Thursday, October 29, 2009

Vitamin D3...the new "IT" vitamin


It's been over a week since my last blog -I KNOW-I do have a life however :) And the vacation I took reminded me of this important vitamin as the last day I was there was also the sunniest and most beautiful day. What am I talking about? The "sunshine vitamin"--Vitamin D3!
Vitamin D3, also called cholecalciferol, is not really a vitamin, but a secosteriod and believed to also be a neurosteriod. It's function is widespread through all body systems (skeletal, circulatory, nervous, immune, digestive, reproductive, and is even mood altering)

Like a plant needs sun to produce Chlorophyll so do we need the sun for Vitamin D3.

The BEST and most efficient way to produce D3 is to go out into direct sunlight for about 20-30 minutes each day. In the summertime, your body will produce about 20,000 IU's of Vitamin D3 when fully exposed for 20 minutes (think: bathing suit). Now wait a minute, isn't that like...oh I dunno... ONE ONE-HUNDREDTH (1/100) of what the Adequate intake is, established by the FDA? Why yes, it is. Which is why I don't pay attention to that at all. I take about 16,000 IU's by oral supplement of D3 in the winter time, as 20 minutes of direct sunlight is just not an option here in the Pacific Northwest. I have had no issues with toxicity either. Current research is actually suggesting that the upper limit of 2000 IU's currently set is a minimum that our bodies need and that the actual requirements may be between 10 and 20 Thousand. However, make sure it is D three you are taking, as there have been mixed reviews about it's cousin D2 or ergocalciferol.

Through my research I have found that "megadoses" of Vitamin D3, in preliminary research, is a potent anti-cancer supplement as well as useful for staving off disease in general by supporting the immune system.
There have been numerous studies outlining the efficacy of D3 supplementation and the remission of cancer, and rather than link each one, I have found an amazing website dedicated to bringing the awareness of Vitamin D3 and it's potential uses and necessity in today's diet, if not derived from the sun itself.

Not only is D3 believed to be a potent anti-cancer supplement, but the deficiency of may also be linked to autism, depression, mental illness, hypertension, heart disease, autoimmune disorders, as well as chronic fatigue and pain. It is widely known-with no small amount of concern, that many of these noted disorders are on the rise; Could this, perchance, be in keeping with the generational turn for indoor pursuits rather than having a natural rapport with the earth and sun?


Most likely. 20 minutes of sun a day can't hurt if I'm wrong-so go work on that tan.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Knitting, Knot for crazy lonely ladies anymore...




So, A couple of years ago a good friend of mine taught me to knit. I was good at for the quarter of the scarf I got done, and then I put down my needles and when I went to go pick them back up, I had forgotten how to go about finishing the darn thing. So I told my dear husband that I wanted to go about buying a knitting book, so I could get back to knitting, and finish the scarf plus start some baby clothing projects-he gave me a crazy look and then gave me this link. It shows you in pictorials, words, and in video format for all types of learners. Now why would I want to go about knitting? You say. And I am ONLY 29 or 34 or .


Knitting (or crocheting) is not for Old ladies, rural Amish, or pregnant barefoot house moms any longer. That stereotype is long gone and knitting, believe it or knot, is cool! You can make neat toys for your little ones, hats for winter in cool shapes and styles, and knit that scarf you've always wanted but, expense-wise, was always out of reach. I suggest you start small, as you may be discouraged early and quit if you try to take on a duster length sweater. Try a stuffed teething toy or a baby cap for the baby you know that's on the way. A great way to be useful, save money, and have a great new hobby!




(Pictures courtesy of PDX Beanies and lulahoops on Etsy.com)

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Back to health maintenance...A good thing to have on hand in case the world should go nuts.


Ok, so Colloidal Silver has gotten a bad rap lately and I feel the need to clear up some misconceptions. There is this big scare running around, that I feel has BIG PHARMA written all over it. It's called Argyria. While Argyria is a very real condition, there are only about 3 confirmed cases that have ever been used as evidence. While there is no actual toxic effects from developing Argyria, no one wants to run around looking like a Smurf hybrid, and it is this gray-blue pigmented possibility that it's detractors are trying to scare people with. What no one is bothering to tell you, is that NOT ONE case of Argyria was ever been reported in correlation with true colloidal silver-that is, silver metal nanoparticles suspended in water. Two reported cases were from "home brews" of silver in water with an electrical current run through to create ionic silver, silver that has an electron missing, a state that makes it very co-dependant indeed. What is it that co-dependants need/crave...partnership...awwwww. So these Silver ions will search out partnerships prior to entry and within your body, and one perfect bond is that with Chlorine, such found in simple table salt, to create a Silver salt. This Silver salt in HUGE quantities is what is responsible for the "blue man" syndrome. It acts in much the same way a developing photograph does when exposed to light and "colors" when deposited in the skin. Silver Nitrate, which was found in many nasal sprays of yore, is also a Silver Salt that acts similarly to produce Argyria. However, nonionic silver and silver that is not protein bound, plain metallic silver suspended in purified water has never been shown to produce any adverse effects reported to the FDA. (2)


SO now that we have the 3 ton elephant in the room escorted out, I can tell you the purported (though with testimonials) ailments that silver can rid from your body. Silver is antimicrobial, antifungal, and antiviral-not to all, but most. It has been clinically proven to decimate the number of MRSA in a lab culture to undetectable levels in 5 hours. It was also shown to kill the virus HIV-1 in a laboratory setting as reported by the Journal of Nanotechnology. Various other fungi and bacteria have been tested and all have been shown to die when exposed to Silver particles (that which found in true colloidal suspensions) as well. Also human studies were done to determine whether silver bio accumulates (it does not) and whether Silver changes it's chemical composition when exposed to HCl (stomach acid)-it does not.


People have been taking Colloidal Silver for over a century and there are many pink and brown bodied people out there that have been illness free for a number of years because of their prophylactic use of CS. It is not a cure-all, as the reason silver is so efficient is because it can easily bind with the sulfur compounds on the external capsids of pathogens rendering them unable to reproduce and eventually killing them. These binding receptors may not be available on every pathogen unfortunately, so you won't find a 100% cure-all here. But most is better than none at all!

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Winter gardens...not for the tender




So I decided to get off the over-hyped flu issue I addressed in earlier posts and go to something productive. My winter garden. This is my first winter garden and I'm looking forward to doing it well...hopefully. This is a great way to lessen the burden on your pocketbook, while at the same time making sure there aren't harmful chemicals in your food.


I used an area that had been used previously as a garden (we just moved here, so it wasn't ours) noted by the fact that we found a squash tag while hoe-ing it up. And found about 4 earthworms which is a good sign for the quality of soil we have to work with. I DID go out and purchase a bag of organic fertilizer that I can use every 2 months or so, just to make sure my plants are receiving all the nutrients they need. Also if you live in very cold climes (I live in the Puget Sound area so my winters-barring last- tend to be milder) you are going to want a cold frame, and most likely a mulch of some sort (hay or straw works really well!) A cold frame is something easily done on your own, but you can buy them as well. The easiest (and cheapest) way to build a cold frame is with some plastic sheeting (painter's plastic) and scrap lumber and build a short square frame over your plantings and staple your plastic sheeting around it as airtight as possible-then build a "lid" a square flat frame with painters plastic wrapped--you could even get fancy and put it on hinges, or you could do it like this blogger suggested.


I have started my seedlings inside (I started them last week, but it isn't too late) in some peat pots and will transplant them outside once they are about 5 weeks. Except for garlic-- you can actually buy a garlic bulb, separate the cloves, peel, and direct sow right into the soil. I found a fantastic hardneck variety at my Co-op that I am planting for spring harvest called "Korean Purple" 1 Bulb can yield about 10-12 bulbs in spring...yummy.


The plants I have decided to do besides the Korean Purple garlic are: Carrots, Broccoli, Salad Leaf Beets ( a two for one!), and Shallots


Other plants good for a Winter garden are Peppers, Cabbage, Chard, Mustard Greens, Collard Greens, Onions, and Leeks.


When you plant and grow in winter time, the plants go into a type of "survival mode" and store more sugar than in summer plantings, so you get much richer, sweeter flavors, than their summer counterparts.


After your seedlings are well established, you can plant them outdoors--make sure they get into the ground before it gets too hard, and put your mulch over them and then your cold frame atop that (or if you have already built your cold frame over your intended area, plant within and put the mulch atop your plantings and pop the lid closed)


Your plants will still need to be watered, which in VERY cold places can be tricky (for some areas a cold frame may not be enough-greenhouses may be a better bet.) but make sure you aren't putting too warm of water on your plants--too extreme differences in temperature can shock your plants. Most of these plants are pretty hardy, especially to be able to survive winters, and don't need too much looking after, about every other day should be good to test for soil dampness. You can use organic compost or organic fertilizer about every two months to ensure a healthier harvest, and then Viola! come January or February you have the makings for a hearty French Onion Soup...mmm yummy.


Wednesday, October 7, 2009

The Great Vaccine Debate


This topic is a hot one, but one I can't help but touch upon. Most people are all for vaccinations. Which is their absolute right. However, I am of a different school of thought.
Don't get me wrong, I wasn't born this way, my parents weren't anti-establishment hippies by any stretch of the imagination. I, in fact, was a very pro-vaccine kind of person and debated that position until the evidence against such a stance was overwhelming. So I think instead of attempting to convince anyone, I will just offer evidence that convinced me, and let those that will make their own decision. I had a lot of links and word of mouth evidence thrown at me that I shrugged off, never read, and would rebut without even glancing at the material (ignorant of me, I know), but the one thing that made me go 'hmmm' was the fact that a former director of the NIH was quoted as saying:

"The only safe vaccine is one that is never used."

Dr. James R. Shannon

Now for those that do not know what the NIH is... It is THE largest health establishment in the U.S. It is the nation's medical research facility and much of the nation's health policy is developed as a result of findings within the NIH. SO to have someone say this, whose job was overseeing all of the United States medical research- a large portion of which dealt with vaccination issues- struck a nerve with me. So I took the bait and looked into it myself, and I came away stunned.

Three things jumped out at me at once. Vaccines don't really work, they are full of toxic junk, and they can even make a population sicker.

What I mean by vaccines don't really work, is that well they don't do the job nature intended. In theory, yes "by introducing a pathogen that is weakened the body will form an immune response" sounds good, but in practice it doesn't produce the inflammatory response necessary to overpower a pathogen. Remember our skin and mucous membranes are an intrinsic part of our immune response-they contain resident dentritic cells (our memory cells) that can mount an attack at the first sign of a prospective invader. Basically even before an invader passes the skin/mucous membrane barrier-the dendritic cell is "on it" gathering the cavalry. Vaccines take them out of the equation-think of it as trying to bake bread and not using any yeast-only the half the pan is covered and your bread is hard and flat...you get my point anyways.

Not only that, but many times vaccine makers are using cell cultures that aren't sterile with the genetic material carrying provirus' within them, so that they are released within your own body and you then become infected. There is documented evidence that cancer causing viral strains were transmitted via the polio virus in it's inception, to the unwitting public. Today's vaccine maker's "promise" that their tissue samples are better controlled, however as a provirus, many can hide undetected within DNA until an enzymatic trigger starts them reproducing. And then there is the "attenuated" virus itself. While most of our vaccinated diseases today were on the decline previous to mandates due to the advent of indoor plumbing and handwashing crusades, since the mandates (and by mandates, I mean school required shots) there are actually increases and even pockets of outbreaks within 100% vaccinated populations.

The ingredients in vaccines gave me pause because, well, I am not a chemist. So I did what any confused and needing-to-be-enlightened person would do. I Googled.

Yikes.

While Thimerosal has been taken out of all childhood vaccines besides the Flu shot, there is still the issue of Aluminum and Formaldehyde. Aluminum build-up has been linked to a host of neural defects from ADHD to Alzheimer's. Formaldehyde deteriorates cell metabolism and is cytotoxic and in turn causes cell necrosis. They add free amino acids that alone can become excitotoxins in your body when not part of a larger amino chain (see my sweetener blog). There are a host of other ingredients that have similar "EW!" reactions if you care to take a look.


These vaccines trigger premature thymus cells in babies at a much too early age-that could mature into hundreds of thousand of mature T-cells. A natural early immune response in babies takes up about 10% of these pre-mature thymus cells. A vaccinated individual? 60%. Leaving the immune system depleted for any future encounters with disease.


Between the known and unknown ingredients in our vaccines today, as well as the lack of proper immunity even a "safe" shot containing a minimum of ingredients would impart--I find them completely unnecessary. They have been linked to cancer, autoimmune diseases, neural disorders, behavioral disorders just to give you the short list.


My take? Not worth it. Our immune system evolved over millions of years and our species has made it to the very top of the food chain without the need for invasive and possibly deadly shots.

My choice is clear though it was a struggle to get here, with the world practically yelling that this is GOOD for you. I think shots have become big business, and not about saving lives. If anything, my paranoid brain screams out--"They break you at birth so they can spend the rest of your life "fixing" you and raking in the big bucks" It behooves vaccine makers to keep getting vaccines mandated--as soon as they are, they are covered under legislation that keeps them free from litigation from any adverse effects-including death and then they supply the drugs that treat the illness they imposed. One can only assume that is the reason my children are required about 26 more vaccinations than I at the same age.


Keep your immune system healthy with good food, herbs, and vitamins and chances are that if you do get sick, it will be mild (crappy, but mild). Use common sense of course, and utilize medical facilities when necessary, but people have treated their own illnesses for thousands-nay hundreds of thousands of years. You can too-don't let the hype scare you.



As a side note, my husband (a government worker) was told he could opt out of the H1N1 (SWINE) flu shot that had been previously mandatory. Why? Too much mercury.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Artificially sweet...Isn't that like fake nice?


Artificial sweeteners haven't been getting the attention they deserve. I have done a lot of digging on this topic, and it turns out that not only are they worse for you than the plain ole' sugar packet next to them, they may even make you fatter.
There are 4 main artificial sweeteners running around the globe wearing various brand names. The chemical names of these however are: Saccharin (think pink.), Aspartame (feeling blue?), and Sucralose (yellow is a pretty color!), and Acesulfame K (Potassium) a hider in most refined (see "boxed up") foods.

Saccharin, developed on accident as a byproduct of coal tar derivatives, seems to be surrounded by confusion as it has/hasn't/has/hasn't been deemed dangerous too many times to list. It was banned until the sugar shortages during WWI coincided with the reversal on it's ban in 1912. It has been shown to cause cancer in lab rats (the ammonia in the bladder "activated" (for lack of a better term) the saccharin's ability to pass into the cell causing mutagenic damage, though it has been said that the amount of saccharin used could never be replicated in "real world" conditions.

Sucralose is relatively new to the scene. It was accidentally discovered while attempting to create a pesticide. It is actually "manipulated sucrose" --but really, it is chlorinated sugar (chlorine being a known carcinogen). They remove the Hydroxyl groups in sucrose and replace them with 3 chlorine atoms. mmm yummy. In animal trials, the Thymus-a gland responsible for T-lymphocytes and protection against autoimmunity (things like diabetes, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.), had shrunken as much as 40%. Lymph follicles were atrophied in they Thymus and Spleen. There were pregnancy concerns such as spontaneous abortion, decreased fetal weight, and lagging labor triggers. Not only that, but up to 2% of contaminated byproducts may be found in yon fake sugar such as: Heavy Metals, Arsenic, Triphenilphosphine Oxide, Methanol (again?), Chlorinated Disaccharides, and Chlorinated Monosaccharide. Google them...not fun. There have been no long term studies done for this product either. Some alleged adverse reactions are: gastrointestinal difficulties, skin rashes, chest pain, anger, severe mood swings, anxiety, wheezing/coughing, and depression.

Acesulfame K (aka Acesulfame Potassium) is lacking enough studies for conclusive evidence either way. One thing IS for sure, it does contain the carcinogen methylene chloride, and long term exposure to this chemical can cause anything from headaches to cancer.

Aspartame appears to be the most prolific, and I have even found it in my cranberry oatmeal that was labeled "all natural", and it also is the most controversial. There is even a condition labeled "Aspartame syndrome" that mimics the symptomology of MS (multiple sclerosis). To give you just a hint of why you should be so alarmed, let's look at the main molecular components of Aspartame. There's aspartic acid (an amino acid), and phenylalanine (another amino acid) that make up 90% of the "'sweetener", at first look not so alarming right? Wrong. Amino acids are fine when ingested as part of a larger protein, but when ingested in their pure form alone, they become excitotoxins and mess with the CNS, cause abnormal nerve transmissions that can be linked to headaches, fogginess, balance issues, and even seizures. And to make bad news worse, it has a cumulative effect on the body as well. They stimulate free radicals in the body, that can deteriorate organ functions as well. Not to be outdone, when Phenylalanine decomposes naturally (during long storage or high temps) it becomes diketopiperazine, a well-known carcinogen. Sound bad? Well, it's not over. The remaining 10% component of Aspartame is methanol, otherwise known as wood alcohol. Go ahead, Google it. Scary huh? A one liter diet pop/soda/carbonated beverage has 8 times the safe legal limit imposed by the EPA on this substance. And if you think you are safe from the carcinogens at high temps, think again--because methanol at cool temperatures gives rise to formaldehyde, which enters cells via the bloodstream and affects cell metabolism and even DNA, accumulating until your body goes wonky and you feel like a pile of dog shit wrapped in someone else's boogers, pissed on, wrapped in a used garbage bag, lit on fire, and then stomped on repeatedly. mmmm fun. The adverse reactions from aspartame consumption are endless as there a multiple toxic reactions stemming from the actives and their decompositions. Ironies of note: Aspartame complicates the complications of diabetes: it has been commented that it makes keeping blood sugar level controlling difficult, and contributes to blindness and neuropathies associated with diabetes as well. And the biggest irony of all--It makes you fat! The formaldehyde stores in the fat cells and when it needs storage, you don't lose! On average when one Doctor weaned his patients off of Aspartame, they lost an average of 19 pounds! Though this is just the tip of the iceberg, and too much for me to list. Go young padawan, research this for yourself.

To be sure, artificial seems NOT the way to go when trying to lessen your calorie burden while still enjoying sweet treats. The good news is, I have a fantastic alternative: Stevia. Stevia is virtually calorie-free, all natural "for realz", and needs no processing to use. "What is this 'Stevia'?" you ask... Stevia is a plant that you grow. Chop up. Put in your lemonade. It even has health benefits, and has been shown to help diabetics maintain blood sugar levels long term and in one study, lowered LDH levels as well.

I have a Stevia plant on my window sill that desperately needs to be transplanted as we speak, which shall supply me with endless sweet teas. There's nothing fake about that.

Friday, October 2, 2009

Victory Gardens...perhaps "Unemployment Gardens" more apt?


So there is a renewed interest in the 1940's Victory Garden. For those of you scratching your head going, "huh?" The Victory Garden was the Depression/Rebuilding's era idea of feeding yourselves to help the country. Looks like now that times are rough once again, people should seriously take a look at starting a garden..an odd post in October perhaps, but there are such things as greenhouses, and even better-you can start your own "grow room".

I know what you are thinking, a "grow room" seriously? Isn't that what marijuana grower's use to hide their illicit activities? Yes, but...

Since the advancement of growing technology, there are (relatively) inexpensive lighting and hydro- or aeroponic systems you can buy to start your year round harvest. Make your veggies and fruits perennials! There are LED lighting systems that use as much as 1/10th the power to grow your gardens and are similarly priced as the 1000W Metal Halide or Sodium lights. And they have anywhere from 50,000 to 80,000 hours before replacement becomes necessary. That is like 7 or 8 YEARS of full time use.

The best part is that you can increase that lifetime by only using them in the winter months and using plain ole' sunshine in the summer. A light that covers approx. 100 square feet (a 10X10 room)is only about a foot in diameter, $200 and most(if not all) are considered "plug and play" which is, you can hang them (with the included hanging chain) and them plug them in and they are ready to go. If you want to do year round growing in a much larger growhouse/greenhouse there is a 300W option that will run you about $750-1250 though some top of the line models run as high as $1800(totally inflated in my opinion).

These lights run very cool as compared to their fluorescent counterparts (and for the paranoid, are not hot enough to register on DEA IR flyby's), they do not contain mercury, are not made of glass and will not shatter, and use a much smaller portion of energy than the "old traditional" lights do. Seems very win-win to me! For the uber "green" you could set this up with a correct wattage solar panel or wind turbine for increased savings.
If you elected to use pots and potting soil you could decrease your initial monetary output (though your food harvest would be lower as well) but overall, if you used these full time, you would realize your savings in just under a year, especially with a hydro or aeroponic system. and even more especially if you used any surplus to sell to friends/family or for bartering. Most, if not all fruits and vegetables can be grown this way and well...with the possibility of famine around the corner(if some economists are to be believed), you just might want your food crop hidden...

Literally, food for thought.