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Nourish and Increase Energy With Nettle Infusion!
I’ve been doing something for the past week to increase my energy and wellbeing even more – its Spring here in Maine and its time to get outside and get growing! 
I’ve been making a quart of Nettle Infusion and drinking it every other day. You need to drink it at least 3x a week, 4 is better.
Stinging Nettle (Urtica Dioica) is loaded with nutrition (protein, chlorophyll, Vitamins C and A, and minerals like calcium, magnesium, silicon and fiber. Its in the herb family but its really a nutritive food. Its great for hair growth, strong nails, kidney function (it increases urine production, is a diuretic), and its great for the adrenals and results in an increase in energy.
Nettles has also been found to:
- Reduce PMS symptoms, lessens heavy menstrual bleeding, replenishes lost vitamins and minerals.
- Build bones.
- Help with Gout (magnesium has been shown to aid in Gout symptoms).
- Kill yeast overgrowth and fungus.
So, how do you do this anyway you ask?
So simple, you won’t believe it. Get a quart sized glass canning jar with a lid. Boil about a quart of water. (Heat the glass jar in hot water to avoid bursting!) Place about an ounce weightwise (a couple LARGE handfuls) of dried nettle (available here) in the jar, fill the jar with the boiling water. Stir the nettle mix around, put on the lid. Let this is for at least 4 hours, overnight is better. I’ve been doing mine the night before and letting it set out on the counter overnight. After its done its thing, strain out the herbs, compost them, and drink the remaining liquid. I have been drinking mine cold this week but am going to try it warm like tea later this afternoon.
Even after a few days, I’ve noticed my nails look better and my hair (which is thick) is more manageable. I also have even more clarity of mind and more energy. Even after a few days! One thing to note – its a little bitter! I’ve been sprinkling a small amount of stevia in mine, makes it easier to “go down”! My taste buds usually adjust fairly quickly to new tastes so I’m sure I won’t need the stevia much longer. (Note – A month later – I don’t need the stevia. And I feel awesome!! LOVE Nettles!)
Here’s what I want you to do – try it!
Let me know your results by commenting below. Notice how you feel the first day, the 7th day, the 14th day, etc. Leave your results below or with a tweet or on my FB page. I’m interested to know how this works for you!
Black Mold and Autoimmune Disorders (a probable link)
It all started with black mold.
We moved into an old 1850′s farmhouse in late 1998. Within a WEEK, both my husband and I were sick. What we didn’t know at the time was that we were just beginning a 7 year long exposure to black mold.
Black mold (Stachybotrys chartarum and Stachybotrys chlorohalonata) is HIGHLY toxic. Look for mildew on your windows, yellowish stains on your ceilings and walls, mildew in the bathroom, etc. As the mold grows, it becomes more toxic as it releases into the air. As it grows, it forms Volatile Organic Compounds, or VOC’s, that are basically released into the air you breathe, creating a host of health problems such as:
- Breathing difficulties
- Ear ringing
- Chronic Fatigue
- Lethargy
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Joint Pain
- Nausea
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Memory Loss
- Chronic cough
- Low grade fever
(the symptoms in italics are symptoms of CFS/Fibromyalgia that I experienced).
We discovered the source of the problem in 2005, after a long 7 years of being sick and in bed most of the time. The house had a granite block foundation with a dirt floor, typical of 1850′s construction. About 2/3 of the cellar was a “crawlspace”, with the remaining 1/3 being used by the furnace, oil tank, etc. The problem was in the crawlspace but we couldn’t physically get to it. We basically abandoned the house, and moved out.
I thought that once we moved out we’d feel better. Wrong! It wasn’t until 2007 that I learned about the toxic effects of the mold and that your liver can’t process it. It basically stays in your liver (as do other harmful chemicals – the subject of another blog post). So a detox is absolutely necessary.
I began to detox with sea vegetables and aloe vera in early 2007. Within a few weeks I was on the road to recovery, and had more energy than I’d had in years.
One of the nutrients in sea vegetables is Fucoidan. Fucoidan has a myriad of health benefits, among them is its ability to draw chemicals, heavy metals, and toxins from the liver. To aid this process, one must drink plenty of water to help the body flush out the toxins. Once these toxins are flushed out, your energy increases, your mind is clearer, and many nagging health issues start disappearing.
If you’re like I was, lethargic, aching all over, and want help – enter your contact info in that little blue box off to the right. You’ll soon receive my 3 Steps To More Energy which includes detoxing plus a whole bunch more tips and recipes to get your health and life back on track.
If you suspect you’ve got mold, especially if you can SEE it, begin cleaning ASAP. Also get “The Sick House Survival Guide” by Angela Hobbs over in the pink box off to the right (links with Amazon). This book was our starting point. I felt overwhelmed and relieved at the same time while reading this book: relieved that I had an ANSWER and overwhelmed by what it meant – we had to get out NOW!
I’m going to do a whole series of blog posts similar to this one regarding chemicals and toxins that might be one of the causes of autoimmune disorders. Stay tuned!
Posted in Detox, Greater Health and Wellbeing
Tagged black mold poisoning, detox, fucoidan, increase energy, more energy
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Reduce Symptoms of Autoimmune Disorders By “Deflaming”
Contrary to what your doctor might be telling you, you CAN reduce (or in my case eliminate) the symptoms of autoimmune disorders such as Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia. These symptoms vary from person to person, but typically include joint pain, mild fever, extreme fatigue, “brain fog”, etc.
The diet we eat plays a huge role in our general health. However, typical “health foods” such as soy are not what they seem. Grains and legumes are pretty much the basis of a vegetarian diet – they’re healthy, right? Not so fast. Grains and legumes (beans, lentils, SOY) also contain sugar proteins called lectins. Lectins are difficult to digest and cook. Before they are absorbed in the digestive tract, they cause inflammation in the digestive system. After they are absorbed, they bind to the surface of many cells in the body, a process called agglutination – they basically stick to other cells. Research suggests that many allergies, inflammatory diseases (arthritis) and autoimmune disorders are lectin related. Get Nourishing Traditions by Nancy Fallon to learn more about so called “health foods”.
The process of “deflaming” boils down to getting rid of “inflaming” foods in your diet, such as:
- ALL grains and grain products including bread (white, “whole grain”, wheat, etc.), pastas, cereals (including oatmeal), crackers, and anything else made with grains or flours made from grains. Be especially careful of prepackaged stuff.
- Partially hydrogenated oils such as those found in margarine and deep fried foods.
- Soybean oil, corn oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil and foods made from these such as mayonnaise, margarine, salad dressing, etc.
- Cow’s milk dairy (goat dairy is alkaline – NOT inflammation causing)
- Commercial sugar
- SOY products (I’ll go into the scary stuff about soy in another post – let’s just leave it at this – DON’T eat it!)
- Meat and eggs from grain fed (versus GRASS fed) animals.
Tomorrow I’ll go into more detail as to what foods to INCLUDE in your diet to hasten this process of “deflaming”.
To learn how I completely ELIMINATED my symptoms of Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia, enter your contact information in that little blue box on the right. You’ll soon receive “3 Steps To More Energy” and be on the pathway back to a healthy life.
The Problem With A “Gluten-Free” Diet
You’re tired all the time.
Your body aches.
You’ve been hearing a lot about Celiac Disease in the media lately. “Gluten Free” is kind of the rage right now. Maybe you should hop on that band wagon? I mean, it’s almost trendy to say “I’m Gluten Free”.
Not so fast.
Take a look at the ingredients list of a lot of the pre-packaged, GLUTEN-FREE pseudo-foods. You can eat just as crappy a Gluten-Free diet as you can a Gluten filled diet.
Chances are those Gluten Free foods contain corn. Corn is a grain. Corn is also hard to digest and possibly causes a host of digestive issues, a leaky gut included.
Once I got the diagnosis of Celiac Disease, I went Gluten-Free and thought that was going to be that. Not quite. I felt absolutely no better 3 months later. It wasn’t until I completely cut out ALL GRAIN and cow’s milk dairy that I began to notice HUGE differences in the way I felt.
I challenge you to research the Paleo Diet. Basically what it boils down to is this:
- Organic, free-range, grass fed meats
- Lots of green vegetables, lightly cooked and raw
- A few fruits (not a lot!)
- nuts and seeds
Over on the right you’ll see a pink box entitled “Susan Recommends”. Click through it and you’ll find The Maker’s Diet by Jordan Rubin, The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf and Make It Paleo, a “cookbook” by Bill Staley and Haley Mason. You’ll learn the hows and whys of Paleo and also the huge benefits of feeding your body the way it needs to be fed.
For even more help, sign up for my 3 Steps To More Energy by entering your contact information in the blue box over there on the right. I share how I went from bed ridden and depressed to joyful and energetic in only a few weeks.
Posted in Greater Health and Wellbeing, Whole Food Nutrition
Tagged celiac disease, gluten free diet, paleo diet
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Placebo Gets Same “Result” As Antidepressants!
Ok. Truth time. I have family members (you will remain anonymous – you know who you are!) that take antidepressants.
This blog post is NOT going to address the myriad of reasons why some people feel the need to take these pills.
I am only going to share some rather interesting research results. It might make you consider whether or not you REALLY need those pills like your doctor says you do. (I can hear the ads now…”Ask your doctor if such and such pill is right for YOU!”)
Here’s an interesting article on PaleoDietNews.com relating an interview by Leslie Stahl (CBS’s 60 Minutes correspondent) of Harvard Scientist Irving Kirsch that really challenges the effectiveness of antidepressant drugs.
Some of the research indicates that a placebo performed as well as or better than the drugs themselves.
Another study was done wherein some patients were going to be treated for knee pain by having surgery. Some of the patients actually had the surgery, some of the patients’ knees were merely cut open and then sewn up with no treatment at all. The patients that had no treatment at all experienced greater improvement than those that actually had the surgery!
Please, please educate yourself about whole foods, herbs, and other natural remedies. There are alternatives!
Posted in Greater Health and Wellbeing, Whole Food Nutrition
Tagged antidepressants, placebo, placebo effect
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Food Additives And Children’s Behavior
Ten years ago our oldest daughter had her first and LAST taste of jello.
It began innocently enough. It was just a simple box of strawberry jello. It looked harmless. Yet there was a tantrum hiding in that box!
This was before we came to our senses and transitioned to a whole food lifestyle. We were just plain ignorant, that’s all. We both ate jello (among other pseudo-foods) as kids, why couldn’t she experience the joy of watching it jiggle and seeing it wiggle?
Within minutes, and I mean MINUTES of eating that innocent little bowl of jello, she completely WIGGED OUT and started screaming, running, bouncing off furniture. We were completely shocked. The change in her behavior was obvious.
Somehow I was able to connect the dots. I gave her another bowl of jello a couple days later. Same crazy result.
A Facebook friend posted this article regarding the co-relation of food additives and behavior issues in children on healthychild.org. Really great article with a list of chemical JUNK in common “foods” that children eat. Please read it and inform yourself!
And please don’t buy jello anymore! What’s in it anyway? yuck.
Posted in Whole Food Nutrition
Tagged child behavior, children's behavior, food additives
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Fructose May Not Be A Factor In Weight Gain? Oh Really??
Wow. Just read an article on MedPageToday that supposedly gives “proof” that fructose doesn’t cause weight gain! Wow, isn’t that great news?? But, wait. Look at the list of companies that have “relationships” with the researchers!! Soda companies and drug companies, among others!!
Let me know what you think after you’ve read the names on that list!
Boost Your Mood With DIRT!! (Another reason to love soil!)
So HAPPY right now! Scientific evidence supporting what us gardeners have known all along: there’s just “something” about good, ol’ fresh DIRT that makes you feel better!
I found this article by Lylah M. Alphonse just now and just had to share it with you all. There’s been evidence for years that bacteria in soil boosts your immunity, but now scientists have found that the same bacteria that boosts your immunity also enhances your mood and brings clarity.
Oftentimes I go out into the garden needing to de-stress. The physical exertion of deeply spading the soil, hoeing weeds, turning the compost pile, always makes me feel more relaxed and brightens my mood. However, apparently it’s not just the physical exercise, it’s the bacteria I’m stirring up and breathing in that’s affecting my mood. Fascinating!
Spring is early this year here in Maine…maybe it’s time I started digging?
Talkin Bout A Health Care Revolution…
I love it when someone just tells it like it is. Here’s a link to an article by Dr. Gene Martin, D.C. that is so refreshing!
Dr. Martin says that we need to ask ourselves WHY cancer rates are increasing, not decreasing. WHY is Alzheimer’s so prevalent today when it wasn’t even heard of 50 years ago? WHY is such a large part of the population obese? WHY is depression so common?
And one question I hadn’t heard of yet – WHY are cholesterol lowering drugs recommended for children as young as 12 years old (you’ve got to be kidding! 12?) ??
So many questions. I believe there’s just one answer though. OUR FOOD.
And that is one topic that most “health” care professionals don’t want to discuss. (I put quotes around health for a reason. It seems that most healthcare really should be “sick” care – illness management, not prevention. But then, that’s another post!)
Do docs get training in nutrition in Med School? I’m really asking that question. Do they? Because it seems to me they get MORE training in doling out meds, what medication to give for what issue. Am I wrong here?
When I was sick with Chronic Fatigue, NOT ONE M.D. mentioned one word about nutrition. All they wanted was more tests run. There was no mention as to WHY I felt the way I did. I had to find that out for myself. The answer was in the nutrition I was not getting.
Check the article out for yourself. Let me know what you think!
Posted in Greater Health and Wellbeing, Whole Food Nutrition
Tagged health care system, whole food
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Are Antioxidants Helpful For Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?
Here’s a link to an informative article written by Adrienne Dellwo on About.com regarding the benefits of antioxidants for CFS and Fibromyalgia.
The list given in the article is a good starting point for adding whole foods to your diet:
- cucumbers
- apples
- blueberries
- fish
- quinoa
- tea
Also given is a list of a handful of supplements containing antioxidants. However, keep in mind that our bodies were not created to eat pills! Far too many people eat the typical Standard American Diet and then try to “fix” that by loading up on pills. Doesn’t work folks! Whole foods contain a myriad of vitamins, minerals, etc. that all work together, not in isolation like in vitamin tablets.
So don’t just go popping Vitamin C or E just because its on the list in the article. Eat foods containing those vitamins first, then add the extra supplements. Supplements are just that. They are designed to SUPPLEMENT a good diet, not “fix” a bad one!
