NHT News. Vol. 2 No. 7 Jul 2006

Get all the latest from Natural Health Techniques delivered directly to your inbox when you join our newsletter here.

Stay in touch:

Sign up for occasional updates/videos/tips/specials and receive the Fast-Start Bonus Report with or 150 Tips and Tricks to optimize your health today!

NATURAL HEALTH TECHNIQUES NEWSLETTER

July, 2006  Volume 2 No. 7

(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.) 

In This Issue:

  • Health In the News: Benefits of Ellagic Acid, Benefits of Tyrosine
  • Case of the Month: Life is happening to me. What do you suggest?
  • What’s New on the Website? Ezine Articles, Expanded Diet and Nutrition section
  • Ask Dr. Moffat: Swallowing pills made easy, foal walking correctly now,
  • Product of the Month: Eggs—Eat Your Yolks!
  • Media Reviews: Movie: The World’s Fastest Indian
  • Tips and Tricks for a Healthier Life: Farm Fresh Eggs in the Winter, How to keep cats off Counters
  • Healthy Recipes: Organic Bug Spray
  • Client Testimonials: More energy, feeling better, thyroid tip, help for hives caused by sulfite allergy
  • Inspiration & Perspective: Gatha’s (Mindfulness Prayers)
  • What’s New at Our House? The Chicken Coop is Finished! Painting, huckleberries, Dr. Moffat interviewed by Dog Fancy magazine
  • Local Events: Backyard Harvest Project in Moscow, ID 

Health In the News: 

Trending
Life in Five Short Chapters

Benefits of Ellagic Acid: Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, pomegranates, walnuts and pecans are high in ellagic acid which has been found to fight off some form of cancers—especially leukemia without harming normal cells. Ellagic acid also kills the ulcer-causing Helicobacter pylori, suppresses Staphylococcus aureus, protects against radiation damages, fights nickel toxicity and is a powerful antioxidant. Evidence shows that even if the fruit is cooked an processed, which kills off all the vitamins, the antioxidants still work. Although it comes in capsule form now, I STILL believe it’s best to eat the whole food or raw unprocessed juice for best results.

Benefits of Tyrosine: A double-blind, placebo-controlled study that enrolled 20 U.S. Marines suggests that tyrosine can improve mental alertness during periods of sleep deprivation. In this study, the participants were deprived of sleep for a night and then tested frequently for their alertness throughout the day as they worked. Compared to placebo, 10 to 15 g of tyrosine given twice daily seemed to provide a “pick-up” for about 2 hours. Reference: Neri DF, Wiegmann D, Stanny RR, et al. The effects of tyrosine on cognitive performance during extended wakefulness. Avit Space Environ Med. 1995; 66:313–319. 

L-tyrosine deficiencies affect memory, ability to handle stress, cause depression and seasonal affective disorders by disrupting the serotonin-dopamine neurotransmitters of the brain. 

It always amazes me when we see a shift in nutrition on a continental scale. What causes this? Why is there such a deficiency? Is it a new additive binding up the amino acid? Or is some type of effective advertising causing a decrease in the consumptions of particular foods that are rich in these nutrients? Each practitioner picks these things up in different ways, but we do pick it up. Even though we may come to different conclusions, society gets alerted to the deficiency and finds ways to correct it. I’ve noticed this L-tyrosine deficiency in my own practice for several years. 

The food most effective to replace tyrosine deficiencies is sesame seeds (except for Blood Type B people) which can be taken in the form of raw seeds, tahini, or as halvah at about 1-2 tablespoons/day. It seems like the capsule form is just too strong and is less effective in repairing the deficiency. 

Case of the Month: Life is happening to me. What do you suggest?  

I’m not even going to make up a name or location for this person—sometimes I do that to protect people’s identities. Life is truly happening to this woman. How would you handle this? 

Hi Denice, I will be needing you to scan for supplements, etc but am not ready due to finances and everything in my life being messed up. . ..I thought I would just keep you posted on what is going on.  Four days after we moved, my husband took off.  He left without anything…the clothes on his back and a paycheck.  I was concerned about suicide as he has been very depressed and his family has a history of suicide.  I eventually found him…he went back to the state we were living previously to his old job that he hated, saying that was all he had (he has pushed everyone away…families, friends, etc).  He said I was better off without him and had a chance to start a new life that he couldn’t screw up, etc, etc.  As if moving wasn’t stressful enough! I feel strongly that we are supposed to be together on a spiritual level.  Maybe this is to clear the old and change us in dramatic ways so we can come back together to serve a higher purpose? I can’t imagine trusting him again, but I guess I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. I have never experienced anything like this, and really want it to be over.  It sure seems like more lessons in faith, trust, discernment, and patience. I am sure sick of it.  Any suggestions?   

Answer: Wow. I don’t know about you all, but I’ve sure had times in my life where the characters were different and the plot was just as unique, but it sure generated the same amount of stress as this woman’s tale. I’ve heard many a unique story over the years in my practice. I guess, generally speaking, we all think that we are alone in the world and that our problems have never been experienced by anyone else. Why do we think that? I think it’s because people just don’t air their dirty laundry out for everyone to see. We often suffer in silence. It seems that people experiencing a life of Spirit tend to take on more traumas and dramas in their lives than most people. 

The funny thing is that one day you wake up and decide that it is only our own attitude that can change to make a difference in our world. And we realize that these are not traumas and dramas, but special gifts we are experiencing that are molding your souls into the true unconditionally loving being that we truly are. We realize that the people that are causing us the most angst are really the biggest angels in your lives. I believe these angels have come down directly from heaven with a soul contract to help further our life’s purpose. Of course we don’t see this perspective as we experience it. 

We can’t live other people’s lives for them, and no matter what energy expenditure is given out to a particular situation, sometimes we can’t make things right. Eating more raw foods, juicing and prayer helps somewhat in these situations. I try to focus on what I’m learning from the situation. What good is coming from it? Is Spirit pulling us in a different direction? Are we being pushed into something that we have been resisting as a life-shift to better use your gifts for the Universal good? Sometimes dramas/traumas in a person’s life are the Universe’s way of getting us to shift into a direction where we wouldn’t have dared to jump. The Universe provides exactly what we need. And what we think about is what we create in physical form.  Know that, look for the good, and let God do the rest. 

I’ve read, practiced and developed my own twist on many techniques to snap me back to the road of Enlightenment which are posted in the coaching corner of my website and in the Techniques section, but it’s good to be able to fall back on something immediately when you need it. My favorite focusing technique is listening to inspirational music, be it old hymns or New Thought artists. When I sing, I allow and feel my body to reconnect with Spirit and trust that there is a bigger plan than what I am experiencing. 

The one thing I have come to realize over my life is that I am not in control. God is. And if I say that I have faith, then I better just practice it. I do what I can within my human realm to rectify any challenges, then I put the rest in my little blue God Can—a little can I have on my desk where I put those items that I can’t do anything more about (but God can). I then take a deep breath, put on my Buddha smile and walk in my garden. 

What is your back up plan for those out-of-control moments? 

Here is one of the songs I love to envelop myself in to shift my thinking. Enjoy. 

What if? By Karen Taylor-Good from her CD “Song Guru”  https://www.karentaylorgood.com/store_cds.htm

  • You said goodbye and with a word, it seemed my whole world
  • crashed down to earth.
  • I cursed your name and the night so black, when I guess all along
  • I should have thanked you for that.
  • ‘Cause now I’m out from under, as I look around. . . I wonder. . .
  •  
  • Chorus:
  • What if everything that makes us sad, turns out to be not so bad?
  • Everything that seems so wrong, was what I needed all along?
  • And what if we don’t have a clue? What if we’re just not meant to?
  • What if everything in life’s a gift? What if?
  •  
  • Life’s a question, a tale untold. We find all the answers as it unfolds.
  • And I have learned from trials and tears, that Faith is my freedom
  • And it’s stronger than fear.
  • And what I’d been afraid of? Maybe that’s the stuff dreams are made of.
  •   
  • Chorus
  • What if everything that makes us sad, turns out to be not so bad?
  • Everything that seems so wrong, was what I needed all along?
  • And what if we don’t have a clue? What if we’re just not meant to?
  • What if everything in life’s a gift? What if?
  •  
  • There’s more to the picture than we can see. . .We’re part of a tapestry
  • It’s a beautiful mystery.
  •  Chorus
  • What if everything that makes us sad, turns out to be not so bad?
  • Everything that seems so wrong, was what I needed all along? 
  • What if things that made me cry, made me stronger by and by?
  • Everything they threw my way made me who I am today.
  • What if I’m just finding out, that Trust is what it’s all about?
  • What if everything in life’s a gift?  What if? 
  • In the background: 
  • Trust the voice inside you now. There’s so much we’ll never know.
  • Give up control and let it go. We’re not meant to see the future.
  • Faith and Trust are the solution. . .What if? 

What’s New on the Website? 

It was a busy month for the website. I wrote and submitted 10 more articles to www.Ezinearticles.com.  One article was rejected because it was too short! (Now, for those of you who know me, can you even imagine?) I’m putting that article under Tricks and Tips this month. It’s about how to keep your cats off the counters. 

I also added pages on what the different vitamins do (to enhance my egg article below). They are posted on my website under /Diet_Nutrition/diet_&_nutrition.htm   

Ask Dr. Moffat:  

Question: I can’t swallow my pills. Is there a trick to this?

Answer: Yes, taking pills with water or coffee doesn’t work as well because these fluids don’t have an electrical charge to them. If you have trouble taking pills, take them with a small amount of juice or soda. Pineapple juice works well. These fluids have a strong electrical charge and will literally push the pills down your throat. 

If you have to force pills down all the time though, you may want to get a supplement check. The body rejects things that are not needed and not good for it, so often the throat constricts as a response in trying to reject an overdose of medications or supplements. Dogs are really good at this. When they’ve had enough of one supplement, they will eat all the pills except the one that they don’t need any longer. And if you cram the pills down their gullet, they’ll vomit them up! Dogs are so smart. 

From Marie in Idaho: Thank you for answering all of my concerns. The foal has had 3 good days in a row. THAT IS A FIRST!  The progress is beginning!   Hopefully I will soon see his menu change from dirt, manure, hair and now that he is in the pasture…pine trees and rocks. He does not eat grass, hay or any form of grain. I am putting oats in his mouth and he chews some and spits some out. Not up to the 1/2 cup you prescribed yet, but I have all the faith that he’ll be competing with mom for all of the “normal” horse eats soon. Oh, and can you please send more Nettles herb and Sunflower oil? I don’t want to be out!  Have a great week and thank you!  

Answer: You are so welcome Marie. It makes my heart sing to give a “throw away baby” a chance to live and walk normally. Now, about the nettles and sunflower oil. . . It’s time for a bit of education. 

Your foal tested he only needed 2 weeks of the nettles and a bit longer for the oil. I sent enough and a little bit more for one treatment. When his deficiency is rectified, he may need something else, or just a regular horse diet. “If a little is good, a lot ain’t necessarily better” says one of my mentors. Keeping him on a product just because it worked initially may not be what he needs. Other times, there are products that we can always fall back on if the symptoms resume, and then there are products that we may always need in our diets because our body seems to use them up faster or cannot seem to get enough of them through our regular diets. We are all individuals and just need to find out what works for us. Muscle testing is a great tool for determining that. I know you have just experienced a miracle, but let’s just follow what your baby needs. He will balance out over time. Be patient and enjoy the miracle! I am! 

P.S. I talked with your husband. He thinks our treatment is just coincidentally coinciding with the miracle. “But then, I can’t deny that the progress only started after the first day of your treatments and that he is walking normally ever since. He was showing no progress at all before that.” Ha! I love it!—Denice 

Product of the Month: Eggs—Eat Your Yolks! 

Eggs are one of God’s most perfect foods. People need to eat more eggs. Eggs are protein-rich, low in sodium, and contain vitamins and minerals. In addition, eggs are inexpensive, delicious, and easy to prepare. Studies have now shown that many people on a low-fat diet can eat one or two eggs a day without measurable changes in their blood cholesterol levels. Saturated fat in the diet, not dietary cholesterol, is what influences blood cholesterol levels the most.

I often find that my clients need more eggs as an excellent source of choline, zinc, selenium, copper, iron, magnesium and sulfur. Eggs are also a good source of easy-to-digest protein, iodine, Vitamin B2, molybdenum, phosphorous, Vitamin B5, Vitamin D and Vitamin K.

Eggs Benefit diseases such as: Adrenal exhaustion, Anemia, Blood clots, Brain and nervous system disorders (like Dementia, MS, Parkinson’s, and ALS), Breast cancer, Cardiovascular disease, Digestive disorders, Gallbladder trouble, Macular degeneration, Memory challenges, Osteoporosis, Poor hair/coat, and Skin disorders.

(Note: Please don’t give more than 1-2 raw eggs/week to your pets as raw eggs can affect protein binding.)

Cholesterol is not a fat. It is a waxy, fat-like substance produced by all animals, including humans. Cholesterol is needed for many bodily functions and serves to insulate nerve fibers, maintain cell walls and produce vitamin D, various hormones and digestive juices. Cholesterol is produced by the liver.

There is a difference between dietary cholesterol (the cholesterol you consume in foods like eggs) and blood cholesterol (the cholesterol in your bloodstream, also called serum cholesterol.)

Dietary cholesterol is present in varying amounts in some foods, such as meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, and dairy products. Dietary cholesterol does not automatically become blood cholesterol when you eat it. Most blood cholesterol is made by your body and varies from body to body.

People get increased blood cholesterol because they are not taking care of their livers. They don’t eat their fruits and vegetables, their gall bladders are backed up, they harbor anger and resentment, and irritate their liver with alcohol, food additives, trans-fats, sugar, and white flour which overwork the liver preventing it from keeping up with detoxification.

This type of high cholesterol is fairly easily managed with lifestyle changes and some Chitosan (See Product of the Month for Jan., 2006).  Some people actually have a genetic defect which causes the liver to go crazy and mass produce cholesterol. These cases are tough to manage holistically.

Egg Yolk Facts:

  • The yolk or yellow portion makes up about 33% of the liquid weight of the egg.
  • The yolk contains all of the fat in the egg and a little less than half of the protein.
  • With the exception of riboflavin and niacin, the yolk contains a higher proportion of the egg’s vitamins than the white.
  • All of the egg’s vitamins A, D and E are in the yolk.
  • Egg yolks are one of the few foods naturally containing vitamin D.
  • The yolk also contains more phosphorus, manganese, iron, iodine, copper, and calcium than the white, and it contains all of the zinc.

Cooking with Eggs: Some hard-cooked eggs may have a greenish ring around the yolk. This is due to iron and sulfur compounds which form when eggs are overcooked or not cooled quickly. It may also indicate a high concentration of these minerals in your water. See the Basics of Water for more information on minerals in drinking water.

Occasionally several concentric green rings may be seen in hard-cooked egg yolks. A yolk develops within the hen in rings. Iron in the hen’s feed or water as the rings are formed may cause this coloring. 

Sometimes a large batch of scrambled eggs, when cooked at high heat, may turn green. Although not pretty, the color change is harmless. Hmm. This got me thinking about the Dr. Seuss book, “Green Eggs and Ham.” I wonder if Sam I Am was actually Uncle Sam and maybe the eggs were in big batches because they were Army rations? You see, this is how my mind is constantly working. . .seeing things from different perspectives. Or maybe the person in the book had egg allergies and eating them turned him green. . .anyway, let’s move on. . . 

Eggs should be cooked on medium heat for best flavor. 

Yolk color depends on the diet of the hen. Natural yellow-orange substances such as marigold petals may be added to light-colored feeds to enhance colors. Artificial color additives are not permitted. Hens fed mashes containing yellow corn and alfalfa meal lay eggs with medium yellow yolks, while those eating wheat or barley yield lighter-colored yolks. A colorless diet, such as white cornmeal produces almost colorless yolks. Natural yellow-orange substances such as marigold petals may be added to light-colored feeds to enhance yolk color. Yolk pigments are relatively stable and are not lost or changed in cooking. 

Why are home-grown eggs sometimes unwashed? Well, washing removes an egg’s natural antibacterial defense layer. Producers wash eggs with a machine and then dip the eggs in an oil solution to restore this layer. They also have automatic candling systems to check for blood spots and double yolks. These eggs are then filtered out of the process and put into pre-cracked egg mixtures and sold by the 5-gallon bucket.  

I was able to experience all stages of the egg laying process during vet school when I took my chicken block. Fascinating.

Types of Eggs:

Omega Eggs are high in beneficial omega 3 fatty acids and contain less saturated fat than conventional eggs. These eggs are produced by hens fed a patented diet that includes flax seed, algae, vegetables high in omega 3 fats, insects, lots of fresh green grass, fresh and dried fruit, and small amounts of corn. They contain 350 milligrams of omega 3 fatty acids compared with 60 milligrams in regular eggs. They are also slightly lower in cholesterol (by 35mg.) Omega 3 fatty acids increase the ratio of good (HDL) to bad (LDL) cholesterol in blood and decrease occurrence of blood clots and arrhythmias, research indicates. Omega-3 fatty acids are an essential component of the human diet and are needed for brain growth and development. They may be helpful in the prevention and treatment of heart disease, high blood pressure, inflammation, mental health disorders, diabetes, digestive disorders and autoimmune diseases.

 “Two Omega Eggs provide the same amount of Omega 3 fatty acids as a 3-ounce serving of salmon,” says the developer of the diet, Sheila Scheideler.

Vitamin-Enhanced Eggs– These eggs contain slightly higher amounts of Vitamin E, folate, lutein, Vitamin B-6, and Vitamin B-12, which are added to their growing diet.

Free-range eggs are those from hens who have access to nesting boxes, open floor space, perches and outdoor runs. The eggs from free-range hens contain significantly more folic acid and vitamin B12 and they may have a healthier omega fatty acid ratio than supermarket eggs.

Free run eggs are from hens allowed to roam freely in an enclosed facility. Producers undergo more work because egg safety and quality is more challenging to manage since eggs can come in contact with droppings, dirt, and can be laid in many places making quick egg collection a challenge. At least there is room to move and the chickens haven’t worn all the feathers off their necks because the cages are too small for all of them to sleep at once. Chickens in these types of pens have to stick their heads out for more room. I saw this during my chicken block in vet school. It made me sick.

Low Cholesterol Eggs are achieved by feeding an all-vegetable diet with canola oil as the fat source. A 50% reduction of cholesterol was reported by one company’s ad. 

The Low-Down on Salmonella: With clean, uncracked, fresh eggshells, internal contamination causing Salmonella rarely occurs. It has been estimated that one of every 20,000 eggs might contain the Salmonella bacteria. At this rate, if you’re an average consumer, you might encounter a contaminated egg once every 84 years. That’s not bad. In addition, if you handle the eggs properly, and rotate the eggs so they are always fresh, your chances of getting Salmonella from an egg is even slimmer.

And the Salmonella bacteria would most likely to be in the white. Here, it is unable to grow due to lack of nutrients. As the egg ages, however, the white thins and the yolk membrane weakens. This makes it possible for bacteria to reach the nutrient-dense yolk where they can grow, especially if the egg is kept at warm temperatures. Cooking kills Salmonella.

Salmonellosis is most often associated with animal foods, including chicken, eggs, pork and cheese, but has also been reported in cantaloupe, tomatoes, alfalfa sprouts, orange juice and cereal. Human carriers play a big role in transmitting some types of Salmonellosis, so Salmonella bacteria can easily spread from one food to another.

What are the symptoms of Salmonellosis? Signs of Salmonellosis include abdominal cramps, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, chills, fever and/or headache within 6 to 72 hours after eating. The symptoms usually last only a day or two in healthy people but can lead to serious complications for young children, pregnant women, elderly people and the ill whose immune systems are very weak.

Anyone who has had Salmonellosis may pass along the bacteria through the feces, sometimes up to one year in atypical cases, but usually for at least several weeks after recovering.  Salmonellosis is seldom fatal, and we have a couple of awesome homeopathic remedies to combat that disease.

Fun Facts about Eggs:

  • A hen requires 24 to 26 hours to produce an egg. Thirty minutes later, she starts the process all over again.
  • A series of eggs laid by one chicken is called a clutch. 
  • A great laying hen with a good diet can produce about 250 eggs/year.
  • The egg shell may have as many as 17,000 tiny pores over its surface. Through them, the egg can absorb flavors and odors. Storing them in their cartons helps keep them fresh.
  • Egg white protein quality is used as the “gold standard” for comparison with other proteins.
  • Eggs age more in one day at room temperature than one week in the refrigerator.

Nutritional Value of Eggs:

Whole eggs offer almost every essential vitamin and mineral needed by humans, with the exception of vitamin C.

A large egg has 215 mg of cholesterol, but only contains 4.5 grams of total fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 75 calories—59 of which are in the yolk. That’s good news for all you people who have multiple sclerosis, alzheimers and dementia who should be on an extremely effective, low-fat diet like the Swank diet. (www.swankmsdiet.com )

The egg yolk contains 45% of the egg’s protein, numerous minerals, and the majority of the egg’s vitamins.  

Eggs have a full complement of nicely balanced amino acids which we use in every cell of our body.

Eggs contain lecithin, choline, Vitamin A to supports the immune system and skin, Vitamin D and polyunsaturated oils which help utilize calcium and helps to draw it into the bones, Vitamin E which acts as an antioxidant, Vitamin B12 that helps build healthy blood cells, Folic acid to support the nervous system, inosital for brain sugar, niacin and other B Vitamins to thin the blood and support adrenal function. Most of us could use that extra adrenal support!

Eggs are high in Choline which is brain food: Anyone with nervous system or memory problems should eat more eggs. Choline is a key component cell membranes, whose flexibility and integrity depend on adequate supplies of choline. Choline also helps the bile which is produced by the gallbladder be more liquidy so that digestion will be more efficient.

One large egg provides 300 micrograms of choline (all in the yolk), and also contains 315 milligrams of phosphatidylcholine. Phosphatidylcholine is incorporated into cell membrane phospholipids. This makes for happier, healthier cells. In addition to its significant effects on brain function and the nervous system, choline also has an impact on cardiovascular health since it is one of the B vitamins that helps convert homocysteine, a molecule that can damage blood vessels, into other benign substances. Eggs are also a good source of Vitamin B12, another vitamin of major importance in the conversion of homocysteine into safe molecules.

Eggs increase Cell-to-Cell communication: Choline is also a key component of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that carries messages to and from nerves and muscles.

Eggs Help Prevent Blood Clots. Eating eggs may help lower risk of a heart attack or stroke by helping to prevent blood clots by inhibiting platelet aggregation.

Cardiovascular Help: Eggs provide antioxidants, folate, and other B vitamins that have been shown to decrease heart disease risk.

Protection Against Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Cataracts. Egg yolks contain a significant amount of two very important carotenoids: lutein and zeaxanthin, both carotenoids integral in the prevention of macular degeneration and heart disease. Lutein, a carotenoid thought to help prevent age-related macular degeneration and cataracts, may be found in even higher amounts in eggs than in green vegetables such as spinach. Natural lutein esters found in eggs are even more bioavailable than the stuff you can get in pill form or by eating spinach. This bioavailability is likely due to the fats (cholesterol and choline) found in egg yolk. Lutein, like other carotenoids, is fat-soluble, so cannot be absorbed unless fat is also present. To maximally boost your lutein absorption, combine both eggs and spinach.

Protection against the Food-Borne Pathogen, E. coli. A peptide (protein building block) found in egg white binds to the food-borne pathogen, E. coli O157:H7, thus preventing infection by helping the inactive bound bacteria to be released from the body through excretory pathways.

Eggs protect against breast cancer. Women consuming 3.8 or more servings each day of raw fruits and vegetables and six eggs per week showed a decrease in breast cancer rates by about 50%.

Egg Allergies: Although most outgrow it, a common cause of food allergy in infants and young children is the egg. Food allergies are abnormal responses of the body’s immune system to certain foods or ingredients. Food allergies can show up as: acne, anaphylactic shock, asthma, bed-wetting, bladder infections, bursitis, chronic gastrointestinal disturbances, depression, diarrhea, ear infections, eczema, fatigue, headache, hives, hyperactivity, insomnia, joint pain, migraine, nasal congestion, nausea, rashes, sinusitis, and skin rash.

People with food allergies usually need to eliminate the problem foods from their diet.

Why Eat Organic? Organically raised, free-range animal products contain less antibiotic and hormone residue and have a higher omega-3 and Vitamin E content. The eggs are laid by happy birds. That means more love goes into the egg, giving it superior nutritional value and a high vibration which makes your body happier. They also taste better.

Araucana Chickens: My favorite breed of chicken is the Araucana, (“air-uh-con-uh”) also called the Easter Egg Chicken, because it lays a variety of blue, green or olive-colored colored eggs. The Araucana was introduced into the United States during the late 1920s or early 1930s from South America (Chile). Araucanas are rumpless (they are missing a coccyx in their spine) and they possess ear tufts. Araucanas are used as both layers and meat birds. The cool thing about this bird is that when they interbreed with other breeds, the blue egg color goes with them.

References:

Media Reviews: The World’s Fastest Indian

Last month’s review (Straight from the Horse’s Mouth) was a bit of a stretch for me. I had one person who was alarmed that I would put my interview with Sherman into the newsletter. Well, these are things that I do in my spare time. Since I advocate that “Life is a Buffet and you must really try new things” then I guess I better just walk my talk, eh? A lot of people I talk to don’t know what their gifts to the world are. We all have several. 

Exploring new areas of interest (even areas of disinterest) sometimes unfolds a whole new career for us. The point is, pick a topic, delve into it and if you like a part of something, then dig deeper. Who knows, you may create a new job title one of these days. I believe everyone should go to play each day, instead of going to work. People should earn money by giving of their passion. 

On that note, I saw a great movie last month—The World’s Fastest Indian. We don’t get TV or the newspaper, so movies are our a regular form of entertainment. One of our favorite movie reviewers is Ben, who works at the local Movie Gallery. He said it was a “must see” and talked me into it. Since it was about riding motorcycles in the desert, I figured Michael would love it. 

The World’s Fastest Indian, ©2005 starring Anthony Hopkins is based on a true story about how a man from New Zealand broke the world’s record for Motorcycles at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah during the late 1960’s.  What I liked about Burt (Anthony Hopkins) was his “never say never,” always positive spirit. He made do with what he had and had a great attitude about it. Very focused. He said he was never afraid of anything because it was a useless emotion. 

And I liked the way his mind worked (because it’s the way mine works—we always relate to ourselves). As he was trying to figure out how to correct the way his motorcycle fishtailed at 85 miles/hour he figured if he added a lead weight just to the front of center point of gravity, that it would stop the wobble. He demonstrated the concept using a cigar and a toothpick. Well, he tried it and it didn’t work. By this time he had three accomplices and a following. He said to them, “That was a stupid idea. Who thought that up?” as he laughed after trying his idea out and almost killing himself. “You did, Burt!” they said. 

It reminds me of when I was first introduced to Dr. John Upledger. He was a “normal” M.D. until he was asked by the University to teach acupuncture. He had not even experienced it, so he set about experimenting with his patients who had no money using 25 gauge syringe needles. 

It seemed to work so well for HIS pain cases, that I thought I’d give it a go one night for my menstrual cramps. I figured I could figure it out fairly easily since he explained it pretty well on an audiocassette I had listened to. 

It was about 3 a.m.  In quite a bit of pain, I found some 25 gauge syringe needles, sat down in a Lazy Boy chair and stuck one into where the pain was. I figured it would take about 20 minutes for the treatment. Good thing, because it was a cold night and my feet were freezing. 

Well, about 10 minutes into the treatment, I saw that the needle was sucking into my abdomen. 

“Cool! Just like John talked about on the tape. Gee, he’s right. Thank goodness there’s a hub on that needle or it would be sucking right into my body and I couldn’t get it out!” 

During acupuncture, energy sometimes attracts the needle where the energy meridian is out of balance or too strong. The acupuncturist must occasionally twist the needle clockwise or counterclockwise to increase or decrease the energy, or in my case, to keep the needle moving freely so that fibrin threads do not adhere to it making it more difficult to pull out. 

I didn’t know this at the time.  

Then I felt a lump where the needle was. Only the room was dark and I didn’t want to turn on the light. I knew what it was anyway. . .an “energy cyst” coming out of my uterus—or so I thought with the education I had. 

“Now we’re getting somewhere.” I thought. “The negative emotions are just coming out of my uterus in a big ball of energy.” 

John had developed the phrase “Energy Cyst” just for this type of thing. Hands on learning. What an adventure! 

When I went to pull the needle out, it wouldn’t come out. “Wow! The negative vibes have glommed onto the end of the needle and formed a fibrin scar thread, just like I heard about on the audiocassette.” So I jerked the needle out and went to bed. 

“Hmm. Well, that didn’t seem to do too much for me, pain-wise.” I thought. 

The next morning I woke up and there was a bruise the size of a cantaloupe just below my belly button. I was non-plussed. It was just another experiment to me. 

Other people make such a fuss of things.

“What? Do you expect me to practice on my clients?” I asked defensively as my partner at that time huffed and puffed and stomped around the room telling me what an idiot I was for doing something that stupid. 

I know now that acupuncture needles have dull tips on them so they won’t penetrate arteries like I did with my little one-inch syringe needle. 

Gee, you can’t believe everything you hear I guess. Well, I gave it a go anyway. You’ve got to try things to make progress. 

Often, people often ask me how I know what things taste like as I describe the flavor while giving something to their pets. Well, duh. . . I taste them! Why send something home you know they can’t get down their child or their pet? They won’t get better that way! 

The World’s Fastest Indian. Rent it. You’ll like it. 

Tips and Tricks for a Healthier Life  

Want those farm-fresh eggs in the winter months when the hens stop laying? My girlfriend, Skeeter Lynch of Full Circle Farms says that they crack their extra eggs two eggs at a time, mix the yolks up a bit, and put them into zip-lock freezer bags to be thawed out later when the hens aren’t laying. 

And here’s that Ezine article that did not get accepted because it was less than 250 words: 

How to Keep Your Cat off the Counter by Dr. Denice Moffat 

Cats on the counter:  Clear strapping tape is an excellent hair removal device . . . and also useful for training cats to stay off kitchen counters. Lay several pieces of tape on the counter, sticky side up, where you think the cat will jump. Make sure you use only eight-inch pieces so the tape doesn’t strangle the cat after it freaks out when the counter “attacks” it. 

I love this method because the cat doesn’t associate the negative incident with your presence. You actually become the hero by removing the tape. This technique has worked with every cat owner I’ve ever shared it with. 

That spray bottle technique where you spritz the cats each time you see them on the counter never worked for my cats. They just waited until “mom” left the room to explore the counter tops! 

Healthy Recipes: Organic Bug Spray 

You can purchase an herbal bug spray called Buzz Away in your local health food store. A little goes a long way, and it’s quite effective. The animals don’t really like it and try to get away from it when you spray it on their fur or on their herbal flea collars, but during tick season, it’s worth it. They don’t like the chemical flea and tick sprays either! I think all these sprays intercede with their sense of smell, but it sure does seem to work well in keeping the mosquitoes and ticks off. I spray some on my pant legs before I walk through the forest or to go berry picking. 

If you want to make your own though (or use it as a very inexpensive room deodorizer) here’s a recipe for you: 

Organic Bug Spray 

2 ½ teaspoons total of any combination of the following essential oils (I carry the Starwest Botanical brand which is high-quality and reasonable priced): 

  • Sweet Basil
  • Juniper
  • Palmarosa
  • Citronella
  • Rosemary
  • Rose Geranium
  • Myrrh
  • Cedar wood
  • Pine

Please note that none of these oils should be applied to the skin neat (that means undiluted in the essential oil world). They are all skin irritants, so dilute your 2 ½ teaspoons with 1/2 cup 190 proof grain alcohol (they call it Everclear® in Montana) and ½ cup distilled water. 

Note: I’ve also used about 20 drops of essential oil in a 4 ounce spritz bottle and, instead of alcohol; I’ve filled the bottle up with distilled water. It seems to work just fine. Shake well before using though as it is an oil and water blend. 

Client Testimonials:  

From Nancy in New York: Hi Denice, I just got back from a softball game at the park and Angel came with me and she was GREAT! She was alert and went over to everyone. She seems so much happier! I can’t believe the difference in her in such a short time. You are our Angel!

~Nancy 

From Susan in Florida: Denice, Hi.  I’ve just finished chapter two in If Life Is a Game, These Are the Rules. My stress levels are down unless I have to deal with the Ex.  Almost have a lunula on my left middle finger.  I feel better.  Slept an extra 6 hours after getting some iron? I think it was that.  Then I felt better—like I’m sleeping deeper.  My lips seem redder, my eyes whiter, and my energy level is creeping up.  First it just seemed like I felt like I had energy, but I couldn’t do anything extra, now I find myself skipping steps and singing. . . .I haven’t done the pineapple yet or the worm stuff, I’ll give you a holler after a week or two of those. Thanks for checking in. 

From Rita in Montana: Thank you for checking on me.  I haven’t been able to buy any hot packs yet, but I’m going to go shopping tomorrow and will pick them up. Hopefully they will help.  Remind me again where on my neck I’m supposed to place them. The good news is that I have had only one acid reflux flare up (my own fault for over eating), so the choline must be helping.  Haven’t taken Protonix since my appointment. I’ve done fairly well eating pumpkin seeds, but have been slacking off on that this week.  Tomorrow I’ll go to the Food Co-op and restock.  I’ve been faithful about taking the Choline and Ester-C and vitamins, though. Getting a message from you is my incentive to keep at it. I lost 3 pounds the first week, but haven’t lost anything else—probably because I haven’t been sticking to the food groups.  Really need to get serious on that. Thanks for checking.  Let me know if you have any other great advice. 

(Denice’s Note: Warm the flax bag in the microwave—the only reason why I have a microwave at this point in my life—then put the packs on your chest just below the neck, which is where the thyroid glands are, for the minutes prescribed. Do that daily and it will increase the blood flow to the thyroid gland and get those hormones running again.) 

From Lorna in Delaware: The drops are working very well. My husband hasn’t had ANY hives in several weeks! I think he is more relaxed, since we found a way to work with his allergy. He is much happier…and so am I! I would like to order another bottle of the sulfite drops. Do I need to give you the exact name, because I have forgotten what they are called? I just know that they work!  

(Denice’s Note: They are called Food Additive Detox Drops—I never travel without them!) 

Inspiration & Perspective: What’s a Gatha?  

From Dr. Jeanne Yeasting: When the alarm goes off, I like to take a few moments and say one of the Vietnamese Buddhist Thich Nhat Hanh’s gathas (short verses designed to promote mindfulness): 

“Waking up this morning, I smile. Twenty-four brand new hours are before me. I vow to live fully in each moment and to look at all beings with eyes of compassion.” 

Saying this helps me to slow down, relax, and refocus—to begin my day welcoming whatever will come up. 

Thanks Jeanne. My favorite gatha is the Loving Kindness prayer. It goes like this: 

  • May I be filled with loving kindness.  May I be well.
  • May I be peaceful and at ease, and may I be happy. 
  • May you be filled with loving kindness.  May you be well.
  • May you be peaceful and at ease, and may you be happy.           
  • May we be filled with loving kindness. May we be well.
  • May we be peaceful and at ease, and may we be happy. 

This prayer has been put in chant form by Karen Drucker.  Go to: www.karendrucker.com to listen to the prayer. Beautiful! 

Ohmmm. 

What’s New at Our House?

We finished our chicken coop and inhabited it with six certified organic 16-month old hens! We are so pleased that we hired a photographer to take pictures.   

Our “girls” were used to running around several acres in their old home. I was concerned that they would be bored in their small pen, so we try to give them lots to do. I now mow three different yards besides our own at a rate of one bag of lawn clippings per day and throw it into the pen to keep them busy. I get more exercise, the girls like the grass and weeds, the rental properties are looking neater, our compost pile is becoming rich with humus and the neighborhood is looking pretty spiffy. It’s a good deal for everybody (and we get to eat the eggs!)  I just love those kind of multi-tasking projects! Ahh, country living in the city! 

This month we went to a going away party for Julie Bell, the girl who cooked and made much of the food for www.MaryJanesFarm.org magazines the last two years. I decided, since she is headed off to a fancy cooking school that I should bring something appropriate. I chose Bananas Flambé. 

Fortunately for me, I did a test run. Following the directions, I made a half-batch. When it came time to add the 151 rum I pulled the pan off the burner and had Michael add it to the sautéed bananas and WHAM! I don’t believe I’ve ever created that large of a blaze in any house of mine. As I was standing there with the pan in my hand praying that it would not scorch my paint job on our ten foot ceilings and holding it away from the shelf above the stove where other things could catch fire, Michael stood and watched as three fire alarms blazed. 

Of course I did not have a lid available to cover the pan. These things seem obvious after the fact. When it subsided to about a two-foot high blaze I could see that Michael could get around me to open the door without catching himself on fire. I took the pan outside laughing hysterically. 

Now, what to do with five pounds of bananas?! I made tapioca pudding with our fresh eggs and layered it between sliced bananas. It went over well, but when people raved about it asking what it was, all I could say was, “Bananas Flambé!” 

On July 2nd I was interviewed by Denise Flaim who writes articles on natural medicine techniques for Dog Fancy Magazine. She chose to feature one of my clients whose dog was once paralyzed and now walks nearly perfectly with the help of special diets, supplements, herbs and chiropractic adjustments. I’ll let you know when her article comes out. 

Michael and I took off a day for our annual anniversary celebration to go pick huckleberries. We now have a 2-gallon stash to last us until next year. We were very discouraged to find that some people picking professionally were using metal rakes to harvest the berries. The process is doing quite a bit of damage to the bushes and breaking off all the berries that could have been harvested by others later. There were always plenty of berries for everyone before someone started doing this last year. Hmm. What do to? Anybody have any suggestions for the health and safety of our Forest Service huckleberry patches? If so, please email me. This has to stop. 

We also took a couple days off and traveled over to Washington to paint the trim on my mom’s house and go to my 30 year high school class reunion. It was the first reunion I had ever attended. I had some expectations so the event was less than perfect for me.  I’m not much of a socializer and there were no “reintegration games.” And neither Michael nor I could hear over the music—and the heat! Man! I was able to reconnect with a couple people who had befriended me during that time. I asked several people what they had accomplished for the world over the last 30 years. They looked at me in shock. Oh well. . . 

Local Events: Backyard Harvest 

Do you have any extra produce? What started as an accident of planting a whole packet of lettuce seeds in 2005 has turned into a project that is benefiting our entire community. Amy Grey and her son ended up with 200 heads of lettuce in her garden which she donated to all the local food banks. This fruitful experience acted as the nidus for other seed thoughts to grow into her project which she now calls, “Backyard Harvest.” This year Amy enlisted the help of Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute which is providing pick-up and drop off of any extra produce grown from backyard gardeners. Others donating to the project are the Moscow Community Garden, Fiddler’s Ridge nursery, Washington State University Organic Garden, Affinity Farm and the University of Idaho Soil Stewards. This year Grey expects to donate about 2000 pounds of produce to the following organizations: Community Action Partnership Food Bank (in Lewiston, ID), Moscow Nazarene Food Bank, Pullman Food Bank, Friendly Neighbors Meal Site, Harvest House and Moscow Food Bank. Kelly Kingsland of Affinity farms donates her leftover organic produce after the Moscow Farmers Market and the Tuesday Farmer’s Market.  

See what one person can do when Spirit moves through them? To donate or volunteer, visit www.backyardharvest.org (Ref: Moscow-Pullman Daily News Weekend July 22 & 23, 2006 Edition.) 

That’s it for this Month!

Be Healthy.

Please forward to a friend. 

Dr. Denice Moffat is a practicing naturopath, medical intuitive, and veterinarian working on the family unit (which includes humans and animals) through her phone consultation practice established in 1993. She has a content-rich website at www.NaturalHealthTechniques.com and this free newsletter.