Growing your own food can be one of the most rewarding experiences. There will never be a better way to keep tabs on your food quality than to get your hands in the dirt that brings forth this bounty. So keeping your garden free of pesticides and herbicides is one great step you can take for your health and it's easier than you think!
After you've decided what yummy vegetables will work well for your garden, follow these tips to keep your garden toxin-free and "green".
1. Garden in pots or raised beds with loose soil which makes it easier to pull weeds. This is also easier for gardening in small spaces.
2. Mulch around plants and in walkways using thick layers of organic material such as newspaper, straw, dead leaves, grass clipping, etc. This helps conserve moisture and because it is organic it can add to the foods' nutrient content.
3. Plant in square foot sections rather than rows. Grouping allows you to plant more, but it also blocks weeds out as the plants grow.
4. In the fall, cover your garden with dead leaves and water down. This will keep weeds down in the spring.
5. Rotate crops every year. By not planting a veggie in the same place each year, it prevents the bugs from easily finding their chosen veggie and prevents diseases that stay in the soil over winter from infecting a plant.
6. Use the concept of companion planting. By planting crops such as onion, garlic, shallots and other members of the allium family next to susceptible crops, pests will be less likely to feast because they do not like allium vegetables. Also, marigolds dispersed throughout a garden are helpful as they repel pests as well.
7. Beneficial bugs like ladybugs will eat aphids that may cause problems. You can buy packs of ladybugs in gardening centers.
8. Ask your gardening center for varieties of plants that tend to be disease resistant.
9. Compost kitchen scraps, grasses, and dead leaves which give you rich organic material to put in your garden each year to add to the nutrient content.
Tips from - "The Vegetable Gardener's Bible" by Edward C. Smith
If you don't have a green thumb for gardening, consider community supported agriculture. Healthlinks is proud to partner with "My Mamma's Hat Farm" which is one such CSA that uses green agricultural practices, so it's good for you and the environment and it's just a few miles away. Their produce will be sold at the Longmont Farmers Market starting in May and they will be providing the rich produce for our cooking classes starting in June.
Either way, you stay more connected to your food and in better control of you health!
Monday, April 19, 2010
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Spring Detox Your Body! - 5 Foods To Thrive on This Spring
As the cool spring breeze blows in through the newly opened windows, our homes get all the attention when it comes to spring cleaning. So how about our own bodies? Finding ways to really move toxins through our body will help us welcome the season with more vibrance and energy. So where can we find this magical product? Mother nature...of course. She has provided us with an abundance for thousands of years that gives our bodies nourishment, healing and the ability to detoxify.
Spring cleaning our bodies not only brings a feeling of lightness, but true health from the inside out. Our digestive system stands to gain everything. And by the nature of our physiology, our immune and endocrine systems will benefit from the cyclical relationship between them. Did you know that roughly 2/3 of our immune system's receptor sites reside within the lining of the digestive tract? The interrelationship of the body's organ systems is much more complex than the scope of this blog, but certainly we know that what we ingest is a huge determinant of our overall health. So let's start with some quick points about what to restrict or eliminate and challenge yourself to make this a habit that continues on in the summer, fall and winter.
We all know that refined flours, sugars and artificial sweeteners are tough on our bodies, so that's a great place to start. For sweetness, enjoy the abundance of fresh fruits that are in season and use the herb stevia for coffee, tea, yogurt, etc. Use fats and oils sparingly and choose the good fats like avocado, extra virgin expeller-pressed olive and coconut oils, raw almonds and walnuts, omega-3 fatty acids from fish and flaxseed and butter from pastuerized cows. Keep your cooking temperatures low to preserve the fats and oils and resist the spring temptation to grill which is one of the most fat damaging cooking methods. In short, use the healthy oils, avoid added sugars and stay away from processed foods that contain any "unrecongnizables" on the label.
Now for the good stuff. According to Megan Forbes, Healthlinks Clinic dietician, the following are 5 of the most detoxifying foods you can eat. They boost your liver enzymes and effectively facilitate the liver's phase 2 detoxification function. This will lighten the load on your liver and allow it to perform better.
Nature's Detox Foods:
Spring cleaning our bodies not only brings a feeling of lightness, but true health from the inside out. Our digestive system stands to gain everything. And by the nature of our physiology, our immune and endocrine systems will benefit from the cyclical relationship between them. Did you know that roughly 2/3 of our immune system's receptor sites reside within the lining of the digestive tract? The interrelationship of the body's organ systems is much more complex than the scope of this blog, but certainly we know that what we ingest is a huge determinant of our overall health. So let's start with some quick points about what to restrict or eliminate and challenge yourself to make this a habit that continues on in the summer, fall and winter.
We all know that refined flours, sugars and artificial sweeteners are tough on our bodies, so that's a great place to start. For sweetness, enjoy the abundance of fresh fruits that are in season and use the herb stevia for coffee, tea, yogurt, etc. Use fats and oils sparingly and choose the good fats like avocado, extra virgin expeller-pressed olive and coconut oils, raw almonds and walnuts, omega-3 fatty acids from fish and flaxseed and butter from pastuerized cows. Keep your cooking temperatures low to preserve the fats and oils and resist the spring temptation to grill which is one of the most fat damaging cooking methods. In short, use the healthy oils, avoid added sugars and stay away from processed foods that contain any "unrecongnizables" on the label.
Now for the good stuff. According to Megan Forbes, Healthlinks Clinic dietician, the following are 5 of the most detoxifying foods you can eat. They boost your liver enzymes and effectively facilitate the liver's phase 2 detoxification function. This will lighten the load on your liver and allow it to perform better.
Nature's Detox Foods:
- Dandelion greens
- Mustard greens
- Parsley
- Watercress
- Beets
Try this one recipe for tasty dandelion greens!
1 tbls butter from pasteurized cows
2 tbls cooking sherry
1 clove garlic
1 tsp honey
1 tsp lemon
1 bunch dandelion greens (tough stems removed and cut into1 inch lengths)
On medium-low heat, melt butter and immediately add the cooking sherry. After 5 minutes add the garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Turn heat up to medium and add honey and lemon and blend for about 2 minutes. Add dandelion greens and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve hot and enjoy!
Monday, April 12, 2010
Start Your Day With Calm - Just Breath
In our society, we start off our day in overdrive and it never stops. To jump out of bed and hit the ground running is a huge tax on our nervous system by placing us in a fight or flight state that barely stops until our head hits the pillow that evening. There is a large body of evidence that balancing our autonomic nervous system to reduce the negative reaction to stress is very helpful for our immune system. The autonomic nervous system includes the sympathetic (fight or flight) branch and the parasympathetic (calming) branch. We know that disturbed levels of cortisol and noradrenaline that result from an over active sympathetic response can impair the immune system's defenses and allow inflammation to persist in the body. It has been well established that inflammation plays a major role in the initiation of several diseases, including cancer. According to a publication in the peer-reviewed Current Pharmaceutical Design, many studies have correlated the prolonged presence of the inflammatory environment with an increased risk for cancer. Furthermore, a number of studies, including one conducted at the University of Calgary, showed an increase in cancer patient's white blood cells following meditation when they had previously been compromised. This included natural killer cells which are considered crucial in fighting cancer. It is unlikely that this alone creates a direct cause and effect and the root of many diseases, as we are coming to discover, are multifactorial. However, this piece of the disease puzzle is worth paying homage to.
So what is it with this whole breathing emphasis? The slowing down and deepening of the breath is the simplest and most accessible way for us to stimulate the parasympathetic branch of the nervous system. And this practice performed in the morning, can help set a good pattern that helps us find more focus, creativity and calm during our day. In turn, our body feels less compelled to churn out chemicals that snowball the inflammatory response. Furthermore, it just feels good!
Take 5 to 10 minutes in the morning to connect with the breath and what may lead you to find the path you would like to find on any given day. Try to sit in a comfortable position either by sitting up in bed or finding a quiet spot in the house before you start the mental list making and planning. That can wait and may prove to be more effective when done with a clear head. Reciting a mantra that is kind yet honors your emotional state or quietly listing the honest blessings that you possess is a wonderfully effective way to bring peace to your daily routine. It's a gift to body and mind and well worth the time!
So what is it with this whole breathing emphasis? The slowing down and deepening of the breath is the simplest and most accessible way for us to stimulate the parasympathetic branch of the nervous system. And this practice performed in the morning, can help set a good pattern that helps us find more focus, creativity and calm during our day. In turn, our body feels less compelled to churn out chemicals that snowball the inflammatory response. Furthermore, it just feels good!
Take 5 to 10 minutes in the morning to connect with the breath and what may lead you to find the path you would like to find on any given day. Try to sit in a comfortable position either by sitting up in bed or finding a quiet spot in the house before you start the mental list making and planning. That can wait and may prove to be more effective when done with a clear head. Reciting a mantra that is kind yet honors your emotional state or quietly listing the honest blessings that you possess is a wonderfully effective way to bring peace to your daily routine. It's a gift to body and mind and well worth the time!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
A Silent Threat In Your Home
With the ushering in of spring and a cleaner home, the more obvious filth gets the attention. There are, however, a number of toxins that you can't see that could be causing you harm. One such problem may be radon in your home. Radon results from the natural breakdown of uranium in rock and soil. Low levels of this gas are in outdoor air where it is well dispursed and very little exposure occurs. However, depending on a number of circumstances, high levels may be found in indoor air.
According to the National Cancer Institute, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer and is associated with 15,000 to 22,000 lung cancer deaths every year. Radon is a gas that decays rather quickly giving off radioactive particles. When this is inhaled, it causes damage to the cells that line the lungs which spells trouble when this is in high amounts. The bad news is that this little beast can be a hazard if you have high concentrations of it in your house and it is allowed to persist. The good news is that it is easy to test for and relatively easy to amend the problem.
So when and how should you test for radon? When a home is sold, it is fairly standard to have the house radon tested before the sale goes through. However, it is not required, so be diligent before a purchase and make certain that testing takes place and any potential risk is eliminated through radon mitigation work. In addition, radon levels can change in a home base upon warm or cold weather. Levels can also increase as a result of cracks in solid floors, construction joints, cracks in walls, gaps in suspended floors, gaps around service pipes and cavities inside walls. It is wise to test every couple of years as there are shifts in the earth beneath your home that may contribute to shifts in the structure of your house that allow the radon a path in. Be certain to test during the warm and cold season of that year, as that can be an influence as well. If high levels of radon are found, it is important to proceed with mitigation plans that can be carried out by a contractor that is EPA certified to deal with this.
The EPA has great resources for you to understand how to proceed with testing and mitigation. Visit the EPA link below to get your test kit coupon and take care of radon if it is a problem in your home. It is a small effort that is well worth the time...for you health!
http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/consguid.html#whyhire
According to the National Cancer Institute, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer and is associated with 15,000 to 22,000 lung cancer deaths every year. Radon is a gas that decays rather quickly giving off radioactive particles. When this is inhaled, it causes damage to the cells that line the lungs which spells trouble when this is in high amounts. The bad news is that this little beast can be a hazard if you have high concentrations of it in your house and it is allowed to persist. The good news is that it is easy to test for and relatively easy to amend the problem.
So when and how should you test for radon? When a home is sold, it is fairly standard to have the house radon tested before the sale goes through. However, it is not required, so be diligent before a purchase and make certain that testing takes place and any potential risk is eliminated through radon mitigation work. In addition, radon levels can change in a home base upon warm or cold weather. Levels can also increase as a result of cracks in solid floors, construction joints, cracks in walls, gaps in suspended floors, gaps around service pipes and cavities inside walls. It is wise to test every couple of years as there are shifts in the earth beneath your home that may contribute to shifts in the structure of your house that allow the radon a path in. Be certain to test during the warm and cold season of that year, as that can be an influence as well. If high levels of radon are found, it is important to proceed with mitigation plans that can be carried out by a contractor that is EPA certified to deal with this.
The EPA has great resources for you to understand how to proceed with testing and mitigation. Visit the EPA link below to get your test kit coupon and take care of radon if it is a problem in your home. It is a small effort that is well worth the time...for you health!
http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/consguid.html#whyhire
Monday, April 5, 2010
Walk Your Way to Wellness!
The fact that walking is beneficial for health is nothing new...to anyone. However, an individual going through cancer treatment may not feel up to the task of getting on the athletic gear and cranking out the miles. The reality is, this may be one of the most important times in life to keep moving. There are obvious exceptions to this, but generally, movement maintains function of the entire body from the skeleton to the nervous system and the endocrine (hormone) system to the immune system. Moreover, the research is supporting the profoundly positive impact that exercise has on cancer survivorship. And to a point, the more movement, the less the odds of a cancer recurrence.
A study that was published in the Journal of American Medical Association found that breast cancer patients who exercised 3 to 5 hours a week reduced their risk of recurrence significantly compared with those who were inactive. The individuals' level of exercise intensity was taken into consideration. At at average pace of 2 to 2.9 miles per hour, those who walked for 3 hours a week lowered their risk of recurrence by 20% and those who walked for 5 hours lowered their risk of recurrence by 50%. This latter number equates to the recurrence rate of breast cancer with post-treatment Tamoxifin use!
Exercise is a profoundly important component of a healthy lifestyle. After all, our bodies were meant to move. And walking is a functional activity that our bodies know well and must accomplish to move about our daily life. Shoot for the upper number of 5 hours per week at a minimum of 2 miles per hour or 30 minute miles. If this pace is too fast for you, take the time to work up to it so your body can tolerate the increased demand. It can be broken down into 5 x 1-hour increments or can be broken down into smaller chunks 7 days a week. You can even find 20 minutes here and there to add it up. On the flipside, the more fit you become, the higher intensity you can tolerate. As the intensity increases, the total workload necessary for survivorship means that higher intensities dictate a decrease in total exercise time. To find the combination that is appropriate for your current fitness level, see the chart below.
Exercise Goal
(to reduce cancer recurrence risk)
2 mph x 6 hrs/wk
2.5 mph x 5 hrs/wk
3.0 mph x 4.5 hrs/wk
3.5 mph x 4 hrs/wk
1.7 mph @ 1.0% grade x 6 hrs/wk
2.2 mph @ 1.o% grade x 5 hrs/wk
2.2 mph @ 2.0% grade x 4.5 hrs/wk
2.2 mph @ 3.5% grade x 4 hrs/wk
Enjoy your walk!
A study that was published in the Journal of American Medical Association found that breast cancer patients who exercised 3 to 5 hours a week reduced their risk of recurrence significantly compared with those who were inactive. The individuals' level of exercise intensity was taken into consideration. At at average pace of 2 to 2.9 miles per hour, those who walked for 3 hours a week lowered their risk of recurrence by 20% and those who walked for 5 hours lowered their risk of recurrence by 50%. This latter number equates to the recurrence rate of breast cancer with post-treatment Tamoxifin use!
Exercise is a profoundly important component of a healthy lifestyle. After all, our bodies were meant to move. And walking is a functional activity that our bodies know well and must accomplish to move about our daily life. Shoot for the upper number of 5 hours per week at a minimum of 2 miles per hour or 30 minute miles. If this pace is too fast for you, take the time to work up to it so your body can tolerate the increased demand. It can be broken down into 5 x 1-hour increments or can be broken down into smaller chunks 7 days a week. You can even find 20 minutes here and there to add it up. On the flipside, the more fit you become, the higher intensity you can tolerate. As the intensity increases, the total workload necessary for survivorship means that higher intensities dictate a decrease in total exercise time. To find the combination that is appropriate for your current fitness level, see the chart below.
Exercise Goal
(to reduce cancer recurrence risk)
2 mph x 6 hrs/wk
2.5 mph x 5 hrs/wk
3.0 mph x 4.5 hrs/wk
3.5 mph x 4 hrs/wk
1.7 mph @ 1.0% grade x 6 hrs/wk
2.2 mph @ 1.o% grade x 5 hrs/wk
2.2 mph @ 2.0% grade x 4.5 hrs/wk
2.2 mph @ 3.5% grade x 4 hrs/wk
Enjoy your walk!
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Spring Cleaning Time...Naturally!
Spring is upon us. It's time to open the windows and air out the winter stagnation...after that final foot of spring snow! It's also a time to clean house which means wiping the walls, dusting off the cobwebs and cleaning the windows to let the sunshine in! The many manufacturers of cleaning products will have you believe that using strong chemical potions are the only option to get this job done. In reality, most commercial cleaning products are not only unnecessary, they are down right harmful to your health.
Cleaning products are one of the most pervasive sources of toxic chemicals which make their way into our environment. Many of these chemicals are known endocrine (hormone) disruptors. They have been detected in our water and in our air and they have the ability to cause heightened estrogenic activity in humans and other animals as they make their way inside our bodies. These high levels of blood estrogen are a known risk factor for reproductive cancers. So does this mean we have to live in a dirty house to lower our risk of cancer recurrence or to prevent cancer in the first place? The answer is no and in fact it may be quite the opposite.
Keeping a house clean by vacuuming carpets, cleaning floors and wiping the dust away can clear toxic compounds that settle into our homes. Be certain to use moisture on floors and other surfaces so you don't simply push dirt and toxins around and into the air. The options for cleaning are not limited to the strong smelling products that practically choke you to death. Getting a surface clean entails using a substance that has the capacity to grab onto microbes, dirt and oils to be carried away by a bit of elbow grease. There are several multi-use substances that can get your home clean by wiping away the grime and even killing mold, bacteria and other germs. One such substance is distilled vinegar. Other potent bacteria fighters can be found amongst the essential oils. A study of essential oils was conducted at Teikyo University Institute of Medical Mycology in Japan and found some impressive results. Of the 14 oils studied, cinnamon bark, lemongrass and thyme essential oils showed the highest activity against a number of bacterial strains. Peppermint, tea tree, coriander and lavender oils did moderately well. Aside from their effectiveness, these oils give your home a truly clean smell rather than the noxious smell of most commercial cleaning products. So start your spring cleaning off with this simple and effective cleaner recipe!
All-Purpose Cleaner
Used for hard surfaces, windows and mirrors
- 2 cups white distilled vinegar
- 2 cups water
- 20-30 drops of essential oil
Mix in sprayer bottle.
Tip: Warming in microwave until barely hot will boost cleaning power. Use only glass for microwave.
*Complements of Women's Voices For the Earth
To learn more about how to detoxify your home, join our April 22nd class at Healthlinks Clinic!
Cleaning products are one of the most pervasive sources of toxic chemicals which make their way into our environment. Many of these chemicals are known endocrine (hormone) disruptors. They have been detected in our water and in our air and they have the ability to cause heightened estrogenic activity in humans and other animals as they make their way inside our bodies. These high levels of blood estrogen are a known risk factor for reproductive cancers. So does this mean we have to live in a dirty house to lower our risk of cancer recurrence or to prevent cancer in the first place? The answer is no and in fact it may be quite the opposite.
Keeping a house clean by vacuuming carpets, cleaning floors and wiping the dust away can clear toxic compounds that settle into our homes. Be certain to use moisture on floors and other surfaces so you don't simply push dirt and toxins around and into the air. The options for cleaning are not limited to the strong smelling products that practically choke you to death. Getting a surface clean entails using a substance that has the capacity to grab onto microbes, dirt and oils to be carried away by a bit of elbow grease. There are several multi-use substances that can get your home clean by wiping away the grime and even killing mold, bacteria and other germs. One such substance is distilled vinegar. Other potent bacteria fighters can be found amongst the essential oils. A study of essential oils was conducted at Teikyo University Institute of Medical Mycology in Japan and found some impressive results. Of the 14 oils studied, cinnamon bark, lemongrass and thyme essential oils showed the highest activity against a number of bacterial strains. Peppermint, tea tree, coriander and lavender oils did moderately well. Aside from their effectiveness, these oils give your home a truly clean smell rather than the noxious smell of most commercial cleaning products. So start your spring cleaning off with this simple and effective cleaner recipe!
All-Purpose Cleaner
Used for hard surfaces, windows and mirrors
- 2 cups white distilled vinegar
- 2 cups water
- 20-30 drops of essential oil
Mix in sprayer bottle.
Tip: Warming in microwave until barely hot will boost cleaning power. Use only glass for microwave.
*Complements of Women's Voices For the Earth
To learn more about how to detoxify your home, join our April 22nd class at Healthlinks Clinic!
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