FLU SHOT OR NOT?

Here's a great article written by naturopathic doctor, Kelly Jennings.

November marks the onset of flu season, when people begin to wonder whether to get flu shots. In general, I do not recommend them for healthy adults & children. There are many safe alternatives to prevent the need for the flu shot; you should certainly be well-informed and know your options.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that everyone over age 65 get a yearly flu shot and a one-time dose of pneumococcal (pneumonia) vaccine as part of their adult vaccination schedule. The CDC is also recommending flu shots for infants over 5 months of age.

What you should know:

1) Use of the influenza vaccine was not associated with preventing hospitalizations or reducing physician visits for the flu in children age 5 and younger during two recent seasons, perhaps because the strains of virus in the vaccine did not match circulating strains, according to a report in the October issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. (http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/flu-vaccine-not-associated-with-reduced-hospitalizations-or-outpatient-visits-among-young-children-17517.html)

2) Prevention is key. Researchers have shown that exercise alone protects mice against the flu, even when these mice were specifically infected with the influenza virus. (http://www.scienceblog.com/community/older/2004/1/2004716.shtml)

When you exercise you increase the circulation of blood and immune components throughout your body, which means your immune system has a better chance of finding an illness early on, before it has a chance to spread. Exercise, and other activities that promote circulation, like hydrotherapy and dry skin brushing, help your immune system to be more efficient in weeding out and acting upon viruses and diseases. For more information about hydrotherapy and dry skin brushing, call the office to schedule your preventive medicine and lifestyle assessment, part of your annual physical.

3) Know what’s in your vaccine!

Some common additives to the flu vaccine include thimerosal, formaldehyde, chicken egg protein, hydrocortisone and phenol. (http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/downloads/appendices/B/excipient-table-2.pdf).

4) It’s Benefit May Be Overestimated

In a February 2005 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases compared flu-related mortality among older people to rates of immunization. Their finding: During the past quarter century, immunization rates for the elderly have climbed substantially while the elderly flu-related mortality rate has stayed the same. The authors of the research wrote: “We conclude that observational studies substantially overestimate vaccination benefit.”

5) It May Work, It May Not

Each year the flu vaccine is newly redesigned, using several strains from different types of flu that were common the season before. So the 2008-09 vaccine is, in theory, ideal for protecting you from last year’s primary flu types. Vaccine developers assume that whatever new flu mutations come our way this season will not be much different than last year’s strains. The CDC admits that “In some years when vaccine and circulating strains were not well-matched, no vaccine effectiveness may be able to be demonstrated (Bridges,JAMA 2000). It is not possible in advance of the influenza season to predict how well the vaccine and circulating strains will be matched, and how that may affect vaccine effectiveness.”

6) The Best Defense

If you pick up a flu virus, you won’t necessarily come down with the flu. Whether or not you become ill––or how sick you actually get––depends on how well your immune system deals with the virus. The key is immunity.

The flu shot is designed to prepare the immune system to fight specific virus strains. A more effective approach might be to prepare and strengthen your OVERALL immune system by taking these steps:

* Enhance circulation: exercise, hydrotherapy, dry skin brushing
* Eat a balanced diet of nutritious, fresh, whole foods
* Manage stress levels
* Get the right amount of sleep
* Supplement! Use proven immune system enhancers, such as Vitamin D, C, A, and antioxidants: all of which have been shown to help fight colds and flu. Selenium is also an effective flu fighter, as is zinc and N-acetylcysteine (NAC), an amino acid that stimulates your body to produce the powerful antioxidant enzyme glutathione.

Winter Health Tips

1) Eat protein for breakfast. And make it warm and tasty! Ideas to get you salivating:
Quinoa porridge with cardamom, pine nuts, flax seeds and coconut milk
Baked apples with cinnamon and almond butter
Soft-boiled egg with turkey bacon
Brown rice with avocado and black beans

2) Everyday, eat the colors of the rainbow:
Red: beets, red chard, radishes, purple cabbage, berries, apples
Orange/Yellow: carrots, squash, pumpkin, onions, garlic, ginger, cauliflower
Green: spinach, kale, chard, mustard greens, brussel spouts, brocolli, cucumbers, zucchini, cabbage, apples

3) Avoid sugar when you are sick or when you want to avoid getting sick. Why? Because sugar suppresses the immune system. It’s that simple.

4) Maintain a regular sleep schedule. Sleep is powerful medicine because it helps you set your internal rhythms, key players in immune function.

5) Eliminate TV time and increase movement time to boost your immunity with exercise.

6) Ditch the coffee and drink immune boosting teas with herbs like chamomile, mint, nettles and Echinacea.

7) Get a healthy dose of the sunshine vitamin - Vitamin D!

The River of Health & How You Can Clean It Up!

Your life is akin to the life of a river. There is a beginning and an end. It is constantly flowing and changing. The health of a river is affected by the environment and what goes into that river. The beginning of the river is like the beginning of life – we enter into the world in the purest form we will ever embody. As one goes further down the river, the river is subject to various environmental stressors that impair the quality of the river. This is also true for the human body – it is affected by everything in the external and internal environment, such as: air, soil, water, food, medications, drugs, alcohol, chemicals, pesticides, hormones, genetics, and emotions. All of these substances interact with the body everyday when it performs functions necessary for life.

Because the global environment that we have created produces more waste than we can efficiently eliminate as a planet, there is an increased need for innovative ways to reduce waste and clean up the environment. Since we are part of the global environment, by polluting the environment we have polluted ourselves. We are all “down river”; therefore innovative ways to detoxify ourselves are needed as well.

The one system of medicine that can effectively address all of these factors is Naturopathic Medicine.

If we ignore this problem, health progressively worsens. Like a river, we may look healthy on the surface, but internally there is a build-up of waste that needs to be cleaned out. If the body does not get cleaned out in a timely fashion, more serious complications will arise.

The first time you experience a symptom usually indicates that the underlying problem has been there for a long time and has built up to the point where it is now finally noticeable. The best way to address this is PREVENTION, meaning that the best time to learn how to effectively eliminate waste is before it builds up, before serious disease arises.

To begin your journey on the River of Health, start with the following:
- Drink adequate amounts of water - typically 1/2 your body weight in ounces
- Avoid caffeinated beverages - yes, this means coffee!
- Eat adequate amounts of fiber from fresh fruits and vegetables, flax seeds, legumes, nuts, and seeds
- Exercise - sweating is a natural way to eliminate toxins
- Deep Breathing
- Buy organic - see previous post about the 12 must-buy-organic foods (a.k.a The Dirty Dozen)

For those with current medical conditions, the above basics are supplemented with a gentle and effective detoxification program designed by a Naturopathic Doctor to meet an individual’s unique health concerns. When naturopathic detoxification is incorporated into everyday life, the health benefits are immediate and far-reaching. Naturopathic therapies that are used in the detoxification process include clinical nutrition, homeopathy, and botanical medicine.

Love Life By Minding Your Carbon Footprint

"Love Life" is a Vlog by actress-ecoist Daryl Hannah, all about how to love your HEALTH and your PLANET.

Here's an episode (if you have a few minutes) that gives us examples of how to be mindful of our carbon footprints. She suggests simple things like using your car one less day a week, eating meat one less day a week, air-drying laundry and changing lightbulbs to the energy saver variety . Hey, that's no problem. How to take it is step further? Daryl herself lives completely off the grid, drives a biodiesel car, and tries to grow most of her food in her own organic garden. Nicely done, Daryl.



Another interesting tidbit I uncovered about using your electric clothes dryer:
Dr. Enshayan, an engineer at the University of Northern Iowa, learned from his local utility company that his town, Cedar Falls, Iowa, spends about $1.3 million to dry clothes every year. His county spends something like $5 million, the city of Des Moines $19 million, and the whole state of Iowa, $117 million. Just to dry clothes!

Creating positive change in the planet begins with a single person. If you make your personal environment, whether it be your home, work, or larger community, a healthier place to live...well, that affects the people around you and their desire to do the same. See where I'm going here? Yes, the ripple effect. Gotta love it.

Be the change!
Liz
Vishen Health Guru

Beauty and Brains and... Oh, why not just HAVE IT ALL!

Who says fashion models aren't smart? Not me. This gal Gelila of Ford Models pretty much does most of my job for me in her explanation of the fabulous flaxseed.



Flax promotes healthier looking skin and contributes to better functioning brains. No wonder Gelila's got it goin' on! And while it's true that genetics probably had a lot to do with Gelila's beauty and brains, don't for one second think that what you eat doesn't matter. Eating healthy actually DOES AFFECT the expression of genes! It's called epigenetics, if you wanna search for more news on this exciting topic.

A few other tidbits:
A mixture of various freshly ground seeds can actually function as medicine. They can regulate women's hormones, improve gastrointestinal health, increase the body's ability to eliminate toxins, and more.

Beauty, brains, health...can you really have it all?
Intentionally Urban Magazine (In Ur) thinks so and I enthusiastically agree. In Ur's first issue (June 2008) will be dedicated to exploring ways we can be mindful and conscious of health and the environment while still enjoying life to it's fullest. Check out their online zine for a preview: www.inurmagazine.com


Liz
Vishen Health Guru

THE DIRTY DOZEN: 12 MUST-BUY ORGANIC FOODS

Have you heard of the Dirty Dozen? Well grab your pen and paper and write these foods down on your grocery list of “must-buy organic foods”.

Apples
Cherries
Grapes, imported (Chili)
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Raspberries
Strawberries
Bell peppers
Celery
Potatoes
Spinach

Based on an analysis of more than 100,000 U.S. government pesticide test results, researchers at the Environmental Working Group (EWG) developed this “dirty dozen” list. They say you should ALWAYS BUY ORGANIC (if possible) when purchasing these fruits and veggies because the conventionally grown ones tend to be laden with pesticides, even after being given a thorough washing.

Here's some good info about the effects of pesticides (and other chemicals in our environment) on fertility:



Hmmm, I think I'll spend the extra couple bucks and avoid that daily overdose of pesticide residue. As the saying goes, DON'T PANIC, BUY ORGANIC! What a simple way we can all invest in our future health!

How to Take Health a Step Further:
Reducing current and future exposure to pesticides by buying organic is important, but what about PAST intake of pesticides?
Pesticides tend to be stored in fat cells - this is the body's way of "locking them up" so that they cause the least amount of bodily harm. However, when you exercise or lose weight, pesticides tend to be released from fat and recirculated into the bloodstream. Vishen health practitioners emphasize the need to REGULARLY aid the body in ELIMINATING the inevitable daily dose of past and present toxins, whether it be from pesticides, car exhaust fumes, drinking water, or other sources. Here's a new one for ya'll: DON'T WAIT, ELIMINATE! Not to shabby if I do say so myself;)

Think healthy.
Liz
Vishen Health Guru

Renovating Healthcare

If you’re fairly healthy and don’t need to take prescription medications on a regular basis, you end up spending money on a health plan that doesn’t do much for you, save cover you in case of an accident. Wouldn’t you like to benefit more from some of that money you are spending?

Well, if you are like Vishen’s smart and healthy crew, you look for innovative ways to make the current healthcare system work for you until more massive change can occur.

Here is one idea we like:
Tax-deferred savings accounts for medical expenses. They can be paired with a full medical-care plan or a limited medical-care plan that covers catastrophic illness and injuries. These tax-deferred medical savings accounts are ideal for both the employer and employee who are proactive about their health and seek out wellness services that are not always covered by insurance, such as naturopathic care and acupuncture.

Think healthy.
Vishen

Pastries: What’s the big deal?

Gluten-free and Vegan Cupcakes, Sweetpea Baking, Portland, OR
Originally uploaded by cakespy

You walk into work and are faced with a foray of pastries and doughnuts for breakfast. You wonder, “Why is it again that my naturopathic doctor advised me to avoid wheat? Hmmm, I don’t really recall any specific reason. I’ll just have a doughnut now and save one for later and take 2 home with me for tomorrow.”

Meanwhile, lunch is a sandwich and dinner is pizza, both organic, of course. 90% of your diet is wheat. And you CRAVE it!

Here’s why:
It’s a MOOD-ALTERING FOOD. You are addicted to it because it stimulates opioid receptors. It affects your brain chemistry.

So, your mood shifts easily and your sometimes not sure why. When you're feeling low you reach for a muffin and suddenly you feel better again, for a little while. But the cycle repeats itself over again, as with any addictive substance. And this whole time, you had no idea that these episodes of feeling dull or lazy had anything to do with what you were eating. So, you start paying close attention and you notice a few other things...

You feel tired or cranky a few hours after meals, or maybe more often than that.

You are gassy and bloated, but you think to yourself, “That’s normal, isn’t it?”

You have a hard time waking up the next morning, and every morning, now that you think of it.

Hmmm, all of these things could be related to wheat? Then you start to wonder if you would be a completely different person if you didn’t have wheat in your diet or if you just ate less of it than you do now.

Yep. Smart one, you are.

Even people who don’t have Celiac Disease are affected by wheat and gluten. In fact, most people feel better when they avoid it or eat it less frequently. The only way to find out if you are one of those people is to do a gluten-free trial-run – around 1 month is optimal. Then, have a “party” with you and your pastry friends and wait 3 days to see how you feel.

So this little blurb is the seed. I plant this idea in your brain: Be mindful of what you eat and how it makes you feel.

Stay tuned for more info about those opioid receptors and why they matter.

Liz
Vishen Health Guru

PART 2 - Pastries: What’s the big deal?

Ok, let’s revisit those opioid receptors for a hot-minute. For those of us doing the gluten-free trial, keep in mind that because eating gluten alters brain chemistry, so does not eating gluten. What that means - withdrawal phase. Just like withdrawal from other opioid-like substances (heroin, morphine), gluten elimination will induce cravings and might make you feel a bit off-kilter for a few days. But you probably already knew that. Hopefully, you aren’t manhandling a baked good as you read this and are able to pat yourself on the back for resisting that last temptation. Keep up the good work! It DOES get easier. If you’ve already slipped, no worries. Just start again.

In addition to the aspect of brain chemistry, there are other ways that gluten affects your body. Check out this article for a more detailed description about gluten and how it is related to depression, autism, ADHD, autoimmune disease and skin complaints.

http://www.purelydelicious.net/PDmarch2007Gluten.pdf

If you need ideas for those pesky cravings, rest assured that gluten-alternatives abound! Ask your local grocer what ideas they have. Some of my faves are Trader Joe’s Gluten-free Chocolate Walnut Cookies (of course beware the sugar factor), Angeline’s Bread, and Mary’s Gone Crackers. And remember, there is a BIG world of healthy and tasty foods out there, like: mango, asparagus, portabella mushrooms, quinoa, wild rice, salmon, coconut milk, sunflower seed butter, beets, walnuts, pine nuts, basil, garlic, lamb, buffalo, kale, berries, legumes - to name a few. Go grab a basketful already! A few of you have asked for recipes, so I’ll do my best to throw some easy, yummy ones up on here soon. In the meantime, check out the gluten-free blogs that I have linked.

Eat well!
Liz
Vishen Health Guru

P.S. Just for kicks, I found this sweet Feist video, "MUSHABOOM", on Gluten-free NYC's blog. Have a peek if you've got a minute. The bread in the video is OBVIOUSLY gluten-free. Enjoy!

When effort feels effortless

It is your true nature to create and achieve. Today, allow that true nature to be fully expressed.
If you think you must struggle to get things done, that is precisely how it will be. If you see life's abundance as being apart from you, that abundance will be out of your reach.

Consider how completely right it feels when you are living in harmony with your most authentic purpose. Think of how effective you can be when doing something you love.

The objectives for which you strive and agonize will bring no real fulfillment, even if you're able to reach them. When you're moving toward a goal and the effort feels effortless, that is a goal that will bring real lasting value.

Let go of the need to struggle for what you don't really desire in the first place. Instead, allow your life to unfold each moment in accordance with your true creative nature.

Connect to the purpose that is sincerely you. Express that purpose, and you'll fill your world with richness.

- Ralph Marston

What is your RealAge?

At the chronological age of 28.7, I considered myself to be health-conscious, youthful and fit. So, naturally I was not concerned about aging and paid no heed to anti-aging gimmicks in the media.

A few weeks ago, my colleague jokingly encouraged me to take the RealAge Test because he assumed it would compute my RealAge to be 12 years old because of my youthful appearance. Wrong! It said I was 32.2 years old, rather than my chronological 28.8 years. So, being 32 sounds great and I look forward to it, but what about being 28? I want my RealAge to be 28 and I want it now! (Uh, simmer down there Veruca Salt.)

Since your RealAge is determined by your lifestyle rather than your birthday, I gather that my college days and early 20s (of which I will spare you the details, I’m sure many of you can relate) had a profound effect on the aging process of my body – as in 4 whole years! This whole time I’ve been comfortably smug about my youthful appearance and even feel flattered when I get carded at the movie theatre (ok, so that hasn’t happened in a year or two). I assumed that my outward appearance was indicative of my body's ability to age gracefully and I had NOT taken into account the various behaviors and lifestyle habits that can benefit or harm my overall health. Oops.

So, back to those anti-aging gimmicks. Anti-wrinkle cream? Botox injections? Cellulite treatments? SmartLipo? Hmmm, none of these are of any use to me because I already look youthful. What I need are ways to keep me looking my age and prevent my body from aging faster than my chronological age. Ah yes, the basics: clean water, fresh air, healthy organic food, exercise and love. And maybe some dark chocolate (Veruca, is that you again?) every once in awhile because it’s full of anti-oxidants (which I’ll write more about later).

The Vishen community serves as a constant reminder and inspiration to continue on this path of wellness. And RealAge gave me the kick in the pants to keep going. For your very own individualized kick in the pants visit RealAge.com. Good luck and let me know how old you are!

Liz
Vishen Health Guru

The Ripple Effect: Creating a healthy planet one human being at a time

"Correcting oneself is correcting the whole world. The sun is simply bright. It does not correct anyone. Because it shines, the whole world is full of light. Transforming yourself is a means of giving light to the whole world." - Ramana Maharshi

Vishen's Philosophy of Health
Each individual has a unique and important purpose on this planet.

Wellness is essential for people to live up to this potential.

Individuals can take an active role in their own healing process.

Illness may provide opportunities for positive change and new balance in our lives.

Self-healing extends beyond the self into one’s surrounding environment, thus impacting the entire planet.


Vishen has partnered with hundreds of people to optimize wellness. We have observed that an inspiring ripple effect occurs and eventually positive change and increasing wellness in one person touches the community at large. C'mon, let's do this!

Be inspired,
Vishen

Healthy: The Latest Fashion Craze

What do actors, photographers, models, journalists, athletes, musicians, artists and entrepreneurs have in common? They are contributing to the latest craze in the fashion industry - HEALTHY! The secret ingredient is a model of healthcare that is PROACTIVE. Proactive healthcare not only prevents disease before it begins, it also encourages a high level of wellness that radiates from the inside out.

At the onset of creating Vishen Institute for Health, we knew we wanted to shift the current paradigm of healthcare away from the “disease” model and towards proactive healthcare. Vishen teaches people how to optimize health even when they are already fairly healthy. People who seek out our proactive health paradigm tend to be highly motivated achievers, so naturally they experience an overwhelming amount of stress at times. This stress will take a toll on a person’s wellbeing and lead to future illness if nothing is done to counter that stress. Healthy people take care of their health on a regular basis BEFORE serious health problems arise. Oooh, healthy AND smart - I like it.

And what makes proactive healthcare even more attractive (dare I say "sexy")? It goes BEYOND ordinary wellness, towards a vibrant state of being. So, this new craze in the fashion industry comes down to this: LOOK GREAT, FEEL EVEN BETTER.

Be well,
Vishen