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Summer
is finally here, and so we all will be spending lots of time outdoors! I
for one am a huge fan of being outdoors working in the garden, caring for
the yard, chasing a little white ball around a golf course, waiting for a
white perch to take my bait, or sitting and watching the sunset. With the
heat, sun, bugs, and other irritations of outdoor activities we have to be
extra careful of the “hazards” of outdoor living. Let’s talk about these
hazards and healthy ways to avoid the blues of summertime illnesses.
First
of all, the great benefit of summer is that we can finally get the absolute
best form of Vitamin D which is deficient in over 80% of the US population.
Studies
have shown that in the mid-latitudes like Maryland we cannot get enough sun
to make Vitamin D most of the year. Actually, we only get the proper
strength of sunshine on our skin from mid-April through mid-August. Just 30
minutes of sun (while wearing a bathing suit) during this period gives us
20,000 IU of Vitamin D! If I know I am going to get this level of sunlight
during the day, I take no Vitamin D supplement at all on that day. If I’m
going to be trapped indoors or it is exceptionally cloudy, I will take from
2,000 to 4,000 IU of Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) with Vitamin K1
for that day. Please do not even bother with Vitamin D2!! The sun makes D3
in our bodies, and that is how we should supplement. There have been
numerous studies on the use of D2 and of D3 in supplements, and to my
knowledge only one has said that they are equal. The fact is, D2 is not
“natural” and the body does not utilize it like the body utilizes D3.
In
order to get Vitamin D into our bodies, we must NOT use sunblock!
This, plus the fact that most sunblocks are extremely toxic makes them a
bad thing to use on our bodies. (Learn to read labels—if it has anything
saying “parabens,” “Phthalates,” or lots of words that are difficult to
pronounce, do not use it.) Don’t cover your skin with anything you wouldn’t
consume by mouth. But, we don’t
want to burn either! So, the best way to enjoy the outside and yet not get
burned is to cover up. Wear hats and blousy long sleeved shirts when you
have passed the 30 minutes of sunlight you need to have. One of the best
actual sunblocks for use when you cannot avoid getting lots of sun is
simple zinc oxide. You’ve seen it on the noses of lifeguards! Of course,
covering your body with Zinc Oxide would be strange indeed!
For
really good non-toxic skin care products, I can personally recommend you go
to www.botanicalworks.com and
check out their products. They have great bug repellents, sunblocks that
are non-toxic, and other items that I can recommend. They are a small
start-up company on Eastern Avenue in Baltimore. Another good company is
found at www.neemtreefarms.com
and we use another bug repellent from this company.
Take
your Omega 3 essential fatty acids! This can be in the form of Cod Liver
Oil, fish oil capsules, or Krill oil capsules. Healthy oils are good internally for the
skin, and healthy oils (nut oils like almond oil, coconut oil, and even
cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil) are good to use topically.
Drink
plenty of fluids! This primarily means water, but iced tea is also good. Keep
in mind that sweetening of the tea can be a problem. In my opinion, the
only good sweeteners are Xylitol, Stevia, and pure local raw honey. In
fact, if I use a sweetener at all, it is the honey. Sugar is bad for the body for many
reasons. Sugar will cause dental cavities, it directly attacks the immune
system of the body, it is the number one cause of inflammation, and it is
the number one cause of obesity. It is always dangerous to consume sugar,
but high fructose corn syrup is even worse because it is concentrated.
How
about the so-called “fake sugars?” I
will go to the May, 2009 Newsletter “Total
Wellness” by Dr. Sherry
Rogers for the following information. Fake sugars and all “diet”
sweeteners actually make the body crave more food. You cannot fool the body
with a fake sugar. Consequently, they will cause folks to gain even more
weight. While they are calorie free, they are not side-effect free!
Saccharin
was one of the pioneers. Somehow, the producers of this coal-tar derived
sweetener rescued themselves from the stigma that it causes cancer in rats.
Acesulfame-K (Sweet One) and sucralose (Splenda) are also toxic to the
body. I wouldn’t touch any of these with a ten foot pole!
Aspartame
(Equal or Nutrasweet) can be found in every restaurant, and is metabolized
in the body to formaldehyde. It causes headaches and other maladies. It is
also metabolized into methanol (wood alcohol) a known cause of blindness.
It has been scientifically linked with worsening Alzheimer’s Disease,
diabetes, MS, seizures, migraines, brain tumors, addictions, and violent
withdrawal reactions. I couldn’t
make this stuff up!
Now
there is a new one called Neotame, as much as 13,000 times as sweet as
sugar. And to add to the confusion, they have chemically distorted the
natural sweetener Stevia (mentioned above), and turned it into another
“Frankenfood” called rebaudioside-A, and called it Pure Via or Truvia. You
will see this popping up in soft drinks and other foods without any
convincing safety data!
Again,
your best drinks are glass-bottled water from your home filter, distilled
water, or freshly squeezed juices at home. Add pure maple syrup or pure
local honey, but try to avoid chemicals that have no relevance to food, but
more to a chemical laboratory. And just look the other way as your friends
proudly order a diet drink, as though they are doing something good for
themselves!
I
think grilling is a wonderful way to prepare foods. However, a recent study
has shown that charred skin and meats are cancer causing. So, if you prefer
your meat charred, stop eating the meats! And remember that the best meats
to eat are grass-fed beef, free-range chicken and turkey, and
wild-caught fish. If you want a wonderful dish to serve with your
meal (or even to serve as your meal) see the recipe included with
this issue of Pathways to Optimal Health.
To
prevent or treat bug bites, use the Web Sites named above or go to your
local health food store and get botanical creams or liquids containing
NEEM, aloe vera, oils of citronella, lemon, and patchouli, and other
“natural” and non-toxic ingredients. One thing to remember also is that one
of the healthiest herbs you can eat is garlic. It kills infections, lowers
blood pressure and does other good things in your body. And, it also keeps
bugs away! Something about your taste is not as good to bugs when you have
consumed garlic. And you don’t have to smell of the garlic to other
humans—just taste bad to the bugs!!
And
don’t hesitate to eat lots of organic and locally-grown vegetables. The
abundance at this time of year is wonderful. Support your local organic
farmers! You not only will be so much healthier, but you will also be blown
away by the taste sensations of freshly picked and fully matured vegetables
if you haven’t tried them before! Fresher veggies and fruits have far
higher levels of enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants than those
which have been picked before their prime, and then shipped and stored
before you even purchase them.
All
of these hints are even more important for children. Children are so
vulnerable to toxins and cellular damage. And children are also helped at
least as much as adults by eating healthy foods. The only one who will
clean up your environment and make it safe is YOU!
So,
have a good, healthy and safe summer. Enjoy the abundance and wonders God
gives us!
Please
tell your family, friends, co-workers, and everyone you know to please sign
up for the Newsletter Pathways to Optimal Health at www.wholebodyhealth.us and tell
them it’s free!
As
always, your questions, comments, and suggestions are welcomed!
All of Dr. Baldwin’s recommendations are based on
solid scientific research. However,
no one Nutritional Plan will work for ever person, nor will any one
Nutritional Plan work for every disease or degenerative condition. Pathways is not a substitute for
proper medical diagnosis of conditions which may require medical or
surgical intervention. Our
Diagnostic System allows us to treat the person with the condition and not
the condition that has the person.
Our program is not simply a weight loss program. It is a program intended to help
the client learn how he or she can attain optimal health and
wellness with a healthy immune system.
We maintain that everyone should be able to live life to the fullest
and enjoy each day of life. To get in touch with us, dial 410-326-6690 and
we will be only too happy to help you!
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