Natural Healing Natural Wellness -Winter 2014

W I N T E R

2014

NATURAL Healing

NATURALWellness Dedicated to Your Well-Being

TAK E

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From the Makers of the Topricin速 Family of Healing Pain Relief Products

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NATURAL Healing

NATURAL Wellness

WINTER 2014

CONTENTS DailyOm: Giving the Gift of You Pg. 3

THE NATURAL MEDICINE WOMAN: The Healing Power of Gratitude Pg. 4

OPTIONS FOR LIFE: Change

Your Mind-Change Your Health Pg. 5

DREAMWORKS: Dreams & Active Imagination Pg. 7

HEALTH ON POINT:

WHEN THE SNOW FLIES: Playing it Safe Pg.

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Introduction to Tongue Observation Pg. 10

5 HOMEGROWN TIPS: For

Soothing a Winter Bug Pg. 17

REFLEXOLOGY:

Therapeutic Foot Reflexology Can Help You Get Through Your Cancer Treatments Pg. 12

THE QUICKIE CHICK: 8

Ways to Avoid Sick Season (or Get Over it Faster) Pg. 16

HEALING INNOVATIONS: Breathe Easier & HEALING CIRCLE: Basketball Player’s Topricin Story Pg. 28

HEALING SCENTS: Essential

PHYSICAL ADVANTAGE:

Baby it’s Cold Outside Pg. 19

Oils Shown to Destroy E.Coli & Deadly MRSA “Super Bug” Pg. 29

ALEXANDRA’S INSIGHTS:

HOWLING WOLF FARM:

Managing Cravings From the Cravings Whisperer Pg. 21

NUTRITIONAL BITES: Eating

for Two: Good Nutrition for You & Your Baby Pg. 23

Feeling the Fullness Pg. 30

IN THE NEWS: The Patient

Revolution, Xtreme Pain Relief; Redbook Holiday Pick, Helping St. Jude’s Pg. 31

DETOX DIVA: Odor Toolkit Pg. 27

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NATURAL Healing

NATURAL Wellness

WINTER 2014

A Word From The Publisher H

ere we are, deep in winter—and it’s been a frigid one indeed for many parts of the country. Don’t let the “Polar Vortex” get you down! This issue of “Natural Healing, Natural Wellness” is designed to help you stay cozy while coping with the whims of Mother Nature. So make a nice cup of hot cocoa and settle back to enjoy!

CONTRIBUTORS: Joan Apter Annie B. Bond Debbie Burklund Dr. Michelle Schoffro Cook Nicole Cutler Doug Grunther Laurel House Elyn Jacobs Alexandra Jamieson Patricia Martin Rofia Payman

When the snow flies, you’ll want to play it safe with our “dos and don’ts” tips for shoveling in the great outdoors. We also offer you “homegrown tips” for soothing a winter bug, and our “Quickie Chick” Laurel tells you how to avoid getting sick. And just because it’s cold, we don’t have to be “couch potatoes.”

Laurie Towers gives you the physical advantage of how to stay active and fit when the thermometer dips. To uplift your spirits, The Natural Medicine Woman explores the healing power of gratitude, “Mama Wolf” revels in the feeling of fullness, and DailyOM encourages giving the gift of YOU to your community.

In Options for Life, Elyn discusses the healing power of sound, our reflexologist Deborah talks about her experience working with one of her cancer patients, Joan Apter shares the powerful essential oils that can destroy deadly “super bugs,” and acupuncturist Nicole explains how our tongues reflect our health.

You’ll also read why DreamWorks columnist Doug agrees with Albert Einstein that “Imagination is more important than knowledge.”

Got cravings? Alexandra Jamieson gives insights on managing them. Got a baby on the way? Eat for two the healthy way with advice from our nutritionist Roufia.

As always, there is lots of news from your friends at Topricin, too. We just love keeping you company and want you to stay well and warm!

Wishing you good health and joy,

Aurora

Aurora Paradise, Chief Operations Officer and Publisher

Madisyn Taylor

Laurie Towers Mama Wolf President & Chief of Research: Lou Paradise Publisher: Aurora Paradise Managing Editor: Patricia Martin Art Director: Elizabeth Chen Graphic Artist: Elizabeth Paradise

Aurora Paradise is Chief Operations Officer of Topical BioMedics. Besides publishing the newsletter, Aurora oversees the day-to-day operations of the company.

DailyOm

-By Madisyn Taylor

Being of service to our community is part of being a good citizen of the planet Earth.

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o live harmoniously, we need to be supportive and helpful to all people, creatures, and plant life that share this earth with us. While “being of service” is part of being a good citizen of the world, it also feels good to help others.

When we do something for others in service, without the expectation of anything in return, we are turning our actions into offerings.

There are many ways to be of service to our community. There are the obvious and much needed volunteer opportunities, such as serving Thanksgiving dinner at a shelter, mentoring our youth, or cleaning up a beach. Then, there is the kind of service that we may not even think of as being acts of service. Learning a new language (perhaps sign language) so that you can talk to more people is a way to reach out to others. Inviting someone who isn’t motivated enough to exercise on their own to join you on your daily walk is a way to give of yourself. Sharing flowers or vegetables from your garden, organizing a poetry reading, offering to babysit for a busy parent, or donating pet food to an animal shelter all are simple ways to offer your services to your community.

There are many ways that you can serve the world. Imagine the impact we would have on the environment if we picked up one piece of trash off the street every day and chose not to drive our car once a week. Even gardening tactics such as throwing wildflower seeds onto a vacant lot can brighten the lives of others—including the lives of birds and insects. Every day, you can do something to make this world a better place. During meditation, ask for guidance on what you can do to be of service. This can be a wonderful way to start your day. Smiling at a stranger who looks down in the dumps or teaching your neighborhood kids how to whistle will impact someone’s day or even their life.

Giving of yourself is the best gift that you can give.

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The Natural Medicine Woman

-By Michelle Schoffro Cook

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here’s a new reason to be thankful for all you have.

According to researchers at HeartMath Institute, being appreciative can actually improve heart rhythms, heart health, and even have a positive impact on our DNA. Biologist Glen Rein at the popular Institute of HeartMath, in Boulder Creek, California, conducted a study of people who entered a state of heartfelt appreciation or unconditional love, what he referred to as “heart consciousness.” He found that these people could actually alter the winding and unwinding of DNA (genetic material) in solution.

It did not matter whether the participants were holding the DNA in a test tube or not. By allowing their hearts to be full of positive and loving emotions, the participants in this study were able to affect DNA in a test tube!

What’s more: when the same people held loving feelings in their hearts, their heart rhythms became extremely coherent. Their electrocardiograms (ECGs) were analyzed by sophisticated frequency-analysis software. Whenever they held the loving, appreciative thoughts, their heart rhythms followed a more coherent rhythmic pattern.

That people’s thoughts and emotions can affect heart rhythms and genetic material may seem more like science fiction than reality to many people. But more and more studies by leading scientists, quantum physicists, and world-renowned researchers are proving that our thoughts and feelings do have significant effects.

What we think about matters. It can be difficult not to focus on our problems when we are faced with them, but taking some time out of each day to feel gratitude and appreciation for the positive people, influences, experiences, and things in our lives can go a long way toward healing our bodies.

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Options for Life -By Elyn Jacobs

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an sound really change your brainwaves so you feel relaxed? Can it create a healthy mind, body and spirit to prevent and treat disease? Research says it can. The benefits to be realized by controlling your brainwaves are simply astounding. The practice in which sound wave stimuli are purposefully used to alter brainwaves in this manner is called brain wave entrainment (BWE).

BWE has been investigated and used since the late 1800’s.

The first known clinical application of BWE was discovered by a French psychologist, Pierre Janet, who used a visual stimulus--the flicker of a candle--to reduce depression, tension and hysteria. (And who doesn’t find a flickering candle or roaring fire relaxing?) In 1959 BWE was found to reduce the need for anesthesia during surgery and in 1975 it was found to enhance meditation. Research on the effects of BWE on pain, headaches, migraines, anxiety and stress followed in the 1980’s and expanded in the 1990s. Drumming and chanting have been used in various cultures to create rhythmic patterns in order to stimulate altered states of consciousness. Yogis and Shamans spend years practicing meditation techniques to learn to induce deep states of meditation. Other cultures have used peyote, ayahuasca, mushrooms and even LSD. Yet many clinicians and scientists are unaware of BWE’s existence.

way too much. Chronic, persistent stress has been shown to lead to numerous biological changes that make the body more conducive to cancer development, growth and progression. By using brainwave entrainment to change the state that your brain is in, you will be better equipped to handle acute and long-term stress.

Further, sound therapy can improve quality and quantity of sleep—a lack of sleep will exacerbate the effects of stress, and proper sleep is needed to produce much-needed melatonin. Melatonin is essential to cancer prevention and healing as it strengthens the immune system, combats inflammation, encourages cancer cell death, and interferes with the new blood supply tumors require for rapid growth. The human body seeks harmony: sound has a healing quality.

But what if relief was as simple as donning a pair of headphones for 15-30 minutes a day?

Dr. Mitchel Gaynor, integrative oncologist and author of The Healing Power of Sound, has been implementing sound and music therapy as a part of his treatment protocol for over 25 years. He believes that vibration touches every part of our physical being and that sound is heard by every cell in our body--which being 90% water is the perfect medium for carrying sound. He recognizes that creating the vibrations of sound through music changes brainwave patterns in ways that trigger healing.

Healing Sound?

Numerous studies indicate that roughly 90% of all illness is linked to stress. While some stress is actually good for us, what we are currently experiencing in our day to day life is continued on next page

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How does it work?

Dr. Gaynor uses a series of unique crystal bowls, a treatment he has coined Crystal Sonic Therapy™ --a meditation and imagery therapy that utilizes composed sounds to alter brainwaves. In his office he uses a Biosonic Machine which intensifies the vibrations, but you can successfully perform the therapy on your very own couch with a set of headphones.

When using stereo headphones, each ear hears a different sound, and the left and right sounds do not mix together until inside your brain.

As each ear receives its own unique musical note, the sound waves move toward each other and synchronize to produce a new musical note that the brain perceives. The frequency difference, when perceived by the brain this way, is called a binaural beat.

Sending specific frequencies to each ear entrains the brain with a softer frequency inducing a calm state of mind.

Can I use any music?

Yes and no. Any calming music will help you relax and de-stress. But, to reap the real healing benefits, you may want to give Dr. Gaynor’s therapeutic music a try. Visit the iTunes store and look for Crystal Sonic™ Sound Sleep, Sonic Sampler or Clear Focus, as well as Change Your Mind, Uplift, Peaceful Sleep and Tranquility—CDs he produced with Jon Regan. Relax to the soothing sounds of birds chirping; listen to the waves rushing toward the shore and unwind to the melodic sounds of rain drops. (This past summer, Change Your Mind: Music for Brainwave Entrainment, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's New Age Albums chart. The album also topped Amazon and iTunes' New Age charts.)

So head to a comfortable chair or couch, don the headphones and do your best to stay awake. It’s fine if you fall asleep-- you will still benefit, but the real goal is to be in a conscious but altered state. Breathe purposefully and slowly as you try to relax--in through the nose, fill the belly outward, not upward into the chest, and release fully from the mouth. Once settled in, breathe normally and focus your mind-envisioning healing light entering your body. You may get distracted, especially in the beginning--but don’t get frustrated, just return to your breathing and healing.

A cancer diagnosis brings with it fear and stress, depression and a host of other debilitating emotions and issues.

The treatment can come with its own host of side effects. The immediate psychological effects on memory, attention, stress, pain, headaches and migraines were shown to benefit from even a single session of BWE, but over time, you can actually retrain the brain; you will stress less, sleep better, have less pain and inflammation, feel better, and therefore affect your health in a positive manner. Remember, de-stress is better than dis-stress and dis-ease.

Mitchell Gaynor, M.D. is founder and president of Gaynor Integrative Oncology and Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at Weill College, affiliated with Cornell University and New York Hospital. He has served on the Executive Review Panel at the Department of Defense – Alternative Medicine for Breast Cancer Sector and the Smithsonian Institute’s Symposium on New Frontier in Breast Cancer and the Environment. He is a frequent speaker and lecturer at hospitals, conferences, and universities throughout America and abroad. Learn more: http://www. gaynoroncology.com/about.html.

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Dreamworks -By Doug Grunther

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He was speaking from direct experience. Einstein was quoted many times that his entire scientific career was an extended meditation on a dream he had at eleven years old. In that dream he was sleigh riding down a steep hill and as he went faster and faster the sky above started changing shape and color: I was going so fast that I realized I was approaching the speed of light. I looked up at that point and I saw the stars. They were being refracted into colors I had never seen before. I was filled with a sense of awe. I understood in some way that I was looking at the most important meaning in my life.

Years later as he was immersed in the study of light he remembered this dream and used it as a source of creative imagination which led to his discovery of Relativity.

writer on dreams, developed a technique called “Active Imagination” which all of us can use to open up a dream we remember and get to the deeper levels of meaning.

Jung explains:

One takes, for example, a figure that has appeared in one’s dreams and starts to converse with the figure.

One challenges the dream figure and lets him/her challenge the dreamer. The dreamer asks the figure why he appeared in the dream. He asks the figure what it wants from him. There ensues an imaginative dialogue between dreamer and dream figure. With practice one can become accomplished at expressing multiple viewpoints, just as a playwright does. The technique of active imagination tends to detach the qualities and traits that are first seen in a dream or in a story as belonging to external persons, and coming to see them as belonging to one’s self.

If we go to the origin of the word, “imagination,” the dictionary reveals three basic levels of meaning: 1) The act or power of forming a mental image of something not present to the senses or never before wholly perceived in reality; 2) Creative ability; 3) A fanciful or empty assumption The first two definitions refer to a powerful, creative skill.

The last definition, and therefore, supposedly the least used, describes imagination to be a weakness.

Our dreams offer us--just as they did Einstein and countless others--the opportunity to apply our imaginative abilities onto images which come from a deep resource inside of us, namely our dreams. And while it's highly unlikely our dreams will lead us to insights as influential as Einstein's, I've seen hundreds of people, in both dream groups and in one-on-one conversations, gain fascinating and in some cases lifechanging insights by applying their imaginations to a remembered dream.

Carl Jung, the great psychologist and the most influential continued on next page

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A key to Active Imagination is to exert as little influence as possible once you get a dream character to answer questions. Observe the scene in the dream, watch for changes, and take note of them as you actively re-play the dream in your mind. The strategy is to re-play the dream a number of times allowing for unconscious, surprising, and potentially healing insights to emerge.

With a little practice, you will likely be surprised at how deeper levels of meaning can emerge from the dream images.

My first dream teacher, Dr. Montague Ullman, writes of dreams and Active Imagination, If we had set out to do so, even if we were Michelangelo or Rembrandt or whoever, we could not deliberately paint a picture in so few images that could capture so much information. This has left me with a feeling that while dreaming we're tapping into a universally shared creative source, available to all of us, a source that creates images that speak elegantly and accurately to our subjective state at the time of the dream. Whether or not we view ourselves as creative in our working lives, our dreaming psyche revels in its own seemingly unlimited creative potential. Catching on to the metaphor in the dream leaves us with an ‘Aha’ feeling no different from the experience of the aesthetic quality of music, poetry, or any other artistic form of metaphor.

Here's a brief example of an Active Imagination I did with a recent dream. In the dream, I'm in a downtown area of some city, walking at night in a scary neighborhood. Two menacing figures start walking towards me and I try to run. But the sidewalk is muddy and there's very little traction. The menacing figures are catching up so I duck into an empty store and try to close the door which has a large glass window. But the two figures chasing me are right outside, about to enter. I leap into the air and smash the glass part of the door with my feet. The dream ends.

As I re-played the dream in my imagination, I was most curious about the way I leaped into the air and smashed the glass feet first. So I asked myself (me as the dream figure) why I did this? At first I didn't get an answer. But I re-played the dream again and this time, as I (the dream figure) ducked into the empty store to escape the men chasing me, a voice in my imagination said, “It's time I cut to the chase.”

Suddenly I realized the meaning of the chase and the broken glass. My dream was encouraging me to get right to the point of an issue in my life, to bring it to a conclusion. With a little more reflection it became clear the dream was referring to a health issue I was avoiding out of fear. The insight from the dream motivated me to finally get the issue checked out and the issue got resolved.

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Health on Point -By Nicole Cutler, L.Ac, MTCM

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estern medical doctors have many diagnostic tools at their disposal, some of which require referrals, take a long time, cause pain or trauma, necessitate extensive preparation and are expensive. Because Americans are used to this process, an acupuncturist’s swift health assessments can seem mysterious to newcomers. It may appear that an acupuncturist has a crystal ball regarding your current state of health; however, they just know what to look for.

Some of the measures a Western medical doctor relies on to identify a health problem include:

• Blood tests • X-ray • MRI • Endoscopy • Colonoscopy • Ultrasound • Electrocardiogram • Angiography • Urinalysis However a practitioner of Chinese Medicine, such as an acupuncturist, primarily relies on a physical examination that consists of these methods of diagnosis:

• • • • •

Observation (looking) Auscultation (listening) Olfaction (smelling) Interrogation (questioning) Palpation (pulse taking)

Observation is the first category listed above, and it is crucial for an acupuncturist’s assessment of a patient’s health. Tongue inspection is one of the most detailed and revealing observation systems for detecting an imbalance in real time. Most people don’t realize how much information can be garnered from simply looking at the tongue. In fact, many first year acupuncture students are flabbergasted by the variances in tongue appearance. When an acupuncturist asks to see your tongue, they are getting your permission to view your own personalized road map of internal health.

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Although tongue observation is just one of several facets taken into simultaneous consideration, the tongue’s appearance plays a major role in solving complex health puzzles. The following descriptions are generalizations, as it typically takes several years of study to master the tongue’s subtle nuances and understand each of the potential meanings:

• Pink body color - healthy • Red body color - heat • Pale body color – a deficiency of yang, blood

or qi • Purple body color - stagnation • Blue body color – severe internal cold • Swollen body – yang deficiency or fluid accumulation • Teeth marks on the sides – qi deficiency • Red tip – heat in the lung and/or heart meridians • Thin, moist white or clear coat - healthy • Dry coat – yin deficiency • Thick greasy coat – excess dampness or phlegm • Horizontal cracks – yin deficiency • Quivering tongue – wind • Deviated tongue – wind *possible cardiovascular emergency if deviation is severe

The meanings attributed to the different tongue presentations described above do not translate into a western medical diagnosis, but instead form the basis of an acupuncturist’s assessment. Some possible reasons for three prevalent tongue observations include:

• A purple tongue often indicates liver qi stagnation, a common imbalance that can result

from stress, depression, headaches and PMS. • Teeth marks on the tongue’s sides often indicate qi deficiency, a common imbalance that can manifest as loose stool, fatigue and getting sick easily.

• A dry coat frequently indicates yin deficiency, a common imbalance involving dryness that can be associated with menopause, chronic illness and constipation.

While the specifics on tongue observation just described are intended only for a licensed acupuncturist, it sheds some light on the different ways a tongue can appear.

It also serves as inspiration to periodically check your tongue in the mirror to see how it changes. In addition, monitoring your tongue’s appearance in combination with awareness of how you feel can give you a bit more knowledge about your body.

Waiting for lab results from a Western medical doctor may rule out an illness or confirm a diagnosis, but there is a simpler way to monitor your health on a daily basis. Most people who choose to experiment with checking out their tongue find a direct correlation with poor lifestyle choices and pronounced tongue color and coat changes. On the other hand, taking care of yourself (eating well, exercising regularly, releasing stress and getting great sleep) seems to manifest the ideal pink tongue with a thin, moist coat. Combining information gathered from observation, auscultation, olfaction, interrogation and palpation is far from simple, but recognizing that different tongue appearances represent unique internal imbalances removes the mystery that an acupuncturist holds a crystal ball.

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Reflexology -By Deborah Burklund

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t's true. Recently, a house call client, who was in treatment for stage 4 lung cancer, greeted my arrival by saying, "I'm too nauseated and freaked out to have reflexology today."

I had been treating her for a while, and suggested that we begin a treatment, assuring her that we could interrupt any time her nausea demanded it. She knew from our previous appointments that stress and anxiety levels were always helped by reflexology, and agreed to have her appointment.

My focus was not on the reflexes to her lungs, but the reflexes to the solar plexus, spine (central nervous system), and stomach. Her anxiety subsided immediately and she drifted off to sleep....I finished the appointment and she gently woke up...HUNGRY. I always recommend that a client alert their medical team to the fact that they are being treated by me, and it has always been approved. I have even accompanied a client to their chemo appointments.

I consider Topricin an integral part of my treatments. It is unscented, which is critical in cases of nausea, and it is homeopathic, so it doesn't interfere with medications .

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Feature -By Patricia Martin More recently, according to the 2009 U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission, approximately 16,500 people were treated in hospital ERs for injuries related to manual snow and ice removal.

Clearly the soft, pretty, powdery white flakes are a force to be reckoned with when they accumulate.

THE SLIPPERY SLOPE OF SHOVELING INJURIES

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h, the snowy peaks and valleys of winter! When the snow flies, it’s fun to bundle up and build snowmen, make snow angels, catch snowflakes on your tongue, and go skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, snowboarding, and ice skating. But the winter wonderland does have its downside, as alas there’s all that pesky snow piled up on driveways and walkways to contend with…Not to mention the hazardous icy patches that may be lurking underneath mounds and drifts.

Snow shoveling (and snow blowing) may not be on the Top 10 List of Fun Things to do in Winter…But if you have to live with the white stuff, dealing with the inconvenience is a must.

Caution is called for as clearing snow is not just a necessity—it may be hazardous to your health. A 17year study of 100 emergency departments conducted by researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital found that an average of 11,500 snow shovelingrelated injuries and medical emergencies were treated in ERs annually from 1990 to 2006. These findings were announced in the January 2011 issue of the American Journal of Emergency Medicine.

The most common snow-related emergency diagnoses were soft tissue injuries, lacerations, and fractures, with the lower back being the most frequently injured part of the body. Acute musculoskeletal exertion, slips or falls, and being struck by a snow shovel were the causes cited most often. While cardiac-related incidents accounted for only 7% of the total number of snow-shoveling emergencies, they were the most serious and responsible for 100% of fatalities.

As far as demographics go, two-thirds of shoveling injuries occurred in men, and 15% in children under 18 years old.

The archaic, non-ergonomic design of the snow shovel— which hasn’t changed in over 100 years—is one of the reasons why wielding it can be risky business. The handgrips are often lacking, the shovel length typically is too short for most people, and when they’re made from steel the shovel itself is very heavy. This inefficient design forces users to bend and twist while heaving snow, which can cause spinal injury.

The solution? Trade in your old model and get a more user-friendly one with a longer and curved pole, which decreases the risk of muscle injury. Select one that is made of lighter materials, such as plastic or aluminum, and your body will thank you every time Old Man Winter blows more snow your way.

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Let it SNOW! NOT CHILD’S PLAY

Injuries are likely to occur when children either use a shovel the wrong way or play around with it. Among patients who receive emergency treatment for snow shoveling-related issues, children under the age of 18 are 15 times more likely than adults to get hurt by being hit by a snow shovel.

Prevention is the best medicine. According to Gary Smith, MD, DrPH, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital and professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, “Shoveling snow can be a great outdoor activity for kids; however, it is important for parents to teach children the correct way to shovel snow and remind them that shovels are not toys. Many of the injuries to children are the result of horseplay or other inappropriate uses of the shovel."

TAKE SAFETY TO HEART

As previously stated, even though cardiac-related injuries represented 7 percent of the total number of cases, they were the most serious, accounting for more than half of the hospitalizations and 100 percent of the fatalities. Those 55 years of age and older were more than four times more likely than younger individuals to experience cardiac-related issues, and among patients 55 years of age or older, men were twice as likely as women to have symptoms.

According to a report by Julie Garden-Robinson of North Dakota State University, individuals who are most at risk of experiencing a heart episode while shoveling

are those who have previously had a heart attack, a history of heart disease, high blood pressure or high cholesterol, smokers, or people who lead a sedentary lifestyle.

Dr. Smith states, “The cardiovascular demands of snow shoveling are increased by the freezing temperatures that typically accompany snowfall. Not only is the heart's workload increased due to shoveling snow, but cold temperatures also add to the chances of a heart attack in at-risk individuals. We recommend talking to your doctor before you shovel snow, especially if you do not exercise regularly, have a medical condition or are in a high risk group."

GOOD EXERCISE—WITH CAUTION

The good news is that, when done properly, snow shoveling is a great form of exercise. In fact, according to the Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health, just 15 minutes of shoveling counts as moderate physical activity. Because of the exertion, there’s an aerobic quality to it, as well as some “weight lifting” elements.

Like any other form of exercise, it’s important to prepare your body for the activity. A good pre-shoveling warm up is to take a 10-minute walk or march in place, adding arm movements and back stretches. Pace yourself by taking periodic breaks, and drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Finally, cool down and stretch afterwards. (A nice cup of hot cocoa makes the perfect après shoveling reward, too!) continued on next page

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It’s a good idea to check with your doctor before initiating snow shoveling or snow blowing, just as you would before starting any other exercise regimen.

If you have a medical condition or do not exercise regularly, you may want to opt for hiring someone to do the snow removal for you instead.

SNOW-SMART TIPS

Predictions are that we’re in for a particularly rough winter all over the country, so it’s important to be aware of the best ways to protect your body and enjoy the season without incident or injury. Snow removal can be less painful and more pleasurable if you follow these snow-smart tips.

--Apply Topricin before and after going outside. Used beforehand, it helps maintain vibrant microcapillary blood flow in your extremities and helps maintain a more constant blood flow. Pay particular attention to neck, shoulders, lower back, and wrists, which take the brunt of the force when you shovel. Then apply Topricin afterwards as it stimulates maximum blood flow to chilled extremities, helping to get them warm more quickly. It also eases the aches and pains of exertion by helping the body to heal the damage that’s causing the pain.

--Dress for success. Light, layered, water-repellent and wind-resistant clothing provides the perfect combination of ventilation and insulation. Be sure to wear a hat, scarf, gloves/mittens, and warm socks, as well as boots with slip-resistant soles.

--Never let your breathing get heavy and labored, and don’t let your heart race—stop and rest whenever you feel your body is getting stressed. Take a break if you start feeling either too hot or too cold.

--Use an ergonomically designed shovel that is comfortable for your height and strength. If a shovel is too short, you’ll stoop, and if it’s too long or too heavy it will throw off your balance and make your movements awkward.

--When possible, clear snow early and often several times throughout the day. Begin when a light covering of snow is on the ground to avoid having to clear packed, heavy snow.

--The best way to clear snow is by pushing it, rather than lifting. Don’t throw the snow over your shoulder or to the side, which require twisting motions that can stress your back.

--Don’t try to clear deep snow all at once. If you need to lift, tackle small amounts of snow and lift with your legs by squatting with your legs apart, knees bent, and back straight. Then straighten your legs without bending at the waist, and walk to where you want to dump the snow.

--Don’t let a hat or scarf block your vision, and watch for ice patches, uneven surfaces, and any obstacles. If you are using a snow blower, be aware of where the power cord is at all times so you don’t trip over it.

--Stop any time you feel pain. If you experience any chest pain, shortness of breath, or other signs of a heart attack, immediately seek emergency care.

We can’t beat it—so we may as well make the most out of winter and enjoy frolicking in the snow!

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Quickie Chick -By Laurel House

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here’s so much talk about how to avoid getting sick. But what do you do when you feel that telltale tickle in the back of your throat and you’re in the fast lane to Cold City? Check out some of the weirder ways to keep your cold symptoms under wraps:

4. Don’t Blow Your Nose

1. Toss your Toothbrush!

5. Get Hot: Sauna

The American Dental Association suggests you change your toothbrush every 3-4 months. If you have a cold, you should really switch it as soon as you’re better. The bristles harbor bacteria, and by sticking them in your mouth when getting over an illness, you are exposing yourself to your own germs… again.

2. Kiss (but not someone who’s already sick)!

By exchanging healthy bacteria back and forth, you are actually enhancing your body’s natural defenses and boosting your immune system.

3. Walk Really Fast, But Don’t Run!

A 45 minute walk four or more days a week can improve your immune system and minimize sick days. But don’t run!

Overexerting yourself (particularly if you’re already feeling slightly under the weather) can do you in.

Instead of fulfilling your urge to do a big hearty blow, take a decongestant or gently blow each nostril individually. Blowing hard can actually push the mucus up into your sinuses, risking getting even more sick!

A hot sauna can detox a cold right out of your system.

6. Hit the Snooze Button

Studies show that people who get less than seven hours of sleep a night are 3x more prone to coming down with a cold than those who clock in at eight hours.

7. Follow The Rule of Neck

If your sickness is above your neck- only in your head: runny nose, headache… it’s ok to exercise. If it’s in your lungs or you have chills, exercising can spread the sick. That’s the “Rule of Neck.”

8. Hydrate!

You want to keep everything moving out of you. Load up on LOTS of water, green tea and green drinks. No sweeteners. No sugar.

Aloe is another great water additive, helping detox the system and kill germs on contact in the mouth and lungs.

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5 Homegrown Tips -By Patricia Martin

V

iruses just love to visit this time of year, gifting us with sore throats, ear aches, stuffy sinuses, and headaches. When they come to call, look to nature and your kitchen cabinets for homegrown treatments to soothe what ails you and help you heal.

HERE ARE 5 STEPS TO NATURAL RELIEF: 1. Honey and Lemon Honey—especially raw honey—mixed in hot tea or spooned straight out of the jar has been a popular remedy for centuries. Add lemon, and it’s a perfect storm of healing. Mix 1 teaspoon of raw honey in a glass of warm water and add the juice of one lemon. It will soothe and coat your throat and help promote healing.

2. Apple Cider Vinegar Apple cider vinegar is a strong acidic solution with natural antibacterial properties that make it a beneficial remedy for sore throats as well as your all ‘round wellbeing. Opt to use an organic raw version, such as Bragg’s.

There are a few different ways you can take advantage of its healing power: 1.

Add 1 -2 tsp. of apple cider vinegar to a cup or two of warm water and stir, then sip. (The strength can be adjusted according to your taste, but the stronger the better for healing purposes.)

2.

Another recipe is to mix about 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar and 1 tablespoon of honey in 1 cup of warm water.

3.

Make a stronger solution (2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar in in ½ cup warm water) and gargle once or twice an hour.

3. Raw Garlic Garlic isn’t just for chefs! It’s a powerful antioxidant with antimicrobial, antiviral, and antibiotic properties that make it a healing powerhouse.

Crushing fresh garlic causes a chemical reaction that releases allicin. Allicin is a powerful antibacterial only present shortly after garlic is crushed and before it is heated, and is thought to knock out colds and flu at the onset. For maximum strength, chop garlic and let it sit for 15 minutes before ingesting. Some experts recommend eating one or two cloves every three or four hours a day until you feel better.

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4. Salt Water A warm salt water gargle has been favored by moms for decades— including my own mother, who was an RN--and for good reason. According to Student Health Services at the University of Connecticut, gargling with warm salt water can help soothe a sore throat and break down secretions.

It’s also known to help kill bacteria in the throat. And the University of Puget Sound found that a salt water solution consisting of a half teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water can help reduce swelling and keep the throat clean.

It is preferable to use natural sea salt, which contains the essential trace minerals your body needs to stay healthy.

Salt and warm water are also great for clearing out your sinuses. A ”neti pot” is useful for nasal saline irrigation, or you can choose a saline nasal spray right off the drugstore counter. Simple saline sprays are safe and effective, without any of the side effects associated with decongestant sprays.

5. Chicken Soup It’s comforting…it tastes good…and it’s good for you. Who wouldn’t want to nurture themselves with some soothing chicken soup?

It isn’t just nostalgia that makes us feel better when we have a bowl of chicken soup. Dr. Stephen Rennard, a pulmonary expert at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, found that it contains antiinflammatory properties that may help prevent a cold’s miserable side effects, while its steam clears congestion and provides the body with necessary hydration to flush out viral bugs. Additionally, research in the American Journal of Therapeutics showed that a compound found in chicken soup—carnosine—helped the body’s immune system to fight the early stages of flu.

Chicken also contains a natural amino acid called cysteine, which can thin the mucus in your lungs and make it less sticky so you can expel it more easily. And homemade chicken stock contains minerals in a form the body can absorb easily, including calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulfur and trace minerals.

Here’s to your good health--Bon appetit!

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Physical Advantage -By Laurie Towers

B

lame it on shorter days, blame it on light deprivation, now you may want to blame it on the government but that’s your call. Wherever you see fit to lay the fault, the fact of the matter is that people statistically tend to reduce their working out by a large margin in the winter months. The exception being only those ill-fated New Year’s resolutions that have gym memberships spike right after the holidays, then dwindle after we shake the confetti from our hair.

The fact is the winter months offer some wonderful natural opportunities towards working out in addition to creating a wonderful landscape for it. Think about those endless hours of our youth playing in the snow. Those snowball fights and snowdrift jumping were not only endorphin-releasing, but those movements were dripping with plyometric, velocity encouraging and cardio vascular activities. Guess what? Those were all the caloric burning FUN things we did as kids that kept our metabolism clicking away like a New York cab meter.

The truth is there are quite of few activities that can translate well from indoors to outdoors with proper preparation. Assuming the climate is compatible, walking, running and biking will always be mainstays with the investment of the proper insulation and clothing.

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TIPS:

> Dressing in layers with cotton, wool or any other breathable material is highly preferred, as this will keep the moisture away from the body. Hats worn to seal in the body's natural insulation, in addition to gloves.. Sunscreen and moisturizers can also create a barrier between the elements and exposed skin. > Rehydrate the same as you would during the warmer months. A common and costly misconception is that because you don't sweat as much, your need to drink water is naturally cut in half. The fact is that you NEED to rehydrate at the same level as you normally would in the warmer months even though you will not necessarily feel as thirsty. > Make sure you are properly warmed up, as the colder climate will promote more muscle shortening and restriction, thus leaving the muscle vulnerable to any insult or injury.

As with anything that goes on within the parameters of a workout session, it’s best to keep it interesting and diverse. If you are going to use all that Mother Nature offers as a gym, you will find these activities enjoyable as well as beneficial. As snow provides a "Natural resistance" to our normal activities, simply walking, running and sled pulling provide a wonderful and natural addition to any outdoor workout. For a more challenging walk, wear snowshoes for that little bit of extra effort that makes a difference.

On a personal note, I think that snow shoveling (when done correctly and with good form) is probably THE most complete and potent workout that you can have in the outdoors. It’s the marriage of velocity and endurance that gives you everything you need in one setting.

I’d like to take a moment to comment on New Year’s Resolutions and weight loss/body improvement.

Having been in the field for nearly 20 years, I'm here to tell you that they never work. I often marvel at how many empty boxes of fitness gadgets I see in people’s garbage bins after the holidays, but I NEVER see any difference in physiques when those layers of clothing come off in the summer months. Why? Simply because things done for a "short term" goal never work. A commitment to philosophy and lifestyle is the only ideology that keeps us on the right track.

It’s so funny how we are taught since childhood that we need to brush our teeth at least twice a day, threatened with the outcome of rotted teeth falling out of our heads if we don't. In actuality though, we use and treat our bodies far more abusively than we ever could our teeth. Sadly, most of us never had it engrained early on that we need to treat our bodies in a mindful fashion with exercise and a sensible diet.

We don’t have to be rigid. A simple commitment to regular, varied exercise and a healthy, realistic diet (allowing the occasional junk food) is a great tactic so that one doesn't feel the resentment of deprivation and leave the door open to sabotage and guilt.

CHECK OUT LAURIE’S VIDEO: http://www.youtube. com/watch?v=RjVotv6lLu8

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Alexandra’s Insights -By Alexandra Jamieson

I believe what I see and experience.

And I’ve seen that when I, and my clients, allow ourselves to have what we want, whether it’s chocolate, sex, sleep, TV, or potato chips, and don’t beat ourselves up for enjoying it, we find ourselves at a happy weight. Not only that, we enjoy our lives and feel well on a regular basis.

Science and experience back this up. A study by Nichole Mead and Vanessa Patrick proved that when a person tells themselves they can have something they desire, just not right now, they will eat less of it and feel more satisfied. The cravings relax their death grip on the brain and body, and you like yourself a lot more because you’re saying, “Hey body, yes! Good idea! You can have that! Let’s just wait until later. You rock.”

This flies in the face of what most diet gurus recommend, and how I used to teach my clients and programs. Years ago I told my clients to clean out their fridge and detox their cupboards of the treats they were supposed to avoid. Now, this is still true if we’ve discovered through a food-sensitivity experiment that they need to avoid gluten, dairy, sugar or some other food.

Now I make a different recommendation, and it works so much better, feels easier, and helps my clients relax.

When I began researching these studies in the last few years, as I was exploring my own cravings and trying to

understand the foundations of how a healthy life is truly lived on a daily basis, I realized they proved how I was living my own life and how my most successful clients got happy and health quickly.

My own cupboards are stocked with the best quality options of everything I want. Real grass-fed butter, and my favorite organic soy creamer. 75% dark chocolate and cold honey crisp apples in the fridge. Organic spicy chicken sausages, baby bitter greens, raw sauerkraut with whole grain mustard, and Earl Grey tea – in decaf and regular.

My favorite foods are always around, I eat when I’m hungry and I never feel deprived. I eat slowly, at the table, and make a lot of yummy, MMMM sounds. Yes, I often crave chocolate after lunch. But I know my body and brain well. I know that if I eat chocolate right after lunch, I’ll get foggy and tired and won’t work very well.

I’ve learned that if I tell myself “Nice! I love that lavendar chocolate up in the cupboard. I’ll have some after dinner tonight,” the craving usually evaporates and I often have a bit later. I’ll often make myself a cup of spiced decaf chai tea or drink some of my favorite chia seed kombucha instead, and I’m satisfied. Many nights I don’t have any chocolate at all. But when I do, I enjoy the heck out of it and don’t feel guilty one bit.

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Deprivation diets are based on struggle, effort and willpower, all of which are in short supply for modern women and men. Relaxation and permission to enjoy is based on self-love and trust. Establishing healthy habits is the first priority. Use your willpower to create the habits, then you can ease into enjoying your food, eating out with friends and family and not be so freaked out by “sticking to the rules.”

My client Mary had a similar journey to mastering her cravings by developing new after-lunch habits. Mary worked in a hectic law firm in midtown Manhattan.

Most days she would skip breakfast, and grab coffee and a pastry on the way to work. She would get takeout for lunch, and work at her desk while eating. About three o’clock Mary would get cravings for candy, coffee or potato chips. She was trying to stick with a diet plan to control her blood sugar, and couldn’t lose weight and keep it off. Once she “caved” to her afternoon cravings, she would feel the familiar “what the heck” effect and binge on whatever snacks crossed her path.

When we began working together, I helped Mary create a new breakfast habit. After going through a food sensitivity experiment and three-week detox, we discovered that Mary needed to have protein in the morning to feel her best, and avoid dairy and gluten.

We started her on a breakfast smoothie habit that included raw greens to help her digestion.

Instead of working through lunch with take out balanced on her lap, Mary began making her own giant lunch salads, topped with her favorite tuna, eggs and olives. In the afternoon, when she needed a break from computer work, we set Mary up with a walking break. A five minute walk to a nearby juice store, where she picked up a tangy-sweet apple and greens juice, got her moving and hydrated. Once back at her desk for the afternoon, Mary was energized from the walk and enjoyed sipping on her green juice that became a favorite.

Sure, the afternoon chocolate and chips cravings still came up sometimes. And sometimes she had them when she wanted them. But usually Mary told herself “Yes you can have that tonight after work, once you get home and put your feet up. If you eat it at work, you probably won’t even notice it because you’ll be too busy to enjoy it!”

The trick, as Mead’s research showed, is to give yourself, later, exactly what you desire – and not a substitution. By allowing herself to enjoy real chocolate or real potato chips when and if she wanted them, without shaming herself, Mary’s cravings naturally reduced and she started eating better, and in less quantities.

Studies show that when people tell themselves they can have their cravings just not right NOW, they are liberated from the internal conflict and don’t end up eating as much later due to the self-loathing and guilt.

Putting off the “guilty pleasure” to some vague future moment was emotionally and mentally easier and relaxing.

The other aspect of this work that’s so fascinating to me is this: Depriving yourself is not effective because you’ll throw away your commitment once your willpower is gone.

If you tell yourself you can have it later, you relax. AND you aren’t depleting your willpower this way.

But I think first you have to build up your trust with yourself that you are count-on-able. Once you start to believe that you’re reliable, those moments when you tell yourself you can have it in the future? You believe yourself and relax.

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Nutritional Bites

-By Roufia Payman

I

f you are pregnant, or plan to become pregnant, you need to take especially good care of yourself and your body. And one of the single most important things that you can do for you and your baby-on-the-way is to eat a healthy, nutrient-rich diet.

A well-balanced diet is one that includes choices from all the food groups in appropriate amounts.

Proper nutrition ensures that the body is supplied with all the essential nutrients-- carbohydrates, fats, protein, vitamins, and minerals. And don’t forget to hydrate, too!

The best diet is one that’s full of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein…And free of refined carbohydrates and processed, salty, fatty foods or anything with added sugar. This means avoiding “prefab” dry meals and side dishes (like processed, chemical-laden and/or nutritionally void packaged goods like mac and cheese, flavored rice dishes, soups, etc.) as well as most frozen entrees. Just read the labels of these foods and you’ll see why! Also just say “No” to foods with empty calories or that have added sugars and trans or saturated fats, like fast food, soft drinks, desserts, fried foods, cheese, whole milk, and fatty cuts of meats.

As another note of caution, avoid eating “white food.” White rice, bread, and pasta are simple, refined carbohydrates which have fewer nutrients than their whole grain counterparts and are converted by the body into sugar. In fact, eating a lot of products in the “white food”

category may increase the risk of developing gestational diabetes during pregnancy.

Reevaluate your diet when you are considering becoming pregnant, if not as soon as you find out you’re expecting. Begin by analyzing your current eating habits and then make a plan that shifts over to the healthiest choices.

Eating healthy is eating clean—which is important for both mother and baby. Lean toward organic and locally grown produce and meat to limit your exposure to chemicals and pesticides and to enjoy the freshest, most nutritious and, yes, most delicious food.

NUTRITIONAL NEEDS

While pregnancy is a normal condition for the female body, it is stressful, and your nutritional needs are increased.

A pregnant woman typically requires more macronutrients (for example, calories, protein, and fluids) and micronutrients (calcium, folate, and iron).

Each food group has something to offer your body. Grains like cereal and whole wheat pasta, for example, are good sources of energy. Fruits and vegetables are packed with watersoluble and fat-soluble vitamins, as well as antioxidants and fiber.

Protein sources like meats, poultry, fish, eggs, and beans offer your body protein, B vitamins, folate, and iron.

Dairy products are a terrific source of calcium and vitamin D. continued on next page

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But eating for two does not mean doubling your caloric intake! In fact, gaining too much weight during pregnancy threatens your health and may increase the risk of your child having a tendency to become overweight.

You may be surprised to know that a healthy uptick in eating while pregnant is only about an additional 100 to 340 calories a day in the first and second trimester, and an extra 450 calories a day during the third.

Be sure to talk to your doctor or a nutritionist for personal guidance since he/she will take into account your current weight and any relevant health issues or concerns.

kind as they can harbor dangerous germs, including E. coli).

You can incorporate fruit in your diet by blending a variety of different fruits (and veggies like “power greens”) into a smoothie, or stirring fresh fruit into plain low-fat yogurt. Toast whole grain bread, and spread on a bit of peanut butter and sliced apple, or toast an open-face sandwich with apple and some low-fat cheddar cheese. And if you’ve never snacked on a sliced apple or pear sprinkled with cinnamon, you are in for a delicious treat! Sulfite-free dried fruit is an easy option, too.

When and how you eat is also important. Don’t go too long between meals, or eat a gigantic meal in one sitting. It’s usually better to eat three small meals and three small snacks daily. Along with consuming a variety of nutritious foods, be sure to drink eight to 10 glasses of water a day to ensure proper hydration.

Salads are a wonderful choice for enjoying fresh, raw vegetables. You can power up with extra veggies by making “green drinks,” or dicing them and adding them to soups, folding them into omelets, and chopping finely and mixing them into a turkey or chicken meat loaf. How about instead of dining on pasta with marinara, cook a spaghetti squash and enjoy the same way.

THE BALANCING ACT

Protein

Here are my suggestions for enjoying a balanced diet that is good for you and your baby.

Fruits & Veggies

Fresh fruits and vegetables provide essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, iron, folate, and other important nutrients. Put a “rainbow” on your plate to ensure you get the best variety—greens, reds, orange, yellow, and blue are all so very good for you!

Make at least ½ your plate veggies for each meal and eat two or three servings of whole fruits a day (not juices, as they have too much sugar, and NEVER unpasteurized juice of any

Protein is essential for growth and development. Good sources are eggs, beans, nuts, dairy, poultry, lean meat, and fish. Just choose the sources wisely (see foods to avoid-pg.

26 for ones to stay away from).

Eggs are versatile and, along with protein, provide amino acids vital to you and your baby. They contain more than a dozen vitamins and minerals, including choline, which is good for baby's brain development.

However, be sure not to eat undercooked or raw eggs.

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There are so many varieties of beans— black, white, pinto, lentils, black-eyed peas, kidney, garbanzo, and more---you will never be bored! Enjoy beans in chili, soups, salads, and pasta dishes, or puree with olive oil and spices for a delicious spread similar to hummus (which is also a tasty source of protein thanks to the chickpeas). Besides providing protein and fiber, they are also good sources of key nutrients, such as iron, folate, calcium, and zinc.

When it comes to meat and poultry, opt for leaner cuts that are organic or free range/grass fed as meat can be heavily processed and contain additives such as growth hormones and antibiotics, which you don’t want to consume.

While fish is a lean form of protein, keep in mind the bigger and older the fish, the more mercury and other contaminants it’s likely to harbor. Fish to avoid include swordfish, shark, King mackerel, and some types of tuna. Seek out fish that is wild caught—not farmed—and limit all fish and seafood consumption to no more than two 6-oz servings per week. Canned light tuna (albacore tuna, chunk white tuna and tuna steak) should be limited to no more than 6 ounces once a week.

If you’ve never tried them, I highly recommend you try and develop a taste for sardines—they are personally my Number One choice of protein.

If you’ve never tried it, you may enjoy quinoa. Quinoa is actually the seed of the Chenopodium or Goosefoot plant, and is very high in protein. It’s frequently called a grain because it is used and cooked like one, and is a nice substitute.

Dairy

Pregnant women benefit from eating dairy products, which provide protein, calcium, and Vitamin D. Just select the lower fat versions of cheese, yogurt, and milk and you’ll consume less calories and fat while enjoying all the same benefits.

Pregnant women, infants, and children should not drink unpasteurized milk or eat raw milk products due to infection risks-pasteurized milk is safer as the process kills any bacteria that may be present in the raw product. Also, unless these soft cheeses are clearly labeled as being pasteurized or made with pasteurized milk, don't eat brie, feta, camembert, and blue cheese.

Did you know that one cup of plain, lowfat yogurt has more calcium than milk, is high in protein, and doesn’t have the added sugar of flavored yogurts—making it a superior dairy choice? Dress it up with fresh fruit, nuts, and crunchy, whole-grain cereal for a great breakfast or snack.

Grains

Fats

Whenever possible go organic, and be sure to read labels since some products labelled as “whole grain” and “natural” may have unwanted ingredients such as corn syrup and preservatives, and should be avoided.

Fats that are not good for us include fried, processed, and fast foods, which have more trans and saturated fats as well as being super high in calories…not to mention being nutritionally poor.

The complex carbohydrates found in grains are great for giving you longlasting energy. Good choices include brown rice, whole wheat or high protein pasta such as Barilla Plus, and whole grain cereals and bread.

Yes I am saying fat! Everyone needs dietary fat, including pregnant women.

Just make sure to choose “good” fats, which have Omega-3 fatty acids—which can be found in olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocados, and fatty fishes.

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RISKS TO AVOID

There are some foods you should avoid altogether while pregnant (and may want to eliminate from your diet post-baby to achieve optimum health). Here are some dos and don’ts of risky products to avoid.

In the Raw

Pregnancy can lower the immune system somewhat and so mothers to be should take extra care in what they eat and how they handle raw foods. Clean utensils and cutting board surfaces well after handling raw meat, poultry, and fish. Do not eat any raw fish (like sushi) or shellfish (like raw clams or oysters) as well as refrigerated smoked seafood (such as lox).

It’s not just raw meat, poultry, and fish that can be hazardous. The FDA advises everyone—not just pregnant women-not to eat raw sprouts, including alfalfa, clover, radish, and mung bean sprouts.

The reason is that bacteria can get into sprout seeds and are nearly impossible to wash out.

The Deal on Deli

Hot dogs, luncheon/deli meats (including ham, turkey, bologna, and salami) are prone to Listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria that causes listeriosis, which may result in miscarriage, stillbirth, or other serious health problems. I would also recommend avoiding bacon, which contains nitrites and possibly other chemicals/preservatives (along with being very fatty).

cookie dough, hollandaise sauce and Caesar salad dressing.

Set Limits

Set limits on coffee/caffeine—no more than one 12-ounce serving per day—and salt, which can elevate blood pressure.

Can the Can

Many canned foods are lined with BPA— an industrial chemical that is an endocrine disruptor that could disturb normal fetal development. In January 2010, the FDA stated that "recent studies provide reason for some concern about the potential effects of BPA on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland of fetuses, infants, and children." Pregnant women should also be wary of plastic storage containers, bottles, and so forth. Fortunately there is a growing range of BPA-free plastic products now available. When in doubt, use glass.

Just Say “NO” to Alcohol

Studies show that even moderate drinking during pregnancy can cause behavioral or developmental problems for your baby. Heavy drinking during pregnancy can result in serious problems for your baby, including malformation and mental retardation. So when you toast, make it non-alcoholic.

I wish you beautiful moments with your bundle of joy!

Egg Sense

Be sure to cook eggs until both the yolk and the whites are firm. Because raw eggs can be contaminated with the harmful bacteria salmonella, avoid foods made with raw or partially cooked eggs, such as eggnog, raw cake batter and

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Detox Diva

-By Annie B. Bond

H

omes produce odors. That old dog’s bed that hasn’t been washed in half a year suddenly reeks, as does the nearby carpet. The kitchen garbage disposal might begin to smell like an old sponge.

By understanding just a bit of simple chemistry you can neutralize odors on the spot. “Neutralize” is the operative term here because by using the right thing on an odor you actually can make it disappear entirely.

Folk formulas were often intuitively based on the pH scale of acids and alkaline bases. On the pH scale, 7 is neutral, with anything above that being an alkaline base (baking soda, washing soda, borax, and lye are examples), and anything under 7 being an acid (vinegar, lemon juice, silk, and wool, for example). Baking soda would be used in cleaning to neutralize acidic materials, and vinegar would be used for those that were alkaline.

Baking soda and vinegar neutralize each other.

Sometimes it takes some trial and error to find out if you need baking soda or vinegar to neutralize an odor.

Sometimes, such as with cat pee, you need to alternate both since the pee is both acidic and alkaline.

As I’ve written about in other blogs, cutting up lemons and simmering them on the stove, is a great way to

neutralize alkaline odors in the air, as the acid will neutralize them.

To use baking soda, sprinkle it liberally on areas that emit odors, leave it on for a number of hours (overnight is ideal), and then sweep or vacuum.

Placing open boxes of baking soda works well as it absorbs odors. If you want to remove odors from clothing, soak them in 1 cup of baking soda before washing as usual.

To use vinegar, pour straight white distilled vinegar into a clean spray bottle. Spray on areas and let set. Do not rinse. (Spot test on fabrics.)

Alternate between the two if the odors persist.

Because of lemons’ acidity and their light and refreshing scent, they work wonders as a simmering air freshener. Especially as I write now, in deep winter. The color alone is brightening!

The project couldn’t be easier: simply slice two lemons into about six coinshaped pieces each, place in a pan filled with 8 cups of water, bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for a few hours, replacing the water as needed.

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Healing Circle A.C. Green, Tony Delk, Bobby Hurley, Lamond Murray, "Moochie" Norris, and John Wallace, among others.

Former NBA superstar, Shaquille O'Neal, served as the honorary master of ceremonies.

W

e love hearing Topricin healing stories—and are proud that we helped a star athlete compete for his MVP Award!

“As a former professional athlete, I've tried many so-called "healing remedies" through the years. I've never personally endorsed a healing and pain topical remedy – until now.

Although I have been retired for several years, I will never lose that burning desire to compete at a high level and stay in shape. During Final Four Weekend in New Orleans almost two years ago, I was invited, along with other former college and NBA players, to participate in the Legends Game. The lineup of players included several noteworthy stars, including Tim Hardaway Sr.,

Obviously, I had quite a bit of working out to do leading up to the game. In one workout, I was kneed in the thigh, and as a result, developed a really painful contusion of the muscle. After numerous stretching routines and deep-tissue massages over the course of two months, the pain just would not go away. I had even contemplated withdrawing from participation.

Five days prior to the event, I bought Topricin at a Whole Foods store in Sarasota, Florida, desperate for some type of relief. I literally could not push off or jump on my right leg without experiencing intense pain.

In a matter of days, I was nearly 100 percent healed after using Topricin several times a day! Not only was I able to compete at a high level against my peers, I was also quite surprised to win the MVP Award.

Had it not been for the healing properties of Topricin, I simply would not have been able to play.

As an athletic development trainer, I even recommend this healing remedy to all of my players because I know it works!”

If you have a story to share, we’d love to hear from you! Please send it to managing editor Patricia Martin at pmartin@topicalbiomedics.com.

Healing Innovations W

e’re out of allergy season (for a while!). But with windows closed and air parched from home heating systems and wood stoves, winter can wreak havoc on sinuses. Ditto with colds and flu. Luckily, we’ve heard from some of our customers that Topricin has helped them with their sinus woes.

If you are feeling stuffy, simply massage Topricin along your sinus cavity until it’s absorbed (there’s no grease or odor, and it’s moisturizing, so it will feel wonderful on your skin). Topricin can help the swelling go down, helping to open cavity pathways, and promote the circulation of fresh blood to the area.

Now you can stay away from smelly, oily ointments that contain harsh counter-irritants and can irritate skin, and nasal strips that are made with chemical adhesives and are not safe for children under the age of five. Plus, they look so darn weird when you put them on!

Safe, natural, multi-use Topricin Pain Relief and Healing Cream formulas are ideal for the entire family. Ahhhhhh….now you can breathe easier!

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Healing Scents -By Joan Apter

U

niversity of Manchester researchers in the United Kingdom found several essential oils, usually used in aromatherapy, destroyed deadly methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and E.coli bacteria in two minutes.

Hospital-acquired infections, such as MRSA, kill an estimated 5,000 people a year.

The Manchester study was triggered when complementary medicine specialists at Christie Cancer Hospital asked university researchers to test essential oils.

Dr. Peter Warn, who carried out the research, said: "When I tested the oils in the lab, absolutely nothing grew. Rather than stimulating bacteria and fungi, the oils killed them off."

The team then tested 40 essential oils against 10 of the most infectious agents found in hospitals, including MRSA. Two of the oils were found to kill MRSA and E.coli almost instantly, while a third was found to act over a longer period of time. The essential oils tested by the University of Manchester were Patchouli, Tea Tree, Geranium and Lavender.

Dr. Warn says the essential oils could be used to create much more pleasant inhalation therapies—which he said were likely to have a much higher success rate than the current treatment, applying disinfectant, which is only effective in around 50% of cases."

Dr. Warn said: "We believe that our discovery could revolutionize the fight to combat MRSA and other super bugs."

"The reason essential oils are so effective is because they are made up of a complex mixture of chemical compounds which the MRSA and other super bug bacteria find difficult to resist."

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Howling Wolf Farm -By Mama Wolf

A

nyone who knows me well will tell you that I am decidedly a “doer”. I like to be busy, productive, and Get. Things. Done. I do not slow down, sit down, or relax very well. I get fidgety, a little agitated, and just worry about what I might not be doing at that particular moment. And my mother would quickly tell you that I’ve been this way since birth.

I have been working quite diligently over the last couple of years to slow down, recognize the seasons of life and appreciate the details in the pauses life has to offer. This is not easy for me. In fact, at times it can be excruciatingly painful. I am so in the habit of going, going, going that in those moments of stillness it can feel as if the world is pressing in on me, threatening to crush me, and the critical voice in my head screams of failure and inadequacy.

It is precisely in those moments, however, that life and breath, slowing and observing have so very much to teach me. It’s like the pause at the top of an in-breath, where total fullness can be felt if only we take notice; just before the breath is released again out into the world around us. That fullness can be very uncomfortable, lungs full to bursting. But, while uneasy or awkward, so much can be felt, learned and appreciated in that instant of noticing.

As of late, I’ve been allowing my toddler to reveal those precious quiet moments to me. I know that almost sounds impossible…

a toddler offering up the restful, reflective opportunities? But, yes, it’s true. Toddlerhood forces me to slow down. There are so many things that simply cannot be rushed, attended to, or gotten done when knee deep in the reality of someone who is learning through exploration and living a life of deeply felt moment-to-moment emotions. That soulful life, that rich experience demands my fullest attention and deepest breath. For me, there is no other way through mothering a toddler but slowing down and being present.

I have two older children as well, now on the cusp of teenagehood.

If memory serves correctly, I don’t think I quite allowed myself this same appreciation for pause and silence when they were little. I was still so stuck in my “get ‘er done” mentality. It was all about what I could accomplish in the moments of quietude. I believe that I missed out on so much by always looking to the next thing. And my overwhelming need to constantly go, do and accomplish led to intense exhaustion and burnout that affected not only me, but everyone around me.

Don’t get me wrong, I am still that same person, always longing for more and more productivity and efficiency. But now, when my little man falls asleep on my chest, I’m not necessarily immediately looking to lay him down, get out the door, and get the next big thing done. I take pause. I allow my thoughts and ambitions to suspend

in the ether. I listen to his soft and gentle breath, feel the rise and fall of his tiny chest against mine, reflect on what he might have felt and experienced this day and wonder at all that he is learning and absorbing each moment. And I consider my own experiences.

Have I slowed down today? Have I connected with the ones I love?

Have I made sure to tell people that I love them? Can I feel my breath? Truly feel it? Can I feel the ferocious mama-bear love that makes my heart nearly explode if I pay attention to it? I immerse myself and soak in these moments, breathing as deeply as I possibly can, trying to drink in every last immeasurable drop of reflection and gratitude for all that I have lived and learned in this lifetime, especially my life as Mother. It is then, and only then, that I finally allow myself to dive into the next task at hand.

In this hurried world of achievement, triumph and success, I think it behooves us to take a deep breath here and there. Take a quiet moment to contemplate the things for which you are grateful and make your heart swell. Feel the edge of discomfort as you allow yourself to go deeper into yourself.

And suspend, for an instant, the things and responsibilities that seem to be forever calling your name. They will all still be there when the moment has passed, just as the breath will always flow from the fullest lungs. Feel the fullness before it passes you by.

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In the News L

ou Paradise—our president, chief of research, and inventor of Topricin— was honored to have been invited by Mr. Steve Forbes to attend the Second Annual Forbes Healthcare Summit.

Held on October 9th and 10th in New York and hosted by Mr. Forbes, this year’s summit was titled “Empowering the Patient Revolution.” It highlighted how key stakeholders can work together to generate actionable solutions and reform to organize and finance new systems and ultimately provide better outcomes for patients, and featured many leaders from a wide spectrum of disciplines in the healthcare industry.

An invitation-only summit, notaries in attendance included Christy Turlington [Founder, Every Mother Counts, Director/Producer, “No Woman, No Cry”], Dr. Travis Stork [Physician & Host of The Doctors], Steven J. Thompson [CEO Johns Hopkins Medicine International].

Lou admires Forbes for creating a space for leaders in the healthcare industry to come together with open-minds to help empower patients, and says, “Topricin is proud to be a dedicated part of the patient revolution. Working closely with doctors and patients, Topical BioMedics sees and hears how patients are demanding credible, empowering information, transparency and better, safer pain relief solutions so that individuals can begin to take charge of healthcare choices.”

B

oston geared up to showcase the best of ski and snowboard culture at the second annual BEWI Ski & Snowboard Expo November 14th – 17th at the Seaport World Trade Center…And Topricin was there to provide xtreme pain relief to attendees.

Twists, turns, half-pipes, and flips—the stunts of skiing and snowboarding are radical but the highs felt on the slope can dramatically come crashing down when pain is felt. The athletes were pleased to discover how Topricin offers xtreme pain relief and are taking it to the slopes with them this season for pain-free performances. Check out our Expo video: http://bit.ly/JDDau6

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W

e’re kicking up our heels that Topricin Foot Therapy Cream was seen in the December issue of the popular women’s magazine Redbook—promoted as a musthave to keep feet happy and painfree throughout the holiday season.

O

ur Richard traveled to beautiful Honolulu, Hawaii, where Topricin was a proud sponsor of the St. Jude & Warren Moon Hall of Fame Reception in partnership with Sports 1 Marketing. This exciting and memorable event took place on January 23rd, where Pro Football Hall of Fame Legends, Pro Bowlers, and celebrities joined Warren Moon and St. Jude for an exclusive fundraising dinner to help the children at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Nearly 250 people attended this unforgettable evening, and everyone received tubes of Topricin to take home for their own family’s medicine cabinet.

Sports 1 Marketing was founded

by NFL Quarterback Warren Moon, who is an exceptional competitor, mentor, and humanitarian. He was named NFL’s Man of the Year in 1989 for his work in the community, and went on to begin Sports 1 Marketing in 2010 with CEO David Metzler. We were honored to partner with them to help raise money for the beautiful little girls and boys who are bravely battling childhood cancers at St. Judes, and keep the children in our prayers always!

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Contributors

Lou Paradise Lou is the President

and CEO of Topical BioMedics and the inventor of Topricin. He frequently serves as an expert speaker on the use of natural medicines, and has participated in addressing compliance issues related to the regulation of natural medicines as a member of the American Association of Homeopathic Pharmacists (AAHP). He is especially interested and active in issues regarding the care and treatment of the elderly, women and children, and his fellow veterans in VA medical centers around the country.

Lou is a Marine Corps helicopter combat and rescue veteran who served two rotations in Vietnam.

He is very modest about his combat service but his many decorations are for bravery in combat and the rescue of wounded soldiers, sailors, and fellow Marines and the humanitarian rescue of Vietnamese civilians.

Joan Apter A sought-after public speaker, Joan Apter,

licensed massage therapist, offers aromatherapy massage, Young Living Essential Oil products, health consultations and classes. Contact Joan at joanapter@earthlink.net. Visit apteraromatherapy. com and facebook.com/joanapter

Deborah Burklund Deborah Burklund, certified

reflexologist, has had a lifelong love of complementary alternative health care. She treats people who have a range of health issues, and her favorite word is “wow,” because she hears it often while giving a treatment. One of her tag lines is, “Your feet don’t lie.” www.Realreflexology.com.

Annie B. Bond Michelle Schoffro Best-selling author Annie B. Bond has been called Cook, PhD, ROHP, DNM, “The foremost expert on green living” by Body & Soul magazine. Honed by her own experience with chemical poisoning, Annie now offers others information on pursing a healthy way of life that is in harmony with the earth. Her books include Clean and Green, Better Basics for the Home, Home Enlightenment, and the most recent release True Food, published by National Geographic. For more information, visit www.greenchicafe.com and www.anniebbond.com. She is also Editor-inChief of The Wellness Wire, which is a site for dayto-day, hands-on inspiration and help for detox, relaxation, menus and recipes, spa remedies, personal care solutions, fitness and wellnessrelated articles from around the world, at www. thewellnesswire.com.

Is an international best-selling and fifteen-time book author whose works include: 60 Seconds to Slim, The Ultimate pH Solution, and the upcoming book Weekend Wonder Detox. She is a doctor of natural medicine, holistic nutritionist, and the publisher of the free ezine World’s Healthiest News. Learn more about her work at: www.

DrMichelleCook.com, www.

WorldsHealthiestDiet.com, and www.HealthySurvivalist.com

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Contributors Nicole Cutler, L.Ac., MTCM Is a long time

advocate of integrating perspectives on health. With a Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience from the University of Rochester and a Master’s degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine from Five Branches Institute, Nicole has been a licensed acupuncturist since 2000. She has gathered acupuncture licenses in the states of California and New York, is a certified specialist with the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association and has earned diplomat status with the National Commission of Chinese and Oriental Medicine in Acupuncture and Chinese Herbology. In addition to her acupuncture practice that focuses on stress and pain relief, digestion and immunity, Nicole contributes to the integration of healthcare by writing articles for professional massage therapists and people living with liver disease.

Doug Grunther Doug is a certified dream work facilitator

Laurel House Laurel is a healthy living

expert, author, personal trainer, and journalist covering travel, relationships, healthy food and fitness in national print and online publications. She has a weekly Fitness and Healthy Food channel on Yahoo! Shine, a “Screwing the Rules” dating/ relationships column on Giuliana Rancic’s FabFitFun. com, is a regular contributor to HealingLifestyles.com, a Dating Coach with DatingWithDignity.com, and a lifestyle contributor to E! News.

Laurel has been featured on E! News, Weekend TODAY, The Daily Buzz, CBS, Fox, NBC, and ABC Morning News, and other TV shows. Her most recent book, QuickieChick’s Cheat Sheet to Life, Love, Food, Fitness, Fashion and Finance on a Less than Fabulous Budget, was published by St. Martin’s in May 2012.

She also doles out dating/ relationship advice at www.

ScrewingTheRules.com.

Elyn Jacobs is a breast cancer survivor,

professional cancer coach, radio talk show host, speaker, and the Executive Director for the Emerald Heart Cancer Foundation.

She is also on the peer review board of the Natural Standard Database. Elyn empowers women to choose the path for treatment that best fits their own individual needs. She is passionate about helping others move forward into a life of health and wellbeing. Elyn lives in New York with her husband and two young boys. www. elynjacobs.wordpress.com; Twitter@survivelivewell; Facebook @Elyn Jacobs Consulting; LinkedIn @Elyn Jacobs;

and regularly holds dream work study groups. He has been Woodstock, NY’s most noted radio talk show host for over 25 years.

His popular program, “The Woodstock Roundtable,” can be heard over 100.1 WDSTFM and over the Internet at www.WDST.com.

To contact Doug, email dgrunther1@gmail. com or go to www.dreamworkwithdoug.com continued on next page

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Contributors Roufia Payman Roufia is the Director of Outpatient

Nutritional Services at Northern Dutchess Hospital in Rhinebeck, NY, where she directs the Bariatric Support Group, “New Leaf,” and “Get Real Weight Results” programs. For more information call 845-871-3600 or visit www.health-quest.org/ndh.

Alexandra Jamieson Author, chef, and certified

health and nutritional counselor, Alexandra is an advocate of holistic nutrition and healthy living. She has been seen on Oprah, The Final Word, 30 Days and the National Health Test with Bryant Gumble, and was featured in the award-winning documentary Super Size Me. In her books, Living Vegan for Dummies (Wiley, 2009) and The Great American Detox Diet (Rodale, 2005), Alex offers sensible and tasty advice on how to detox, live healthfully, and feel fantastic. For more information, visit www.deliciousvitality.com

Patricia Martin

Patricia is the managing editor of Natural Healing, Natural Wellness and the director of marketing for Topical BioMedics, Inc. She is also an author, poet, copywriter, journalist, and lifestyle columnist who frequently cohosts Doug Grunther’s Woodstock RoundTable radio talk show on WDST 100.1 fm, Woodstock, NY.

Laurie Towers Founder and CEO of Physical Advantage, NY,

NY, Laurie is a fitness expert, former professional bodybuilder, and now Manhattan’s main massage maven. Perennially listed in New York Magazine’s “Best Of” issue and featured on numerous television news shows and radio programs, Physical Advantage has established itself as the premier “serious” rehabilitative massage center in New York City, with a clientele that includes professional athletes, marathoners, dancers, actors, and singers. She is also the creator of the “Bridal Body Shop,” which helps brides-to-be get in shape with personal training sessions in their own home, and was recently named one of the top businesses primed for success in 2011 by Business News Daily. For more information visit www.physical-knead.com.

MamaWolf says: “I am a mama

of three and partner to one trying to cultivate a sweet and simple life with intention. We live on a small organic homestead - alongside rain forest, gardens, fruit trees, chickens, turkeys, honey bees, a Dexter cow and her calf, two cats and a dog. My goal is to live my dreams in each day and teach the same to my children....”

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If you would like to contribute to Natural Healing Natural Wellness by Topricin™, feel free to contact Patricia Martin, Director of Marketing

pmartin@topicalbiomedics.com

Page

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