Natural Health Techniques Newsletter

Dr. Denice Moffat, Medical Intuitive Volume 8 No. 2 Mar. 2012

In This Issue:

• From the Desk of Dr. Moffat: Shameless marketing
• Health in the News: Micro-chipped animals and cancer. GMO Sweet corn coming your way.
• What’s New on the Website? Book Give Away Contest Winner and This Month’s Contest
• Case of the Month: Food Allergies, Sensitivities, Intolerances and Adverse Reactions
• Product of the Month: Animal Communication–Interview with Lydia Hiby
• Media Reviews: (Book) A Consumer’s Dictionary of Food Additives by Ruth Winter
• Ask Dr. Moffat: Can I feed my dog garlic?
• Tips and Tricks for a Healthier Life: Pulse Testing for Allergies. Stop eating Round-up!
• Client Testimonials: Dog no longer depressed, abilities are shocking, eye is better, missed the crud
• Healthy Recipes: Sweet Breakfast Quinoa
• Inspiration & Perspective: Don’t settle for less. $20 bill self-esteem story.
• What’s New at Our House? Settling in for winter, power outage, farm website
• Local Events: Women in Agriculture Conference

(Please note that full names are never used in this newsletter or on my website without the full consent of the sender or client. Some cases also encompass groupings of cases with similar symptoms and suggestions for healing in an attempt to educate the general public.)

From the Desk of Dr. Moffat:

Some people do some. .  . I’d say less than ethical marketing. Here’s mine.

Please vote for me! You can vote every day. The  voting end March 21st and I’m up against some pretty stiff competition. Thanks everyone and I want you to know what an honor it’s been to be nominated. I’m just wow-ed! So very grateful.  Here’s the link to vote with:  https://healing.about.com/library/bl-readers-choice-vote-medical-intuitive.htm?r=facebook

I got an inquiry about a homeopathic kit I was plugging on somebody’s website. After her consult I had her send me the link to this supposed kit. The man’s website actually had MY picture on his home page plugging this homeopathic kit that I had never even heard of! I was listed as his Advisory Board! I’d never heard of this guy. It was shocking! Needless to say I called his “hotline” number and discussed a few things with him. He has removed my photo thank goodness. As you research products it’s always good to check your companies and ask lots of questions then follow your gut instincts. I’ve been bequeathed with an extra dose of naiveté in this life. I guess I would never have imagined researching and asking questions of somebody’s board members. Live and learn, huh?

Health in the News:

Soylant Green or the Mark of the Beast? Would you let a family member be micro chipped? “When the FDA approved the device, it noted some Verichip risks: The capsules could migrate around the body, making them difficult to extract; they might interfere with defibrillators, or be incompatible with MRI scans, causing burns. While also warning that the chips could cause “adverse tissue reaction,” FDA made no reference to malignant growths in animal studies.”  Reported Associated press in this article. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/08/AR2007090800997_pf.html Some studies suggest that the chip may cause sarcoma cancers in laboratory rats and in one dog. I hope not. . .we have three animals that are micro chipped. For what it’s worth, I’ve asked my vet buddies if they’ve seen problems with doing MRI’s on chipped pets but two responded that they have not BUT they haven’t done that many MRI’s on chipped pets.

GMO Sweet Corn? Monsanto, the corporation who produces roughly 90% of the world’s genetically modified seeds, is trying to bring their new, GMO sweet corn to a grocery store aisle or farmer’s market near you. Unlike Monsanto’s other GMO crops (which are primarily fed to animals before getting into human flesh as we eat these contaminated meats) this sweet corn is intended for direct human consumption. This is the first time Monsanto has engineered a vegetable that could be served straight to your dinner table. And if this unlabeled, potentially toxic crop succeeds, Monsanto is sure to bring us even more. I’ve got to tell you that finding non-GMO corn to feed our chickens is a constant challenge. Please tell your local grocers that you do not want this stuff in their grocery stores and that you’d like to know which foods are GMO (so you can make a choice and NOT purchase them.) Your buying choices count. Really they do.

Helpful Links for GMO’s:

• www.saynotogmos.org
• www.nongmoproject.org
• And here’s a movie you can watch online about this topic (It’s excellent) https://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4867493254318912106

What’s New on the Website?:

Last month’s winner for the book drawing was Cathy Edwards. Congratulations Cathy and thanks for contributing to my Random Acts of Kindness page. I used the Random Number Generator from https://www.psychicscience.org/random.aspx

This month’s prizes: For those of you who are currently signed up for my newsletter your name will be put into the hat for two things this month (March, 2012). The first is an Animal Communication reading for your pet by Lydia Hiby (www.LydiaHiby.com) and the second will be for a consultation from me. If you know of anyone who would like to join in the fun for these monthly drawings please have them sign up for my newsletter. A sign up box is on every page of my website at: www.NaturalHealthTechniques.com

I’m currently updating pages and inserting an annoying volume of keywords (some would call it optimizing your keyword density) and following a 12-step protocol to optimize my most popular pages so that they will be picked up by the search engines. It’s taking forever and my head is swimming. I’m taking some Search Engine Optimization e-courses and interviewing some spectacular healers who work over the phone. I’m also studying up on  how to best run contests on the web and in social media, so if you have any tips for me, please share! Oh, and I now have a YouTube Cannel if you can believe that! Here it is: https://www.youtube.com/user/denicemoffat?feature=mhee

Case of the Month:  Food Allergies, Sensitivities, Intolerances and Adverse Reactions

Some Allergy Statistics:

• About 10% of the population has food allergies.
• Between 10-35% of the population feel they have food sensitivities.
• Non-secretor blood types have more reactions to foods and chemicals than secretor types.
• Some foods can cause painful problems days after eating so they are difficult to track down, even with food diaries.
• From 1998–2000 to 2007–2009, the percentage of children who were reported to have a food allergy during the preceding 12 months increased from 3.5% to 4.6%, and the percentage who were reported to have a skin allergy increased from 7.3% to 10.7%.

Before I became adept at figuring out the core cause of my allergies through muscle testing I used food diaries, elimination diets and skin testing but muscle testing is so much easier!

Although I’m going to try to define food allergy, food sensitivity, food intolerance, multiple chemical sensitivities and adverse reactions these terms are commonly used interchangeably because the body often responds in more than one way with allergies. Core causes of these reactions are not that easy for the medical system to determine even with RAST tests, pin prick allergy tests and elimination diets. This is an area where muscle testing shines.

Food Allergies are defined as an immunologic response occurring when the immune system goes awry releasing IgE antibodies that bind to a protein within the offending food causing the release of histamines. This type of reaction is bad, and if the food allergy is severe, can be life threatening. Examples of IgE food allergies would be peanut allergies, but the top triggering foods causing IgE food allergy reactions also include milk products, eggs, tree nuts, wheat, fish, shellfish and soy.

Food allergy responses affect all the organ systems of the body and can include specific symptoms such as itchy eyes, mouth tingling, itchy gums, swollen lips, blood blisters under the tongue, blurred vision, dizziness, digestive cramping, hives, hemorrhoids, asthma, chest pain, nose bleeds, runny nose, dry or tight throat, hoarseness, hives, swelling, fever, coughing, wheezing, breathing problems (including asthma and the life-threatening anaphylaxis), vomiting, diarrhea, headache, loss of consciousness and irregular heartbeats or a raise or lowering of the blood pressure or pulse just to name a few.

Reactions usually occur within seconds but some foods take up to 36 hours before symptoms show up (like in the case of headaches and certain food chemicals.) Even trace amounts of foods can be responsible for food allergies so it’s not like you can just remove the offending food from the dish when they’ve been cooked into it. Children can grow out of food allergies but often the allergy will manifest later on in life as eczema, asthma, sinusitis, migraines or colitis. Food allergies are often inherited.

“Although reasons for this are poorly understood, the prevalence of food allergies and associated anaphylaxis appears to be on the rise” states the CDC.

Poorly understood? Boy, I don’t understand this with all the chemicals used in the production of foods, the eating out in fast food restaurants and the lack of cleansing fruits and vegetables in the American diet. Gee, I thought it was obvious. Sorry. As you can see this is a hot button for me.

Food Sensitivities are similar to food allergies but reactions are slower to come on. The immune system is still involved but different immunoglobulins released from specific white blood cells are involved (IgA, IgG and IgM.) Food sensitivities often manifest into chronic conditions such as arthritis, chronic fatigue, depression, fibromyalgia, GERD, sinusitis, migraines, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), fetid gas, attention deficit disorder (ADD) and rashes.

Food Intolerances: With food intolerances the immune system is not involved and reactions are not life-threatening but they are none-the-less annoying. Symptoms of food intolerance include indigestion, fatigue, bloating, migraines, emotional changes, memory problems, ulcers, diabetes, obesity, epilepsy, accelerated aging, multiple sclerosis, acne, high blood pressure, depression, psychoneurosis, canker sores, irritability, total exhaustion after eating, impaired decision making abilities, constipation and IBS.

Digestive symptoms are the most common system affected by food intolerance. Imbalanced gut flora with associated yeast or candida are often part of the problem. The most common example of a food intolerance is lactose intolerance. Here, the body can’t break down the lactose and it affects they body with symptoms such as abdominal cramping and diarrhea. The funny thing about lactose intolerance though is that the process of pasteurization breaks down the lactase enzyme used in the digestion of lactose so this makes the dairy product a bigger problem than if the milk were ingested raw.

Multiple chemical Sensitivities fit into the food intolerance category. It’s my philosophy that many people are not intolerant to foods as much as they are intolerant to the sprays and chemicals used in growing these foods. I’ll be delving into this deeper in my next newsletter.

An adverse reaction to a food is any troublesome reaction after ingesting a food. This could include food poisoning or toxicity—like eating a tainted food or a poisonous mushroom or too much of a food that has tipped your body in the direction of a negative reaction.

Muscle testing works best for determining food allergies. Once you learn this technique you’ll have it always and even if the foods you eat now are modified somehow in the future you can determine what component is causing problems. We can also use food allergies to test which supplements or homeopathics will work in helping with the detoxification process which cuts out days of agony.

Case Study: How to determine what a person is allergic to.

I’ve been blessed with allergies, sensitivities and intolerances all my life. The last couple decades I’ve become multiple chemical sensitive as well so I’m going to go through some of the questions I use to figure out what has caused reactions in people. I’m hoping this will help you at home with  your own exploration into food allergies.

These are some of the questions I ask my body:

• What have I changed in my diet or in my environment lately? (I muscle test each thing I’ve added or tried in the last week and muscle test if it is one of these things.)
• Was it something that I ate? Drank? Or was it something I breathed in?
• Was it a fruit, vegetable, carbohydrate, protein, oil/fat. If yes, then I would go to the specific lists on these food items listed in the Exam Forms section of the website or just ask more questions to narrow it down. Most people can remember what they ate the day or two before if they are calm and relaxed. When they talk to me on the phone, however, often they will have what we call “psychic amnesia” but they will usually email me a day or two later with a list of foods they’ve remembered and I can test from that list.
• If it was something I breathed in, was it indoors or outdoors? In my house, at work, or somewhere else?
• What time did the exposure occur? What day?
• What was I doing at the time? (You’ll have to come up with a list here and ask yes/no questions for work, school, sleep, social event, etc.)
  

Comments and quick tips I’ve learned over the years:

• Your best bet for determining what you are allergic to and for treating yourself involves muscle testing.
• When in doubt, eliminate any and all processed foods.
• Eat whole, organic or unadulterated foods.
• Keep things simple. Don’t have a huge variety of foods each day.
• And just a side note here? If you’re a student and you need your brain to function at top capacity please eat your vegetables. Vegetables (cooked and raw) will help detoxify your system, eliminate depression and help you to think clearly. It’s just something you have to do if you want to be successful.
  

Helpful Links and References on Food Allergies:

• Pulse Testing for Allergies: https://naturalhealthtechniques.com/pulse-testing-for-allergies.htm
• Statistics on food allergies in youth: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6011a7.htm?s_cid=mm6011a7_w
• Food allergies in school age kids: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/foodallergies/
• Family and School responsibility in managing food allergies in school: https://www.foodallergy.org/page/food-allergy–anaphylaxis-network-guidelines

 

Interview with Lydia Hiby- Animal Communicator

1. How did you get started in your career as an Animal Communicator? Well, in 1980 I met Beatrice Lybecker while I was working as a veterinary technician in New York. I had two jobs at that time. One was as a veterinary X-ray technician at a local animal hospital and the other one was in a horse barn. Beatrice was at the horse barn doing readings on the horses there and noticed me. Being the New York skeptic that I am, I thought she was making all of this stuff up and she knew that. She was following me down the barn telling me that I could do this kind of work and that she could see that I was a skeptic. I think she knew what was in store for me. She told me that I fit the characteristics of an intuitive. She finally convinced me to let her read a pet from a photo so I gave her my dog’s picture. She just blew me away with what she told me. That hooked me. Beatrice was getting older and wanted someone to carry on what she was doing. I ended up following her to California and mentored with her for about 1 ½ to 2 years while taking care of her critters when she would travel to do her animal communication work. At one point Beatrice said to me, “You’re good enough now. You need to do this on your own.” She started referring the local cases to me. What a trip. And to think my original intent was just to be able to communicate with the animals and tell them to settle down and be still for a few seconds as I was trying to get an X-ray.
2. How long have you been doing Animal Communication for a living now Lydia? Since 1984.
3. Do you have a favorite way to practice? On the phone or in person? It’s a 50-50 split. I do like working in person with the animals but you can’t help people in Croatia like I do now. And since my book has been translated to Japanese and Korean I have clients from all around the world. They send me photographs and a set of questions transcribed into English. I’m such a slow typist that it’s slow going answering the questions which then have to be re-transcribed back to their own language but I do it. I’m just here to help the animals.
4. I’ve heard recently that you don’t even need a photo to tap into the animal any longer is that right? That’s right. I haven’t used photographs for quite a few years now actually.
5. Do you have a favorite species you like to work with?  I love everything, but my heart goes to horses first. Horses have so much baggage and they are so misunderstood.  People give up on them so easily and they get passed from one home to another. Horses are like prisoners of war. Nobody asks the horses what they want to do. They assume horses go with the flow, but lots of them have ulcers from this type of stress. In my practice I see about two-thirds horses and one-third dogs, cats, iguanas and other exotic animals. People seem to have affection for animals they once were. I think I was a horse in some other lifetime.
6. Interesting. What was the most unique species of animal you’ve ever talked with?  The Iguana Cire (Eric spelled backwards). I wrote about him in my book. He was the first exotic animal I ever talked to and I didn’t know he was an iguana when I did the reading. After tapping in, I told the owner, “I’m licking the floor and it’s making me sick,” This made sense to the owner. She asked me if I knew it was an iguana I was reading and was I ever surprised. I could see an orange being and thought it was a Golden Retriever. This iguana had come from Honduras and now had full run of the house. Iguanas use their sense of taste to tell them about their environment. He was licking up residues of pine-sol on the floor that had been used for cleaning. Pets often know how to heal themselves so I asked him what he needed to heal and he told me sweet potatoes. Well, Cire had been to a local exotic vet and they had done all they could for him so she gave him sweet potatoes which cleaned out his liver. He started getting well after only three days. She never told her vet that she had consulted with me. A few months later I was able to meet Cire in person. He was nine feet long with these huge talons. Their tails are like big bullwhips. His head popped up immediately as I entered the room and he started to slink over to me. It was kind of scary. He actually knew who I was from our telephone reading. After that I developed quite a nice relationship with Cire and his owner. Cire and his owner would stay with me at my booth when I went to Pet Expos as a booth draw. His owner used him to educate people on how to care for iguanas. Most of them die after a couple of years because once they mature they no longer need protein and owners don’t switch them to a vegetarian diet. A couple of times he flew on the plane with us to the Expos. That was wild. When he’d get bored at the Expos he’d come down off his tree branch and start walking down the aisles. He caused quite the stir.  I love hearing that stuff Lydia. I’m thinking if the animals knew which herbs would do the same things to heal themselves they would communicate those as well. It’s a big reason why I spend so much time asking my clients about what they eat. My liver cases often respond to Safflower powder.
7. Do you communicate with animals that have passed over? No, I refer those cases to Teresa Wagner. I’m not that good with those cases.  We all need to figure out our limitations, don’t we? Let me ask you another question.
8. I’ve always wondered, is there really a Rainbow Bridge? Yes there is. When an animal is close to passing over a “fly by” animal checks in with it. This happens about a week before. The fly by may not stay with the animal at that time, but as the time gets closer they return and stand by the animal and stay there for about 48 hours. As the soul passes out the body through the death process the animal experiences a life review which is short–like a few hours. The life review for humans is way longer. The animal will often come back to its owner after it has passed and give their people a special sign that they have made it to the Rainbow Bridge. This will be a unique sign to that pet. My clients will tell me they  heard that specific pets tags jingling or the pet comes to them in a dream. Teresa knows when an animal is coming back to an original owner. Often they will come back as a different breed if the owner no longer has space for a big dog or whatever.
9. How did you meet Teresa? She sounds fascinating. We met through mutual friends as we were making the DVD called The Psychic Connection put out by The Entertainment Group in 2007. Teresa’s website: https://www.animalsinourhearts.com/
10. I’ve seen that film. It’s still for sale on their website (https://www.tegclassictv.com/inspirational-films.html). Is that how you got into the TV industry? Gosh, you’ve been on Leeza, The View, 48 hours, Amazing Tales and a bunch of other shows. I feel so blessed to be a part of this time in our world where we can honor communicating with everything on our planet. Every day I’m in awe. Yeah, it’s a trip. Actually the woman who co-wrote my book, Bonnie Weintraub worked for ABC and she would often give me a plug. Once you get your foot in the door it kind of snowballs from there. I got in at a time when animal communication was new so that helped. Eventually I had such a following that the stations would call me directly.
11. How long have you been working over the phone?  Oh since the beginning. I started doing that out of necessity. Cire was one of my first cases. He couldn’t come to me so I just did the best I could and discovered there was no difference really in the way I worked. The energy is all the same.
12. Which senses do you use when you talk to the animals, I mean, can you hear the words or do you feel what they are feeling or do you see symbols like some mediums and then interpret them?  Pictures come in the strongest and then I interpret them. I step into the animal first then become the animal. I’m seeing things from their eyes, use their taste buds, their pictures, emotions and physical sensations. When an animal has been traumatized, it is a very strong reaction.
13. Has your way of communicating changed over the years?  Yes, it’s gotten deeper. The dolphin experience has opened me up and I experience quite a bit more in intensity now. My work got better, clearer and more specific after swimming with them.
14. What kinds of questions and things do you talk about in your mind to the animal to get them to understand and trust you? How do you get them to open up and converse with you?  Well, of course I introduce myself to the animal. If they are hesitant I ask questions like, what do you like to do or eat and who are your friends. Eventually I get to questions like, so. . .you’re not using the cat box, what’s that all about?  
15. Are the animals surprised more often than not that you can hear what they are talking about? Only occasionally now. In the beginning more animals looked at me with surprise. Our consciousness has been raised quite a bit these last couple of decades. People are trusting their intuition more and talking more to their animals. Animal communication is no longer a new concept.
16. Do you ever question yourself and how accurate you are? Well I did when I first started out but I don’t any longer. With that said, I do let people know that I can make mistakes so if people are not getting what they need from a reading then there’s probably a reason for it. I agree. Occasionally I have inaccuracies when two animals are sitting side by side. This is called “bleed through.” I know when this happens though because the client will tell me that it sounds like the other animal is talking and that I’ve gotten their personality down to the tee. But sometimes maybe we’re just not supposed to know entirely what is going on. Know what I mean? I mean sometimes we’re not privy to the greater plan. We’re only given the information as a snapshot at that time and that things can change or unfold. I feel like I am allowed to give out what is needed at the time. Every day I’m just so amazed I can do this work.
17. Do you have Guides around you to help the communication process? Oh yes. I can feel my guides around me all the time. Then, when I go home at the end of the day, my own animals support me and help me to decompress.
18. Do you work with animal shelters?   Occasionally if needed. People who use Petfinder (https://www.petfinder.com/index.html) will often send me the picture of an animal and ask for a reading to see if the animal will integrate with their current situation, be OK with the other pets or the children and generally see if it would be a good match for the family. I also like doing the Greyhound Fun Days (https://www.facebook.com/events/24253854430/) Some of those dogs really loved racing. It’s good to ask them if they like family, other dogs and if so, what type of dog would they like to associate with. They’ll tell me if they’ve had a bad time racing. We had a few Greyhounds for our anatomy class in vet school. They were never initially housebroken and that took some time but they sure did make great pets.
19. You’re a busy lady and go to lots of events. How do you decide which events to go to? Wow. What day is booked? If I have the time and there is integrity in the activity, then I’m happy to do them. I’ve always wanted to be a fairy god mother for animals.
20. What comments do you hear most from your clients Lydia? What I hear most often is that I’ve validated what they already knew but that they were not confident enough to accept the information. Everybody has this ability but sometimes it’s hard to be objective when you’re talking to your own pets. I often get asked, “My animal always stares at me. What do they want?” I tell them that their pets are reading their minds. They are watching the pictures kind of like a movie screen and wondering if you’re going to talk to them about that vacation you’re planning on taking in the near future. “Are they planning on telling me about this” they’re asking. They get agitated at things you are worried about. It’s better to verbalize what you are thinking about to them so that they can let it go. They read your energy and your thoughts all the time.
21. Do you have a lot of inappropriate urination in cats consultations? Those are SO tough!  Oh yes, I sure do. Cats are not pack animals as you know. Every time you add another cat into your home, people like to collect them because they’re so cute you know, it really does a number on their issues with territoriality. Cats are very territorial. Tell me about it. Just when you get the home all organized and happy and all the spraying fixed the person will often go out and get another cat to put into the mix. Drives me nuts sometimes. I understand. Cats are so primal.
22. You once did a reading for my dog Maggie and told me about her past lives? How do you tap into those past lives? I’ll have to admit at first I didn’t believe what you were telling me but in all actuality she fit the exact persona that you depicted for her past lives. Being a veterinarian I know my breeds and I know that you were not just making things up that related to the breed. I was really impressed. How did you do that?  It depends on the animal. It doesn’t come up every time but some animals have had lifetimes you can feel. These animals are older souls. Maggie volunteered that information. An animal will let us know if they’ve been with us before and that they are here to help us again.
23. Lydia, I say a silent prayer before each consult which goes something like, “Lord, please let me say the words you want me to say in the way that the client needs to hear them for the highest and best good of all those concerned.” It’s an intention thing. How do you start? Ah, yes. I pray too before my consults. After that I just feel a sense of grace, like it’s time to begin.  God is on 24 hours a day you know. I can’t do this work without him. So true. I always tell my clients with health challenges that when they stop listening to people, God often brings them a pet with the same challenge. It gets them back on track to healing themselves again. So, Lydia. . .
24. How do we get a hold of you if we want a reading and how much do you charge at this point?  The fee for a reading is $40 for ONE pet for a 15 minute session; that’s all the time needed per pet. Consultations are pre-paid in advance by check or money order. In that time, I’ll ask your pet the questions you have, get answers, and give suggestions. I’ll also do a body scan on your pet so you have information for your veterinarian. A frequently ask questions page and contact info are on the site at www.lydiahiby.com. My phone consult days are Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10:00 AM -10:00 PM California time, and you can call at your convenience. No appointment times are needed. Other days and times have to be arranged through the office. Boy, that’s a really good deal Lydia. I’ve got to tell you that the “No Appointment” thing threw me initially so I try to tell my clients that they may need to keep trying that phone number as you’re on the phone with one person and then another but really? I haven’t had to dial too many times before I finally reach you.
25. Did I miss asking you anything that you think is important for my readers to know? Well, one thing. Pets are more concerned about quality time than quantity time. When you go to work and then come home, if you spend quality time with them your absence is not that traumatic.  Thanks Lydia. As a child in a family of five children I can validate that. We didn’t have much time with my mom at the end of the day after she got home from work but those ten minutes or so really did make us feel loved. We knew she had to work to pay the bills. I don’t think any one of us felt shorted in anyway. I appreciate you sharing that.
26. If one of my readers wanted to sponsor a workshop given by you, how would they go about doing that? First, contact me through my website www.lydiahiby.com as I’m happy to do that for people. A good group count is between 8-10 people. I’m actually doing a workshop in Bend, OR soon. All my events are posted on the website.  Thanks Lydia. Here’s that link: https://lydiahiby.com/seminars.shtml
27. Conversations with Animals—cherished Messages and Memories as Told by An Animal Communicator. . .Will there be another book Lydia? Well yes, I’m saving up stories right now for a sequel. I’m still accepting submissions and feedback of my communications with critters.

Thanks for your time today Lydia and thanks for donating a reading. I’m really excited about our contests this year. Let me know how that turns out for you and if there’s anything else I can do for you.

Media Reviews: (Book) A Consumer’s Dictionary of Food Additives by Ruth Winter

Imagine wanting to make cookies and not having the proper food additives to put in them so you send your child or husband to the store to pick up a few of them for you. “Oh, honey, could you pick me up some reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, high fructose corn syrup, malt syrup, caramel color, propylene glycol mono and diesters of fats and fatty acids, soy lecithin, BHT, citric acid, modified corn starch (but we’re already using corn starch—what’s this?), maltodextrin, gum acacia and oh, add in some artificial flavor.” Who makes cookies like these? Well, you’re trying to make Grandma’s Homestyle Chocolate Brownie cookies of course!

I don’t ever remember getting any recipes from my grandmother containing those ingredients! Whose grandma is this anyhow? Here are a few other ingredients that may surprise you. . . and after doing research for this topic it’s no wonder that more of the population are not having food allergy problems! What are we doing to our world?

Weird things in foods: Food Additives

2,4-dinitro-6-octylphenyl Crotonate + 2,6 Dinitro-4-octyl phenyl crotonate is used as an apple fungicide and in chemical warfare.

ADD and Anger problems? You may want to ferret out and eliminate blue dyes listed as FD & C Blue No. 1, Brilliant blue No. 1, Aluminum Lake and FD & C Blue No. 2 dyes. These dyes are used in bottled soft drinks, Kool-Aid, Gatorade, Bakery Products (blue frosting anyone?), cereals, candy (Skittles, hard candy, M&M’s and more) and in confections. Blue dye is a sensitizer to other allergens.

Allylmercaptan (listed as synthetic spice flavoring), poisonous by inhalation and ingestion, strong irritant to the skin and mucous membranes and a fire hazard but found in beverages, ice cream, ices, candy, baked goods and meats.

Alzheimer’s or memory problems? What about reproductive problems? Eliminate aluminum in a host of items. Aluminum is listed on the ingredient list as Aluminum ammonium, Aluminum ammonium sulfate, aluminum calcium silicate (in vanilla powder and in table salt at a 2% volume), aluminum hydroxide, aluminum nicotinate (as niacin),  Aluminum oleate (lacquer for metals and waterproofing sprays and as a leavening agents in baked goods, antiperspirants, dentifrices, toothpaste, styptic pencils, cosmetics, gastric antacids, gelling agents, anticaking agents, binders, emulsifiers, stabilizers, thickeners for petroleum jelly) and Aluminum phosphide which is used in fumigation of corn grits, brewer’s malt and in brewer’s rice. Fuller’s Earth (Aluminum magnesium silicate) is in dry shampoo, hair coloring, beauty masks, dusting powders, lubricants and in soaps. Aluminum Potassium Sulfate is used for clarifying sugar, sweet and dill pickles, cereals, flours, bleached flours, cheese (looked at the label on American cheese lately?). Aluminum Sterates are used in waterproofing fabrics, chewing gum, lubricating oils, de-foaming agents in the processing of beet sugar and in yeast. Aluminum Sulfate (aka Alum) is used in packaged potatoes, pickle relish, shrimp, antiseptics, deodorants, skin fresheners, antiperspirants and in water purifiers. Alum may cause allergic reactions such as pimples in the underarms from using deodorant.

Ammonia and Urea are added to tobacco to increase the free-base (addictive) component in cigarettes. The brands highest in free-base nicotine are Winston, Camel, American Spirit, Marlboro and Gauloises Blondes. Reference: https://www.rense.com/general39/tobacc.htm and the list of the 599 additives added to cigarettes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_additives_in_cigarettes

Antifreeze– stabilizer in ice cream.

Arsenic is used as a growth promotant. It can cause birth defects in people but the FDA approves 0.5ppm in muscle tissue and 2ppm in the liver. People who eat too much kelp tend to have higher levels of arsenic in them so limit your Nori Wrapper consumption to 4/week to be safe. If you are using sea vegetables to control your thyroid problems also cut back on goitrogenic foods so that you won’t need as many sea veggies.

Asparagus: Do you have petrochemical allergies? If you do, you may want to minimize Asparagus consumption. Asparagus breaks down and produces gas in the large intestine releasing Methanethiol (methyl mercapten—oh man, does that stink!) which is a fungicide and pesticide produced by the roots of the plant. This particular chemical is also present in coal-tar, “sour” gas in Texas and in petroleum.

Benzyl Ethyl Ether is used in flavoring beverages, ice cream, ices, candy and baked goods. Benzyl Ethyl Ether stresses the liver, is a skin irritant and a narcotic in high concentrations.

Bleach (Nattypochlorite) is used to wash cottage cheese curds with. Now where do the leftovers from this process go? To make whey? No wonder so many people are allergic to whey. Actually the industry first used whey as pig food to try to get rid of it. Now whey is added to lots of things and you can purchase it as a protein powder for your smoothies!

Bleached wheat is made white with Acetyl Benzoil Peroxide (which may be good for acne as a germicide and disinfectant but why are we eating it? It’s also in blue cheese, gorgonzola and milk. Did you know they also use Benzoyl peroxide to harden certain fiberglass resins? It’s also in some cosmetics. It’s toxic to inhale and a skin irritant.

Caramel is used as a brown coloring in many foods, but did you know it may block absorption of Vitamin B6?

Carnauba wax: is made from the wax palm tree and is used as a candy glaze, polish and in varnishes. It is a texturizer for makeup, depilatories and deodorant sticks.

Chewing gum contains a bunch of stuff we shouldn’t ingest. The gum base contains Polyethylene, a product of gas or dehydration of alcohol (a thermoplastic actually) and most gums these days also contain Splenda.

Coatings on citrus, squash, grapes, sweet potatoes, asparagus, melons, papayas, plantains, turnips, watermelon and nuts may expose you to coal tar derivatives, antibiotics, ethoxyquin, natamycin, and lots of resins.

Cochineal (Carmine) is a red dye made of ground up insects (cochineal). It’s added to red applesauce, confections, baked goods, meats, spices, mascara, rouge, eye shadows, candy, yogurt and fruit drinks. The insect may be a carrier of salmonellosis. Did you know that it takes over 7000 bugs to make one pound of this dye?

Coal Tar Derivatives: Lots of foods have these in them. Beware of Phenethyl (a phenol derivative made of coal tar) if you have petrochemical allergies.

Creosol (4-methoxy-2-methyl phenol) is a synthetic flavoring agent occurring naturally in Cassia (cinnamon) and used in fruit, rum, nut and clove flavorings for beverages, ice cream, candy, baked goods and liquors.

Decaf coffee anyone? It contains methane dichloride and methylene chloride if it’s not water-processed. Methylene chloride converts to carbon monoxide in the human body thus blocking the oxygen carrying capacity of the hemoglobin molecule. Methylene chloride is also used in nail polishes. Nail fungus anyone? It damages the liver, kidneys and CNS and is responsible for headaches, insomnia, nervousness and tremors.

Formaldyhyde/Paraformaldehyes are in Nutrasweet, used as de-foaming agents, in animal feeds and embalming agents, germicides, fungicides, preservative. It is in Grana Padano cheese and is used as an antifungal agent to put on the tap holes of maple trees after the syrup has been collected.

Formic acid (aka Eugenyl formate) (a key component to scorpion stings) is used as a synthetic spice flavoring for beverages, ice creams, ices and candy. Formic acid is highly corrosive and naturally occurs in apples and other fruit. It’s the reason why so many people are allergic to Hazelnuts, Walnuts and Pecans (these nuts are higher in formic acid than other nuts). Formic acid is used for de-hairing hides, as a preservative for silage (which should not be fed within 4 weeks of slaughtering.) Chronic exposure to Formic Acid causes albuminuria (protein or foam in the urine.)

Guanidoethylcellulose (Guaicic Wood Oil) is used as a tobacco flavoring, in berry, honey, coffee and smoke flavorings, in beverages, ice cream, ices, baked goods, candy and toppings.

Hickory Smoke Condensate is a popular food flavoring thought to cause pancreatic tumors.

Hormones found in meat: If you know anything about farming you wonder how they can sell meat for such cheap prices when your local farmer is selling theirs for about 3 times the price. Well, these animals are fed lots of cheap genetically modified grains and their diets are fortified with hormones and food additives to keep them growing fast. DES (the hormone that caused all those birth defects in the 60s) is still being found in meat along with estradiol, mibolerone, testosterone propionate, trenbolone and a bunch of others. These hormones are injected into the animals via growth implants or put into their feed. Melengestrol acetate is a progesterone used to treat animals and suppress ovulation. It’s added to animal feeds so regulate the flock so that all the babies will be born approximately the same time. Methylprednisone is found in milk. Other hormones used in the meat industry are Corlutin, Cyclogest, Luteal hormone, rBST (Recombinant Bovine Somatotrophin or  IGF-1), Synovex, Gesterol 50 and Progestaject.

Hydrogen cyanide. Cyanide? Really? Well, yes. The FDA tolerates up to 200 ppm in cocoa. Ahh, this gives a new meaning to the phrase “Death by chocolate” no? How does it get into the chocolate? Well, the compressed gas is used for exterminating rodents and insects that like the cocoa beans. Hydrogen cyanide is also acceptable in cereal flours, cereals, ham/bacon/sausage, and it’s OK to use in mastitis medications (which eventually get into our milk supply.) Signs of overdose include shortness of breath, paralysis, unconsciousness, convulsions, respiratory arrest, weakness and fatigue. The average fatal dose is 50-60mg.

Insect repellents with DL-n-Butyl Phthalate is an estrogen disrupter. Your best bet is to use something organic like Buzz Away (an essential oil spray you can purchase at the health food store which is quite effective.)

Isopropyl alcohol. A fatal dose of isopropyl alcohol is less than one ounce. Isopropyl alcohol is used as an antibacterial, solvent, denaturant, solvent for spice oleoresins, modified hop extract (used for making beer), lemon oil and it’s used as a de-foaming agent for processing beet sugar and in yeast. It’s in all the Purell type hand products you use every day to keep the germs away.

Lacquer, that shiny covering on some chocolates and candies (like those little red sour balls you can get two packages for a dollar in your gas station convenience store).  Well, this piles up in your vessels making arteriosclerosis!

Latex: This is a very dangerous allergy and it’s on the increase. Latex is found in chewing gum, beauty masks, balloons, condoms, gloves, synthetic rubber or plastics, racquet ball handles, dental devices and more. The FDA has reported over 50 life-threatening allergic reactions from the use of latex gloves. I have several clients with a stash of Latex glove detox drops on hand. Nurses are one profession that seem more at risk for this allergy.

Maleic Hydrazide is used in the tobacco industry to regulate unwanted sucker growth on 90% of the tobacco crops in the United States. It’s also used on potatoes and onions post-harvest to prevent sprouting. Symptoms of exposure include CNS and liver damage. This chemical is highly toxic.

Maple nut flavoring is made in part from insecticides.

Methanol (aka Wood alcohol or Wood Spirit). Beer contains trace amounts of methanol. This alcohol solvent is obtained by the destructive distillation of wood with a nauseating odor. It’s used for antifreeze compounds, paints, inks, varnishes, shellacs, wood strippers, windshield wiper solvent, gas antifreeze, radiators, dye solvents, Sterno fuel, home heating oil extenders, octane boosters in gasoline, fuel for soldering torches, softening agents for plastics, to extract hops and spices and in the making of formaldehyde. Methanol is highly toxic and readily absorbed through all routes of exposure. The narcotic properties severely affect the nervous system. It is a dangerous fire hazard. A ventilation system is a must when working with any of these products. Symptoms of methanol exposure include headache, dizziness, confusion, abdominal pain, lung problems, weakness, coma, blindness, death and blurred vision (gee, this sounds like the high painters get when they are in the spray booth too long without their respirators on.)

Methyl salicylate (Salicylic Acid or Oil of Wintergreen). These items should only be used for spot areas. The concentrated stuff is really toxic.

Methylcellulose (wood pulp) is in canned fruits sweetened with artificial sweeteners, Kosher foods, low-calorie crackers (they have to keep that fiber in the crackers somehow), as a beer foam stabilizer, in dietetic products, processed cheese and toppings. Large doses may cause flatulence—well, no wonder! We don’t have the same gut flora as a porcupine! Methylcellulose may bind up certain minerals in our bodies making them unavailable as well.

Mineral Oil clogs up the small intestine so it can’t absorb properly. It’s added to bread, de-foaming agents in the sugar beet sugar industry, yeast, used as a coating on fresh fruit and vegetables (remember those slippery tomatoes and cucumbers?), is a lubricant and binder for capsules and tablet making, as a lubricant in the meat packing facilities, as a confectionery sealant, in baby lotions and creams and in cosmetics. Mineral oil clogs pores on the skin causing blackheads.

Modified Food Starch: Is this still in baby foods? In 1980 this was on the FDA top priority list for reevaluation but in 1999 nothing had changed. It was questioned whether babies could handle the chemicals that adults are exposed to since several chemicals are used to modify the starch.

Non-dairy whipped cream, creamers, chocolate coatings, ice cream, frozen custard, shortening and some vitamin and mineral supplements contain Polysorbate 60 and polysorbate 80 which is associated with 1,4 Dioxane—a known carcinogen.

Paint thinner– Banana flavoring of ice cream.

PCB’s are difficult to stay away from as they are off-gassing from food wraps and plastics. NEVER microwave plastic. PCB’s also disrupt thyroid hormones, decrease intellectual development, are responsible in part for ADD, language disorders and behavioral memory learning disorders.

Petrolatum (Vaseline) is used in candies and as a de-foaming agent in the yeast and beet sugar industry, in baked goods and in confectionary items.

Phosphoric Acid is added to flavoring agents. This chemical is found in skin fresheners, nail polish, canned milk, soda pop, jellies, frozen dairy products, baked goods, candy, cheese and is used in the brewing industry. Excess phosphoric acid causes kidney disease and kidney stones.

Pizza crust contains ethyl alcohol.

Propionic Acid is a by-product of the wood pulp industry. It’s a waste liquor with a pungent rancid odor used to inhibit mold on butter, fruit, cakes, candy, ice cream, cheese, perfumes and cosmetics.

Propyl Acetate is derived from propane or acetate; it is used in synthetic flavorings for fruit beverages, ice cream, candy, baked goods and for perfumes. It is also used as a solvent for resins. It may be irritating to the mucous membrane and narcotic in high doses.

Propylproionate is used to flavor liquors. Lower doses than what is allowed in these flavored liquors has caused birth defects in experimental animals. BUT, propylproionate is also added to frosting, nut products and is in 97% of all seasonings and flavorings.

Remember Melamine dishes? Unbreakable. Well, melamine was used as an experimental cancer-causing and tumor causing agent. It is moderately toxic by ingestion. I’d recommend against microwaving and eating from these dishes.

Snail Bait (Metaldyhyde) can be found on strawberries. Snails love strawberries so make sure these are organic! Scientists are also playing with ground up shrimp shell spray to help extend the shelf life of strawberries. Plus strawberries have extra histamines in them which cause headaches. Anyway signs of metaldyhyde poisoning include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, convulsions and coma.

Table salt contains ammonia, hydrocyanic acid and prussiate of soda used as an anticaking agent. Hydrocyanic acid is toxic if you inhale, ingest or absorb it through your skin (another plug for the use of Celtic Sea salt which is a much healthier option.)

Talc (French chalk aka Magnesium silicate) is added to vitamin supplements as a flavoring agent (now why do we need flavor when the supplements are encapsulated? Prolonged inhalation of talc leads to lung cancer and acts like asbestos. In Japan there is an increased incidence of stomach cancer because they like rice treated with talc.

Tartaric Acid also known as Cream of Tartar, Sodium Tartrate, Sodium Potassium Tartrate and Azo dye are also related. These chemicals are in over 450 foods including baking soda. Tartaric acid is made of Tamarind (an AVOID food for blood type O people) and also occurs naturally in wine, grapes and bananas. Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tartaric_acid

Vanilla flavoring, a common allergen I see in my practice, is actually p-cresol, a synthetic nut and vanilla flavoring agent obtained from coal-tar. It naturally occurs in teas and is used in beverages, ice creams, ices, candy and baked goods. It’s more powerful than phenol (also derived from coal tar) but less toxic. Those people who have petrochemical allergies would be more allergic to this flavoring. Symptoms of petrochemical allergies abound and include getting the munchies while in a vehicle, falling asleep in the car and feeling nauseous with the smell of diesel (there is a homeopathic remedy to clean up this allergy by the way.)

Walnut flavoring is actually trichoral hydrate used in the hide tanning industry

Wood Pulp (Methyl Ethyl Cellulose) or Cotton Chemical Extraction: These are used in bulk laxatives and vegetable fat whipped toppings, fruit pie fillings, meat patties, thickeners, baked goods, in the making of decaf coffee, as a degreaser and paint stripper solvent and in varnish thinner. These chemicals convert to carbon dioxide which causes the heart to pump faster causing coronary spasms and angina.

In summary? After going through 450 pages of information I can see that artificially flavored things are definitely out and highly suspect—especially artificially flavored fruit items. Most of the candy our kids eat are crammed with these things—actually more than a few chemicals for each type of candy!

To make matters worse sometimes the United States makes herbicides/pesticides and fungicides that are illegal to use in our country and then we ship them to other countries to use. The produce is then shipped back to us to eat. So everybody in the process gets exposed to the toxic chemicals. How rude!

I’d stay away from anything  pre-packaged—especially baked goods, beverages and anything where you don’t understand the ingredients listed on the package. Your best bet is to eat local and know your farmer. Ask lots of questions on what kind of chemicals they use and even where they farm. Are they farming next to a road? A chemical plant? In soil that has been contaminated with heavy metals?

Helpful Links and References on Food Additives:

• Book: A Consumer’s Dictionary of Food Additives by Ruth Winter, M.S.
• Book: The Allergy Guide to Brand-Name Foods and Food Additives by Stephanie Bernardo Johns
• Book: Food Chemical Sensitivities by Robert Buist PhD. (This book has a wonderful chart on which drugs are excreted through breast milk and how to arrange timing of feeding.)
• Food Additives: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_additive
• Food Allergies and Reducing the Risk: https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm089307.htm
• What are Food Additive E Numbers?: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E_number
• FDA’s Website page on Food Additives: https://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodIngredientsPackaging/FoodAdditives/default.htm
• Most common food additives: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002435.htm
• Top 12 food additives to avoid: https://www.sixwise.com/newsletters/06/04/05/12-dangerous-food-additives-the-dirty-dozen-food-additives-you-really-need-to-be-aware-of.htm
• Banned Food Additives: https://www.cspinet.org/reports/chemcuisine.htm#banned_additives

Ask Dr. Moffat:

Question: Is garlic harmful to feed to my dog? I’ve heard that garlic can cause anemia in my dog. I feed it for flea control and as a wormer.

Answer: Garlic seems to be much much safer than feeding onions when it comes to the anemia issue, but I wouldn’t feed more than 4 cloves/week maximum and less for tiny breeds. Studies show that it is only about 40% effective against worms by the way so if you have challenges with parasites you may want to look into other options. Of course management is the biggest factor when it comes to minimizing parasites, so be sure to clean up your animals feces often.

Onions are toxic to dogs and cats because they contain n-propyl disulfide, which can damage the membranes of red blood cells. The spleen then removes these damaged cells making the animal anemic. Garlic also contains this compound, but it seems to pose less of a problem. Interestingly, at one time onion powder was in baby food which many veterinarians used to force-feed animals with who were housed in intensive care facilities. We didn’t know any better then. How horrible.

Tricks and Tips for a Healthier Life:

Do It Yourself Allergy testing. So what if you can’t muscle test? There is another way to test for allergies and it has been around since 1956. It’s called The Pulse Test and it involves taking your pulse 30 minutes after eating a food you think you’re allergic to. If your pulse rate increases 12 beats above your normal resting pulse (or above a pulse rate of 85 beats/minute) you can be pretty sure you’re allergic to the food.

Stop eating Round-up (glyphosate): Gosh, it seems like each month my inbox is flooded with articles on Roundup. It’s not like I look for them or anything like that. Here’s the latest (very long and referenced) article: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/24/roundup-scientists-birth-defects_n_883578.html The short of it is that Roundup, the top ranked herbicide in the United States (a Monsanto product introduced in 1976) is under intense scrutiny again for causing birth defects in the embryos of laboratory animals. Of course what the farmers don’t experience or see doesn’t ever seem to matter to them. And those of us who are allergic are making it up in our heads. We’re mental! If we don’t see them spray the stuff then it shouldn’t affect us. Of course they don’t live with us to see how it affects us.

“Our examination of the evidence leads us to the conclusion that the current approval of glyphosate and Roundup is deeply flawed and unreliable,” wrote the report’s authors.

Authorities have criticized Monsanto in the past for soft-pedaling Roundup. In 1996 New York State’s Attorney General sued Monsanto for describing Roundup as “environmentally friendly” and “safe as table salt.” They settled out of court.

This is becoming a world-wide issue. Some countries do not want our genetically modified crops and want nothing to do with Round-up ready soy, beets, wheat, corn or anything else. We’ll be seeing repercussions on this issue for decades to come I suspect as many farmers we talk to in our travels believe that Roundup is indeed “safe as table salt.” Ugh.

Client testimonials

Hi Denice, as for Kai, you said he was a bit depressed the last time we spoke, thanks for pointing that out to me, kicking myself for not noticing, but after we spoke, it was pretty clear.  We took him to the pet store and helped him pick out some mini-squeaky tennis balls and from that moment on he has been the happiest little dog you ever saw – keeps us entertained putting his ball in odd places and then problem solving on how to retrieve it from the odd location.  Occasionally, we have to retrieve them for him because he puts them in impossible places!  Angela

Dr. Moffat, thank you so much! I truly enjoyed the consult and have had a real blast talking about it to everyone I know. Several people were shocked at your abilities, picking up on things that I never told you about. You are clearly very blessed with a wonderful talent for healing. I look forward to receiving my supplements in the mail. I have already increased my fruit and vegetable intake. Take care and thank you again. Beth M.

Hello again Dr. D! My eye is doing much better ~ still a little gunky in the morning so still doing boric acid 1x/day. When you’re in town could you please drop off another bottle of viral immune? My husband is feeling better, too.  We old farts thank you!! 🙂  C.A.

Dr. Denice: Do you have a 10 or noon open on this coming Friday morning for my son’s first appointment? I have a babysitter!  Hooray! I think we missed the crud last week thanks to you! Talk with you soon, Blessings! Sara E.

Recipe of the Month: Sweet Breakfast Quinoa

The recipe this month was submitted to me by a favorite client of mine.  RoseAnne had this to say, “Hi all—thought you would enjoy this recipe. I tried it today and it was almost like eating French toast—almost. . .”  Here it is.

SWEET BREAKFAST QUINOA

Quinoa is naturally loaded with protein and fiber. To read more on Quinoa see the Product of the Month.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Red Quinoa, rinsed
• 2 cups Water
• 1 tablespoon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
• ¼ cup Slivered Almonds
• ½ cup Dried Apricots cut into ½ inch pieces (get organic as they are sulfite –free)
• 2 tablespoons Pure (Real) Maple Syrup
• ½ Tea. Finely grated Orange Zest
• ¼ cup fresh Ricotta cheese

Instructions:

In a small saucepan, cover the quinoa with the water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 15 mins. Lightly fluff the quinoa with a fork and cover it again.

In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the almonds and cook over moderate heat, stirring a few times, until golden brown (about 2 minutes). Add the apricots, maple syrup, orange zest and cinnamon and stir well until heated through.

Add the quinoa to the skillet and stir gently to incorporate the almonds and apricots. Top each portion of quinoa with a tablespoon of ricotta and serve.

Leftovers can be refrigerated up to 5 days. Reheat as needed or serve cold.

Preparation time: 10 minutes.  Total time (including cooking) 25 minutes.   Makes 4 Servings.

Nutritional Information:  Calories/serving-311, Grams of fat-11, grams of saturated fat-2, grams of carbs- 44, grams of fiber- 4.

Reference: https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/sweet-breakfast-quinoa

Inspiration:

Don’t Settle for Less! Dream even BIGGER!  (From www.tut.com) Do you want to know why I have an issue, with compromising, economizing, and settling for less? I have to work just as hard whether the bar has been lowered or raised. Yeah, “Poor Baby.”   The Universe

On Self-Esteem: A well-known speaker started off his seminar holding up a $20.00 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, “Who would like this $20 bill?” Hands started going up. He said, “I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this.” He proceeded to crumple up the $20 dollar bill. He then asked, “Who still wants it?” Still the hands were up in the air. “Well,” he replied, “What if I do this?” And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. “Now, who still wants it?” Still the hands went into the air. “My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who DO LOVE you. The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know, but by WHO WE ARE. You are special. Don’t EVER forget it.

What’s New at Our House?

This last fall we harvested and processed kale, onions, apples, zucchini and other summer squash, winter squash, made sauerkraut with the extra cabbages, set out over 325 bales of straw for mulching and straw bale beds and found a resource for 2-dollar 11 foot cedar fence posts (we hauled about 50 posts for next year’s fencing project around Pad #4). We’ve put the beds to bed and the snow is flying around here as we eat our fabulous Delicata and Butternut squash. We’ve spent hours shoveling and managing the snow around here this last day in January. The chickens are bored and won’t come out of their house but the ducks are having a hey-day in the back yard running back and forth. Renee Huffaker is helping me to build a farm website, but we have a ways to go on that project.  At one time this last month we were out of power for about 32 hours and my inbox backed up, but I think we’re back on track now. In the meantime Michael continues to do data input for the 2011 taxes.

Local Events:

Saturday, Feb 11, 2012. I’m headed up to the Women in Agriculture Conference in Spokane but the conference is via satellite and is being shown in 16 different locations in Washington State if you’re interested, here’s the link: https://extension.wsu.edu/womeninag/Pages/default.aspx

That’s a wrap for this month folks. Be well. Denice