101 uses for Coconut Oil

Wonderful coconut oil!

The fats in coconut oil are known as medium chain triglycerides (MCTs). The fatty acids are shorter than most other fats (1). These types of fats, will go straight to the liver, where they are used as a quick source of energy or turned into ketones. Ketones can have powerful benefits for the brain, and are being studied for helping symptoms of epilepsy, Alzheimer’s and other conditions.

While coconut oil has been recently been given a bad wrap in USA, in other parts of the world, where it is consumed regularly people have thrived on its many beneficial properties. Two groups of Polynesians used to eat over 60% of their calories from coconuts. The study done in 1981 showed low rates of heart disease and were quite healthy (2).

Another study conducted on the Kitavins who also consume a great amount of coconut were also in excellent health. Stroke and ischaemic heart disease appear to be absent in this population.(3).

Another awesome benefit to coconut oil is that the medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) in coconut oil can increase how many calories you burn compared to the same amount of calories from longer chain fats. That is why you will see MCT in so many Sports Nutrition products as well. Here are the many wonderful uses of coconut oil summed up, in well, a rather long list! 

Coconut Oil’s Internal And External Uses And Benefits:

1. It contains Lauric acid and MCFA which helps boost metabolism.                                                                        
2. Add to baking, stir-frys or as a dairy free replacement to butter.                                                                                
3. Some studies show that ingestion of coconut oil can help prevent or reverse Alzheimers.
4. A great brain boosting snack for kids added to homemade treats
5. An energy booster added to your Smoothie.
6. 3-4 tablespoons a day (+ Vitamin D) helps to increase milk supply and nutrients for nursing moms.
7. Helps digestion and may even kill intestinal parasites or yeast
8. A TBSP mixed with a TBSP of chia seeds is great for an all-day energy boost (but NOT at night!).
9. Helps improve insulin levels.
10. Oil pulling (swooshing in the mouth) with coconut oil and a drop of oregano oil helps improve gum health.
11. Can help improve cholesterol ratios.
12. Add to your hot tea to help speed recovery from cold or flu.
13. As a replacement for vegetable oils in any recipe.
14. High heat point makes coconut oil a better cooking oil than olive or vegetable oils.
15. An immediate source of energy when eaten and isn’t stored as fat.
16. A basic skin lotion.
17. Add to homemade lotion bars for sofert, smoother skin
18. Add to homemade deodorant recipes
19. An eye-makeup remover.
20. A safe diaper cream (just rub on baby’s bottom) especially for cloth diapers
21. Age spots lightener
22. Prevents stretch marks during pregnancy.
23. To help increase sun tolerance and avoid burning.
24. A natural light SPF 4 sunscreen.
25. Add to homemade lotion recipes.
26. For Cradle cap on baby- just massage in to head, leave on for a few minutes and gently rinse with warm water.
27. With apple cider vinegar as a natural treatment for lice that actually works                                              
28. Topically to kill yeast or yeast infections.
29. A fragrant tropical massage oil.
30. No more frizz applied to ends of hair.
31. An intensive nighttime facial moisturizer.
32. A body scrub when mixed with equal parts sugar (use in the shower).
33. A lip moisturizer
34. Helps heal skin heal faster after injury or infection.
35. Directly on the perineum to help heal after birth.
36. Intensive natural conditioner - apply to hair and leave in under a hair cap
37. For athlete’s foot or toe fungus.
38. Nipple irritation of nursing mothers in place of lanolin (also great for baby!).
39. Helps to sooth psoriasis or eczema.
40. Clean and shine shoes and boots
41. A great ingredient for Homemade Sunscreen.
42. Apply to inside of nostrils to help alleviate allergy symptoms.
43. Add to homemade Natural bug repellant formulas
44. Helps to reduce appearance of varicose veins.
45. After initial heat is gone, can help speed healing of sunburn.
46. A natural personal lubricant that won’t disturb vaginal flora.
47. As a naturally antibacterial skin cream.
48. In natural homemade diaper cream.
49. As a natural shave cream and after shave lotion.
50. When used consistently on skin it can help get rid of cellulite.
51. To season cast iron skillets                                                                                                                       
52. Anti-itch for mosquito bites.
53. Can help with acne
54. Stimulate hair growth when rubbed on scalp
55. Help to speed ear infection healing.
56. On split ends to de-frizz.
57. A small amount can be rubbed into real leather to soften and condition (shiny leather only… test a small area first).
58. By itself as a great tanning oil.
59. Mixed with salt to remove dry skin on feet.
60. Can help speed weight loss when consumed daily.
61. Can help improve sleep when taken daily.
62. Helps to heal fungal infections when taken internally and used externally.
63. A tablespoon melted into a cup of warm tea can help sooth a sore throat.
64. To help sooth the itch of chicken pox or poison ivy.
65. It has been shown to increase absorption of calcium and magnesium.
66. Helps remineralize teeth used internally
67. Some studies show that the beneficial fats in coconut oil can help with depression and anxiety.
68. By itself as a natural deodorant.
69. A natural whitening toothpaste combined with baking soda.
70. For pets struggling with skin issues when used externally.
71. Some evidence suggests that the beneficial fats in coconut oil are helpful for those with Autism.
72. In homemade vapor rub.
73. As a safe cooking oil for deep frying.
74. To remove sticky labels
75. Can be taken in warm ginger tea to sooth heartburn or nausea.
76. As a completely natural baby lotion.
77. On hands after doing dishes to avoid dry skin.
78. Mixed with catnip, rosemary or mint essential oils as a natural bug repellent.
79. Can be used on mom’s nipple and baby’s mouth to help treat thrush.
80. Many use it as an anti-aging facial moisturizer.
81. Add shine to hair
82. Can be used internally and externally to speed recovery from UTIs.
83. When taken regularly, it can help fight candida.
84. When taken regularly, it can boost hormone production.
85. Can relieve the pain of hemorrhoids when used topically.
86. Can boost circulation and help those who often feel cold.
87. On cuticles to help nails grow.
88. Rub into elbows daily to help alleviate dry, flaky elbows.
89. Add to smoothies to give them a nutritional boost
90. Internally during pregnancy to help provide baby necessary fats for development (especially when taken with Fermented Cod Liver Oil).
91. In any recipes where vegetable oils are used.
92. Whipped with shea butter for a soothing body balm.
93. Taken supplementally for daily energy
94. It has been called Brain Octane
95. As a coffee creamer when emulsified into coffee, have you tried Bullet Proof Coffee?
96. To support healthy thyroid function.
97. In homemade Mayo without the high PUFA vegetable oils.
98. Season your wooden cutting board
99. Naturally clears up cold sores.
100. Ingesting coconut oil daily can help with allergy symptoms.
101. Ingesting coconut oil daily can increase mental alertness  

So there you have it, Pick up your coconut oil today at Life Sustainers!  

photo credit: Copyright: <a href='https://www.123rf.com/profile_belchonock'>belchonock / 123RF Stock Photo</a>

CoQ10 heart healthy

If you want to know about CoQ10 and heart health, you might want to listen to what Dr. Gifford Jones has to say about this vital nutrient. After all, his heart is ticking strong at 90+ years old. 

Here is his article, "10 Facts You Should Know About Coenzyme Q10"

Mark Twain once remarked, "Get your facts first, then distort them as you please!" Facts are easy to distort in medicine, particularly when talking about coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). So here are 10 vital things to know about this important enzyme. And what unintended consequences occur when humans start playing God.

One: What is CoQ10? It's often referred to as the "sparkplug of our motors." Cars run on gas. Our 37 trillion cells get their energy from ATP (adenosine triphosphate), but we cannot make ATP without CoQ10.

Two: Studies show that our body has the highest amount of CoQ10 during our 20s. But then it starts to decrease. Several medical problems may result, such as fatigue, muscle cramps, weakness, emotional troubles and hypertension. Dr. Karl Folker, one of the early pioneers of CoQ10, says that a 25 per cent deficiency in CoQ10 is sufficient to cause illness, and a 75 per cent loss can result in death.

Three: The heart is a remarkable organ as it beats 100,000 times every 24 hours and 2.5 billion times by age 70, without a single holiday. Consequently, it requires a huge amount of energy. So nature has placed more CoQ10 in the heart than any other organ for this reason.

Four: Today millions of North Americans are taking cholesterol-lowering-drugs (CLDs). But this poses a problem. CLDs work by inhibiting an enzyme that produces cholesterol. But this same enzyme is also required for the manufacture of CoQ10, so by taking CLDs, less CoQ10 is produced. It's worrying that CLDs rob the heart's muscle of up to 40 per cent of CoQ10!.This is the best example I know where humans, by tinkering with nature, trigger unintended consequences. Beta blockers for blood pressure and antidepressant drugs can also decrease CoQ10 levels.

Five: Some researchers believe that by robbing the heart of CoQ10 year after year, CLDs may be setting the stage for an epidemic of heart failure. Currently, heart failure is the fastest growing cardiovascular problem in North America, partly due to an aging population and possibly an unintended effect of CLDs.

Six: 25 per cent of cholesterol is located in the brain as it, too, requires a good supply of energy. The use of CLDs results in another unintended consequence as CLDs pass through the blood brain barrier. This delivers a double whammy to the brain by affecting cholesterol metabolism and decreasing CoQ10. This explains why some people on CLDs complain of emotional problems. In rare cases, it has caused total amnesia, cured only by discontinuing this medication.

Seven: In my travels I've found that large numbers of people on CLDs are not taking CoQ10. If you are one of those, you should discuss this matter with your doctor. Remember, today there's a tendency for physicians to prescribe increasing doses of CLDs, and the greater the amount, the more need for CoQ10.

Eight: Studies show patients with heart failure have low levels of CoQ10. Fortunately, CoQ10 supplements can increase the strength of cardiac muscle in patients suffering from this problem. And a report in the American Journal of Cardiology, showed that a daily dose of 150 milligrams of CoQ10 decreases the incidence of angina by 50 per cent.

Nine: 50 per cent of overweight patients have low levels of CoQ10. Speeding up metabolism with Co Q10 is a safe way to help weight loss. CoQ10 is also a good antioxidant and some evidence shows it may be helpful for those with macular degeneration and diabetes. A lack of antioxidants has been associated with aging.

Ten: Remember, it's energy that makes our world function day after day, and without it, civilization as we know it will quickly end. Since CoQ10 is the body's main source of fuel, the more we know about it the better. It's available in health food stores.

As Benjamin Disraeli, Britain's prime minister, counselled, "As a general rule, most successful people are ones who have the best information".

So I hope Mark Twain would be pleased with these non-distorted facts.

Original article appears Dr. Gifford Jones website! 

Coenzyme Q10 or CoQ10 has a more advanced form called Ubiquinol. It is the form in your body that needs to be converted from CoQ10 to be used for cellular energy. 

Puffball, a North American Indigenous delicacy

Tonight my friend Floretta posted a picture of her puffball. This sparked an idea to share more about the Puffball. She allowed me to use her picture.

When locating a puffball in the bush, open field or even on your lawn, you first want to ensure the area that you found it has not been sprayed with pesticides. Then you want to make sure your puff ball is the edible kind. That is easy to determine by slicing it. A fresh puff ball is going to be white with a pure white spongy flesh as seen in Floretta's picture below. No gills, no spikes or no pores should appear as you may have the deadly Amanitas instead. The poisonous Amanitas is like a white sack that appears to have a mushroom growing inside, and that is why you cut them open to reveal the type you have, edible or poisonous. An edible Puffball's flesh inside starts to yellow as the it matures, and then is no longer edible.

A perfect puffball!

Preparing puffballs to eat

Remember, ensure a nice white colour, for freshness, Check first for worms, little tunnels and cut that part & any discoloured part away, DO NOT soak or rinse in water. Peel away the outer skin, as this can cause digestive upset. Puffballs can be sautéed, broiled, or the classic way is breaded and fried with a flour/egg/breadcrumb method. The flour can be gluten-free or cornmeal flour as well, and can be seasoned with sea salt & pepper. Ensure a nice caramelized or golden brown colour.

You can also freeze it, grill and freeze, or dehydrate to make a puffball flour that will be great in many dishes, soups and bread.  Simply slice thin and place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, oven on lowest setting and dry overnight or place in a dehyrdrator!

The coolest way is to make a puff ball pizza, simply use your grilled, breaded slices in place of the pizza dough. There are many other great ways to serve puffballs! With a little google search, you will find many recipes. 

Here is a link to a PDF explaining the many uses of Puffballs by Indigenous North American peoples. 

https://ethnobiology.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/JoE/3-1/Burk1983.pdf

Pumpkins scary but sexy, for male libido

Sure, it is pumpkin carving time, pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice latte time, but if you are carving your pumpkin you might want to save those seeds! 

Scary

Why? To spice things up in the bedroom! 

Pumpkin seeds and their oil are great for male libido, virility, and the prostrate. Pumpkin seeds are a powerhouse of nutrients ranging from phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper plus zinc and iron. They are a good source of protein. They have some vitamin content as well, E, D, K and the B's. 

Pumpkin seeds or pumpkin seed oil for libido

It is their high phosphorus, magnesium and zinc content that benefits the male prostrate. Together, Magnesium and Zinc, help increase testosterone, and subsequently sperm! 

Pumpkin seeds are known for their high Zinc content. For men, the highest zinc concentrations in the body are found in the prostrate.  Pumpkin seed extracts and oils have long been known to be helpful with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH, or enlarged prostate). Pumpkin seeds also contain phytosterols, and lignin also beneficial to the male prostrate. There have been studies to shows that pumpkin seed oil can prevent prostate enlargement — a major health issue for men over 60. Not only is pumpkin seed oil a preventative, it is is also been shown to reverse prostrate enlargement. 

Besides Magnesium a key component for optimum sexual function…  it’s also necessary in supporting prostate health.

Phosphorous helps maintain healthy erections strong libido. Phosphorus is also necessary for strong bones. Phosphorus is also necessary for pH (acid-base balance) in the body and generates and utilizes energy.

A man's prostate is like the command and control centre for how much sperm he releases when he ejaculates. It also regulates the power of his urine output.

So proper maintenance of the prostrate with the necessary nutrients is absolutely vital. 

Pumpkin seeds contain an added source of support as they are also an excellent source of the amino acid Myosin, This amino acid is supports strong muscular contractions and energy.

Sexy

Let's not stop there, Pumpkin seeds or pumpkin seed oil support men and women in these ways. 

• Pumpkin seed oil may help with hair loss. Male pattern baldness (as well as hair loss in women) is sometimes associated with overly high levels of the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT). One of the phytochemicals in pumpkin oil, beta-sitosterol, has been found to block the conversion of testosterone into DHT. DHT is a conversion of testosterone that you do not want to see too much of.
• Pumpkin seed oil may help to heal your digestive tract. The high fatty acid content of pumpkin oil can balance out excess inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract, helping to soothe uncomfortable symptoms.
• Some of the same nutrients, like Magnesium and phytosterols certainly are beneficial for heart health. 
• Pumpkin seed oil aids bone health as previously mentioned from the phosphorus, but also the other minerals and vitamins A and K. They help to build strong bones and help to prevent fractures and post-menopausal bone loss.
• Another organ supported with pumpkin seed oil is the liver. The healthy fats and antioxidants, support liver health.
• Pumpkin seeds can resemble the shape of eyes. and they protect them as well. Pressed pumpkin seed oil contains high levels of zeaxanthin, an antioxidant that has been shown to protect your eyes from UV and blue light damage.
• Women may get some postmenopausal relief with the use of pumpkin seed oil. Their natural phytoestrogens in pumpkin seed oil help to lower blood pressure and provide relief from symptoms like hot flashes, headaches and joint pain.
• Bladder support is another benefit of pumpkin seed oil. Irritation of the bladder lining and incontinence are a concern especially women post-childbirth and post-menopause . Pumpkin oil may help strengthens the muscles that support the bladder which can help to prevent prolapse and stress incontinence.  It can also help to soothe bladder irritation, reducing urge incontinence.

The best way to get the most benefit of the pumpkin seeds are to eat them raw. The World's Healthiest Foods org, suggests to eat the whole seed for maximum zinc intake. Just below the shell is an endosperm which contains a good portion of the zinc content. It is difficult to shell and maintain the endosperm, thus the reasoning for eating the whole shell. "Whole roasted, unshelled pumpkin seeds (cream colour) contain about 10 milligrams of zinc per 3.5 ounces, and shelled roasted pumpkin seeds or pumpkin seed kernels (green colour) contain about 7-8 milligrams.  http://www.whfoods.com also recommends that if you are going to roast them, do so in a single layer on a cookie sheet and only lightly roast them in a 160-170°F oven for 15-20 minutes so as to not denature the beneficial fat content. If you do purchase from a store, ensure they are not old, stale, or rancid producing fungal mycotoxins. Organic pumpkin seeds are preferable to eliminate contamination with pesticides. 

Nuts and seeds also have phytic acid, an anti-nutrient.  This can make the important nutrients less bioavailable when eaten. What reduces the phytic acid is to soak or sprout them. Then they can be dehydrated in the oven, or dehydrator.

INSTRUCTIONS for sprouting and dehydrating

1. Place the nuts or seeds in a bowl, and add the salt. Cover with filtered water by at least 1½ inches. Soak at least 7 hours or overnight.
2. DRYING IN THE OVEN. Make sure your oven has a setting of 170 degrees or lower. Use the lowest setting possible. Rinse the nuts or seeds thoroughly, and drain in a sieve. Place them in a single layer on baking sheets.
3. Dry for at least 12 hours in the warm oven, until completely dry and crispy. Stir a few times during the drying process.
4. DRYING IN A DEHYDRATOR. Rinse the nuts or seeds thoroughly, and drain in a sieve. Place them in a single layer on the dehydrator trays. Excalibur makes dehydrators and Life Sustainers can order them for you. 
5. Dry at 100 degrees for 24 to 36 hours. The timing varies depending on the nuts and seeds.

If you want the benefit of pumpkin seed oil in powerful dosages, you might want to try Genestra's Pumpkin capsules or Styrian Pumpkin seed oil. Styrian Pumpkin Seed Oil is unrefined and grown and processed in the southern region of Austria. You can see the difference in it's very dark green colour as the pumpkins are from a special variety of pumpkin that only grows in a small area--Styria. They possess the highest anti oxidation effect!

Pumpkin capsules

Styrian Gold, available at Life Sustainers

AutoImmune Diseases and Low Dose Naltrexone

I have blogged before about my Mother's illnesses. She had 2 diseases that were AutoImmune Diseases. Sometime in the early 90's, she was diagnosed with Primary Biliary Cirrhosis which targets mainly middle age women. This required her to be put on a transplant list. She had the transplant successfully in 1995. She did remarkably well, for the next 15+ years. She was a tried and true believer in Western medicine and her transplant Doctor who advised her to never take any natural remedies. In fact he and her other medical team did not even recommend a change in eating habits. Sometime in 2011, she was next diagnosed with the autoimmune disease Scleroderma. In my research I did discover, that these 2 diseases sometimes, go hand in hand, wreaking havoc on people. Since my mom was adamant about continuing with Western Medicine we continued to go to Specialist, upon Specialist. There was no successful answers, nor treatments for her condition and she continued to decline. There was certainly some symptom management, but nothing that really alleviated or stopped the progression of her symptoms. In fact some medications may have made her condition worse and I blogged about that here: http://www.lifesustainers.com/blog/2016/antibiotics-side-effects

Back when I was caring for my mother, my research on these conditions and possible alternative treatments never turned up, this LDN treatment, which has been around since 1985. This is when a Dr. Bernard Bihari, MD first began experimenting with it. Normally in higher doses, Naltrexone was used to help heroine addicts.  However Dr. Bihari found that using a low dose helped those affected by HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. In the mid-1990's, Dr. Bihari used LDN with Lymphoma and Pancreatic Cancer patients with dramatic results. Then he tried it with those who had an autoimmune disease, like Lupus with great improvements.  His colleague, and childhood friend, David Gluck, MD who specializes in Internal and Preventive Medicine continued to promote the awareness of LDN, as Dr. Bihari unfortunately died in 2010. Dr. Gluck continues to promote the awareness of LDN, Low Dose Naltrexone and it's ability to help so many diseases via this website:  http://www.lowdosenaltrexone.org

With many anecdotal trials and other research, it has been shown to help many other autoimmune diseases, central nervous diseases, other Cancers and Lyme. The list of diseases are numerous:

Cancers

• Bladder Cancer

• Breast Cancer

• Carcinoid

• Colon & Rectal Cancer

• Glioblastoma

• Liver Cancer

• Lung Cancer (Non-Small Cell)

• Lymphocytic Leukemia (chronic)

• Lymphoma (Hodgkin's and Non-Hodgkin's)

• Malignant Melanoma

• Multiple Myeloma

• Neuroblastoma

• Ovarian Cancer

• Pancreatic Cancer

• Prostate Cancer (untreated)

• Renal Cell Carcinoma

• Throat Cancer

• Uterine Cancer

Other Diseases

• Common Colds (URI’s)

• Emphysema (COPD)

• HIV/AIDS

• Depression (Major; and Bipolar)

• Lyme Disease (LATE Stage)

Neurodegenerative:

• ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease)

• Alzheimer's Disease

• Autism Spectrum Disorders

• Hereditary Spastic Paraparesis

• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

• Parkinson's Disease

• Post-Polio Syndrome

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

• Primary Lateral Sclerosis (PLS)

• Progressive Supranuclear Palsy

• Transverse Myelitis

Other Autoimmune Diseases:

• Ankylosing Spondylitis

• Behcet's Disease

• Celiac Disease

• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

• CREST syndrome

• Crohn's Disease

• Dermatomyositis

• Dystonia

• Endometriosis

• Fibromyalgia

• Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

• Myasthenia Gravis (MG)

• Nephrotic Syndrome

• Pemphigoid

• Primary Biliary Cirrhosis

• Psoriasis

• Rheumatoid Arthritis

• Sarcoidosis

• Scleroderma

• Sjogren’s Syndrome

• Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS)

• Systemic Lupus (SLE)

• Ulcerative Colitis

• Wegener's Granulomatosis

My mother also had Sjogren's Syndrome also listed above. She was told it was a symptom of the Primary Biliary Cirrhosis. Also I did not know this, but my mother was on Synthroid. I was not aware of this until I became her primary caregiver and was tending to her medical care. Synthroid is a drug used to treat hypothyroidism. Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is in the autoimmune diseases also listed above and is also known as chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, which often leads to an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism). Hashimoto's disease is the most common cause of hypothyroidism. When the thyroid is being attacked it also leads to other autoimmune diseases. Were the autoimmune diseases my mother had a progression from her thyroid issue? I really did not know how many years she was on Synthroid and I did not make this connection until it was too late.  I still looked for other ways to help her though as I said before, she was reluctant to try the alternative treatments that I did find (like nutritional supplementation and dietary changes).

My own health issues lead me to the path in Holistic Nutrition. I took the Institute of Holistic Nutrition's program while my mother was still living. My mother made her transition to the spirit world in March 2015. However, as I said previously, I did not come across this LDN treatment until just recently. I listened to Dr Izabella Wentz's Summit, "The Thyroid Secret" streamed online in January of this year. She also blogs about LDN, and Hashimoto's and you can check that out here: https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/5-stages-hashimotos-thyroiditis/ and here: https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/5-stages-hashimotos-thyroiditis/

Another article about the scientific research for LDN is listed here. https://selfhacked.com/blog/top-22-scientific-health-benefits-low-dose-naltrexone/ The little (R)'s in the article are links to the research. 

Dr Wentz, provides a list of Dr.'s that are aware of her protocols. Here is a list of those in Ontario. They may have knowledge of LDN and would possibly prescribe it. It is medicine, that is only made available through prescription and only a compounding pharmacy can compound the low doses considered for these treatments for these specific diseases.  

Provided by Dr. Izabella Wentz, your Thyroid Pharmacist

I did not find this information in time to see if it would have helped my mother. Hopefully, it can help someone else affected by Autoimmune and other diseases listed above. I provide this for your information, please do your own research on your diagnosed disease. 

No GMO Potatoes in Canada

Thank goodness there will be no GMO potatoes grown in Canada 2017.  

Simplot Plant Sciences, the company that developed the "Innate" potato which bruise less and have less black spots than real potatoes 

Doug Cole, director of marketing and communications, said the company is holding off allowing commercial growth of Innate potatoes in Canada until there's a proven market for them.  

Let's Make sure there is no proven Market for them in Canada, not only today, this year, but continually!

"There is strong interest from the grower community and retailers are also interested. But it's a very involved purchase decision," said Cole. 

He said there are about five acres of test plots on P.E.I. this year.

However on the other side of the Colonial made border: the U.S. market is growing

There are now 6,000 acres, and the potatoes and are sold in about 4,000 supermarkets across 40 states. 

More on GMO potatoes in the USA and the concerns presented: 

http://www.naturalhealth365.com/potatoes-gmo-2189.html

Simplot Plant Sciences has test plots in Ontario and Manitoba. 

Cole said the company expects the company's Gen2 potato that is blight resistant will be approved by the CFIA and Health Canada by the end of this summer. 

"That potato will require 50 per cent less pesticides, which he thinks both farmers and consumers will be interested in."

So this is just temporary! 

If you do not want GMO potatoes in Canada in 2018 and beyond, then it is best to write letters to your grocer, and tell them you absolutely do not want GMO potatoes or any other GMO vegetable or fruit on this side of the colonial border, in Canada. This was already done this year and proven to halt the introduction of GMO potatoes in Canada. Here are some suggestions as to where to send your letters: 

https://cban.ca/gmos/products/not-on-the-market/potato/

Information obtained from: 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/gmo-potatoes-grown-p-e-i-season-1.4127940

Metabolic Balance Special $100 off for Aboriginal Diabetes Awareness Day - May 6, 2017

Have you tried countless times to control your Diabetes or lose weight to be proactive as Diabetes runs in your family, only to be unsuccessful?  Then you are just like me? Diabetes and Obesity is no stranger in my family lines!  I have also been told that I have fatty liver and I wanted to quit fattening it up and even de-fatten it if possible!  I found out it is possible with the Metabolic Balance program and I had such success with it, that I became a Metabolic Balance Coach. Not only can it reverse Fatty Liver, it also has helped many folks, the world over to successfully get off Diabetes medications and lose weight! 

Does Diabetes and Obesity keep you sidelined from fully enjoying life? 

National Aboriginal Diabetes Awareness Day is May 6, 2017 so for a limited time I will be offering $100 off to help those reach their weight loss goals. How much money have you already spent on countless fad diets that did not work.  I will not only providing this weight loss program at a reduced rate, but I will also be doing it in group format to provide that extra support needed for successful weight loss. Though this weight loss program will be done in a group format, it is still very much an individualized tailored program because it is based on over 30 of your own blood values. It also takes into account your likes, dislikes and food sensitivities. Even better, is that your local grocery store and farmers market can easily provide all the wholesome nutrient rich foods listed on your personalized nutrition plan. No buying expensive pre-packaged processed foods. 

Testimonials: 

"I went to my family doctors yesterday, he checked my blood tests,  everything is normal, I don't have fatty liver anymore! I am very happy!!!! Metabolic Balance is the best decision in my life. Thank you very much!"

"I was young and fond of food very much.  But slowly my Diabetes got worse and soon I was put on Insulin. My Blood Pressure starts getting uncertain, high and low.  So, I am put on other medication. My weight starts increasing.  My Insulin starts increasing.  My other medication starts increasing. It’s a ripple effect and a downward spiral. My Doctors never advised me that I will be off Insulin ever. I think that this is it, this is my life, full of medicine and Doctors and ill-health. I was on the following medicine:

• Metformin, 500MG, 2 tablets 2xdaily

• Metoprolol-tart, 50MG, 1/2 2xdaily

• Lisinopril/HCT20, 12.5MG, 1 tablet daily

• Amlodipine, 5MG, 1 tablet daily

• Teva-Rosuvastatin, 10MG, 1 tablet daily

• Lantus (Insulin), 33 units evening dose

• Humalog (Insulin) Morning Dose - 17 units, Afternoon Dose - 13 units

My daughter, who had finished her course in Holistic Nutrition, had advised me to go on the Metabolic Balance Program. 

Over the period from September 21, 2015 to February 2016 I have lost 65lbs and my wife has lost 25 lbs.  My waist line has reduced from 38 inches to 32 inches.  All my 78 units of insulin has been reduced to ZERO.  All my other medication I have stopped.  Without any medicine I feel so engaged and good.  My body starts producing the insulin it requires naturally."

This man has been an insulin dependent Diabetic for 42 years, since he was 28 years old. He is 70 years old now! If you want results like this and weight loss, than don't delay. 

"Two days have passed now since I have received my blood work results... I started MB on January 7... I remember the day because I found out I was allergic to magnesium and I thought this MB wasn't for me, BUT with the help from you I stuck to it and now I find my Diabetes has been reversed by at least 7 YEARS... yes my blood sugar hasn't been this good in 7 years, and I've stopped taking insulin... meaning 4 shots a day... gone from my everyday routine!!! Yes in JUST 3 MONTHS!!! I don't know if there are any diabetics in this group but I hope so.. My family doctor was amazed and said keep up the good work.. wanted to know what motivated me and well she had lots of questions about MB and actually googled MB while I was in her office. and just maybe she will tell other diabetic patients... I still have issues with fibromyalgia and pain associated with that condition, but I am confident that in months ahead this too will change for the better. I just know it.. I can feel it!!!

If you want to change the trajectory of your Diabetes on your health, than sign up for this group today. This offer only stands until May 6th, that is 6 short days to get in on this awesome weight loss Metabolic Balance program! 

What this 3 month group includes is:  

• Comprehensive Medical Blood Lab Testing,

• Individualized metabolic balance® food plan

• 1 1/2hr Private Introductory Consultation

• Email, phone and text support

• Colon Cleanse Supplement

• Private Facebook Group Inclusion

• Website links to recipes

• Group Coaching Program - meeting once a week first month, bi-monthly 2nd and 3rd month

Must register and pay in full, May 6th, and Individual sessions will take place the month of May, and Group will begin on Monday June 5, 12, 19, 26, and July 10 and 24, Aug 14 and 28. Go to the link below and fill out the form, payment in full must be received you May 6, 2017 and I am only accepting 8 participants! 

Weight Loss and Stress Do Not Mix Well

Day in and day out we have stressors, and sometimes we just get bombarded. Life happenings sometimes leave us drained, strained and even harebrained! Whatever the life challenges - relationship issues, workload, financial hardships, school deadlines, parenting struggles, caring for an elderly or ailing family member, traumatic experiences, etc. they all cause physical, emotional, mental and physiological responses. Unfortunately increased hunger and weight gain can be among these responses. 

So here is the shake down. Increased stress causes the adrenal glands to release more stress hormones, adrenalin and cortisol. This is known as the “fight or flight” response.  This happens so the body can provide the extra physical energy and strength from stored carbs and fats needed to get the fight or flight done to save ourself. Though we don't have to run from lions, tigers or bears any too often, this physiological response to stress is hardwired within our make-up. The modern day stressors have us responding in the same way. Really it is a design of resiliency and a built-in protective mechanism. Increased cortisol levels also result in an impaired response to leptin, the hormone that makes us feel full. The poor response to the satiety hormone keeps us shovelling in the food.

With prolonged elevated levels of cortisol, our signals tell us we continually needs extra fuel. This extra fuel gets stored as fat around the abdomen, AKA, belly fat. Much to our dismay, so begins this vicious cycle. When we have long term stress, both insulin and cortisol remain elevated in the blood, and the extra glucose is stored as fat–mostly in the abdomen. Now what keeps this cycle going as that fat cells actually have special receptors for the stress hormone cortisol. A knewly learned fact is that there are more of these cortisol receptors in our abdominal fat cells than anywhere else in our bodies. It's like belly fat can be a living, breathing, growing monster!

What also factors in, is that when we are in "fight or flight" mode, we can not be in "rest & digest" mode. These two systems are supposed to be a balancing act, but when the "fight or flight" switch is constantly turned on there is no chance of the other to kick in.  Our body says, "Hoolah, we need all energy available to us to get the freak out of danger, digesting can wait." What is the fall out from that?  Stomach acid production and pancreatic enzyme secretions are decreased, resulting in poor digeston. This enables larger food particles lower in the digestive tract. Prolonged stress also leads to a breakdown of the small intestinal lining. The tight junctions become loose junctions within the intestines, AKA - leaky gut. This in turn results in food sensitivities. This can even occur with foods that previously caused no issue with you. Nutrient deficiencies also occur with the impaired digestion.

So with all this going on, what can be done about being in the throws of constant stress?

Be kind to yourself, don't get down on blaming yourself. How does this serve you? It does not! Recognize that you need extra care at this time and be easy on yourself. 

There are some things that we just have no control over. Take time to ask yourself "what is within my control and what is not?" When you can see what you do have control over, then you can work on adjusting these things things. 

Can you put aside some tasks, can you just let go of some things? Ask yourself, "How important is it right at this moment?" Can you ask for help? Most of us may find this difficult, as we are used to handling our own stuff. We are put on this earth in a family circle, a neighbourhood, a community, not on an isolated island, ask or at least accept help. Go for a massage, a reiki session, an infared sauna or any other rejuvenating alternative therapy, Go for a nature walk, meditate, listen to relaxation music. Of course, do seek emotional/spiritual support, a shoulder to lean or cry on, an extra ear or two to listen to and support you in your wows. Inquire about all available resources with your particular situation. 

When our adrenals are overtaxed, fatigued or flatlined, strenuous exercise is not a great idea at this time. Weight lifting, cardio can put added stress on the already comprimised adrenals. Instead opt for the nature walks, some yoga, or light stretches. Whatever you decide to do,  keep your heart rate under 90 beats per minute. A walk to get some fresh air after a meal is helpful.

If you normally do not take supplements, you may want to when you are facing some adversity in your life. There are herbals and certain minerals that help the adrenals replenish. Adaptogenic herbs, the B vitamins, Magnesium, Potassium, Niacinamide and adrenal glanulars are all helpful support. Taking a quality mutlivitamin is also essential as reduced adrenals also impact immune function, so you want to to be filing your tank. This is generally just an all around good practice in today's hectic world, as there are reduced minerals in our soil and added toxins in our environment. Life Sustainers has some excellant adrenal support supplements both in the store and available for home delivery on the Dispensary

Quality sleep is also key in coping with stress. Cortisol can remain elevated at night when it is supposed to decrease.  The unfortunate result is wakefulness, restless sleep, tossing and turning or waking and then being unable to get back to sleep. It is important to to get at least 8 hours of restful, deep sleep regularly. Cortisol blocks melatonin so it might be beneficial to take a melatonin supplement. There are some awesome herbals that help promote quality sleep. You may not need it normally, but during stressful life situations, assistance with getting better quality sleep helps you face the next day's events.  

Though you might be reaching for the caffeine, sugar or other vices, they only serve to deplete the body and add to the vicious cycle. Whole foods, organic foods help the body refuel with optimal nutrients.

I am a Metabolic Balance Coach, so this awesome plan helps to balance blood sugar and hormones. Metabolic Balance includes whole foods and helps people to lose weight. So if it the ususal everyday stress you are having to contend with, Metabolic Balance is an idea plan to help you eat healthily, balance hormones and blood sugar so you are better able to handle those daily stressors. When experiencing a full blown stressful life event, the last thing that you might be considering is how to lose weight. Metabolic Balance, is however, something to keep in mind when the storm calms and you are looking for a sure way to help rebalance your body and acquire a healthier status. 

Mental Health - Orthomolecular Impacts for First Nations

Mental Health –Orthomolecular Impacts for First Nations

The Indigenous Peoples of Canada have caught the attention of headlines in these recent months.  The current Prime Minister pledged better relations with and subsequently won many votes from the Indigenous People as record number of them turned out to the polls.  His government has agreed to implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.  Pimicikamak Cree Nation, known as Cross Lake and Attiwapiskat caught national attention for a State of Emergency issued in their communities due to the high incidence of suicide and attempts. 

First Nations people have higher rates of suicide, about 6x the national average. Though the communities mentioned above, are northern communities, Indigenous communities in the south are also plagued with suicide.  In my lifetime, I know about 20 people who have taken their own life in my southern Ontario situated reserve. I would think that the average non-native person might say they know 1-3 people within their own close circle that have committed suicide. What is also disproportionate is the number of very young peoples in Aboriginal communities that suicide or attempt to. Suicide or attempted suicides of eleven year olds and even younger occur in First Nations communities. So dire circumstances like this impacts the whole community. Imagine when many of your family members, friends and community members are committing suicide, how this has a rippling effect of sadness. That has a very stressful effect on everyone in the community. Stress also impacts cortisol levels and which in turn affect mental wellness. Indigenous people have been in flight of fight states for too long. 

So aside from the more talked about and obvious historical factors affecting Indigenous peoples,  
(such as the impacts of attempted genocide, stolen lands, broken treaties, forced relocations to barren lands, residential schools, the 60’s scoop where many native children were taken from the families, forced Christianity, laws forbidding indigenous people to practice their customs and ceremonies, forced language loss, long standing land claims still unsettled.) 
I will also focus on the impact of nutrition of First Nations peoples and how that affects mental wellness.

These historical treatments of Indigenous People certainly offer a vivid backdrop to the present day reality of Indigenous life which include poverty, lack of employment, inadequate housing, lack of clean water, higher rates of other diseases and physical and sexual abuse, missing and murdered Indigenous women.  Many Indigenous people still live in third world conditions here in Canada. All these accumulative issues can wreak havoc on a person’s psyche.  Certainly it is easy to see, the despair that so many First Nations people feel. 

Bruce Lipton talks of cellular memory in his book Biology of Belief, and this is essentially has to do with how memory is embedded in cells.  Cellular memory also has to do with how this memory gets reproduced in offspring.  Given these theories, the cellular memory of Indigenous people consists of a lot of downloaded trauma through the generations.  This is compounded with the continued oppression and racism that still occurs. 

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is also widespread in Indigenous populations. The Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, just the other day issued an official apology for the brutalities that occurred in the residential schools, also citing “that the residential schools are only one example of systemic, intergenerational injustices inflicted upon Indigenous communities throughout Canada.” The last residential school closed in 1996.

With the arrival of the lost and malnourished settlers to this land, the Indigenous people shared their incredible knowledge of food and medicine with the settlers to save them from impending death. They nourished the settlers back to health with medicinal teas like pine, cedar and other nutrient rich foods. One of the common food practices of Indigenous people was to plant three times the amount of food needed. This was in case there was a food shortage, to save some for seed, to save some for the animals, and to have enough in case others needed to be fed. It was only their custom to share their food and so they did just that.

Once back to health, the settlers’ mission became to claim the land for their own and needed to rid the Indian from existence. One of the settler’s genocidal tactics was to destroy the Indigenous people’s crops and food stores. This is well documented in history. 

When the settlers confined the Indigenous People to reserves, they also made it illegal for them to leave the reserves without permission. In this way they limited their hunting and foraging practices. They also limited their ability to trade or sell their goods, so if they were farmers, their produce would rot before they were allowed to leave to sell it. Their once healthy diet from hunter/fisher/gatherer then became replaced with staples provided by the missionaries and the government Indian Agent. Some of these staples became known as the 5 whites – white flour, white sugar, white salt, white milk, and white lard. These were given in rations at times as a method of control and getting the Indigenous people to do as told.  The high carbohydrate diets introduced to the Indigenous people have had devastating effects on their health. Indigenous people have the highest rates of Diabetes. Some research suggests that their metabolism was not equipped to handle the diet. However their once nutrient rich diet was just replaced with nutrient poor food. 

Another blow to the Indigenous people were the nutrition studies.  They were used as guinea pigs as discovered by a food and nutrition historian, Ian Mosby at the University of Guelph.  He extracted these words from a study he found in the records. "It is not unlikely that many characteristics, such as shiftlessness, indolence, improvidence and inertia, so long regarded as inherent or hereditary traits in the Indian race may, at the root, be really the manifestations of malnutrition," the researchers concluded in a preliminary report on their study in March 1942. "Furthermore, it is highly probable that their great susceptibility to many diseases, paramount amongst which is tuberculosis, may be directly attributable to their high degree of malnutrition arising from lack of proper foods." These studies involve deliberate withholding of certain nutrients to groups of children on remote reserves and within at least 6 residential schools. This occurred over a 10 - year period. One has to wonder if there were more studies unaccounted for. 

A residential school within my own traditional territory, the Mohawk Institute was nicknamed the Mush-hole.  So aptly named as the children there were made to work the lush gardens, and orchards but were not allowed to eat the food. They were instead given mush on a daily basis. My grandmother told me of a story of how she used to give her cousins food through the fence, as they were often hungry. 

Even today, many Indigenous people still live in poverty. They are not able to afford quality nutrient rich foods. Many reserves in Canada are also under a water boil advisory, and this has been long standing.  Many reserves are near contaminated soils and waterways, given industrial factories are often located near reserves. Lead poisoning and mercury contamination are well documented in some native communities.  All these affect the mental health of Indigenous peoples. Heavy metal toxicity and nutrient deficiencies are most likely an important factor in mental health status of Indigenous peoples but is not even being addressed.

This is the reason as a Certified Nutritional Practitioner, my immediate thoughts were to see if the people in the remote northern community of Attiwapiskat could be given donations of supplements like Vitamin D, Multivitamins, Omega 3, Magnesium, 5HTP, protein powders and bars, chlorella, hemp, seeds etc. I was already aware that some ideas were suggested to help them with greenhouse gardening but since I now look through the orthomolecular lens, I thought supplementation could possibly help with mood and depressive states. It is well documented that lack of Vitamin D can help Seasonal Affective Disorder, a type of depression more common for anyone living north of the 42nd parallel. Omega 3 is vital for optimal brain health. Niacin is also shown to benefit depression. Magnesium is a champion in combating stress and helps to promote relaxation. These are just some supplements known to help depressive states. 

When Attiwapiskat became national attention, there were frequent rumblings that “they should just move.” Yet when Fort McMurray was burning, the sentiments were “we could help them re-build.“

Sadly when I sought donations, only one generous supplement company was willing to donate.  One kind area representative purchased supplements with her own money to donate.  One popular supplement company responded to the request by saying “it was just not in their budget to be able to help Attiwapiskat at this time.”  However one week later they were sending out emails stating they would donate 25 cents for every supplement bottle purchased to Fort McMurray. I certainly was not expecting an equal scale donation, but a smaller scale as Attiwapiskat is but a few thousand people.  This is just another way that Indigenous people’s lives in Canada matter less to the broader society.

Our Indigenous footwear – the moccasins tread lightly on Mother Earth. We are the caretakers of Mother Earth, we are the eyes, and ears of our Earth Mother. Our heart beats in unison with her and when her heart hurts, we hurt. When we partake in the destruction of Mother Earth we feel the guilt. When we cannot do our duty as caretakers, this weighs heavy in our hearts and minds. This impacts our mental wellness. 

As we look to solutions for the wellness of Indigenous people, we are seeing a resurgence of the Indigenous diet and herbal wisdom across this country and south of the border. It is amazing that in my studies in Holistic Nutrition, the hunter/gatherer diet and herbals were frequently receiving accolades and are indicated in optimal health and wellness. Many of these herbals come from Indigenous knowledge, yet this knowledge was historically suppressed and frowned upon by the dominant society. 

Will we see a change with the Canadian government signing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples? Will the renewed relationship that the young Prime Minister vowed to create help with the insurmountable issues Indigenous Peoples face today including their mental wellness? Let’s hope that the cellular memories can be replaced for much more optimistic ones. Let’s hope that Indigenous Peoples lives will really matter, and they can fulfill their duties as stewards of Mother Earth. That’s a win - win situation. 

Stress, Anxious and Depressive States and Attentional Difficulties

Have stress at work, with life, relationships or feeling depressed, anxious, attentional difficulties - a combination of these may help.

Clinical Human Studies have demonstrated that Vitamin D is helpful when feeling depressed. it is widely known that Vitamin D deficiency is one of the factors is Seasonal Affective Disorder that results over the winter months. This is prevalent for people living in northern latitudes as there is insufficient sunlight exposure during the winters to stimulate the production of vitamin D in skin.

There are over 90 clinical studies on Melatonin, on many different type of sleep issues on adults and children, individuals with mental health issues, such as neurodegenerative disorders, shift workers, travellers, etc and is relatively safe in even higher dosages.

D-Stress, Lavender has shown efficacy in many issues, such as PTSD, depression, anxiety and chronic fatigue!

Chill Pills will improve your concentration, reduce your stress levels, calm your nerves, and help you work more effectively! 

Sleep 8 helps you get to sleep naturally, an effective, safe, nonaddictive sleep aid! 

Magnesium is among the most important minerals essential to our wellbeing, a factor in over 300 enzymatic reactions that affect all aspects of metabolic function, intestinal absorption, skeletal storage and release of calcium, along with nervous system function, and is great for stress management. Unfortunately, even the foods that are traditionally good sources of magnesium are often grown in magnesium-deficient soil these days.

Omega 3 may effectively alleviate depressive moods without dangerous side effects and helps to restore structural integrity to brain cells that are critical in performing cognitive functions! Apparently, although a higher ratio of DHA is beneficial for babies, a higher ratio of EPA is better for children, for cognitive function and attentional difficulties and adults with affective mental health concerns. Dosage also matters to be effective. For neurodegenerative disorders such as cognitive decline, dementia, Alzheimers, MS, Parkinson's, a 2:1 ratio EPA/DHA fairs better!

Studies have shown that Vitamin D and Omega alone in combination with prescription medicinals for mental health issues may also help symptoms, when the prescription alone is not sufficient. Chill Pills and Sleep 8 however, are not to be combined with prescriptions for mental health needs.Certainly clean eating is also key, including, fresh organic vegetables and fruits, high quality mono/poly-unsaturated fats, and organic quality protein.  Omitting the sugar, junk foods, highly processed foods with fillers, additives, and dyes will also help in these areas. Allergens such as wheat, dairy, corn, soy, eggs, and others also need to be investigated especially where attentional issues are a concern for children. 

To know if a combination of these are going to be effective, a regimen of 3 - 6 months is necessary. If you would like more assistance on choosing a regimen that may assist you please contact me. These supplements are available at Life Sustainers in the store, and other brands are available in my Dispensary! Any information provided here is not intended to replace medical advice offered by a physician nor should this information be used to treat any health problems without first consulting with a physician or paediatrician.

Neuropathy, the Debilitating Side Effects of Antibiotics?

It is almost 1 year since my mother left for the spirit world. When I returned home in 2011 to help care for her, I did a bit of research into her conditions. She had been diagnosed with Scleroderma. It is an autoimmune condition. I also researched some of the medication she had been taken. She had also been diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy, cause unknown to those Dr's treating her. My once on-the-go mom, had become a shuffle walker. She had been prescribed a drug called Flagyl or Metronidazole as early as 2009.  In my research I discovered that there were cases of the drug Flagyl causing peripheral neuropathy.  She was prescribed Flagyl and had many repeats on the prescription, which is clearly not recommended for long term use. When I asked a few of her specialists if this could be the cause, they quickly dismissed it. However later on when she changed family doctors, her new family doctor acknowledged this could possibly have caused it. As early as 2006 the medical community were seeing signs of this occurring: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16901452

Apparently there are also other antibiotics that can cause neuropathy and they are the class of fluoroquinolone antibiotics – Cipro, Levaquin, Avelox, Floxin. This is new information to me. There is a website dedicated to helping people recover from what is being called Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Syndrome. It is a page called Floxie Hope.  There is also a FB page for Floxie Hope.  Lisa, who started the Floxie Hope website had experienced all these symptoms after being prescribed Cipro: peripheral neuropathy, urticaria, loss of energy/stamina, loss of memory and reading comprehension, autonomic nervous system dysfunction, painful and inflamed tendons, muscle weakness, and more.  Here is a host of other symptoms experienced by others:  symptoms include dry eyes, mouth and skin; ringing in his ears; delayed urination; uncontrollable shaking; burning pain in eyes and feet; occasional tingling in hands and feet; heart palpitations; and muscle spasms. That is not the whole list either. Here are some more taken from an article in the New York Times. "the drugs in rare cases can seriously injure the central nervous system (causing “brain fog,” depression, hallucinations and psychotic reactions), the heart, liver, skin (painful, disfiguring rashes and phototoxicity), the gastrointestinal system (nausea and diarrhea), hearing and blood sugar metabolism." 

Apparently Fluoroquinolone toxicity resembles Autoimmune diseases.  I am quite sure there were times that my mother was also prescribed Cipro. Did my mother have Scleroderma or the effects of too many antibiotics? She did have some of the same symptoms described above, as well as other symptoms. My mother was also a 19 year liver transplant surviver.  We can't really know for sure, now. I do know that medical intervention in terms of the liver transplant and anti-rejection drugs gave us another 19 years with our mother. My mother was adamant about not taking natural remedies as advised by her liver transplant specialist. However did the reliance on too many pharmaceuticals cause some of her later conditions and deterioration. Again we don't know the answer. However I am telling this story for other to be alerted to some of the serious side effects of these particular pharmaceuticals. 

Here is also an MD, talking about the antibiotics that can cause Neuropathy. Antibiotics and Neuropathy: What's the Latest? Medscape. Sep 17, 2013.

I share this information, not to incite fear or disrespect for Allopathic medicine or Big Pharma. Certainly there are plenty of times that Pharmaceuticals are life saving. However, we absolutely must be aware of the side effects, black box warning signs (that apparently only the physician sees) We have a right to ask questions about meds being prescribed.  We can look for other alternatives in medicines and treatments and yes resort to natural treatments first, especially when treating things like sinus infections, bronchitis, and earaches. I think most people are becoming aware that the over-prescription of antibiotics is causing antibiotic resistance and superbugs. Naturopaths can also be that alternative. Prevention is also important, ensuring what we put into our bodies is life sustaining and not life draining. Do your research and be well informed about your own health issues. 

My mother had a wish to donate her body to science, so that she could help others. However, we could not do that. She was an incredible helper to many in her earth walk journey. I thought this blog is one way her helping nature could continue in a divine way. I was awakened at 4:20am this morning and events lead me to write this blog. 

When I wrote this article in 2016, I did not come across any Canadian references about the dangers of fluoroquinolone antibiotics. However Health Canada issued this warning in January 2017:  

http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/hc-sc/2017/61920a-eng.php

Ohen:ton Karihwatehkwen

Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address

The Words Before All Else

Greetings to the Natural World

The People

Today we have gathered and we see that the cycles of life continue. We have been given the duty to live in balance and harmony with each other and all living things. So now, we bring our minds together as one as we give greetings and thanks to one another as people.

Now our minds are one.

The Earth Mother

We are all thankful to our Mother, the Earth, for she gives us all that we need for life. She supports our feet as we walk about upon her. We must every day honour her as she continues to care for us as she has from the beginning of time. To our mother, we send greetings and thanks.

Now our minds are one.

The Waters

We give thanks to all the waters of the world for quenching our thirst and providing us with strength. Water is life. We know its power in many forms‐ waterfalls and rain, mists and streams, rivers,oceans and even within our own bodies. We must also not forget our tears. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to the spirit of Water.

Now our minds are one.

The Fish

We turn our minds to the all the Fish life in the water. They were instructed to cleanse and purify the water. They are trying to do the best job they can. They also give themselves to us as food. We are grateful that we can still find pure water. So, we turn now to the Fish and send our greetings and thanks.

Now our minds are one.

The Plants

Now we turn toward the vast fields of Plant life. As far as the eye can see, the Plants grow, working many wonders. They sustain many life forms. They continue to thrive and fulfil their duties. With our minds gathered together, we give thanks and look forward to seeing Plant life for many generations to come.

Now our minds are one.

The Food Plants

With one mind, we turn to honuor and thank all the Food Plants we harvest from the garden, our life sustainers.  Since the beginning of time, the grains, vegetables, beans and berries have helped the people survive. Many other living things draw strength from them too. We gather all the Plant Foods together as one and send them a greeting of thanks.

Now our minds are one.

The Medicine Herbs

Now we turn to all the Medicine herbs of the world. From the beginning they were instructed to help with sickness. They are always waiting and ready to heal us. We are happy there are still among us those special few who remember how to use these plants for healing. We take only what we need and ensure they continue to grow. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to the Medicines and to the keepers of the Medicines.

Now our minds are one.

The Insects

We gather our minds together to send greetings and thanks to all the insects, the crawlers, the flyers, big and small, seen and unseen. They continue busily about fulfilling their duties. We see them and may be startled but we are glad that they are still here and will remain. 

Now our minds are one

The Animals

We gather our minds together to send greetings and thanks to all the Animal life in the world. They have many things to teach us as people. We are honoured by them when they give up their lives so we may use their bodies as food for our people. We see them near our homes and wild and free in the fields and forests. We are glad they are still here and we hope that it will always be so.

Now our minds are one

The Trees

We now turn our thoughts to the Trees. The Earth is bountiful with many different Trees who have their own instructions and uses. Some provide us with shelter and shade, others with fruit, sap and beauty. They are quite useful and the Maple is the leader of the trees. There is the tree of life, the tree is a symbol of peace and strength. With one mind, we greet and thank the Tree life.

Now our minds are one.

The Birds

We put our minds together as one and thank all the Birds who move and fly about over our heads. The Creator gave them beautiful songs. Each day they remind us to enjoy and appreciate life. The Eagle sits atop of the Tree of Peace and was chosen to be the guardian. To all the Birds‐from the tiniest to the largest, we send joyful greetings and thanks.

Now our minds are one.

The Four Winds

We are all thankful to the powers we know as the Four Winds. We hear their voices in the moving air as they refresh us and purify the air we breathe. They help us to bring the change of seasons. From the four directions they come, bringing us messages and giving us strength. With one mind, we send our greetings and thanks to the Four Winds.

Now our minds are one.

The Thunders

Now we turn to the west where our grandfathers, the Thunder Beings, live. With lightning and thundering voices, they bring with them the water that renews life. The lightning strikes the ground and renews the earth. The roaring thunders keeps the giant beings underground. We bring our minds together as one to send greetings and thanks to our Grandfathers, the Thunders.

Now our minds are one.

The Sun

We now send greetings and thanks to our eldest Brother, the Sun. Each day without fail he travels the sky from east to west, bringing the light of a new day. He is the source of all the fires of life. He lights the earth. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to our Brother, the Sun.

Now our minds are one.

Grandmother Moon

We put our minds together to give thanks to our oldest Grandmother, the Moon, who lights the night‐time sky. She is the leader of woman, and she also directs the movement of the ocean tides. By her changing face we measure time. It is our beautiful Grandmother Moon who watches over the arrival of children here on Earth. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to our Grandmother, the Moon.

Now our minds are one.

The Stars

We give thanks to the Stars who are spread across the sky like jewelry. We see them in the night, helping the Moon to light the darkness. They bring the morning dew to the gardens which also help things to grow. When we travel at night, they guide us home. With our minds gathered together as one, we send greetings and thanks to the Stars.

Now our minds are one.

The 4 Enlightened Protectors

We gather our minds to greet and thank the enlightened protectors who have come to help throughout the ages. When we forget how to live in harmony, they remind us of the way we were instructed to live as people. They also help us through trying times and shield us. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to these caring beings.

Now our minds are one.

The Creator

Now we turn our thoughts to the Creator, Great Mystery the one who made us, and send greetings and thanks for all the gifts of Creation. Everything we need to live a good life is here on this Mother Earth. For all the love that is still around us, we gather our minds together as one and send our most beautiful words of thankfulness to the Creator.

Now our minds are one.

Closing Words

We have now arrived at the place where we end our words. Of all the things we have named, it was not our intention to leave anything out. If something was forgotten, we leave it to each individual to send such greetings and thanks in their own way.

Now our minds are one.

My story:

Pull up a chair version:

Life Sustainers is a holistic health nutrition store located in the Haudenosaunee territory of the Six Nations of the Grand River, aka ~ Ohsweken.  This became a dream of mine as my path took me on a career change when I embarked on my own holistic health journey.

My life's journey has not been picture perfect. I have actually had many bumps, turns, valleys, mountains to climb and have veered off the beaten path many times.

Career wise, I started out in Social Work, so you see, I have always had a passion to help others, and in so doing, helped myself along the way to opening a natural health and nutrition store.

When my own personal life journey endured hardships, I fell into a funk about myself and so begun my ravenous unhealthy eating. Round and round I went, the more I ate, the more funk feelings I had about myself.  I became comfortably numb in junk food, yet still uncomfortable in life, feeling a failure in so many ways, having not yet found holistic healing.  It was not until I became immensely uncomfortable in the heaviness and the achiness of my body, that I new I needed to make a change. I doubted myself, my abilities, and even if I could make a change, I had such a love affair with food, I wondered how I could end this food frenzy affair. FAST FORWARD 

My passion for more knowledge about holistically healing also intersected a time when my mother's health was declining.  Other family members were also struggling with other issues that I thought could be better managed with holistic alternatives and a better nutritional status.

After caring for my mother a year in her own home, with many sleepless nights, my own health was becoming more of an issue.  I was chronically tired, had Pneumonia a couple of times. I also had an old knee injury that was requiring attention.  My partner had ended our relationship and this had a tremendous impact on me emotionally and spiritually. 

Though I tried to take these life events all in stride, it was still stressful. I was exhausted yet still needed to function as a sole support parent and also as a daughter of aging parents while continuing a new career path.  My father, though pretty active also has health challenges - Diabetes, Osteoarthritis and Chronic Pain.

In trying to address my health concerns, whilst I had enrolled in the Holistic Nutrition program, an earlier diagnosis of Fatty Liver resurfaced for me.

I was told that I had fatty deposits on my liver 15 years prior and that I should reduce my fat intake and watch my weight (mainstream medical advice).  That is when I started my gluten and sugar-reduction journey. Yes that many years ago, so I was only about 40 years old and already had some liver enzyme elevation and the fat deposits on my liver. I can't really say that I made the change right away but eventually I lost 40lbs. I did manage to keep it off, but my weight still fluctuated within a few pounds.  Prior to that, I was on a slow, but increasingly steady weight gain.  I was very uncomfortable in the heaviness of my body.  I believe that if I didn’t make a change then, I would have easily been carrying an extra 100 pounds or more by now, plus having seriously compromised health. 

The early changes made likely did help my health status, but a confirmed diagnosis with an Ultrasound and MRI said I still had fatty liver. Other symptoms, sparked my family doctor at the time to request further tests for the same disease my mother had, Primary Biliary Cirrhosis.  Fatty Liver can become Non-Alcohol Fatty Liver Disease, which can also turn to Cirrhosis of the Liver. I believe another motivating factor was also seeing my Mother's health decline so slowly, but ever so drastically, from the very active whirlwind traveller, master of many trades, to total dependence on someone else and eventual 24/7 care in a long term facility. After caring for my mother for over a year at home, unfortunately her care was to great to continue the in-home care.

I WOULD LOVE FOR MY OWN HEALTH TO REMAIN VITAL AND VIBRANT, TO SEE MY GRANDCHILDREN GROW UP AND STILL BE ACTIVE WITH THEM. Also KNOWING THE STRESS OF CARING FOR AN incapacitated family member, I Do NOT WANT TO BECOME DEPENDANT ON OTHERS FOR MY CARE. I AM A FIERY IMPASSIONED WOMAN AND CREATOR WILLING, I WANT TO LIVE WELL IN MY NEXT 50 YEARS, SO I HAVE TO ALSO DO MY PART!

Being in the Holistic Nutrition program, was exactly where I needed to be as I learned there were many things that I could do to care for my liver. Our liver is a major detoxifier organ in our body and a healthy liver is needed for over 200+ functions in our body.  This new passion has helped my liver and my health overall.

The Haudenosaunee lifestyle was greatly impacted by colonialism. When previously employed at the Six Nations Birthing Centre, I sought out wisdom about pre-contact traditional food practices.  Knowing that we were once a very healthy strong people, I thought we must have known what to eat to sustain our health.  That knowledge is right there in our Ohen:ton Karihwatehkwen, (Thanksgiving address).  It acknowledges and gives thanks to all that helps sustain our life. We are told that the Creator provided everything we needed here on Earth to sustain us.   

Now that I have graduated as a Certified Nutritional Practitioner along with all my other previous teachings, I want to share the knowledge that has enlightened me. The “Life Sustainers” dream is being born.

In my recovery, I was greatly aware that natural health products and quality supplements were costly and being a sole support parent, it was not always affordable. However I was also painfully aware that if I didn't invest in my health, I was not going to attain the healthy vibrancy, I envisioned for myself and my children. Others, no doubt are in the same canoe! This is also what fuelled the dream, "Why have to run to town to buy these products when they could be available right on the rez, no taxes, save money!"

When I made the decision to leave work to care for my mother in 2011, I still needed to survive financially, I cashed in a good portion of the modest Social Work pension monies that I had accumulated. What remained is what I used to start the Life Sustainers dream. I purchased second hand shelving to get the dream off the ground.  I purchased products and converted a living space into a store. I quickly learned that a few thousand dollars does not buy much, so thank goodness for Peter and Paul - I had good credit! I have learned some pretty expensive mistakes but a dream envisioned it going to be realized.

A huge part of me wishes I had embarked on this holistic healing journey long ago, when my children were young so they could benefit. However, my journey was what it was. It eventually plunked me into my passion, my very own nutrition store allowing me to assist people to live healthy and naturally.

Part of my long term vision is to do well enough to be able to make financial contributions to language revitalization and the community's environment protection endeavours.