Been a while since I've had a chance to blog. Thought this piece of information would be useful to some people. I found it great. It's from a colleague and it's all about the Peanut Allergy Epidemic:

Watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAtON6X4G0E

She's also got a book out about it:

In The History of the Peanut Allergy Epidemic author Heather Fraser, an historian and mother of a peanut allergy child, pinpoints the precise moment of this allergy's appearance and describes the perfect storm of social, medical, political and economic factors from which it has grown.

Buy the book and discover the lost threads and landmarks of the history of the peanut allergy epidemic.

Softcover: 211 pages; b&w images; appendix; index; 9 x 6 inches
Published: Innovation Press (2010)
http://www.peanutallergyepidemic.com

And see what others are saying about The History of the Peanut Allergy Epidemic at Amazon.com:
Never let it be said again "we don't know why we have so many kids with peanut allergies", April 14, 2010By Rita (Canada)

Protein Supplements

There are many types of protein available to people such as whey, soy, rice, hemp. Some are raw whole food versions and some are not. What we've been finding as of late is that whey is one of the most bioavailable. The important feature it must have is to be 'undenatured'; in other words, in a raw unprocessed form. In this form it is actually alkalizing to the body. This is virtually the only form of dairy we agree with - unless you have your own cow at home. Other whey forms are acidic or acid forming and can be recognized by their 'isolate' forms. The importance here is pH. An acidic pH/body creates a state ideal for inflammation and disease to begin/exist. Soy is a good protein; however, it's often genetically modified and can cause issues with hormones (specifically estrogen) as it mimics and blocks the body's natural form. Hemp has an acquired taste and rice does not seem to keep a person filled. Any person in athletics must supplement with a protein within an hour after an athletic activity.

On a side note. We went and saw avatar recently. Wonderful movie. Lots of life lessons to be learned here. If we could learn to work with the planet the way the Avatars do, our earth would be in much better shape.

Emotional & Physical Connections

Over 6 weeks ago, our son got a bad sprain. We tried athletic therapy, massage therapy, osteopathy for 4 weeks. He had crutches and wasn't able to go outside for recess or lunch at school or be with his friends. He had wanted to have crutches in the past(careful what you wish for). Because of the crutches, he had to use the elevator (a fun thing at first). In hindsight, a broken ankle would've healed faster...

Anyways, we had stopped all therapy after 4 weeks to see what would happen. There was no improvement and a friend/client mentioned something about the possibility of an emotional connection to the injury. As soon as she mentioned it, a light went on in our heads and we took our son to another colleague who addressed many items (this was his 6th week - a Monday). By Thursday his pain went from a 9 to a 3 and by Friday it was 0.

Any chronic pain that doesn't resolve must have a connection to an event. You owe it to yourself to at least check out the possibility.

H1N1 Flu

H1N1 seems to be a hot topic these days. We think the best defense is to build and support your immune system. Some herbs that may offer support are colostrum and cat's claw. Another option is Garlic. Cut it into small pieces, put it into your mouth and swallow - don't chew. You'll repel everything and everyone! If everyone in your family takes it, no one will notice. The dosing yourself with Oil of Oregano echinacea and goldenseal may also be helpful. A high quality Colloidal Silver is also good to keep on hand.

It's also very good to avoid ALL forms of sugar (our kids hate this one) since just one teaspoon will shut off your immune system for up to 6 hours! --good luck with avoiding that during the Halloween weekend -- not to mention the full moon! Also since most of our immune system is in our digestive tract it's important to supplement with a high quality acidophilus.

If we didn't forget to mention, it's also wise rest and avoid all processed foods since they all contain sugar as well - read the ingredient list!

Also remember that a fever is the body's way of killing bacteria and virus'. Taking Tylenol or other things to lower the fever is not a good idea as it allows the germs to hang around longer. Of course if the fever is at a dangerous level, then you should have them checked out medically; otherwise, support the body and let it do it's job!

Here are some more facts and links we've found:
"The Canadian government, and more specifically the provinces of Quebec, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Nova Scotia, have suspended the 'normal' seasonal flu shots for anyone under 65 in response to a recent study there.

The lead researcher, Danuta Skowronski, of the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, and Gaston De Serres, of Laval University, have confounded infectious-disease experts by suggesting that people vaccinated against seasonal flu are twice as likely to catch swine flu." - We're glad we live in Ontario right now! Source: Independent October 26 2009.

http://www.foodmatters.tv/_webapp_262149/Warning_-_Swine_Flu_H1N1_Vaccine_Is_Not_Safe#).

Source: Daily Mail, London, Aug 15, 2009
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1206807/Swine-flu-jab-link-killer-nerve-disease-Leaked-letter-reveals-concern-neurologists-25-deaths-America.html

Skunks and Fleas

Well, this post has nothing to do with allergies, but it's informative! Last week our cat found a skunk. Needless to say, a solution of 1/4 cup baking soda, a teaspoon of liquid soap and a quart of hydrogen peroxide works amazing!!! Forget about trying tomato juice!

Now about fleas...we found 4 on the cat and dog...we panicked and vacuumed the entire house baseboards and all. Then washed the pets again with a wonderful organic essential oil based soap called Kelco Herbal Naturals. Haven't seen a flea since. You can also use a blend of essential oils and baking soda/rice flour (15 drops per cup of flour)-shake well. Put it on your dog or cat and even sprinkle on your carpets. For a great flea collar put 4 drops essential oils in a jar, put the pet's collar in the jar (or bandana) for 24 hours and they can then wear it for a couple of weeks.

In terms of essential oils, you can use citronella, atlas cedar, tea tree, eucalyptus and geranium (there are others). Also remember that you cannot use full strength essential oils on cats, they must be diluted as a hydrosol (water based essence).

You can find more info in the book Natural Remedies for Dogs and Cats

Living in the Now

Are you reading this thinking about what you have to do next? Do you make your meals with a million thoughts interrupting you? Do you dream about the future thinking I can't wait until I retire, or I can't wait until ...? How about when your kids try to ask you a question and you say 'wait a minute' or they talk to you and as they talk you've tuned them out and you're thinking of something else?
Instead try to focus completely on what you're doing at this present moment. Give it your full 100% attention. If you're too busy multitasking, then you're not putting your full effort into anything. Enjoy the moment you're in now and life will open up for you.

Think about these phrases for a minute....
How you do one thing is how you do everything!
The journey is more important than the destination!

Love and hugs...

Parasites

Our family is now embarking on a parasite cleanse. We all (you reading this included) have them. Contrary to popular belief, they can reside anywhere in your body, not just the colon. We've found that taking herbs like black walnut, Artemesia Combination and using BIE (see website for def'n) can be very powerful in eliminating them. There can be single cell parasites and other like worms... They come from gardening, pets, water, raw foods and pork - they're not just limited to your vacation spots and poor countries. They will compete with your body for nutrients, can make mincemeat of your organs and weaken your immune system among other things. They're most active during full moons and are smart too. If you're loaded with them, you'll have an easy time spoting them in your stool during a cleanse as stringy substances or even as specks (eggs). It's such an appetizing subject.