Probiotics?

I have introduced a new product on my website (iwellnesslearning.com) called Floraderm. It is a specially formulated probiotic for optimal digestion and healthy skin. I have personally used this product for about 12 years and have found it essential for maintaining a clear complexion as well as healthy digestion.

What are Probiotics?
We all have beneficial bacteria normally found in our bodies, especially in our digestive tracts. These 'friendly' bacteria assist with digestion and help protect against harmful bacteria. "An estimated 100 trillion microorganisms representing more than 500 different species inhabit every normal, healthy bowel." (Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide: http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/update0905c.shtml)

Unfortunately, the diet and lifestyle of Americans has made most of us deficient in these helpful bacteria. One of the negative side effects of antibiotics is to kill off the good bacteria along with the bad. Birth control pills, white flour, processed foods and sugar all contribute to a gut environment hostile to these beneficial bacteria. This is a major contributing factor to the common problem of digestive complaints in the U.S. today. Taking probiotic supplements helps to build up a healthy supply of these 'friendly' bacteria in your intestines.

A growing body of scientific evidence suggests that you can treat and even prevent some illnesses with certain kinds of live bacteria. Researchers are finding encouraging evidence that probiotics may help:

• Treat diarhhea
• Treat IBS
• Shorten the duration of intestinal infections
• Prevent eczema in children
• Contribute to immune function

Quality Matters
It is important to not just take any probiotic. many probiotic supplements have been shown not to actually retain the number of live bacteria claimed on their label. Dr. Shahani's probiotics are manufactured and packaged under rigorously strict conditions, guaranteeing the highest level of quality and delivery of healthy bacteria. Because of his pioneering research in the field of friendly bacteria or probiotics, Dr. Shahani is now respected as one of the most important figures in probiotic research.

How I Use Probiotics in My Family
I take several of these capsules a day. When I first started taking them, I had serious acne problems and regular stomach complaints. Because I was focusing on 'recolonizing' my intestinal tract, I started by taking more, and tapered down. Of all the methods I used to restore my health, this supplement was an essential ingredient that I still use today to maintain.

Whenever anyone in my family gets stomach complaints, I give them 1-2 capsules. Consider this as an alternative to Tums, PeptoBismal, antacids or any other over the counter stomach medicines. The great thing about probiotics however is there are no negative side effects, no rebound effects, no calcium leaching from the bones, etc. You are simply replacing an element in the body that you are deficient in, giving your body the chance to heal the problem from the inside out.

For my young children, I break the capsule apart and put it in applesauce or yogurt. When anyone is coming down with a cold I also give them a capsule a day for a few days as healthy bacteria have been shown to help keep harmful bacteria in check.

Sources; Helpful Links for Further Research:
The Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide:
http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/update0905c.shtml

Mayo Clinic
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/probiotics/AN00389

Recipe: Philly? Salad? Wrap?

1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 small yellow onion
2 slices swiss cheese
4 cups fresh spinach leaves
1 large avacado, mashed
4 whole wheat tortillas

This salad wrap is made in the spirit of the philly sandwhich. The recipe makes 4 wraps and each wrap will be prepared individually. Cut the peppers and onions into fourths. Slice the peppers and onions thinly. Sautee the first pile of peppers and onions in canola oil. Arrange the vegetables into a long, narrow pile, roughly the shape of a rolled wrap. Cover the veggies with 1/2 a slice of swiss cheese. Drip a couple of drops of water onto the pan and quickly cover the veggies and cheese with a saucepan lid, using the steam to melt the cheese. Once cheese is melted (15-20 seconds), slide the veggies and cheese into the center of a tortilla. Cover with approximately 1 cup of fresh spinach leaves (less or more depending on your preference). Spread mashed avacado onto the side of the tortilla and wrap it up!

I'm broke...where do I start?

Does it seem like when you start to get serious about improving your health, the obstacle you come up against is lack of money? You found a great supplement to give you more energy...it costs money. You heard about an amazing practitioner...who's outrageously expensive. You want to try the latest weight loss program...again, lots of money.

Don't get discouraged. If you are intent on improving your life, the great news is that there are many options that cost little or no money for getting started. Here are a few:

Tap into Your Thought Energy
The three methods I recommend the most for tapping into your bodies inherent ability to heal are, "Feelings Buried Alive" by Karol Truman; "You Can Heal Your Life" by Louise Hay; and Emotional Freedom Technique, detailed at emofree.com.

These methods teach you how to diagnose which thoughts and emotions are keeping you from health. They then give you strategies using affirmations, visualizations, and pressure points to release and change these patterns in your life. To start learning any of these three methods is to begin a lifelong journey of healing from the inside out.

Follow your gut. Of the three methods mentioned above, begin to research the one that sounds the most interesting, or has the strongest pull. It's probably the one you need now. Eventually you should become familiar with all three. Make healing thoughts a habit that stays with you for the rest of your life. It will impact every area of your life, spreading far past your health.

Reflexology and Essential Oils
These are two modalities of healing that bring subtly powerful results. They are relatively easy to learn how to use (at least the basics of them) and they are inexpensive.

I invested in a couple of reflexology books and use the methods shown in them on myself and my family. I have found it to be most effective when I target one specific health issue and use the reflexology most every day for a couple of weeks, or longer if necessary.

Essential oils are inexpensive and long lasting. There are many websites and books that teach the most beneficial ways to use them. There are starting to be more home based businesses involving essential oils and sometimes you can find a local expert to support you as you learn to use them.

Educate Yourself
Early in my journey of taking my health into my own hands, I took an evening away from my family and spent a couple of hours at Barnes and Noble in the health section. I pulled dozens of books off the shelf, any that looked interesting to me. At the end of my evening, I still had almost two dozen books. I followed my gut, and narrowed it down to just a few, and purchased one book that night.

That book was called, "The pH Miracle" by Robert O. Young, and I still count it as one of my favorite health books. But the point I want to make here, is that by taking the time to do this, I came away with many book ideas which I checked out from my library and worked my way through.

You can spend time online if you prefer, but take advantage of any method you can to improve your knowledge and understanding of how the body works, of healing, and of health.

Do the Basics
Get disciplined and start doing the basics. Pick one thing a week to start with, get a support group, make yourself a sticker chart if you have to, but start taking better care of yourself. You know what you need to work on. Here are some ideas:

• Go to bed earlier!!! Our bodies cleanse and detox while we sleep.
• Drink more water. (and less soda!)
• Eat more fruits and veggies (this will impact your grocery budget, but not as much as many supplements).
• Do a cleanse. Again, this will cost some money, but there are inexpensive options.
• Eliminate sugar and white flour from your diet.
• Get active, get exercising!
• Get some basic supplements. Everyone should be on a good multi-vitamin/mineral supplement. We should all be taking essential fatty acids (you can take flax oil or fish oil). We should all be taking probiotics to help with our digestion. Each of these is relatively inexpensive as far as supplements go and would probably make a world of difference.

If you begin to feel that it is important for you to do something for you health that costs money you do not currently have, begin to visualize having that which you need. Be sure to feel all the emotions of gratitude and excitement. You will be surprised the way things will work in your behalf!

Book Review: Naturally Thin

We are hearing more and more in the news of late about diet being more important than exercise when it comes to controlling weight. The thing I love about this book is it seems to recognize that the way we eat is something of a mind game. Think of this book as a rule book on how to win the mind game.

Frankel repeatedly reminds us throughout the book how much she hates diets. Her theme is that we need to tune into our 'food voice'. We need to trust ourselves. It is an empowering book and it had an overall relaxing effect on me.

When we are fighting resistance and the urge to self-sabotage, relaxing is so important. It seems to defuse the battle and suddenly it's not so hard to control ourselves.

Frankel is very real in the book, giving examples of times she follows her rules as well as times she doesn't...and how she recovers from that. She's trying to teach us to relax, go with the flow, and most of all keep things balanced.

She is, in fact, so real that at times she's a little bit annoying, but you have to respect her open display of how she lives her life and how her mind works. She teaches you how to lighten up on yourself. This is so important because the self-loathing that we sometimes fall into after messing up generally leads to more self-destructive behavior.

Here are her top 10 rules to eat by:

1. Your diet is a bank account.

2. You can have it all, just not all at once.

3. Taste everything, eat nothing.

4. Pay attention.

5. Downsize now!

6. Cancel your membership in the clean plate club.

7. Check yourself before you wreck yourself.

8. Know Thyself.

9. Get real. (avoid processed food)

10. Do what is good for you.

It's worth reading the book to get the details on these common sense, practical, and user-friendly rules. She gives you lots of real life examples of how to apply them. I found myself applying them without much effort as soon as I understood them. It's a must read!

Recipe: Hearty Harvest Casserole

2 large onions, cut and separated into rings 3/4 inch thick
1 each medium green and red pepper, cut into 1 inch strips
1 cup sprouted barley, partially cooked (save 1-2 cups water)
4 tbs. vegetable broth mix
3 medium carrots, cut into chunks
2 large tomatoes, peeled and quartered (or use canned)
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
1 lb green beans, snapped in half
1/2 head cauliflower florets
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2-1 tbs. real salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Steam fry onion and bell peppers. Combine all ingredients in a casserole dish. Cover. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Barley should be tender.

This recipe is from the book, "The pH Miracle." I make this casserole and eat off of it for a week. It takes some time to prepare, but it's delicious!