4 Roots of Optimum Wellness

There are four essential parts to being healthy: Diet, Exercise, Sleep & Attitude.

Vitae Elixxir Healing Herbs

A proprietary combination of ten disease-fighting herbs used for more than 40 years and helping thousands of people with serious health issues.

Books by Author & Health Coach Chris Pedersen

In a world of adventure and imagination, kids’ books in print and digital that encourage a healthy lifestyle.

6 Tips to Lose Weight

Don’t count calories—take a serious look at the food you want to eat, then ask, ”Is this something that will give my body good health?”

Monday, June 27, 2011

Asparagus and Summer Squash Recipe

My husband and I enjoyed al fresco dining with several friends last evening where we supped on various salads brought by attendees. We made new friends and caught up with longtime friends. Wanting to bring something I could eat (my diet makes it tough at potlucks... even a salad potluck) and get some good protein, I brought my Sprouted Bean Trio Salad. I made a double batch thinking I'd be taking a bit home for lunch the next day. No deal! Everybody loved the salad and I brought home a clean bowl.

Summer is a time for salads and delicious, quick and fresh meals so here's a great recipe to fill that requirement.

Friday, June 24, 2011

The Four Roots of Optimum Wellness


root n. 1 Part of a plant that provides support, draws water and nourishment, and stores food. 
2 Source of action. 3 An essential part.

Let's review what I've addressed in separate blog posts about how to achieve optimum wellness. I believe there are four essential parts to being healthy. I call them roots. If you make healthy choices in each root area, you will achieve optimum wellness—feeling supported, watered, nourished and full of energy.

The four roots of optimum wellness are diet, exercise, sleep and attitude.

Root One: Diet
It is not a coincidence that disease is on the increase at the same time our diets consist of more artificial and sugar-ladden ingredients, meats and dairy laced with antibiotics and hormones. Cancer has now become the number one killer. And, its a big money maker for the health and pharmaceutical industries.

Monday, June 20, 2011

Swiss Chard with Olives Salad Recipe

I'm getting back to the swing of things after vacation and our fast, frivolous and totally fun anniversary day-trip to Yosemite. Time to get you some more recipes. I have a backlog of recipes to share, but they are not organized and written out. Starting from the top of the stack, we have Swiss Chard with Olives.

I regularly buy greens like Swiss chard for my veggie shakes. Chard is rich in antioxidants. Here's just one of the awesome phytonutrients chard contains: syringic acid. This flavonoid has received special attention in recent research due to its blood sugar regulating properties.

Friday, June 17, 2011

Why Avoid GMO Foods?

The majority of corn, soy, canola (rapeseed) and cotton seed crops are GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms). Because that makes the food un-natural, I consider GMO corn or soy an artificial food/ingredient. Removing artificial ingredients from the diet is a major step in making healthy eating choices. If that's not enough to convince you to avoid GMO foods, let's dig further.

Why are the plants modified? So they can spray the heck out of them with Roundup (a Monsanto weed killer that most people have used in their yard). The modified plant is not affected by the weed killer. So now you're eating a food that has been doused with weed killer.

The problem is the weeds have become increasingly immune to the spray, so they spray more Roundup on the crops during the course of their growth.

Doesn't that sound yummy? Okay, now do you want to be more discriminant about your corn, soy, canola and cotton seed food choices?
Need More? How about approval without adequate safety studies:
"In 1992, the Food and Drug Administration claimed they had no information showing that GM foods were substantially different from conventionally grown foods. Therefore absolutely no safety studies were required.

But secret internal memos made public by a lawsuit show that the actual consensus among FDA scientists was that GMOs can create unpredictable, hard-to-detect side effects, including allergies, toxins, new diseases, and nutritional problems. They urged long-term safety studies.

Sadly, the FDA official in charge of policy ignored the warnings." ~Jeffery M. Smith author Seeds of Deception 
Here is a list of problems stemming from GMO foods—pick your favorite:
  • Since GMO introduction in 1996 chronic illnesses have increased from 7% to 13% in 2005, allergies more than doubled and other ailments are on the rise.
  • Introduces new allergies or elevates existing ones.
  • Animal studies show drastic reduction in digestive enzymes which can increase allergic sensitivity and cause digestive issues.
  • GM corn and cotton produce a poison called Bt-toxin linked to animal deaths in several countries.
  • May cause infertility. Pigs and cows became sterile and rats had reproductive problems when fed GM corn.
  • May hurt newborns. Most of the babies of rats fed GM soy died within three weeks of birth.
  • The only human study done shows GM food alters DNA of bacteria in gastrointestinal tract.
In Europe food producers are required to label foods that are GMO. Not so in the US. You can only be sure if the food is 100% organic or stated non-GMO or GMO-free.

Be good to yourself and your family and stay away from GMO food. Read How to Avoid Genetically Modified Food to get more information.

For a thorough look at the issue, watch The Unhealthy Truth video (important 15 minutes of your time) given by Robyn O'Brien, a mom campaigning to educate the public about the dangers of GMO.

What are your thoughts on the food supply? Scroll down and leave a comment.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Happy Results

I just woke up (at 3:30 PM) from my post-operative exhaustion after my colonoscopy (and endoscopy). Made myself a veggie shake and now sitting at my laptop to give you the results.

I'm eager to report the endoscopy was fine—I didn't expect any issues there. The colonoscopy was clean except for one small 4mm polyp (about 1/8 inch). The doctor expects the polyp to be benign. That result wins me a ticket to a two-year screening schedule. Doing the happy dance!

Getting up when the alarm went off this morning, having prepped for the procedure the day before, was very difficult. I shook from weakness and was soaking in sweat. I had set out my clothes for the morning and showered before bed. That made it easier to get dressed sitting down. I didn't have the energy to stand.

Now that I've eaten and feeling pretty much normal, I want to thank you all for your prayers and concern.
LOVE,

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Today Is Prep Day

The Fast
Tomorrow is my next colonoscopy—my sixth in 2 years and 9 months. So the only thing I'll be eating today is what's in that cup. Green tea or vegetable broth. As I type this post, after two cups of tea, I can already feel the hunger that begins to consume the body. I feel weak. I have learned to forgo my morning run on my prep days. That tends to really wipe me out.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Attitude: Vacation Wrap-Up

Photo by Mike Eisenhard
Back from a refreshing break in three national parks, I'm diving in slowly, but I first want to give you a peek at our awesome trip.
Places To Go ~ Things We Saw
Starting with Zion National Park in Southwest Utah, the neat and upscale town of Springdale invites travelers to the entrance of this majestic, wow-factor, geologic wonder—my favorite park on the trip. A convenient shuttle runs through town and delivers you to the park entrance and visitor center. Boarding a double shuttle, we could disembark at any stop in the park.