hi guys-
sorry to be slow slow this week, but i have been copy editing the manuscript for my new book that will be out in december and between reading and re-testing recipes, it has been quite a trip...but i am almost through it and hope you like this one as much as i do.
i wanted to talk to you about accountability and charity today, if that's okay by you. i have led an interesting life and through hardship and illness, i was given a second chance years and years ago. i have tried to use that chance to my best abilities; each day is a new adventure of trying to do my best work.
each and every one of us owes it to humanity to give back to the world for all that we have been given. all who have succeeded through hard work and sweat or by inheritance have an obligation to do for those who have not done so well...or who suffer. i choose to give back by sharing what i have learned, through experience and study, about food and its impact on our health and wellness.
i make a lot of appearances to help organizations raise money for their causes...from cancer organizations like Gilda's Club to Meals on Wheels to churches trying to keep their soup kitchen open for the homeless in the neighborhood to our own Green City Youth Council to working with doctors and hospitals to educate people about the link between what they choose to eat and their health.
so many medical professionals, through experience and research, have come to the same conclusion as hippocrates...that food should be our medicine and medicine our food. marketing has saturated our brains with the message to eat more and more and that it be less and less natural. the ads show models and athletes sucking down food that would kill them if they really ate it...or at least make them as obese and unhealthy as the rest of the world. but we believe it because it's what we are told. alternative approaches to health are weird, right? offered by a bunch of old hippies turned snake oil salesmen, right? after all, if food could cure cancer, wouldn't everyone know about it? don't ask me. i only know what i know and do what i do based on what i know to be true. doctors like dr. neal barnard, dr. t. colin campbell, dr, dean ornish, dr. sanjay gupta and dr. mehmet oz are just a few of the medical geniuses leading the charge...making nutrition an essential part of healing, so we will see what the future reveals.
with the work i do in the world, i see so much heartbreak. sick kids, sick adults, sick families, sick communities...all trying to get well and get that second chance. by putting my money where my mouth is...giving of my time and resources and teaching them about healthy eating and natural approaches to health, my message is simple. strengthening immune function can help in the fight to return to health. there is not a sane person in this world who would say that my message is demeaning to those who are ill or in any way damaging to people's health. whatever choice you make in treating your illness is yours...but eating a healthy diet can only support you through it, keeping you stronger and giving you a leg up on that second chance.
we are all accountable for our lives and our actions and one day our lives will be judged on their merit. i work each and every day to do no harm, to fall into bed each and every night and be able to say that i gave back, that i did my best in my work, that i learned something new and that i did not judge another human being who crossed my path...not for their choices or their style of life.
i work to give people information that they can use (or not use...) to make their lives a bit healthier, to make their bodies a bit stronger and to leave lighter footprint behind. i make no excuses for what i have been through or what i have done in my life. i can only pray that my own life will be judged for the good i may have done.
enjoy your week...and find some way to give back for all your blessings...and if that fails, simply do something nice for someone...it will change your world.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Thursday, August 14, 2008
olympic fever
well, we're all doing it...or most of us anyhow...catching olympic fever and cheering as athletes from all over the world perform the most incredible feats of physical ability we will ever see.
watching the synchronized divers last night, i was amazed at the lightness and lithe qualities of the chinese bodies as they slipped seamlessly into the pool. our divers seemed almost clumsy next to them (trust me...it's all amazing since i could not imagine doing it at all). we're taller, more powerfully built, less intense, but we also seem to have a little more fun with all of this than the other teams.
and then there's michael phelps...the 8th, 9th and 10th wonder of the swim world. there seems to be no end to his energy, strength and capability. as a former competitive swimmer, i sit with my jaw on the floor as he glides through the water like he is part fish!
but today i read an interview with him where he talked about what he eats when he is training and it was like watching a train wreck. his diet consists of a festival of fast foods, saturated fat and junk food. what a shame. what lousy fuel to feed such a gifted and precious body.
i am always amazed that so many athletes have such little regard for making healthy food choices. oh, some do...and maybe it's just the folly of youth and the feeling of invincibility that comes with being 23 and physically gifted, but it would make sense that they would want the best fuel for these fine-tuned machines that perform such feats of skill.
as an athlete, i can tell you that what i eat is a hugely important factor in how well i train and perform. a skipped meal, a poor lunch or an indulgence means that my gym session, run, bike ride or race will not be so much fun. and i know that i am not in my 20's anymore, but i would hope as these young athletes age and the time comes for them to pass their wisdom to the next generation, they will learn a few things about nourishing those magnificent bodies with more than just a lot of calories, saturated fat and junk.
the olympics show us what humanity is capable of...getting along, healthy competition, communication and peaceful coexistence, the universal nature of humanity...but i do hope our michael sweeps the gold!
see you next week.
watching the synchronized divers last night, i was amazed at the lightness and lithe qualities of the chinese bodies as they slipped seamlessly into the pool. our divers seemed almost clumsy next to them (trust me...it's all amazing since i could not imagine doing it at all). we're taller, more powerfully built, less intense, but we also seem to have a little more fun with all of this than the other teams.
and then there's michael phelps...the 8th, 9th and 10th wonder of the swim world. there seems to be no end to his energy, strength and capability. as a former competitive swimmer, i sit with my jaw on the floor as he glides through the water like he is part fish!
but today i read an interview with him where he talked about what he eats when he is training and it was like watching a train wreck. his diet consists of a festival of fast foods, saturated fat and junk food. what a shame. what lousy fuel to feed such a gifted and precious body.
i am always amazed that so many athletes have such little regard for making healthy food choices. oh, some do...and maybe it's just the folly of youth and the feeling of invincibility that comes with being 23 and physically gifted, but it would make sense that they would want the best fuel for these fine-tuned machines that perform such feats of skill.
as an athlete, i can tell you that what i eat is a hugely important factor in how well i train and perform. a skipped meal, a poor lunch or an indulgence means that my gym session, run, bike ride or race will not be so much fun. and i know that i am not in my 20's anymore, but i would hope as these young athletes age and the time comes for them to pass their wisdom to the next generation, they will learn a few things about nourishing those magnificent bodies with more than just a lot of calories, saturated fat and junk.
the olympics show us what humanity is capable of...getting along, healthy competition, communication and peaceful coexistence, the universal nature of humanity...but i do hope our michael sweeps the gold!
see you next week.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
baking soda
hi guys-
i love to share things i hear about with all of you and today is no exception. i received an email from a neighbor about an italian oncologist, dr tullio simoncini, who is doing the most amazing things with cancer treatment. he has discovered (and written a book about...) that cancer is, in fact, a fungus and can be treated as such with great success. he's not whacky, but quite right when you think about it. but rather than anti-fungal drugs, which have side effects, his treatments, which have shown great success, particularly with lung and prostate cancer, involves 'bathing' the tumor with a solution of water and baking soda...you know, the stuff that keeps your fridge fresh.
it's so simple; it's brilliant. think about it. according to the principles of natural healing and chinese medicine, disease, including cancer is caused by an overly acidic internal condition. baking soda is the ultimate alkalizing agent...if it can keep food from decomposing in the fridge, keep produce from getting moldy (fungus) what else is it capable of?
now before you assume i have lost my grip and am off my rocker, consider that dr simoncini has video of lungs before and after treatment and shows lung tissue going from white and tumor-filled to pink and healthy in less than a week. less than a week!!! his theory is that beneath the surface tissue of a tumor (which is all that is tapped into for a biopsy) lies the fungus mass and when it is treated with this alkaline solution, it starves and dies, leaving healthy tissue behind.
the downside is that the tumor has to be directly bathed by the solution of baking soda, which will most likely involve the insertion of catheter into the body by a surgeon. the only side effect he is showing is a small risk of infection at the site of the catheter. but no side effects to the treatment...imagine treating cancer without nausea, hair loss, debilitating side effects and incredible results.
it's so simple, most people will dismiss dr simoncini as crazy or a snake oil salesman...trust me, i know about that type of reaction. how can food cure cancer? how can something simple and natural make such an impact on our health and well-being? if it was true, wouldn't every doctor advise natural approaches to treatment before the big guns of chemotherapy and radiation (and all their accompanying side effects)? wouldn't we all be advised to eat a plant based diet, alkalize our blood and see if we can help our bodies to heal naturally? would the pharmaceutical cartels allow for that?
i have done a good bit of research on dr simoncini's theory and i think it holds water, as the saying goes. it's so simple, it's hard to believe...but what if?
see you next time.
i love to share things i hear about with all of you and today is no exception. i received an email from a neighbor about an italian oncologist, dr tullio simoncini, who is doing the most amazing things with cancer treatment. he has discovered (and written a book about...) that cancer is, in fact, a fungus and can be treated as such with great success. he's not whacky, but quite right when you think about it. but rather than anti-fungal drugs, which have side effects, his treatments, which have shown great success, particularly with lung and prostate cancer, involves 'bathing' the tumor with a solution of water and baking soda...you know, the stuff that keeps your fridge fresh.
it's so simple; it's brilliant. think about it. according to the principles of natural healing and chinese medicine, disease, including cancer is caused by an overly acidic internal condition. baking soda is the ultimate alkalizing agent...if it can keep food from decomposing in the fridge, keep produce from getting moldy (fungus) what else is it capable of?
now before you assume i have lost my grip and am off my rocker, consider that dr simoncini has video of lungs before and after treatment and shows lung tissue going from white and tumor-filled to pink and healthy in less than a week. less than a week!!! his theory is that beneath the surface tissue of a tumor (which is all that is tapped into for a biopsy) lies the fungus mass and when it is treated with this alkaline solution, it starves and dies, leaving healthy tissue behind.
the downside is that the tumor has to be directly bathed by the solution of baking soda, which will most likely involve the insertion of catheter into the body by a surgeon. the only side effect he is showing is a small risk of infection at the site of the catheter. but no side effects to the treatment...imagine treating cancer without nausea, hair loss, debilitating side effects and incredible results.
it's so simple, most people will dismiss dr simoncini as crazy or a snake oil salesman...trust me, i know about that type of reaction. how can food cure cancer? how can something simple and natural make such an impact on our health and well-being? if it was true, wouldn't every doctor advise natural approaches to treatment before the big guns of chemotherapy and radiation (and all their accompanying side effects)? wouldn't we all be advised to eat a plant based diet, alkalize our blood and see if we can help our bodies to heal naturally? would the pharmaceutical cartels allow for that?
i have done a good bit of research on dr simoncini's theory and i think it holds water, as the saying goes. it's so simple, it's hard to believe...but what if?
see you next time.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
cape cod and all things summer
hey kids-
it's that time...we're well into august and already tv is bombarding us with 'back to school' sales, fall clothes and getting ready for cold weather. and then, on another channel, we have some self-help loony tune telling us to live in the moment. yikes!
but enough! last week, i blogged that i was headed off to cape cod for the weekend and i received a comment telling me about a great organic produce stand not far from where my husband's family home lies. while i have been to the cape many times and in every season, there is nothing quite like summer on the cape (unless of course, you are there at christmas, when it seems that there are twinkling lights and magic around every corner...or autumn, when the color and beauty are more than you can take in...)...okay, i love the cape!
this was a working weekend, as my mother-in-law is laying hardwood floors throughout the house and we went up to help out with that process. but we found the time to take a spin to nearby cummaquid to check out jean's little farm stand and to have a chat with her. a feisty 86-year-old, she told us all about the farm; showed us around the field...and of course, sold us some amazing veggies. the cherry tomatoes were like candy and the green beans (sauteed with garlic and lemon zest) were to die for!
there is nothing like summer for me. i love all seasons, but summer is the best. i love the abundance of vegetables and fruit, lush and ripe...perfection! i love the long, leisurely evenings in the garden (even my small city oasis) and weekends on the cape, where it seems i discover something new and wonderful every time. from jean's farmstand to the pottery co-op in the village of barnstable, this was a weekend of new discoveries about the cape for me.
as many times as i go there...and as much as the drive is long and tedious, i feel the tension melt from my shoulders as i drive across the bridge, feel the cool breeze on my face and smell the sea air. it's a magical place and i am so blessed to have family there which makes it even more special.
be well...i'm back to work now...laundry awaits!
it's that time...we're well into august and already tv is bombarding us with 'back to school' sales, fall clothes and getting ready for cold weather. and then, on another channel, we have some self-help loony tune telling us to live in the moment. yikes!
but enough! last week, i blogged that i was headed off to cape cod for the weekend and i received a comment telling me about a great organic produce stand not far from where my husband's family home lies. while i have been to the cape many times and in every season, there is nothing quite like summer on the cape (unless of course, you are there at christmas, when it seems that there are twinkling lights and magic around every corner...or autumn, when the color and beauty are more than you can take in...)...okay, i love the cape!
this was a working weekend, as my mother-in-law is laying hardwood floors throughout the house and we went up to help out with that process. but we found the time to take a spin to nearby cummaquid to check out jean's little farm stand and to have a chat with her. a feisty 86-year-old, she told us all about the farm; showed us around the field...and of course, sold us some amazing veggies. the cherry tomatoes were like candy and the green beans (sauteed with garlic and lemon zest) were to die for!
there is nothing like summer for me. i love all seasons, but summer is the best. i love the abundance of vegetables and fruit, lush and ripe...perfection! i love the long, leisurely evenings in the garden (even my small city oasis) and weekends on the cape, where it seems i discover something new and wonderful every time. from jean's farmstand to the pottery co-op in the village of barnstable, this was a weekend of new discoveries about the cape for me.
as many times as i go there...and as much as the drive is long and tedious, i feel the tension melt from my shoulders as i drive across the bridge, feel the cool breeze on my face and smell the sea air. it's a magical place and i am so blessed to have family there which makes it even more special.
be well...i'm back to work now...laundry awaits!
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