Help the girls...

Breast cancer is such an emotionally charged topic for so many, please keep in mind these posts are only made public with the best of intentions and a sincere desire to help.

There are many possible culprits that can contribute to breast cancer. Among them are pure genetics, environmental toxins, individual health and lifestyle choices. These causative factors can be so interlinked and dependent on one another, it can be difficult to separate them. This post is a primer about breast cancer, how life style and environment can affect cancer growth, and some preventative measures that might prove helpful.

It seems that there are several genetic markers that can indicate an individual is more susceptible to cancer. BRCA 1 and 2 tumor suppression genes produce proteins that are the main two markers in use for breast cancer. A DNA profile array shows mutations in these tumor suppressor genes. If found, this means you are more susceptible to cancer, and more susceptible still if you have close family members that have had cancer. However, not a lot of research has been done to show what percentage of women present with mutations in tumor suppression genes, but do not have cancer. Genetically caused breast cancer has been around, and documented as tumors, from the 1600s by Europeans or as early as 1500BC with the Egyptians. However, even if someone is predisposed to cancer, there are many life style changes and choices that can be made to help mitigate cancer proliferation. Further, Myriad Genetics now owns these genes... making it difficult to get second opinions or other treatment options.

Environmental toxins are widespread and endemic, they have been found in polar ice caps, breast milk, and infant chord blood. However, there are ways to help protect yourself. Do not subject yourself to environmental contaminates! Look at the ingredients of everything you come into contact with. Especially body care products, especially body products that go right on the girls. Avoid phthalates, parabens, triclosan, aluminum, denatured alcohol, propylene glycol, 'fragrance,' ethanolamine, etc. My husband likes to keep things simple, and reminds me that not everyone shares my weird and twisted hobby of looking up MSDS (material safety data sheets) on everything, so if you don't know what an ingredient is - don't use it on your body or in your house.

As far as plastic bottles or packaging causing cancer... I will say that in my lab cell cultures were grown on plastic petri dishes and did well. When those same cells were switched to glass dishes, the cells died out. It was surmised at the time that plastic supplied some kind of nutriment that glass (being inert) did not. Later it was discovered that plastic is an exogenous (meaning: a source from outside the body) estrogen. So plastic acts as an extra hormone to anything it comes into contact with...frogs, fish, reptiles, humans. There are many types of cancer that respond to estrogen. So...

Individual health and lifestyle choices are a little harder to nail down and change. For example there have been many studies linking women that work third shift to an increased incidence of breast cancer, or that having children gives you a protective factor over those that cycle every month, or the negative health factors associated with smoking. These are life style choices that might require more thought and effort to totally change.

On the flip side, there is good evidence that increasing lymph circulation to breast tissue helps tremendously and it is relatively easy to go bra-less while at home. The underwire bras are notorious for cutting circulation - go without them when possible. Breast exams are extremely important for early detection, but don't stop there! Do breast massage at home on a regular basis - 'Phluff the Girls' by Cheryl Chapman might be one of the easiest things you can do to help promote your own breast health. As soon as I can figure out how to post a pdf, I will share that directly on here. Diet is relatively easy to change - go Mediterranean and organic as much as possible. Look up super foods, circle your faves, and go to town. Carte blanche for extra servings? Ok!

Hope this gives you ideas and questions. Inform yourself.
Here are some of the links that might be helpful. Thank you and blessings.
 http://www.organicconsumers.org/Organic/organickids020303.cfm
http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/night-shift-sleep







Disclaimer:
As with so many of these posts, they are birthed out of anger. And questions. And a continued search for answers. Please take all ideas with a grain of salt and do your own research, I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on t.v.

Running out of Time?

Ever feel like the weekend is never long enough? Or do you wish Monday morning didn't dawn so quickly?

Yeah, I think we all have been in that boat. Sometimes I am the Captain, first mate, and bo'swain.

So I started wondering, besides the fact that we are all working our buckets off and dealing with crazy families...jobs...debt...etc... Why are we all so T.I.R.E.D all the time? With a little research, I found some good information that seems valid regarding our time usage (or abuse?).

Did you know that we need different types of time off to feel fully refreshed and restored?
For real.

Its not enough to just veg in front of the TV or drink yourself senseless over the weekend. Neither of these (non)activities fulfill your requirements as a human being. Neither does staying home and working around the house.

The point of time off is to get prepared for your next work period and to be restored for life. So to do that you need a relaxation period, a rejuvenation period, and a recharge period. It doesn't seem to matter what amounts of time you assign to each type or in what order you approach them... as long as it feels right for your body.

1. Relaxation period is a time to veg - but withOUT external pressures. You may sit outside, get a massage, lay in your pool, stare out the window, meditate. This is for quiet time and to let your thoughts slide and sink down. To let your body completely relax, breathe deep, let your tummy pooch out... no thoughts... no holding yourself in. Some studies have suggested 4hrs a week. I leave the amount up to you. Tip: you know you need more of this when you can't be quiet or be by yourself.
2. Rejuvenation period is a time to do something you enjoy! Go for a hike, get in a yoga class, do something active that you like. Studies suggest an hour a day.
3. Recharge period is a learning activity that you want to do. This does not have to be a big deal - reading a new book, working on a new painting technique, trying a new recipe... just something new that you can take a small amount of pride in.

Do each type until you feel completed in that area. If you can manage this over a weekend, Monday shouldn't look so grim. Keep me posted with what you find out!

Livin' Fabulous with Fibro

For the longest time, I didn't want to admit that there was anything wrong with me. For even longer I hated, I mean HATED talking about it. Someone would sidle up to me in public, lean toward me, and talk out the side of their mouth like we were CIA spies or at least discussing something illicit. 'Psst hey buddy, the wind is out of the west and the birds are going home (subcontext: how are you feeling?)' Usually I would just grunt as raining a rant of swear words down on their head is considered socially unacceptable. Go fig. I guess this year has finally brought another layer of healing and I would like to share a little of my story in hopes that it might help someone else. 

As some of you may know, I have fibro (as in fibromyalgia). I may have contracted it during my graduate studies and as a side result of toxoplasmosis from overexposure to the birds I was using in my research... but we'll never know. I do know that the four years it took me to recover was the hardest and loneliest time of my life. My husband and I were baffled, angry, and at sea. 

Fibro is unique to each person and is usually coupled with another dis-ease, making it hard to diagnose - so they say. Mine was a definite grab bag mix that included advanced COPD, lethargy, depression, hot and cold flashes, flu symptoms, dizziness, severe GI distress (I mean... SUH-VERE), confusion, diminished appetite, rashes, tender skin, skewed menstrual cycles, (and as a result of medications) extreme weight gain, hair loss, and muscular tremors. Doctors weren't giving us answers and my professors thought I was shirking my work. Needless to say, I wasn't skipping exams because I was too busy partying. I lost my voice, and my struggle for each breath would fill the house. 

I can laugh at it now, but there were nights when I was so tired and scared to sleep I would pace and cry, lemme tall ya - kinda dumb when you can't breathe in the first place. Breathing was a colossal act of will, and if I didn't bring everything I had to the process of survival, I knew that would be it. 

You hear about these survival stories, where people recount heroic tales of their will to keep living - on a mountainside where their plane had crashed, or on a raft in the middle of an ocean after their ship had sank. Mine was fought on a couch, that was my humble, everyday raft, and those moments were... untranslatable to anyone who has not been there.

Flashforward seven years. I am completely off medication, I am training for my first 5k since I got sick. I work a full time (well over full time actually) physically demanding job. I am healthy and happy and driven again. There are so many things that I know now that could have made my road to recovery shorter and smoother. Here are a few of those hard won nuggets:

• Find a reason for your existence. I can hear ya now, 'Are you f#@%ing crazy? I can barely (insert blank) and I am supposed to go all metaphysical?!!' Short answer: yes. What else can you do but watch t.v. and think? This is the one part of fibro that I am thankful for. It allowed me time and space to completely change my life's course and find a path forward that makes sense. If you believe God made each of us for a purpose, great, here's where you get to discover that. If you don't believe in god, great, here's a chance for you to not waste your time here. Do it.
• Find something that you enjoy doing while stationary. I taught myself embroidery, knitting, and took up creative writing again. You might wish to blog or write letters, or start up a dog re-homing website. Whatevs. You need something to keep your mind active while your body is not. Sitting on your ass, doing nothing, is easy. But so much harder to come back from. Don't cut off your nose to spite your face (my mom's saying) and you aren't hurting anyone but yourself by being obstinate and depressed (my saying).
• Find something you enjoy doing physically. Could be walking your dog, gardening, using an elliptical machine. It needs to be something that you can do long or short, that can end abruptly as needed and that you love to do. I decided to go work for a small landscaping company. Bless her, I wasn't much help in the beginning - I couldn't even lift a bag of mulch, had to rest all the time, and never got all the crabgrass roots out. However, it built my strength up, got me outside, and kept me engaged. You must do this! It seems like 'normal people' can just do whatever, whenever with no planning - good for them. You are smart enough to figure this out and understand your energy patterns - promise.
• Lastly, try different therapies. You don't know if they will help until you have tried. Keep a journal of everything you do/don't do and learn about yourself. For me, I now know what I have to do to keep myself in working order - no excuses for when I slip up. Its like a teenager with diabetes, doesn't matter how they got it or who was responsible. Doesn't matter that it's not fair. When you skirt by what you 'should' be doing, that's a choice, and you will end up paying for it. Move on. Choose to move on. Massage, hydrotherapies, energy work, reflexology are modalities that I use regularly. When I travel I research the area and see if there is something else that I can hit up. (Hint hint, check with your CPA, some of this might be tax deductible as a health maintenance cost.)

There are many other things that I do, some more subtle than others. Hope this provides help and inspiration to my fellow fibs out there. Any suggestions, questions or comments?

Therapeutic Uses of Aromatherapy

Lavender is a great oil to have around.

Hand sanitizer + lysol + flu vaccines =  super bugs...
Evidence underlines this simplified equation as the CDC categorized the last part of 2012 to be above the level of an epidemic due to flu outbreaks, with the highest amount of public provided sanitizers. Obviously I am not saying don't ever use hand sanitizer again, I am saying there are better ways out there to stay healthy.

 What does this mean for me and my family? Are we doomed to hacking, coughing, and shivering our way through til spring? Or potentially (and more seriously) encountering a fatal outcome?

Absolutely not! However, it does mean that you should be looking for alternatives for you and your family's war on bugs. Don't know anything about aromatherapy besides the fact you like the candles at BodyShop?  

No problem. This blog post will be a quick crash course in essential oils to help protect you from bugs, naturally and effectively. Rosemary, Lavender, Tea tree, Eucalyptus, Clove, Thyme, Lemon, Cinnamon, Ginger (fresh source), and Oregano are the heavy hitters when it comes to germ murderers. (Let me mention two caveats here: internal use of essential oils is not recommended without extensive research and is beyond the scope of this blog. Also, make sure you buy your essential oils from a reputable source, organic or wild harvested are best. Unfortunately some companies are now using the term 'Therapeutic Grade' to dupe newbies, so educate yourself about the company and the founder, it will reveal worlds.)  

Some businesses like ours will mix oils to your direction so you don't have to buy each individual oil, or suggest a blend based on what you want. Its important to use the correct concentrations, so don't hesitate to ask for numbers!

• Rosemary and Lavender are used in French hospitals in place of our standard sanitizer, because it works better and lasts longer! However, they fall short on yeasts and fungi (so get a good mix.)
• Thyme has been shown to be effective against e.coli and salmonella.
• Eucalyptus, Lemon, and Cinnamon have been shown to be effective against some fungi and viruses, and many bacterial strains (some deadly). This is also the base of the 'Thieves Blend' - worth another blog for its pros and cons.
• Oregano effective against anthrax and penicillin-resistant strains.
• Clove most effective antioxidant known, also effective against 60 kinds of bacteria.
• Tea tree has been shown to be effective against viruses, fungi (also molds and mildew), yeasts, and bacteria in concentrations greater than 4%.
• Ginger is effective against salmonella and parasites.

Try this easy list to incorporate essential oils into your life and home:

1. A whole home diffuser is a great idea ~ don't set it up close to expensive wood, otherwise this is the best investment for your money.
2. Use the cup on top of your humidifier to hold a blend of oils ~ cheaper alternative to the diffuser and more localized.
3. Try your own spritzer 'sanitizer' ~ definitely worth it, cheap, easy to make, and lasts a long time.
4. Make your own wipes ~ use handkerchiefs, cut squares from old sheets or towels, make sure you include one in your child's lunch box or coat pocket (put it in a ziplock bag to keep moist). 

I hope this blog article gives you enough of a base to start using aromatherapy for your health, rather than just pleasing your nose! Essential oils are incredibly safe, cheap, accessible, and come with fewer negative side effects than most chemicals on the market. If you have any questions, feel free to visit our facebook page.

Rather than post all my sources and making this article super long, look them up yourself at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed

Balance, elusive balance

Most of us feel like we are walking a fence - desperately trying to balance all of the needs of our families, the demands of our jobs, the upkeep of our homes and material goods, and still maintain some semblance of self... mind, soul, and body.

... And then the Holidays hit... making everything more complicated and giving you even less time to do it in.

So how do you keep from going absolutely insane? I mean really loosing it and checking in as a long term ward at a mental institution?

I rely on a few steady standbys. Productive lists and backtracking, purposefully scheduling me-time, deliberate sense of humor and humanity, and strong focus on joy.

Wait! Don't stop reading yet, many of these things will be familiar to you. However, you might just be familiar with them but not actually be practiced in applying them to your life. Kinda like watching someone bake or decorate a cake - you are familiar with the process but the experience is not in your own hands and you are clumsy when you try to do it yourself the first several times.

1) Productive lists and backtracking. Take ten minutes the next time you feel panic rising. WRITE down, yes, physically, what it is you are scared of, overwhelmed by, and work to understand it. Look at it from several angles. Ask someone you trust, two heads are better than one. Are they tasks? - break it down into steps - WRITE those down and give each one a due date. Is it an event? - Is there anything you can do about it? WRITE it down. The actual secret is to WRITE it down so it is visible - generally humans do better with visual clues (and cues). Trust me, this one is huge. When I was in the Navy, everyone carried a little jot journal. It was about 2 by 4 inches and always accessible. The base commissaries sold thousands of them. Make your thoughts tangible, by making them visible, then dealing with them productively, you will have freed up mental space and so much energy.

2) So you have successfully got your lists of what to do, and when, planned it on a calendar by backtracking, and now you can see your time available. DON'T WAIT, plan yourself some downtime. Know you need your hair done, think you want a new Christmas dress, suspect you will be desperate for an escape with your honey, know a hot stone massage would restore flagging spirits, have you scheduled in physical exercise? PLAN IT ahead of time. Put it on your calendar, book it, and know that you have these rewards sprinkled throughout your month. (These tips work for any time of the year, but I find I need all my skilz this time of the year.)

3) This is the silly season, you have no idea what someone else's life is like on the inside. Look for humor, deliberately focus on how something could be funny. Don't take slights personally, you have no idea what that person might be going through. I have had people deride my business and me until I felt like the lowest untouchable... only to get a peek into their lives and realize that they were responding from a pit of despair. Things can always be worse, there is always something to laugh at, know your worth, and that you positively affect those around you.

4) Keep joy in your heart, sometimes this is hard, really hard. You will have to trust me on this one too. A little Pollyanna-attitude never hurt anyone, find joy in every little thing. Your life will be richer, you will be happier, you will make others around you happy, it is an upward spiral that takes a little work but is definitely worth it.
  
Please feel free to add your suggestions as well at the end of the blog.

Kiss of Death

How appropriate that we are bearing down on Halloween and this article is about toxic sludge slowly poisoning our bodies, twisting our minds, causing blindness and disease...

Sounds like science fiction right? Or at least one of those B-movies where the lead is given to some chick purely for how loudly she can scream and bonus for a modicum of sex appeal. However, let me introduce you to an alternate reality, that will probably make you angry and shocked, or leave you completely agog...

Like thrusting your hand into a dark box... no telling what you will pull out - maggots? (white rice), worms? (cooked spaghetti), how about eyeballs? (peeled grapes) - because many cosmetic companies don't include these compounds on the label for two reasons. One, some of these chemical inclusions are a mistake, meaning they are 'accidentally' added as contaminates, and companies don't label what is unintentionally added. Kinda like meningitis being 'accidentally included as a contaminate' with anesthetics? Second, because make-up is not intended to be ingested, there is no legislating body that specifically requires cosmetic labeling. Also companies claim that it is proprietary information (there is now a move for more kiss-and-tell labeling but... we shall see when that transpires).

Ok... so who thought that loophole was a good idea? Because any woman knows that you end up eating your lipstick, your mascara and eye liner run into your eyes, and thanks to the amount of times you exfoliate your face so that the foundation will lay right, those chemicals have an easy way in too.

Foundation cream or powder is meant to smoothe the complexion, cover imperfections in the skin, and set a neutral color across your face for the other colors to be applied atop of. It usually includes; arsenic, cadmium, BHA/BHT, coal tar dyes (p-phenylenediamine and other colors listed as 'CI' and followed by 5 numbers), DEA/TEA/MEA, any pthlalate, formaldehyde (which comes in an incredible range of compounds), all parabens, PEG compounds, petroleum, fragrance/parfum/perfume (many of these are distilled using hexane), antibacterial compounds, SLS, and more!

The cadmium is what really astounded me, I used cadmium for several research projects in grad school to illustrate it's effect on reproduction and general health. I almost find this laughable, I specifically chose this toxin because of it's wide ranging effects, the incredibly low effect-dosage, and it's benign reputation... most will think, 'Hey that cadmium is in my daily vitamin, it's gotta be fine, right?'  For crying out loud, OSHA recognizes it as a toxin and possible carcinogen, says route to exposure is absorption through the skin or respirable, and that the dosage necessary to observe an effect is low.

Unfortunately in this case it's not as simple as buying high-end cosmetics and assuming you will be fine, as Clinique and L'Oreal are some of the top offenders. You also have to watch out for 'green washing,' a term describing how advertisers use words like 'natural,' 'eco-,' 'bare,' 'free'... to give a false sense of safety. (I.E. L'Oreal's mascara, Bare Naturale, has arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, and a host of supporting actors.) 

On the positive side? There are good brands out there, you just have to shovel through some... information. I love my 100%Pure that we carry in the shop and, in my humble opinion, it is easier to control for contaminates in fruit than minerals (think you are safe with a mineral make-up? Just a quick google please...) Miessence is a good line as well. Just one last cliffhanger to leave you with: why do more women then men go blind? Why do more women suffer from senility than men?

*That's it for now folks, and I apologize for the abrupt end... had fully intended to cover most of the cosmetics in this blog, however there is so much information to share I feel several shorter articles are the way to go.

1. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2104453/Cadmium-mascara-lead-lipstick-arsenic-eyeliner-The-ugly-secrets-beauty-industry-isn-t-telling-you.html
2. http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/health/science/toxics/dirty-dozen-cosmetic-chemicals/
3. http://www.national-toxic-encephalopathy-foundation.org
4.  http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ipcsneng/neng0020.html

Cold Season Care

Cold Season Care

 

The fall leaves are beautiful, the air is crisp, sweaters are cuddly, and football means that there is finally something watchable on tv most days of the week. What's not to love? How about the onslaught of sneezing, sniffling, coughing, watery eyes, aches, and pains? In other words the cold and flu season** is here and going to keep us company until next spring.

Last winter I made the commitment not to buy any conventional OTC cold/flu medications. I hated the way they made me feel, I hated the price, I hated the taste, I hated the companies that made them, I hated how I always seemed to have to go out and buy more just when I felt the most punk... So last winter I decided to put my foot down and tell my long-suffering husband that we were jumping off the cold care bandwagon. It felt right, but I wanted to know for sure, so I did a little research into the ingredients lurking in those iridescent bottles of blue (or green or orange) syrup.

Ah. Well then. Prepare to have your mind blown. Did you know that acetaminophen is a by-product of the coal industry and that during the process of metabolization turns into a cannabinoid? Yep, what you're thinking. Dextromethorphan HBr is what is listed on several brands' bottles but the body breaks it down further into levorphanol which is a pain killer 5x more powerful than morphine. Amazingly just 12x the normal dose can give you psychedelic highs. Doxylamine succinate is a sedative more powerful than most prescription hypnotics and is the second strongest antihistamine (behind benadryl). Information regarding guaifenesin varies widely (irrespective of dosage or isomers) from low toxicity to very toxic to specific organs when taken internally... So no worries there... Let's not even delve into the artificial colors, corn syrup, thickeners and preservatives.

Even if you are a proponent of better living through chemistry and have complete faith in our regulating government body, the FDA, you have to ask yourself what these compounds are actually doing while they are swimming around in your system? The answer is that they only mitigate the symptoms, they don't support the body, they don't decrease the length of your cold/flu.

So what's an informed consumer to do? Arm yourself with knowledge and then make an informed decision about your health! There are many good books on the subject of helpful herbs for internal use.

Once a cold has reared its ugly head some of my tried and true internals include: echinacea, golden seal, garlic, ginger, citrus fruits, zinc, cayenne powder, cinnamon, and marsh mallow. An easy way I have found to dose myself is by taking a cup of tea an hour. I like the Seasonal Herb Sampler by Traditional Medicinals (no I am not being paid an endorsement fee). To ease breathing I like steaming, either over a bowl of water with a towel over my head to keep the steam in or Vicks makes a great electric personal steamer. The trick is to use an effective essential oil mix, I use 100%Pure Eucalyptus vapor bath, its easy, strong, natural and already mixed. Neti pots are also helpful. Find foods that are loaded with vegetables and strong flavors, think blazing Thai, that will help clear nasal passages and increase circulation. Now there are some good eucalyptus and camphor natural cough lozenges.

For aching muscles a hot soak in a tub is great, add anything that has a detox action or works for sore muscles. I like rosemary (again 100%Pure has a great rosemary muscle soak) and mustard. A massage can be very helpful, but it varies person to person.

Proper rest, hydration, diet, and stress-management are all important factors in preventing and caring for colds/flus. During school and the holiday season it takes even more self-care to stay on top of your game. Make sure to sanitize your hands during the season and do NOT touch your face unless your hands are clean.

Ironically paper tissues are more abrasive to nasal tissue than cloth and are not any more sanitary when proper hygiene guideline are followed. The plus side is you won't resemble Rudolf and you can save trees at the same time. 

**Incidentally did you know that it is now believed that both flues AND colds are caused by viruses, the only difference being the severity? http://nccam.nih.gov/health/flu/ataglance.htm
***I used many sources, including MSDS write-ups of all compounds listed. As with any thing I write, don't take my word for it - look it up yourself. Remember, READ THE INGREDIENT LIST ON EVERYTHING YOU BUY. If you don't know what it is, don't buy it. At the very least find out what the unknowns do, how they are made, and what the body does with them.
**** I am not a doctor, I am not prescribing medicine, dosages, or suggesting that you stop your doctor prescribed medications.