Christmas & the Fairy-God Mother's Wand

Fairy-Godmother’s Wand

It was December, the hospital was festive, decorated with a huge Christmas tree with shiny red ornaments and elegant red velvet bows. Pots of Poinsettias decorated the counters. Outside it was snowing. I fought back my anxiety, felt my racing pulse and the lump inside my heart as I walked through the corridor toward the elevators to visit my husband who was critically ill. He had coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, and was fighting to recover from surgery for kidney cancer. The surgeon had hoped to remove the cancer from the kidney, but because of the cancer mass, had to remove the kidney. Now, my husband was on dialysis.
Wanting to do absolutely anything I could do to cheer my husband, I held my battery operated fairy-godmother’s wand in my hand. I had bought it at a costume shop for Halloween. I figured everyone could use a fairy godmother’s wand, especially one with twinkling lights. Then, in front of me was a tall gorgeous young woman with long flowing blond hair, dressed in white clothing. She looked like an angel. As we stepped inside the elevator, I sensed her sadness and gently asked, “Do you need a fairy-godmother’s wand?” as I waved the blinking wand toward her.
Tears rolled down her cheeks as she nodded in the affirmative. As we stepped off the elevator I reached out to comfort her and listen. She had two small children and was going through a traumatic divorce. Her mother was in the hospital for kidney failure and had been waiting for a transplant for five years, This was just one of her many crisis visits to the hospital. “My mother is tired of fighting for her life. She wants to give up—go off dialysis—and die, but she just turned fifty. My father is dead—I don’t want to lose my mother too.. I feel so hopeless.”
I put my arms around her as she sobbed. She wiped her tears with a tissue. “Would you like to take my fairy-godmother’s wand?” I asked. “You can return it to my husband’s room later this evening.”
Several hours later my husband was delighted and surprised to see a beautiful “angel” with long blond hair tumbling down her shoulders walk into his room. She was carrying the flashing fairy-god-mother’s wand. After greeting my husband, she asked how he was feeling. “This was wonderful,” she said, as she handed me the wand. “Mother loved the wand. She even laughed. We took turns waving it around the room and granting wishes for the nurses who were coming in and out. She granted me wishes—I waved wishes over her head, and we giggled. Mother now has hope and the will to live.”
That moment gave my husband hope and he lived four more years.
Patty Butts

Tips on Flu

I received these tips from my chiropractor, Galen Birdsley.
Since the Flu season is here, I thought it would be wise to give you some tips on how to stay healthy along with some tips to help you if you get exposed to someone with the flu.

Tips on How to Stay Healthy:

1. Get enough rest everyday
2. Exercise regularly
3. Eat a healthy diet - Avoid sweets - viruses thrive on sugar
4. Keep good hygiene - wash your hands often
5. Get regular chiropractic care - it helps stimulate the immune system

If you have been exposed to the flu, what do you do?

Doctors say that it takes 2-3 days for the flu virus to multiple in your nose and throat to cause symptoms.

Tips to help eliminate the virus after exposure:

1. Wash your hands immediately
2. Gargle with GSE (Grapefruit Seed Extract) 2-3 times per day (3-4 drops in water)
3. Use GSE Nasal Spray 2-3 times a day
4. 4. If you don't have GSE, gargle with salt water and use a saline nasal spray

GSE is a great anti-viral and anti-bacterial. I've been using and recommending it for years. I carry the following GSE products:

GSE Extract (drops)
GSE Nasal Spray
GSE Ear Drops
Nutribiotic Lotion
Nutribiotic Toothpaste

Patty's Comments. I use grapefruit seed extract all of the time. Other recommendations to strengthen the immune system and fight off flu are Olive leaf, Vitamin D 3, Pycnognel, Grapeseed extract, DMG (dimethylglcine), selenium, Zinc (with food and not to exceed 80 mg daily), Vitamin E, and colustrum.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Hypoglycemia

Obsessive compulsive Disorder (OCD) can be treated without drugs. In an article by Juririan Plesman, who describes the cause of OCD by excess secretion of adrenaline, the fight/flight hormone. Adrenaline is also the hormone that in case of danger you cannot take your eyes away from the enemy (tiger). Thus it forces you to focus on things. Hence excess adrenaline production can result in obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors of the kind of "making sure behavior",like making sure the door is closed, making sure that you stay away from germs, washing your hands over and over again, obsession with cleanliness, or symptoms of perfectionism.

OCD can be described as a cluster of symptoms that compels a person to act or think in repetitive ways. The person may be afflicted with compulsive thoughts or possessed with fear of contamination. Others are compelled to make sure that water taps have been properly closed or things are in their correct place.
Being suddenly bombarded with stress hormones - such as cortisol and adrenaline - the mind appears to create images and ideas that fit the strange inner experience of panic and fear. The activation of the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) by adrenaline prepares your body for strenuous action in face of danger in the environment. But if the SNS is activated by an internal biological mechanism due to a biological disorder, there is no external enemy or stimulus. So you have to make one up to give you some sort of rational explanation of why you feel the way you do.
OCD is a sub-class of anxiety attacks. Both OCD and anxiety attacks are marked by excess adrenaline production.
This can also be tested with a paper-and-pencil test such as The Nutrition-Behavior Inventory questionnaire
(NBI) or the The Hypo Quizz.
The real question is why is the body overproducing adrenaline and at the wrong time and circumstances?
The answer lies in the function of adrenaline. Adrenaline apart from being a fight/flight hormone is also a hormone that converts sugar stores in the body (glycogen) into glucose. Glucose is the brain's major source of energy. It requires about 70% of glucose to fuel the biochemical machinery of brain cells. Without that energy brain cells will soon die. Thus whenever the brain senses energy starvation it will trigger the release of adrenaline so as to feed the brain again with energy.
The next question is: why is the brain starved of energy with all that sugar being consumed in our society? The reason is that a person may have a physical disorder that prevents the conversion of sugar sources in food (carbohydrates) into biological energy called ATP. That energy is essential in the production of feel good (relaxing) neuro-chemicals, such as serotonin. Without it we will feel anxious, insecure, in danger
and panicky without knowing why.
This is usually the case when a person suffers from Insulin Resistance. Insulin Resistance is usually associated with the development of Diabetes Type II. Most doctors can test this, but they appear to have problems testing for pre-diabetic insulin resistance, because they have not been trained for this. We have a test for hypoglycemia at our web site. The Hypo Quizz.
This condition is called "The Hypoglycemic Syndrome" which is characterized by unstable blood sugar levels, going up and down. Unstable blood sugar levels, due to insulin resistance, cause the body to release stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. Whenever there is a sudden drop in brain sugar levels, adrenaline kicks in to attempt the redress the imbalance.
We have an explanation how excess adrenaline can cause OCD. The solution is to go on a hypoglycemic diet, which is similar to a diabetic diet. It normalizes blood sugar levels, and stops the brain from producing stress hormones.
According to Dr. Carl Pfieffer, M.D. and research Psychiatrist who reversed mental illness by using nutrition, many vitamins and minerals are involved in glucose metabolism. Namely, Vitamin C, B complex vitamins, calcium, magnesium, zinc. Chromium, manganese, potassium and phosphorous.
Dr Pfieffer, also states that adrenaline and glucocortoid hormones trigger the pancreas to secrete glucagons, which, in turn, promotes the conversion of glycogen to glucose in the liver. The liberated glucose is then released from the liver into the bloodstream and this contributes to hypoglycemia. It can be a vicious circle.
An alkaline diet can help prevent hypoglycemia.
Fish oil can also help OCD.

Books and Workbooks to Help Eliminate OCD

“The OCD Workbook,” is an excellent resource to help those with OCD. It includes self-assessment, intervention strategy, how to help yourself, success stories of others, breaking free, changing your faulty beliefs and more. The book is by Bruce M. Hyman, Ph.D. and Cherry Pedrick, RN

“Brain Lock-Free Yourself from Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior,” by Jeffrey Schwartz, MD.

Chronic Fatigue is not death but it takes your life away.

“My journey with Chronic Fatigue began 17 years ago when I was diagnosed with CFIDS and Fibromyalgia. I was so ill my doctor wanted to give me medical disability. After four years of agony, I finally said to my doctor, “I either want to get better or I want to die.

Since then, I have recovered even though the Center for Disease Control says there is no cure. I drastically changed my diet, finished a doctoral degree in Holistic Nutrition and have more energy than I did 30 years ago. My passion now is to educate others and give them hope for recovery.

My doctoral dissertation explored the results of an alkaline diet on patients who had significant disability and pain from CFIDS/FMS. All of them experienced significant improvement in their symptoms after changing from the traditional American diet to an alkaline diet and were able to resume normal activities. They had outstanding improvement in the reduction and elimination of symptoms. All experienced excellent to good improvement in decreased muscle and joint pain. A hundred percent of participants had improvement in 13 out of 16 symptoms.”

In my case, candida was a major contributor to my chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. Most people I have worked with who have CFIDS and FMS have candida, but candida does not show up in normal blood tests. A taurtaric acid test can usually determine candida.

Check my older and even beginning blogs for more on Chronic Fatigue.

Crisis Lines

If you feel suicidal or very depressed call your local crisis line number. If you have plans to commit suicide call 911 or have someone take you to your local emergency room. Almost every large city has a crisis line number.
1-800-SUICIDE / 1-800-784-2433. 1-800-273-TALK / 1-800-273-8255. You can also pull up SuicideHotlines.com and on the bottom of the site it lists hot lines in your state.
Suicidal thoughts usually last only a short time, sometimes minutes or a few hours. Now is not forever.
Be with friends, family or a neighbor.
Hug a puppy.
Sing.
Dance.
Sometimes drinking a tiny bit of salt water can help. One-fourth teaspoon to 6 ounces of water.
Pinch your nose. Alternate pinching the nose as you breath, right breathe, pinch,left nose pinch, breathe, and continue.
Try deep breathing.


Raising Serotonin Levels

Say “Cheese,” use your smile muscles. The brain can’t tell the difference between a real smile and a phony smile. Smiling and laughing both raise serotonin levels.

Walk in the sunshine or on a cloudy day get a sun tan.

Exercise-walk, swim, dance, jog, biking, jump on a mini trampoline, do Thai Chi or yoga.

Help Eliminate Depression by:

Expressing Gratitude. Write down five things you are grateful for each day.

Help Others

Positive Affirmations: download at www.healingyourspirit.com. "Thanks God (or higher power) for helping me through this," say this over and over.

Journaling: Write down your feelings and write about the things that are causing you stress or depression. Consider rewriting your situation as you would like it to be.

Books: Defeating Depression & Beating the Blues by Webb
"Depression Free for Life," by Gary Null
Attitude of Gratitude
"What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Depression." Michael B. Schachter, M.D.
For every problem under the sun,
There is a remedy or there is none.
If there be one hurry and find it—
If there be none, never mind it.

“If we realize that what we think about becomes our reality, we become very careful about what we think about.” Wayne Dyer


You cannot keep the birds of sadness
From flying over your head
But you can keep them from
Nesting in your hair.

We are Powerful Beyond Measure

Nelson Mandella was quoting Williams in his second inaugural address.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are more powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous. Actually who are you not to be? You are a Child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to manifest the Glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us, it's in everyone. As we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

Were you able to work when you had chronic fatigue?

This is the question I was asked this morning.
Patty's answer: I have recovered from Chronic Fatigue but was able to work--just barely. I had to take medical leave for several months after my last husband died. My doctor wanted to give me medical disablity when he discovered I had CFIDS because I was so ill, but I wouldn't take it. Most days I felt like I had the drop=dead flu. My husband was seriously ill and on dialysis and had no insurance. I had to work, we needed the inusurance. However, in reality I was too exhausted to work. I don't know how I did it. I would go home and flop on the bed and not get up until morning when I had to drag myself out of bed. I slept all weekend. I could never accept that I would have chronic fatigue forever. I had to find a way to get better. I went from doctor to doctor, prayed and prayed, and finally found a doctor who discovered I had candida. That was the beginning of my recovery. Other older blogs explains a little bit about how I recovered. Going to work everyday was like beating a dead horse or dragging one behind me. There was no hurry in me. Still, I was a school counselor and could sit down and counsel students. If I was talking to a teacher or student in the hall, I would lean against the wall. Summers were my refuge, but they were not long enough.

Alkaline Diet

I just received the question: "What did you eat to aid you in your recovery from CFIDS and Fibromyaliga?
Patty's answer:
I occassionaly eat fish, but I eat more tofu, vegiie or almondrella cheese, almond butter, tofu sour cream and cream cheese, instead of meat. Meat is very acidic and they also feed beef antibiotics and hormones which all feed candida. I eat lots of vegetables, very little fruit.
I eat fresh tomatoes, lemons, limes, grapefruit (almost every day), avocadoes, millet, quinoa (both are high in protein), almond milk, soy milk, rice milk, coconut milk and oil, rice crackers, almonds, sunflower and pumkin seeds, pine nuts, sprouts, etc., I buy Ezkiel Sprouted tortillas at the health food stores and make wraps filled with veggies, like tomatoes, hummus, romaine lettuce. sprouts, onions, jicama, or veggie cheese, or feta cheese, or tofu cream cheese, (you could add cucumbers, sliced carrots, green, red or yellow peppers) spinach leaves or anything else you want.

I make my own soups, sometimes buying the Pacific brand of veggie broth and then adding lightly steamed vegetables. I like black beans and beets on top of romaine lettuce and topped off with fresh salsa (made with lemon juice) and glacamole.

I never go hungry and do not feel deprived. When going out to dinner I order a salad or a vegetable tray, or sometimes a sweet potato.

I do stir-fry, using tofu instead of meat. I sometimes juice my own green juice and have much more energy when I do. One of my mainstays has been a green drink with alkaline drops. I now use a powered green drink I buy online from AlkaVision and their Plasma pH Drops. If I were to buy one supplement it would be the green powder that I add to distilled water and Plasma pH drops that I add to that drink. I have tried other drinks and drops, but AlkaVision is the most reasonable price, and has no spirulina, chlorella (they are a fungus).

Hope this will help.

Kindest regards,

Patty

Candida

Are Your Health Problems Candida Connected?

I found this questionnaire on an advertisement but you can pull up different questionnaires on the Internet.

If your answer is "yes" to any question check the box off. When you've completed the questionnaire, add up the points. Your score will help you determine the possibility (or probability) that your health problems are yeast related.
YES Score
1. Have you taken repeated or prolonged courses of antibacterial drugs?
4
2. Have you been bothered by recurrent vaginal, prostate or urinary tract infections?
3
3. Do you feel "sick all over," yet the cause hasn't been found?
2
4. Are you bothered by hormone disturbances, including PMS, menstrual irregularities, sexual dysfunction, sugar craving, low body temperature or fatigue?
2
5. Are you unusually sensitive to tobacco smoke, perfumes, colognes and other chemical odors?
2
6. Are you bothered by memory or concentration problems? Do you sometimes feel "spaced out"?
2
7. Have you taken prolonged courses of prednisone or other steroids; or have you taken "the pill" for more than 3 years?
2
8. Do some foods disagree with you or trigger your symptoms?
1
9. Do you suffer with constipation, diarrhea, bloating or abdominal pain?
1
10. Does your skin itch, tingle or burn; or is it unusually dry; or are you bothered by rashes?
1
Scoring for women: If your score is 9 or more, your health problems are probably yeast-connected. If your score is 12 or more, your health problems are almost certainly yeast-connected.
Scoring for men: If your score is 7 or more, your health problems are probably yeast-connected. If your score is 10 or more, your health problems are almost certainly yeast-connected.

What is Candidia?

Candida albicans is a yeast that resides in the human bowel but can travel to other parts of our body. Under normal conditions, only a small number of Candida live in our intestine. Candidiasis is an overgrowth of Candida albicans. The Candida starts out as simple, relatively harmless single celled yeast. Left unchecked, it can become a problem by developing large colonies and contributing to a wide variety of health problems in both men and women. If this condition is not controlled, the yeast can develop into a more stubborn organism, namely the mycelia hungus form of Candida. This form can contribute to many more serious problems and can be very challenging to overcome. When the Candida problem has advanced to this degree, it is referred to as “systemic Candidiasis.”
Candida is a major player in Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia, and I think if can contribute to Bipolar Disorder.

So You Have Candida. Now What?

Some people take medication for candida, like diflucan. Others take supplements like NatraBio Homeopathic for Candida Yeast. 1-800-243-9245. www.natrobio.com. Dr. Balch suggests taking some of the following: grapefruit seed extract pills, olive leaf, biotin, caprilyic acid, coconut oil, garlic, aloe vera juice, and pau d arco tea. Fish oil also helps. A good natural laxative can be helpful in cleansing the colon which can help get rid of candida.
Millet and quinoa are high in protein and are gluten-free. Avoid dairy, sugars of all kinds (except stevia) and yeasted breads. Are you gluten intolerant?
Do eat lots of green vegetables, cucumbers, tomatoes, lemons, limes and grapefruit and avocadoes. Fish is better than red meat. Check out an alkaline diet which is found in the book, “The pH Miracle.”
Good books:
"The Yeast Connection," by Dr. Crook
"The pH Miracle," by Dr. Robert Young
"From Fatigued to Fantastic, by Dr. Tetlebaum.

Check out candida on the web.

Go On From Where You Are and Grow! CFIDS

Kites rise highest against the wind. Like Phoenix rising from the ashes, I've had to pick myself up and go on. As a child I was sexually abused and lived with alcoholism and poverty.Later in life I battled chronic fatigue and liver cancer and at age 33 the loss of my husband to cancer. We were expecting our fourth child. I gained strength from walking against the wind and went on to finish my master's degree in Ed. Psych, and a Ph.D. in Holistic Nutrition. Now I want to help others recover from chronic fatigue and depression. http:healingbodyspirit.blogspot.com

Muscle Pain, Fibro, CFIDS

An article in the journal of Medical Hypothesis proposed that glutathione, an antioxidant essential for lymphocyte function, may be depleted in CFIDS patients. Glutathione is needed for both the immune system and for aerobic muscular contraction. Depletion of the supplement could cause the muscular fatigue and myalgia associated with CFIDS/FMS.

So you want to lose weight?

"We are not overweight, we are overly acidic," according to Dr. Robert Young, who is the author of "The pH Miracle." I bought my "pH Miracle,"book used on Amazon.com, but you can find it at the library.
An alkaline diet is not an easy diet, but a very healthy one. I lost ten pounds in one month. I also reversed liver cancer and Chronic fatigue.
1.Get some pictures of you when you were thinner or someone you'd like to look like--make it realistic-- and say the affirmation over and over again, "I enjoy weighing my ideal weight." Put the picture on the refrigerator.
2. Eat alkaline.Cucumbers are the most alkaline food you can eat. Orange juice is the most acidic. Vinegar is acidic. It is best to eat alkaline foods--broccoli, romaine lettuce, radish, parsley, celery, jicama, cauliflower, salsa made with lemon juice. Drink green drinks. Avoid all sugar.
3.Keep a food journal of everything you eat and what time you eat it.
4.Start an exercise program and keep track of the amount of exercise you do each day.
5.Check out my positive affirmations at www.healingyourspirit.com, under articles.
6.Don't buy food that you shouldn't eat. Have only healthy food in your home.
7. Keep celery sticks, cucumber, tomatoes and jicama available to munch on.
8.Keep a journal and write out your feelings instead of eating those feelings.
9.Chromium picolinate can help you lose weight and balance your blood sugar.
10.Believe you can do it.

Donating Organs

David's daughter, Kemy, (my step-daughter) was in Park City, having flown in from Brea , California, July 3rd for a family reunion with all of her children and siblings. We were eager to see her and celebrate her 50th birthday. While we were driving up the canyon, she was water sKiing at the Jordenelle Resivoir and had a massive stroke. She was flown to University Hospital and was pronounced brain dead on July 4th.
Her wish was to donate her organs. She is gone, but others may have their life spared, prolonged or enriched because of her desire to share. .

Vitamin D 3 and Schizophrenia

Today I received a letter from Dr. Robert Young about Vitamin D research (I think it refers to Vitamin D-3) and I just want to share a few lines: "Low vitamin D status is linked to a number of different conditions," said James C. Fleet, Ph.D. professor in the department of foods and nutrition at Purdue University. "These include certain cancers, muscle weakness and types I and II diabetes--possibly even schizophrenia and multiple sclerosis."
What most interested me was the mention of schizophrenia. In my studies, there is some indication that bipolar disorder and some schizophrenia's have responded well to fish oil (The Omega 3 Connection by Dr. Andrew Stoll). Also, there is some research indicating that candida can contribute to both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
Dr. Carl C. Pfieffer, a psychiatrist in the field of nutritional research, and author of the book,"Nutrition and Mental Illness," treated more than 25,000 mentally ill patients successfully with nutrition. Blood tests were taken to determine deficiencies in the patient.
Wouldn't it be awesome if a combination of fish oil, vitamin D-3, proper nutrition and getting rid of candida could help reverse schizophrenia and other mental health symptoms? Research indicates that many patients with dementia have inadequate nutrition and some have too much aluminum in their body (some from taking antacids). How I wish that people didn't have to deal with the trauma and pain of mental illness and the side effects of some medication.
There is so much more that needs to be researched in the field of mental health and nutrition.
Please do not misunderstand me. I do not recommend that people with mental health problems go off their medication. My greatest nightmare as a therapist is when patients who are bipolar or schizophrenic decide to go off their meds. Don't go off medication unless your physician recommends it and guides you through the process.

Patriotism and Our Flag

I'm looking for our flag. What is the 4th of July without "Old Glory?"
When David and I were in the sixth grade at Lincoln Elementary School, we sang the patriotic songs, "You're a grand old flag.." We even memorized the "Gettyingsburg Address," by Abe Lincoln.
Everyday we said the Pledge of Allegiance- we loved America then and we love it now. Patriotism ran through our blood.
We believed the words from the poem on the Statue of Liberty,
"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
—Emma Lazarus, 1883)
But, these teeming masses came legally. In 1926, and knowing how deeply his father and family wanted to emigrate from Holland to America, a great-uncle joined the Dutch navy at age 16 and labored for four years to earn the money to send his family to America. Then he returned to the navy and worked four more years until it was finally his turn to go to America. He arrived at Ellis Island only to be told his sight were so bad that he wouldn't be allowed to enter America. Discouraged, he returned to Holland and re-enlisted in the navy and was later lost at sea. Still, his parents and eight of his siblings enjoyed the freedom and liberty to live in
America because of his sacrifice.

Chronic Fatigue and Candida

Acording to Dr. Robert Young, author of "The pH Miracle," chronic overacidity corrodes body tissue, and if unchecked will interrupt all cellular functions from the beating of your heart to the neural firing of your brain.

Candida is a major player in Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia. Jacob Teitlebaum, M.D., author of From Fatigued To Fantastic, writes, “I feel most people who have irritable bowel syndrome, or ‘spastic colon’, have yeast overgrowth or parasites.” He goes on to say, “The best marker I have found for recurrent yeast overgrowth (candida) is a return of bowel symptoms, with gas, bloating, diarrhea, or constipation.” He recommends the book, The Yeast Connection, by Dr. William G. Crook., for more information on the subject.

Cherry Blossoms

David is in Egypt, from there he will travel to Jordan, then to the Dead Sea, not far from where the Savior walked. I flew to Fresno for several days leaving my nest in the Rocky Mountains, where it is still winter. I heard birds sing, saw flowers blooming,and smelled the cherry blossoms that filled the air with fragrance. The grass was a vivid green and leaves were on the trees.
Here in our valley it is winter, but today I saw lavender crocus peaking through the snow. In Jordan it is summer and David is 30 miles from Gaza, where peace is only a dream...still in my mind's eye and in my heart, I hear the words of He who calmed the sea, "Peace be still..."

Sugar, Harmful to our Health

A recent study that Dr. Stan Gardner featured on his website, along with his comments ( www.stangardnermd.com ), refers to a study that concludes that sugar is as addictive as heroin, and potentially even more harmful, because of its far-reaching effects and its deceptive acceptance in our diet. That entry drew more than 42 comments from his readers, many of them begging for help to get off the sugar habit


According to Dr. Gardner, “High blood sugar levels also cause an immune system deficiency. The phagocytes, which are the cells in the body which chew up foreign material including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and break-down products, are not as effective when high blood sugar levels are found in the blood stream.

A major problem with sugar and refined carbohydrates in the mouth is it feeds Candida infection, which may be found anywhere: from the mouth, esophagus, down through the large intestine and rectum. Because Candida uses sugar for metabolism and energy, Candida is better able to divide, multiply and morph into a more toxic form with sugar as fuel.
One last problem with sugar ingestion before it gets into the stomach where absorption takes place is the neurochemical changes that sugar triggers in the brain. These are related to actual tongue stimulation, which sets off immediate changes in the brain. The brain, unfamiliar with this type of onslaught, evidences behaviors that are not uncommonly seen in children, such as hyperactivity, anxiety, crankiness, diminished concentration and depression. All of these can significantly affect school performance. Some people experience drowsiness instead of hyperactivity. Interestingly, recently presented data at a neuropsychopharmacology conference demonstrated that some of these neurochemical changes are the same changes that occur in people ingesting alcohol and other addictive substances. Clearly, sugar is one of those addictive substances.”

Laughter is the Best Medicine

Laughter is the best medicine. Did you hear the story about the rich Brazilian who sent his Uncle a rare parrot for Christmas. When the Nephew asked how they liked it they said, "It was delicious."

Outraged that they had eaten the bird, the Nephew said, "He could speak five languages."

To which the Uncle replied, "Why didn't he say something?"

Broccoli Salad

Broccoli Salad

5 cups broccoli, cut into small florets
1 cup carrots, grated
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup sunflower seeds (I have used pecans which are also good)

Sauce:
1/2 cup veganaise or similar vegan mayo
1 packet Stevia or 1/8 - 1/4 cup sweetener to taste
2 Tbs lemon juice

Chop and measure all vegetables, seeds, fruits into a bowl.
Mix sauce ingredients briskly until smooth and drizzle over veg mix.
Stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate. It is best when it's had the chance
to marinate for a few hours but you can eat it right away too.
The sauce in this recipe is just enough to lightly coat it, if you like it a
little more drenched, double the sauce recipe.