Vibrance
EDITION 001 September 2015
Intuitive Jewelry Energy Medicine What is Cancer? Sushi As A Health Food The Vitamin D Decision
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Send submissions to Kelly at editor@vibrancemag.com Advertisers may query us at info@vibrancemag.com Upcoming Issues November: What’s stress got to do with it & DIY Urinalysis January: Thyroid disorders & DIY Blood Pressure Treatments March: Don’t die of an autoimmune disease & DIY fingernail diagnosis Instagram @vibrancemagazine Facebook /vibrancemagazine Twitter: @femininehealer Each issue of Vibrance Magazine features women who are journeying through chronic illness or cancer. If this is you, please write to us here: editor@vibrancemag.com
Vibrance Magazine is published bi-
monthly in the United States. Subscriptions are available here: www.vibrancemag.com/subscribe
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Your editor. My own story of with chronic illness began many years ago. And as I began the work of untangling her roots, plucking the weeds and fertilizing the truths as I went along - it occurred to me quite suddenly that this was a lifetime’s endeavor. This was no “task” to check off my list. Not a “to-do” item or perhaps (even more shockingly) never to be written off as “completely done”. Perhaps it was even a gift. My own soul’s journey. Gasp. If you’re not there yet, or maybe you think you’ll never have this reconciliation with an illness or disease, that’s ok. In fact, that in itself is part of the process. There is an art to healing - and it comes in pieces and packages not at all tidy or mundane. It is at times both beauty & ugliness in the same hour. And without a doubt, this may very well be the first time you’ve heard it spoken of in personhood. For decades it was easier for me to handle being chronically sick with “it” cloaked in sterile drapes and rubbed clean with alcohol swabs. And so then... this is my story. The pages of this magazine envelope my own story and the stories of other radical women. We are alike - so very alike - in our journeys. Consider this a bit of my introduction and an invitation to share your story with us. You have my word I will handle it tenderly as if it were my own. Because in so very many ways... it is.
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Kelly
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Intuitive jewelry
Meet Nikki and her hand-crafted, intuitively designed jewelry for your healing journey.
What is cancer? Here’s a hint: it’s not what you think it is.
Energy medicine
Meet Rachel - an intuitive energy healer - as she
Sushi as health food
shares part of her journey back to her true self.
health benefits?! Bonus points for being yummy. ;)
Vitamin D
Maybe it’s a miracle cure, maybe it’s not. But it certainly should be on your short list of alternative 5 treatments.
Who knew this Asian cuisine could boast so many
Featured Artist Frida Kahlo - Mexican artist & feminine revolutionary.
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VIBRANCE Magazine MAKES YOU HAPPIER.
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I know, I know. That sounds a bit grandeous doesn’t it? But I couldn’t help it! I want you to look forward to opening the pages of this magazine as much as you look forward to opening that velvet box, that package of cookies, that phone call from a friend. Because this little package
is all about you.
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Sushi as health food Much of the nutritional impact of sushi comes from the fish or seafood in the roll but a 2011 review published in the “Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry” concluded that the proteins in seaweed could reduce blood pressure and improve heart health.
Do you love sushi? Did you make your own? Show us! Tag us on Instagram @vibrancemagazine and use the hashtag #foodheals
Packed with fresh fish, crunchy vegetables and fiber-filled rice, sushi can be a nutrient-packed, healthy meal. One wrong step, however, can add an abundance of fat, calories or sodium. Learn the ins and outs of what makes a healthy sushi roll to ensure that your Japanese meal stays on the right path. Some traditional sushi rolls made with raw fish, vegetables, rice and nori -- which is a type of seaweed -- are low in calories. For example, a salmon cucumber roll contains just 231 calories and 4 grams of fat, while a mackerel roll has about the same calorie count with only 2 grams of fat. A shrimp roll provides 199 calories and 0 grams of fat. To make the calories you consume even lower, start sub8
tracting ingredients. Remove the fish to make a veggie roll to bring the calorie count down to 170. A piece of sashimi, which nixes the rice, is only 35 calories, when you prepare it with tuna. Avoid tempura, or fried sushi, as well as spicy sauces made with mayonnaise, as they both increase the calories. The outer wrap of sushi rolls, nori is a staple in Japanese cuisine, and for good reason. It’s very low in calories but is plentiful in nutrients such as vitamins A, B-6 and C, as well as in minerals like iodine. Additionally, a 2011 review published in the “Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry” concluded that the proteins in seaweed could reduce blood pressure and improve heart health.
Benefits of Fish and Seaweed Much of the nutritional impact of sushi comes from the fish or seafood in the roll. Nutrition author Carol Ann Rinzler notes in “Shape” magazine that salmon and tuna are both healthy options because they’re high in protein, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D. Mackerel is also rich in omega-3s, as is selenium, which is a mineral that might help protect against cancer, according to “Shape.” Sushi does not have to contain fish; it can be made with any type of seafood. Other nutritious options for fillings include shrimp, scallops and eel. Vegetables and Condiments To boost your intake of nutrients, look for sushi rolls that contain vegetables as well as seafood. Some rolls, such as the California roll, include avocado, which is a source of healthy fat. To increase your intake of fiber, ask for sushi
made with brown rice instead of white rice, and don’t forget the condiments that come with sushi. Spicy wasabi contains antioxidants and pickled ginger is an antimicrobial and antiviral agent. Skip the soy sauce, though, as it’s loaded with sodium. Mercury Concerns Sushi has its benefits, but certain types of fish can contain too much mercury. Consuming too much mercury can cause problems with vision, memory, headaches and hair loss. The Food and Drug Administration recommends shying away from shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish, due to mercury content, and sticking to shrimp, salmon, pollock and catfish. Tuna, a sushi staple, has moderate levels of mercury. The FDA recommends keeping your fishcentric meals to no more than 12 ounces a week.
Go here to make your own...
http://almondsandavocados.com/quinoa-sushi-need-i-say-more/
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Energetic healing
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“I know how hard it is to make the decision to go there, to look at the things you’ve spent a lifetime turning away from. But I also know how it can completely transform your life when you decide that you’re willing to take it on. Making that commitment, to know yourself fully at even the deepest levels, is not one that you’ll ever regret.”
I’ve been immersed in the world of self healing for a very long time now, but it took me years to accept the connection between our physical health and emotional health. I grew up in a hyper dysfunctional home and 11
walked away with the attitude of “It is what it is. I got this. I’m good.” More than decade later, I found out I was expecting my fourth child the day after my husband’s funeral, and I was saying the same thing. “I got this.” It took another year before I was willing to look at my emotional health. And by then, I was a lump on the floor of the shower, unable to care for my own basic needs, let alone those of my children. The first time I experienced what felt like real healing (rather than another therapist telling me I should make more lists to keep from getting overwhelmed) was during a CranioSacral Therapy session. And while I went in to explore an unending pain in my chest that I attributed to grief, what I experienced instead was the reliving of a moment in my childhood that had seemed insignificant, but allowed me to begin unleashing the flood of emotion that had been pent up for all those years.
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We’re all familiar with the type of muscle memory that’s created when we learn to ride a bike, but our bodies are capable of remembering so much more than that. And not just muscles, but our fascia, which connects nearly every cell to one another, holds the memories of all kinds of meaningful events in our lives. Every ounce of shame, anger, and unworthiness that we’ve ever felt, every promise to “never do that again,” in an attempt to avoid getting hurt. Each one of those leaves it’s mark in our body, and each one of them takes a toll. Nobody likes to feel those sorts of feelings, and the way we naturally cope with life’s difficulties is to separate ourselves from them. Yet after a lifetime of shoving down negative emotions and building walls to protect ourselves, we end up living in a tiny box of who we’re really meant to be. And all of those old hurts, they get tucked away into these little nooks and crannies within our bodies 12
and become absolutely toxic. Energy work can create profound results in your healing journey, but it’s not a one time solution to issues that have been created over a lifetime. Each session builds upon the next for results that compound upon each other. For this reason, it’s essential to include energy work as a part of your regular self-care regimen. Sometimes even a small moment can make a big difference in your body. A common example is a child that is repeatedly told to “shut up” or that she should be “seen and not heard” will typically tighten her tongue, throat, and/or jaw to ensure silence. This forms a habit that continues throughout adulthood and is often experienced as neck tension and TMJ issues. This may seem like a small complaint in the wake of chronic health struggles, but the collection of all these impactful moments in our lives can over time reek complete havoc in our bodies.
And exploring them can play a monumental role in our healing. So how can we clean our bodies of old emotions and stories? We have to move the old, stuck energy. I get asked a lot, “What exactly is energy work?” And it can be a little tricky to explain because, after all, everything is energy. And there are all sorts of ways to move it. While there are lots of different modalities of energy work, the one that has proved to be most powerful in my journey is the use guided imagery. Incorporating guided imagery with energy work allows us to put a form to or to call forth whatever type of energy it is that we’d like to shift while simultaneously activating neurons associated with memories. This may look like a dusty room full of shame that needs to be tidied up. Or it may be a disowned part of yourself, a little girl trapped in a cage ever since a traumatic event. We use the images to get more insight into your subconscious and move the energy to bring you to more 13
wholeness. And in the process, you are actually rewiring your brain. Energy work is one of the few ways you can work on a Spiritual, Emotional, Psychological, and Physical level all at once. And it’s nearly impossible to explain what that actually feels like until you experience it for yourself.
Rachel is an Intuitive Energy Healer, CranioSacral Therapist, & Consciousness Mentor. She’s often found with her littles tromping through the Ozarks or sitting in her garden with her toes buried in the dirt. You can find more about who she is and her work at www.rachelfracassa.com
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Big business Mens threadsOmnita ilit atatendae is veris nis simagnit adis amusae voluptis id qui ut labo
Intuitive jewelry
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We are made of stories. Recently I pondered on how each person is ultimately their own athenaeum. We are bursting with stories, and each one has formed us; we hold them close and meticulously choose which of our sacred pages we will share with those around us. We have learned that those who have proven themselves worthy to share our tattered BookSelves with are Holy, and we find we are always cautious when someone new knocks on the door to our Sanctuary. Many have whispered to us that the stories we carry are too complex for simply anyone to fathom, or too heartbreaking for them to bear, so we keep them hidden within our skin. Personally, I have spent most of this life keeping my worn and musty pages to myself, thinking that they are simply too much ... or not nearly enough. My reality is this: I have traversed the shadow-lands, made my home 15
within the darkness, and eventually crossed over into Light. I, like others, still find solace in the darkness, and my ravens still speak to me through the shadows. Anytime there is a need to overcome some seemingly impossible obstacle I step back into the darkness, for it is within the depths of the shadows-lands that I am forced to adjust my Sight.
“I’m here to tell you this: Each story you hold is wild and precious, full of transformative mystery, and has the ability to aid in the healing of others … IF you choose to share them. For it is only in the sharing that we truly connect and transform.”
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Allowing this manifestation in my life was the best decision I have ever made, it allowed me to silence all other voices, and open up space enough to allow my true voice to come through. Everything I have ever wanted in life I found within my own darkness – Authenticity, Acceptance, Hope, Joy, Love, Peace, and the strength of my own Light. Not long after coming out of my shadow-land I decided to create something to serve as a reminder of my time there, a talisman to carry with me always. Having taught myself the art of Silver-Craft I started working on a ring that would carry that story for me. It has become my most treasured piece of jewelry. Spirit spoke one day of the stories carried by others (cancer, loss, chronic illness, brokenness, etc.) and how we needed to create something personal, hallowed, and magickal; a charm that would speak to the wearer of the stories they hold within. 17
Using gorgeous High Vibrational Crystals, and quality Sterling Silver to amplify each Crystal’s healing properties, we partner with each individual to create an amulet. A Sacred testament not only of their journey or its struggles, but also a visual witness to THEIR victories, a symbol of hope for the future, and an inspirational piece that reflects their Vibrance. Our Airmeith Collection has become an intimate way of honoring each person’s journey. Nikki Borgannah spends her days growing her two Wild Ones. She can often be found in the Wild spaces of this realm curating the Sacred, and wandering the shadow-lands immersed in The Alchemy of Light. Nikki is: Wild Fae, Mystic, Silver Alchemist, and Magick. Join her at invokingthewild.com where she pens her Musings by Moonlight.
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Featured Artist
Featured Artist
Frida Kahlo
Frida Kahlo, Mexican woman and artist, was born into perfect health with a loving family. But Frida would soon be no stranger to tragedy; before she was even 7 years old, she caught Polio. It 18
wasn’t a mild case in the least bit, and as a result, she lost mobility in her right leg. Despite her fathers’ efforts to help her recover, Frida never completely did.
Her right foot became extremely deformed, and her leg caused her pain throughout the rest of her life. Over her childhood years, Frida would not only experience physical pain, but emotional pain as well. Her schoolmates bullied her because of her lopsided foot, and as a result she decided to take action. She clothed herself in extravagant dresses lined with lace and ruffles and filled with all of the colors of the rainbow. She would wear two socks on her right foot in an effort to fill her shoe. By the time she was 20, she had already earned a reputation for her beautiful dresses and unique hairstyles. She went on to college while further evolving her signature fashion style. On her way home from classes on September 17th, 1925, a tram collided with her bus and a metal rod impaled her just bellow her hips. She endured a broken pelvis, spinal column, and other major injuries. The 19
fact that she even survived was a miracle. Enslaved to bed-rest for several months, she took up painting. She painted only self portraits, proclaiming, “I am my own muse. The subject I know best.” Her first major piece of art was titled “self portrait in a velvet dress.” By the end of 1927, she was fully recovered. She went back to life as it had been before. She met a man named Diego and showed him some of her art. He encouraged her to continue painting. After they became a romantic couple, they married in 1929. This event marked the start of a new chapter of pain in Frida’s life. She ended up enduring three miscarriages, and had to have her right leg amputated. Along with the physical pain, she discovered that her beloved husband Diego had been sleeping with many different women; including her own little sister.
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But through the anger and betrayal, Frida painted. For her, art was an escape. It was more than just ‘expressing her feelings,’ it was a way to lose herself to something she knew wouldn’t betray her. The blank canvas would sit and wait, allowing her to pour her soul onto it. She painted to bring a sense of reality to her pain, so others would be given the chance to take a peek inside of her heart. Frida learned to paint herself as a flower when the world she knew intended her to be a thorn. Born into her world innocent and without the slightest flaw in her health, she lived with injuries and diseases that would ruin what could have been a “normal life”. Some are born with health problems, but Frida was cursed with them. Her paintings certainly reflect that philosophy. Even the slightest glance at her face forces you to listen to what she has to say in her paintings. 20
Frida captivates me like no other artist has before. A thought popped into my head while writing this article, and I think it does a wonderful job at reflecting upon Frida’s life as a whole. “Even the brightest of rainbows can come from the darkest cloud.” Art has the ability to reveal what a person’s soul looks like, and I just love that. Frida was and continues to be an inspiration to many who live with chronic pain and disease.
Abby Faith spends her mornings with coffee and her nights with the moon - a writer, artist and muse to many but always a creative at heart. Visit her at: www.letsreadtheworld.wordpress.com
Don't build a wall around your suffering or it may devour you from the inside. -Frida Kahlo
Take a moment and think of the ways you have built a wall around your challenges. Have you pretended to be “ok” when you weren’t? Pushed through commitments when you honestly needed to back away from them? Always say, “I’m good.” to all but a few trusted friends? What has this cost you in moving towards healing? 21
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What is cancer?
Cancer, just like anything else that could kill me, is not something I chose to be afraid of. Instead I let myself ease into the knowledge that it was no accident I was facing this - and that she could be either my biggest enemy or my ally.
There was this moment.... and isn’t there always “that” moment when something life-changing stumbles into your path? That moment where the universe slows down her spinning dance and you are acutely aware of every single molecule of your own existence? That moment of absolute clarity. The moment where you understand what lies before you in a way that can either be denied as an illusion - so unlike anything you’ve ever seen before that it seems a plausible idea - or
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a vision. Having always been what some might call a mystic I, of course, chose the latter. That moment of clarity would carry me through what would end up being the hardest year of my life. Yes, harder than my divorce some years earlier where I was propelled into single working motherhood after a 15 year marriage and with 4 children in tow. Harder even than burying my father a week after those first cancer lab results
For the first time in my life I found myself facing something completely and utterly outside of my control and yet at the same time something that felt as though I had been walking towards for a millineum. I had been fairly immersed in the healing arts since my childhood. Almost as soon as I could read I would ask my dad, “What plant is this? What is it good for?” Dad was no herbalist, though he was 1,000,000 other things, and he would always chuckle and say, “I’m sure it is good for something or it wouldn’
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t be here.” That was enough for me. I had received verbal affirmation of the knowledge I carried inside: there are no mistakes, and everything is for good or “it wouldn’t be here”. I applied that to my cancer journey almost immediately. Now, make no mistake. KNOWING this was very different from FEELING it. And my children and life partner can attest to the fact that the dark days were very dark. Days on end where I didn’t comb my hair or put on makeup. I swung between anger , peace and grief at the pace of a 4/4 metronome. 2 months after the initial diagnosis I found a surgeon willing to do exactly as I asked him to do - and almost no one knew that anything was happening other than my long dreamed of “breast reduction”.
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“I sat with the knowledge that I could either fight the disease or let it carry me where it would. I chose the road less traveled and looked it straight in the eye. There was no fight. There was no threat. Finally, in that moment, there was absolute acceptance. I said to Cancer, ‘So - you’re going to be here for awhile. What do you have to teach me?’ Best decision I ever made.” And so I spent weeks juice fasting, allergy testing, grounding, guided imagining, brushing, trussing, fussing and oh good grief... POOPING. I never pooped so much in my life. It was intense. The daily and then weekly colonics, the chlorophyll and detox baths, infared sunbathing... all of it was intense. INTENSE. And what I thought in the be-
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ginning would be a mostly physical experience turned into one of the most introspective and emotional times of my life. I wrote poetry, took an intuitive art class, moon gazed and started playing with crystals. I hired a “coach” ; though she was so ever much more than that, and waded through years of childhood junk and treasures alike.
I should speak here of my decision to keep my diagnosis and treatment choices within a very, very small circle. I knew that what I would likely receive from friends and family - though well-intentioned & in love - would be my undoing. I had no place for pity, for fear, for dread. I honestly did not feel those emotions but I wasn’t sure I could fend them off if offered. I trusted myself only as far as the next step, and I had absolutely nothing to offer anyone but myself during that time. Long time friends wondered what had happened to me. My sisters and mother were hurt because it seemed I had withdrawn from everyone. My children were bewildered and sad to see Mama “down and dreadful”. << A term I use now to describe those months. ;) In the end, Cancer left
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me in nearly every way better than she found me. And the shadow of her shows up every now and then as a reminder that there is more to learn.
Kelly spends her days writing, knitting, mothering & roaming the BigWoods wildcrafting herbs or sitting at creek’s edge. You can learn more about her at www. TheFeminineHealer.com .
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Vitamin D: miracle cure?
So here’s the thing about vitamin d: you need it to be well, and to get well. It is involved in cellular repair, hormones, muscle building and lots of other important things. Oh -and chances are good that you do not currently have enough circulating it’s magic through your body. It doesn’t take much more than a sideways glance at the grocery store aisle magazines to see list after list of vitamin d “cures”. The new research is both breathtakingly broad and minute in detail. Been diagnosed with osteoporosis? Didn’t you know that vitamin d causes os26
teopenia first? And that no matter how much calcium you take “for your bones” it will actually only make the problem worse if you are vitamin D deficient? Or are you young and overweight despite your best efforts? Vitamin D for the win again! What about an autoimmune disease like lupus, inflammatory bowel disease [IBS] or thyroid dysfunction? Yep. Vitamin D is implicated here too. If you are infertile, depressed, been diagnosed with a mood disorder or anxiety - vitamin D has your back. It honestly sounded too
good to be true. I waited and watched for new “special formulations” of vitamin D to hit the market, or for MLM companies to snatch up the opportunity to sell vitamin d at “you-can-only-get-ithere” prices. Something very different happened instead: the typical marketing landslide just didn’t happen. Or at least it hasn’t happened yet. In case you wonder if, at last, marketers have gained a conscience and said goodbye to the almighty dollar, they haven’t. What I suspect has happened instead is a miscalculation on their part. You see, it is so darn EASY to get your daily RDA of vitamin D, and it’s free - that marketers really thought “who would buy vitamin d when the average person can get enough for free while sitting on their back deck?!” Who indeed. The bad news is that just about everyone would buy their way to health, if we are to take the findings of the Vitamin D Council 27
as true. Nearly 80% of women in the US are vitamin D deficient. The good news for us who are radically deficient and have been for YEARS - vitamin d supplements are relatively high quality across the board, and still cheap to boot. The Vitamin D Council recommends 3000 IU for adults. IU: that’s international units and as defined by Google means “a quantity of a biologic substance that produces a particular biological effect upon as an international standard”. If you have in mind that the Food and Nutrition Board currently recommends 600 IU of vitamin d daily for adults - you can see that this is a huge difference in quantity. And that might worry you. It should. Except that... They’ve been un-ordinarily disinterested in changing that recommendation even in the face of mountains of research that points to the possibility that they used flaw data to determine that recommendation. Shocking.
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For more information on Vitamin D check out Kelly’s YouTube video for subscribers here:
At the end of the day there are few things you should know if you decide that vitamin d supplementation is a good direction to go in healing a chronic illness or cancer.
anything under <30nmol/L (<12 ng/mL) then you are deficient. If your current practitioner doesn’t think it’s important or necessary to test your vitamin D levels - find a new one.
TESTING: The gold standard for vitamin testing is: Serum concentration of 25(OHD) . This gives you the best picture of current vitamin d status but does NOT tell you how much vitamin d is being stored in body tissues. That’s important because vitamin D likes to hang with it’s friends (being a fat soluble vitamin I can’t blame it) and if you are overweight you may need to take MORE than those 3000IU to get to optimum levels. So if your serum concentration of 25(OD) is
THE PINK TEST: For my money, the best source of vitamin D is sunlight. To get the daily amount your body needs you need to be in direct sunlight without sunscreen until your skin begins to turn pink. Just before you will “burn”. We’ve all had sunburns. You know how long that is. your body. Everyone’s skin is different so the time you need in the sun is special to you. Cool huh?
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SUPPLEMENTS: Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to know which type to take. Most supplemental Vitamin D comes in one of two forms: either ergocalciferol (D2) or cholecalciferol (D3). Most medical providers have considered them interchangable, and certainly all of the prescription medications of vitamin D are of vitamin D2. The problem with D2 is that it has a shorter shelf life and it binds with protein very poorly - both of which make it less potent. Interesting factoid: both forms of vitamin D must be converted into a more active form once they are inside your body. Another perk of D3 is that is performs this crucial activity at 500% faster than vitamin D2. Vitamin D is not simply converted in the kidneys either - there are MANY cells in your body that convert D3 into an active form for use. Important if you have a kidney issue or take medications that stress your kidneys. Again though - the safest way 29
to increase your vitamin D levels is SUN EXPOSURE. Because everyone processes vitamin D supplements differently it is possible to have an unnecessarily and dangerously high serum level of vitamin d from taking supplements. You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t over-expose yourself to vitamin D from the sun if you follow the PINK TEST. FOOD: Not really even worth the paragraph. Even if your food is vitamin D fortified itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to be vitamin D2, and most of it will be rendered intolerable and unusable by exposure to air during manufacturing, shipping and storage.
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Vitamin D: the short list. Here are a few things to keep in mind about vitamin D. A cheatsheet of sorts. If you watched my video on the subject youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see that I take a fairly straightforward and practical approach to the subject. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s because Vitamin D is a straightforward and easily understood subject. It can be summed up in this statement:
You need Vitamin D3. Yes, I can tell from here. Sun exposure is the most effective & safest way to get it. If you choose to supplement with D3, you should have your blood levels checked regularly.
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Foods contain negligible amounts of Vitamin D3 and if you are deficient they arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t going to do you much good in the long run. With that being said however, you can support the amount of Vitamin D you are exposed to by eating these foods daily. Food
IUs per serving*
Cod liver oil, 1 tablespoon
1,360
Swordfish, cooked, 3 ounces
566
Salmon (sockeye), cooked, 3 ounces
447
Tuna fish, canned in water, drained, 3 ounces
154
Orange juice fortified with vitamin D, 1 cup
137
Milk, nonfat, reduced fat, and whole, vitamin D-fortified, 1 cup
115-124
Yogurt, fortified with 20% of the DV for vitamin D, 6 ounces
80
Margarine, fortified, 1 tablespoon
60
Sardines, canned in oil, drained, 2 sardines
46
Liver, beef, cooked, 3 ounces
42
Egg, 1 large (vitamin D is found in yolk)
41
Cereal, fortified with 10% of the DV for vitamin D, 0.75-1 cup
40
Cheese, Swiss, 1 ounce * IUs = International Units.
Eating your Vitamin D 31
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Note to self:
60%
of everything I put ON my body ends up IN my body.
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Body products Why worry about it? Let’s do a bit of a biology lesson here. Your skin is your body’s largest organ. What you put on your skin gets into your body. So if the ingredients in your body products are sketchy at best and outright dangerous at worst, it becomes top priority to clean that stuff up. This body scrub is a great way to clean your skin, use essential oils for healing, and stimulate your lymphatic system as well. It is cheap, easy, CLEAN and good for you. What’s not to love?
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DIY Salt Body Scrub Recipe 1 cup Epsom Salts 1/2 cup Coconut Oil Your favorite essential oils Mix salt and oil together in a glass container then add 3-4 drops of your favorite essential oil. I especially like Vetiver & Lemongrass or lavender. Use as a body scrub but do NOT try putting it into your bathwater. You’ll get a good cardio workout cleaning it of you do!
My name is Lindsey- I’m an Air Force wife and mother of 2 super healthy kids, and a Physical Therapist Assistant by trade. I attribute my kids health to avoiding toxins (as much as possible), plenty of active play outside, eating healthy, and of course using natural home remedies and essential oils before going to the doctor to be given unnecessary medicines! We of course go to the doctor when it IS necessary ;) I also am most obsessed -err passionate-- about soap making! I’ve also become passionate about using essential oils in our every day lives now. From our cloth wipe solution and homemade cleaners, to tummy troubles, to treating burns... these oils are a God send! VISIT LINDSEY HERE
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Body product ingredients 60% of what we put on our skin ends up inside our bodies. The majority of mainstream body care products contain a cocktail of carcinogenic chemicals, allergens, and irritants. To eliminate a lot of toxic chemicals, preservatives, and fragrances that are harmful to our bodies, choose certified organic and natural skin care products. It is important to read labels and become educated about what ingredients to avoid when selecting body care products. A good motto to go by is if you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t eat it donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t use it! Petroleum derivatives, preservatives, synthetic fragrances and dyes go by many names. A few examples of common ingredients to steer clear of are Cocoamidopropyl Betaine, Olefin Sulfonate, Sodium Luaroyl Sarcosinate, Potassium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sulfates, Parabens, and Phenoxyethanol.
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to watch for Example: Vaseline Intensive Care Dry Skin Lotion Ingredients from packaging: ACTIVE INGREDIENT: ETHYLHEXYL P-METHOXYCINNAMATE (SPF 5). OTHER INGREDIENTS: WATER, GLYCERIN, STEARIC ACID, GLYCOL STEARATE, SUNFLOWER SEED OIL, SOYA STEROL, LECITHIN, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, RETINYL PALMITATE, DIMETHICONE, GLYCERYL STEARATE, CETYL ALCOHOL, TEA, MAGNESIUM ALUMINUM SILICATE, FRAGRANCE, CARBOMER, STEARAMIDE AMP, CORN OIL, METHYLPARABEN, DMDM HYDANTOIN, IODOPROPYNYL BUTYLCARBAMATE, DISODIUM EDTA, PG, BHT, TITANIUM DIOXIDE, YELLOW NO. 10. Footnotes: Brown et al. The role of skin absorption as a route of exposure for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in drinking water. Am J Public Health. 1984 May; 74(5): 479–484. Kasting and Kretsos.Skin Pharmacol Physiol 2005;18:55-74 Robinson et al. The Importance of Exposure Estimation in the Assessment of Skin Sensitization risk. Contact Dermatitis 2000; 42:251-259. Reprinted with permission from DownToEarth.com
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Stress is part and parcel to being alive. I’m convinced that trying to “eliminate stress” causes more stress than you were dealing with in the first place! That being said, for women with a chronic health challenge - one that requires your attention every single day - reducing stress should absolutely be included in your healing plan. From creating a restful home environment to body movements that will reduce the implications of stress to art projects for your mind chatter: the November issue has it covered. Featuring Kathryn Costa from the 100 Mandala Project, interviews with our sisters on how they handle stress, and some ways that the kitchen can be a vital piece of your stress-reducing tool kit. And if you’ve ever wondered why the doctor’s office tests your urine (it’s not for drugs!) the subscribers-only video teaches you how to test your own and explains how your URINE can be a vital piece of self-care and stress-management. Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to get your copy! If you would like to share your story - please email Kelly at: editor@vibrancemag.com In love & light for our journey,
Kelly
And of course we are always looking for beautiful artwork & photography for
our covers. I would love to consider using one of yours! Show me what you’ve got: editor@vibrancemag.com
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