Live Long Naturally ©2012

What doctors refer to as an incurable disease is quite often a disease found in its later stage, one that they refer to as not having “caught it in time.” This of course, is, as seen in the eyes of conventional medicine. Doctors who truly know the miracles of the body, know any disease can be won without the use of drugs or invasive procedures. What is critically important as well is the patients state of mind and spirit, and not only of their body. The patient must believe it as well, then take action.

A diagnosis all too often precedes a prognosis (AKA death sentence). Being told we are going to die within a set amount of time should be against the law and never be accepted or expected. This alone is killing people. After both my parents were misdiagnosed, they were given their “death sentences” and both were gone  sooner than told. This is no way to live, let alone be close to the ideal mindset needed to begin healing.

We are each equipped with built-in gauges to warn us of failing health, something not quite right. An unfortunate problem is many haven’t a clue how to read and listen to their own body’s signs and symptoms. Their body, mind, and spirit are blocked, numb and riddled with aches and pains that the majority of the population has unfortunately come to accept and expect. Isn’t it time we pay more attention to the engine that drives us? God forbid we put a french fry or spoon of sugar in our gas tank. Curing a so-called “Incurable Disease” can be done – what we believe, we can achieve. For some, some this may mean emotional healing, whatever the root cause, we can survive and thrive despite any prognosis or odds against us!

Had I not seen my mother go through perimenopause (just before her hysterectomy), I would probably be making an appointment with a doctor. As a Baby Boomer, “the change” was getting closer. Having read several books on the subject, I am learning to embrace it and adjust my diet accordingly.

In Before The Change, Ann Louise Gittleman states perimenopausal symtoms are due to a hormonal imbalance. Relief can be attained and imbalance remedied with a change in diet and natural remedies. Some of the natural remedies Gittleman recommends are homeopathic, Bach flower, or cell salt in nature. They are taken via capsule, tablets, pellets, oils, teas or tinctures and may take anywhere from one week to two months to bring relief.

The following list of specific perimenopausal symptoms (listed in alphabetical order) can be treated with the following nutrients:

• Anxiety – Despondency (a homeopathic remedy)
• Cramps – Magnesium Phosphate – (cell salt)
• Breast tenderness – Black Currant Seed Oil (an essential oil)
• Craving for sweets – Magnesium, Chromium, or Manganese (cell salts)
• Headaches – Evening Primrose (essential oil)Insomnia – Lachesis and Sepia (Bach Flower), Magnesium (cell salt), and Valerian (essential oil).
• Irritability – Calcium and Magnesium (cell salts), Iodum (homeopathic)
• Joint Pain – Glucosamine sulfate (cell salt)
• Mood Swings – Chromium, Magnesium, and Manganese (cell salts)
• Periods – Heavy Bleeding – Rose or Cypress Oil (essential oil), Chamomilla (homeopathic)
• Periods – Irregular – Lavender or Melissa oil (essential oil)
• Periods – Painful – Marjoram (essential oil), Magnesium Phosphate (cell salt), or Actaea racemosa (homeopathic)
• Vaginal Dryness – Sepia (homeopathic)
• Water Retention – Magnesium (cell salt), Evening Primrose (essential oil)
• Yeast Infection – Sepia or Carbo-veg (homeopathic)

Gittleman also recommends massaging the essential oil of marjoram, jasmine, or over the abdomen as an all-purpose remedy. Remedy Rescue or Walnut (Bach flower remedies) are also recommended.

It must be noted, what works for one person won’t always work for another, and although some remedies may work well initially, others may lose their effectiveness shortly thereafter. Trying another remedy, as well as getting to the root cause of hormonal imbalance, will help bring relief to the underlying cause of perimenopause symptoms. It is worth knowing that the symptoms we experience will vary among women. Aside from the few sporadic unpleasant symptoms I am experiencing, my body, mind and spirit welcome the change.

Seasonale is a birth control pill that results in women having only 4 periods per year. On the surface, it sounds great! I have to admit, I took the pill for 10 years myself – it came in real handy for the ease and control of being able to postpone a month of bleeding, especially for special occasions or when traveling. Little did my brain know it would take it’s toll on my body, it’s natural cycles, my liver, and my intuition among other things.

Being blessed with a premenstrual phase and a monthly cycle is a sign of good health. It can be a reason for celebration, reflection, rest and renewal. It is during the premenstrual phase that our intuition and creativity peak… if we allow it. Allowing ourselves a tear (or two) and a period of sensitivity is not only insightful, it can empower us. Some women have come to expect and accept a less than desired “premenstrual” phase. For some this includes painful periods and heavy bleeding, while other women experience fits of rage. This is not the norm! Young or old… diet, exercise and lifestyle can make or break each and every phase we journey through. Whether we are reaching the age of menstruation, are “premenstrual,” or coming to the menopause phase… we can in fact lighten the emotions, mood swings, hot flashes, bloating, and more by feeding our body and not merely our emotions or taste buds.

I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to read the book, Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom by Christiane Northrup, M.D. – a New York Times Bestselling author. Her book goes into fascinating easy to read detail on learning how to embrace every stage of life and be healthy in the process. It goes beyond the doctors office, drugs and surgery. It teaches us how to prevent and heal physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual problems on a deep long lasting once-and-for-all level!

A few tips to get you started include:

• Eliminate (or cut back on) dairy foods, especially ice cream, cottage cheese, and yogurt. If dairy is eaten, eat organic!
• Eliminate (or cut back on) refined carbohydrates such as cookies, cake, chips, crackers, etc.
• Take essential fatty acids in the form of fish oil with Vitamin E, or sardines packed in oil or olive oil 3 x’s/week.
• Eliminate trans-fatty acids, those foods containing partially hydrogenated oils, such as margarine and solid vegetable shortening.

Exercise, sunlight, and journaling are also beneficial to the health of our body, mind, spirit… and as the author states… our magnificent hormones!

Vegansexual – a group of people who lead a cruelty-free lifestyle and prefer to be exclusively intimate with like-minded individuals.” Dr. Annie Potts, Co-Director for New Zealand Centre for Human-Animal Studies

Ever kiss anyone that smells like an ash tray? I can’t say I have or care to. I have however kissed someone who tasted/smelled like meat and/or chicken… UGH! Eating fowl (chicken) gives me foul breath. At least that’s what it did over a decade ago when I was still trying to eat it.

Many people walk around chewing gum and wearing deodorant day in and day in – neither one of these are healthy! Most chewing gum has artificial sweetener that wreaks havoc on your health, and deodorants… why block the precious lymph nodes with poison?

When we eat healthy,  breath and body odor are not a problem. I have found the older I get and cleaner inside I get, the harder it is for me to date a meat eater. I have been a vegetarian since the late 60′s… a lacto/ovo/pesca-vegetarian, but still a vegetarian. I also go days as a vegan. I dislike the taste and smell of meat in front of me, on my breath and on the breath of others. Not every meat eater has bad breath, however… odors and the exchange of bodily fluids do not stop at the mouth.

As my former employer would say, vegetarians not only smell better, they taste better. Your partner will appreciate this.

Isn’t it time you make morning breath a thing of the past?

How I would love pizza more often, but looking and especially feeling less than I am capable of just isn’t worth it, at least NOT on a daily basis. A single binging frenzy can puff me up from head to toe and everything in between. If I ate whatever I wanted when I wanted, I would no doubt be fat!

Challenge yourself to eat better for a week – experience and appreciate how it will make you look and feel. Your body will respond surprisingly well to a healthy diet and lifestyle. Once you attain your optimal health and weight, your body will speak volumes if and when you do eat poorly. These signs, along with the overall fat and cellulite, are built in gauges telling you your body is in dire need of cleansing.

Disappearing eyelids, an overnight growth of jowls and the belly growing bigger than the bottom are a small price to pay compared to the damage being done to our long-term health.

A mirror doesn’t lie… let it be one of your guides, gauges and scream for help in looking and feeling your absolute best!