What do you think about taking multivitamins?

The first thing I thought in reading the Naturally Yours blog post about some study finding no benefits from multivitamins was "I bet the study only looked at synthetic vitamins." Well, not even that close...so this is just a friendly reminder not to take any study about health at face value until you know who funded it, what their agenda was and what the detailed specifics were. It saddens me that the general public doesn't even realize they should be questioning these health tidbits they get on the news.

But back to multivitamins, I'd like to share a few things I've heard in recent years and encourage others to comment and add wisdom to this post.

1. The problem with synthetic vitamins (like you'd get at Target) is that they are made from petroleum for starters, but more importantly, according to the Chinese Doctor I went to in Chicago, that your body doesn't react to them the same way it does vitamins from natural sources, like food. Your body knows that the vitamin was made from a chemical and tries to deal with it, but wasn't designed to deal with it and has to spend more time and resources figuring out how to get rid of the non-natural/foreign substance instead of helping repair and heal the body. So basically, any money spent on syntethic vitamins (including the ones fortified into so many products like cereal and soy milk) are wasted money at best, and probably causing harm to your body. Or so I've decided...

2. A contradicting point: it's best to get all the vitamins and minerals your body needs from the food you eat. But I've also heard that due to common farming practices and travel time to get food from across the world to your grocery store that most foods you buy at the grocery store don't have enough nutrients left in them to meet our daily needs. On the flip side, I would assume that locally grown food bought directly from a farmer who practices sustainable farming practices would supply the nutrients we need, but in Central Illinois, we're severely limited in the scope of foods that can be grown here and the growing season. Most CSAs are only 26 or 27 weeks and the farmers markets are even shorter. So at the very least, I think vitamins in the winter are important, but only if made from natural sources and not petro-chemicals. Yuck!

Healthy Air freshener

I've read numerous articles about the health hazards of commercial air fresheners. I like the essential oil diffusers, but haven't seen one in a store that had an ingredient list I felt comfortable with, so I haven't bought any of those either. Then I came across the Seeds Of Change Web site and clicked on their recycling page. They have a list of ways you can reuse some of their product packaging. This one caught my eye and is exactly what I've been looking for. Reusing packaging, and I get to guarantee the ingredients meet my standards b/c I'm mixing them. Here's their "recipe" to try it yourself and breathe more healthy air.

REED OIL DIFFUSER

Materials:

• Salad Dressing Jar
• Bamboo Skewers or Willow Reeds (available from your local craft store)
• Essential Oils
  
• Organic vegetable oil (safflower or sunflower work best)

Reed oil diffusers can scent your home without the dangers of lit candles. Plus, you get the benefit of aromatherapy. Fill the cleaned salad dressing bottle about halfway with the vegetable oil and add your favorite essential oil (approximately 15-20 drops or to your liking). Gently mix the oils, then stand bamboo skewers or willow reeds in the bottle.

What’s Your Big Idea for Change in America?

UPDATE: Voting has ended, but to see the topics selected visit their site. There are a couple heath related topics that won and they "have opened discussion for how to most effectively turn each idea into a successful national campaign, and would love your suggestions on how to bring about this Idea for Change. "

Change.org says

What’s Your Big Idea for Change in America?

President-Elect Obama says he wants to hear ideas from all Americans, so we're taking him up on his offer. Submit your ideas for how to change America, discuss with others, and vote for your favorites.

The "Top 10 Ideas for America" will be presented to the Obama Administration on Inauguration Day. We will then build a national campaign to advance each idea in Congress, marshaling the resources of Change.org, MySpace, and our dozens of partner organizations and millions of combined members.

Under health care, you have to scroll way down to find mention of holistic causes. I think "Naturopathic Medicine and Traditional Should Both Be Recognized Equally" represents the interests of the ConnectedtoWellness.com community, but is currently in 107th Place in Health Care and needs 939 more votes to make it into the second round. So if you agree, vote for it and share it with your friends. (There's unlimited voting, so you can vote for other ideas and categories too.)

UPDATE: Here's something along similar lines with more votes: Integrated Healthcare Delivery System

and this Support alternative medical care

and on a different but also important note:

Food and water reform for health care.

Please President Elect Obama, To reform healtcare in this country we must have food and water reform. We must get fluoride out of our drinking water. We must have honest education and labeling about MSG, HFCS, GMOs, and artificial sweeteners. We also need to know where our food comes from. We should not have to be detectives inorder to eat right. How can we have good health if we are not eating a healthy diet?

and there are lots of other ideas worthy of your vote, so go check them out and VOTE!

Top Rated Health Care Ideas on Change.org

and a personal plug by Kassy: please vote for this one! It will make a world of difference in our elections and this way you will always be able to vote for the person you think is best, without worrying about "spoiler" effects or choose the less awful candidate.

Instant Runoff Voting

Join the Discussion on Health Care Reform

As our President-elect and his team work on plans, they are actively seeking input from all of us. The comment I shared with the Health care Transition team is below (written by Kassy Killey and it reflects my own personal views only). I'd like to encourage you to share your thoughts too.

I have respect for the medical profession, but it is usually not my first choice for my health care. To my knowledge most medical school programs still don't discuss nutrition, let alone other options besides treating with drugs and surgery. Please, please, please include the holistic, integrative and Chinese Medicine practices into whatever plans are put into place. I've been failed a number of times by "Western medicine" and drugs. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. But if I need a "cure" I want one that looks deeper than the surface symptom. Also the current insurance setting doesn't allow for doctors to spend time with patients to really get to know what's going on. I think other regulatory groups should be included in a Wellness Plan for America, that doesn't allow the FDA to do business as they have, putting all the risk on individuals and not making companies prove the ingredients/materials used in their products are safe. Or the EPA...they should not allow any new toxins in our air, water, land, etc. These factors have also contributed to our health care crisis. The body is amazing in its ability to heal itself. We've messed it up pretty badly if it needs outside intervention on a daily basis.

Do Your Research Before Taking the Shot

As flu season approaches, it is important to consider what many in the holistic health field have been saying for years about the flu shot: "Don't get it."

According to the blog Vaccine Awakening, which has lots of links to research on both sides of the flu shot issue,

How many Americans know there are practical steps to take during the flu season that will not only help protect against all infections, including actual influenza as well as other "flu-like illnesses" that can often be mistaken for influenza? (Only about 20 percent of all "flu-like" illness is actually influenza and only three strains of the many strains of type A and type B influenza that may be circulating during the year are actually included in the influenza vaccine).

To prevent and treat influenza or flu-like respiratory illness that does not involve fever over 103 F., pneumonia or serious complications which may require medical intervention, the National Vaccine Information Center offers the following non- toxic suggestions:

1. Wash your hands frequently.
2. Avoid close contact with those who are sick.
3. If you are sick, avoid close contact with those who are well.
4. Cover your mouth if you cough or sneeze.
5. Drink plenty of fluids, especially water.
6. Get adequate sleep.
7. Eat a healthy diet rich in vitamins and minerals, especially foods containing vitamin C (such as citrus fruits) and vitamin D (such as cod liver oil) and spend a few minutes a day in sunlight to help your body make and store vitamin D.
8. Exercise regularly when you are well.
9. Lower stress.
10. Consider including holistic alternatives in your wellness or healing plan, such as chiropractic adjustments, homeopathic and naturopathic remedies, acupuncture and other health care options.

While the flu shot may be available around every corner and through many employers, it doesn't mean it's safe and it doesn't mean it will keep you healthy. Be sure to research the issue and weight the facts for yourself before getting a shot.

Easy and Healthy Potluck Recipe

Last year I was on the hunt for a healthy salad to take for our family get together over the holidays. This is one that got rave reviews then and every time I've served it since and as I was digging out the link for another holiday request...thought it would be good to share here.

The recipe is a Celery Salad from Cooking Light that they describe as

A cool, crisp salad adds crunch and contrast to any menu. You can also use dried cranberries and walnuts.

Got your own healthy potluck recipe? Please share it here!

Buying Locally and In-Season

I just found a great tool on the NRDC's Web site (National Resource Defense Council): a guide that tells you what produce is in season in your state. So for early November in Illinois, a few of the listed items include:

• Apples
• Greens
• Peas
• Sweet Potatoes
• Click here to see the full list

They also list the in season produce in the neighboring states as well as a list of produce that is almost always flown in from a far away country, including:

• Asparagus (Peru)
• Bell peppers (Netherlands)--currently in season, so stock up now and freeze for later
  
• Cherries (Chile)
• Raspberries (Chile)
• Peaches (Chile)
• Nectarines (Chile)
• Click here to see the full list

So just in case you're wondering how eating local and in-season can be good for your health. Well there are a lot of reasons. It's best to eat food shortly after harvesting/picking because the longer they sit, the more nutrients they loose. It also reduces pollution (which is always good for your wellness) because the food doesn't have to be transported over hundreds and thousands of miles. Another reason is that it simply tastes better when it's in season and local. There's a lot more reasons, so please post a reason.

Connected to Wellness via Movies

Here's the first post in what will hopefully become a series on Wellness Movies...

I recently came across a documentary titled How to Cook Your Life with Zen Master Edward Espe Brown. Right now, you can watch the trailer and check out the site. Unfortunately it is only showing in a few select cities and Peoria is NOT one of them.

If you get a chance to see this movie or hear about it coming to Peoria, please let us know.

Is there a healthy alternative to dry cleaning in Peoria?

I've known that dry cleaning is bad for the environment for a while. I did the research to see if there were better options in Peoria and there weren't so I forgot about it.

Well, in the Nov/Dec 2007 issue of Vegetarian Times, the Health Dilemmas article detailed the issues and alternatives of Dry Cleaning. Here's the low down, based on the article:

• Dry cleaning uses the liquid chemical perchlorethylene (perc) to clean clothes.
• "Perc is extremely toxic," a carcinogen, causes headaches, dizziness, nausea and vomiting
• Not only is perc a danger for people working with it, but some of it lingers on your clothes
• Perc is a serious pollutant, especially to groundwater and soil
• Perc is "listed in the Clean Air Act as a hazardous air pollutant"
• California is in the process of phasing perc out by law and New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts are likely to follow
• The Sierra club has sued the EPA for not being more proactive on the use of perc

So basically this stuff is bad for everyone's health, but to my knowledge the only alternative to dry cleaning in Peoria is to simply not go to them and take your chances washing at home. But, we can also encourage our local dry cleaners to switch. Surely they know the dangers of their business, but just in case, it doesn't hurt to let them know you are concerned about their employees, your family and the community.

As for the alternatives, according to the article they only one worth suggesting as a viable solution is Wet Cleaning. Others have side effects that aren't much better than perc's. According the article, Wet Ceaning:

• Is energy efficient, doesn't pollute and uses nontoxic detergents
• The detergents are cheaper than dry cleaning supplies
• Cleaners would also save money by not paying for hazardous waste disposal or regularty permit fees
• So overall it is cheaper for the business owner and better for our health
  

P.S. While I've only cited this one article, this information can be found via many credible sources. The cited article just made it easy to understand.

The Truth About the FDA and Trans Fats

So we all know trans fats are the latest greatest evil of the world and food makers are often bragging about their goodness with "Zero Trans Fat" claims, but according to a post on I'm Organic's Web site, the FDA has a nice loop hole for the food makers, that's bad for the consumer. Check out their post. In the meantime, here's some info from their site to help understand the trans fat issue.

Oil will no longer “separate out” of the food (like in natural peanut butter, when you have the layer of oil on top) when it is hydrogenated, which is desirable in processed foods - but very undesirable to your body. Trans fats have been shown to be more dangerous than saturated fats and have also been shown to raise levels of bad cholesterol and lower levels of good cholesterol, an extremely bad situation. Ick! Yuck!

Also it's important to keep in mind that when food makers pull out the trans fat, they often replace it with saturated fat, which is barely better. Be sure to read labels carefully and choose non-processed foods as much as possible. The farther away from the way nature intended, means the worse it is for your body.