Healing Cancer World Summit

I wrote about this about a year ago, and I think it's so important that I'm going to let you know about it again, because the Healing Cancer World Summit is running it's second annual event right now.

This summit focuses on "alternative" medicine doctors, cancer researchers, and cancer survivors. I put alternative in quotes because many of the views of these doctors are the opposite of the main stream views on cancer treatments. However, I believe that the views of these contributors are the new "main stream" treatment of cancers. 

Here is the post where I summarized last years' Healing Cancer World Summit contributors, and here is the link where you can sign up to hear this years' contributors. If you or someone you love are facing a cancer diagnosis or battling a cancer, this may be the most important information you will be exposed to. 

I'll tell you what (and I've said this before), if I were to be diagnosed with cancer I would 100% be looking for an "alternative" treatment to the conventional cancer treatments: surgery, chemo, and radiation. That is how strongly I believe in what these doctors, holistic practitioners, cancer survivors are promoting. 

Knowledge is power. I would love to hear your opinions about all this, positive or negative.

The New Flu Shot

1000 x better than a flu shot

For those of you who are unaware...it is not really necessary to get a flu shot. People get sick because they have compromised immune systems. So all you have to do is work on building your immune system and you can avoid getting sick.

P.S. every time I have gotten a flu shot I have gotten the flu. When I don't get the flu shot, I don't get the flu. Go figure. You can see why I am against getting the flu shot.

How do I build my immune system? 

1) Take a vitamin D supplement every day. Check our Vitamin D guide for details about choosing the proper dosage.

2) Get as much sunlight as you can for as late into the year as you can manage. Even getting sunlight on just your face helps produce more vitamin D in your body. (I go tanning in the winter for a few minutes a few times a week)

3) Drink immune-boost beverages like Raw Generation Juices, which contains a blend of dark greens including wheatgrass! Get much needed vitamins and minerals in one bottle (or shot of wheatgrass juice). (shameless plug!)

4) Get regular exercise to boost your circulation and immune strength. This exercise should be frequent and moderate. Do not over-stress yourself at the gym, or your immune system will be temporarily compromised. 

5) Take supplements especially designed to protect your respiratory tract. These include Lomatium, Osha, Elderberry and more.  

6) Eat more meals that are rich in pungent spices. Eat more curry, which is rich in turmeric. Eat more ginger. Eat more cilantro, rosemary, thyme and other rich spices. This includes cloves and nutmeg, two spices you'll typically find in eggnog drinks. These spices boost immune function and taste great, too! 

7) Clean up your diet. If you're eating cheese and drinking processed milk, those substances are to be avoided during the winter influenza season, especially. In many people, cheese and dairy products tend to cause sinus stuffiness, which is really a lack of sinus circulation. This can make you more susceptible to physically catching and harboring a virus floating around. 

8) Boost your trace minerals intake, especially zinc. Both zinc and selenium are hugely important for immune function. Zinc is especially well known for functioning as a shield support against many viral attacks. One of the best ways to boost your trace minerals intake is to switch to a natural sea salt or a high-mineral salt.  

9) Move your lymph! Rebounders (mini trampolines) are great for this purpose. Jumping rope also works, as does just hopping in place for a few minutes each day. You can also do arm rotations and other simple movements to keep your lymph circulating. Lymph movement is crucial for immunity. 

10) Take immune-protective herbs such as goldenseal, garlic, echinacea, osha root and elderberry.  

11) Get plenty of sleep. A lack of sleep compromises the immune system. 

12) Reduce your levels of chronic stress, if possible. Stress also compromises your immune system, and it even "uses up" nutrients in your body, leaving you nutritionally depleted. 

13) Laugh a little! Watch some comedy movies, or spend some fun time with family and friends. Laughter boosts immune function at many levels. It's good for your body and your mental health. Find creative ways to expose yourself to comical situations and you'll benefit as a result. :-)

Instead of getting the flu shot... try a daily wheatgrass shot! I drink at least a bottle of our Recipe #2 each day (which includes wheatgrass).

Breakthroughs in Cancer Research

After considering everything that I have learned about food and how it effects our health, I have no doubt in my mind that the "cure" for cancer is plant based. It is very inspiring when I come across new information about what is being done in natural-based cancer research. I just wanted to pass this article along to you that I received written by Dr. Mercola'.

Surprising Cancer-Fighting Benefits of Pineapple Enzyme

(Original Source) By Dr. Mercola

One of the reasons why conventional cancer treatment is such a dismal failure in the United States is because it relies on chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy drugs are, by their very nature, extremely toxic and typically work against your body's natural ability to fight cancer, e.g. destroying host immunity instead of supporting it. 

One of the biggest drawbacks to chemotherapy is the fact that it destroys healthy cells throughout your body right along with cancer cells, a "side effect" that often leads to accelerated death, not healing. 

Another devastating side effect of chemotherapy is the way it actually supports the more chemo resistant and malignant cell subpopulations within tumors (e.g. cancer stem cells), both killing the more benign cells and/or senescent cells within the tumor that keep it slow-growing, or even harmless.

As a result, this unleashes a more aggressive, treatment-resistant type of cancer to wreak havoc on the body.

A handful of natural compounds have been discovered, however, which exhibit an effect called "selective cytotoxicity."  This means they are able to kill cancer cells while leaving healthy cells and tissue unharmed.

This type of cancer treatment is intelligent, targeted and will not result in the death of the patient from "collateral damage" in what is increasingly a failed war not against the cancer being treated, but the patient's own irreversibly devastated body.

Bromelain in Pineapples Kills Cancer Cells Without Harming You

One such compound is bromelain, an enzyme that can be extracted from pineapple stems. Research published in the journal Planta Medica found that bromelain was superior to the chemotherapy drug 5-fluorauracil in treating cancer in an animal study. Researchers stated:

"This antitumoral effect [of bromelain] was superior to that of 5-FU [5-fluorouracil], whose survival index was approximately 263 %, relative to the untreated control."

What makes this impact particularly impressive is that the bromelain worked without causing additional harm to the animals. The chemo drug 5-fluorauracil, on the other hand, has a relatively unsuccessful and dangerous track record despite being used for nearly 40 years.

As written by GreenMedInfo:

"As a highly toxic, fluoride-bound form of the nucleic acid uracil, a normal component of RNA, the drug is supposed to work by tricking more rapidly dividing cells -- which include both cancer and healthy intestinal, hair follicle, and immune cells -- into taking it up, thereby inhibiting (read: poisoning) RNA replication enzymes and RNA synthesis.…

When a person dies following conventional cancer treatment it is all too easy to "blame the victim" and simply write that patient's cancer off as "chemo-resistant," or "exceptionally aggressive," when in fact the non-selective nature of the chemotoxic agent is what ultimately lead to their death."

Selective cytotoxicity is indeed a property that is only found among natural compounds; no chemotherapy drug yet developed is capable of this effect. Aside from bromelain, other examples of natural compounds that have been found to kill cancer cells without harming healthy cells include:

• Vitamin C -- Dr. Ronald Hunninghake carried out a 15-year research project called RECNAC (cancer spelled backwards). His groundbreaking research in cell cultures showed that vitamin C was selectively cytotoxic against cancer cells.
• Eggplant extract: Solasodine rhamnosyl glycosides (BEC), which is a fancy name for extracts from plants of the Solanaceae family, such as eggplant, tomato, potato, Bell peppers, and tobacco, also impact only cancerous cells leaving normal cells alone. Eggplant extract cream appears to be particularly useful in treating skin cancer. Dr. Bill E. Cham, a leading researcher in this area, explains:

"The mode of action of SRGs [glycoalkaloids solasodine rhamnosy glycosides (BEC)] is unlike any current antineoplastic [anti-tumor] agent. Specific receptors for the SRGs present only on cancer cells but not normal cells are the first step of events that lead to apoptosis in cancer cells only, and this may explain why during treatment the cancer cells were being eliminated and normal cells were replacing the killed cancer cells with no scar tissue being formed."

• Turmeric (Curcumin Extract): Of all the natural cancer fighters out there, this spice has been the most intensely researched for exhibiting selective cytotoxicity. Remarkably, in a 2011 study published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, rats administered curcumin, the primary polyphenol in turmeric, saw a decrease in experimentally-induced brain tumors in 9 out of 11 treated, while noting that the curcumin did not affect the viability of brain cells "suggesting that curcumin selectively targets the transformed [cancerous] cells."

How Enzymes Might Help Treat Cancer

Bromelainis a proteolyticenzyme (an enzyme that digests proteins). In the Planta Medica study, it was injected directly into the abdominal cavity. Getting enzymes from your digestive tract into your bloodstream isn't as easy as it would seem, as enzymes are very susceptible to denaturing and must be helped to survive the highly acidic environment in your stomach. They are often given an "enteric coating" to help them survive the journey through your digestive tract.

And then, there is the matter of absorption. For nearly 100 years, medical dogma insisted that enzymes taken orally were too large to pass through the digestive tract wall.

However, there is now a good deal of research that they can indeed pass through your intestine intact and into your bloodstream and lymphatic system, where they can deliver their services to the rest of your body... one of the mysteries of medical science.

Now that we know this is possible, systemic oral enzymes have been used to treat problems ranging from sports injuries to arthritis to heart disease and cancer, particularly in European countries. But most of the research has been published in non-English language journals.

Is Cancer the Result of Diminished Pancreatic Enzymes?

This systemic use of enzymes is just now taking off in the United States, but the use of enzymes to treat cancer has its roots all the way back to 1911 with John Beard's The Enzyme Treatment of Cancer and Its Scientific Basis. Beard believed cancer was a result of diminished pancreatic enzymes, impairing your immune response. A study in 1999 suggests he may have been right on target.

Ten patients with inoperable pancreatic cancer were treated with large doses of oral pancreatic enzymes (along with detoxification and an organic diet), and their survival rates were 3 to 4 times higher than patients receiving conventional treatment. Proteolytic enzymes can be helpful in treating cancer because they help restore balance to your immune system. Dr. Nick Gonzalez in New York City, NY has also done a lot of work on enzymes in cancer treatment and has written a book on the subject.

Some of the ways proteolytic enzymes can be helpful in the fight against cancer are:

• Boosting cytokines, particularly interferon and tumor necrosis factor, which are very important warriors in destroying cancer cells.
• Decreasing inflammation.
• Dissolving fibrin: Cancer cells hide under a cloak of fibrin to escape detection. Once the cancer cells are "uncloaked," they can be spotted and attacked by your immune system. It is also thought that fibrin makes cancer cells "stick together," which increases the chance for metastases.
• German studies have shown that systemic enzymes increase the potency of macrophages and killer cells 12-fold.

Fortunately, you get (or should be getting) many enzymes from the foods you consume—particularly, raw foods. These directly help with your digestive process. The more raw foods you eat, the lower the burden on your body to produce the enzymes it needs, not only for digestion, but for practically everything. Whatever enzymes are not used up in digestion are then available to help with other important physiological processes.

This is one of the reasons why it is so important to eat a diet rich in fresh, organic, raw foods. You may even want to try juicing some of your vegetables, and the core of your pineapple, as a way of getting more nutrients—and enzymes—into your body. In the event you use enzymes in supplement form, it is crucial that, in order for enzymes to be used systemically, they must be consumed on an empty stomach. Otherwise, your body will use them for digesting your food, instead of being absorbed into the blood and doing their work there.

Looking for an Alternative to Chemo for Cancer Treatment?

Dr. Gonzalez is on the front lines and actively engaged in helping people by coaching them with natural alternatives instead of toxic drugs and radiation for cancer. I would personally not hesitate to recommend him to a family member or a friend diagnosed with cancer. His website, www.dr-gonzalez.com, also contains information on how to become a patient, and everything a potential patient needs to know.

Another source for more information about alternative cancer treatments in general is Suzanne Somers' book, Knockout. She reviews Dr. Gonzalez' work in one chapter, and Dr. Gonzalez personally recommends the book as a well-researched resource for anyone interested in getting more information.

Additionally, Dr. Gonzalez has written a series of books, two of which have already been published and received five-star reviews: The Trophoblast and the Origins of Cancer and One Man Alone: An Investigation of Nutrition, Cancer, and William Donald Kelley. Three others are in the works, one of which will contain 100 of Dr. Gonzalez' case reports of patients with advanced cancer who successfully recovered on his program.

 (Original Source)

The more I read about enzymes, the more I have been thinking lately that maybe the lack of enzymes is the key to cancer development. If our body is dependent on using enzymes to perform the millions of different functions, then doesn't it make sense for it to malfunction in the absence of enzymes? Our body is a machine like an engine, and it seems that enzymes are the oil. You can run your car without adding any new oil for a while, but eventually the oil will be used up and the engine will fail.

Food for thought...

Guest Post: Phytotherapy

Hello loyal readers! I am going to be at a conference for the next 3 days, and coincidentally I was approached this week by a doctor who is interested in us writing for each other. The universe works in wonderful ways sometimes! Dr. Leta Vaughan APN, CNM has been working with women and promoting healthcare for over 30 years. Dr. Vaughan is board certified and advocates an effective combination of balanced nutrition, exercise, and supplements to enhance a woman’s changing lifestyle needs.

Thank you Dr. Vaughan! It is so wonderful to see doctors that are concerned with diet and lifestyle.

What the heck is Phytotherapy? 

Dr. Leta Vaughan APN, CNM  www.biohormonesinc.com

770,000 people are injured or die each year in hospitals from adverse drug events (ADE)  Just because a pharmaceutical drug has been studied in a laboratory, regulated by the FDA and prescribed by a doctor, it still has risks.  

Phytotherapy is the use of medicinal plants to heal and restore balance and is becoming more popular in the United States. Eastern medicine has utilized botanical medicine for centuries and as more and more people are looking for alternatives, phytotherapy has gained in popularity. Much of this studying of plants over the years has led us to the pharmaceuticals we are now so familiar with. Modern pharmaceutical manufacturers change the plant’s chemical compound in order to specialize and enhance its actions. But using plants in their pure form are much gentler and easier on the body. Phytotherapy has the potential to prevent illness as well as treat. 

Phytoestrogens 

The word phytoestrogen literally means “plant estrogen.” But phytoestrogens are not estrogen. They do not behave the same way as our body’s own estrogens or like estrogen replacement drugs (ERT).  

The National Cancer Institute  defines the word “phytoestrogen” as an estrogen-like substance found in some plants and plant products and states “phytoestrogens may have anticancer effects.” 

Phytoestrogens are part of the phytohormone class, which means they structurally resemble the body’s native estrogen. Their chemical structure is such that it allows them to weakly bind to an estrogen receptor, potentially blocking excess estrogen, or, when estrogen is low, quieting the
system’s need for estrogen. But they are not estrogen. 

The phytoestrogens used and recommended today in botanical and nutritional medicine do not increase endogenous estrogen production in the body. There are no studies confirming that phytoestrogens increase the risk for cancer. In fact, new research suggests that phytoestrogens
commonly used in nutritional and botanical medicine may protect women from breast
and other cancers. 

Phytoestrogens  may also decrease the risk of heart attack and stroke, and protect your bones. A 2007 study in the Annals of Internal Medicine confirmed that the phytoestrogen genistein protects against bone loss. All of this while calming the symptoms of menopause! More benefits of phytoestrogens are being discovered and discussed every day so keep in touch for further exciting information. 

Your endocrine system is the command center for all of your hormones and consists of
many small organs such as the pituitary gland, thyroid, adrenal glands and ovaries as well
as diverse tissues such as the gut, breast and skin. These various glands secrete active
hormones that take messages throughout the body to the brain, liver, heart, bone, skin and
blood vessels as well as the reproductive organs. Plant molecules can also communicate
these messages. 

Responses within your cells that originate from the plant world are known as phytocrine. Phytocrines are the bioactive molecules in plants that share features with our own hormones and “connect” with our endocrine system. 

Adaptogens are plant foods recognized for their rebalancing effect on the body. An adaptogen doesn’t have a specific effect on the body as such. What it does is support the body in healing where the body needs it; an adaptogen goes to the weak areas of the body, and helps strengthen them. In doing so, adaptogens restore homeostasis in the body. 

Menopause 

When combined with a healthy lifestyle  and diet, phytotherapy has the ability to reverse hormonal imbalance in menopause. Utilizing herbs for menopausal symptoms has gained popularity and information is readily available across the web. 

(source)

Black cohosh (Actaea racemosa) a plant native to Eastern North America, has been used by women all over the world for generations to help with hot flashes.

(source)

Red clover (Trifolium pratense) is rich in phytoestrogens including lignans, coumestans, and isoflavones and is used for relief of general menopausal symptoms.

(source)

Chastetree (Vitex agnus-castus) has active molecules that may affect our neurotransmitters, particularly dopamine, which acts in the brain and other parts of the body. Recent studies are showing that properties of this herb may mimic the soothing actions of progesterone and help with psychic and somatic symptoms of PMS.

(source)

Kudzu (Pueraria lobata) is a member of the pea family and is native to Asia. Much like red clover, it contains phytochemicals that function in a protective fashion. These include five major
isoflavanoids that can bind weakly to estrogen receptors, quieting the body’s need for estrogen during times of hormonal imbalance. Kudzu also has been linked with anti-aging properties.

(source)

Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) has strong Native American roots and contains natural monamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI’s), which are known to have antidepressant and anti-anxiety properties.

(source)

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is an herb with aphrodisiac and mood-stabilizing properties. Recent studies suggest this Ayurvedic herb can act in an adaptogenic fashion when androgen levels are low, activating the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis to increase the production of androgens.

(source)

Wild yam (Dioscorea villosa) is native to North America and has been used for both menopause and menstrual-related symptoms. Research suggests that it acts as a functional mimetic of progesterone.

(source)

Soy (Glycine max), like red clover and kudzu, is a member of the legume family and contains phytoestrogens. It has been extensively studied and found to be supportive for improved insulin regulation, weight loss, bone health, and nail, skin and hair health. It has also been shown to decrease frequency and severity of menopausal discomforts, particularly vaginal dryness, hot flashes and night sweats. 

Different women have different symptoms as well as different combinations of such
so what works for one may not be as effective for another. Recommendations are for
combined use with herbs and many products contain formulas specific to particular
symptoms. It is important to look for reputable companies and talk with a provider who
is comfortable and experienced in herbal remedies. 

Other key points:

• Use consistently and monitor your progress. Nothing works if you do not follow the program
• Discuss with your provider other medications you may be on as some may impede and /or enhance herbal effects.
• Once you find a supplement that works, continue to use the same preparation.

Women’s health advanced practice nurses and certified nurse midwives http://
www.biohormonesinc.com are trained in holistically approaching healthcare symptoms
and take the time to talk and listen to your needs. 

To find one in your area check Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health or The American College of Nurse-Midwives 

Follow me @biohormonesinc
FB http://www.facebook.com/BioHormones

Dr. Leta Vaughan APN, CNM has been working with women and promoting healthcare for over 30 years. Dr. Vaughan is board certified and advocates an effective combination of balanced nutrition, exercise, and supplements to enhance a woman’s changing lifestyle needs.

** It's me, Jess....I just want to add that you don't need to be going through menopause to benefit from using the plants and their extracts above. Women at every age can benefit from incorporating these plants into their diet through teas and/or herbal supplements.

Another Use for Thyme

I set up a few Google filters so that everyday I get emails with links to everything that's going on on the web related to the topics I'm interested in. One of them is "raw food" and for the past few weeks I've been seeing stories about how the herb thyme "may" be more useful in curing acne than products that are benzoyl peroxide based.

Acne is big business. So is skin care and anti-aging. Wouldn't it be great if we could change our skin by changing what we eat?

I have no doubt.

Acne cure may be a matter of thyme

April 11 2012 (Original Source)

By FIONA MACRAE

The herb thyme may be more effective at treating acne than current medicines, research has found.

A tincture made from the plant may also be kinder to the skin and, unlike powerful peroxide-based treatments, will not leave bleach marks on pillow cases and clothes.

Scientists at Leeds Metropolitan University compared thyme’s spot-busting potential with marigold, myrrh – three plants already sold as acne treatments by herbalists – and acne-fighting chemical benzoyl peroxide.

They steeped the herbs in alcohol to draw out the active compounds before adding pimple-causing bacterium propionibacterium acnes. The thyme tincture was the most effective at killing bacteria, destroying around 100,000 bacteria per ml – or half a million per teaspoonful. It was also slightly more effective than benzoyl peroxide, the chemical in some prescription treatments and acne products such as Clearasil and Oxy 5 and 10.

Tests also showed the antibacterial effects were not simply due to the alcohol in the tincture sterilising the skin.

Researcher Dr Margarita Gomez-Escalada said more tests were needed but added: “If thyme tincture is proven to be clinically effective, it may be a natural alternative to current treatments”.

Treatments containing benzoyl peroxide can cause a burning sensation, she said.

She added: “Herbal preparations are less harsh, while our results suggest they can be just as, if not more, effective.” - Daily Mail

This article is talking about using it as a topical treatment. However, what would happen if we juiced and drank it? I may just have to come up with a recipe including thyme as one of the ingredients. I'll get back to you on this!

Over Fed but Starving to Death

Wanna know why you can't loose weight? Why you feel like S-H-I-T? Why you don't have enough energy to get through the day?

Trailer

I've been meaning to watch this now for a while, but life and my ever increasing to do list kept getting in the way. I don't think that anyone could have summed up the current state of why everyone is so sick and fat as concisely as these film makers did. They are right on point with everything that they point out. It's about an hour and a half long, but I highly recommend it.

Part 1

Above is the trailer and first couple of minutes of the film, but if you want to watch the full documentary you can find it here for free.

A day in the life...

... of a beautiful and young woman who was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer when she was only 22 years old. I found Jess Ainscough and learned of her story while I was searching for information to put on the Raw Generation website.

I was so inspired by her drive to find a way other than traditional cancer therapies to treat her cancer. Her doctor's originally told her she would have to amputate her arm at her shoulder, which she obviously didn't want to do. She chose to do chemotherapy to try to get rid of the cancer, which it initially did, but the cancer came back.

This time she and her mom did research and found the Gerson Institute. The Gerson Therapy is a very strict regimen that includes fresh pressed juices 13 times a day, coffee enemas several times a day, a strict diet, plenty of rest, relaxation, and meditation. But it works for many people. I had heard of the Gerson Therapy before, unfortunately though not in time to help my grandmothers.

Jess describes a day in the life of a Gerson person:

          October 13th, 2011

On Sunday I will hit my 18 months of Gerson mark. I have been counting down to this day ever since I first stepped foot into the Gerson clinic on 15th April 2010, thinking it would signify the end of my Gerson journey. However, after speaking with Charlotte Gerson and my Gerson doctor I’ve decided to keep going with the therapy for another six months, making it two years in total. This is how long the Therapy usually is, and I want to do it properly so that I never have to do the whole thing again. As much as I’ve loved this journey, once will definitely be enough.

The good news though is that on Sunday I’m able to reduce the program from 13 juices each day to nine, and my enemas will drop from four a day to three. I’m so excited!! That means I’ll be able to go out in the afternoons for a couple of hours without juice. I’ll also be able to sit through a whole movie without having to pause it several times to make juice. Oh, happy day.

Because my winding down day is so close, I wanted to share what every day of the Gerson Therapy has been like so far. This is pretty much how my days have played out for the past 18 months.

6am: My alarm wakes me up. It’s one of those retro battery operated ones with the bells on top, so it scares the crap out of me every morning. Probably not the most peaceful way to start the day, but I use it because it’s not good to sleep with a digital alarm beside your head, and also it doesn’t have a snooze function. Once I’m up I walk bleary eyed to the bathroom, wash my face and roll out my yoga mat and towels for my first coffee enema of the day. I always read something inspiring while I’m doing my enema, to get me into a good frame of mind for the day. At the moment it’s The Greatness Guide Book 2 by Robin Sharma for the second time.

6.30am: Enema done! Now it’s time for five minutes of dry body brushing before jumping in the shower. I make sure I shower before the rest of the house wakes up and starts turning on taps. If there is water running anywhere else in the house while I’m in the shower I will get scorched.

6.45am: I walk upstairs and into the meditation room for half an hour of Zen time, saying good morning and giving my little pug girl Edie a bum scratch on my way.

7.15am: Dad’s finished preparing breakfast, so I sit down at the table to a glass of fresh orange juice (juice #1) and rolled oats with raw honey, sultanas, kiwi fruit and stewed apple. Every. Single. Morning. Lucky I love oats. Even after 18 months of this, it’s still my favourite meal.

7.45am: Dad’s been busy in the kitchen all morning, so he’s already washed and laid out all of the produce for our daily juices. To say thank you, I make him a big green smoothie while he fires up the Norwalk and starts making the first green juices (juice #2) for the day for mum and I.

8am: I drink my green juice before heading down to my room/office to start work for the day. I check my emails, upload the day’s blog, prepare the newsletter, post blasts to Facebook and Twitter, and then answer whatever emails and blog comments I’ve received overnight.

9am: Go back upstairs to drink my carrot and apple juice (juice #3) and then another carrot and apple juice (juice #4). Once that’s done, it’s back down to the computer to write blog posts, write book, or speak with clients.

10am: Make and drink juice #5 – plain carrot. Then it’s time for the second enema for the day.

11am: Make and drink juice #6 – green. Once I’ve finished cleaning the juicer I help Mum prepare lunch. She does the salad, potatoes and pumpkin while I chop the veggies for the hot pot. After that we go and lie outside to soak up some vitamin D and get 15-20 minutes of sun.

12noon: Drink juice #7 – carrot and apple. Turn the TV on to watch Ellen dancing through her studio audience – my absolute favourite part of Gerson Therapy has been being able to watch The Ellen DeGeneres Show every day while we eat lunch. We sit down to Hippocrates Soup, a big plate of salad with roast pumpkin, a baked potato and some cooked veggies.

1pm: Make and drink green juice (juice #8). Go back downstairs to answer emails and do more writing.

2pm: Drink carrot juice (juice #9). Enema time again! Roll out the yoga mat for enema number three.

3pm: Make and drink another carrot juice (juice #10). Sit back in front of the computer to do more work – scold myself for allowing Facebook to suck away so much time that before I know it an hour’s gone past and I’m looking through a stranger’s photo album with absolutely no recollection of how I ended up there.

4pm: Make and drink a carrot and apple juice (juice #11). Either take Edie for a walk, do yoga or jump on the mini trampoline.

5pm: Drink another carrot and apple juice (juice #12). I usually have a client session now, so I chat to them or I do more writing, or I meditate.

6pm: Finally, last juice for the day! I make and drink a green juice (juice #13). Then it’s back downstairs, roll out the mat again and do my fourth enema for the day.

7pm: Say hello to Tallon who is now home and usually knocks on the bathroom door while I’m doing my enema (even though/because he knows I hate it). Chat to him for a bit before we are called upstairs for dinner.

7.15pm: We all sit down for family dinner around the table (facing the TV). Again we have Hippocrates Soup, a big plate of salad, a baked potato and some cooked veggies. Dad and Tallon add meat. Edie is in the background whimpering, scratching at our legs for more food, or perched at her own chair at the table.

8.30pm: After clean up is done we make peppermint teas and all go in different directions of the house. Tallon and I either watch TV or lie in bed and read. We turn all of the lights out and just have lamps and Himalayan Salt lamps on to prepare for sleep time.

10pm: I’m asleep, or willing myself to be asleep so that I get my standard eight hours.

Even though my mum is also on Gerson Therapy for her breast cancer, her days looks a little different to mine. Before she started Gerson, she was my carer and now she still manages to fit in the making of soup, boiling coffee for enemas and doing our mammoth grocery shops. Luckily my dad now stays home most mornings to help her out. I’m planning on posting a day in her life soon to give you an idea of what her role involves.

Positive affirmation for the day: The choices I make today will determine the life I lead tomorrow.

           Jess's Website

It is a lot of work. It is a lot of money. But at least it produces spectacular results that no only don't involve poisonous chemicals, but you are actually healthier after going through it. It really makes you think how ridiculous chemo and radiation are. Yes they help some people live, but they are poisonous. And a lot of the times the cancer comes back due to the fact that the patients did nothing to change their lifestyle.

I am a firm believer that cancer and other diseases like heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's etc are all lifestyle diseases. Too much stress, drinking, smoking, eating nutritionally devoid foods are ending millions of people's lives short- young and old.

We are all guilty of doing things we know are bad for us (including myself), but all it takes is making a couple changes here and there and suddenly you will realize all of those small changes are really adding up! If you had asked me 2 years ago if I would be eating nothing but raw fruits and vegetables I would have looked at you like you were speaking Greek. I didn't do it over night. I made small changes along the way and here I am.

The moral of this long story is that no one can predict if and when we will get a grim diagnosis. But there are steps we can take every day to improve our health. And if you or I do get that awful diagnosis just know that there are options other than chemo, radiation, and surgery.

For more information visit The Gerson Insititute.

I also wrote:
Alternative Cancer Therapies
The War on Cancer: Focusing on the Wrong Things

For All You Athletes Out There

I started drinking coconut water about a year or two ago. All of a sudden it is everywhere. I find it especially thirst quenching after a big night out, or a really long workout. Here are the health benefits in a nutshell:

"Coconut water is a powerhouse of natural electrolytes, vitamins, minerals, trace elements, amino acids, enzymes, antioxidants and phytonutrients, and is low in sugar, but pleasantly sweet. It’s great for post-exercise re-hydration, but also has anti-inflammatory properties, protects your heart and urinary tract, is a digestive tonic, improves your skin and eyes, supports good immune function, and can even help balance your blood glucose and insulin levels." 

"Coconut water is the richest dietary source of cytokinins, plant hormones that have anti-cancer, anti-aging, and anti-thrombolytic benefits in humans. Because coconut water is isotonic and sterile (upon coming out of the coconut), it is very similar to blood plasma and has been used intravenously in emergency situations for more than 60 years." (Original Source)

While I do agree with the nutritional benefits of drinking plain coconut water, the stuff with mixed fruit and fruit juice is just a bunch of sugar. I just stick with the original plain kind now, but it just tastes a little off when you drink it by itself.

What I started doing, instead of drinking the pineapple flavored kind (I am obsessed with pineapple), is using plain coconut water in my morning smoothies. Instead of using a lot of water, I use half coconut water and half water. I have found that this has really helped me as I have increased my workouts over the past few weeks.

SIDE NOTE: You can even use coconut water in drinks! This pic was taken at a beach side bar in Rincon, PR last year. The bartenders chopped the coconut up right in front of you with a machete (something that apparently is common to have and walk around with in Puerto Rico), used some of the coconut water, some other goodness that I can't really remember (probably rum) and cinnamon. Not really a "healthy" drink, but it sure was delish!

Coconuts have been very underrated here in the US, but times, they are a changin'!


Try using coconut water instead of Gatorade, Vitamin Water, and electrolyte waters. Who the hell knows what is in them (really...can you understand the ingredients?) OR if our bodies actually use the synthetic s-h-i-t they put in there anyway. My guess is all these companies pushing vitamins are bringing knives to a gun fight. Mother Nature being the one holding the gun. 

Has cold & flu season hit you yet?

I personally have not been sick in a while. Every so often when I don't get enough sleep I get that run down I'm-about-to-get-sick feeling. Usually I just whole up and sleep it off , but if that is not an option I have a solution that may possibly work for you. I became aware of Dr. John Douillard a few weeks ago when I listened to one of his lectures on Ayurveda. He is big into living in conjunction with nature and using everything that is available from nature to cure sickness.

Here is his explanation of why cold and flu season occurs during winter months:

"In the winter, temperatures drop and the air dries out. The further we go into winter, the drier the air becomes. Even the rain dries out and becomes snow. For ourselves, we further aggravate these dry conditions by pumping dry heat into our homes and offices to stay warm.

"In the case of the common cold, this dryness has become overwhelming to the body. When we become excessively dry, the dryness extends to the mucus membranes in the sinuses and gut. The respiratory tract is lined with ciliated epithelium, skin covered with sweepers called cilia that house part of the immune system. These cilia, much like the villi of the gut, sweep toxins, bacteria and viruses through respiratory mucus membranes into the Mucus Associated Lymphatic Tissue, or MALT, where they are neutralized by the white-blood-cell-rich lymph nodes.  

Nature’s prescription for all this dryness is the seasonal harvest. The winter harvest consists of high-fat, high-protein, insulating foods that antidote the harshness of winter. Think of squirrels eating nuts when the weather begins to cool. See my Winter Tips & Grocery List, which explains how to prevent systemic dehydration and other winter imbalances with seasonal foods. 

He is proposing that to stop a cold from fully forming, you can take a combination of

• Trikatu: an Ayurvedic spice combination made from ginger, black pepper and long pepper that thins mucus, stimulates circulation to the respiratory tract and cervical lymph. 
• Sitopladi: is a traditional Ayurvedic combination of herbs that opens airways and heals and decongests mucus membranes of the sinuses, bronchioles and lungs. 
• Turmeric: is an Indian spice that has many medicinal uses including thins mucus, moves lymph, boosts immunity and heals the mucus membranes.

I know. I was like "what they hell is trikatu, I can't even pronounce it, and where the hell do I get that? Well, Dr. Douillard conveniently sells this stuff on his website which you can find by clicking here. I am buying this stuff and am going to use it as a preventative measure as I'm sure taking a little bit of these spices everyday could not hurt (I will let you know if it does). 

SIDE TRACK: Some of you may have read my post on being anti-vitamin (which I still am) and are confused because these are clearly supplements. Let me explain. These are not individual vitamins that have been plucked from the original source (or synthesized). These are herbs and spices that in their whole form are medicinal to the body. There I said it. I am against taking individual vitamins and minerals, and a multi-vitamin in that case. We don't know what vitamins and minerals our bodies need. Scientists think they know, but we are learning more and more each day about the nutrients in food and I know scientists are not even close to having the complete picture. In my humble opinion it is best to just eat whole foods to get your nutrition. 

What is your view on vitamins & supplements? Yay or nay?

I'm Addicted to Chapstick

In the car, next to my bed, on my desk at work, upstairs, downstairs. Sooo not what you were thinking. Those are all of the places I keep chapstick so that I am never out of arms reach. Literally! I realized several years ago that I am addicted, but am unsure as to how to quit and if it is really necessary. I mean I am a woman, and if I am not putting on chapstick I am putting on lip gloss or lipstick. So my lips pretty much have no chance at going naked.

Up until about a month ago, my go-to lubricant of choice was Chapstick Brand Moisturizer w/ SPF. I use this and only this and have for years. A few years back on my birthday my aunt sent me a year's supply of this (such a great gift for a chapstick addict- btw...she is addicted too and to the same kind...must run in the family)

Anyway, I came across a brand on Etsy called Orange Thyme (no relation to my blog) that makes chapsticks, perfume oils, soaps and other beauty products out of real ingredients. By real I mean ingredients you can read and understand. These are the ingredients in the Vanilla Honey Chapstick: Avocado oil, cocoa butter, candelilla wax, shea butter , natural and essential oils.

I have been using the Vanilla Honey lip balm and am in love! I think it is actually better than Chapstick brand. Plus it is slightly glossy so I don't have to use both. The perfume oil is awesome as well! Well done Orange Thyme! Well done!

Bad Breath

So recently my BF has told me that I always have bad breath. What? NO! How could that be? I thought it was because I wasn't flossing enough. Fixed that. I thought maybe I wasn't brushing enough. Fixed that. I thought it may be what I was eating. Fixed that.

Well, it wasn't any of those. Let me enlighten you on a little thing called cryptic tonsils. A little over a year ago I was just sitting down in my seat on a flight back from Vegas. I was severely hung over, and neurotically anxious. TIP: don't go to Vegas if you have chronic-high-level-anxiety. Anyway, I was reading my book before takeoff and I sneezed, spitting out this white ball. I was like "S-H-I-T that must have been a filling!" But I didn't think the force of a sneeze could dislodge a cavity filling. I couldn't examine it because there was a man sitting next to me. Haha could you imagine? So I brushed it to the floor and continued having a mini-anxiety meltdown.

A couple of weeks later, my sister and I took a weekend trip up to Newport, RI where I learned that the same thing happens to her (sorry Julie, couldn't omit this part). She can actually get them out though. I was like WAIT! Is this bad? Do I have to get surgery? A million questions. She had gone to the doctor about it, and apparently it is not bad unless you start having chronic sore throats (which I don't).

Flash forward one year. This morning, about 2 minutes after I woke up I sneezed dislodging one of those little white balls again. This time in the privacy of my bedroom I could examine it. Gross I know, but you know you do gross shit too when you are in private.

I Googled "coughing up little white balls" and this is what it says:

Cryptic tonsils are pockets in the tonsils that accumulate food and other debris, cause bad breath and occasionally sore throat. Cryptic tonsils are also called tonsil stones, tonsilloliths, fetid tonsils and chronic caseous tonsillitis.

You can get cryptic tonsils because you have naturally "wrinkly" tonsils, which are more prone to trap food. Other debris can accumulate in these holes in your tonsils as well, including pus and a bacteria that produces volatile sulfur compounds and creates halitosis (bad breath). Of all the causes of bad breath, cryptic tonsils only account or about 3% of cases, though.

There are a couple of options for treating cryptic tonsils, depending on the severity of the condition.

• Some individuals use water picks to remove the debris, although there isn't much research on the safety of this practice. 
• Another treatment for cryptic tonsils is CO(2) laser cryptolysis. This is an in-office procedure which uses a laser beam to ablate (get rid of) the pockets in the tonsils. The patient is given a local anesthetic to prevent pain and the procedure takes about 20 minutes. Cryptic tonsils and bad breath may be cured the first time this procedure is performed, but some individuals may need the procedure a second time.
• The last option to treat cryptic tonsils is a tonsillectomy. Removing the tonsils is effective virtually 100 percent of the time, but the surgery has risks that must be considered. Tonsillectomy is usually only recommended if you have other problems related to your tonsils such as chronic strep throat or sleep apnea.

 (Original Source)

I was like EPIPHANY! THIS IS WHY I HAVE HAD BAD BREATH! So I choked myself for about 10 minutes trying to see if there were any more back there. No luck. But I am going to ask my BF if my breaf still stinks.

Haha, good morning! hope you have a lovely day!

Oh the PAIN!

I don't know if you remember the story about the last time I took Tylenol to relieve my EPISODE cramps. Well, I took too much, destroyed my stomach, and haven't taken it since.

TYLENOL CONSUMPTION: 6 pills x 3/day x 1-2 days = recipe for serious disaster
ADVIL CONSUMPTION: 2 pills x 2/day x 1-2 days = I can deal with this

Ever since I "became a woman" at the age of 13 I have had debilitating cramps. They used to be so bad that I would be bed ridden for 2 whole days (either at home or in the nurses office at school). I think people thought I was exaggerating, but I assure you I was not. I remember my mom being like, "How are you going to go to work when you get older?" Trust me, that is not something you want to hear when you are 13 and have just been involuntarily thrown into bloody torture that will repeat itself EVERY MONTH FOR THE NEXT 40 YEARS!!!!!!

Anywho...I just came across this article from Dr. Mercola on natural pain killers and thought I would share it with you. I am going to start using some of this stuff and see if it works. These suggestions are more along the lines of prevention than band-aid (which is what Tylenol & Advil are).

• Start taking a high-quality, animal-based omega-3 fat like krill oil. Omega-3 fats are precursors to mediators of inflammation called prostaglandins. (In fact, that is how anti-inflammatory painkillers work, they positively influence prostaglandins.) The omega-3 fats EPA and DHA contained in krill oil have also been found in many animal and clinical studies to have anti-inflammatory properties.
• Eliminate or radically reduce most grains and sugars (including fructose) from your diet. Avoiding grains and sugars will lower your insulin and leptin levels. Elevated insulin and leptin levels are one of the most profound stimulators of inflammatory prostaglandin production. That is why eliminating sugar and grains is so important to controlling your pain and other types of chronic illnesses.
• Optimize your production of vitamin D by getting regular, appropriate sun exposure, which will work through a variety of different mechanisms to reduce your pain.
• In the meantime, you don't need to suffer unnecessarily. The following options provide excellent pain relief without any of the health hazards that acetaminophen and other pain relievers carry:
• Astaxanthin: One of the most effective oil-soluble antioxidants known. It has very potent anti-inflammatory properties and in many cases works far more effectively than many NSAIDs. Higher doses are typically required and one may need 8 mg or more per day to achieve this benefit.
• Ginger: This herb is anti-inflammatory and offers pain relief and stomach-settling properties. Fresh ginger works well steeped in boiling water as a tea or grated into vegetable juice.
• Curcumin: Curcumin is the primary therapeutic compound identified in the spice turmeric. In a study of osteoarthritis patients, those who added 200 mg of curcumin a day to their treatment plan had reduced pain and increased mobility.  In fact, curcumin has been shown in over 50 clinical studies to have potent anti-inflammatory activity, as well as demonstrating the ability in four studies to reduce Tylenol-associated adverse health effects.  
• Boswellia: Also known as boswellin or "Indian frankincense," this herb contains powerful anti-inflammatory properties which have been prized for thousands of years. This is one of my personal favorites as I have seen it work well with many rheumatoid arthritis patients.
• Bromelain: This protein-digesting enzyme, found in pineapples, is a natural anti-inflammatory. It can be taken in supplement form, but eating fresh pineapple may also be helpful.
• Cetyl Myristoleate (CMO): This oil, found in fish and dairy butter, acts as a "joint lubricant" and an anti-inflammatory. I have used this for myself to relieve ganglion cysts and a mild annoying carpal tunnel syndrome that pops up when I type too much on non-ergonomic keyboards. I used a topical preparation for this.
• Evening Primrose, Black Currant and Borage Oils: These contain the fatty acid gamma linolenic acid (GLA), which is useful for treating arthritic pain.
• Cayenne Cream: Also called capsaicin cream, this spice comes from dried hot peppers. It alleviates pain by depleting the body's supply of substance P, a chemical component of nerve cells that transmits pain signals to your brain.
• Therapeutic modalities such as yoga, acupuncture, meditation, hot and cold packs, and even holding hands can also result in astonishing pain relief without any drugs. (Not sure if holding hands is really going to help my raging cramps)

I have incorporated some of these into my diet, but not consistently. I am going to work on being more consistent which includes getting back to hot yoga. I started doing hot yoga 2 years ago and love it! I can't do it more than once a week though without getting burnt out, but it is great cardio and stretching.  

Does anyone have any other natural pain remedies?

REVIEW: Suki Face Wash

About a month or two back, I started to think about all of the beauty products I use (not many compared to most women I'm sure) and how they are probably not safe. I thought about all of the chemicals and preservatives that are put into processed food, and figured it is probably 100 times worse with stuff that just goes on your skin. I was right.

Your skin is an organ too, and the amount of heavy duty (cheap) moisturizer I have used in my lifetime is ridiculous...and gave me cause for concern.

I found a website Saffron Rouge that actually does all of the research for you. They review products' ingredients and if they don't pass...they don't sell!

Why settle for beauty products that don’t live up to their labels? At Saffron Rouge, we evaluate every ingredient so you don’t have to. All the products you see here are made without the plastics, silicones, petroleum, artificial fragrances, dyes, and other unsafe ingredients found in most beauty products, and are guaranteed to give you results. - Saffron Rouge

I thought this was great because I had originally bought a book of cosmetic ingredients (it's like a dictionary) and had planned on doing this myself with all of the products that I use. I started and stopped almost immediately because in any given bottle there was literally dozens of chemicals listed.

But before I had gotten into reading the ingredients of my beauty products, I switched from my globs of cheap, thick moisturizer to using coconut oil (and just recently sesame oil). I like the thought of being able to eat what goes on my body. That is how nature intended. I'm sure people in coconut growing regions use coconut oil for their skin and hair.

Back to the rest of my beauty regimen. I had found a brand on Saffron Rouge called Suki. I was looking for new face wash and found Suki's Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser. The reason I picked this product is because I checked out all of the reviews and majority of them were raving (especially the people with sensitive skin). Saffron rouge was generous enough to send me the product to try (Thank you!)

First of all let me tell you that I am relentless about using products that make my skin feel good. Over the past few years I have developed adult acne (AWESOME) and have always had EXTREMELY dry skin especially during the winter months. While I am trying to correct this through my diet, I need some quick relief in the meantime. If something doesn't make my skin feel good or cause me to break out (pretty easy) I stop using it.

So I have been using the Suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser for the past two weeks and I love, love, love it! It starts out really grainy (I scoop out a little on one finger) and then you wet it and lather in your hands to moisten it up...then scrub your face. As you scrub the granules dissolve and it turns into a lovely face wash. When you rinse it off your face feels clean without feeling stripped. Also, the smell is AMAZING! It's like sniffing a sugary lemon. Very refreshing first thing in the morning. Two thumbs up!

that amount is all you need for your entire face and neck
(unless you have a really long neck- haha)

I also got a chance to try out a few other samples of products by Suki Skincare. The Suki Butter Cream Healing Salve was my favorite by far. It is sooooo thick and the type of thing that you put on your really dry spots like elbows, knees, ankles, and heels.

*BONUS- I put it on my face because I was at the BF's house and forgot my face cream and this was the only thing available. At first it was a little greasy, but as it absorbed in it made my face feel super moisturized...AND! It made all of my tiny wrinkles go away! I'm not exaggerating. I have 2 spots, one on my forehead and the other under my eyes, where if I am really dry they are really obvious (Damn sun damage from life guarding for 5 years w/o caring about sunscreen!). Anyway I would not recommend this for everyday use, but it works in a pinch or if you are really, really dry.

Thanks again Saffron Rouge and Suki!

Motivation to Go RAW

I tried going raw a few weeks ago, and had some issues. It was all mental. It was also influenced by my habits. When it is cold out I want to eat warm, hearty foods. I also love to cook, and just preparing food was not satisfying to me. SO...I am putting that on the back burner until spring when it warms up and I am more inclined to live on fruit and salads.

I do not believe that it is necessary to go all raw to be healthy...not even close. I believe that by just adding in more whole foods to your diet you can attain great benefits. It's the 80/20 rule which states that you get 80% of the results from 20% of the work.

I believe that you will be able to do what is right for your body. Take my father for instance. He has been 100% raw for over 30 days now, and has said it is really agreeing with him. He has also seen AMAZING weight loss results too, so I'm sure that is a motivating factor. Going raw, however, is not something that I would just jump into. It is a big change, and even though your body may really love it, your mind a whole other animal.

Here are some trailers to documentaries on going raw that I have seen and are very informative and motivating.

Raw for 30 Days

Fat Sick & Nearly Dead

Food Matters

Forks Over Knives

I have watched all of these with the exception of the first one. My favorite, and the one that influenced my father the most, was Fat Sick & Nearly Dead. It was less scientific and more a touching story about two people who randomly cross paths, in turn changing both of their lives for the better. It is really amazing what the power of motivation can do to human lives.

What motivates you to make improvements in your life?