Wellness Wednesday: Noticing Your Senses

We have five senses: touch, smell, taste, sight, and hearing.  How many times a day do we stop and appreciate all five of these senses.  How likely are we to notice our sense of touch unless there is an unpleasant one such as pain or extreme heat or cold? How often is our sense of hearing dulled by constant background noise of people talking, phones ringing, copiers running?  How often do we just look up and notice all of the brilliant colors in our place of work or even outside our window?  Do you stop to taste your food or do you simply inhale it down so that you can get on with your busy day?

The answers to these questions should bring you to an acute awareness of what you might be missing!

 

Touch

Touch is a biological need that can only be met through contact with another human or animal.  Studies have showed that when touch is denied or severely restricted in infants, they die.  Other studies have suggested that humans have developed some self destructive methods of compensation to satisfy the hunger for touch including smoking, overeating, nail-biting, compulsive sexual behavior, and even physical violence, aggressiveness, rape and other forms of sexual abuse.  The deprivation of touch creates a sense of isolation from ourselves and others and can manifests in unsatisfying relationships, boredom and general apathy for life and sexual dysfunction.  So why don’t we touch?  First, not everyone knows how critically essential touch is.  Second, some are afraid of their own bodies and therefore refrain from touching others due to their own internal dialogues and judgement surrounding receiving pleasurable tactile experience.  Third, society is increasingly viewing certain types of touch (i.e. hugging,) as inappropriate and sometimes these simple innocent forms of touch can be misconstrued as sexual advances in some cases.  Finally, reaching out to touch makes people vulnerable and that carries the risk of rejection which could cause emotional hurt or pain.  The bottom line is that touch is one of themost necessary forms of sensory connection and should be included in our daily life as part of our total wellness.

 

Exercise: Give a hug to someone who would not be expecting it today. In fact, give a few. Sources say you need four hugs a day for survival, eight for maintenance, and twelve for growth.  See how many hugs you can get in a day and notice how it makes your feel.

 

Sight

Sight is a useful way to keep us from running into walls and stepping into holes, but it is more than that.  Seeing the beauty in our everyday surroundings can be a way to bring joyfulness to the day, and can be a way for us to be in the moment.  Light and color therapy have been used for many years in illnesses such as anxiety, depression, and insomnia.  The concept of color therapy is that different colors stimulate different responses in the brain therefore releasing certain chemicals that can alter mood and other process in the body.  Colors can be healing and something as simple as opening the blinds to your office can make the difference between a dreary depressing work day and a light and relatively peaceful one.

 

Exercise: If you are in an office with a window, open your blinds and let the natural sunlight in. Even if it’s raining or seemingly gloomy, keep the blinds up.  Set your alarm in during the day on the hour, and every time the alarm goes off look up from whatever you are doing and look around.  Notice every color on the wall, in the person’s sweater walking past you. If you are by a window look out the window and take one minute to appreciate all of the colors you see. When the minute is over, go back to work. Notice how this simple exercise changes your day.

Sound

 

We are often inundated by the everyday sounds of traffic, office chatter, background noise to the point that we unconsciously dull our sense of hearing.  If you are lucky enough to live in a quiet neighborhood you might wake up to the sounds of birds chirping in the morning. Like color and light therapy music therapy has also been used to treat many conditions including insomnia, anxiety, panic disorder, even hypertension and pain.  Harsh sounds can damage the ear drums and put the nervous system on edge. Just so, music can alter the mind creating calming effect or stimulating creativity in an otherwise uninspiring environment.  Many pregnant mothers play music to their unborn babies, and it  has been shown that certain types of music played early in life help in brain development early on.  There are many different uses of sound for well-being including singing, playing an instrument, listening to pre-recorded music or simply sitting outside and listening to the sounds of nature. Also, let us not forget that sometimes the BEST sound is the sound of silence!

 

Exercise: Work: Incorporate music into your work day.  If you are able, bring a CD of your favorite music and play it on your computer or headphones while you work.  If you are unable to play music while you are working, go to a quiet comfortable place and play your music during your lunch break. Allow it to relax you and revitalize you for the second half of your day.  Notice how this affects your work day.

 

#2 On your way home from work, instead of talking on the phone, listening to the radio, or chatting with the person you are riding with, enjoy complete silence.

 

Home:  Take an evening after work and instead of turning on the television, take one hour, light some candles and put on your favorite relaxing music.  Just sit on the couch or whatever place is comfortable and enjoy the sounds of your favorite tunes.

 

Smell

The sense of smell is generally the most neglected of our forms of energy input. We usually only notice our sense of smell by default, when there is either a foul smell, a smell that indicates danger, or a smell that indicates it’s mealtime.  There are certainly other ways to stimulate our sense of smell in a pleasurable way that can be relaxing and bring good feelings.  Like all of the other senses, smells send messages to the brain.  The olfactory part of the brain in which smell is held, is very closely tied to the part of the brain where emotions are felt.  Have you noticed that a good smelling cologne or fragrance might heighten an attraction to your special someone (or prospective someone)?  As we become more aware of our sense of smell, we can fully appreciate the subtle aromas of foods, fragrances of nature, and even the scent of our loved ones and these fragrances of life can contribute to and benefit our over all wellness.

 

Exercise:  Light a scented candle or incense in the house.  Notice how long the scent stays in the house after the candle or incense has ceased to burn.  Utilize these pleasant fragrances during your calming night of music and candlelight evening. See how it affects your mood.

 

Taste

While the actual dimension of eating will be covered in a future article, it is necessary to mention taste and how as a part of our senses as well.  In our society we have a tendency towards fast “everything”  Fast foods are often over-salted, and otherwise tasteless.  On another note, we sometimes eat so fast that we don’t have time to even enjoy the texture or taste of the food we are eating.  While this is bad in general for digestion, it can make eating a less pleasant experience over all.  There are thousands of delicious spices and herbs that can be used to enhance cooking, however even in the absence of these herbs and spices, simply slowing down and chewing our food could reveal a much more explosive taste and pleasurable experience in eating.

 

Exercise: Take at least one meal in the day to sit down in silence or with quiet calming music, and appreciate your food as you eat. Notice the different flavors as you chew and swallow.  Notice the aroma of the food (because the aroma is an integral part of taste as it is digestion).

 

Conclusion

Our senses may not seem like a most obvious component of our total wellness, but incorporating some of the above exercises can greatly enhance your sense of well-being.

 

To Learn more about Dr Maiysha’s various wellness programs go to www.mbswellness.org or call 404-478-9868 to schedule your consultation.

 

 

 

Tantric Tuesdays: Leave a Gift Certificate For Your Man to Your Favorite Lingerie Store

Leave your love a gift certificate to your favorite lingerie store and a note that says  "You can buy me anything you want me to wear"

Mind Over Matter Monday: Are You A Willing Student of Life?

"Teachers open doors. you enter by yourself." Remeber, every person, place, and situation can teach you something...how will you enter the door of learning with awareness?

Sunday Serenity: You Are Where You Love

A man is not where he lives, but where he loves ~ Cherokee proverb

Foodie Friday: Turning Leftovers into Main Dishes: Next Day Turkey Soup

After the feast of Thanksgiving, there are scattered leftover foods with which we don't always want to continue eating for the next week.  So, thanks to the food network online (and courtesy Michael Chiarello), I found a great way to put your post thanksgiving leftovers together to create a yummy but healthy post T-Day Meal.  Find this and similar recipes, by visiting the FoodNetwork.com.   Enjoy!

 

Ingredients

• 2 quarts chicken broth


• 1 turkey carcass, all meat removed


• 1 onion, halved, plus 1 onion, minced


• 1 carrot, halved lengthwise, plus 1 carrot, minced


• 1 whole stalk celery, plus 1 more stalk, minced


• 2 bay leaves


• 3 cups dark turkey meat


• 2 garlic cloves, smashed


• 2 tablespoons olive oil


• 1 carrot, minced


• 1 stalk celery, minced


• 3 cups leftover cooked Thanksgiving side vegetables (Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, green beans)


• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves

Directions

Put chicken broth, turkey, onion halves, carrot halves, 1 celery stalk, and 1 bay leaf in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer about 1 1/2 hours. Finely dice the remaining onion, carrot and celery and reserve.

Dice the turkey meat. Make sure meat pieces are no larger than the size of a soup spoon. (If preparing soup the next day, be sure to store leftover turkey meat in an airtight container before placing it in the refrigerator, top with 1 or 2 ladles full of broth to keep meat moist.)

Before straining broth, remove large bones and carcass with tongs. Strain the broth through a sieve, covered with wet cheese cloth. Discard the solids. Transfer broth to a bowl set in a bath of ice water, which will cool the broth quickly and help keep it fresher longer. This can be done the night before and stored in the refrigerator until the next day.

In a large soup pot, heat garlic cloves in the olive oil. Allow to brown slightly and add minced carrots, celery, and onion. Sweat over medium-low heat until softened, about 7 or 8 minutes.

Dice the leftover vegetables (here Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, and green beans). Add the chopped sage to the soup pot along with the turkey broth and the remaining bay leaf. Bring to a simmer. When simmering, add Brussels sprouts, green beans and diced turkey meat to the soup. Bring it back up to a simmer. Finally, add the sweet potatoes to the center, and gently push them down. Turn the heat off and cover. Allow to sit and steam for 5 to 7 minutes.

Let simmer for 5 more minutes and serve.

 

 

Thankful Thursday: Happy Thanksgiving

Generally, I state my gratitude on this day, however today I want to recommend that everyone take a moment today and list from A - Z all of the things you are grateful for!  Inside of that, I will share that I"m grateful for the opportunity to bring joy to the lives of others through my work and way of being.

 

While breast cancer awareness month has past, it is always a great time for awareness on the issue. The question was posed to me a couple of weeks ago: What foods should women who are being treated for or who are survivors of breast cancer avoid.  This is a great question, since there are a growing number of breast cancer survivors who are wanting to take control of their health and well being through their recovery.

 

Before I get into the nutrition, let’s look at two general categories of breast cancers.  While there are several cell types of breast cancer, they generally fall into one of three main categories: Hormone Receptor Positive (estrogen or progesterone), HER-2 Positive (a case where the patient expresses too much of the protein HER2/neu), and Triple Negative (which means that they are not receptor positive, nor do they produce too much HER2 protein).  In this article, we will focus on foods that affect hormone receptor positive breast cancer, but the nutritional recommendations can also be used in the other categories of breast cancer as well.

 

In hormone receptor positive cancers, growth of the malignancy is enhanced by estrogen and constituents.  This is the reason that after primary treatment, women are put on medications that block estrogen production or utilization by the tumor.  There are two main categories of medication that are typically used to block estrogen utilization by the tumor. The first category is Aromatase inhibitors.  Aromatase inhibitors work by inhibiting the enzyme that converts androgens (male precursor hormones) into estrogen. Aromatase inhibitors are typically used for hormone receptor positive breast cancer in post menopausal women.  The second category is the estrogen receptor antagonist (i.e. Tamoxifene). It’s action is to inhibit the tumor’s ability to utilize the estrogen in the body.

 

There are several foods that inhibit the aromatase enzyme (androgen to estrogen converter) and thus enhance treatment of breast cancer in post menopausal women.  These foods also have cancer fighting properties in general and should be eaten in generous amounts if you are either being treated or are a suvivor of breast cancer:

They include :

Arugula Black tea Blueberries Broccoli Brussels sprouts Cabbage Cauliflower Celery Cherries, sour Collard greens Cranberries Grapes, red	Grape juice, purple Honey Horseradish Kale Kefir Mustard Mustard greens Peas Pomegranate juice Tomatoes Watercress White button mushrooms

 

 

Similarly, there are several foods that should not be taken during treatment, and should be avoided (especially for hormone receptor positive breast cancer patients). Those foods include:

Soybean oil Soybean paste Soy protein isolate Soybeans Sunflower oil Tofu	Alcohol Corn oil Genistein Safflower oil Any Hormone replacement therapy, including bioidentical or natural hormones

 

 

Finally, if you are taking one of the Aromatase inhibitors, there are several foods that can help reduce some of the side effects associates with their use. Some of the main side effects include bone loss, high cholesterol, joint pain, and arthritis.  The Foods that help to reduce these side effects include:

 

Black tea - bone loss Carrots - bone loss Sour cherries - joint pain Dry beans - bone loss Prunes - bone loss Walnuts - bone loss	Green tea - bone loss Kale - bone loss Mushrooms - bone loss Olive oil - arthritis Pomegranates - arthritis

 

Foods that can accelerate the rate of bone loss while taking Aromatase inhibitors are coffe and chocolate.

 

In conclusion, you can augment your current treatment of breast cancer, reduce risk for recurrence of breast cancer, and reduce the side effects of cancer treatment by augmenting your diet with the above foods generously.  It is always wise to talk with your doctor when making these decisions in order to keep them informed, and so that you may have the most support as you take hold of your well being.

 

Copyright 2011

 

To learn more about Dr. Clairborne’s Wellness Plans or to consult, visit www.mbswellness.org or call 404-478-9868.

Tantric Tuesday: Get Playful in the Bedroom

Play with Your Clothes On - "It can be pleasurable torture to play with each other over your underwear, teasing and stroking through the fabric," says sex coach Patti Britton, Ph.D. "You're building up the anticipation, so when you finally do have skin-on-skin contact, it'll be that much more explosive and exciting."

Mental Health Monday: Just Be You

 Never underestimate the amount of lives you positively affect each day just by being you.

Serenity Sunday: Stillness

Take time for stillness and breath today. "We cannot see our reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see" ~ Taoist Proverb

Foodie Friday: Vegetarian Stuffed Turkey

I had to give a shout out to all my vegetarians out there.  If you want a traditional turkey day, have no fear...there is a way!  I found this Tofu Turkey recipe on  About.com (http://vegetarian.about.com/od/tofurkyrecipes/r/tofurkytofu.htm) Along with some other interesting accompanying recipes (vegetarian gravy and dressing).  If you are looking to prepare a meatless but yummy Thanksgiving dinner, try this recipe!

Ingredients:

• 5 blocks firm or extra-firm tofu, well pressed


• 2 tbsp fresh chopped sage


• 1 tbsp fresh thyme, minced


• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, minced


• 1 tbsp vegetable broth powder


• 2 tbsp poultry seasoning


• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar


• 1/3 cup red wine


• 2 tsp Dijon mustard


• 2 tbsp soy sauce


• approximately 2 cups prepared vegetarian stuffing, any kind

Preparation:

Working in batches as needed, process the tofu in a blender or food processor until smooth and creamy.Add the tofu to a large mixing bowl, and stir in the fresh chopped sage, thyme, rosemary, vegetable broth powder and poultry seasoning, stirring well to combine.

Line a colander with cheesecloth or a thin towel. Place the tofu in the colander, and layer of cheesecloth or a thin towel on top. Place a weight on top of the towel to gently press the tofu. Place on a plate or towel and chill for at least 3 hours.

Once the tofu is chilled and firm, scoop out the tofu in the middle, creating a hole or a well, and leaving about 1 1/2 inches of a tofu "shell" in the colander.

Gently pat your stuffing into the "well", then gently press the extra tofu on top.

Carefully invert your tofu turkey onto a lightly greased baking sheet.

Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, red wine, Dijon mustard and soy sauce, and baste or brush the tofu generously.

Bake for about 90 minutes at 350 degrees, basting again every 15 minutes. Serve your tofu turkey with vegetarian gravy and a side of vegetarian stuffing.

To see more meatless turkey options visit: http://vegetarian.about.com/od/shoppingproducts/tp/Vegetarian-Turkey-Subsitutes.htm

 

Start Your Wellness Program Today: Visit www.mbswellness.org

Thankful Thursdays: What Are You Grateful for Today?

I am grateful that I know the definition of insanity, and that I have the strength to choose something different.

Wellness Wednesday: Avoid the Holiday Weight Gain This Year

The holiday season has begun, and everyone is in the Christmas spirit. This means parties, treats, and sugary snacks will be at an all time high.  It is shown that the average person gains 1-2 pounds each holiday, and after the new year most people do not work to lose those pounds. Over time this weight gain accumulates and we eventually see a 10-20lb weight gain or sometimes more.  With this in mind, here are some tips for avoiding the holiday weight gain this year.

 

1. Get on the Move!  It’s inevitable that you will indulge a little over the holidays, so to counteract the extra calories you may consume, you would be wise to increase your calorie output. Whether you are hitting the gym an extra day, walking an extra mile, or taking an extra dance or exercise class, pick up your exercise routine and burn away the guilt of that extra piece of holiday cake!

 

2. Be a healthy grazer:  A great way to avoid the cravings, is to stay full on the healthy foods such as fruits, veggies, protein, and healthy snacks.  Packing your lunch and including healthy snacks such as trail mixes, fruits, yogurt, or granola will keep you from feeling the pang that will lead to senseless snacking of office goodies that you know are no good.

 

3. Drink lots of water: The average person needs 64 oz of water daily. Having a 1 liter steel water bottle and sipping it from it frequently will ensure that you get this adequate hydration.  In addition, the water will fill the stomach decreasing your desire to eat unhealthy snacks that may be laying around the office.

 

4. Drink Green or Oolong Tea: Green tea not only has great antioxidant value, but also helps to increase your metabolism helping you to burn more calories. As well, Oolong tea is filled with herbs that contain fat burning properties. Drink 1-2 cups per day for optimal effects. However if you are sensitive to caffeine, be careful. While these teas have much less caffeine than a cup of coffee or a cola, they are not caffeine free.

 

5. Don’t overstuff: When you go to the holiday parties this year, be conscious to stop eating when you feel full. Take time to chew your food before you swallow, and drink a glass of water 30 minutes before your meal to help your stomach to begin to send early signals to your brain of satiety.

 

6. Enjoy one small piece of dark chocolate per day: To curb the sugar cravings that may kick in once you start tasting the sweets, head off with one or two squares of 70%  or greater dark chocolate per day. This will release tryptophan in the brain which will help you to relax as well. Dark chocolate comes in many varieties, such as almond, various berries, banana, mint and more, so you are unlikely to get bored.

 

7. Finally, give yourself permission: We often desire more what seems forbidden. For this reason, I say allow yourself to enjoy the season and all of it’s glory!  If you overstress or obsess about how many calories to eat, or what you “have to avoid” then you will end up triggering more anxiety, which could work against you to increase those cravings.  Don’t be hard on yourself. Keeping the former tips in mind, do give yourself permission to splurge a little. The key principle is moderation.

 

Jump Start Your Wellness Program! To Learn more about Dr. Maiysha's wellness programs visit www.mbswellness.org

Romantic Tuesday: Strip Poker w/your Sweetie

Play a game of strip poker with your sweetie:

 Ladies, dress in layers of lingerie starting with your

skimpiest pieces and ending with your fullest pieces.

Mental Health Monday: Knowing is Half the Battle

They say 'knowing is half the battle'. I say it's only 1/3. Once you become AWARE, You must ACCEPT what's so, before you can truly ACT with pure authenticity....

Serenity Sunday: Clear Clutter for Clarity

Before you fill up your treasure chest, you must dump out your garbage!

Foodie Friday: Carmelized Onion Veggie Lasagna

Over the last few weeks I've been craving Italian food, and I thought I'd share my tastes with you, so I looked and found this yummy recipe on another one of my favorite recipe websites: EatingWell.com.  This unusual lasagna with portobello mushrooms, sweet onions, spinach and Gorgonzola cheese has a rich, complex flavor. It's also great with goat cheese instead of Gorgonzola, if you prefer.  Find this and other recipes by visiting www.eatingwell.com

Enjoy!

9 servings

Active Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

CARAMELIZED ONION LASAGNA

• 8 ounces lasagna noodles, preferably whole-wheat

CARAMELIZED ONION FILLING

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil


• 3 large sweet onions, thinly sliced (about 10 cups; seeKitchen Tip)


• 4 medium portobello mushroom caps, gills removed (see Kitchen Tip), diced


• 1/2 cup red wine


• 1 teaspoon salt


• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

SPINACH & CHEESE FILLING

• 4 cups baby spinach


• 2 cups nonfat ricotta cheese


• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil


• 1/2 teaspoon salt

WHITE SAUCE & TOPPING

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil


• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour


• 2 cups low-fat milk


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 2 ounces crumbled Gorgonzola cheese


• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts


• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

PREPARATION

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook noodles until not quite al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain; return the noodles to the pot and cover with cool water.


2. To prepare onion filling: Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown and very soft, about 25 minutes. (If they begin to stick, add water 1/4 cup at a time to release them and prevent burning.) Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until just beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add wine and 1 teaspoon salt and continue cooking until most of the liquid is absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in pepper.


3. To prepare spinach filling: Place spinach, ricotta, basil and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor and process until smooth.


4. To prepare white sauce: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and stir until bubbling, about 30 seconds. Gradually whisk in milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Cook, whisking, until the sauce has the consistency of thick gravy, about 1 minute. Add Gorgonzola and gently whisk until it is melted. Remove from the heat. (The sauce will continue to thicken as it sits.)


5. To assemble lasagna: Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.


6. Drain the noodles and spread out on a kitchen towel. Spread 1/2 cup white sauce in the prepared pan. Place a layer of noodles over the sauce. Spread half of the spinach filling over the noodles and top with one-third of the onion filling. Evenly spread 1/2 cup white sauce over the onions. Repeat with another layer of noodles, the remaining spinach filling, half the remaining onion filling and half the remaining white sauce. To finish, top with a third layer of noodles, spread the remaining onion filling over the noodles and then spread or dollop the remaining white sauce on top. Sprinkle with walnuts and basil.


7. Bake until hot and bubbling, about 30 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

TIPS & NOTES

• Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate the caramelized onion filling (Step 2) for up to 1 day.

• Kitchen Tip: Onions contain a volatile compound called lachrymator that reacts with the fluid in your eyes and makes them water. To chop them without crying, try wearing goggles, burning a candle nearby or cutting them under cold water. To mellow the bite of a raw onion, soak it for an hour in 1 cup cold water, 1/4 cup vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon salt and then rinse thoroughly.


• Kitchen Tip: The dark gills found on the underside of a portobello mushroom cap are edible, but can turn a dish an unappealing gray/black color. Remove the gills with a spoon, if desired.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 345 calories; 14 g fat ( 3 g sat , 7 g mono ); 9 mg cholesterol; 39 g carbohydrates; 16 g protein;8 g fiber; 680 mg sodium; 514 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (23% daily value), Calcium (16% dv), Vitamin A (15% dv).

Carbohydrate Servings: 2

Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 2 vegetable, 1 medium-fat meat, 2 fat

Thankful Thursdays: What Are You Grateful for Today?

I'm grateful for the positive power of the spoken word, and that with the word, I get to create my life!

Wellness Wednesday: 6 Ways to Fight Colds Naturally

With the cold and flu season being in full throttle, many of my clients are asking for natural solutions to fighting viruses this year. So, I’ve put together top five tips for avoiding and fighting colds naturally.

 

1. Wash your hands. Seems simple right? Well, you’d be surprised at how many people don’t. Furthermore, when you think about how many people, things, hands you touch on an hourly basis, you can imagine how many germs can be spread just by touching an inanimate object. Related to that, keep your hands away from your face. It would make sense not to transfer the bacteria and viruses you pick up to your face, but so many of us unconsciously rest our hand on our face, chew our nails, rub our eyes, and other not so sanitary habits. As for hand washing, good old soap and water is the best, but if not available, hand sanitizers will do.

 

2. Cover your mouth – If you already have a cold, be sure to cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze (then to wash your hands!). Since most viruses are spread by respiratory droplets this is crucial to not getting your family members or co-workers sick. Along the same lines if you are sick, consider staying home from work. Similarly, if your children are sick, keep them home from school. Viruses are highly contagious, and if we want to prevent epidemics we need to start with simple solutions that help prevent or at least minimize the spread.

 

3. Buy a Neti Pot – Any patient of mine who comes through my office with a cold, gets the recommendation for a neti pot. The Neti Pot looks like a tea pot and is purposed to be filled with a salt water solution (which can be purchased at your local pharmacy or made at home), and irrigated through your sinus cavity. I have written a previous article on the use of a Neti pot on this blog that gives all the details called “Simply Neti”.

 

4. Give your immune system a boost: Taking Vitamin C and Zinc daily can help boost the immune system.The dosage of Vitamin C is 1000mg daily, and Zinc is 24mg daily. However, when you are sick, you can increase your dosage to up to 3-5 grams (yes grams) a day (that’s 2-3, 1000mg tablets twice daily). Vitamin C is a natural anti-viral and immune booster.

 

5. Boil some ginger. A great natural antiviral resides right in the produce isle of your local grocer. Ginger root can be boiled or blended and taken as tea. To prepare, cut 1 inch off of the root, peel it, and then boil for 15-20 min. To make it stronger you can blend the boiled solution then strain it. If you choose this option you might want to dilute the strained solution at 1/4 cup concentrate to 3/4 cup warm water. Either way, if you sip this tea at least once daily, it will knock the virus right out of your system. Some people choose to use ginger tea bags, but the potency is not the same, and thus neither are the results.

 

6. Take virus fighting supplements. Immune boosting herbs like Elderberry, Astralagus, Echinacea, and Goldenseal work in collaboration to help your body fight off the viruses. Vitamin C (as earlier mentioned) 3000-5000mg daily, and Colloidal Silver 10ppm (or 1 tsp) daily are other great antivirals to take if you have a cold. But my favorite on the market by far (and that I PERSONALLY stock up on every winter season) is called ACF Fast Relief by Buried Treasure. This supplement combines all of the aforementioned virus fighting and immune boosting herbs into one liquid supplement. This supplement, if taken within the first 24 hours of symptoms, can prevent a full on attack from most viruses (including the flu). It’s not the best tasting on the market, but it’s results make it well worth the swallow. There is also a children’s version called Children’s ACF. ACF is not to be taken for longer than 2 weeks at a time.

 

Please remember that if your symptoms are worsening despite using all of the aforementioned methods, or if you fail to improve after 2 weeks of home treatment, you need to see your physician.

 

To jump start your wellness program, or to learn more about how Dr. Clairborne keeps wellness simple visit: www.backtobasicshealing.com

Romantic Tuesday: Shower by Candlelight

Take a candlelit shower together. 

Mental Health Monday: Being Powerful in spite of circumstances

The good news and the bad news about staying living a powerful life is knowing that you can no longer justify using old unhealthy behavior to blunt your uncomfortable feelings. With the power of authenticity comes the freedom to make powerful choices despite any circumstance. ~ Dr. Maiysha

Serenity Sunday: Let Go of Yesterday

Don't let yesterday use up too much of today - Cherokee proverb

Foodie Friday: Millet Cereal w/Baked Apples

I have affectionately lifted this post from my healing partner Trish Cardone (www.apassionforhealthyliving), one of my favorite Wellness coaches!  Visit her website for more great gluten free recipes!

Trish Wrote:

Millet, aka…bird seed, is a very yummy and versatile, gluten free grain.  It is cooked similar to brown rice – 1 cup of millet to 2 cups of water.  It is great as a side dish with dinner (such as a millet pilaf), it is yummy as a pudding and it is great as a breakfast such as the recipe that I have posted below.

Warmed Millet with Baked Apples

Millet (1 cup or so)

Baked Apples – add to sliced apples to a pyrex dish and add a splash of apple or pear juice, cover and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes or so.

Cashew or Hemp Milk

Cinnamon

Procedure:  To a bowl add a cup or so of warmed, cooked millet and drizzle above milk of choice over millet.  Top with baked apples and cinnamon.  If you prefer a sweetener, add a drizzle of maple syrup!  Enjoy!

Thankful Thursday: What Are You Grateful For?

I am grateful for a creative mind and an adventurous spirit!

Wellness Wednesday: Challenge yourself to a 5K

Sign up for a 5k run. This is a great way to stick make yourself accountable for your exercise committment. Once you  sign up, you will be a lot more motivated to go for walks and short runs, and when you get to the race, you'll be surprised at how well you do and proud for the victory at the end! You'll be signing up for 10K 's in no time!