Preventing the Flu

At this point in the year, it is time for everyone to make an important decision: to get the flu shot, or not to get the flu shot?

Not surprisingly, I am an advocate of the latter. Let me present the evidence and you can decide for yourself.

1. The flu vaccine is an inexact science.
First of all, the flu vaccine only contains three strains of the flu, which means it will only protect you from those three strains, which are sometimes not even going around. In fact, only about 15% of people who think they have the flu actually have it. There are so many colds, germs, and viruses floating around that it's very difficult to choose flu strains that will actually affect the most people. (CNN agrees!)

2. The flu vaccine contains harmful ingredients—seriously harmful.
Here's a rundown of the ingredients in your average flu shot (as researched by the Centre for Research on Globalization in August of 2009):

• Egg proteins: including avian contaminant viruses such as avian leucosis
• Gelatin: known to cause allergic reactions and anaphylaxis - usually associated with sensitivity to egg or gelatin proteins
• Polysorbate 80 (Tween 80): can cause severe allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis
• Formaldehyde: a known carcinogen
• Triton X100: a strong detergent
• Sucrose: table sugar
• Resin: known to cause allergic reactions
• Gentamycin: an antibiotic
• Thimerosal: 49.6 percent ethyl mercury, a known neurotoxin (still in multidose vials)

The Global Vaccine Institute reports: "Every year, just prior to the impending "flu season," the CDC and their acquiescent media pawns terrorize the American public with false claims regarding annual flu deaths. The CDC boldly asserts that 36,000 people die every year from the flu. Such scare tactics are calculated to increase flu vaccine sales. However, according to the CDC's own official records documented in National Vital Statistics Reports, only a few hundred people die from influenza (flu) on an average year. And many of these deaths occur in people with preexisting conditions, weakened immune systems, and the elderly."

As for the elderly, people who have had 5 or more flu shots are 10 times more likely to develop Alzheimers!

3. You can prevent the flu!

If you are getting sick every season, there are ways to boost your immune system naturally and easily without getting the flu shot. The trick is overall wellness, not a magic pill or shot. Try several or all of these preventive measures and see if your immunity and overall health don't skyrocket!

• Try an alternative doctor. Most alternative health practitioners provide preventive services as well as sick care. Acupuncture is a great whole-body approach to not only improving your immune system but healing imbalances in the body. If you're in Charleston, I highly recommend Re-Soul Acupuncture. Amy Jo Gengler has been my acupuncturist for the last year, and her treatments have made so much difference in my physical and mental health and well-being. Similarly, The Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research and the World Chiropractic Alliance report that chiropractic care reduces instances of flu and colds by 15%. If you live in Mt. Pleasant, consider getting regular adjustments from Dr. Brian Class of Life Essentials Health Center.
  

• Improve digestive health. In addition to eating whole foods, reducing processed foods, and eating locally, making sure you take a high-strain probiotic to support your intestinal bacteria is important. It may surprise you to learn that getting plenty of good saturated fat, which has antiviral and antimicrobial properties, is also key to digestive health. Good saturated fat includes organic butter (preferably from grass-fed cows), organic extra virgin coconut oil, and animal fats from grass-fed organic meats or wild fish. Finally, raw or lightly cooked organic greens are wonderful for alkalinizing an acid stomach and cleaning out the digestive tract.
  

• Supplement Vitamin D. Most people are unable to get sufficient levels of vitamin D from the sun. The recommended dosage is 1000–2000 IU daily, but some doctors recommends up to 5000 IU daily if you think you might be deficient. Cod liver oil is by far the best food source of vitamin D.
  

• Avoid antibacterial soap. Using antibacterial soaps and hand rubs can actually make you more susceptible to germs, and they kill the good bacteria on your skin as well as the bad. (Hint: Antibacterial soaps can't kill viruses, only bacteria, so they are useless against the flu.)
  

• Reduce sugar and dairy. Sugar can accurately be called "the enemy of your immune system," and the sugar in dairy can often make colds worse and increase mucus production. In addition, the casein in dairy is an irritant to the immune system.
  

• Support your liver. Your liver filters toxins and viruses and aids in the digestion of fats, so the more you can eliminate food toxins like trans fats, preservatives and additives, as well as caffeine, alcohol, and over-the-counter medications, the better your liver will work for you. Eat foods that support and detox the liver, like cruciferous vegetables, onions, and garlic.
  

• Get some exercise and fresh air. A walk or bike ride around the block is always a great place to start—gyms are unfortunately a great place to catch a virus—and also provides time together as a family. If it's not too cold, consider taking your shoes off; going barefoot releases the electrical charge our bodies accumulate over time, which has been linked to emotional and mental stress and even physical illness.
  

• Get enough rest. When your body and mind aren't properly rested, your immune function dips, sometimes severely. This is the reason the days grow shorter in fall and winter—we need more rest for better immune function. Adults should aim to go to bed between 10 and 11 p.m. and get 8-9 hours of sleep. Elementary school age children should be in bed between 8 and 9 p.m.

If you do get sick: There are alternatives to over-the-counter or prescription medications. Assess each situation based on its seriousness, and try these healing methods which have been around for hundreds if not thousands of years.

• Lemon water. Lemon has been called an "everyday superfood." It's full of vitamins and minerals, and is ideal for balancing acid and alkalinity in the digestive system. Drinking freshly squeezed lemon juice in water is the easiest and quickest way, but you can also squeeze a lemon over your salad or add it to hot tea for an additional throat soother.
  

• Essential oils. These are a great alternative to antibacterial soaps, and they protect and fight against not only viruses but bacteria and fungus. Because each batch of essential oil is unique (the benefit to a natural remedy as opposed to a chemical one), viruses can't become immune to them, so they work time and time again. You can dilute them in butter or olive oil and rub into your skin, dilute in water and drink them, burn in an incense burner, or simply inhale out of the container. Oregano oil is great, or try the Immune Blend at your local health food store.
  

• Garlic: Garlic is also strongly antibacterial and antiviral. The best way to eat garlic is to crush the clove and wait 5 minutes before eating or cooking. You can swallow raw if you have a strong stomach, but garlic does not lose its benefits through cooking.

• Colloidal silver: Colloidal silver has been used as an effective antimicrobial (antiviral and antibiotic) for thousands of years. There are absolutely no harmful side effects. Sovereign Silver is a great brand.
  

• Other homeopathic alternatives. From olive leaf extract to elderberry syrup to marjoram tea to neti pots, there are an abundance of natural herbal and homeopathic symptom remedies and immune strengtheners that can do wonders for your symptoms and help your body heal. (Regular over-the-counter and prescription meds only manage symptoms, and they stress your liver, which is already busy trying to filter out the virus.) The Prescription for Nutritional Healing and Prescription for Natural Cures are great sources of further information

What Is Prevention?

In the spirit of a more specific focus for Eat2Prevent, I want to define preventive foods. All whole, organic foods prevent disease. All of them. Not just kale and blueberries, but grains and animal protein as well.

However, if the body is already in a highly diseased state, certain foods may need to be eliminated because the body just can't handle them. That is why you hear of heart disease being reversed by raw or vegan diets. Cancer, for instance, thrives on sugar, so cancer patients on a healing diet plan are often told to avoid all grains and fruits, not just processed sugar. Patients taking warfarin or other medications related to blood pressure are sometimes told to avoid leafy greens, which can interfere with the medication's effects—in my opinion a very sad consequence of relying on prescription drugs.

It's amazing that the body can be healed by simply eliminating certain foods. However, this does not mean that meat, grains, or fruit are bad. Meat especially has a bad reputation right now as a "bad" food, primarily because it contains saturated fat. In another post, I'll go into what a beneficial food saturated fat is, but for now suffice it to say that it is the high concentrations of harmful substances found in mass produced, non-organic meat that make it harmful, not the meat itself or the fat it contains. Saturated fat is highly essential to absorbing certain vitamins and can itself be a source of vitamin D, making it a disease-preventing food.

It also means that avoiding beneficial foods can cause the body to become diseased. Since all whole foods are preventive, the lack of them removes much of the beneficial protection they offer against many common, chronic, and deadly diseases. It's not simply a matter of cosmetic weight loss; changing your diet directly impacts your likelihood of getting sick.

Each blog from now on will be dedicated to a particular food, its disease prevention properties, and how you can realistically get it into your diet! Remember, if you want to be healthier, don't try to eliminate "bad" foods before you add in the good. It will be much easier, and it will be a choice you want to make rather than one you feel forced to make.

Eat2Prevent: A New Focus

Since I now have a blog at my new website, http://greenapplefoodtherapy.com, I'm changing the focus of Eat2Prevent to more closely reflect its name: preventive nutrition. I'm going to focus solely on what foods prevent disease and why. I'll still provide recipes to help you get these beneficial foods into your everyday diet.

For more recipes plus my thoughts on why we eat the way we do and how to change it, visit Green Apple Food Therapy or follow me on Facebook.

How to Budget In Organic Food

I spend a large percentage of my income on food. This is partially due to the fact that I love food, and it’s one of my great pleasures, whether eating out, cooking, or just snacking. It’s also due to the fact that I shop almost exclusively at Whole Foods and Earth Fare because they have the largest selection of organic items, and because I consider it an investment in my future. In my opinion (and I think in a lot of people’s experience) it’s worth it to pay more to avoid pesticides now and diseases later.

The Institute for Integrative Nutrition calls this “the high cost of cheap food.” However, when you’re on a very limited budget, this argument is much less immediate, and sometimes completely irrelevant. When I run into the claim that it’s cheaper for to buy fast food, packaged food, and non-organic food, I’m frustrated by the question of how to make healthy, unprocessed, organic food available to lower income households and individuals.

That’s why I was intrigued when a friend sent me an article called “Eating Healthy and Organic on $7 a Day.” The gist of this article is that 73% of Americans buy organic at least some of the time, including households with an income of less than $50,000. And if you eat less animal protein, you can save a lot of money and spend more on organic veggies. The article suggests eating meat twice a week, and fish and dairy once a week each. Fruit is also a luxury, being much more expensive than “peasant” vegetables like carrots, cabbage, and broccoli, with the exception of apples and bananas.

The article suggests that your meals should be divided like so:

• 1/4 protein
• 1/3 vegetables
• 1/4–1/3 starchy carbs

(Obviously there are some fractions missing. You are supposed to fill in the rest of your plate with whatever you like best, along with healthy fat.)

How do you like my pie chart?

Now, because I’m a staunch omnivore, I’m more inclined to split my meal into thirds: 1/3 protein, 1/3 vegetables, and 1/3 carbs. You can make your own fractions if you’re less inclined toward animal products or are just getting started with vegetables.

All this talk of food fractions engendered the following thought in my brain: If my meal is going to be divided by fractions, then my budget should reflect those fractions.

So, if my food budget is $99 per week, then I have $33 to spend on protein, vegetables, and carbs, respectively. To keep it simple, bunch veggies and fruits together (so if you love fruit, you can have more of it), lump dairy in with protein, and include condiments and other packaged foods in the carb section.

If your food budget is considerably less than mine, you can choose one item to buy organic in each category each week. Rotate your meat and dairy, and even if you don’t eat a lot of them, prioritize those products in your budget as non-organic versions are full of nasty stuff. In terms of vegetables and fruits go organic for the Dirty Dozen:

1. celery
2. peaches
3. strawberries
4. apples
5. blueberries
6. nectarines
7. sweet bell peppers
8. dark leafy greens like kale, spinach, and collards
9. cherries
10. potatoes
11. grapes
12. lettuce

This produce has a much higher pesticide load than the “Clean Fifteen,” which you can buy non-organic with less worries:

1. onions
2. avocados
3. sweet corn
4. pineapples
5. mango
6. sweet peas
7. asparagus
8. kiwi fruit
9. cabbage
10. eggplant
11. cantaloupe
12. watermelon
13. grapefruit
14. sweet potatoes
15. sweet onions

Also buy organic zucchini, crookneck squash, and Hawaiian papaya, which may be genetically modified.

As for carbs, here’s a good rule of thumb: even if you don’t buy organic, avoid genetically-modified foods. You can do this by staying away from anything containing corn, soy, cottonseed, canola oil, sugar from sugar beets, and alfalf, as this product probably contains a GMO crop. GM foods have been linked to reproductive issues, sterility, and toxic load, as well as being bad for the environment. You can download a non-GMO shopping guide here.

Not a food shopper? Contact me to receive my Meal Planning Tips & Tricks free!

Hugh Laurie, Common Sense, and the Lesser of Two Evils: My Manifesto*

I have realized lately that I kind of view my body as a science experiment. By that I mean I like to test out the effect various substances have on it. In that I am much like Hugh Laurie's character Gregory House, who does things like taking unapproved drugs for muscle regrowth and then has to cut tumors out of his own leg. However, I only consider risk-free beneficial substances for my experimentation. For example, I don't test what effect antidepressants have on me because I am A) not depressed and B) aware of the numerous detrimental side effects of antidepressants, and I have no desire to experience them.

But I like to see how long I can stay out in the sun and not burn. Like I said, last year it was a lot. This year, not so much. My first two conclusions were that either the sun was hotter (which maybe means it is getting closer) or that I didn't build up enough of a base tan early in the year because A) it was cold and B) I have been planning my wedding and I'm busier than a New Yorker. However, further research led me to conclude (in a recent post) that I was deficient in vitamin B. So I started taking it. And while I have gotten a little red on occasion, I have not peeled at all.

Now, the not peeling could be due to the fact that I've also been putting on lots of aloe cream (making sure it has no unnecessary chemicals in it—I like Burt's Bees After Sun Soother and Alba Botanica's Kona Coffee After-Sun Lotion, which I tried because Whole Foods was out of Burt's Bees for an entire weekend! Not cool). So you see, my scientific experimentation on my body is not very scientific. But it is a lot of fun. And as far as I know vitamin B and aloe can't hurt you, and if they do it's the reversible kind of discomfort rather than some horrible debilitating disease that shuts down your organs. And as for the sun being harmful, read my post "An Apple a Day Keeps the…Sunburn Away?"

My dad also recently challenged me on statistics to back up my support of the claim that America is the sickest richest nation. While I've found many statistics and trends that support this claim, at least in my mind, I've also realized that my view of health has a whole lot of belief involved in it—to an almost religious degree. Now, I don't replace spiritual practice with alternative health care. In fact, I think a relationship with God is absolutely essential to my health, physical and otherwise. But I do have an affiliation to just believe alternative health claims. This may sound naïve, and I'm sure it is to a certain extent, but hear me out. I have two very logical reasons for this:

1. Common Sense. I may be lacking common sense in some areas (like how to put together furniture from Ikea or which way is East and which is West), but it makes sense that things that have been around for thousands of years (like the sun and plants and, yes, animal meat) are good for us. Unreservedly good? No, of course not. But a whole lot better than genetically modified, preserved, or artificial substitutes. Same with drugs. Why would you take a prescription chemical when you can try herbs or acupuncture or exercise? Well, because your doctor told you it was the only option. Well, it's not.
2. Lesser of Two Evils. The instances of people being actually permanently harmed or killed by alternative medicine practices or by eating whole foods are quite rare. Yes, people do stupid things without following the directions, and yes, there are quacks out there. But the instances of people being harmed by modern medical practice are not only scientific fact, they are rampant. If there is controversy over whether some newfangled drug or procedure or diet is good for you, then I don't want to be on the wrong side of that. I am not a guinea pig for Big Pharma or the government or health insurance companies that won't pay for alternative, less invasive, preventive procedures. I am a guinea pig for myself.

Generally, if someone is making a lot of money off something new, I don't trust it. I realize that this makes me susceptible to a medical form of Ludditism. However, I also apply it to fads in the alternative health industry. I do not put much stock in superfoods. I don't try to figure out a way to eat mila. I was very suspicious of coconut oil for a long time simply because it was popular. (However, it does seem to be very, very good for you.) And I felt so justified when agave nectar turned out to be not so very good for you.

Now, when you combine Common Sense with Lesser of Two Evils, you can really get somewhere. For example, the corn industry claims that high fructose corn syrup is safe because it's been FDA approved for 40 years. Well, what has happened in the past 40 years? Heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and stroke are on the rise; we have rates of obesity we never dreamed of, and we now have a whole category of diabetes to include children. Is that a good track record? Um, no.

I'm not saying that HFCS is totally or even primarily responsible for obesity, or that any new technology or development is solely responsible for our poor health as a nation. But these are all part of a system that has been introduced into our society in the last century, and the results are not good. This system includes GM foods, mass production of meat and dairy using hormones, chemicals and preservatives added to our foods, fast food, soda, the development of food substitutes, and prescription drugs. These things, at first glance, appear to improve our quality of life—and they do, for a short time, on the surface. Then the consequences begin, and sometimes they are devastating. And rarely is the responsibility placed where it belongs. It is the result of a quick fix, instant gratification mindset that is the seedy underbelly of capitalism and affluence—neither of which are bad in and of themselves.

But when the government starts blaming the sun for skin cancer, I get really mad. And when there are walks and fundraisers to find a cure for cancer, I want to scream, "The cure is prevention!" And when I hear of someone else in their thirties or forties who is taking blood pressure medication, which is a main ingredient in rat poison and which prevents you from eating leafy greens, I want to march on Washington. None of which helps. And none of which is to judge or criticize people who get sick or want to support a cause. No one gets sick because they deserve it. We do get sick because we are being told so many lies, even by the government that is supposed to protect us, and because billions of dollars are being spent yearly psychologically convince us that we need foods and drugs and lifestyles that do nothing but harm us.

And so, once again, we must take personal responsibility. When it comes to health and nutrition, question what you are told. Do some research. Get a second opinion. Try a little common sense.

But remember—disclaimer—do nothing without consulting your doctor first.

*I'd like to dedicate the title of this blog to my bestest friend and fabulous fashion blogger Emily Crews, who inspires me with her creative blog titles. (You should check out her blog Sartoriography.)

Why Are We So Sick and Tired?

Human beings are rational creatures. We have a strong survival instinct that, along with our reasoning and communication capabilities, has established us as the dominant species. So why is America, with its vast pool of resources an opportunities, the sickest richest nation on the planet?

Are we so far removed from our evolutionary roots that we no longer have the urge to survive?

I believe that our survival rationale as human beings is stronger than ever—and that it is being attacked with more fervor than ever before, but also more secretly and silently. There is a reason we so resist following dietary rules and developing “lifestyles.” There is a reason we self-sabotage our relationships while rising to the top of the career chain. There is a reason antidepressants are the number one prescribed drug for adults ages 20 to 59.

There is a reason over one million Americans die each year of heart disease and cancer combined—so-called silent killers whose signs we continuously ignore. There is a reason we are dying of chronic preventable disease. There is a reason 8 million Americans have an eating disorder, which has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.

We are not unaware of the reasons. We fight against them every day in a battle for survival. Given a lack of viable options, we will choose the lesser of two or three or a hundred evils to get us through the day, the week, the illness, the divorce. And we don’t even realize it. We say, “What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I…? I have no self-discipline. I have no willpower. I must be crazy.”

We have forgotten how to listen to ourselves. And yet our bodies and minds keep making decisions for us, day after day, keeping us alive.

Food therapy, my interpretation of the health coaching training I received at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, addresses this disconnect. It addresses the reasons in our lives that we are not in communication with our bodies, even though they are shouting at us. It addresses the reasons we do things we know are bad for us, or don’t do things we know are good for us. It’s not because we’re ignorant, weak, or pathetic. It’s because we’re constantly given conflicting information. It because we’re told we not only can do it alone, but we’re supposed to do it alone. It’s because we do not know how to listen, and we’ve forgotten what it’s like to be listened to.

Sound vague. It’s not. It’s concrete, simple, and very, very individual. But not independent. Want to know more?

Not All Vitamins Are Created Equal

Why Some Doctors Tell You Not to Take Your Vitamins

Back in my not-so-healthy days, I remember pausing in the grocery store vitamin aisle to grab a bottle of Centrum multivitamins. My thought process at the time was, I’m not doing anything else good for myself, so I probably ought to be taking a multivitamin. Surely this is better than nothing. And I swallowed every one of those hard, Day-Glo orange pills.

Years later, I heard about doctors finding whole, entire vitamin pills that were months old inside of a person’s intestines during surgery. I don’t know if this is just urban legend (I wasn’t able to find corroborating evidence on the internet), but one thing is fact: most of the “synthetic isolates,” which are the common drug store variety of vitamin, are a waste of money.

I was put in mind of the vitamin issue today in an e-mail from Dr. Mercola. If you haven’t heard of him, he’s a licensed physician and surgeon I consider to be an authority on alternative health and medicine. While his blog titles often sound sensational, they are always backed up by hard facts and science. His is one of my favorite blogs.

I’d like to share a few of his reasons for shunning cheap isolates and instead making sure you’re getting an absorbable, whole food vitamin. Dr. Mercola defines isolated vitamins as “partial vitamins combined with other chemicals. They’re a low-end alternative to whole, real complete food.”

He says there are four problems with synthetic vitamins…

1. Nature intended for you to consume food in WHOLE form because all the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and enzymes are together in one package. They work synergistically to give your body the nutrition it requires for optimal health.
2. Your body only absorbs a small percentage of an isolate form of vitamins and minerals—and it utilizes even less. You get the best bioavailability in whole food form.
3. Synthetic vitamins often give you massive quantities of some nutrients (usually the most inexpensive ones) and insufficient quantities of others, not balance.
4. You can experience side effects of synthetic isolates from the additives and the unnatural state of the synthetic supplement.

But should we avoid all vitamins all the time? It’s difficult to get enough nutrients from the food we eat, mainly because we don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables and when we do they have often traveled long distances and lost a good portion of their nutrition—not to mention soil depletion of minerals from over farming and pesticide use. So here are some viable Day-Glo vitamin alternatives:

• Juice Plus. A 100% whole food vitamin made only from organic fruits and veggies and with all sugar and salt removed. I have tried this vitamin myself and love it! If you can afford the $40/month subscription, it is truly worth it.
• MegaFood One Daily. I currently take these vitamins, which I get at Whole Foods, and they are excellent. They have a multivitamin + probiotic that works well and cuts back on having to buy and take two pills.
• Natural News recommends Garden of Life multi. I haven’t tried these but I’ve heard about them and they seem to be high quality.
• Dr. Mercola also has his own Whole Food Multivitamin. Prices vary on his website.

Essentially, most “whole food” vitamins are your best bet for maximum nutrition. You don’t have to pay through the roof, but you also don’t want to get the bottom shelf brand; most of the time you are getting what you pay for.

And don’t forget to eat your dark leafy greens, which are the most nutrient-dense vegetable! Here’s another of my favorite greens recipes:

Multicolored Vegetable Saute

• 1 small shallot, diced
• 2-3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup chicken broth (optional)
• 2-3 organic carrots, diced diagonally
• 1 cup summer squash, sliced
• 2 cups lacinto kale (approx half a bunch)
• 2 cups red kale (approx half a bunch)
• 1 Tbsp Herbes de Provence
• 2 tsp ground coriander seed
• 1 tsp salt

Saute shallot in olive oil on medium heat for two minutes. Add carrots and saute for three minutes, covered, then add summer squash and saute another three minutes. Add more olive oil, chicken broth, or water to help the veggies cook and keep them from sticking to the pan. Finally, add kale and stir frequently for another 2-3 minutes until lightly cooked. Sprinkle with Herbes de Provence, coriander, and salt. Serves 4.

An "Apple" a Day Keeps the...Sunburn Away?

Last summer I got one sunburn. It was in Key West, where the sun is apparently much hotter than in Charleston, SC. Ironically it was at the end of the summer, after I already had a great base tan. My boyfriend and I went out to the beach a little too long that day, and I got a little cooked.

This was, of course, because I wasn't wearing any sunscreen. You might think that's a pretty stupid thing to do, but I had a good reason behind it: I hadn't worn any sunscreen all summer, except for a little coconut oil from time to time, which has about SPF 4 in it, and is also a tanning aid.

The sun is the new saturated fat, and while I'm fully in support of getting screened for skin cancer, it's not because of how much sun you get. It's because of what you're eating, and in many cases because of the sunscreen itself that you're using. Therefore, I'm going to tell you how to avoid sunburn, sunscreen, and skin cancer in three simple steps:

Step 1

Sunburn is related to three things:

• B vitamins
• antioxidants
• omega-3 fatty acids

Making sure you are getting enough of these nutrients will drastically reduce your need to wear sunscreen, and possibly eliminate it altogether. Of course, you'll have to build up these nutrients in your body, and don't test this out on an all-day trip to the beach; spend short amounts of time in the sun and build up, especially if you are light-skinned.

Natural Health online did an article about this called "Eat Your Sunscreen" that offers some great dietary specifics for natural sunscreen: colorful fruits like tomatoes, strawberries, and watermelon; cold-water fish like salmon, or a fish-oil supplement; dark chocolate (raw cacao is best); polyphenols in green and black tea (coffee also contains these antioxidants); and my fave, green leafy veggies!

I'd also like to add that B vitamins are found in red meat, fish, eggs, poultry, milk, and cheese. These foods should NOT be avoided, unless you have chosen to be a vegetarian or vegan and are closely monitoring your nutrition intake. However, they should be consumed from quality sources and in moderation. (A serving size of meat or fish is 3–4 ounces, not 6. But that's another post.)

Step 2

Now try this on for size: many researchers and doctors are arguing (pretty convincingly) that sun exposure is not the major cause of melanoma. In fact, many common sites of skin cancer are found on under-exposed areas of the body, such as the soles of the feet or even between the toes.

Sun exposure actually reduces your risk of skin cancer and other cancers, as well as heart disease and inflammation. Vitamin D is a big deal, folks! And so is consuming enough saturated fat to absorb the vitamin D and other fat-soluble vitamins: A, E, and K. (In case you couldn't tell, I'm obsessed with saturated fat! And green leafy veggies!)

So getting out into the sun is a good idea. However, if your diet isn't the greatest or you're on antibiotics or other prescription medications, which can increase the risk of sunburn, be smart about it. Having a beach umbrella to retreat to or at least a hat is a good idea.

These people all have the right idea.

Step 3

Get rid of that sunscreen! Most commercial sunscreens and sunblocks are chock full of toxic chemicals, including known carcinogens! They also block vitamin D absorption.

Of course, you may be vain like me and want to protect your face from the sun in order to avoid wrinkles, or you may genuinely need some extra protection to avoid sunburn. The Environmental Working Group offers a list of recommended sunscreens that are your best bet for true skin and body protection. If you're a purist, Dr. Mercola recommends his own sunscreen blend that completely avoids questionable chemicals.

Also keep in mind that other stuff you put on your skin can leech chemicals that can cause unpleasant reactions like cancer. This goes for shampoo and conditioner, face and body lotion, and makeup and makeup removers. You can rate the products you use at SkinDeep and find recommended replacements if necessary.

Finally, if you're a video person, this is a charmingly awkward but very informative video, "The Truth about Cancer, Sunlight, and Vitamin D."

Go Green!

I'm so excited to announce the launching of my new website, GreenAppleFoodTherapy.com!

Why "green apple"? Well, first of all, there's the concept of "an apple a day." If you can make small decisions on a daily basis that support your health over time, you're much less likely to develop a chronic illness. Food therapy

As for the "green," I'm referring to the number one missing food in the American diet: those in the green leafy vegetable category. When some people hear “green leafy vegetables,” they often think of iceberg lettuce, but the ordinary, pale lettuce in restaurant salads doesn’t have the power-packed goodness of other greens.

Numerous studies suggest that Americans aren't eating their vegetables—for two reasons:

• It's too time consuming to buy and prepare fresh vegetables.
• They just don't taste good!

Let me offer a different perspective: Learning to cook and eat greens is essential to creating health. And in the scheme of things, it's far easier and quicker to pick up a bunch of kale on your way through the grocery store than to run for an hour every day, go to the doctor twice a month, or wait in line for your prescription to be filled—as well as numerous other time-consuming strategies people employ in the never-ending quest to lose weight and be "healthy."

Reasons to Eat Your Greens

Greens contain more bioavailable calcium than milk. They also are very high in magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, zinc, and vitamins A, C, E, and K. They are crammed with fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll, and many other micronutrients and phyto-chemicals.

Some of the "side effects" from eating dark leafy greens are blood purification, cancer prevention, improved circulation, strengthened immune system, promotion of healthy intestinal flora, promotion of subtle, light, and flexible energy, lifted spirit and elimination of depression, improved liver, gall bladder and kidney function, and cleared congestion, especially in lungs, by reducing mucus.

Could you use any of these benefits during cold and flu season? Dark, leafy greens are in season now!

Still Not Convinced?

When you nourish yourself with greens, you will naturally crowd out the foods that make you sick—and fat. Because they are nutrient-dense, greens satisfy your body and reduce cravings for unhealthier foods. They also clean out your body, enabling it to burn fat more effectively.

Take Your Pick

There are so many greens to choose from: broccoli, bok choy, napa cabbage, kale, collards, watercress, mustard greens, broccoli rabe, dandelion, arugula, endive, chicory, lettuce, mesclun, and wild greens are can be consumed in any creative way you enjoy. Spinach, Swiss chard, and beet greens are best eaten in moderation and cooked with olive or coconut oil or butter to balance their higher quantities of oxalic acid, which depletes calcium. Try them all; if you don't like one, move on to the next.

Try this tasty recipe and rethink your perspective toward greens!

Spicy Greens

• 1 bunch kale or other dark leafy greens, chopped
• 1 bunch broccolini or broccoli florets, chopped
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• juice of 1 lemon
• cayenne pepper to taste
• salt to taste

In a large fry pan, sauté garlic in olive oil 2 minutes over medium heat. Add bell pepper and sauté another 2 minutes. Turn up heat to medium high and add broccolini, kale, lemon juice, cayenne, and salt. Stir and cook for 3-5 minutes until kale is bright green but not wilted.

Variations: instead of red onion, use red bell pepper or sun-dried tomatoes.

New Vegetarian Recipes!

After much avoidance over the holidays, I am back to blogging! This is gonna be just a few recipes I've been enjoying during doing the Daniel Fast with my church. The idea is to eat only fruits and vegetables, specifically avoiding alcohol, sugar, meat, dairy, and wheat, though you can choose to eat other grains. Thus I've been challenged to eat vegan/vegetarian with a few more limitations.

Fasting is an incredible way to maximize the body's ability to clean and heal itself, as well as removing mental and spiritual clutter and making room for literal "soul" food. In addition to better sleep, digestion, and a revitalized spiritual life, I've found both of these recipes incredibly satisfying.

Sweet Potato, Red Kale, and Quinoa

The sweet and savory flavors of this dish make it quite complex and very satisfying.

• 2 medium sweet potatoes
• 1 bunch red kale pieces
  
• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 Tbsp Herbes de Provence
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
  

Dice sweet potatoes into triangles and roast for 15-20 minutes with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, until soft. Heat olive oil on medium in a large skillet and add kale. Stir for about 2 minutes, add quinoa, sweet potatoes, and remaining seasonings and stir until everything is hot and mixed, about 4 minutes.

Easy Coconut Curry
I don't have a picture of this, but the fat in the coconut milk combined with some starchy vegetables provides nutrition that satisfies. Once again, the sweet-salty combination fulfills the desire we have for a variety of tastes so many modern meals are lacking. I've kept this curry simple, and the combination of umeboshi vinegar and soy sauce makes the curry milder yet brings out a variety of flavor.

1 Tbsp coconut oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1-2 cloves or tsps diced garlic
1 can coconut milk
1 cup vegetable broth
1 Tbsp curry powder
2 turnips or rutabagas, peels and chopped
1 cup cabbage (or napa cabbage), chopped
1 cup daikon radish, peeled and sliced
1 cup carrot, peeled and sliced
1 can chickpeas, drained
1 can green beans, drained
2 Tbsp umeboshi vinegar (ume plum vinegar)
2 Tbsp soy sauce (nama shoyu if you can get it)

Saute the onion in coconut oil on medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes; add garlic and saute 1 minute. Add coconut milk and veggie broth, bring to a boil, add turnips or rutabagas and reduce heat to medium. Chop cabbage, daikon, and carrot and add along with the curry powder, stirring to mix it in. You may need to add a little more broth if the curry is too thick.

After vegetables have cooked about 5 minutes more, toss in chickpeas, green beans, and umeboshi vinegar. If you're using regular soy sauce, add this now; if you're using nama shoyu wait until you are ready to eat to include it to get the maximum benefit of it as a raw, fermented food. You shouldn't need to add any salt because the vinegar and the soy sauce will provide it.

Simmer curry for at least twenty minutes, longer for more flavor, and serve plain or over quinoa or rice.