New Travel Radiation Concerns

Happy Holidays!  We're on the last day of November before true holiday chaos ensues!!

May your holiday season be filled with peace, joy, and love - rather than materialism, stress, and greed!  (Did you know on Black Friday this year, people actually brought MACE to stores so they could fight their way to the deals they wanted?!)

And with the holiday season comes travelling for many.  Back in 2010, I shared a post called Flying and Frying, about some of the damaging radiation from flying, and ways to help stay healthy on plane flights.

More recently, you're probably heard about the privacy invasion arguments regarding TSA's full body scans.  (You may want to check out the Colbert Report snippet on it, if you need a little laugh about it, rather than too much stress!)



From http://www.allvoices.com/



And now there is some concern that these scans may be adding even MORE damaging radiation to a body! 

I am not trying to sound like an alarmist. I know that our bodies are constantly being bombarded with toxins.  I know that travel is fun and I am not saying to stop.  Just make sure you're taking care of your health! 

The full article can be found here, but here are some bits from the article, TSA Attempts to Cover Up Cancer Threat From Its Airport X-ray Machines:

• "The European Union has even put a moratorium on the [backscatter] scanners in light of the cancer threats—member states have been told not to install scanners until scientific assessment of risks has been carried out, and they will be banned completely in April if experts find them dangerous"
• "According to a ProPublica/PBS NewsHour investigation, up to 100 US airplane passengers could get cancer from the machines each year."
• "the majority of the [backscatter] machine’s energy is delivered to the skin and the underlying tissue—not distributed throughout the volume of the entire body—so the dose to the skin may be dangerously high."
• "After the release of the ProPublica report, TSA Administrator John Pistole agreed to conduct a new independent study of the health effects of backscatters. But now the TSA is refusing to honor its commitment to conduct that safety study."

Pretty Spinach Salad Wreath

So drink your green smoothies and water, fill up on the antioxidant fruit, crave cancer-fighting cruciferous veggies, and enjoy your holidays!  Yes, you CAN still enjoy a healthy holiday even with healthy food!  I hope to make a handful of healthy, natural desserts to go with the traditional unhealthy desserts my family loves :)  I'll share recipes and links soon!

Healthy cashew spread snowman!

Holiday Hugs!

~Katie

PreDisposed, or PreDestined?



Courtesy: National Human
Genome Research Institute



Many people feel that they're just "going to be fat - it's in my genes."  Or, "My parents were that way, I'm destined to be that way."

Well, to try to be gentle but honest: you're WRONG!

Genes do play a role, but they are not the end-all be-all.  They may make things a little bit of an uphill battle for you at first, but you can over come that!

Genes may predispose you to be heavier or have a different metabolism, but that does NOT mean you are predestined with no choice but to be FAT!

Rise above it!  Rise above your genes!

Even the brain behind the Human Genome Project, Eric Lander, expressed his concerns that people would use genes as an excuse to not even try to be healthy.  He states:

"People will think that because genes play a role in something, they determine everything.  We see, again and again, people syaing, 'It's all genetic.  I can't do anything about it.'  That's nonesense.  To say that something has a genetic component does not make it unchangeable."

So say NO to Predisposition!  Start now to buck tradition, and be a rebel!  You CAN overcome your genes!  You can start right now claiming a new future and a new you.  See it, own it, be it!

~Katie

Healthy Eating Basics

Hola, mi amigos!

It's a lovely, sunny day, and I got a nice dose of sunshine on my lunch break! That always helps my mood!

Over the Mother's Day weekend, I got into a discussion with my dad about the confusing, conflicting, and chaotic world of nutrition. With one study contradicting another, a new recommendation switching an old one, and every "Expert" under the sun coming out with their own version of the "perfect" diet - you know, that one that will FINALLY work for you, and will solve all of your problems? ... it gets to be a very frustrating nutritional road to navigate!

I just wanted to throw out a few quick suggestions, though I would never claim to be the end-all-be-all-expert. They are my thoughts, and what I've seen to be true over my 10 years studying nutrition.

The biggest tip on picking a the correct eating/activity lifestyle:

DO WHAT WORKS FOR YOU!

What feels good, what fits your schedule, what are you going to stick to? If you don't like your food choices, you're not gaining energy, or you're stressing more about what to eat for dinner than anything else, it's not healthy! The best intentioned "perfect" diet will be no good if you're harming yourself with stress and anxiety!

Ok ok, that's vague - how do you pick WHAT will work for you?

To quote dietitian Marion Nestle: “The basic principles of good diets are so simple that I can summarize them in just ten words: eat less, move more, eat lots of fruits and vegetables. For additional clarification, a five-word modifier helps: Go easy on the junk food.”

And author Michael Pollan shrinks it down even further to his 7 word mantra: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants” then clarifies real “food” as items closer to what they look like in nature, as opposed to things that have been processed, which he calls "Edible Food-Like Stuff" (or something similar.)

So if you get nothing else from this blog, let those two quotes give you some guiding light for how to take steps towards living a healthy lifestyle!

Good luck, and I'll see you back here soon! :)

~Katie

My Main Romaine

I am finally getting back to the question of Romaine! Mom asked the other day why I love Romaine so much. It’s because it’s so darn healthy! Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not placing it above or below other leafy greens!! They all have their own benefits to your body. Romaine is simply one that Dave likes more, so I tend to use it often to keep him enjoying his salads, smoothies, and wraps!

It’s got a crisp, clean crunch that brings a mild flavor. Plus, a 2-cup serving provides over 140% of your day’s needs for Vitamin K and almost 60% of Vitamin A! It is also an excellent source of folate, manganese, and chromium; and a very good source of fiber, vitamins B1 and B2, and minerals potassium, molybdenum, iron, and phosphorous!

At only 15 calories, that seems like a pretty good deal!

Romaine is one of the few plant sources of chromium, so that’s another reason I like it! Onions, broccoli, and tomatoes are also contributors (hooray for chromium salads!)

Plus, and take this with a LARGE grain of salt - Celtic sea salt, of course! ;-) - I have this notion floating around in my head that chromium may help reverse graying hair! I cannot recall for sure where this idea came from, but it’s something that niggles at the back on my mind. (To the Research Cave, Robin!) And I have had friends, and read accounts of others, who have noticed their own hair color returning after adding daily green smoothies to their diets!! It didn’t happen right away, but after a month or so, they noticed darkening areas where they’d more recently been silvery! Woohoo! So perhaps it’s just the general nutrition gained from adding a smoothie (and thereby eliminating a less healthy breakfast option) or perhaps it’s a specific nutrient. I will research more one day!

But back to Romaine! Here’s another good health combo… the beta-carotene plus the vitamin C work together to help keep down bad cholesterol!

When cholesterol gets oxidized, it becomes the sticky, nasty plaque that clings to your arteries. This begins to block the passage of blood, narrowing the artery and making it harder for your body to get that nutrient-rich blood around! So then, in comes higher blood pressure, less oxygen and energy getting transported, and possibly even heart attack or stroke after too long. Beta-carotene and Vitamin C help prevent this awful oxidation, helping to keep your blood a’flowin’ easily! And then the fiber can come along and help sweep out the gunk and help you excrete it. (I know, fun topic!)



From MyPyramid.gov



Just try to get organic, as this is one of those Dirty Dozen highly sprayed veggies!

Have a great weekend, my friends! Tomorrow is another 5K run! Woo!

~Katie

So! Romaine! Yet another great green to add to your life! Salads and smoothies are the easy route, but there’s plenty you can do! Add it to casseroles or sandwiches; or just use it in place of bread for sandwiches, buns, or tacos; use the smaller, firmer leaves as boats for fun toppings like salsa, avocado, or julienned veggies; or use it like a sushi wrapper!

Hubby Making Progress!

I was sitting at my computer last night, minding my own business, clicking through my array of email messages, when my husband comes up, sounding very suspicious.

"Hun, you know how much I love you, and I think you're wonderful..."

Uhh, ok, where's this going?

"So, because I love you, I put up with all your crazies.  And I figured, I better offer to let you take a picture of my dinner before I eat any!"

Ahahaha!!  Awww, that's my man!

So this is the plate he proudly presented:

It's not a prefect meal, but it is leaps and bounds healthier than many things he tends to eat!

The back left if a slice of fennel (yep - straight up, vitamin C, cancer-fighting, licorice-tasting veggie!) with a nut pate on it.

Then he has brown rice with home-made red pepper curry sauce on it.

And finally, in the less-than-wonderful white bun, he has a "Rawtwurst" (nuts and seasonings to emulate a bratwurst!), organic mustard, and some of our home-made sourkraut!

STANDING OVATION!

And the best part?  He LOVED his dinner!  He was so happy on so many levels - that it's getting healthier, that he did it himself, and that it TASTED GOOD!

This coming from a man who almost soley based our apartment choice on the fact that there's a Taco Bell next door... he's come a long way!

So take your small steps, and take your time getting there!  These changes are life-time changes he's making, and they're sticking!  Hang in there, and you'll find amazing healthy ideas that just click for you, too!

~Katie

Purple Protective Power Punch! Or something...

Happy Easter!! A wonderful time of miracles and renewal!

I hope it's been a relaxing, blessed weekend for you all :)

I had an amazing weekend of stress-relieving fun - starting with a brisk walk to a cross-training class at Body Boutique, where my instructor kicked encouraged me through several rounds of push-ups, walking lunges, jumping rope, and trying to lift my toes to my hands as I hung from a bar! (My toes never made it anywhere near my hands, just to let you know!) ;-)

Then I did a quick half mile jog to my weekly free yoga class at LuluLemon Athletica! What a great class it was! The first half was some good leg strengthening poses (no more!! I was so tired after the cross training!) but thankfully the second half was just a lot of deep stretching, deep breathing, and calming.

Ahhhh, peaceful :)

After that, I made a few shopping stops to get some last minute food items, then home to my dear Dave to spend a chunk of time in the kitchen! We popped in some Artemis Fowl audio books, and whipped up a health storm!

I tried my first GREEN JUICE! Wow, what a shock to the system! Instead of blending a bunch of greens with fruit, I basically just put the greens through my juicer, sans fruit. An entire head of red-leaf lettuce, handful of spinach, one whole cucumber, two stalks of celery, and half a lemon. Talk about a power kick! While I normally love the health benefits of fiber from the whole food, now and then, juice is great! This fiber-free juice goes quickly through your digestive system, the minerals and nutrients being easily absorbed into your blood stream. A quick kick of tons of nutrition! The flavor took some getting used to, but I was on such a health-high from the morning workout, that I was loving replenishing my system with minerals and health!

We are also trying our hand at making home-made sauerkraut! Rich in beautifying minerals and digestive probiotics, it's a great food to have on hand - if you can find it without being pasteurized. So, I have NO idea how our batch will turn out, but I'll let you know Friday when it's done!!

We also made up some salads, sprouted some sunflower seeds and quinoa grains, and Dave made raw vegan chili all on his own!! I was so proud :) He had enjoyed it so much when I made it last time, that he wanted to learn the recipe so he could make it on his own!

And another success? I made vegan burgers - that he liked!!! Amaranth, millet, onions, carrot, celery, spinach and seasoning... they didn't taste like burgers, but they were good! And once we loaded them up with tomato, onion rings, a dab of ketchup, and he used some A1 sauce... we wrapped it in a collard leaf rather than a bun, and went to town! We were both shocked at how much we liked them! It was an easy recipe from a book, and it's another one he hopes to learn!

So that was my Saturday. What a day! We relaxed in the evening, just basking in the glow of nutritious food.

And tonight, I had fun playing with a new food: açaí berry!

Probably many of you have heard of this new "superfood" berry - the media loves to promote the latest "cure all." And I won't go that far! But it's yet another tool for your belt of beauty, your weapons of wonder! Like most berries, açaí berries are rich in age-fighting antioxidants, and carry a lot of health benefits. So, this weekend, I bought some frozen açaí puree, and tonight I tried my first smoothie with it!

I should play with the recipe some more, and come up with some clever name... but for tonight, I just went with Purple Protective Power Punch, or Protective Purple Paradise! (Protective to your health and beauty because of the antioxidants, fibers, and healthy fats!)

2 scoops chia seeds (about 2 Tbs)

2 cups Coconut milk (I used So Delicious Original flavor)

1- 3.5oz packet Açaí berry puree

2 Tbs organic cacao powder

1 tsp vanilla

1 Tbs local honey (or sweetener of your choice, to taste)

Soak the chia in the milk for about 10 minutes, so they can plump up. Then add all to your blender, and blend away to smoothness!

This lovely smoothie packs over 10 grams of fiber, healthy omega fats from the chia, healthy medium-chain fats from the coconut milk, and great antioxidants from the cacao and the acai! Happy health and happy skin, here we come!

Alright, and happy studying - here I come! Time to continue reading my current nutrition book: What to Eat by Marion Nestle. Awesome book about the politics behind food labels and recommendations. Things aren't always what they seem ;-)

Have a good night, and for my Polish friends and family: "Wesołego Alleluja!!!"

"Hallelujah, He is Risen!"

Peace and Prosperity <3

~Katie

Lovely Veggie Chili and Onion Bread

Good Wednesday lunch break, my friends! How is your week? Hopefully going by quickly and happily!

It has turned cold again - yuck! It was actually SNOWING this morning when I left for work - and I see it falling now! So, that's always a good time to figure out warmer comfort foods - but still healthy! While I sometimes crave the cheesy pizza or fat-and-cream-laden soups, I have been having fun trying to find healthier ways to cope!

A few days ago, I posed the tropical salad - and as wonderful as that is, I know it's not warming! (But sure makes me smile and think back to Saipan.)

Over the weekend, I tried my hand at making a "raw" Onion Bread and Chili. And I was very happy with the results!

So first, the onion bread, which I found on at GoneRaw.com posted by Kandace here. (It's the first recipe posted on the site, over 4 years ago! I figure I'll just start there, and work my way forward to the present!) ;-)

Recipe:

Based on a recipe by Matt Amsden in RAWVolution.

Ingredients:

3 yellow onions, large

1 cup flax seeds (golden, brown or a combo), ground

1 cup raw sunflower seeds, ground in a food processor

½ cup Braggs Liquid Aminos or Nama Shoyu

¼ cup cold pressed olive oil

Preparation:

1.Peel and half the onions. Slice in a food processor (with slicing disc) or by hand

2.Place onions in large bowl and mix with rest of ingredients until thoroughly combined.

3.Spread mix over a Teflex sheet and repeat until all of mixture is used (I usually end up using 2 sheets).

4.Dehydrate at 100°F for 24 hours. Flip and return to dehydrator for 12 hours.

5.Cut into 9 equal pieces (2 cuts horizontally, 2 cuts vertically). Usually makes 18 pieces

I'm not sure if I did the recipe correctly, because I only used half the onion amount - I just couldn't get more onion to mix in! I also decreased the Braggs Aminos to 1/4 cup because that stuff is salty! Then I added a little more water to make up the fluid difference. I think I over-processed the seeds, because it was more a paste than a grainy texture. But the flavor was still good!

So that big bowl was then spread out on my dehydrator sheet, on parchment paper. Again, not sure if I did something wrong, because I only got 1 sheet out of it instead of 2. Maybe she makes hers thinner? Or perhaps that extra onion would carry it further.

And after quite a long dry time, it comes out a deep caramel brown!

The benefits of this bread: (I hope you're sitting! This is a doozie!)

Onion is not often the first food that comes to mind when I picture healthy foods. I often think of it simply as a condiment to other foods - and it does go great with many items! But it also carries many health benefits of its own. (And I loooooove the taste!) Onions can help reduce the risk of various cancers, such as colorectal, laryngeal, and ovarian cancer if eaten regularly (study showed 1-7 times weekly reduced risk). Onions also help increase bone density - something good for all of us, especially for menopausal-aged women who often have some density loss! They also have a good dose of chromium, which helps maintain healthy blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

Flaxseeds are one of my favorite forms for getting my Omegas (I also love chia seeds, hemp seeds, and walnuts! And of course, pretty much all leafy greens have some omega fats in them - just in small amounts.) But these lovely little seeds are also a rich source of fiber and manganese. They are also anti-inflammatory, help keep bones healthy, protect against cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension! And one small study found that it helped reduce the frequency and intensity of hot flashes.

Sunflower seeds are a rich source of magnesium, which can help calm nerves and muscles, and sometimes even help with migraines! They also contain selenium - one of thsoe beautifying minerals! But it is also is a helpful component of the powerful enzyme glutathione peroxidase, which your liver uses to detoxify a range of potentially harmful molecules.

Braggs Liquid Aminos (what I used) is similar to soy sauce. It's got that same salty, savory flavor, but it contains 16 different amino acids (that make up proteins.) Plus it's organic, non-GMO. (Which I am a BIG fan of avoiding!! I try not to buy anything with non-organic soy or corn. But that topic is best left for a different post some day.)

Olive oil has been all over the news as being healthy. And it is! But it is liquid fat, so keep that in mind if you're a calorie counter! Usually 14g of fat per Tablespoon - but at least it's mostly monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) which are some of the healthier types! In limited amounts, olive oil will provide some wonderful things! When used INSTEAD OF (not IN ADDITION TO) animal fats and butters or other bad fats, olive oil has been found to help protect against degenerative diseases like atherosclerosis, diabetes, asthma, colon cancer, and arthritis, as well as protecting against heart disease. And more? It's got some good antioxidants phenolic compounds to help with other protective effects! When picking out an oilive oi, try to get Cold Pressed Virgin, as this will help maintain the flavor and health value of the oils better than the more refined forms.

* * * * * * * * * *

So back to the meal... Once the bread is done, I put in on the side with some chili from my Live Food Cuisine book. The base is a delectable blend of sun dried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, spices - and avocado to make it nice and creamy! Then it's got some good chunky veggie bits in it for good hardy noms! Then I let it sit in the dehydrator for a little to warm it up some (but not so hot as to cook out all my lovely nutrients and enzymes!)

The "sour cream" is a blend of macadamia nuts, sunflower seeds, and some lemon and salt. I wouldn't say it tasted much like sour cream (and I should have added extra water to get the consistency different) but it was good! And it helped complement and tame the extra cayenne I'd accidentally put in the chili!

So with the spicy chili and the zesty onion bread crackers, a nice side of cool cucumber was the perfect companion to this dinner!

My new dishes!! I had to buy this set because it was so colorful and just made me happy!

I am sad that my chili is now gone, since I can look outside and see snow still falling. Plus, even Dave liked this one! (Ok, so, the first time he tried it, he was actually spreading it on a slice of cheese pizza... but I suppose that's better than nothing!) Now he wants to learn how to make this on his own, so he can have it more often!

I hope you all have a warm and hearty day! Stay warm, stay dry, stay smiley ^.^

Warm Wishes!

~Katie

That is one hearty bread I think I'll be making in bigger batches in the future! They also made good crackers when I cut them smaller and let them dehydrate a little longer :) (Plus, onions, flax, and sunflower seeds are all pretty cheap! It's just the Braggs that gets a little pricier - but perhaps I can find some substitute of just using water and my Celtic sea salt.)

Gettin' Muddy with Swamp Crackers!

Happy Birthday to my little sister!!!

To celebrate, I went for a run! *lol*

Sipping some hot drink to warm up before the run!
It was about 35 degrees at first!

Ok, not quite. Since she's a late sleeper, I figured I'd be able to participate in a 9am trail race. So, bright and early, I get up, brew some tea, snack on a little fruit, and drive out with my mom and my man to cheer for me for 4 miles!

Displaying my number proudly!

Disappearing into the crowd...

At 9am, the pack is off!! And within a mile, I'm muddy, wet, and grinning! I haven't run much on trails before, and boy is it different from my ol' treadmill! About 3/4ths of the way through, thoughts are running through my head, desperate for the end. But by the end, the endorphins kicked in, and I was grinning ear to ear again!

51:51 baby!

My time: 51:51. Not the best, but it was still a victory for me! Woohoo!

I get to the end, and they have sports drinks and bagels.... eh.... processed stuff. Thank goodness I had my natural foods with me! Oh, it was SO refreshing crunching into a sweet, juicy apple! And having some warm chai rooibus tea to sip in the 35 degree sun!

My fresh, crunchy apple by the trail map!

And, ok, I made another fun looking recipe from my recipe book :) They called them green wafers; I called them swamp crackers - especially since I added raisins to some and hazelnuts to others, so it looked like little bugs stuck in a green bed!

But these wafers were a great post-run snack - made of almonds, spirulina, and salt. Good stuff! I was getting some good protein, healthy fats, calcium, and of course sodium to help with what I sweated out.

A delightful morning, and a huge runner's high afterwards! And home in time to enjoy a big family brunch! This was one of my goals for the month - to run this race in less than an hour. Goal: COMPLETED! Before 10am, too!

How did you start your weekend? ;-)

Much love!
~Katie

Super Sprout Salad

Happy Healthy Day, to you, my friends! And why is today Healthy Day?? ...Well, no specific reason. Really, hopefully EVERY day is a happy healthy day :)

How are those Resolutions going? Hopefully healthy and successful! But, if you've staggered, that's okay! Pick up today - RIGHT NOW, not tomorrow! - and choose to be healthier now! :)

I wanted to share a quick recipe for a salad that I have been craving lately. It just feels so healthy to eat it!! (Ok, hopefully that doesn't scare some of you off! "Ewww, 'healthy'?! Must not taste good..") Not true! This salad is rich in flavor, I will admit. So it can be quite potent if you're not used to the bursting goodness of dark greens. But if you've been doing green smoothies and other salads, then this will be another simple recipe to add to your arsenal!

Super Sprout Salad!

I did both Mung Sprouts and Broccoli Sprouts for this one :)

Salad:

Dinosaur Kale

Sprouts (Mung bean, alfalfa, broccoli, etc)

1/4th Avocado, diced

1/2 Tomato, diced

Dressing:

Small Drizzle of Olive oil

Juice of one half lemon, or to taste

Dash of Sea salt (or Kelp Flakes)

Cayenne to taste

Wash and tear the kale into bite-size pieces and then add the oil, lemon, and salt. Massage it all into the leaves, as this helps soften the kale. Add the sprouts, avocado, and tomato. Mix. Sprinkle with cayenne.

This is a great salad to make in the morning and then take to work for lunch. As it sits, the flavors marinate together, and the lemon helps continue to soften the kale. Don't get me wrong, it's not MUSHY gross! Just a little more tender.

Kale, as I've said many times, is one heck of a healthy green! Great source of vitamins and minerals, and helps our natural detoxifying process. A rich source of antioxidants and cancer fighters! Avocado is rich with healthy fats, and will help you absorb even more of the goodness of the kale. Avocado is an anti-inflammatory food, which is a benefit of many produce items that I'll get into more another time :) And cayenne, an excellent source of Vitamin A, is believed to be a great spice for stimulating circulation and digestion, boosting immunity, and possibly preventing ulcers. And during these cold months, a little heat can be appreciated! Heck, maybe try mincing up some ginger or garlic, too! Enjoy playing with it :) Perhaps do half kale, half of your favorite green (Romaine? Spinach? What do YOU like!) I like to you kelp flakes to give that extra kick of iodine and a little salt flavor, but sea salt is good too!

Most types of sprouts are good to try to add to your diet. They offer a large 'bang for your buck' nutritionally! According The George Mateljan Foundation for the World's Healthiest Foods, a non-profit organization that looks at the science behind healthy eating, "In the life of a plant, sprouting is a moment of great vitality and energy. The seed, after having remained quiet for an often long period of time, becomes more and more active and begins its journey up through the topsoil and into the open air. When it sprouts, a healthy seed activates many different metabolic systems. It converts some of its sugar content into vitamin C, to act as an antioxidant in the new open air environment. It also begins to synthesize a variety of new enzymes, many of them necessary to handle oxygen metabolism in the world above the soil. On a gram for gram basis, sprouts are richer in vitamin C than the older, more mature plants they eventually become, because this moment in their lifecycle calls for a high level of vitality." (Bold mine)

So try out some sprouts! They're great to add to salads, sandwiches, any many other dishes! Happy Eating!

~Katie

Sunshine and Silhouettes!

One of the best parts of coming to Saipan was the sun.  I am not a winter person, and the cold Ohio weather was really a huge downer for me!  So a week of sunshine was SO desperately needed!

And really, as a collective society - we are NOT getting enough sunlight!!  And therefore, most of us are not producing enough of that sun-shiny happy Vitamin D that comes with it!  You can't know for sure if you're deficient in Vitamin D without your doctor doing a blood test, but most of us probably aren't spending time outside these days.  And, even if you are, and article in Scientific America shows that during the winter months, those of us in the US (especially the northern states) just don't get the UVB rays we need even when the sun IS out!

Check out this crazy list of things that Vitamin D is good for:

• Help optimize calcium metabolism
• Help optimize phosphorus metabolism
• Help prevent type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, heart attack, congestive heart failure, and stroke
• Help prevent falls and muscle weakness
• Help prevent osteoporosis while maintaining bone integrity
• Help regulate insulin activity and blood sugar balance
• Help regulate immune system responses
• Help regulate muscle composition and muscle function
• Help regulate blood pressure
• Lower risk of excessive inflammation
• Lower risk of some bacterial infections
• Support cognitive function, especially in older persons
• Support mood stability, especially in older persons
• Help prevent chronic fatigue
• Help prevent the following types of cancer: bladder, breast, colon, ovarian, prostate and rectal

*takes a moment to stare in awe*  Yeah, that's one heck of a list!  The Vitamin D Council adds that, "Current research has implicated vitamin D deficiency as a major factor in the pathology of at least 17 varieties of cancer as well as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, depression, chronic pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, muscle wasting, birth defects, periodontal disease, and more."

The RDA for Vitamin D for the average healthy adult is 600 IU (International Units) but the Vitamin D Council states, "If well adults and adolescents regularly avoid sunlight exposure, research indicates a necessity to supplement with at least 5,000 units (IU) of vitamin D daily. To obtain this amount from milk one would need to consume 50 glasses. With a multivitamin more than 10 tablets would be necessary. Neither is advisable."

So what do you do?  Try to get more sun, for one thing!

But it's hard to say for sure.  Without knowing your levels, it's hard to know if you should supplement, and if so, how much.  You may want to check with your doctor, but also know that sun is a healthy dose of natural help!  (And keep up on the fresh produce - that's your natural sun protection!)

And as the sun goes down, you may not be able to get those beneficial UVB rays for Vitamin D, but you sure can enjoy the beauty and have fun playing with silhouettes ;-)

Looking forward to warmer weather and sunshine smiles!

Happy Hugs!

~Katie

Flying and Frying

So we’re back!

Dave and I got to enjoy a little over a week on a tropical island, exploring the culture, and seeing what island life is like! Oddly enough, where we went, it’s not THAT different from the norm. What began as an island of farmers and fresh produce, has become “Americanized” with fast food and buildings. Due to the war, military personnel brought in white rice and canned meat as staples, and over time, this has now become the “elite” food for islanders. Fresh produce is not commonly consumed as often.

But thankfully, it is still abundant! And hopefully, as nutrition education makes its spread, they’ll refocus their habits towards the blessings of food they have – coconuts, avocados, mangos, papayas, numerous rich leafy greens, and more!

Like being on the set for Jurassic Park!

So, how do you travel healthfully? Before we even got to the island, we had to deal with being bombarded by microbes, dehydration, and dangerous radiation!

No, this isn’t some SciFi plot or crazy takeover. This is something almost everyone faces during their lives – some people more than others.

Airplane Exposure to Dangers

When one gets on a plane, one is preparing to assault their body with many dangers. I’m not talking about potential dangers of malfunctions; I’m talking the constant dangers of germs, dehydration, and radiation.

Most of us are already aware that plane flights can be a breeding ground for disease – many people crammed close together for long periods of time, limited air circulation, and not the healthiest of snack options! So we planned about a week ahead to start boosting our immune systems with extra sleep, water, and vitamin C! (Hooray for lemon water!)

Dehydration was an issue for me on previous plane rides. First off, they swipe your water at the check in, so you have to try to find new water on the other side. This time, I grabbed two bottles, and figured I’d get the stewards to keep the water coming! Well… that worked out somewhat. I don’t know if I got stingy stewards or what, but I drained those two bottles in no time, and then was giving an itty bitty cup of water every now and then. I mean, seriously, I’m thirsty! What’s 3 ounces going to do for a 12 hour flight?! And when I’d try to ask for a bottle, they just smiled and walked away. Ugg! Lesson learned – buy even more bottles next time!

And the one that most people are NOT aware of – when you hop on a plane, you are going to be flying at heights that are affected by various forms of radiation.

Eh?

Radiation image from thegreendove.com

While we are constantly getting a “steady drizzle of rain” of radiation from space, the Environmental Protection Agency states “The atmosphere shields us from cosmic radiation, and the more air that is between us and outer space, the more shielding we have. The closer we get to outer space, the more we are exposed to cosmic radiation. This holds true when we live at high altitudes or fly.”

The Federal Aviation Administration put out a report I believe in 2000, for Aircrews entitled What Aircrews Should Know About Their Occupational Exposure to Ionizing Radiation. In it, they state “Ionizing radiation consists of subatomic particles that, on interacting with an atom, can cause the atom to lose one or more orbital electrons or even break apart its nucleus. Such events occurring in body tissues may lead to health problems. For aircrews, and their children irradiated in utero, the principal health concern is a small increase in the lifetime risk of fatal cancer. For both of these groups, exposure to ionizing radiation also leads to a risk of genetic defects in future generations. The FAA recommends limits for aircrews in their occupational exposure to ionizing radiation and provides computer software for estimating the amount of galactic cosmic radiation received on a flight.”

Wow!

Now, I’m not saying one long flight is going to necessarily have fatal effects, but low doses over time can add up. And we’re exposed to these forms of radiation constantly, just more so during flight. If they have to warn crew to limit their exposure, maybe it’s something to take seriously.

Looking out the plane window, over the Pacific

So what can you do? The EPA’s opinion says, “There are no practical ways to shield yourself from cosmic radiation during a flight. You can reduce your exposure while flying by taking shorter flights at lower altitudes. This is often not practical, and the risks from cosmic radiation do not warrant changing your travel plans to reduce your exposure.”

But what else? Hmmm… what do I always harp about?? Eat naturally, and keep yourself healthy! :)

So how did Dave and I handle these damaging assaults?

We started our morning with a big glass of lemon water to get a last little kick of vitamin C, then we made sure to get some good antioxidants in us, to help protect our cells! I wanted to do a giant green smoothie to take to the airport, but it was so early, and I ran out of time. So we just munched on some fruits and nuts. But keep it light! No sense weighing your body down with digestive needs when you want to reserve some energy for fighting off germs and radiation! ;-)

The day before our flight, I went to Whole Foods and stocked up on a few snacks: some raw pecans; trail mix of pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, cranberries, cherries, and other fruits; another trail mix for the way home, full of almonds, apricot kernels, golden berries, and goji berries; a bag of Coco Mole sunflower seeds (sprouted sunflower seeds tossed with agave, cayenne, and cacao powder); and a treat of dark chocolate with over 70% cacao!

Good antioxidant-rich foods, to help keep me from being too hungry! And then I tried to limit my intake of any of the airplane’s foods. Processed, heavy meals that do little to help keep your system running at its ideal level!

So that was the first part of trying to have healthy travels! And things you should consider if you fly often. Holidays are coming up, and those are popular times to travel. These are good tips for car trips, too!

Boost your immune system early; keep water on hand; eat antioxidant-rich foods but eat light. Oh, and make sure you get up and stretch to keep your blood flowing and moving all those nutrients around!

So stay tuned, there’s more Saipan to share :)

~Katie

Greetings from the other side of the Pacific!