Live in the Now

Exercise Keeps Cells Clean

Live in the Now — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:56:14 +0000

We all know that exercise is good for us. People who exercise regularly generally look and feel better and have lower rates of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and osteoporosis. However, the cellular mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of exercise on health are not well understood. That’s what is so interesting about a new study that suggests that exercise helps to speed up the removal of “junk” from our cells, which keeps them functioning optimally.

Via The New York Times:

In the new research, which was published last month in Nature, scientists at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas gathered two groups of mice. One set was normal, with a finely tuned cellular scrubbing system. The other had been bred to have a blunted cleaning system.

It’s long been known that cells accumulate flotsam from the wear and tear of everyday living. Broken or misshapen proteins, shreds of cellular membranes, invasive viruses or bacteria, and worn-out, broken-down cellular components, like aged mitochondria, the tiny organelles within cells that produce energy, form a kind of trash heap inside the cell.

In most instances, cells diligently sweep away this debris. They even recycle it for fuel. Through a process with the expressive name of autophagy, or “self-eating,” cells create specialized membranes that engulf junk in the cell’s cytoplasm and carry it to a part of the cell known as the lysosome, where the trash is broken apart and then burned by the cell for energy.

Without this efficient system, cells could become choked with trash and malfunction or die. In recent years, some scientists have begun to suspect that faulty autophagy mechanisms contribute to the development of a range of diseases, including diabetes, muscular dystrophy, Alzheimer’s and cancer. The slowing of autophagy as we reach middle age is also believed to play a role in aging.

Most metabolism researchers think that the process evolved in response to the stress of starvation; cells would round up and consume superfluous bits of themselves to keep the rest of the cell alive. In petri dishes, the rate of autophagy increases when cells are starved or otherwise placed under physiological stress.

Exercise, of course, is physiological stress. But until recently, few researchers had thought to ask whether exercise might somehow affect the amount of autophagy within cells and, if so, whether that mattered to the body as a whole.

Read the full story.

Yerba Mate Tea Fights Colon Cancer

Live in the Now — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:28:39 +0000

A new study conducted at the University of Illinois shows that the compounds in yerba mate tea have the ability to essentially make colon cancer cells self-destruct. In addition to inducing cell death in colon cancer cells, the study also showed that yerba mate reduced important markers of inflammation, which is significant as inflammation can trigger the steps of cancer progression. Yerba mate has long been consumed in South America for its medicinal properties, and now this study is bringing them to light.

Via ScienceDaily:

Could preventing colon cancer be as simple as developing a taste for yerba mate tea? In a recent University of Illinois study, scientists showed that human colon cancer cells die when they are exposed to the approximate number of bioactive compounds present in one cup of this brew, which has long been consumed in South America for its medicinal properties.

“The caffeine derivatives in mate tea not only induced death in human colon cancer cells, they also reduced important markers of inflammation,” said Elvira de Mejia, a U of I associate professor of food chemistry and food toxicology.

That’s important because inflammation can trigger the steps of cancer progression, she said.

In the in vitro study, de Mejia and former graduate student Sirima Puangpraphant isolated, purified, and then treated human colon cancer cells with caffeoylquinic acid (CQA) derivatives from mate tea. As the scientists increased the CQA concentration, cancer cells died as a result of apoptosis.

“Put simply, the cancer cell self-destructs because its DNA has been damaged,” she said.

The ability to induce apoptosis, or cell death, is a promising tactic for therapeutic interventions in all types of cancer, she said.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids Lower Risk of Death by 85%

John Phillip — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:09:06 +0000

Many people make the potentially fatal presumption that aging, chronic diseases and premature aging are natural events that come with advancing years. A plethora of current research studies confirm that nothing could be farther from the truth.

In addition to supernutrients such as resveratrol, curcumin and vitamin D optimization, researchers publishing in Clinical Cardiology and the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and provide documented evidence that beneficial omega-3 fatty acids from dietary sources and supplementation slash the overall risk of an early death. The long-chain fats DHA and EPA elicit a profound effect on the heart and brain to ameliorate chronic diseases that bring an early demise to millions of unsuspecting individuals each year.

Live in the Now Partners with Voice for HOPE to Protect Health Freedom

Joshua Corn — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:03:48 +0000

I’m very excited to introduce you to an organization that we’ve partnered with to advance the cause of health freedom in the U.S. Voice for HOPE (Healers of Planet Earth) is a non-profit that was founded in 2010 by my good friend, health freedom attorney, Jim Turner and members of Citizens for Health (another health freedom-oriented organization we support). Voice for HOPE was created around the belief that the time has come for a group of conscious individuals to stand up for our universal right to make informed decisions about how we want to care for their health — without the government or big business interfering. Live in the Now is proud to support Voice for HOPE financially as a founding member.

As you know, access to natural healing modalities, including supplements, herbs and organic food, is under threat. The current political dialogue in the U.S. surrounding health care reform ignores the significant role that complementary, alternative and integrative health care modalities already play in the lives of millions of American. As the recently passed “health care reforms” go through the next several years of refinement, Voice for HOPE is working to ensure that the potential value of natural healing approaches is recognized.

Voice for HOPE is calling on policy makers to pay attention to the value of natural healing modalities and approaches, and integrate them into health policy at every level, rather than dismissing, rejecting or over-regulating them. Including natural health approaches in national, state and local health care policy could significantly improve outcomes and reduce the costs associated with health care, and this presents opportunities that our country can no longer afford to ignore.

This week, I, along with members of the Live in the Now staff, will join members of Voice for HOPE on Capitol Hill for several days of events aimed at organizing and communicating with elected representatives and Members of Congress who are involved in the health care reform debate. I hope that our voices will be heard and that we will achieve measurable success. I will be reporting back to you about this experience and any progress we were able to make.

If you’d like to learn more about Voice for HOPE and how you can get involved, I encourage you to visit their website where you can read more about their mission and unique approach to influencing health care policy.

How to Achieve True Healing

Charmaine Saunders — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 23:31:07 +0000

In talking about healing, we need to address the obvious question: What has wounded us in the first place? Every human being has emotional damage from childhood, disillusionment from relationships and the inescapable pain of being here on the planet in a physical form which belies our spiritual reality. In other words, just being born and living involves a loss of innocence and an adjustment of expectations.

By the time a child leaves school and then later, home, it has learned to accommodate an adult world view which mainly consists of rules, conventions and disguise. The perfect inner child is subdued, in hiding, lost. Why else do we reach for drugs (of all kinds), consume too much alcohol, “sweat the small stuff,” develop illness, eat for comfort, and even, sometimes, drive ourselves into premature death ?

It sounds pretty grim but not if we make the choice of health over sickness, joy over struggle, honesty over pretense and life over existence. And that’s where healing comes in.

There are many forms of healing, primarily emotional, psychological, physical and spiritual. Let’s look at each in turn.

Emotional healing

The best form of emotional healing comes through forgiveness, whether in spirit or in fact. Whatever has been done to us, or not done for us, letting go is a powerful weapon in the fight against bitterness, anger and cynicism. Acceptance is where it all begins – acceptance of our own imperfections and therefore others’; letting go of judgement, stereotyping and prejudices; allowing ourselves to be who we truly are. We are empowered by surrendering the easy option of hating and lusting for revenge. Whether we feel wounded by our own personal history or by world events, especially in recent times, we need to find a peaceful sanctuary in the confines of our own hearts in order for any healing to take place.

Recognizing that emotion is just energy and therefore, should be freely expressed, is also very liberating. Society teaches that some emotions are desirable like love, joy and caring whilst others are unpalatable like jealousy, fear and sadness. By dividing our feelings into “good” and “bad,” we split the very essence of our deepest selves. It’s like rejecting parts we don’t like and treating them as shameful instead of embracing ourselves wholly in a celebration of humanness.

Some experts say that all emotions can be classified under the two broad umbrellas of love and fear. A student of mine suggested that this actually means love and the lack of love. This is a distinction I can accept. Once we accept all of our feelings as good and heal ourselves through love, when we love ourselves and others unconditionally and spiritually, there can be no fear present. Love and fear cannot live together in the human heart. We become emotionally healthy when we accept our shadow selves as much as our positive side, letting these two exist side by side, and once we allow our feelings to flow without judgement or self-censure. In time, fear and other “negative” emotions will be diminished. By acceptance, we take away power from the dark parts of ourselves we’re most afraid of.

Psychological healing

This form of healing is necessary where the wounding is very deep and has been covered over by lack of awareness and layers of denial and avoidance. Once recognition of these defense mechanisms occurs, healing can take place. It might still be a long and painful road but it has begun. Once a person walks in for counseling, for instance, they have already moved out of denial and into the beginnings of self-acceptance which includes failings, weaknesses and outdated beliefs. When we can say without fear, “I don’t have any answers,” we are on our way to the recovery of that precious loss – our true selves.

Psychological healing doesn’t only happen through counseling but can take the form of meditation, bodywork, spiritual practices, tai chi, yoga, relaxation therapy, massage, study, reading and writing, just to name a few.

The only requirement is desire, then a “how-to” and then a follow-through. It sounds simple but it could take a long time to unravel the mysteries of the past and heal the pain of our experiences. Those who choose to go all the way will find, at the end of the journey, the joy of a life lived in completeness, where true freedom is ever-present and fear is a distant memory.

Physical healing

Disease is as much a product of the mind as the body; therefore, we must seek the origins of our sickness in our attitudes, beliefs and past experiences. If we are not physically healthy, we can often seek healing in these places. The mind is utterly powerful and sometimes, getting well is as much a matter of will as it is of treatment. Prevention is the key and this happens when we take responsibility for our own health and are proactive in safeguarding it. Balance is an essential ingredient in the mix – we need to look at our patterns of living, our diet, levels of exercise, quality of sleep and recreation. Lifestyle is what determines our health or lack of it. Sometimes, just a modest adjustment can make a huge difference.

Managing stress is essential as too much stress can kill. If you don’t die from it, your quality of life will be nevertheless significantly reduced. Everyone has stress; only the degree varies, and how it’s handled. It’s not a 21st century invention but the complexity and insecurity of life in modern times is a heavy contributor to the increase in stress levels and stress-related illness. So, a cautionary concern for well-being is vital – not addiction to exercise or paranoid obsession with fitness but an overall caring for one’s physical health.

Spiritual healing

Spiritual nourishment comes from within but can be enhanced by a variety of outside activities and pursuits. We grow spiritually from music, poetry, art, nature, children, animals, play, religion, esoteric interests, laughter, self-expression and so on. How does one gauge spiritual ill-health? A perplexing question, indeed. We know when we’re physically ill, we know when we’re unhappy or depressed and we can usually tell if we have a persistent psychological disorder but spiritual death is often unrecognized and therefore, ignored. The consequences are just as dire and probably far more subtle, their effects only evident after prolonged neglect.

Look for secondary symptoms such as malaise, feelings of futility, nihilism, a sense of hopelessness, powerlessness, joylessness, extreme negativity. Getting in touch with your spiritual center may be what’s needed to combat these and it may be as simple as sitting in silence for short periods to still the chaotic mind and stem the tides of panic and fear.

Spirituality is part of the life-force as is creativity, joy and sexuality. Therefore, it’s as natural as breathing. It’s not something we need to learn or manufacture.

Healing is a composite of all the above. Try to recognize what you need every day of your life and supply those needs to yourself. Don’t let them pile up and accumulate like dirty laundry. To heal yourself is not to fix yourself as you are perfectly perfect and need no repairs. When you accept yourself in all your variety, polarities and wonderful imperfection, healing will come easily and as surely as the day follows the night.

Charmaine is a therapist, columnist, motivational speaker, lecturer, media commentator and author of 6 self-help books, including her latest, Winning Relationships. She specializes in the areas of personal development, relationships, wellness, sexuality and positive life and she writes Q & A advice columns, blogs, books and feature articles that deal with the above topics. Her website is at www.charmainesaunders.com

Recipe Round-Up: 5 Healthy Super Bowl Party Dips (Plus a Great Chip Alternative)

Casie Terry — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:37:20 +0000

The average American stands to consume up to 2,769 calories this Super Bowl Sunday. Intimidated by that number, we scoured some of our favorite food blogs and found some delicious nutrient-dense alternatives to the standard high-calorie “chips and dips.”

5-Layer Greek Dip from TheLovelyCupboard.com

Avocado and Corn Salsa from ForTheLoveofCooking.net

White Bean Dip from Health.com

Sweet Potato Hummus with Cumin Flat Bread from spoonforkbacon.com

Spinach Salsa Verde from Pure2Raw.com

Cabbage Chips from vkreesphotography.com

How to Use Honey as Medicine

Bryan Aldeghi — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:38:47 +0000

The verdict is in! Honey-a-day keeps the doctor away. While this might sound like the old wives tale of an apple a day (which helps with digestion and elimination), honey acts in numerous ways to support your immune system. With winter upon us, colds occur surprisingly frequently. My previous article illustrated how honey can be used in-lieu of a daily multivitamin. Now let’s talk about how it can be used to fight sickness, eliminate disease and slow aging.

Honey is unique in the food world: it is the only natural food substance that will never spoil or go bad. Really. Archeologists have discovered honey locked away in Pharaoh’s tombs that is still perfectly edible. This realization led to research that revealed the antibiotic properties inherent in honey. The natural floral substances locked within honey act together to prevent the growth of bacteria. When ingested, honey can work to rid our bodies of bad bacteria. For instance, an upset stomach can often be soothed by taking a spoon of honey. Not only does the honey help coat the stomach, but it eliminates the bacteria that is causing upset.

In the realm of antibiotic properties, not all honey’s are equal. The darker the honey is, the higher its antibiotic properties are. Poplar and buckwheat are good choices available locally in the US. For even more power, look for Manuka honey. Typically only available online or through mail order, Manuka honey is the heavyweight champion. Derived from the Maunka bush in Australia, the germ-fighting capabilities of this honey is off the chart. Ingesting it will clear up infection both inside and out. Australian nationals often use Manuka Honey instead of antibiotics. Here in the states, that is not quite as common. However, if you are sick, getting sick, or can’t stop being sick, try some Manuka. A tablespoon twice a day will put you miles towards feeling better.

Over the past few years, the media has focused more and more attention on the scourge of cancer. One of the definitive things scientists have discovered, is that the presence of free-radicals in the body, dramatically increases the risk of cancer. In addition, they make people age faster, and have shorter life spans. Honey contains floral flavonoids that actually counteract free-radical activity. Floral flavonoids (bioflavonoids) are more commonly known as antioxidants. Honey contains powerful antioxidants that have the ability to continuously exert pressure on those free-radicals.

It is easy to dismiss this article as sounding like an infomercial. It’s not. The power of honey in the health world has been lost over the past century or two. Natural health has in many ways become unnatural health. Honey is a reversion to using things that your body can naturally absorb and ingest. While honey might not be able to reverse the effects of cancer alone, it can certainly work towards preventing it. Take your daily dose of honey, and your health with thank you for it.

Bryan Aldeghi, CLSC, is a College Transition Coach with the Integrated Pathways Center for Personal Growth. The transition from high school into college and from college into the working world is a challenging time for students, parents and families. By working with the dynamic Integrated Pathways team, Bryan helps clients ease the journey, through enhanced communication, goal completion, and increased self-awareness. Other team members focus on managing stress through Yoga, Yoga Therapy, Massage, and Bodywork. A local beekeeper, Bryan is a graduate of Vassar College and is currently working on his Masters of Mental Health Counseling at Walden University. To learn more, contact Bryan directly at BAldeghi@IntegratedPathways.net or visit www.IntegratedPathways.net.

Study Links Chemicals Used in Non-Stick Coatings to Weak Immunity in Children

Live in the Now — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 23:58:29 +0000

A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that children’s immune systems aren’t developing optimally due to exposure to perfluorinted compounds (PFCs), which are chemicals found in non-stick coatings, stain-resistant fabrics and some food packaging.

More specifically, the concern exists in relation to the vaccines these children are receiving, and if PFCs are making children more susceptible to infectious disease.

Via NPR:

For decades now, PFCs have been used in nonstick coatings, stain-resistant fabrics and some food packaging. And because they persist in the environment for years, they have become common around the globe.

“You can find them in polar bears,” says Dr. Philippe Grandjean, the study’s lead author who works at both Harvard and the University of Southern Denmark.

Studies in animals have shown that PFCs can weaken the immune system.

Grandjean wanted to know whether this was happening in children. So he led a team that studied nearly 600 kids in the Faroe Islands, which lie about halfway between Scotland and Iceland.

The Faroese have levels of PFCs similar to those of U.S. residents. Grandjean figured if the chemicals were having an effect, it would show up in the way kids’ bodies responded to vaccinations.

Normally, a vaccine causes the production of lots of antibodies to a specific germ. But Grandjean says the response to tetanus and diphtheria vaccines was much weaker in 5-year-olds whose blood contained relatively high levels of PFCs.

“We found that the higher the exposure, the less capable the kids were in terms of responding appropriately to the vaccine,” Grandjean says. The results raise the possibility that “the immune system is not really developing optimally.”

The health effects of PFCs are still poorly understood. But in the past decade, government scientists have become increasingly concerned about possible links to developmental problems in children.

As a result, the Environmental Protection Agency has taken steps that have resulted in some PFCs being phased out.

These chemicals aren’t as frightening as some found in the environment, says Dr, Alan Ducatman from West Virginia University, which has been part of a large study of a PFC known as C8. “But they are clearly problematic,” he says, adding that the C8 study also found some evidence of an effect on the immune system.

Get the full story from NPR.

Looking for a brand you can trust? We proudly recommend Xtrema non-toxic non-stick cookware. You can read more about them here.

How to Be a Healthy Vegan

Live in the Now — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:29:09 +0000

Making the decision to go vegan or vegetarian can be a much bigger challenge than you might think. If done incorrectly, a vegan diet can lead to serious nutritional deficiencies, such as low B12, low iron and/or protein deficiencies. When one engages in a vegan diet that is well thought out however, the benefits can be great.

One Green Planet recently published an excellent easy-to-follow guide to ensuring that your micronutrient needs are met while on a vegan diet.

Via One Green Planet:

1. Eat legumes. They’re packed with protein, with the bonus of a big dose of fiber. (No protein-rich animal food can claim that!). Choose three servings of these foods — which include cooked beans, peas, lentils, tofu, tempeh, soymilk, veggie meats, peanuts and peanut butter — every day. Keep it simple if you don’t have time to soak and cook beans (or if you don’t like beans that much). Meals that include a serving of legumes include a PB&J sandwich; baked potato topped with homemade tofu sour cream; hummus wrap; instant cup of lentil soup; veggie burger; or cereal with soymilk.

2. Pile your plate with fruits and veggies, and vary your choices. Vegans are ahead of the game here, since they tend to eat more of these foods than omnivores. Variety is important, though, because different fruits and vegetables have different benefits. Those that are high in vitamin C (citrus fruits, strawberries, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, peppers, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts) will give iron absorption a big boost, so try to include one of these foods at every meal. Some leafy greens like spinach and Swiss chard are among the world’s best sources of potassium, which is good for your bones and blood pressure. Other green leafies — collards and kale — are packed with calcium. And, of course, all of those deep orange vegetables like squash and carrots are important for vitamin A.

3. Get enough calcium. It’s not the end-all and be-all of bone health, but calcium does matter and it’s an area where some vegans fall short. Best sources for vegans are fortified juices and plant milks, calcium-set tofu, kale and collards. But you can get smaller amounts of calcium from figs, oranges, broccoli, and cabbage, too.

4. Choose whole grains. Every single bite of grain you eat doesn’t have to be unprocessed. If you enjoy crusty French bread with soups and salads, or regular pasta in your lasagna, that’s fine. Vegans get plenty of fiber after all. But whole grains have other benefits and nutrients besides fiber, so aim for the unrefined choices most of the time.

5. Be smart about fats. Limiting fatty foods is good, but avoiding them completely isn’t. Some high fat foods like nuts and seeds contribute important nutrients to vegan diets. Nuts are also linked to lower heart disease risk and are helpful in the control of diabetes. Added fats are okay, too, when used in small amounts to enhance texture and flavor of foods. Meals that are swimming in fat aren’t such a good idea, but a drizzle of olive or organic canola oil on salads and roasted vegetables is absolutely fine in the context of a healthy vegan diet. Be sure to include small amounts of ground flaxseed, chia seeds, or walnuts to meet needs for the essential fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid.

Visit One Green Planet for the full list.

Do McDonald’s New “Farm-to-Fork” Ads Make You Want to Chow Down?

Live in the Now — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:50:43 +0000

Have you seen McDonald’s new advertising campaign trying to tell the “farm to fork” story behind their food? Have any of the ads made you see McDonald’s in a new light? Well, in case you fell for it…

Via Grist:

They are far from a “farm to fork” or “farm to finger” story. Once harvested, the potatoes go to one of McDonald’s French fry suppliers (i.e. McCain Foods, J.R. Simplot, or Lamb Weston), where they are washed, peeled, cut, blanched, deep fried, and dipped in sugar.

The ingredient list for the fries paints more of a “farm-to-lab” picture than anything else:

Potatoes, vegetable oil (canola oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, natural beef flavor [wheat and milk derivatives]*, citric acid [preservative]), dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate (maintain color), salt. Prepared in vegetable oil (Canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil with TBHQ and citric acid added to preserve freshness). Dimethylpolysiloxane added as an antifoaming agent.

Read more at Grist and check out McDonald’s new PR spin on their highly processed food.

New Study: Multivitamins May Boost Fertility

Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D. — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:13:16 +0000

Many studies show that infertility is a rising worldwide epidemic. But there’s good scientific news too. Many studies show the epidemic can be treated naturally with nutrition.

Researchers in the UK studied 56 “subfertile” women who were undergoing ovulation induction using standard medical treatments. The women who added “multiple micronutrient supplementation” to their regimen had more than double the pregnancy rate of women who didn’t — 60% compared to 25%. On average, the women on supplements also got pregnant faster, requiring fewer induction attempts.

“The beneficial effects of multiple micronutrient supplements may have been meditated not only through the presence of multiple vitamins and minerals but through antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, N-acetylcysteine, insulin sensitization with inositol and improvement of blood flow in the pelvic organs with the presence of l-arginine,” wrote the researchers.

“Multiple micronutrient supplementation is a cost-effective remedy that is well tolerated with no adverse effects.”

To find out more about non-drug treatments for infertility, see Effective Natural Treatment for Infertility.

Reference

“Prospective randomized trial of multiple micronutrients in subfertile women undergoing ovulation induction: a pilot study.” Agrawal R, Burt E, et al. Reproductive Biomedicine Online, 2012 Jan;24(1):54-60. Epub 2011 Oct 14.

10 Natural Health Books That Could Change Your Life

Mina Shahriary — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:47:44 +0000

I began my journey as a student of natural health at the age of 11, when I decided that I wanted to be a vegetarian. To be honest, I’m not sure I knew what my motives in this decision were, aside from a general feeling that I did not want to eat meat. My mother’s concern about the potential nutritional deficiencies associated with vegetarianism sent me on a quest to prove to her — and later to the many other skeptical friends, relatives, classmates and strangers who would question the validity of this dietary choice — that one could survive, and yes, even thrive, without consuming meat.

So I began reading everything I could get my hands on that might help me justify my choice, and thus began my study of nutrition and “alternative” diets. I got a job in a health food store when I was teenager and met lots of interesting people who introduced me to the larger world of natural health and alternative medicine. One, a customer who had intrigued me with his explanation of why he chose to eat a raw food diet, recommended that I check out the work of Dr. Gabriel Cousens.

I read Dr. Cousens’s book, Spiritual Nutrition, which quickly blew my mind and served as my introduction to the general idea that what we eat — and how we live in relation to other people and the natural world — influences not only our physical health, but also our spiritual development and the conscious evolution of the entire human race. Whoa.

Well naturally, I didn’t stop there. I knew I had just begun to scratch the surface. Here is a list of 10 books I’ve read (in the order I read them) that I have found to be wildly transformational. They have blown my mind, shaped my beliefs and changed my life for the better. Some of them would not usually be classified as “natural health” books, but since that has been my general frame of reference, I’ve included them here. There are many others I could have included as well. Tell me what’s on your list in the comments below!

1. Spiritual Nutrition: Six Foundations for Spiritual Life and the Awakening of Kundalini by Gabriel Cousens

2. The Sunfood Diet Success System by David Wolfe

3. Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom: Creating Physical and Emotional Health and Healing by Dr. Christiane Northrup

4. Stop Aging Now!: The Ultimate Plan for Staying Young and Reversing the Aging Process by Jean Carper

5. A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle

6. You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay

7. The Body Ecology Diet: Recovering Your Health and Rebuilding Your Immunity by Donna Gates and Linda Schatz

8. Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig

9. Earthing: The Most Important Health Discovery Ever? by Clint Ober, Stephen T. Sinatra and Martin Zucker

10. Anatomy of the Spirit: The Seven Stages of Power and Healing by Carolyn Myss

What books are on your list? Please share them in the comments below!

Concerned About Air Pollution? Don’t Stay Indoors!

Live in the Now — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:27:09 +0000

New research published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology states that the air we breathe while indoors is actually more detrimental to our health than the pollution outside. There are so many chemicals used in the manufacturing process of all sorts of indoors items from carpets to stain-resistant couches, and these chemicals are showing up in our blood. The highest levels of chemicals are inside new buildings.

Via Scientific American:

You need to get out more. Whether it’s smog or tiny particles of pollution, Americans face the bulk of their health risks from bad air inside. Why? We spend most of our time indoors.

Now researchers have found chemicals from indoor air someplace we might not want it: our blood. The research is in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.

A variety of the chemicals used to make everything from carpets to couches resist stains showed up in the serum of 31 Boston office workers. The researchers found the highest levels of these chemicals in the air inside new buildings and, subsequently, in the blood of those who worked there. The office workers even had traces in their blood of one of these compounds withdrawn from use roughly a decade ago.

Recipe: Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake (Vegan and Gluten-Free)

Lori and Michelle — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:05:02 +0000

Ever wanted to make your own chocolate chip cookie cake? If so you will love this recipe. This cake is super easy to make and a crowd-pleaser. We made this cake gluten-free, but can be made with any flours you prefer to bake with.

A think, dense cake that you will be coming back for seconds. Plus this recipe has a 3-ingredient coconut frosting!!!

Cookie Cake Recipe:

Prep time: 10 minutes
Bake time: About 20 minutes
Makes one 8 or 9 inch circle cake (we did ours in a springform pan so easy to take out)

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cup gluten free flour blend (or any flour blend of your liking gluten free or not)
• 1/4 cup coconut flour (or could do almond meal or more flour)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 tablespoons flax meal with 6 tablespoons water (makes 2 flax gels)
• 2 tablespoons agave nectar or maple syrup (or even honey would be fine)
• 1/4 cup sucanat sugar (or coconut sugar or xylitol)
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (or applesauce, yogurt, sweet potato puree)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (we use Enjoy Life chocolate chips)

Directions:

First make your flax gel before getting other ingredients. Place your 2 tablespoons flax meal into a bowl along with 6 tablespoons water. Let sit for 10 minutes. Preheat your oven at 350 degrees.

While the flax gel is in the works grab another bowl to place all your other wet ingredients into, from you agave, coconut oil, and pumpkin puree. Stir till combined.

Next add in your flax gel and stir.

And then add in your gluten free flour, coconut flour and baking soda and chocolate chips. Stir till combined.

It is a really thick cookie dough cake batter.

Bake in a 8 or 9 inch circle pan in a 350 degree oven for about 20 mins.

3-Ingredient Coconut Frosting:

• 1-2 tbsp coconut milk
• 3-4 tbsp agave or maple syrup
• About 1/4 warm coconut butter

Scoop out some coconut butter into a bowl and soften in the microwave. Then mix in agave and coconut milk to taste and texture. So have fun with it! May use any frosting of your liking on this cookie cake.

Enjoy!

For more pictures, please check out our blog: http://www.pure2raw.com/2012/01/chocolate-chip-cookie-cake-recipe/

Lori and Michelle are twin sisters, entrepreneurs (own an online bakery), and write the gluten-free healthy living fitness blog, Pure2Raw. The twins share their passion of eating healthy, staying active, and creating innovative, delicious recipes. Lori and Michelle have a big sweet tooth, and love making desserts that are super yummy that are made from wholesome ingredients. The twins try to show being healthy can be fun and a little sweet!

4 Disturbing Tactics Big Pharma Uses to Push Its Drugs

Live in the Now — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:26:32 +0000

Around 1999, the pharmaceutical industry adopted a new strategy in its advertising efforts: direct-to-consumer advertising, which involves selling drugs — and the diseases they’re designed to treat — directly to consumers. Unfortunately, Big Pharma’s efforts seem to be paying off. Drug companies certainly wouldn’t spend over $4 billion a year on direct-to-consumer ads if it wasn’t worth it.

As Martha Rosenberg writes in a recent article that appeared on AlterNet, there are four particularly offensive ways that Big Pharma pushes its drugs on consumers:

1. Convincing people they are sicker than they are

2. Convincing people that their kids are sick

3. Mimicking the marketing principles of more common products like beer or toothpaste

4. Extensive animal testing (although you won’t see this flaunted in ads nowadays)

Via AlterNet:

It’s no secret that advertising works. Big Pharma wouldn’t spend over $4 billion a year on direct-to-consumer advertising if it didn’t mean massive profits.

What is more unknown is why drug ads that sow hypochondria, raise health fears and “sell” diseases are often the most common–and effective–even when the drugs themselves are of questionable safety.

The nation’s fourth most frequent drug ads in 2009 for were Cymbalta, making Eli Lilly $3.1 billion in one year, despite the antidepressant’s links to liver problems and suicide. Pfizer spent $157 million advertising Lyrica for fibromyalgia in 2009, despite the seizure pill’s links to life-threatening allergic reactions. The same year, it spent $107 million advertising the antidepressant Pristiq, even though it also had links to liver problems.

So, how does Pharma dupe us into using unsafe drugs? Today’s drug ads, targeted directly to consumers since 1999, seem like they sell diseases and often cast women, children, the elderly and mentally ill in a bad light. But a quick look at ads before direct-to-consumer advertising (DTC) in medical journals shows that drug ads have always done so. It’s just that patients didn’t used to see them.

Winter Time Is Sun Time

Bryan Aldeghi — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:38:25 +0000

Winter is a season dreaded by many. From the snow to the freezing cold to the ongoing sicknesses, winter brings numerous things to dislike. For many, it is a period of depressed mood and activity level brought on by the reduced amount of sunlight.

The effects of winter have become so pronounced over the past decade that psychotherapists have created a new disorder: Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Whether somebody qualifies for that diagnosis or not, it is common to be sadder and less energized in the winter. When humans were hunter-gathers, this was a good evolutionary adaptation as it conserved energy. Nowadays, we want to be happy and active all year round. Pay attention to getting a case of the “winter blues.” If you notice that you are less active, less happy, sleep more, eat more and miss those summer days, stop what you are doing and go outside.

No really, going outside into the bracing chill can actually help reduce those feelings. The ever-present sun bathes this world in its rays and controls the seasons. At the same time, it is one of the healthiest remedies available. Best of all? It’s free and easy to use. While standing in the sun’s rays, try to expose as much skin as possible. There is no need to go out in a bathing suit (unless it gets really warm), but consider taking off the winter hat, gloves and coat. Let the warmth touch your skin. Breathe in and out and enjoy the feeling. Even if it is only for a few minutes, the time is well spent.

New Study: Zinc Boosts Brain Power

John Phillip — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:26:38 +0000

Zinc is an essential mineral known to improve skin tone, aid wound healing, fight cancer and shorten the length of the common cold. Researchers publishing in the journal Neuron now identify the crucial role this supernutrient plays in support of memory formation and cognitive stability. Additionally, they have found that zinc may also play a part in controlling the devastating occurrence of epileptic seizures.

For the first time, scientists have been able to watch zinc in action as the nutrient regulates communications between neurons and the hippocampus to improve memory and learning capabilities. Ensuring proper intake of zinc is an important step toward optimal brain function and may prevent cognitive decline as we age.

Zinc-Deprived Diet Results in Cognitive Decline and Memory Issues

Researchers at Duke University Medical Center and chemists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology collaborated to study the effects of zinc on brain function. Scientists experimenting with mice used a chemical that binds with zinc to eliminate it from the brain of the test animals. They found that in the absence of the mineral, communications between neurons was significantly diminished and that zinc is vital for controlling the efficiency between nerve cells in the hippocampus.

For more than a half century, scientists have understood that high concentrations of zinc are deposited within nerve cells, called vesicles that package the transmitters which enable nerve cells to communicate. The highest concentrations of brain zinc are found among the neurons of the hippocampus that control the high functions of learning and memory.

I Quit My Addiction to Sitting Down — and You Can Too!

Joshua Corn — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 16:34:37 +0000

As I write this article, I’m working at my “stand-up” desk. It’s nothing fancy and wasn’t expensive. I just placed cinder blocks under the legs of my regular desk – a total investment of $10. It’s been over a year now of standing – all day, every day at work – and I’ve never felt better. Now that I’m entering a second year of standing up at work, I’m quite certain that I’ll never go back to those dark days of sitting for 10+ hours a day.

Why would I choose to be on my feet all day? Simply put, it’s saving my life. I’ve written several times in the past about my personal battles against chronic muscle, knee and back pain. In my early years, I relied too much on doctors and traditional treatments to fix my problems – as if someone else was responsible for my personal health. It was only when I took matters into my own hands that I started to experience meaningful and lasting results.

Since I started working a desk job at the age of 22, I’ve hated sitting in a chair all day. It made my back ache, my muscles sore, my neck stiff and by the end of the day, I just felt exhausted. At first I thought my discomfort was all just a normal part of the long work day. However, it didn’t take long for me to realize that sitting down all day was to blame for my physical discomfort. In addition to articles I read on the detrimental effects of sitting at a desk all day, the biggest clue to me was that I generally felt great on the weekends when I was very active and on my feet most of the day. It had nothing to do with how hard I worked — it was how I worked.

Yet for years I just accepted the pain and discomfort. That’s not to say I didn’t try to mitigate the negative effects of sitting down. I experimented with several different types of ergonomic chairs. I even sat on one of those inflatable exercise balls for a while. I purchased back massagers that attach to your chair and different types of keyboards and monitors designed to improve posture. Nothing really helped, however none of my attempts were all that radical. After all, I was still sitting down all day.

Then one day I read an article in the Washington Post about how 10% of AOL’s workforce was using stand-up desks. That got me thinking. I’d heard about stand-up desks before, but I needed to learn more. As I kept researching, I was amazed at what I found:

A 14-year study by the American Cancer Society found that the death rate for men who spent six or more hours a day sitting was 18% higher than that of men who sat for three hours a day or less. For women, the risk was more than 37%!

A 13-year study in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that those who sit for most of the day were 54% more likely to die of a heart attack.

A Yale University study showed that people who sit for more than half a day at work have a 60-70% greater risk of slipping a disk than more active co-workers.

The conclusions of various other studies show that people who sit for long periods of time have higher rates of cancer, diabetes, obesity and heart disease.

Standing up for long periods of time has been found to engage leg, back and abdominal muscles, boost metabolism, improve posture and help to burn more calories.

After concluding my research, there was no question that I was going to give standing up at work a try. That’s when I invested in my $10 cinder blocks. That was January of 2011, and I’ve never looked back. That’s right, I’ve probably spent about 300 work days standing up all day, and like I said earlier, I’ve never felt better. No back, neck or muscle pains. My knees are perfect. I feel energized at the end of the day, and I’ve lost weight.

The desk I put my cinder blocks under is nothing fancy – a $200 desk from Ikea. However, I did benefit from the fact that it has adjustable legs so I was able to fine tune the height. I should note that in addition to the cinder blocks, I also eventually invested in a $100 gel pad that I stand on, which reduces impact and fatigue. And I also bought a stool to use as a backup. I’d say I spend about 10 minutes (a few minutes at a time) of each hour resting on the stool.

It’s easy to get started. I’d suggest putting something under your desk to raise it – enough so that your hands rest comfortably on the top when your arms are bent at a 90-degree angle. You can use cinder blocks, milk crates, phone books, anything.

Then if you like it, you can move to something more permanent. I found one website that provides detailed instructions for how to attach your desk to a wall at the height that’s best for you. A company called Geek Desk sells motorized desks that allow you to easily switch between sitting down and standing up, and Amazon.com also has an excellent selection.

If you hate sitting down all day, or just have aches and pains you wish weren’t there, why not give it a try? If you think that sitting down at work is just an unavoidable part of life, consider this. Given how long humans have walked the earth, the concept of sitting all day at desk job is a relatively new – maybe 50 to 75 years old depending on how you look at it. So being crouched in a chair all day is an incredibly new adjustment for our anatomy.

If you have any questions, or things to add to this article, I’d love to hear from you below. Otherwise, good luck “standing up” for your right to feel better and be healthier.

Sources:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/magazine/mag-17sitting-t.html

http://mashable.com/2011/04/22/standup-desks/

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/23/stand-up-while-you-read-this/

http://www.anh-usa.org/too-much-sitting-killing-us/

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904199404576541011003270644.html

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20577058

The Forgotten Benefits of Bitters and How Urban Moonshine Is Bringing Them Back

Casie Terry — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:56:30 +0000

Did you know that bitters were first created by a physician for the purpose of curing sea sickness and stomach disorders? Some are surprised to learn it was formulated to be medicinal since nowadays, bitters are more commonly known as a key ingredient in many tasty libations.

Common bitters ingredients include a blend of soothing herbs, such as cascarilla, cassia, gentian and orange peel as well as quinine, an ingredient historically used as an anti-inflammatory, antimalarial, fever-reducing and painkilling agent. While the ingredients may include a myriad of medicinal and good-tasting herbs, the purpose behind bitters has gotten somewhat lost over the last 188 years.

When Jovial King, an expert herbalist and founder of Urban Moonshine, began studying herbal medicine, she didn’t anticipate developing such a passion for bitters and tonics specifically. But one common theme she noticed underlying the teachings of her many mentors was that good digestion is critical to good health — and that consuming herbal bitters is a stellar way to ensure healthy digestion.

Despite having such a heavy emphasis on medicinal herbal ingredients, many popular brands of bitters are made without much consideration given to the origin, freshness and potency of the herbs used to make it. This is what inspired Jovial to launch Urban Moonshine, a family-owned business in Vermont for which she formulates the nation’s only certified organic bitters and health tonics. (Note: For a limited time, Urban Moonshine is offering Live in the Now readers 20% off at UrbanMoonshine.com! Just use code: BitterSANtonic.)

Her focus for Urban Moonshine is two-fold: to formulate bitters using premium, organically grown ingredients that best support health and to make them delicious. As we posted on our Facebook page after trying them, we feel she’s been successful on both accounts!

There are three flavors to choose from: Original, Citrus and Maple. Jovial also recently introduced Chocolate Love Tonic, an herbal aphrodisiac made with raw organic fair trade cacao and herbs that is quite delicious.

Urban Moonshine offers the bitters in 3 sizes. You can obtain the greatest benefits from taking them as directed (before or after meals), so many people enjoy keeping the large bottle size at home for this purpose (or for delicious cocktails, of course) and using the dropper or spray for travel and dining out. Jovial recommends taking them undiluted and on the tongue for best results.

So what can you expect from taking them? Research indicates that bitters can:

Help relieve indigestion and soothe nausea
Balance hydrochloric acid and encourage bile production for improved digestion
Stimulate your body’s own production of digestive juices and enzymes
Create a clean burning digestive system to improve sluggish and inefficient digestion
Serve as a natural source of prebiotic inulin for healthy gut flora

We’re excited to include Urban Moonshine in the Live in the Now Natural Product Guide, and for a limited time, you can receive 20% off your entire order at UrbanMoonshine.com! Just use code: BitterSANtonic

Here’s an excellent video about Jovial and Urban Moonshine that gives you an inside look to their operation and passion for organic bitters.

Want to learn even more about the health benefits of bitters and tonics and be informed about online lectures? Sign up for the Urban Moonshine mailing list!

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Is Your Toothpaste Putting You at Risk for a Heart Attack?

Live in the Now — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:59:48 +0000

A new study indicates that fluoride exposure may be a factor in the current epidemic of cardiovascular disease. The study shows a strong correlation between coronary fluoride uptake value and calcification in the arterial walls in patients with cardiovascular disease.

Via GreenMedInfo.com:

It is already well-known that vascular calcification is highly correlated with cardiovascular disease mortality. The hardening of the arteries associated with atherosclerosis is in part due to the calcification of plaque which subsequently becomes brittle and susceptible to breaking off into an artery-obstructing clot.

Even taking elemental calcium supplements (sourced from limestone, bone meal or oyster shell), at doses as low* as 500 mg a day, was shown in two meta-analyses last year to increase the risk of heart attack by up to 27%.

What is novel about this new study is that it indicates how cardiovascular calcification may be occurring. Beyond the excessive consumption of inorganic calcium, fluoride may be an essential factor in mediating calcium’s contribution to enhanced cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Fluoride exposure is now ubiquitous, thanks to the fluoridation of public drinking water, medications like Prozac (fluoxetine), non-stick cookware, to name but a few common routes of exposure.

Fluoride-induced calcification is not a new finding. Back in 2001, autopsies on cadavers revealed that fluoride accumulation in the pineal gland is associated with enhanced calcification of that endocrine organ.

Read the full story at GreenMedInfo.com.