EmbracingHealthBlog | Alternative Health and Lifestyle Views

I Was on the News!

Leisa — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 02:59:07 +0000

During the Dr Sherrill Sellman Tour, Channel Nine Gold Coast News took an interest in the subjects that Sherrill was speaking about, and did a short segment for the news, on hormonal influences in breast cancer.

Isn’t it fantastic that the topic was raised in the mainstream media?

I was asked about Saliva Hormone Testing, as these tests can play a big role in picking up areas of hormonal imbalance well before symptoms become a problem – leading to preventative medicine, which is the very best kind.

A big thanks to Jodie from 1000 Mums Making a Difference, who orchestrated the interview, and is doing such great work herself in the area of children’s health.

Take a look!

Just to explain a bit further; in Saliva Hormone Testing, we test for three different types of oestrogen – detail that you will never get in a blood test. Of these types of oestrogen, E1 or oestrone has a more of a potential to metabolise into a chemical that has carcinogenic properties. If I see high oestrone on a saliva test, then I immediately recommend a 2 & 16 Hydroxyoestrone test to see if this dangerous metabolite is being produced.

If it is, then we have a assortment of naturopathic tools available to help bring this marker back into line. We use a product made from an extract from broccoli called indole-3-carbinol, the herb rosemary can be of benefit, as can iodine. Other factors that can play a role are compromised digestion, and a congested liver. When we have a high reading come up through saliva analysis and further urine testing, it guides us to introduce an holistic management program that encompasses many areas, and encourages a multi-pronged approach to healing and prevention.

If you would liike to know more about Saliva Hormone Testing, you can go to the website www.salivahormonereport.com where you can read all about the test and what it involves, you can order online at that site, and when your results are back, I do up a 20-25 page report analysing your hormones for you. It can be one of the best things you can do to find out your hormonal levels, and take steps to bring them back into balance.

Leisa

I Was on the News! is a post from: EmbracingHealthBlog | Alternative Health and Lifestyle Views

Earthing

Leisa — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 03:41:24 +0000

When David Wolfe toured Australia earlier this year, he spoke about the importance of being grounded, or connected to the earth. He spoke about how this one simple practice, can reduce inflammation, eliminate pain, and improve sleep. You can listen to David speaking about grounding in the video below:

From the Barefoot company website: “In 1998, a retired cable TV executive was sitting on a park bench in Sedona, Arizona, watching the passing parade of tourists and became aware that almost everybody wore shoes with synthetic soles. He wondered if such footwear, which had increasingly replaced leather since the 1960s, could have an effect on our bodies.

Clint Ober was his name and it occurred to him rather innocently that he and most everyone else around him wearing such shoes were insulated from the natural electrical surface charge of the Earth known in the electrical world simply as “ground.” All electrical systems in our homes, businesses, and industries are stabilized and protected by the Earth’s “ground.”

Ober wondered if the lack of Earth’s ground energy could affect the body? This one simple question inspired years of experiments and multiple scientific studies involving biophysicists, medical doctors, electrophysiologists, and exercise physiologists. The studies produced fascinating evidence demonstrating that connecting and grounding the body to the Earth has a positive influence.

Throughout the years of research and experimentation, Ober developed and refined indoor Earthing systems for use in studies and to fill a growing demand by individuals who heard about the “feel better” effects of Earthing. The products displayed here are the result of his effort to make available to people in a practical way methods to ground their body with the natural and subtle surface energy of the Earth as they sleep, work, and relax indoors. To date, thousands of individuals-men, women, children, and professional athletes alike have incorporated grounding into their daily lives.

Throughout the history of civilization, cultures around the world honored connectedness to the Earth and described the energy of the Earth in different ways. Modern lifestyle has increasingly disconnected us from this energy. Research is now explaining, in scientific terms, the importance of this energy to naturally reduce and prevent electrical stress in the body.

The mission of Barefoot Sales Corp. is to continue to develop and provide products that help people everywhere conveniently incorporate personal grounding into their daily lives.”

I will be placing a bulk order for selected grounding products on the 12th of September - two weeks from now – so if you would like a Bed Pad, Recovery Bag or Mat, please go to the order page here. Delivery will be approximately two- three weeks following the 12th Sept.

Leisa

Earthing is a post from: EmbracingHealthBlog | Alternative Health and Lifestyle Views

Free Radicals and Antioxidants

Leisa — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 04:34:21 +0000

I received a e-mail newsletter recently, from maxAwareness, a website devoted to raising awareness about alternative and integrative medicine for people healing cancer.

This article was relevant to anyone, whether they have a chronic illness or not - so I have posted it below – I hope you enjoy it, and I encourage you to have a look at the maxAwareness site and encourage anyone you may know who is challenged by cancer at the moment, to take a look for some inspiration, motivation and valuable information.

“I always wondered what FREE RADICALS are and why we need ANTIOXIDANTS to counteract them.

After some research I found out that free radicals are produced in our body as a normal process of the cell metabolism. Sometimes the body’s immune system purposefully creates them to neutralize viruses and bacteria which shows that they are not only bad.

But unfortunately are everyday environmental factors such as pollution, radiation, cigarette smoke, pesticides and herbicides and all the other 40000 chemicals not conducive to a good balance and spawn excessive amounts of free radicals.

The problem arises when the balance has tipped and there are excessive free radicals in the body which damage the cells and tissues. It’s like a chain reaction because this over-abundance of the free radicals creates even more free radicals.

In very high volumes these free radicals alter the genetic code of the cells themselves. Mutations that are formed by free radicals can lead to leukemia and other types of cancer and form the basis of other diseases.

Normally, the body can handle free radicals, but if antioxidants are unavailable, or if the free-radical production becomes excessive, damage can occur.

Antioxidants work at scouring away these free radicals and thereby leading to improved health. In its own defense the body manufactures antioxidants, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, etc.

To fight free radicals, antioxidants can be taken into the diet, helping to detoxify and protect the body. The right diet helps us to counteract this process of oxidative stress.

Additional supplementation is very helpful too. Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Co-enzym Q 10, Vitamin A, Reservatrol are all helpful in this respect.

Below is a list of High Antioxidants Food supplements:

All fruit, vegetables and seeds should be from organic farming as the toxic load of herbicides, fungicides and …… just add to the cause of cancer and disease in general.

Best Sources of High Antioxidants Foods”

Fruits
Berries like blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, black currant, strawberries, tomatoes.

Cherries, plums and pomegranate would contain a lot of antioxidants too but because of their high sugar content are for a cancer patient not advisable to consume.

Vegetables
Kale, spinach, greens, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, red cabbage, red and orange peppers, carrots, red beets, parsley, ginger, turmeric and lemon.

Nuts and Seeds
Pecan, walnuts, hazelnuts, and sunflower seeds.

Peanuts are loaded with antioxidants too but because of their high risk to be contaminated with aflatoxines it is better to avoid them.

Superfoods
Goji berries, raw dark chocolate, acai berries, sea vegetables, green tea, spirulina.”

Leisa

Free Radicals and Antioxidants is a post from: EmbracingHealthBlog | Alternative Health and Lifestyle Views

The Story of Cosmetics

Leisa — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 04:03:42 +0000

The Story of Cosmetics: What’s Really in your Personal Products?

I know I’ve harped on about the importance of this issue on this blog, here, here and here, but it’s worth bringing up again. Annie Leonard, the creator of the “The Story of Stuff” has come up with a new story, and it is about cosmetics…

“As a mother, I want to be sure that the shampoo, sunscreen, bubble bath and other personal care products my daughter uses are safe. If I stick to products in the children’s aisle at the drugstore — stuff that’s made and marketed specifically for kids — those should be OK, right?

The labels are reassuring: “Gentle.” “Pure.” “Natural.” “Free of Harsh Ingredients.” “Recommended by Pediatricians.” “Dermatologists Approved.” And of course, “No More Tears.”

But when you turn the bottles around, get out a magnifying glass and read the fine print on the back (and get online to do some research) it’s a different story: sodium laureth sulfate, diazolidinyl urea, ceteareth-20, PEGs, quaternium-15 — all these are typically contaminated with cancer-causing chemicals like formaldehyde or 1,4 dioxane.

Carcinogens in baby shampoo? Are you kidding me?

I asked some scientists what was going on, and what they told me was scary, and not just for our children. It turns out the average American bathroom is a minefield of toxic chemicals. Sunscreens, lipstick, moisturizer, shaving cream — many cosmetics and personal care products for babies, kids, moms and dads contain chemicals linked to cancer or other health problems like learning disabilities, asthma and even damaged sperm.

I got so mad about this I joined with the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics to make a new video The Story of Cosmetics.”

You can read the summary points of what Annie learned here:

Leisa

The Story of Cosmetics is a post from: EmbracingHealthBlog | Alternative Health and Lifestyle Views

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Thai Veggie Noodles Recipe

Leisa — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 03:34:25 +0000

When I was in Sydney for the Dr Sherrill Sellman tour, I caught up with the “angel in disguise” Julie from Conscious Choice. She was the host organiser for the Sydney leg of the tour and lucky me, I managed to taste some amazing recipes of Julie’s while I was there. If you get the chance to get along to one of Julie’s Raw Food Preparation classes, I urge you to do so – her food is out of this world!

This is a dish I absolutely love and I’ve taken it from Julie’s website http://www.conscious-choice.com/recipes

Thai Veggie Noodles

Veggie Noodles
3 Zucchini
1 Red Bell Pepper, julienned
1 Spring onion
1 Packet of kelp noodles or an extra 4 zucchini
½ Cup Chopped Herbs (mint or basil)
½ Cup Chopped Coriander
2 Tbsps Lime juice
2 Tbsps Tamari
¼ tsp Himalayan Salt

Thai dressing
¼ Cup Almond butter or tahini
1/4 -1/2 cup Coconut Water
1/3 Cup Coconut meat
1 Lemongrass stalk
4 Kaffir lime leaves
1 Whole lime and zest
2 Tbsps Ginger
2 Tbsps Tamari
2 Tbsps Sesame oil
1 Tbsp Yacon
2 tsps Kelp powder
1 Chili

Method:

To make the Thai dressing place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until creamy.
To prepare the Veggie noodle mix:
Prepare the Zucchini into noodles either using a mandoline or a spiraliser. Place into a bowl with the julienne red bell pepper and rinsed kelp noodles if you are using these.
Toss in the Lime juice, tamari and salt and massage gently into the mixture.
Add the herbs and spring onion
Toss in the dressing and garnish with some coriander and cashews.
Allow the mixture to marinate at room temp for 30min or place in your dehydrator for an hour to warm and develop the flavours.
The longer this dish sits the better the flavours develop in it.

Conscious Tips:
Kelp Noodles are a sea vegetable in the form of an easy to eat raw noodle. Made of only kelp (a sea vegetable), sodium alginate (sodium salt extracted from a brown seaweed), and water, Kelp Noodles are fat-free, gluten-free, and very low in carbohydrates and calories. Their noodle form and neutral taste allow for a variety of uses including salads, raw stir-fries and soups, while their healthful content provides a rich source of trace minerals including iodine, which kelp is well known for. Their unique texture completes the package, making Kelp Noodles a one-of-a-kind healthful and tasty alternative to pasta and rice noodles. Best of all, no cooking is required. Just rinse and add the noodles to any dish and they are ready to eat! You can find them on our online store

Leisa

Thai Veggie Noodles Recipe is a post from: EmbracingHealthBlog | Alternative Health and Lifestyle Views

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Vivacious & Healthy Breasts

Leisa — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 03:20:32 +0000

I received a e-mail newsletter recently, from maxAwareness, a website devoted to raising awareness about alternative and integrative medicine for people healing cancer. The founder of the site is a beautiful lady whom I met many years ago when she was lecturing about her own personal story of healing cancer naturally.

I loved the main article in the newsletter so much I have posted it below – I hope you enjoy it, and I encourage you to have a look at the maxAwareness site and encourage anyone you may know who is challenged by cancer at the moment, to take a look for some inspiration, motivation and valuable information.

“Supermarket shelves, TV screens and bill boards are splattered with pink ribbons, whilst statistics report one in nine women will be diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 85, however little is shared on how to keep your breasts ‘Vivacious and Healthy’.

Our busy lives and the daily pressures of being a mother, daughter, partner, wife, friend and income producer often sees our daily routine encompassing little more than hair and makeup, as our breasts are tucked away or perked up in the latest ‘wonder bra’ hardly getting a second look in, unless something goes wrong.

It may sound too simple to be true however 30%-50% of breast cancer could be prevented with a healthy diet and getting regular exercise. The human body knows exactly how to take care of itself when given the right tools and by creating the right environment.

Girls, it’s time to be proactive and add a little verve to your breasts for your own health, vitality and longevity. Personal development guru’s encourage being in the flow and that’s exactly what’s needed to create healthy, perky breasts. High levels of stress, emotional, mental and physical congestion and toxicity all contribute to a less than healthy breast tissue.

A recent study found that women who wear a bra 24 hours a day had a 3 out of 4 chance of developing breast cancer in their lifetimes. The tissue around the breasts, neck, shoulders, and arm pits contain the lymph system which unlike the vascular system does not have a pumping station, relying on movement and breath to rid the body of nasty toxins. So along with your shoes, fling your bra off at the door.

As stress is a major contributor to disease, rather than adding a few more things to that already over sized list, become present and choose to take advantage of existing moments of time to self nurture and create flow.

Tips to Vivacious Breasts:

Regular breast massage helps to improve circulation and lymph drainage; it decreases symptoms of PMS, menopause and menstrual cramps, and decreases the discomfort from pregnancy and breast feeding. Take 10 minutes a day a little Almond Oil or other natural oil and using the flat of your fingers use small circular movements, around the breast, armpits, and shoulder blades. A relaxing thing to do when in bed at night whilst focusing on things that you are grateful for throughout the day, thus calming your neurology and physiology before sleeping.

Where there’s movement in your body, there’s movement in your life. Dr Finn Skott Anderson from the Humlegaarden Clinic in Germany says Exercise, Exercise, Exercise is essential to heal cancer. What heals must prevent. Bushing walking, sport, gardening, yoga, dancing. Meet your girlfriend or colleague at the beach or park and go for a walk to discuss business instead of at a coffee shop or office.

Choose to still the mind by focusing on breath or an affirmation whilst walking, exercising, sitting on the bus, in traffic, when going to sleep, taking a shower become present with your body, your environment, your breath.

Increase lymphatic movement and relax the mind with long slow breathing through the nose down into the pelvis – can be done whilst sitting on the train, at the traffic lights, waiting for a meeting or to pick the kids up from school.

Avoid seafood, which is farmed, including prawns, barramundi and salmon. And commercially farmed chicken and eggs. Organic is always best.

Drink filtered water, not from plastic bottles.

Never use plastic, only glass. This includes plastic wrap which when heated releases sexo-estrogens into the produce. This includes synthetic underware and bras. Avoid micro waves in any case.

Choose organic live foods, greens and high enzyme foods. If not ensure you wash your vege’s in apple cider vinegar and peel the fruit or vegetable well. Foods which have anti cancer benefits; broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, turnips garlic, onions, cabbage, cherries, beans, carrots, cantaloupe, pumpkin, winter squash, yams, broccoli, spinach, sweet potatoes, citrus, grapes, walnuts, raspberries, strawberries, pomegranates, tomatoes, carrots, guava, ruby red grapefruit, watermelon, green tea, nuts, seeds, especially flax seed.

Never believe a pesticide is safe.

Use non toxic hair, skin and household cleaning products – It is known that the breasts can store quite high levels of toxins from our environment. Studies of human breast milk have shown a quite alarming tendency for traces of household cleaning products to be present for example. It is believed that there could be a connection with the onset of breast disease from these toxins.

Do what you love and love what you do – you might not always like what you have to do in a day, you can complain about it or look at the benefit … find the benefit, the blessing and change the colour of your day.

Ghandi said ‘Be the change you want to be in the world and watch the world change around you’ … next time you see a pink ribbon or a cancer statistics ask yourself ‘Have I put a little verve in my day and done my bit to lower breast cancer statistics?’

You’re truly worth it.

Leisa

Vivacious & Healthy Breasts is a post from: EmbracingHealthBlog | Alternative Health and Lifestyle Views

Sherill Sellman Tour Wrap-up

Leisa — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 02:15:32 +0000

The Dr Sherrill Sellman Tour is just over, and what a wonderful round of events it was – in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sydney & Melbourne we had a great time talking all things female.

It was just fantastic to meet so many people whom I have known only through the website or e-mail, and to be able to put faces to names was lovely – thanks so much to everyone who came along.

Sherrill is a generous, warm and nurturing lady who was a pleasure to tour with. She had so much vital information to impart, that by the end of each workshop heads were spinning with the amount of knowledge she shared. More than one attendee commented to me that she had learned valuable strategies that would literally change her life.

Every step we take is a journey along the path to wellness, and having various speakers and authors come to Australia for us to enjoy and learn from is such a great bonus. Sherrill has mentioned that she may come back to Australia next year – so here’s hoping!

Leisa

Sherill Sellman Tour Wrap-up is a post from: EmbracingHealthBlog | Alternative Health and Lifestyle Views

Tips on Being the Partner of a Raw Fooder

Leisa — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 02:07:55 +0000

This article was written by a friend of mine, Bill Murphy, husband of Jennie Murphy and the owners of Raw Pleasure. He wrote the article for the Raw Pleasure newsletter, and I thought it was great value.

Even if we choose to be mainly raw for our own health, that doesn’t necessarily mean our family and friends are going to jump on board with us. At times we may even get quite zealous in our attempts to convert everyone around us to our new found discoveries about food – but more often than not that will push people away rather than have them join with us.

Bill writes some great tips here, on how to manage these issues:

“The idea for this article came to me after I recently met someone who was relatively new to the Raw Food world. He said that has been feeling great on a Raw Vegan Diet but he also said that his wife did not understand and was not interested in it at all. He was having a difficult time and had chosen to buy his own food and prepare his own meals separately from the family.

This reminded me of my confusion surrounding Raw Food when I was first introduced to it and got me thinking that there have to be plenty of others out there who are going through the same thing with their partners. Perhaps you have gotten into Raw Vegan Foods recently and have an un-supportive partner, or maybe your partner is a Raw Foodist and you feel that it is not right for you at this stage. Whatever your story is, hopefully me sharing mine with you will help your life to move a little smoother through this period.”

Read the rest of this article here:

Leisa

Tips on Being the Partner of a Raw Fooder is a post from: EmbracingHealthBlog | Alternative Health and Lifestyle Views

ADHD Pesticide Link Confirmed

Leisa — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 01:30:35 +0000

My work as a Naturopath is mainly with adults – however I really feel for this generation of children who are starting life with so many strikes against them.

We now know that every child born in Western civilisation is born with more than 278 toxins in their body. There is more environmental pollution today than there ever has been. There is more toxic food than ever, and so many, many parents rely of fast food and junk food as a staple of the diet. Even when families do embrace a good diet, more often that not conventional produce is used, putting even more toxins into little children.

But even more scary than that, a recent study has confirmed that there is a link between a mother’s exposure to pesticides and ADHD in her child. Prenatal exposure to pesticides is considered quite dangerous, as this is when the baby’s nervous system is developing and can be influenced by these toxins.

Which is why naturopath’s recommend 12 months of detoxification before couples even try to fall pregnant.

Eating organic produce, reducing the amount of chemicals and toxins in other foods, and avoiding toxic personal care and cleaning products, can go a long way to lowering the chemical burden in your life. If you do have a child suffering from an attention disorder, it is imperative that they go on a very clean diet, detoxify gently, and have all chemicals removed from their environment. With some supportive naturopathic care, incredible results can be seen.

It’s great that these connections are starting to be made and publicised in the general media.

Read the full article here:

Leisa

ADHD Pesticide Link Confirmed is a post from: EmbracingHealthBlog | Alternative Health and Lifestyle Views

Home – The Movie

Leisa — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 01:25:25 +0000

I love a good movie, and this one definitely fits the bill. And as a bonus it is freely available online, so you don’t even have to leave your desk to watch it!

“We are living in exceptional times. Scientists tell us that we have 10 years to change the way we live, avert the depletion of natural resources and the catastrophic evolution of the Earth’s climate. The stakes are high for us and our children. Everyone should take part in the effort, and HOME has been conceived to take a message of mobilization out to every human being. For this purpose, HOME needs to be free. A patron, the PPR Group, made this possible. EuropaCorp, the distributor, also pledged not to make any profit because Home is a non-profit film. HOME has been made for you : share it! And act for the planet.”

Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/homeproject

Leisa

Home – The Movie is a post from: EmbracingHealthBlog | Alternative Health and Lifestyle Views