Summer's here!

Time to get outside and enjoy the beautiful season.  Please read this article, and consider getting well-informed and making some radical changes.  After all, Vitamin D is a good thing - provided for us naturally!


http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/06/04/astaxanthin-as-sunscreen.aspx?e_cid=20120610_WNL_art_6


to your optimal health,
Patty

Time to ADAPT!

Definition of Durability: 


Strength - potential for power 
Resilience - the ability to recover quickly
Toughness - ability to endure hardship 
Sturdiness - showing confidence and determination
Injury prevention - staying fit and healthy


In my last post, I suggested preparing for the summer by eating as well as possible.
  
Now I'm suggesting that you add to your healthy nutrient-dense diet, good physical training to get you ready for your favorite summertime recreation.  That's so you'll get the most enjoyment out of them - walking in the sunshine, working in your garden, swimming, biking, running, paddling, rowing, golfing, playing tennis, hiking ...
Your body will thank you when you train it to increase your durability - the five skills (listed above) which are guaranteed to lead to your bodies' future success.


Think about it, take the skills and apply them to one of your summer activities.  


For example: you love to play Golf, and you're getting ready for your first tournament of the season.  Using the ADAPT Durability program specific to Golf, you build strength, gain flexibility, get into alignment - ready to use those 34 muscles required for a proper golf swing.  


Strength - you hit the ball farther and straighter than ever before.
Resilience - after each hole, you're energized and geared up for the next tee.
Toughness - a really bad lie doesn't faze you, and you make a great shot - like Bubba!
Sturdiness - you approach each shot with resolve, confident you can make it good.
Injury prevention - no strained or stiff muscles for you!
 
There are many sports-specific ADAPT Durability Programs - complete exercise guides designed to make you tops in your sport or other pursuits.  I can help you get started ... it's fun and it works.


to your health and happiness!
Patty

Sweet and Toxic

You may be thinking, "oh, here she goes again, on her sugar soapbox ... True enough, but now it's coming out - on TV of all places!  Tonight on "60 Minutes", maybe you saw it - I sure hope so - Dr. Sanjay Gupta reported on new research coming out of some of America's most respected institutions, which find that sugar-- the way it's being consumed by Americans today-- is a toxin. And it could be the driving force behind some of this country's leading killers, including heart disease.

Here's a link to an excellent YouTube video done by Robert H. Lustig, MD, UCSF Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM&ob=av3e

Please take the time to watch it.  Getting informed on these scientific facts, based on research, may be the most important thing you can do for your health and the health of your loved ones.


To your health,
Patty

With record breaking temperatures here in the North Country, It seems as though Spring has arrived.  It probably won't last, and even if Winter shows up again, Summer is certainly around the corner.  As it approaches and the thoughts of outdoor activities make us smile, we need to think seriously about our fitness.  Are there a few extra pounds and some stiff muscles hanging around?  Now is the time to recall that good feeling of eating right and exercising!


Here is an article from Dr. Mercola - it's worth a read - we can always use this kind of  information to help us make good decisions.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/02/22/how-sugar-accelerates-aging.aspx?e_cid=20120222_DNL_art_1

Check it out, and consider making some changes; as a result I believe you'll get utmost enjoyment out of the coming sunny seasons.


to you health,
Patty

All Kinds Of Weather

March is certainly an interesting month - never a dull weather report ... add to that our sun's ramped up activity.  Solar flares galore!  And, have you seen the stars when we have clear night skies? - Mars in the southeast, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter lined up in the western evening sky; how about that full moon on Thursday with Mars rising along with it - wow!


This is a great site for following Sun spots and flares.  You can even get alerts for when the Auroras are happening.  It looks like we might soon have clear night skies, so fix your eyes on the the northern heavens - it could be glorious!  Check this out:
http://spaceweather.com/

Here's an excellent weather blog from Indian Lake, suitable for barometer-tapping, weather-nuts like me (and you?)
http://www.adirondackweathersite.com/

Enjoy the ever-changing season!
Patty

Let's help the US Post Office!

Doesn't sound good for the future of snail mail, especially in rural areas.  Up here in the Adirondacks, our mail will be sent to Albany to be sorted, instead of Plattsburgh - doesn't make sense to me, given the price of gas, plus it will mean slower delivery.
  
A few weeks ago I asked about the popularity junk mail.  No one responded that they actually like it.  I say let's make it do the job of bringing in more income for the Post Office.


Today I got two credit card advertisements in large envelopes.  I found a return postage paid envelope in each one so I loaded them up with as much of their advertising as would fit, sealed them, and will mail them tomorrow.  


The PO will be paid for delivering my junk mail back to the junk mail senders ... kind of fun, and worth the time to do something about the aggravation.  I don't know if we can save the USPS, but it's worth a try, don't you think?

PROTEIN

It comes in many delicious and nourishing forms, one of which seems to have become a bad word: beef.  It's gotten a bad rap, perhaps you avoid it, believing that red meat is bad for your health because it contains harmful cholesterol - another bad word.  Or could it be a false theory?
As always, I'm asking you to take charge of your health and find truth about nutrition.   Please read this article with an open mind, and bear in mind that there are 40 footnotes - which means the facts are based on scientific research, not someone's idea or theory that was never proved.

http://www.westonaprice.org/food-features/its-the-beef

Enjoy the snow!
Patty

FAT

Did that get your attention?  Are we as a society obsessed with losing it and not eating it, but at the same time loving that smooth texture of butter, egg yolks and heavy cream?  
Do those foods make you happy?  And one more question: do you choose the low-fat/non-fat processed foods because you think they're good for you?
Here's some information based on research - I hope you'll be enlightened.


http://www.westonaprice.org/making-it-practical/taking-the-fear-out-of-eating-fat

To your Health!
Patty

Why Valentine's Day?

Take a look at this -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WW1mR6m8f1k


So now you know, if you didn't already.  However you celebrate the day, may I suggest that this year you take some thought to loving you, yourself?  Gifts of fresh, nutrient-dense food, supplements, exercise and deep breathing would be nice.  


Chronic illnesses are on the increase, and they're showing up at ever-younger ages.  Instead of abusing our bodies and hoping for medical science to remedy the damage, perhaps we should be taking good care of the health we've been given, and look for some alternative science to keep us fit and happy.


to your health!
Patty

It's The Snow Moon!

• It was named by Native Americans of the North Country because of the heavy snow that usually falls this time of year ... not this February.  But the clear sky is providing us with some beautiful sights - the rising moon shining like a spotlight through the trees!  
• Speaking of the heavens, the sun once again has spots on its surface.  This is good news for the return of the Aurora Borealis, also called Northern Lights.  

The world probably won't come to an end on 12/21/12, caused by a catastrophic solar storm but we may have some awesome displays!  Keep an eye on the northern sky for the pulsing red and green glow of the Aurora Borealis - they're coming back!

How do you feel about junk mail?

I do not like it one bit.  Recently a friend sent me this ... it's taken me a while to get into the habit of doing it, but when I do, it feels great!

Junk Mail Help: When you get 'ads' enclosed with your phone or utility bill, return these 'ads' with

your payment. Let the sending companies throw their own junk mail away. When you get those 'pre-approved' letters in the mail for everything from credit cards

to 2nd mortgages and similar type junk, do not throw away the return envelope. Most of these come with postage-paid return envelopes, right? It costs them more

than the regular 44 cents postage, 'IF' and when they receive them back. It costs them nothing if you throw them away! The postage was around 50 cents

before the last increase and it is according to the weight. In that case, why not

get rid of some of your other junk mail and put it in these cool little, postage-paid

return envelopes.  One of Andy Rooney 's (60 minutes) ideas.  Send an ad for your local chimney cleaner to American Express. Send a pizza

coupon to Citibank.If you didn't get anything else that day, then just send them

their blank application back! If you want to remain anonymous, just make sure your name isn't on anything

you send them. You can even send the envelope back empty if you want to just to keep them

guessing! It still costs them 44 cents. The banks and credit card companies are currently getting a lot of their own junk

back in the mail, but folks, we need to OVERWHELM them. Let's let them know

what it's like to get lots of junk mail, and best of all they're paying for it...Twice! Let's help keep our postal service busy since they are saying that e-mail is cutting

into their business profits, and that's why they need to increase postage costs again.

You get the idea! If enough people follow these tips, it will work. I have been doing this for years,

and I get very little junk mail anymore.

To your sanity!
Patty

Do you believe everything you read?

     I'm not talking about what the politicians have to say - that could be dangerous to your health!
     I'm wondering if you've ever read the doctor's column in your local newspaper?  Someone writes in and asks a question, and the doc comes up with an answer - sight unseen, one size fits all, and using out-dated theories.  For instance, the answer to, "should I take vitamins?" was answered with,  "No, you can get all your vitamins and minerals from your diet."  What diet does he refer to?  Is the person who's asking an organic and sustainable farmer, eating fresh food from enriched soil, or is the inquirer a thrifty shopper looking for the cheapest food, no matter how it's raised or from how far it's come.
     Take the mineral magnesium (and you should take it) - back in the olden days when soil actually contained minerals, and water was from wells and not softened, yes you could get  enough magnesium in your food and water.  But these days, industrial farming has depleted the soil, causing deficiencies in the modern diet - leading to - according to research - heart disease, cholesterol and triglyceride abnormalities, diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, muscle cramps, depression, anxiety, and many many more.
     Here's something else you might read, or hear on TV: "take calcium for your bones."   Without magnesium, this can be dangerous.  The two work together and must be present in the body together, or the excess calcium can collect in cells other than bones: heart, arteries of the brain, breathing passages of the lungs, and on and on - all in soft tissue where calcium doesn't belong.  
     If there is magnesium present, calcium cannot enter and cause problems.  A simple solution, and perfect synergy!
     Since it's not possible to get enough magnesium in your diet, it would be wise to take a supplement of 300 - 600 mg. in the evenings.
     As always, I recommend you do your own research; for starters you can check out Dr. Michael Eades' article:  
http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/uncategorized/magnesium-and-inflammation/


To your health!
Patty

Who likes telemarketers?

I don't!.  Here's something we can do about them:


REMEMBER: Cell Phone Numbers Go Public this month.
REMINDER.....  all cell phone numbers are being released to
telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sales calls.

.... YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS

To prevent this, call the following number from your cell phone: 888-382-1222.
It is the National DO NOT CALL list It will only take a minute of your
time.. It blocks your number for five (5) years. You must call from
the cell phone number you want to have blocked. You cannot call from a
different phone number.

HELP OTHERS BY PASSING THIS ON. It takes about 20 seconds.



https://www.donotcall.gov/default.aspx

Please forward to family and friends.


To your peace and quiet, especially at dinnertime -
Patty

Beauteous Blizzard

It's Friday afternoon and it's been snowing and blowing most of the day.  This storm ought to make a whole lot of skiers very happy!  Powder on the mountain, and a finally good base on the cross country trails.  
I know a couple guys, both excellent skiers, who will enjoy the fresh snowfall, though they're on the mountain just about every day anyway.  It's impressive how these two have trained, ADAPT-style, to be in shape to strive toward their goals of skiing their ages - pushing 70, and way over 70.  I think there's a competition between them to see who can ski the most days in a winter!  
Enjoy yourselves everyone, and good luck you to two guys!
Patty

Lubed from the Inside Out

What fuel do you burn to heat your house?  What ever it is, I'll bet it's getting pretty dry inside.  And that can cause some problems ... plants wither, noses dry up, skin turns alligator-like.  You can use various methods to hydrate the air in your house - humidifiers, pots of water on the stove ... I know someone who throws wet towels on her heated cement floor!
For the thirsty parts of you that suffer, from nose to toes, here are some suggestions:
Use a Sinus Rinse or Netty Pot daily. 
Apply chap-stick with beeswax in it.
Use coconut oil on wet skin after showering, or take a bath and put in a couple big spoonfuls of coconut oil.
Rub your feet with foot lotion (Aveda has a good one) before putting on your socks.
And what about those poor hands?  We're told to wash them a lot to prevent picking up germs - good idea.  But they get so dry and rough and raw and cracked!  What to do?  Winter has only just begun!  You can apply hand lotion (not Vaseline) and wear gloves all the time but how practical is that?  Or just wear the gloves to bed.

Here's a question: when you take your car to be lubed, where does the mechanic put the grease?  I'm guessing not on the surface of the car, but into the places that need it.  So what might happen if you could lubricate your body from the inside?
Two things you can do that have been tried with great results: 
Take a big spoonful of Cod Liver Oil (Carlson's lemon flavored is a good one), and the Homeopathic medicine Petroleum.  Yech, you say, why would I eat petroleum?  As you may know, homeopathy uses minuscule amounts of a given substance which your body reacts to.  That reaction results in healing.  It works amazingly well!   
check it out:  http://www.elixirs.com/products.cfm?productcode=S40


Happy winter!


Patty

New Year, New Ways To Health

How many cards and greetings and wishes did you receive over the holiday season?   Wouldn't it be grand if they all came true!  Happiness, cheer, joy, peace, prosperity, rest, mental clarity, fun times, sunny days, health ...  How many of these can we actually do something about?  And what resolutions did you make for 2012?  I will bet that 80 - 90% of new year resolutions are related to health, and most of those have to do with losing weight.


Here are some suggestions on reaching your goals in that area.  And it's not about a Diet.  How many of those have you been on, and how many have actually worked for the long haul?  Instead, I'd like you to consider embarking on a new way of eating.  It includes breaking the addiction to sugar - or should I say the carbohydrates that become sugar in your blood.  Another perk to this eating plan is the elimination of the appetite stimulant  insulin.  Stay with me here, this plan has been proven to work for many people, and it hasn't even been difficult for them!  Well, maybe a little for the first week of boot camp ... but after that, no hunger or cravings ... you'll feel like a million bucks!


If you're game, read on:


The first week, cut out all carbohydrates: fruit, sweet and starchy vegetables (carrots, potatoes, yams), grains, breads, cereals, sugars.  Watch out for hidden carbs in salad dressings, processed food, soy, dairy products, especially milk and sweet yogurt.  
Eat lots of protein: meats, fish, cheese, eggs, cottage cheese, plain greek yogurt and nuts along with low-carb veggies and salads, and be sure to have plenty of fat (really).  Be sure to eat often, at least every 4 hours and drink plenty of water.  If you let yourself get hungry or thirsty, you risk making bad choices.  When you feel a craving sneaking up on you, munch on nuts and cheese - food with fat in it will help to eliminate sugar cravings in the first week.     
 By the end of 7 days, your metabolism will have made a radical shift from sugar burning to fat burning.  You will definitely feel a change, both in your energy level and mood.  At this point, you may notice your clothes fitting better, which reminds me, do not weigh yourself - put your bathroom scale in the garage!  If you really must weigh yourself, do it in the cold.  The scale really is not an accurate measure of how you're doing.

After a week, or two if you want, you can eat a few more carbs: total of 40 - 60 grams a day.  This would allow your body to continue indefinitely to burn fat successfully and easily.  But we're human and have a tendency to believe we deserve to have what we want, so we cheat and go off the program.  This will not happen because you will add in a 2x a week 'carb-load'.  This means that on two separate days you eat less that 30 grams of carbs during the day, and that evening you go for it and eat the carbs you've been sorely missing - beer and pasta, oatmeal, rice, potatoes, even some dessert.  It's like legally blowing it, because the next day you'll be back to low carb eating and still be burning fat.  Wait a couple days and do it again.  You must not carb-load two days in a row, because that will change you back over to sugar burning - and that means back to boot camp with you!

Once you settle in to this cycle, it becomes a healthy way of life.  When you're exercising, you're burning fat, and when you're sleeping, you're burning fat.  I think you will find this eating plan easy to do and you'll be amazed at how good you feel.  I hope so.

Next time we'll consider "not all carbs are created equal".

to you health,

Patty