TruHealth

News!

2010-07-21T12:45:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone!

For the last few weeks I have been struggling with the idea of whether or not I should move my blog to a different blogging platform or not, and I have finally decided that it is the right move for my blog.

In the coming weeks, I will link to my new blog and begin posting exclusively on there, while keeping this one alive for all of the previous content that I have produced.

Make today great!

xXx

New Perspectives

2010-06-26T09:54:00.000-04:00

Greetings! It has indeed been a long time since I last posted a blog. I haven't been blogging consistently this summer, which is a shame really because I meant to become a more consistent poster. At any rate changes are still occurring in my life, its all been very positive. I have been kind of taking a little hiatus from writing in general, not just on this blog.

I figure I should take some time, step away, and find my writing voice, but I am not sure if it will ever be found/developed. Growth as a writer is often a constant endeavor -- no one (at least not me!) ever wakes up thinking, 'Golly, I just found how I am going to write from now on!'

Growing and changing as a writer really is no different than growing and changing as a person. The process is still the same: falter, observe, adjust, repeat. I falter in some way, make an observation, make whatever adjustment I deem necessary, and then repeat the process and the story to other people. The only difference is that writer know how to express their experiences, turning them into wonderful stories.

I guess if you were to ask me right now where I am in the process, I guess I would be on one of the first three. It is difficult to pinpoint where I am on the growth spectrum because I have had a growth spurt over the last month and I have been changing every single day.

Although I do have to say this situation in the Gulf has got me really miffed! I can't stand to think of the colossal impact to the environment that it will have.

As far as idealogically, I really haven't changed much. I still believe in the dietary guidelines that Weston A. Price put forth, I still believe that Rx drugs are not good for people in general, and I still believe very strongly in sustainable agriculture. I have been philosophically been changing my tune, learning more about Gnostic Christianity, Native American spiritualism, Hindu and Chinese Beliefs and many other ancient belief systems.

Today, it seems the world is trapped in this Matrix of unimportant things that have no real affect on every day life. People seem so materialistic these days (I choose not to incriminate myself! Talk to my lawyer if you want to know if I am materialistic or not). Society as a whole seems so off base. Complete strangers don't smile or greet each other fanymore, they just pass by on the street, fully equipped with a scowl. And what is buried in their ears? Some semblance of what might be considered music is blasting in their head, drowning them to reality and their surroundings. Maybe it is a bit harsh, maybe this assesment is totally off base.

Hell, maybe I need to move to a new area!

The way that most people live their lives today is all about encircling themselves in a bubble -- their circle of friends, their favorite music/movies/television -- living this artificial life where oil spills happen over there, where food comes from the supermarket, and where success and financial gain replace kidness and compassion. Everyone is out there chasing luxuries like a dog chasing endlessly after a bone (or like my cat who endlessly chases his tail ;) )

Well, I took the red pill

I reject this culture of consumerism (**hides ipad) and I embrace the older ways of life where people would just be people. An oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is still my oil spill. Yes, those who committed the infraction where suits and ties and are probably the biggest luxury chasers around, but it is still my oil spill.

I like the Native American philosophy that we don't own the land, but are benefactors of it. I haven't quite gotten the concept all down, but I understood it to mean that we are all living here by the grace of Mother Earth. So this earth, it is mine and yours, but in the sense that we live here and it was here before us so we should respect it and our fellow tenants (i.e. plants, animals, etc.)

New perspective needs to be adopted, based upon an older way of life. Stop texting and start talking, add something new to your usual daily routine, strive for growth instead of a G6, and most importantly, relish in the little moments. These little nothings make up the whole of life, so whether it is laughing at nothing with an old friend or stealing glances of a great lover, bask in these times, and strive to remember each moment. These transient, fleeting moments are all we have, so guard them, appreciate them and never take them for granted.

I leave you with this beautiful quote from Gandhi:

Keep your thoughts positive,
because your thoughts become your words.
Keep your words positive,
because your words become your behaviours.
Keep your behaviours positive,
because your behaviours become your habits.
Keep your habits positive,
because your habits become your values.
Keep your values positive,
because your values become your destiny.

May the Sun always be at your face, and the wind to your back!

Updates, Cholesterol and Saturated Fat and other news.

2010-05-07T10:40:00.000-04:00

Since my last post, I have made a few changes in my life. First, I have decided to take some time off from school and explore more of my options, and I moved in with my sister who I hadn't seen for eight years. It has all been so wonderful, and I feel good about my decision and I think it was a really smart move for me. We get along really well (disregarding the usual sister-sister, "but I want to wear that!" spats) and I have been able to share and talk about nutrition with her and talk all about my philosophies on life and child rearing.

Now, I don't have any children of my own, but I just love to read about baby/child care. It is one of those things that I just love to do, I can't explain it. At my sister's apartment, we bet baby magazines for some reason -- neither of us know why they are being sent -- and just reading through them is horrifying! This is what these magazines think parenting is all about?!

I am really trying to be fair, but I find it really difficult to find anything of substance. I like the stories that the mom's tell, and the adorable baby pictures, but other than that, its nothing more than pure propaganda. How?-- the countless pictures and adds for baby formula or baby foods, the ridiculous materialism that saturates each page, the shallow nutrition advice. Do you really need a $500 crib, or a pacifier, or the latest baby-genius concoction? How about something organic. No, I don't mean the label that means virtually nothing now. I am speaking of something real. How about stories about mothers who garden and produce their own food. Maybe some anecdotes about how a mother, instead of getting the latest stroller, buying a sling.

I just want stories of that show mothers getting in touch with their feminine essence. I want to read about a woman who rejected pain-meds during her child birth because she knew what she could do and she knew what was best for her. I want to hear stories about how father's masculine essence was tapped to aid him in being a father. I want stories about the best stroller or the best car for a growing family, and read stories about people doing different things.

And the nutrition advice. I think that was a typo actually, because their "advice" on nutrition is really a recipe for cavities and poor development.

Healing our Children, this is an absolutely wonderful book! It ties in enlightening insights on our world and our reality with the wonderful work of Weston A. Price, forming a beautifully informative and enjoyable reading experience. I don't want this to sound like an ad for the book, but I am really impressed with it. It has parenting advice that works, and that is a breath of fresh air.

I usually read bits of this book at a time, picking and choosing different sections I think are really good and important. I love how this is a real book about real nutrition, not the politically correct, saturated-fat-is-bad vitriol that permeates other books and magazines.

Which brings me to my next topic. While searching through my email, I came across an article from Everyday Health about saturated fats. I perused it, and I have since made plans to cancel my subscription. The ~~regurgitated propaganda~~ information was just more of the same, "don't eat eggs, don't eat liver." The article actually starts off with "According to the American Heart Association..." that is the first clue that we should just close the browser and tab. I, unfortunately, continued forward, and I was just disgusted.

I know, this is how the world works. The guys with the most money get to put out whatever garbage they want, wrap it in a pretty package, and sell it to the public. I haven't forgotten that we are a money driven society where the only thing that matters are how many Ben-Franklins you can pile up, but sometimes I hold out hope that maybe there will be a glimmer of truth that shines forth so that the majority can learn about true nutrition, and what life is all about: family, love, and good health.

I guess I shouldn't hold my breath.

Personal confessions

2010-03-12T14:16:00.004-05:00

Sorry it has been so long. I often think about this blog, what to write about, different experiences I've had, etc., but it is just so hard for me to get on and publish anything. It has a lot to do with the fact that I am currently working two jobs in order to meet my school bills, all the while trying to live as naturally and environmentally as possible. Add on top of that, trying to do homework!

Another thing that has kept me away are personal issues that have been plaguing me. A few months back, I had denounced the practice of circumcision as a brutal practice that needs to be immediately stopped. Well, I have also since lost my faith in the God I was taught to believe in. I am also dealing with bits of depression about my current circumstances, and how I often feel powerless, and not in control of my life.

I feel as though I have been on auto-pilot since I was sixteen, doing and saying all the right things just to make those around me happy, often telling myself that it is okay that I am so miserable because everyone else is happy. Well, since then, I am now a twenty year old college student who feels her life is not her own, and that she has no say in what she wants.

At any rate, I think I am going to slow down a bit after this semester, and take a year off, just to live. Universities can be empowering and stifling at the same time. I feel as though I haven't lived. I don't have a lot of experiences, and I just want to live. A lot of people around me just want me to go to school, not spend time with my friends, get a degree and begin work. How sad that is?--just trudging through life, doing what every one else wants you to do.

In recent months, I have come to realize just how sad I was, and that I was leading such a complacent life, with very limited experiences. I am desperately trying to change that, and I am contemplating taking up farm internship positions so I can travel, meet new people, and enjoy new surroundings. I want to just break out and do something. Anything.

I mean, those who say they know best for me would have me waste my youth, trapped in a tv-induced trance on a beautiful Sunday, instead of interacting with outsiders or experiencing anything. That is not a life, that is a disgrace.

I feel like I am surrounded by stifling people who want me to be nothing more than their trophy and prize. I am not a 16", bronze decoration, meant to sit on a mantle. I am a person, with thoughts, feelings, hopes and dreams. I have a mind, my own mind, and that is what they want to strip away from me. They told me that I don't have my own mind, and that I should have the mind of Christ, which is to obey and honor your parents. Please, pardon my french but Fuck that! I will not be a drone. I will not just relive the lives of those before me. This is my journey through life, and I intend on experiencing it.

I started trying to lead a more happy life by attending an event for Local Farmers and food producers in the Western Pennsylvania area yesterday. I had a lot of fun. I was able to talk with a few of the local food producers in my area, and gain some insight into farming in Pennsylvania. I was happy to see a lot of people in attendance, and that a lot of people were wanting to buy more local foods.

I talked to a representative of the Food bank, who shed some insight on the growing number of families in the Western Pennsylvania-area who need assistance buying food. I had volunteered a couple times for the food bank, and it was really true what she said--in one night, we served food to 700 families! So many people in need, it just makes me even more passionate to learn about sustainable food systems and spreading the word. Luckily, people are beginning to realize just how important sustainable, compassionate and environmentally-friendly food is to all of us.

That's it for now, folks. Thanks for listening to my rant, and allowing me to shed some emotional baggage that has been weighing me down for years. It is not all off, but I am starting to become a better person.

Circumcision: a complete 180

2009-11-17T08:55:00.005-05:00

Okay, so after doing a lot of research, I have become passionately anti-circumcision, in all its forms. I know a year or so earlier, I caused a small stir on my blog because of my espousal of so-called "holistic" circumcision. I have since reversed my position, and I am now patently against circumcision, no matter the "reasons" people give for mutilating their sons.

Having said that, I have found a wonderful website that dispels the propaganda of this victorian practice, called Circumstitions. It is a wonderful site that gives a heavy dose of reality.

When you really think about it, all of those arguments that pro-circumcision people use don't really make any sense. I mean, if a foreskin was a harmful thing to have that should be removed--very painfully I might add-- in infancy, then why are men born with one? How can it be cleaner to remove an organ that nature has bestowed upon males (and females really, since the clitoral hood is very similar to the male foreskin). And really, what is cleaner? Is it supposedly less bacteria? With all the new information that has been discovered about bacteria and how people actually need bacteria to survive, I don't even think that argument relevant. Because there is less bacteria, does not mean that it is cleaner. We need to get away from this idea--an idea that is a result from our modernized society that demonizes anything natural, including organs-- that our bodies are somehow dangerous for us that we need the good ol' doctor to come and take away the "useless" parts. Everything on our bodies has a purpose, and if we let nature take its course, that purpose will be fulfilled.

Like all other unnecessary surgical procedures such as apendectomies, tosillectomies, and what ever other organs people these days desire to remove, this must be stopped! I mean, not too long ago, it wasn't considered ludicrous to remove part of people's brains through lobotomies in order to "cure" their mental problems--the medical knowledge we have gained has somehow given us this idea that we to start removing organs because we are supposedly more enlightened now.

One poster, correctly, criticized my support for so-called holistic circumcision. I am glad that poster criticized me as they did, because it prompted me to seek out the real truth behind this procedure: it lit a fire under me, and forced me not to complacently and blindly accept the falsehoods that purported by the American Medical Machine.

I feel like boys today are being attack from all sides: vaccines that predominantly affect them, plastic products that will affect their fertility, and a general attitude that being a boy is some how bad. That is not to say that girls are treated with the utmost respect, but the environmental changes that we see today are affecting boys in a very profound and dangerous way, and, in effect, our future. Now, I am not saying that pollution does not effect girls negatively, in fact I think it is effecting girls in a way that has not been reported on yet (and I have my suspicions that all of these feminizing hormones work to contribute to estrogen dominance in girls).

It seems like in society today, men are portrayed like sex-hungry, dumb, and abusive creatures, without souls and hearts. There are so many negative attitudes towards boys in movies, television, and music that I think we are conditioning a whole new generation to just value the opposite sex for nothing more than mere satisfaction of primal urges.

Like I said before, it is time to resurrect the image of males in general, and to stop casting them into categories. I think we can start that by stopping circumcision. I mean, in the website, some women even described the natural male penis as gross looking and disgusting! Any way, I know that when I have children, my sons will most certainly NOT be circumcised. I will leave them as nature has intended them to be. I know beforehand, when I was on the dark side (pro-circumcision), I cited religious arguments to sustain my position. I can no longer use that as a reason to destroy my future son's body, and I won't use that as a reason. After watching an actual circumcision I cannot reconcile within my heart to do something so dastardly to a newborn, and I cannot conceive how any one else can do that to their kids. Even then, my heart was torn apart by this commandment and by the prospects of having to do this. But I won't. It is not my son's choice to do this to himself, so I won't start off his life on such a bad foot!

We are in the 21st century, it is time to move on from this truly barbaric practice.

G-20 protest post

2009-09-27T11:54:00.004-04:00

Okay, in Pittsburgh, the City where I live, the G-20 summit was held last week. It was a very interesting experience. There were so many police officers. . . Now, I am a student at the University of Pittsburgh, but I do not live on campus, so I did not witness the protests and riots on Thursday and Friday nights. I have heard from friends who live on campus what happened. In short, police were tear gassing students and were shooting them with rubber bullets. I watched youtube videos of the event and was really upset at what I saw. Here are some videos,

Truly disturbing! I usually try and stay away from political posts, but since this happened in my hometown, I feel the urge to represent what I saw happen.

Swine Flu scare

2009-09-25T09:46:00.004-04:00

I have been watching these videos on youtube about how ridiculous this whole 'swine flu' thing. Here are some of the interesting videos:

and this one:

Very interesting stuff.

Patrick Swayze died...

2009-09-15T11:56:00.003-04:00

It is so terrible to hear that Patrick Swayze died after going through the traditional methods of cancer treatment. I cannot help but think that if he, or any of the celebrities who died from cancer-related treatments, would still be around if maybe they looked at their options, or new that there were other options.

Had he known that there are ways to combat cancer, would he have employed them? I mean, even if you know that there are different ways of doing things, these days you have to be made of a steel countenance and really be rooted in your convictions. Without proper support of those around you, you are pretty much pressured into doing things the 'normal' way. I guess that is a topic for another time.

He brought happiness to millions through his movies, and he left behind a legacy that will not soon be forgotten.

Natural news has a wonderful article on him:http://www.naturalnews.com/027030_cancer_chemotherapy_Patrick_Swayze.html

Its been forever!

2009-09-13T12:19:00.003-04:00

Wow, my last post was in March! It has been really difficult for me to post new things up here because school and work have taken up the majority of my time. I am trying to get to a place where I can post more frequently though. I guess I need a lesson in time management.

Since March, I have been trying to incorporate more natural and healthful foods into my and my family's diet. It has been a struggle but I think it is working. What I am most proud of is that I have really been doing a lot of reading! I am more than half-way through Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, and I have a lot of books about natural health, gardening (which I am so very excited for!) and other health topics. I feel like I have grown so much and have learned so much over the summer that I can really help people and provide answers.

One thing that I am really getting into is pregnancy nutrition. I really hope to get the brewers diet book, because I have only read a little about it but it will be really helpful to me and other if I can get it. The price is a bit steep on Amazon, but it is definitely worth the price.

I mentioned earlier about gardening, I found this website that I really think sells good seeds. This site is called Non-hybrid seeds, and it looks really good! I plan getting seeds from here at some point in time! I really want to start a garden in Spring 2010, and I am gonna get my seeds from here. I will add it to my website list.

I also came across this story on science daily about how cigarettes contribute to MS (multiple sclerosis), pretty interesting stuff.

Until next time (whenever that is)!

Update on reading

2009-03-29T12:13:00.003-04:00

As many of you have noticed, I have not updated or posted on this website for a bit a of time. That is because I am really trying to immerse myself in learning about natural health and natural health practices. I have been doing a bit of reading, from the new edition of Ron Schmid's Truth About Raw Milk book, to Keeping a Family Cow book who's author's name escapes me at the moment (but it was recommended in Nourishing Traditions book), and I am learning a lot!

I am excited to really start applying more of these principles to my life, although it is difficult because money is often a big obstacle, I am confident that I will be blessed by God, though, so I am not worried.

I have also been doing a bit more reading on Chemtrails, and I was admittedly worried when I first came across this information. But then, my fears were surpressed because I realize that a) God is in control, and that b) there is always a counteraction for every negative thing, its just a matter of finding the solution to these chemtrails.

I do want to put this question out there though: Is there anyone out there who has information on counteracting the negatives of the chemtrails?

Fetal Stem Cells Cause tumor

2009-02-19T09:23:00.004-05:00

I was purusing the articles on ABC news, and I was surprised to see that a headline that said fetal stem cells cause tumors in his spine and brain.
Quote from the article:

"Patients, please beware," said Dr. John Gearhart, a stem cell scientist at the University of Pennsylvania who wasn't involved in the Israeli boy's care but who sees similarly desperate U.S. patients head abroad to clinics that offer unproven stem cell injections.

"Cells are not drugs. They can misbehave in so many different ways, it just is going to take a good deal of time" to prove how best to pursue the potential therapy, Gearhart said.

I think that we need to stop emphasizing embryonic stem cells and use adult stem cells. We keep finding negative things about these embryonic stem cells.

Update on Soy Online Service

2009-02-19T08:45:00.002-05:00

Last week, I posted a comment by a reader who questioned the validity of Soy online service's source information and wrote me saying so. The reader did not like how my article relied on soy online service for so much of my information.

I felt that the reader's claim was worth investigating, because I feel it is important to be able to verify the veracity of my sources.

Here is the email I received,

Hi Emily...There are about 200 citations in
www.soyonlineservice.co.nz Every one of those scientific research reports is
from the USA NIH PubMed data base and is linked back to the summary
abstracts. If you use those links you will see at the head of each are the
names of the researchers and the scientific laboratory where the research
was done

After reading this, I went to investigate, and saw that there were numerous citations to pubmed, Journal of Reproduction, etc. I concluded from this that soy online service is a reliable source.

Wonderful Youtube video

2009-02-19T08:42:00.003-05:00

I was on natural news, and I came across a Youtube link of a 12 year old girl who makes some really good points about abortion and why it is not a good thing.

Aside from the content, I feel that this young girl represents a portion of children who are actually intelligent and can present themselves well. She did an excellent job and I thought I would post about it here because I was completely ecstatic to see someone so young being able to express themselves in such a positive and intelligent manner. I think this kind of thing is lacking in our society. Any way, here is the video:

Vaccines

2009-02-13T11:50:00.002-05:00

Obama has really been bringing change! But not in a good way. I was reading this on naturalnews today and I thought it was really disturbing.

http://www.naturalnews.com/025608.html

It is about the economic stimulus bill that is being proposed before congress. All I have to say is oh boy, and that this is not going to be good!

Recent News

2009-02-13T11:38:00.003-05:00

Everyone has heard about the new-mother of eight, Nadya Suleman. And I just wanted to add my two cents to the conversation.

First and foremost, I want to say that I do not agree with the decision she made to have go through in-vitro fertilization in order to have more babies. She already has six children, and is currently unable to afford to care for her children and is a single mother (I am not saying it is bad to be a single mother, but I do think it is wrong for her to bring 14 children in the world without a father.) That is a given, just about everyone, with the exception of Ms. Suleman, can agree that her decision was unwise, selfish, and impractical.

What I do not agree with are the ideas that her children must be taken away from her, that she should have aborted those babies, or (more frighteningly) her actions should be illegal. What she did was, as stated previously, selfish, silly and wrong; however, it is not, and should not be illegal!

I firmly believe that people have the right to make their own decisions in life: whether stupid or not. Her case is a special one, and should not be used to bolster up the idea that we should be able to limit the amount of children one can have.

Let's really look at this: she is clearly an unstable woman who has an unnatural fixation of babies. The person who is really at fault here, and who we should be castigating is the doctor who performed this procedure. He was really at fault, because there is no way she would have conceived these children without his unscrupulous aid. He knew that she had six other children, possibly that another specialist had turned her away, yet he proceeded with the procedure! How outrageous! He should have recommend she get help! She didn't need eight mroe children, she need someone who could help her get through this fixation!

But then who could help her? Obviously, psychiatrists would do nothing more than prescribe some pill to help her. May be there was something in her diet or in her lifestyle she could/should have changed in order to correct the problem.

All in all, I am trying to say, let's not get fanatical and start calling it a crime to produce as many children as we desire--whether it is wise or not. This is not China, and we need to remember that.

Comment I received....

2009-02-13T11:22:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago, I received a comment about my article on the dangers of un-fermented soy products. The comment reads,

I came here after reading your article on soy on the Natural News website. I found your article interesting as I - like many others I expect - had read much about the health benefits of soy. So I decided to read more and follow the source links at the bottom of the article.

That led me to the 'Soy Online Service' which you have extensively used for references in this Blogger post and in your Natural News article. What I saw there worried me. 'Soy Online Service' describes itself as: "a small group of private citizens with a mission to inform the public of the truth about soy". Looking around their website, there is no information on who this group of "private citizens" are or what their qualifications are. They denigrate soy with references to "independent research" but don't provide any source references and don't publish any research reports on their site.

Their "testimonials" attacking soy seem to be too well written to be true (they look like they are professionally written), and there seems to be an underlying theme through many of them about how bad soy tastes (that seems strange because to me soy has a fairly bland taste).

I am therefore wondering, just wondering, given that website is based in New Zealand, whether we are all being hoodwinked not by a group of "private citizens" but by a group of "dairy farmers".

I am not challenging your observations on soy, because I haven't researched the issue enough myself, but I am concerned that you are basing your articles on what appears to be quite unsubstantiated sources.

There is so much 'information' and 'counter-information' about natural health (you know, one day there's an article about how bad coffee is for you, the next day there's another one that says quite the opposite) that I have learned to be skeptical from both sides, but there does seem to be far more independent research published supporting the health benefits of soy against research that says the opposite (and I am excluding research financed by the soy industry).

One thing that I do know is that everyone's bodies react to different foods and substances in different ways. Even some healthy foods can't be tolerated by some people, so it does not surprise me that you may have had problems with soy. But I am wondering whether what you read on the 'Soy Online Service' was simply what you wanted to hear. It's easy to be convinced in that frame of mind.

Me . . . I'm much more of a skeptic about anything I read on the Internet - especially a website where people are not prepared to identify themselves or their experience.

I would just like to say that I think that you are right to be skeptical and worried about where this information is coming from--it is a sign that you are an invested reader and do not blindly take information at face value. I find it interesting that you find limited sourcing for their articles. This is going to be a matter I will have to look in to in the future.

I thank you for your honest criticism, and I would just like to assure you that my conclusions about soy were not solely reached from this one website: I have been gathering information, both personal and scientific, from varying sources over the years. I used soy online service just as kind of a reference to which a lot of the things I had read about were found.

Thank you again!

Fermenting and Super Bowl

2009-02-03T13:30:00.005-05:00

I am so excited! I just started making my first bactch of beet kvass! I hope it turns out well because I had one little concern: I used the kind of whey that Sally Fallon used in the book, but I think there might be too many milk solids! I hope that is not the case.

Also, I used a different brand of sea salt than was mentioned in the book. I hope that is not going to affect the final product because I have read some stories on how the batch can be too salty. I am also scared of it becoming alcoholic! Oh so many fears! It is my firts time lacto-fermenting anything other than milk (which is pretty easy) so I am a little nervouse! All I can do is wait and pray that every thing turns out alright.

I also am making a huge batch of kefir. I need to drink more, but I think I might have made a mistake on that as well. Typically, I only fill the container half-way up so I can easily mix the kefir, but this time I filled it almost to the top. I fear that kefir grains are sitting in the cream and not in the milk! I will stir it as soon as I get home. Oh well, you live and learn.

I ordered some new books, (I think I am addicted to Amazon shopping!). I am going to get a book about keeping, milking, and caring for a cow and I also purchased the milk book by Dr. William Douglass! I read some of quotes from his book in Nourishing Traditions and I thought to myself, "I absolutely have to get this book!" I am also excited that I am getting the latest edition of The Untold Story of Milk! I cannot wait!

This may seem frivilous to some, but in a world where our food supply is heavily tainted, unjust wars going on in the Middle East, chaos in our economy, one must take pleasure and seek relief amongst some of their favorite hobbies, and one of mine is football!

I love my Steelers and I am ecstatic they won the superbowl on sunday! I am a little saddend that I could not attend the victory parade; however, when they win their seventh title, I will go and celebrate with my townsfolk! Go Steelers!

Update on Jan. 29th post

2009-02-01T11:51:00.002-05:00

A very informed and thoughtful reader posted a comment on that post and gave a link to a wonderful website that exposes and details the flaws of this latest study.

Thanks again to the reader, sites like the one you gave really help further knowledge and truth.

Here is the address: http://www.ageofautism.com/

and the link referring to the latest study:
http://www.ageofautism.com/2009/01/an-addendum-to-februarys-first-read.html

In the News

2009-01-29T13:17:00.003-05:00

Today, I was browsing through some of my favorite news sites, and I found some pretty interesting things.

First off, CBS news reports that a news study supposedly in Italy adds to the, and I quote, "Mountain of evidence" pointing thimerosal away from autism. I went to this article with an open mind, and reading it I found a few problems. For one thing, lack of adequate sourcing. I would have to research this study more. I personally think it is garbage.
Also, this link is very interesting:
http://thimerosal-autism.wetpaint.com/page/Thimerosal+VSD+Study+Phase+I

Vicks vapor rub danger

2009-01-26T09:27:00.003-05:00

A story posted on MSNBC details how Vicks vapor rub probably makes kids sicker not better.

What is with all of these childhood cold & flu remedies that end up doing more harm than good? Why is it these cold-medication manufacturers are delivering not only faulty products, but potentially harmful ones? Is the medical industry so corrupt that now our cold medicines are no longer safe? It is such a shame, I would rather bargain with massive amounts of vitamin C.

What I found most disturbing about this was the responses of the mothers: One said, and I quote, ";I’m a rebel mom,' said Rosenberg, the mother of Lucie, 17 months, and Clara, 3." This mother was referring to the fact that even though the study found that Vicks Vapor rub could be potentially dangerous, she will continue to use it on her children. I am all for parental rights and freedom, but you would think that if something was found to make kids sick, you might at least consider using more natural approaches. I may be being too harsh, but I know if I had a child and I read this (I wouldn't use traditional methods) I would especially stay away from these over-the-counter 'remedies'.

In my personal research, I have read that chicken soup made from homemade chicken stock and good vegetables is the best remedy for colds, congestion, stuffiness, etc. I know growing up my mom would make this drink consisting of garlic, honey, cayenne pepper, and lemon juice, and it works extrodinarily well. Oranges, grapefruit, other fruits, some vegetables, these are all potential cures of colds. Garlic is a powerful remedy, when chewed and masticated. Cayenne pepper by it self can also allieviate some symptoms. Also, herbs like echinecea, work well. These, along with lots of rest and sleep can really get rid of a nasty cold.

News today

2009-01-20T11:00:00.002-05:00

Today is newsworthy day, not only because Barak H. Obama is being inagurated as the 44th and first African-American president.

Since this story is already heavily covered, I thought I might post some important stories that might slip under the radar on this historic day:

-ABC news health is reporting that there has been a spike in the incidence of MRSA among children. Not too surprising since we live in a pretty 'sterile' environment, which is not very good. If you watch television long enough, you are sure to come across cleaning product advertisments touting a 99.9% kill rate of all bacteria, good and bad. We need to stress cleanliness, not sterility.

-Naturalnews is reporting something particularly, shocking: HRT drugs shrink women's brains. Just another strange side-effect that such drugs have on women, and more reason to stay away from these drugs and search for alternatives.

-Naturalnews is also reporting that the Heart disease gene is virtually a useless indicator of heart disease incidence.

-The Salmonella scare is still in high gear. I betcha' this is all going to lead to the "renewed importance of irradiating all food." It seems like in the last few years, every year started off with a bacteria epidemic where the health officials have no idea where it is coming from.

A story I found particularly interesting was one posted today on Sciencedaily. It is about how DNA may not be the only source of heritability.

Book list

2009-01-13T12:20:00.003-05:00

This year I am wholly dedicated to learning more and more about good nutrition and healthy ways of living. So, I have begun reading several books which I think will be important, and have compiled a list of books that I will read that are pretty relevant to health. Already, I have read a great deal of Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon and Sugar Blues by William Dufty, and I am excited to continue reading these kinds of books. I just got Darwin Day in America by John G. West, and I cannot wait to read that, I am getting the new edition of The Untold Story of Milk by Ron Schmidt.

This is going to be an exceptionally enlightening year this year.

I suggest reading some of these books because they have important truths that need to be dispelled, health myths that need to be exposed, and really good information. I encourage all to read these books!

Gattaca

2009-01-13T12:06:00.002-05:00

Interesting title right? Well, it is actually the title of a movie I just watched yesterday, and I thought that it was important especially in these days of cloning, genetic testing, what have you.

This movie was made over ten years ago (1997) and stars Ethan Hawke as a genetically "inferior" man who uses the identity of a genetically "superior" man (Jude Law) to make his dreams of space travel come true. It sounds like a silly premise, but this movie speaks volumes to the dangers of eugenics and playing God with genetics.

In the movie, the world is separated by who was natural born and who was genetically engineered to be superior or perfect (perfect hair color, perfect eyes, etc.). In a world where women lop off their breast because they have the cancer gene(not the cancer itself!) and where newborns will have their DNA extracted, with or without parental consent, I think movies like this are going to become increasingly important.

New Year, New Resolutions. . .

2009-01-05T14:21:00.002-05:00

With a new year upon us, we have new trials to face, new resolutions that were made/altered/broken, a year that will be big and important. This year, I have really committed myself to expanding my knowledge of natural health. I am going to read some really good health books, and I have already read most of the nutrition classic, Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon, so I plan to be bringing more in interesting posts and articles concerning health.

After reading a large portion of Nourishing Traditions, I have decided to start lacto-fermenting a lot more foods. I am going to start making beet kvass, apple cider, continue to make Kefir, and make various other things. I cannot wait to get Wild Fermentation by Sandor Elix Katz.

I have high hopes for 2009, and hope you do as well.

Holistic Circumcision

2008-12-07T11:47:00.006-05:00

Its been a while since my last post (over a month!). I have been extremely busy with school and other things so I have not been able to post on here. However, I am almost done with this semester, so I will be posting a lot more frequently than before.

I wanted to continue the theme of raising babies naturally and healthfully, so I have posted a link for people who would like to circumcise their sons in a more humane and less painful/stressful manner. The website is Holistic Circumcision.

This is an important resource for parents who still believe in the virtues of the Biblical practice of circumcision, but would like it to be as gentle on their son as possible. I hope this is helpful!

Update (Oct, 4 2009): I have since reversed me view of circumcision and now I believe it to be a horrendous practice. Through research I have found out that the circumcision described in the Bible is not as barbaric as the practice done in hospitals today. I have removed the above website from my sites of interest and do not promote it anymore.