I had a very lovely massage today where the practitioner asked me if I had recently lost someone. She asked me this after I assured her that my sudden tears on the massage table were not from physical pain, the pressure she was using on my shoulder was not too intense. I answered that I had lost my mother almost five years ago, so not exactly recently. She gently disagreed, saying that wasn’t very long to be without such a significant person in one’s life.

I continued to weep silently as she massaged my tightened shoulders, explaining that grief can be held in place by the muscles. I left the wellness center with the customary instructions to drink lots of water. The reason is because the muscles use a lot of oxygen to operate and the massage therapist has just spent 60 minutes giving my muscles a workout. What’s the chemical compound of water? H2O of course!

This revelation prodded me to search online regarding grief and physical pain. There is a wealth of information and articles on this topic. One in particular that caught my eye was about grief and dehydration. When a person is grieving, the body will starve an area of the body of oxygen, creating pain to distract you from the grief. This phenomena is exacerbated by the grieving person’s tendency to be off one’s normal eating and drinking schedule, not to mention the over-use of caffeine and alcohol, both diuretics that add to dehydration.

My mother’s birthday is next week. She would have been/is 74. I plan to raise a glass of water to her and toast her and the journey she is currently on, I miss you mom!

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So far my blogs have consisted of articles talking about the potential benefits of certain foods. This article will explore the potential ill effects of a certain food: dairy products, especially whey dairy by-products like milk.

Multi-million dollar ad campaigns with celebrities have endorsed the health benefits of consuming dairy, you may have even been left with the impression that your life (especially your bones) depended on it. It’s simply not true. I repeat, NOT TRUE! In fact, for many people (and I would argue ALL people) dairy has an extremely negative effect on health. I will discuss calcium, dairy’s claim to fame, later in this article, but let’s talk first about the ill effects of dairy.

All milk, including organic, has 59 active hormones. One of them, insulin-like  growth factor one (IGF-1) has been linked to cancer growth. For auto immune disease, it has been linked to Type I Diabetes because, by some coincidence, it’s genetically identical to the same hormone in humans. For a child (or a calf) it is essential for growth because, hey, we’re small and we need to grow! But when you are an adult, ingesting this hormone promotes the type of growth we absolutely don’t need, such as excess fat and malignancies.

Other undesirable things found in milk are pesticides, herbicides and dioxins and up to 52 powerful antibiotics since most dairy cows are now fed a grain diet (instead of grass) that they can’t digest and causes many infections throughout the life of a dairy cow.

Even if you are trying to avoid dairy because of a lactose intolerance, be aware that dairy is used as an additive in countless processed foods, here are a few of dairy’s more obtuse aliases:

Albumins
Calcium caseinate
Calcium lactate
Calcium stearoyl lactylate
Casein
Lactalbumin
Lactic Acid
Potassium lactate
Sodium stearoyl fumarate

Let’s discuss the supposed main health benefit of dairy, calcium. It is claimed that dairy is the best way to get the highest levels of calcium the body needs. You need a one-to-one ratio of magnesium to calcium to absorb it, yet milk has a third the amount of magnesium as it has calcium. Therefore, at best, your body will absorb a third of the total amount of calcium a glass of milk contains.

How do cows obtain calcium? From the grass and other plants they eat when grazing. Since most cows are now grain fed (corn, etc.) this means that the calcium levels in milk are far lower than the industry claims. The countries with the highest dairy consumption have the highest rates of osteoporosis. The countries with the highest dairy consumption also have the highest rates of auto immune disease and cancer.

What to do? It’s hard! I know that personally it was difficult to give up dairy because it is everywhere; from appetizers, main dishes and, of course, desserts….! Not to mention the additives in processed foods-

As far as obtaining calcium, there are many great sources that are non-dairy and also have the appropriate amount of magnesium for optimal absorption:

Spinach, broccoli, kale and bok choy to name a few vegetables

Salmon, shrimp and oysters for some seafoods

Soy, pinto and lentil for some beans

Brown rice, quinoa and oats for grains

Almonds, walnuts, sesame and sunflower to name some of the seeds.

The list is pretty endless-

This is all pretty neat, I suppose, but I’m hung up on the fact that they used to grow wild…especially after I just paid $8 a pound for organic ones yesterday….

They are high in Vitamin E, calcium and magnesium, zinc, iron, potassium and fiber. They are high in protein. Almonds make a great snack for vegetarians and they have been recommended as a possible way to lower bad cholesterol levels.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) they are considered anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic so almonds are well tolerated and recommended to those who have auto-immune disorders, especially those diseases with a neurological component such as multiple sclerosis.

Almonds make a great snack alone or you can add them to salads and sliced ones to casseroles. I don’t have a specific recipe as a recommendation for you, but if you’re serving mixed nuts, include almonds!!

The United States has the wrong answer to the fat question, from eliminating it all together, to feasting on it in crash diets, like the Atkins Diet. Your brain functions on fat, the tissues that cover your brain matter are omega 3 fatty acids.  So, is the fat content of coconut, “good” or “bad?” I’m going to argue it’s good but, of course, take what you like and leave the rest-

The saturated fat found in coconut is short-chain and medium-chain fatty acids. This means that the fat is more quickly broken down and used for energy instead of being stored as fat (in your thighs, stomach and chin)!

Half of the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut are made up of Lauric Acid which is anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-microbial and anti-fungal. It’s also loaded with vitamins and minerals like Vitamin B, potassium, calcium and chloride.

Coconut is dairy free so it is benefical to those who might be lactose intolerant. It is considered a vegan food and it is also gluten, soy and nut free for those with allergic reactions to those foods or additives in that are in most processed foods.

Coconut milk is used around the world in both sweet and savory recipes; everything from cool and sweet alcoholic drinks to hot and spicy curry dishes. Coconut milk to used in Central and South American and all over Asia, especially Thailand.

Here is a savory recipe to try:

It’s written about it in the Bible, people used it bless themselves with it as well as flavor their food. Cinnamon was given to monarchs and gods as offerings. It’s mystique reinforced by the spice traders who dominated the “industry” and of course, the prices. The origin of the spice can be traced to Sri Lanka. Venetian traders dominated the supply to Europe until the Portuguese broke open the market by cultivating their own trade route to Sri Lanka.

Most people are familiar with cinnamon as an add-on or ingredient in desserts (cinnamon rolls, donuts, hot chocolate or apple cider). It is often added to chocolate, especially in Mexico. Chocolate has anti-oxidant properties and so does cinnamon. The two together create not only a lovely flavor but also a healthful duo. Cinnamon is used to treat the common cold, diarrhea and elevated  blood sugar and/or insulin resistance.

However, cinnamon also has a rich history as a seminal ingredient in main dishes. Central and South America as well as Middle East, make avid use of cinnamon as an ingredient in meat dishes. I’m a big fan of Peruvian cuisine because they make great use of potatoes that is interesting and flavorful (not your run-of-the-mill mashed or baked potatoes).

PERUVIAN CHILI CHICKEN

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 jalapeno peppers, chopped (remove seeds for milder dish)

1 cup  unsalted peanuts (optional)

1 onion, finely chopped

Cilantro is an herb that’s used around the world. The entire plant (including the seeds and roots) are editable. It can be eaten raw or cooked. The seeds are often what are referred to as “coriander.” Indeed, I remember my mother’s spice rack and there was a container called coriander but I don’t think my mother used it often.

It has a rich history with our Southern neighbor, Mexico but it is eaten all over Asia, the Americas, parts of Europe and container of it was even found in the tomb of Tutankhamun.

There are also medicinal properties, it is a folk medicine treatment for anxiety and insomnia, a digestive aid and even as a treatment for acne! I know I always feel better after I eat my homemade, fresh salsa. And here I gave all the credit to the margarita!

Here are 2 recipes featuring cilantro, one cooked and one raw. I hope you enjoy-

SALSA

INGREDIENTS

• 4 large tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 large onion, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small mixing bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, cilantro and lime juice. Add jalapenos 2 teaspoons at a time, tasting after each addition to see how hot the salsa has become. Jalapeno peppers vary in heat, so it is important to taste the salsa to ensure you do not make it too hot to handle. Salt to taste.
   

Peruvian Chicken Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cut in half
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon seeded, minced serrano chile (leave seeds in for extra spice)
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro (NOT optional!)
• 1 cup green peas (optional)
• 1 cup corn (optional)
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 10 cups chicken broth
• 4 Yukon Gold potatoes, cut in half
• 1 cup uncooked white rice (can substitute brown rice)

DIRECTIONS

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion, garlic, and serrano chili; cook until the onion has softened, about 1 minute. Add the chicken, and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the cilantro, peas, corn, and red pepper; cook for 1 minute. Pour in the chicken broth, potatoes, and rice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the chicken is opaque and the potatoes are tender, about 40 minutes.

There are a lot of potential health benefits of ginger. I’m going to write in detail about my experience with only one of them: treating nausea but here is a list of other ailments ginger might be used for:

1. Ovarian Cancer Treatment

2. Colon Cancer Prevention

3. Morning Sickness

4. Motion Sickness

5. Reducing pain & inflammation

6. Heartburn Relief

7. Cold & Flu Treatment & Prevention

8. Migraine Relief

9. Menstrual Cramp Relief

10. Prevention of Diabetic Nephropathy (kidney damage)

Using ginger to treat or prevent some of the above conditions would involve an ongoing consumption of ginger but using ginger to treat nausea involves a “take as-needed” approach. There are a few ways you can go about this; there are ginger teas, ginger candies and adding fresh or dry ginger to recipes.

People with auto immune diseases often suffer from nausea. Often the cause of this nausea is idiopathic (for unknown reasons). People with auto immune diseases that effect the digestive system often suffer from nausea and vomiting as well. The good news is that ginger can be beneficial for both idiopathic and symptomatic nausea.

I am not a huge fan of tea, I wish I was, I’m just not but if YOU are, there are many wonderful teas that contain ginger. I would look for one that does not have other herbs in it like echinachea, this can interfere with the absorption of ginger’s medicinal properties AND echincahea is NOT recommended for people with auto immune disease because it actually over-stimulates the immune system.

If you’re like me, nausea can strike at any time, any where, so most likely you’re not around your tea kettle or your kitchen so I have taken to carrying with me ginger candy. The ones I really like are called Ting Ting Jahe and they are made in Indonesia. They are chewy and peppery. Again, a little goes a long way. This is not the sort of candy you should eat  half the bag in one sitting. 2-3 pieces during a bout of nausea and I would not recommend chewing more than 5-6 pieces in any one day. You can find these candies in most Asian grocery stores or you can but them online.

If you interested in incorporating ginger into your food preparation, here is a recipe you may find enjoyable:

• 3 tablespoons sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
• 1 tablespoon white sugar (optional)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 large head cabbage, cored and shredded
• 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 cup almond slivers
• 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
• 
• Whisk together sesame oil, vinegar, garlic, ginger, sugar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until the sugar has dissolved. Toss the cabbage, green onions, almonds, and sesame seeds in a large bowl with the dressing until well coated.

When I refer to fast food, I’m not just talking about a restaurant drive-thru on the freeway that you stop at when you’ve been on the road for hours and you have no other choice. I’m talking about anything and everything that comes in a box, package or baggie that can be microwaved or popped in the toaster oven for a quick, hot meal in under 15 minutes and/or be  stored on a shelf for months without spoiling. This is all fast food. If there are more than 3 or 4 ingredients in whatever passes your lips, pass over it altogether. These fast foods are loaded with sodium, fat and sugar (often numerous kinds of each of these 3 ingredients in one “food”).

Considering the current rates of type II diabetes, obesity and heart disease (often a triffecta in one solitary human body) not enough of us will “adapt” in time. Some, or most of us will be dead and who will be left to manufacture the food stuffs that masquerade as our food supply? Who will be left to plant and harvest the soy beans, corn, canola and wheat that is reconfigured to be our complete food supply?

If these changes to our diet had happened slowly over centuries, we might be able to adjust and remain vital but we have drastically changed our diet in the last 75 years. Most of us have lost sight of where our food comes from. Most of us don’t recognize many healthy foods that were a regular part of our grandparents diets. A lot of people don’t know how to cook a whole chicken or how to prepare a meal that involves more than ripping open a package and popping its contents in the microwave or oven.

Yes, of course, our lives are busier… busier than raising several children and working in the fields from dawn until dusk? I’m not pretending that this is a lifestyle that would be more desirable to me or you, dear reader. But there is something lost when we separate ourselves so wholly from nature. What is lost is many things that may be different for different people. For me, I miss the smell and feel of the woods, musky and strangely cool even on a hot day, when I used to pick wild blackberries with my late mother. I miss the satisfied feeling of returning with the bounty of our foraging. I miss the sense of community I felt with my family, the insects, the rocks, the soil and, let’s not forget, the black berries…

Famine on the other hand, well, this is probably the human’s deepest fear. So many other things would certainly be preferable to famine. It illicits disturbing images of emaciated children from third world places like Africa. A famine is an ugly thing.

Here in these two words we have another binary opposition like: night and day, black and white, good and evil, right and wrong etc.etc. However, when it comes to the ideas of “feast” and “famine” there is a subtler, more in the gray area than black and white, “truth” to keep in mind-

It has only been in the last 75 years or so that people in the United States and the larger “western world” have lost touch with famine. A lot of people have the means and ability to feast whenever they’d like. Just like the extreme of famine, starvation, this is not a good thing.

Human history has involved a back-and-forth between feasting and famine. Our physiology allows it actually, with our ability to store fat. The word famine is also grayer than we might think, it means undernourished, not to be confused with starving to death. As examples, think of concentration camp inmates, some of them survived being undernourished for years in some cases. As a personal note, I witnessed my mother in this state of undernourishment while she battled cancer for 5 years before an infection took her life.  On a more positive note: think of the Buddhist monks and/or other clerics who routinely fast for spiritual purification.

The question to be answered in the modern western industrialized society, is how do we balance ourselves BETWEEN feast and famine, never before in history has this phenomenon  occurred. We can not continue to feast constantly, this is just as destructive as constant famine (starvation). I don’t know what the answer is; it might be smaller meals; it might be whole foods instead of refined foods or a combination of these two things.

Consuming refined foods during a state of being able to constantly feast IS especially dangerous because they are easily absorbed into our system causing us to eat more yet feel less full, propelling the cycle of constant feasting. Eating whole foods will cause us to feel fuller faster and stay fuller longer, propelling us to eat less. This might be a good balance. I think it might be!

For Type I diabetes, it is the insulin producing cells in the pancreas and liver; for multiple sclerosis, it is the myelin sheath that covers the nerves of the central nervous system (this sheath keeps the pathways going on their “path” and not short-circuiting or going in the wrong place or direction; for lupus, of which there are different kinds, it is the organs itself including the lungs, heart, kidneys and the largest human organ, the skin.

What causes the immune system to err? There are many theories; from genetics to industrial pollutants or some combination of countless things that when they occur together, there is auto immune disease. Did you know that more people are diagnosed yearly with auto immune disease than with all cancers combined? Yet there are few treatments for auto immune disease that are successful in the long-term and none are cures-

One thing is universal with auto immune diseases, inflammation is a problem and it causes the disease to act up and become symptomatic. What should a person do if he/she has auto immune disease in order to decrease inflammation? I wish I knew definitively, but I go back to the theme of this blog… if 80% of the immune system is in and along the digestive track… food might have something to do with it.

Speaking from experience, when I was diagnosed with diabetes at age 9, I was told that I can’t eat sugar (sweets). Well, I COULD of course (and did) but the lesson was not just that sugar elevated blood glucose and made diabetes harder to control, it was also about the nature of sugar. Actually, more like the unnaturalness of refined sugars in all of their forms: corn syrup, cane sugar, beet sugar and then there are all the “chemical” names like dextrose and fructose and the list is practically endless, (more on refined sugars in another post for another day).

It wasn’t until I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at age 23 that I began to think seriously about food and its role in my health. WOW! That actually sounds stupid! The “thing” that keeps you alive, “food,” I had never really thought about before… many of us don’t-

My research into treatment of MS brought to me countless articles and testimonies about MS and dietary changes in order to reduce inflammation. A cursory glance at other auto immune diseases also illustrated inflammation issues, the aforementioned diseases and rheumatoid arthritis (not an exhaustive list).

I started to read about foods that might cause inflammation:

1. citrus 2. wheat 3. eggs 4. dairy 5. potatoes, tomatoes & peppers (foods from nightshade family)

I know, I LOVE all these foods… it’s not an easy thing to deal with or even try to do since many of these foods are pervasive in the industrial food chain. Plus, I will not stop eating tomatoes! But, I have reduced my consumption of them.

I share this with you, mostly as a story, but if you find it helpful for yourself personally, that’s wonderful. I always say, “take what you like and leave the rest…”