/don%E2%80%99t-children-need-milk-calcium

Have a great school year, my little invisible friends! 

Hot and Quick Energy Breakfast!

I love Doug Kaufman's online program, Know the Cause, and one of the reasons is because of his food segment, Dining With Denni.  This is where I found this great recipe.  Serve these quinoa pancakes with your favorite green smoothie and you have a meal that will keep you going for most of the day!  It's a great breakfast for kids who may not eat a good lunch at school.

Quinoa Pancakes

(Cook a pot of quinoa a day or two before and store in refrigerator.  [It is best to soak all seeds 8-12 hours in a covered glass container, drain and rinse before cooking.  Soaking removes an enzyme inhibitor.]  Cook as per directions on the package.)

Mix together:
1/2 cup cooked whole quinoa (I like 1/4 c. red organic quinoa and 1/4 c. regular quinoa better)
1 egg
1 egg white

Pour batter on griddle, cover with a lid and cook on med-high for one minute.  Flip.  Cook for a few more seconds and serve hot!

Now, as usual, I have tweaked this recipe.  I like a little salt, so you can either cook the quinoa in some salt or you can add some to the pancake mix just before cooking.

Also, I like it sweeter because I don't use syrups or other sweetened toppings.  I just sprinkle some powdered stevia extract in the pancake mix before cooking.

One more thing:  If you don't know what to do with extra egg yolks, just use two whole eggs.  It just depends on how "egg-y" you want the pancakes to taste.

The best part is when I spread some ghee (also known as clarified butter--see previous blog post The Big Fat Lie) and some raw cashew nut butter that I have blended in my food processor.  (Oh no, I just realized I haven't given you the recipe for nut butter.)  So here you go:

Raw Cashew Nut Butter

In a food processor using the regular blade, blend until smooth (3-4 minutes):
3 cups raw whole cashews
1 tablespoon almond oil

Here's to a healthy new school year!  Enjoy!

Blessing of the Commons 
...that which is common to the greatest number has the least care bestowed upon it.
                                                                                                             Aristotle

It all started with the shattered ceramic mug that lay in shards on the track at the middle school where I sometimes run.  I grimaced and ran around it.  As I continued around the track I ran past a huge dead tree limb, empty potato chip and nut bags, soda cans, bottle caps, pudding containers and other nameless debris littering the track area and wondered when somebody was going to come and clean it all up.   But then guilt tugged at me so I gathered it all up and deposited it in the nearby trash cans. 

In 1968, Garrett Hardin called this the Tragedy of the Commons: the phenomenon that describes a group of people who use a common area to the good or detriment of the whole.  From the local playground to the the national arena, there seems to be a sickness in our society that spreads as we think only about short-term consequences and have little concern for any long-term consequences.   Gratefully, there are many exceptions.  

The Mormon pioneers got it right.  In their trek West, under organized and forward-thinking leadership, pioneer groups established short-term settlements at Mt. Pisgah and Garden Grove, Iowa.  Even though these first parties moved on they left houses, fences and planted crops for the benefit of later companies.   

I am inspired by my good and honest ancestors.  In such acts of charity there is no tragedy...only blessing.

THE BIG FAT LIE ?

For some thirty-plus years the American medical establishment has been structuring its Food Guide Pyramid on the theory that eating fat will make us fat.  With the best of intentions, public health authorities told us to eat less fat and more pasta, rice and bread, and we did.  Now they are recognizing that their recommendations are actually the cause of the raging obesity epidemic in America.  Walter Willett, chairman of the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, says that the low-fat-is-good-health hypothesis has now effectively failed the test of time.

Professor John Farquhar at Stanford University who has been researching the fat question for 40 years raises a question that is also on my mind: "Can we get the low-fat proponents to apologize?"
  http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/07/magazine/what-if-it-s-all-been-a-big-fat-lie.html?pagewanted=4&src=pm

I've been telling you about healthy oils like olive oil, flaxseed oil and coconut oil but today it's butter!  Many people are giving up margarine and going back to real butter but the best part is that even those of us who have problems digesting milk proteins can eat clarified butter!  It's called GHEE (pronounced: gee) and is a healing natural fat. When you remove the milk solids, you remove the problem.  For children who are allergic to many things, it can be a life saver.  It is available commercially, but you can easily make it yourself:

Ghee
Heat 1 lb. real butter  (Preferably from grass-fed cows.  FredMeyer has Organic Valley Cultured Unsalted Butter.)
Melt it in a saucepan on low until it is all melted and starts to bubble a little.
With a spoon skim off the white foam and discard it.
Pour into a 10-12 oz glass jar through 2 layers of cheesecloth to strain out any residue white foam.   
The ghee will be gold in color.    
Will store unrefrigerated.

Additional benefits:
http://www.path2healthyliving.com/HealthBenefitsofGhee.html
http://bodyecology.com/articles/benefits_of_real_butter.php