NATURAL HEALTH TECHNIQUES NEWSLETTER
December, 2007 Issue 3 Number 9
In This Issue:
- Health in the News: What’s in a Health Claim?
- What’s New on the Website? Updated Sign-up Form, Adding to Lists, Stamps.com, Price Increase Support
- Case of the Month: New Year’s Resolutions Alternative substituted for Case of the Month
- Product of the Month: Carrots
- Media Reviews: Movie—The Ultimate Gift
- Ask Dr. Moffat: When is it acceptable to give our dog leftovers? Help for epicondylitis.
- Tips and Tricks for a Healthier Life: Carrots and Glycemic Index
- Client Testimonials: Headaches and Walnuts. Love your website but can’t afford a consult.
- Healthy Recipes: Cranberry Marmalade
- Inspiration & Perspective: 12 Support Groups We Need in Life. Life is a Game of Boomerangs
- What’s New at Our House? Big “money saving” ideas gone bad. I got a new desk!
- Local Events: January 12th Animal Totem Workshop
(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.)
Health in the News: What’s in a Health Claim?
Health claims sell food. . .but are the claims true?
In September 2006, Hannaford Brothers, a New England chain store with 158 supermarkets in five states developed a system called Guiding Stars that rated the nutritional value of nearly all the food and drinks at its stores from zero to three stars. Of the 27,000 products that were plugged into Hannaford’s formula, 77 percent received no stars, including many, if not most, of the processed foods that advertise themselves as good for you.
What? No stars for V8 Juice? Campbell’s Healthy Request Tomato soup? Lean Cuisine and Healthy Choice frozen dinners?
No. They have too much sodium to qualify, so are considered nutritionally flawed. And forget about any flavor yogurt but plain. They have too much sugar in them to get any stars. Most fruits and vegetables earned three stars and so did salmon and Post Grape-Nuts cereal (gee, I thought that was pretty sugary myself). Even the low-sodium version of V8 got no stars under the Hannaford system.
So, what IS this scale and how does it work? Well, the scale evaluates a 100-calorie serving of each product using only the information that is available on the “nutrition facts” panel and the ingredients list. A product receives credit for vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber and whole grains, but is docked points for trans fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, added salt and added sugar.
“Many products that are marketed as healthy received zero stars from Hannaford because they contain too much salt or sugar or not enough nutrients,” said Lisa A. Sutherland, an assistant professor of pediatrics and a nutrition scientist at Dartmouth Medical School who was part of the advisory panel that developed Hannaford’s formula.
Of course these companies are aligned with the government’s “very stringent” definition of what healthy is. Hmm. Maybe we should raise those standards? This last month I read several articles touting the health benefits of chocolate. Maybe they are talking about chocolate when used as a condiment. . .not as a meal substitute!
The Hannaford scale is an example of third party standards that are higher than our own Food and Drug Administration. It bothers me that so many foods and drugs seem to get onto our shelves when the marketing campaign is all that is driving it. I routinely cull out products that I call the “herb of the month” as my clients present them as the newest, latest, greatest product available that will heal anything it touches. Is the public so naïve that they believe all this marketing hype? Well, some people do.
I recognized fairly quickly in my career that I could never own or operate a health food store. I just can’t bear the thought of selling someone one of these fad products that turns out not to work (and some actually cause harm in the long run.) And lots of supplements sound good and go in phases—I know this after culling $2,027 worth of expired supplements and homeopathics off my shelves this month. It’s not like I can put those products on sale. Bummer, eh? Well, that’s just the cost of doing business. It’s all a balancing act.
Hannaford’s scale is an attempt to offer guidance to shoppers who want it. Hannaford’s nutritionists acknowledge that their system is more stringent than the guidelines used by the F.D.A. The food agency sets standards that food manufacturers must use when they define a product as, say, low in fat or high in fiber and companies may use those designations even if the product is loaded with less desirable ingredients.
And if they just use a tiny amount (under the GRAS amount—Generally Regarded As Safe) they don’t have to list it on the label. Or if we sell chemicals illegal to use in this country to a third-world country who use it on their orchards and sell their products back to us (like DDT) we don’t have to put that on the package either.
Gee, this just does not seem right. Shouldn’t they have to list the poisons on the package as well? Shouldn’t there be full disclosure? Or do we have to know each and every farmer supplying us with food? It’s something to think about.
Nutritionists and food industry analysts said that Hannaford’s findings highlight some unpleasant truths about Americans and their eating patterns. People want to be healthier but do not want to change their behavior. I’ve found this to be true, but it seems like year after year food items get sweeter, saltier or more inundated with fake chemicals to make us think the item has flavor.
When I was in undergraduate school taking classes for my Animal Science degree they were running all kinds of experiments to find ways to use whey, a waste byproduct in overabundance from the dairy industry. We were trying to figure out how much of it could safely be incorporated into pig diets before it had negative side affects. I can see this was unnecessary because now they put whey into everything to make things sweeter and we also use whey as a protein supplement! Gives me phlegm.
To read more about the Guiding Stars system and delve into recipes using the foods that actually have passed this stringent analysis, go to: https://www.hannaford.com/Contents/Healthy_Living/Guiding_Stars/how_guiding_stars_work.shtml
What’s New on the Website?
Adding to the Lists portion of the website: My new friend Zheng is helping me to build some lists that will help a lot of you. I’ve had a book of lists for years that I’ve used during my consults to determine specifically what people have challenges with and what they are allergic to. The problem was that often the lists were photo copies of indexes. Zheng volunteered to type up a few for us. Thanks Zheng. You can see the updated lists here:
/ExamForms-MedicalIntuitive/exam_forms_list.htm
Updated Sign-up form: A few of you have emailed saying that my sign up form for the newsletter was not working correctly. I rebuilt the form. Hopefully it works now. Please let me know if it does not and I’ll try again!
Stamps.com: Would you like fries with that? Stamps? Overnight for just $50? Rotten fish? Booze? I just couldn’t take standing in line any more at the post office let alone all the extra questions, so I broke down and learned a new program. It’s called www.stamps.com . I can purchase postage on line and print mailing labels (most of the time) with my home printer. I was mailing 2-8 packages/day all hand-done, writing out the labels over and over and we were spending 10-50 minutes driving to and standing in line at the post office sometimes twice each day.
Oh my Gosh! I can’t believe how easy this is and I figured it saves us more than 150 hours of standing in line each year. Do you realize that this is over three 40-hour work weeks in time we save? Imagine.
Notice of Price Increase as of 1/1/2008: (The last increase was over 4 years ago!) Get your consults while the prices are good!
MY NEW FEES WILL BE:
- First Consult (in person or via phone) $85
- Follow-up Consults $65/hour
- Recheck Supplements over the phone $20
- Recheck Supplements On Line $25
- Supplement Prices will remain unchanged
A big thanks to my clients for supporting me in this! You’ve been telling me for years that I have not been charging enough. Oh, I knew that. Thanks for all those extra tips. I wish you all health and wealth in the upcoming years. Love Denice
From the peanut gallery:
Oh, good job. It’s about time! That lady I saw in Orlando just about killed me when she all but drained my account. I have a friend coming your way. Her son has a peanut allergy (along with other outside allergies.) She told me the doctor said “he’s an inside boy.” I told her that was a load and EVERYONE needs to be outside. Take care. Have a PEACEFUL Holiday. Amy
Good for you, for giving yourself a raise. Skeeter
Case of the Month: New Year’s Resolutions? An Alternative to Resolutions
(This isn’t exactly a Case of the Month, but it’s an important technique used to shift your consciousness—and most of us need that at times, so I’m using it instead of a case this month.)
I know most of you don’t like making New Year’s Resolutions because you can’t keep them. But have you ever just CELEBRATED what you have accomplished the previous year? We do. Every year around this time we have a mocha at Starbucks and grab our appointment books and calendars to glance through to find our accomplishments.
We focus on these areas: Physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, business, career, community, family, relationships, projects, home, celebrations, and Random Acts of Kindness. Sometimes we have to remind each other how we’ve touched other people’s lives in positive ways because neither one of us is that big on “tooting our own horns”. It takes us a couple of hours, but it’s worth it. Thought you’d like some ideas for your own lists, so here’s mine for 2007:
100 Things I Accomplished in 2007 (/new-years-resolutions-alternative.htm
Oh, and I came up with a few more to top the list out.
- Finished the garden shed and chicken coop metal roofing projects.
- Gave lots of starts and plants away to people who wanted and would care for them.
- Purchased my first new couch ever.
- Purchased a new refrigerator when the old one quit.
- Went to two weddings and one memorial service.
- Figured out (with help) how to back up my computer using My Notebook.
- Completed a 5-Day water only fast.
- Completed year one of a five year cycle to pay everything off in full (including the house).
- Empowered a client to quit her job, set some boundaries and take care of her cancer.
- Supported local businesses.
- Read an Abraham quote (www.Abraham-Hicks.com) every morning and every evening.
- Continued to honor, cherish, value and love my husband on a daily basis.
Thank you God! And so it is. . .
Product of the Month: Carrots!
Compare the ingredients of a typical multivitamin/mineral with that of what is in a carrot. (Thanks to Standard Process Labs for providing this info. I’ve been trying to locate this handout for two years now to show you!)
“Complete” Multivitamin purchased off the shelf of a retail store:
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People often ask me if there isn’t just a pill that they can take that will make their diet better. I don’t think they appreciate it when I tell them they need to focus on whole foods and better eating habits. The health benefits of fruit and vegetables are additive and synergistic combinations of phytochemicals. That’s one reason why we use high-quality food-based supplements and organic whole herbs when we can. Here’s one example:
What’s in a Carrot? Well, now that you ask. . .
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Gee, a bit more stuff in a carrot than in vitamins off the shelf.
Helpful Links and References:
Media Reviews: Movie Review: The Ultimate Gift (2006)
A story that just keeps giving.
Michael and I liked this 4-Star family movie on the gift of giving Time, Talent, Love and Dollars. We love it for the great morals/values kind of movie that it is.
When his wealthy grandfather dies, trust fund baby Jason Stevens (Drew Fuller) anticipates a big inheritance. Instead, his grandfather, Red Stevens (James Garner) has devised a crash course on life with twelve tasks – or “gifts” – designed to challenge Jason in improbable ways, sending him on a journey of self-discovery and forcing him to determine what is most important in life: money or happiness.
Emily (Abigale Breslin), age 11 has cancer but it is not evident to Jason. One of the gifts Jason has to accomplish is to have just one friend who loves you with no strings attached. When asked how long she intends to stay friends with Jason she tells the attorney (Bill Cobbs) in charge of the project, “I intend to know him my whole life!”
Brian Dennehy (love this guy) plays Gus, an old time friend of Jason’s grandfather. One of the gifts involves Jason putting in a fence for Gus. Gus goes to pick him up one day and says to Jason, “I wish I had a dollar for every fence post I ever set. . .as a matter of fact, I do!” As the camera pans his miles of acres with hundreds of miles of fence posts, Jason “gets it” that it sometimes takes hard work to get where you want to go. (You can see this scene on the YouTube called, Rude awakening for Jason segment here):
See the Trailer: https://www.theultimategift.com/ Based on the best-selling book, “The Ultimate Gift” by Jim Stovall. Directed by Michael O. Sajbel.
Ask Dr. Moffat:
Question: Why can’t I just take an Allium capsule to get the benefits of that particular chemical that garlic and onions have? Why do I have to eat the vegetable? Wouldn’t the capsule be better since the Allium is more concentrated that way?
Answer: There is WAY more than just Allium in garlic. All the components in whole foods work together synergistically. That doesn’t happen when only one component is concentrated, except perhaps to rebuild deficiencies or to replace a specific nutrient that the body is using up faster than all the rest. Let me give you an example:
Say we want to build a house (this represents our body) and we have all the components to do so. We want to go faster, so we purchase an extra truckload of power tools (vitamins)—only there are no workers (representing enzymes) to work the power tools. Allium would be the power tool. Raw foods supply the enzymes (workers). Understand?
Herbs and supplements come into and go out of vogue every month depending on someone’s expert hands at writing a compelling paper that entices you to purchase their supplements. There is no substitute for whole foods.
Denice: Help me out if you have time. Every once in a while Rory will give Colby (our dog) a plate to lick sitting in the TV room or at the table after he is finished. He insists that “it is only a few scraps”. Now I have no problem with giving Colby scraps, but feel that she should always be feed on the back porch, so she doesn’t learn to be expecting or silently begging for handouts. Correct me if I am wrong, but what is your opinion?
Dear Debbie: As long as she eats AFTER the alpha pair (that’s you and Rory) everything should be fine. It’s up to the alpha to tell her when she can eat and to correct her if she starts to beg. So, she needs to be in her spot or lying down until it’s her turn to have leftovers.
One really great resource I think you’d like is a book called, The Dog Listener by Jan Fennell. I did a book review on that once. (See /newsletter/May06_files/May06.htm) Jan explains the process quite well. Seems to work at our house!
And as a side note? Fatty scraps are never the best choice. Dogs should get only lean meat scraps. No chicken bones, rib bones, or cooked bones that will splinter and puncture the gut. Raw and cooked vegetables and some raw fruit a few times each week will also keep your dog healthy so she/he will live a long life. And if your dog has any skin problems, most dogs can eat 2-5 eggs/week (cooked) which will help gloss up the coat.
Hello! My name is Carla and I signed up to receive your newsletter. I have been reading all of the incredible information on your web pages as well! I just have to keep returning to read more! I wanted to ask a question: Is there anything that would help treat epicondylitis? The doctor said this is what my husband has that is causing his left arm pain. Any advice for this problem would be very much appreciated. Please Help! Thanks for your time. Carla
Dear Carla: I’m sure there are some supplements that would help your husband and if you’re ready, we can set up and appointment for him. The next best bet though would be a Nikken Elbow Elastomag wrap. I think the cost would be around $120 plus shipping. You should be able to find a distributor locally. One of my best friends had that and actually became a distributor because it worked so well. Read about magnets on my site here: /BasicsofHealth/magnetic_field_repair.htm.
Sometimes I notice that the head of the radius is slightly subluxated (this happens a lot with massage therapists) and over time can cause some inflammation of the elbow. If this is the case, a chiropractor would be in order to reset the bone.
And some people are greatly helped by just having their workplace evaluated by a trained chiropractor who knows about Ergodynamics. These types of practitioners can tell you what height to sit at, where to place your keyboard and evaluate what the person is doing to cause a challenge like what your husband is experiencing and if it’s work-related.
Of course you usually have to work without a cat on your lap so heavy that she makes your butt fall asleep and a dog at your feet that is preventing you from setting your feet flatly on the floor. Guess Ergodynamics doesn’t work too well at our house. I’ve got to get up and stretch now. I hope the blood goes back into my feet. To read more about Ergodynamics, go to: https://www.ergodynamics.net
Tips and Tricks for a Healthier Life: Carrots and their glycemic index.
I’d put this one under Ask Dr. Moffat, but I never get this question. Mostly people with sugar challenges tell me that they stay away from carrots and potatoes because they are high in sugar. But when I ask them what they eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks and what they drink, I can see that they don’t understand the concepts of the glycemic index! For example:
Three large “sugary” whole, sliced or grated carrots have a volume of about 3 cups. The sugar content (and glycemic load) is equal to:
- 1 ½ pieces of Bread or ¾ of a small Bagel (not even a whole sandwich)
- 15 French fries (not even a small order of fries)
- 3 Graham crackers
- ¾ of a plain, small Donut (not sugar coated, filled, or decorated in any way)
- 1 ½ ounces of Granola (a scant ¼ cup) (Most people eat about a cup—then add milk/sugar!)
- ¾ of a small Muffin (not a large Costco muffin, just ¾ of a small home-made one)
- ¾ cup Pasta or Rice of any kind (I don’t know how you eat, but 2 cups of pasta is a meal size for me. I then add sauce which is more carbs and often have a piece of bread and/or some wine with that meal!)
- ¾ of a Hamburger Bun or Hot Dog Bun (Most people don’t throw out the top half of their bun I’ve noticed. Plus, they order fries and a large drink!)
- ½ cup of Ice Cream (That’s one small scoop, not a whole bowl with toppings.)
- 1 ½ cups of Wine or 4 ½ ounces of Hard Liquor
- 1 Mocha Latte (12-ounce—the smallest one available)
- 10 ounces of Soda Pop (less than one whole can)
- 1 whole Banana
- 1 flour Tortilla (10-inch diameter)
- ¾ of a 2 ounce Candy bar
- 1 ½ ounces of Chocolate
- 3 Beers (12-ounce)
- 6 teaspoons of Jam or Jelly
It’s pretty easy to combine a carrot with some other low-glycemic foods to make a whole satisfying meal. On the other hand, ¾ of a small muffin just does not fill me up. What about you?
Many of my clients tell me they can’t eat as much food as I suggest (fruits and vegetables they mean). They say their stomach is too small. The trick is to cut out some of the above items and add in more of the good stuff.
Now, picking the lowest glycemic load foods and comparing them to three carrots (or the list below that), you’d have to eat:
- 12 Artichokes
- 36 Asparagus spears
- 9 cups of Broccoli
- 30 cups of Lettuce or Parsley
- 10 ½ cups Spinach
- 1 ½ Apples
- 2 ½ cups Mixed Berries
- 1 cup Oatmeal
- 4 ½ cups Green Beans
- 9 cups Cabbage
Seems so much easier for that piece of chocolate to slip down our esophagus, doesn’t it?
Client Testimonials:
Hi Denice, Jenny (my daughter) is doing better. No walnuts at all and really watching the wheat. I found out that she was going to the barn and eating the walnuts off our walnut tree after I talked to you. That was why her headaches were getting worse, so you were right on that. Getting her to take her veggie pills is like pulling teeth. She moans, and groans about how they smell like rabbit food. I said, “At least they don’t smell like rabbit poo!”
I did have a blood panel done on her and a urinalysis last week. You were right, her bladder is bothering her. Not so much pain, but just frequent urination. About a week after I talked with you she came marching in the kitchen talking about going to the bathroom and your question rang in my head.
It is much easier changing diet and getting all of your recommended goodies into my horses than it is getting them into my children! Hope all is well, Lisa
Lisa: You’re so funny! I agree about the horses vs. children thing. Glad “we” could be of some assistance with the headaches and bladder thing before it got out of hand! Love to you and thanks for all of the referrals. Denice
Client Testimonials: Looking forward to the day I can afford a consultation.
Note: Sometimes people wonder why it takes a bit of time to get their emails answered. Loved this email, but I edited it down to about 30% of what she sent! I try to help those who are asking for things that I have knowledge of and I encourage them to not give up and to make small lifestyle changes. Most times an appointment is really necessary (like in this case,) but if they can’t afford an appointment. . .
Dear Dr Moffat: I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your Web site.
Over the past few years, I had gone from a vibrant energetic person to an anxiety ridden, energy drained, lump. It had interfered with my relationships with my family, my work, my sanity, and my serenity. Four years ago, I discovered that my long term “Irritable Bowel” of 34 years was actually undiagnosed Celiac’s disease.
This, in addition to an automobile accident, led to problems with short term memory issues, severe anxiety, depression, extremely low energy, and ultimately to a panic disorder with social phobias. Seeking help through western medicine led to medications with limited relief of signs and symptoms.
I started adding 1 to 2 supplements at a time. Then, I learned the method of muscle testing you described on your site. I take what my body tells me to each day. Each day, I felt a little better but was still very, very impulsive in action and thought. So, I went back to your website and read more. And more. And more. After years of struggling with my body, my ego, my mind, etc. I am feeling better. I am walking nearly every day. I can run up the three flights of stairs to my office. My brain is tracking well, my short term and long term recall is increasing daily.
I am looking forward to the day when I can afford to have several sessions with you. I believe that with your broad base of knowledge and your skills as a Medical Intuitive you can help me stay on my path to health and overall wellbeing.
You are a gift to the world. Thanks for sharing with me. Love and light, Candie D
Dear Candie: Thanks for reading the site! I put hundreds of hours into it every year. My theory being, Jesus said, “Give the gifts away!” If you sign up for my newsletter, you’ll get a link to the Free Bonus Report. That should keep you busy until you can afford a consult. And “several” consults would not usually be needed. One to three consults usually gets people on track. Be healthy! Denice
Healthy Recipes: Cranberry Marmalade
- 2 teaspoons Fresh Grated Ginger
- 12 oz. (one bag) fresh Cranberries
- 2 Oranges
- 2 cups Water
- 5 cups Cane Sugar (Beet sugar contains sulfites, so I use cane.)
- 1 package Certo
In a large stainless steel pot bring to boil then simmer the water, ginger, and cranberries. Finely chop the orange rinds and slice the orange fruit and add this to the pot, simmering another 10 minutes. Add the sugar and bring to a rolling boil for one minute. Add the Certo and bring to a rolling boil for an additional minute.
Dispense the marmalade into pre-sterilized glass jars which were kept in a hot water bath. Makes about 6 cups.
Inspiration & Perspective: Twelve Support Groups
This one was shared by Terri from my Master Mind Group. I thought it was great (and true) so thought I’d share it.
Twelve Support Groups We All Need
(Each is composed of one or many people.)
1. Comforter – someone who would hold you through the night.
2. Confidant – someone you can tell things to who will not tell anyone else.
3. Intellectual Stretcher – someone to stimulate your thinking.
4. Health Nut – someone who encourages you to be healthy.
5. Fun, Adventure, Danger Person – someone to keep life fun.
6. Listener – someone who will listen when you need an attentive ear.
7. Professional Helper – councilor, pastor, psychologist, etc. – someone trained to help.
8. Crisis Person – kind of person who brings you chicken soup when you are sick.
9. Energy Person – someone who peps you up when you are tired.
10. Unconditional Acceptor – mama person, who loves you no matter what.
11. Spiritual Person – someone who encourages and boosts your faith.
12. Empathy Person – someone who’s been there themselves.
“The game of life is the game of boomerangs. Our thoughts, deeds and words return to us sooner or later with astounding accuracy.” –Florence Scovel Shinn, Author
What’s New at Our House? Big “money saving” ideas gone bad.
We really like the squirrels that come to our yard. My clients like them, too. Maggie especially loves trying to get them and it keeps her busy during my 90-minute consults. We end up spending about $200/year on sunflower seeds alone, so last month I figured I’d save a bunch of money if I purchased corn on the cob while in season and dehydrated it myself in our oven as each ear costs about a dollar at the store and we’re using about two/week for the squirrel feeder during the winter months.
Another entrepreneurial adventure gone awry. What a mistake that was!
It took about 5 days to dehydrate the ears of corn. Of course I purchased the edible kind, not the variety they use for silage and animal feed. Nothing but the best for our squirrels. And it was organic. Kind of stinky as it dehydrates as well. One gets pretty tired of that smell, but you want to make sure that they are fully dried or they will mold and produce Aspergillus mold (the kind that was found in all the canned dog and cat food that killed all those animals earlier in the year.)
No telling how much our electric bill has gone up. Take if from me, it’s definitely cheaper to purchase corn on the cob at your local feed store.
I got a new desk this month! I was decluttering the house and decided to dust and discard the expired supplements and homeopathics. Well, one thing lead to another and my board on two file cabinets desk attached to the other “free, take me home” laminated junker desk I had been using for the past 6 years just didn’t fit the new look. So, on New Year’s Day Michael and I purchased a beautiful oak desk. My computer was down for about four days so now I’m behind, but that’s OK because I feel GREAT in my new workspace.
This is going to be a great year.
Local Events: January 12, 2008 Animal Totem Workshop 10am to 4pm $45 call (509) 397-2608 to register with Molly Rice.
That’s it for this Month!
Be Healthy. Denice
- Dr. Denice Moffat
- 1069 Elk Meadow Lane
- Deary, ID 83823
- (208) 877-1222 USA
- www.NaturalHealthTechniques.com
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 free newsletter.