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Balancing Hormones – Why Women Struggle with Options

Jun 15th, 2010 by

4 Types of Estrogen

The hormone story is certainly a very complicated one. Barraged by misinformation, myths and propaganda, it’s no wonder that so many women are confused about matters relating to their bodies and their health.

It is time for women to take even greater responsibility for their health, their choices and their lifestyles. The greatest weapon against compliance, ignorance and conformity is knowledge.

This blog will give greater understanding of the different types of estrogens as well as alternatives for safe, effective and natural ways of balancing estrogen.  It is hoped that you will be able to use this information to ask serious questions of your health provider, to demand answers and to willingly investigate safe alternative approaches.

4 TYPES OF ESTROGEN

There are four types of estrogen: those naturally occurring in the body, those synthesized for ingestion as medications, “xeno” or foreign estrogens from modern industrial and household chemicals, and phytoestrogens from food plants, many of which provide important health benefits.

1. NATURAL ESTROGEN

Estrogen is actually the name given to a group of hormones. There are at least twelve different estrogens, but only three are naturally present in significant quantities: estradiol, estrone, and estriol.  Both estradiol and estrone are present in large quantities in the venous blood from the ovaries, while estriol is an oxidative product derived from estrone metabolism. The conversion occurs mainly in the liver. The estrogenic potency of estradiol is 12 times that of estrone and 80 times that of estriol. As a result, estradiol is considered to be the major estrogen.

Estrogen hormones are steroids. They are synthesized in the ovaries from cholesterol or acetyl coenzyme A. It is particularly interesting that progesterone and testosterone are synthesized first, and then converted into estrogens.

2. SYNTHETIC ESTROGEN

Synthetic estrogens are made by the pharmaceutical companies. They have had their molecular structure altered so they can be patented. They tend to be more potent than the body’s own estrogens and more toxic.

The Pill: Oral contraceptives are made with synthetic estrogen and synthetic progestins (known as the combined Pill). In the early 1960s, the Pill was widely marketed as an effective, safe and convenient method of birth control. However, the initial trials were flawed and inadequate. Nonetheless, the Pill was promoted with all the enthusiasm the pharmaceutical companies could muster. Dr. Ellen Grant, author of The Bitter Pill and Sexual Chemistry, was an early researcher of synthetic hormones and their effects on health. Back in the 1960s she was shocked when synthetic hormones were not withdrawn from the market due to their known serious side effects.

So, just what are the effects of suppressing natural hormones with synthetic ones? The Pill literally stops menses, and bleeding occurs each month only because the synthetic hormones are not taken for seven days of the cycle. The bleeding that occurs would be more accurately termed “withdrawal bleeding,” not menstruation.

Estrogen Replacement Therapy (Hormone Replacement Therapy – HRT) Perhaps there’s no topic of greater confusion to woman than the highly publicized introduction of HRT for the menopausal woman. Hormone replacement therapy was the next great discovery to arrive following the advent of the Pill. The pharmaceutical companies had found another lucrative market for their synthetic hormones: the menopausal woman!  It is because HRT is given at lower doses than the Pill, the side effects are often more subtle and are slower to show up.

3. XENOESTROGENS (PSEUDOESTROGENS)

They are given the name “xenoestrogens” since, although they are foreign environmental chemicals, they are taken up by the estrogen receptor sites in the body and seriously interfere with natural biochemical changes.  These estrogen-like mimics have an uncanny ability to mimic natural estrogen. Xenoestrogens are fat-soluble, not biodegradable or well excreted, and accumulate in fat tissue of animals and humans.  They are also dangerously toxic. Remember that the principle function of estrogens is to cause cellular proliferation and growth of tissues of the sexual organs and other tissues related to reproduction. So the union of hormone mimics to receptors, triggers genes that stimulate the production of proteins that accelerate cell division. This cell division is leading to a host of health challenges. Please see the last blog for more information on this and the safe estrogens.

4. PHYTOESTROGENS – SAFE ESTROGENS

Plant estrogens, called phytoestrogens, compete with natural and xenoestrogens for binding to receptors in the body. The phytoestrogens protect us from the toxic, synthetic petrochemical estrogenic compounds. They act as weak estrogens and appear to produce estrogen effects in postmenopausal women and anti-estrogen effects in premenopausal women.  Phytoestrogens thus have this ability to act as “balancers” – by raising low levels of estrogen and by lowering high levels by replacing a strong estrogen with a weaker one.

Significant amounts of phystoestrogens are found in many foods including soy products, flaxseeds, chickpeas, cashews, oats, corn, apples, and almonds.  One of the best sources of phytoestrogens are soy products. The phytoestrogens are called isoflavones, which have been isolated in two forms: genistein and daidzein.

Reversing Estrogen Dominance

So what is happening today is that women are being exposed to too many types of estrogens and ending up with what is labeled “estrogen dominance”. Stress, nutritional deficiencies, xenoestrogens, and synthetic estrogens cause an imbalance between estrogen and progesterone.  This estrogen dominance means that estrogen has begun to overshadow the other players, creating biochemical dissonance.

There is another way to balance the estrogen-dominance effect through the use of transdermal natural progesterone cream. Natural progesterone, a cholesterol derivative, is made from wild Mexican yams or soybeans whose active ingredients are an exact molecular match of the body’s own progesterone. Make sure if a cream says “wild yam extract”, that there is actually progesterone in the cream. Supplementation with natural progesterone corrects the real problem: progesterone deficiency.  Natural progesterone is not known to have any side effects. It is non-patentable and inexpensive.

So even though there is a challenge here with over exposure, there are safe alternatives to help us get back into balance. Please take time to educate yourself and please contact me if you have any more questions.

Do you have a story to share? I’d love to get your feedback.  Here on my blog, you’ll get commentluv.  That’s great for all bloggers out there. If you leave a comment, you can provide a link back to your own blog.  But you don’t have to be a blogger to leave a comment; I’m looking forward to hearing from all of you!

In a few weeks I will write about the law of attraction in terms of what I have learned through a recent car accident.

Stay tuned,

Charlene

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Posted in Alternative Health, Health, Women's Health | Leave a comment

Dangers of Xenoestrogens – Processed Foods Common Entry Pathway

Jun 1st, 2010 by

One Food That Can Save the Day

We are faced with numerous environmental challenges these days. This one is particularly dangerous and I wanted to inform you where you are being exposed to these chemicals and the effects it is having to our future generations.

The word “xenoestrogens” means foreign estrogens. They are man-made environmental chemicals, which are taken up by the estrogen receptor sites in the body and seriously interfere with natural biochemical changes.  These estrogen-like mimics have an uncanny ability to mimic natural estrogen and/or block natural hormones. They have distinct effects in different species and organs. Xenoestrogens are fat-soluble, not biodegradable or well excreted, and accumulate in fat tissue of animals and humans.  They are also dangerously toxic. The principle function of estrogens is to cause cellular proliferation and growth of tissues of the sexual organs and other tissues related to reproduction. So the union of hormone mimics to receptors, triggers genes that stimulate the production of proteins that accelerate cell division. This cell division is leading to a host of health challenges.

Mounting research is now revealing an alarming situation worldwide created by the inundation of these hormone-mimics. In the book, Our Stolen Future, authors Colburn, Dumanoski, and Meyers have identified 51 families of hormone mimics each able to unleash a torrent of effects such as reduced sperm production, cell division and sculpting of the developing brain. These mimics are not only linked to the recent discovery that human sperm counts worldwide have plunged by 50 per cent between 1938 and 1990 but also to altered sexual behaviour, lowered immunity, increased genital deformities, breast, ovarian, uterine, prostate and testicular cancer, and interfered with behavioral and neurological development.

For women, fibrocystic breast disease, polycystic ovarian syndrome, endometriosis, uterine fibroids and pelvic inflammatory diseases are also suspected. These may be influenced by developmental or chronic lifetime exposure to estrogen mimics.

These estrogenic chemicals are everywhere: in the air, water, food, soil, and over-abundantly in our bodies. These chemicals are mostly from the petrochemical industry and unfortunately for our health, petrochemicals are everywhere. Our machines run on petrochemicals such as gasoline and kerosene. Organochlorines are produced by chlorine gas reacting with petroleum hydrocarbons. Today there are organochlorines being used in plastics, pesticides, solvents, dry cleaning agents, refrigerants and other chemicals. Thousands more are by-products of the disinfection of water, bleaching of paper and incineration of chlorinated products.  Millions of products, including various plastics (polycarbonated plastics found in babies bottles, toys, food containers and water jugs), PCBs, microchips, medicines, even our synthetic vitamins, clothing, foods, household cleansers, air deodorizers, personal care products (such as cosmetics, antiperspirants, soaps, toothpaste and mouthwash), pesticides and herbicides (such as DDT, dieldrin, heptachlor, etc.) and perfumes, either contain or are made from petrochemicals.

Some proven environmental estrogens used as pesticides, most notably DDT, toxaphene and dicofol, have been banned in most western industrial countries but are still used in many developing nations. Averages of over 25% of all regular Canadian and imported produce show residues of pesticides. In just one example, California raisin and strawberry growers and Washington State apple growers are permitted to use DDT-laced pesticide dicofol on food crops.

Drinking water may be contaminated by other proven estrogenic compounds  (nonylphenol (NP), endosulfan) still being used in plastics manufacturing and pesticides.  NP from our liquid laundry detergent, all-purpose cleaners, soaps and shampoos also taint our water.  Airborne ash from industry or hazardous waste incinerators is often high in hormone disrupters like dioxin (one of the most virulent) as well as lead, mercury, and cadmium. The ash lands on grass or hay eaten by livestock and then is passed along, concentrated, to humans.

Our food is one of the most common pathways for these hormone-disrupting chemicals to gain entry. Processed foods now comprise 80% of our food supply. Packaging, excess sugar and hydrogenated fats, preservatives, artificial colour and flavourings may all be hazardous.  For example, Red Dye No. 3, a powerful carcinogen, is still widely used. Plastic containers, styrene cups, food packaging or can liners may contain PVCs (polyvinyl chlorides), alkylphenols, nonylphenols, bisphenol-a and phthalates. These are known xenoestrogens that migrate into food when heated or stored for long periods.

Food animals and dairy fat are a major source of hormonally active chemicals in our food and waterways. The highest concentrations are in beef and dairy products, with high residues of DDT and other chlorinated pesticides, antibiotics, veterinary drugs and growth-stimulating sex hormones. Fish from industrialized waterways are contaminated with a wide range of xenoestrogens. All Great Lakes salmon show enlarged thyroid glands in recent years.

Taking it one step further, synthetic estrogens are also being dumped into the waterways through the urine of women and enter our food chain. This has also increased our levels of estrogen exposure.

So we see xenoestrogens are everywhere and that we are being bombarded with them. Many women are considered “estrogen dominate” because of our over exposure to these foreign estrogens.  Because this is a big topic, I will deal with this subject next week. What I want to cover this week is that there is a safe alternative that can actually protect us from this over exposure.

Plant estrogens, called phytoestrogens, compete with natural and xenoestrogens for binding to receptors in the body. The phytoestrogens protect us from the toxic, synthetic petrochemical estrogenic compounds. They act as weak estrogens and appear to produce estrogen effects in postmenopausal women and anti-estrogen effects in premenopausal women.  Phytoestrogens thus have this ability to act as “balancers” – by raising low levels of estrogen and by lowering high levels by replacing a strong estrogen with a weaker one.

Significant amounts of phytoestrogens are found in many foods including soy products, flaxseeds, chickpeas, cashews, oats, corn, apples, and almonds.  One of the best sources of phytoestrogens is called isoflavones found in soy.  By eating these foods on a daily basis, we can protect the cell receptor sites from the xenoestrogens. This is an important awareness as most people do not know the benefits of these foods. Phytoestrogens are therefore the “good guys” and can counteract the bad effects of the “bad guys”. So do yourself a favour and protect your cell receptor sites on a daily basis.

Every morning I take my water washed soy protein powder and mix it with water. After I drink it, I know that I have protected my cell receptor sites for the day. I highly recommend that you do the same for increased health and wellness. Feel free to contact me for more information on the difference in the brands of soy protein powder.

Do you have a story to share? I’d love to get your feedback.  Here on my blog, you’ll get commentluv.  That’s great for all bloggers out there. If you leave a comment, you can provide a link back to your own blog.  But you don’t have to be a blogger to leave a comment; I’m looking forward to hearing from all of you!

Next week I will cover the different types of estrogens and estrogen dominance.

Stay tuned.

Charlene Day

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Posted in Alternative Health, environment, Health | Comments 2

Women’s Health – Deficiencies that Produce Problems in Menopause and Osteoporosis

May 27th, 2010 by

This month in honour of Mother’s Day, I addressed some women’s health issues. In this last post on this theme, we will be addressing deficiencies that produce  menopausal problems and osteoporosis.

Menopause

Menopause can happen either naturally or through surgery. Technically, menopause happens after the ovaries have ceased to function for over a year. Before that it is termed peri-menopause.  Many women experience symptoms of hot flashes, sweating, mood swings, headaches, higher risk of heart disease, breast cancer and osteoporosis during this time.

In the past women have traditionally gone to doctors to get hormone replacement therapy (HRT). While proclaimed as the primary missing ingredient for the menopausal woman, estrogen also has been strongly recommended by the medical and pharmaceutical industries for the prevention of cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. However, in 1998 the results of the second largest study on HRT were published, indicating that HRT increases the risk of heart disease, as well as breast cancer, osteoporosis and gall bladder disease.

In light of this recent scientific research, women began looking for natural alternatives. Along with a healthy diet, and lifestyle, consuming the right supplements and herbs will help regulate the normal hormone fluctuation that occurs during menopause.

A healthy diet eliminates red meat, processed meat, organ meats, skin of fowl, fried foods, high-fat dairy products, alcohol, refined sugar, spicy food and salt. Instead the concentration is on an alkaline diet – fowl with skin removed, sea fish at least three times a week (good for iodine), lots of vegetables and fruit, beans and lentils, whole grains and raw nuts and lots of clean water. This will help to bring about a pH body balance for normalized hormones.

The supplements for menopause always start with a good balanced multi-vitamin/mineral supplement. Vitamin E with selenium has a normalizing effect on estrogen levels. If you have chlorinated drinking water, you need more vitamin E. Vitamin E is good for hot flashes, breast tenderness, muscle cramps and vaginal dryness. Vitamin C with bioflavonoids helps to diminish hot flashes and night sweats. It also helps prevent osteoporosis. B complex is important to help your body deal with stress, and replenish the adrenals. B vitamins help depression and have a calming effect. B complex is good to counteract fatigue, irritability, craving for sweets, fluid retention, and headaches.

Calcium/Magnesium is very important to maintain your balance through menopause. It is helpful for headaches, insomnia, when anxious or tense, osteoporosis or to curb cravings for chocolate. GLA an essential fatty acid, is a hormone balancer and helps with hot flashes. It also aids headaches and any inflammation in the body. Omegas are also good for hormone balancing and stabilizing mood changes. Beta-Carotene promotes healthy mucous membranes in the vaginal area. Zinc activates over 80 liver enzymes and helps boost energy.

One major deficiency that is often overlooked with menopausal symptoms is what is called a plant estrogen or phytoestrogen. Phytoestrogens are the plant versions of the human hormone estrogen. The best-researched phytoestrogens are isoflavones, which are found in soy.

Isoflavones are plant substances, which can act as estrogens in the body and have protective functions. Isoflavones can compete with estrogen for the same receptor sites thereby decreasing the health risks of excess estrogen. They can also increase the estrogen activity. If during menopause the body’s natural level of estrogen drops, isoflavones can compensate this by binding to the same receptor, thereby easing menopause symptoms such as hot flashes as a result.

The best way to consume isoflavones is in the form of soy. Soy contains many types of isoflavones, but the most beneficial are genistein and daidzein. Genistein improves bone strength & density. Daidzein prevents bone loss. Isoflavones can also reduce the risk of breast, bowel, and lung cancer.

Not all soy foods contain soy isoflavones: When crushed, defatted soy flakes are washed in alcohol during the production of soy burgers, soy cheeses, soy milks, and some soy powder mixes, isoflavones are destroyed. If soy protein powders are produced by water-washing the soy-flakes, a much higher isoflavone level is retained. So not only is this a way to ingest high quality amino acids, it also provides the isoflavones needed to decrease menopausal symptoms.

Plant estrogens are also found in herbs. Black Cohosh and Raspberry are phytoestrogens, which helps regulate the luteinizing hormone which fluctuates during menopause. It helps regulate & relieve hot flashes, has a calming effect on the nervous system and helps regulate sleep patterns.

Flaxseed is the richest whole grain source of a class of phytoestrogens called lignans. It reduces cholesterol levels and helps to normalize blood pressure. It shows anti-tumor activity and inhibits cancer growth. It increases metabolism and boosts the immune system.

Dong Quai (also known as angelica) is a phytoestrogen that helps bring relief from hot flashes, relieves vaginal dryness, and traditionally was used as a uterine tonic. Red Clover contains phytoestrogens similar to soy and helps detoxify the liver (a healthy liver is essential for hormonal balance). It also enhances the immune system. Licorice is a source of phytoestrogens. It promotes adrenal function (as you found out earlier, the adrenal glands are the key glands responsible for producing estrogen after menopause).

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a gradual decrease in bone mass and density that can begin as early as the teen years. Bone mass should be at its peak in our late 20s or early 30s, but thanks to a poor diet and lack of exercise, many women are already losing bone in their 20s. Bone loss occurs more rapidly in women than in men, especially right around the time of menopause, when an abrupt drop in estrogen and progesterone can accelerates bone loss.

The most important elements of bones are minerals and amino acids. The most important bone minerals are calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous and fluoride. Equally important is the balance between the minerals. Too much phosphorous or fluoride will create poor bone structure. (Nearly all of us already ingest too much fluoride, thanks to fluoridation of our water.) Without enough magnesium, the calcium can’t be absorbed onto the bone. Vitamins are also involved. For example, vitamin B6 (in B complex) works with magnesium to get calcium onto your bones.

The hormones testosterone, estrogen and progesterone are also actively involved in the making and unmaking of bone. Testosterone and progesterone build bone, while estrogen appears to indirectly slow bone loss. All of these are made from amino acids, the building blocks of all cells.

In osteoporosis, the old bone is being reabsorbed faster than new bone is being made, causing the bones to lose density and become thinner and more porous and fragile. Bone loss seems to be most severe in the spine, wrists and hips. Unfortunately there are usually no signs or symptoms of osteoporosis until a fracture occurs.

To prevent osteoporosis, it is important to reduce or eliminate soda pop and other carbonated beverages, as well as salt, sugar and caffeine consumption, keep meat consumption to a reasonable level (no more than once a day) and decrease alcohol consumption and don’t smoke. Avoid over the counter medications such as antacids and laxatives and avoid severe caloric restriction and yo-yo dieting.

Eat plenty of fresh, green vegetables and whole grains and nuts and seeds. Eating foods high in flavonoids, which help stabilize collagen structures, such as blueberries, raspberries and hawthorn berries are excellent to prevent bone loss. Following all the advice for the menopausal symptoms, will help prevent osteoporosis as well.

Digestive enzymes may be required to optimize digestion for maximum nutrient absorption. It is very important to ensure adequate absorption and the proper utilization of calcium, magnesium, zinc and vitamin D. Vitamin C, B complex, Beta-Carotene, and trace minerals are also needed. Since more vegetable protein is better for maintaining the alkaline balance needed to prevent bone loss, water washed soy protein powder is also important in preventing osteoporosis.

Engage in an active lifestyle that includes both weight bearing and strength training exercise. Exercise is an anti-depressant, stress reliever, fat burner, and bone stimulator.

To sum up, preventing menopause symptoms and osteoporosis requires a balanced lifestyle to support your hormones. Learn stress management techniques, and take time out for relaxation, massage, yoga, meditation and inner growth. Take time for yourself. I know this is hard for women to hear but don’t take on too much.  Laugh, love, relax, and feed yourself with positive thoughts.

Do you have a story to share? I’d love to get your feedback.  Here on my blog, you’ll get commentluv.  That’s great for all bloggers out there. If you leave a comment, you can provide a link back to your own blog.  But you don’t have to be a blogger to leave a comment; I’m looking forward to hearing from all of you!

Next week I will cover the dangers of environmental xenoestrogens.

Stay tuned.

Charlene Day

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Posted in Alternative Health, Health, Women's Health | Comments 7

Nutritional Needs for Birth Control, Pregnancy & Lactation

May 18th, 2010 by

Charlene Day on Women’s Health Issues

In honour of Mother’s Day month, I am continuing to address women’s health issues.  These are issues affecting physical aspects of healing, but that have a profound effect on our mental, emotional and spiritual fields as well.  When we are in the flow of good energy physically, then it is easier to be in harmony on all levels.

Our bodies consists of trillions of cells that need vitamins, minerals, essential fats, carbohydrates and proteins (amino acids) to stay healthy.  Optimum levels of health require optimum nutrition and equally optimum cell performance.

Birth Control

Deficiencies produce problems and some women use birth control pills which cause nutritional deficiencies. Oral contraceptives cause many metabolic changes and more seriously, the hormones present in contraceptive pills have been shown to increase the risk of coagulation, increasing the risk of blood clots and pulmonary embolisms. This risk is especially heightened in women who smoke and who are over the age of 30, as both conditions also can predispose towards coagulation.

So women in this category absolutely need to supplement to counter the insufficiency of nutrients within the body. These women need a whole food multi vitamin and mineral supplement and extra zinc, B complex, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, calcium-magnesium and Beta Carotene as the birth control pill intake depletes these nutrients.

Pregnancy

On the other hand for those women who want to get pregnant, there are other nutritional needs. Start with preconception care by cleaning up the diet and avoiding toxins.  Take a multi vitamin that contains at least 400 mg of folic acid to prevent neural tube defects thus preventing spina bifida, a very serious birth defect.

I have helped many women who could not get pregnant simply by adding in some whole food supplements and presto they conceived. What I suggested is very simply what the body needs. Our cells have daily requirements of vitamins, minerals, essential fats, carbohydrates and proteins (amino acids).

When we want to make another human being, it makes sense that both partners supplement a healthy diet with whole food supplements. If we want to produce a healthy baby then we need healthy raw elements.

Once a woman conceives, then it is important to make sure there is a daily intake of amino acids as our need for high quality protein goes up from 44 to 74 grams per day. A whole food multi vitamin is essential during this time. Calcium/magnesium is needed as the calcium need increases up to 1200 mg. plus. Iron needs go from 18 mg to 60 mg and B complex is needed for the general wellbeing of the mother and proper nerve development of the fetus. B complex is also vitally important to help prevent birth defects. Also it is helpful in the first trimester to help alleviate morning sickness.

Vit D, magnesium and zinc help with the hormone receptor sites which are important during pregnancy as levels of progesterone and estrogens rise continually throughout pregnancy as do the adrenal hormones. There are certain nutrients like calcium/magnesium and electrolytes that aid in childbirth comfort too.

At least 300 mg of Omega fatty acids are especially important in last trimester. Omegas are a major structural fatty acid in the brain and retina, and are naturally found in breast milk. It is important for a mother to consume adequate amounts of essential fats during pregnancy and while nursing to support her well-being and the health of her infant. Avoid certain fish as it is often very high in heavy metal contaminants. Supplement with a high quality fish supplement that is triple distilled.

A balanced, nutritious diet is an important aspect of a healthy pregnancy as you are eating for two. Eating a healthy diet, balancing carbohydrates (a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains), essential fats, high quality protein and your whole food supplements usually ensures good nutrition. To counteract constipation make sure you eat plenty of fiber, get regular exercise, eat healthy foods especially veggies, and drink lots of purified water.

Nutritional Needs During Lactation

A nursing mother’s diet can have a profound effect on her baby. A good rule of thumb to keep in mind is that whatever you eat, your baby eats, too. Healthy nutrients and contaminants alike pass from breast milk to baby.

Calorie and protein needs continue to be high during lactation, as they were in pregnancy. The breastfeeding mother requires an extra 300 to 400 calories above her pre–pregnancy needs for the first 12 months of breastfeeding.

Fortunately, eating well and fulfilling the needs of your newborn child are really quite easy. The healthiest diets derive their nutrients from these sources: vegetables, fruit, legumes (beans, peas, or lentils), whole grains, and nuts and seeds. A diet built entirely from these foods has the added advantage of reducing levels of environmental contaminants in breast milk. Plant foods have much lower levels of contaminants than foods from animal sources and are even cleaner when they are grown organically.

Studies show that women who consume meat and dairy products have higher levels of chemical contaminants in their breast milk, probably because these chemicals tend to concentrate in animal tissues. Fish is often very high in contaminants. It commonly contains mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and other organochlorine pesticides, which can pass through breast milk to nursing babies.

Dairy products, including cow’s milk, raise another issue.  Cow’s milk proteins ingested by the mother can also enter her breast milk. These proteins can cause colic, as well as contribute to allergic reactions and a whole host of other problems in babies as their tiny systems cannot handle the large molecules of milk protein.

Many of the supplement needs during lactation are similar to those of pregnancy. Since babies will take a substantial amount of calcium from breast milk, it is essential for nursing mothers to supplement with calcium/magnesium. Also important are a whole food multi vitamin/mineral, amino acids, Beta Carotene, B complex, Vitamins C, E, D and the Omegas.

Whatever you take, the child will benefit from. So remember to take care of yourself as you are the well of nutrients that builds a healthy baby.

Do you have a story to share? I’d love to get your feedback.  Here on my blog, you’ll get commentluv.  That’s great for all bloggers out there. If you leave a comment, you can provide a link back to your own blog.  But you don’t have to be a blogger to leave a comment; I’m looking forward to hearing from all of you!

Next week I will cover some more feminine issues for later on in life.

Stay tuned.

Charlene

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Posted in Alternative Health, Health, Women's Health | Comments 2

Menstrual Cycle – Cellular Health

May 11th, 2010 by

The Rise and Fall of Hormones

In honour of Mothers’ Day month, I am going to address some women’s health issues for the next few blog posts.  I will talk about some physical aspects of healing, but ones that have a profound effect on our mental, emotional and spiritual fields as well. When we are in the flow of good energy physically, then it is easier to be in harmony on all levels.

Our bodies consists of trillions of cells that need vitamins, minerals, essential fats, carbohydrates and proteins (amino acids) to stay healthy.  Optimum levels of health require optimum nutrition and equally optimum cell performance.  Deficiencies produce problems like PMS symptoms, and menstrual problems.

So let’s start with menstruation. Menstruation is the most visible phase of the menstrual cycle. The rise and fall of levels of hormones during the month control the menstrual cycle. Menstruation is the shedding of the uterine lining which happens once a month. It also prepares your body for pregnancy each month. The average menstrual cycle is 28 days long. The typical woman bleeds for approximately two to seven days at the beginning of each menstrual cycle. Menstruation will start at the onset of puberty and end at the beginning of menopause.

In the first half of the cycle, levels of estrogen start to rise. Estrogen plays an important role in keeping you healthy, especially by helping you to build strong bones and to help keep them strong as you get older. Estrogen also makes the lining of the uterus (womb) grow and thicken. This lining of the womb is a place that will nourish the embryo if a pregnancy occurs. At the same time the lining of the womb is growing, an egg, or ovum, in one of the ovaries starts to mature. At about day 14 of an average 28-day cycle, the egg leaves the ovary. This is called ovulation.

After the egg has left the ovary, it travels through the fallopian tube to the uterus. Hormone levels rise and help prepare the uterine lining for pregnancy. A woman is most likely to get pregnant during the 3 days before or on the day of ovulation. Keep in mind, women with cycles that are shorter or longer than average may ovulate before or after day 14.

A woman becomes pregnant if the egg is fertilized by a man’s sperm cell and attaches to the uterine wall. If the egg is not fertilized, it will break apart. Then, hormone levels drop, and the thickened lining of the uterus is shed during the menstrual period.

So you see that many parts of a woman’s body are involved in this process. All these need nutritional support. Last week we learned that hormones need lots of nutrients like amino acids, vitamin B, vitamin E, GLA (gamma-linolenic acid), and zinc. Our ovaries and uterus need extra zinc, vitamin E and B complex. The fact that women lose menstrual blood every month requires additional iron to counter weakness and fatigue as well as zinc, amino acids, calcium/magnesium and B complex, vitamins C and E.

When we are not giving the body the right nutrients to function properly, then there can be challenges such as premenstrual syndrome, better known as PMS. High caffeine or tobacco intake and stress may trigger the condition as well. Eating large amounts of sugar depletes the body of many vitamins and minerals and this will cause symptoms such as fatigue, palpitations and headaches.

More than 200 different symptoms have been associated with PMS, but the three most prominent emotional symptoms are irritability, tension, and unhappiness. Common symptoms may include significant menstrual pain abdominal pain, migraine headaches, depression, emotional sensitivity such as stress, anxiety, and mood swings, nausea, breast swelling, difficulty in falling asleep, headaches, fatigue, and changes in libido. Severe uterine pain is particularly common for adolescents and young women. More severe symptoms may be classified as premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). The sensations experienced vary from woman to woman and from cycle to cycle.

Most women with premenstrual syndrome experience only a few of the possible symptoms, in a relatively predictable pattern. Under typical definitions, symptoms must be present at some point during the ten days immediately before the onset of menses, and must not be present for at least one week between the onset of menses and ovulation. Although the intensity of symptoms may vary somewhat, most definitions require that the woman’s unique constellation of symptoms be present in multiple, consecutive cycles.

Improved nutrition is the key to management of PMS. B complex is a water soluble vitamin that will be essential for the lessening of the prominent emotional symptoms associated with PMS. GLA (gamma-linolenic acid) works amazing for everyone with PMS. In my practice, I have found a brand that without fail has turned around every woman’s symptoms within a three month period. Check out last week’s blog for more detailed information on GLA. The other nutrients needed are a multi vitamin/mineral complex, amino acids, calcium/magnesium, zinc and vitamins C, E, and Beta Carotene. It should be noted that insufficient magnesium and B complex may cause cravings for sugar and chocolate which of course lead to further nutritional deficiencies.  So keep your body nourished and your body will function at its optimum without all the associated symptoms that cause discomfort. Remember as women we need those vitamins and minerals daily as we are giving out to others constantly and our bodies need to be nourished in order to keep healthy and keep up.

Hope all you mothers had a wonderful healthy Mother’s Day.

Do you have a story to share? I’d love to get your feedback.  Here on my blog, you’ll get commentluv.  That’s great for all bloggers out there. If you leave a comment, you can provide a link back to your own blog.  But you don’t have to be a blogger to leave a comment; I’m looking forward to hearing from all of you!

Next week I will cover some more feminine issues.

Stay tuned.

Charlene

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Addressing Womens’ Health Issues

May 4th, 2010 by

Honouring Women on Mother’s Day

This month in honour of Mothers’ Day, I am going to address some women’s health issues for the next few posts.  This will be addressing some physical aspects of healing, but ones that have a profound effect on our mental, emotional and spiritual fields as well. When we are in the flow of good energy physically, then it is easier to be in harmony on all levels.

Healthy Soul-utions is all about being healthy in all areas. This is called the holistic model – looking at the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of healing.

Our bodies consist of trillions of cells that need vitamins, minerals, essential fats, carbohydrates and proteins (amino acids) to stay healthy.  Optimum levels of health require optimum nutrition and equally optimum cell performance.  Deficiencies produce problems like PMS symptoms, osteoporosis, menopausal and menstrual problems, and even birth defects, just to name a few.

Let’s start with the hormones of the endocrine system as they are an essential part of all our womanly functions. The major endocrine glands are the pituitary, pineal, thymus, thyroid, adrenal glands and pancreas. Also men produce hormones in their testes and women produce them in their ovaries. In addition to the specialized endocrine organs mentioned above, many other organs such as the kidney, liver, and heart have secondary endocrine functions.

The endocrine system is one of the body’s main systems for communicating, controlling and coordinating the body’s work. It works with the nervous system, reproductive system, kidneys, gut, liver, pancreas and fat to help maintain and control the following:

  • Growth and development such as preparation of the body for a new phase of life, such as puberty, parenting, and menopause
  • Metabolism – digestion (including hunger cravings), elimination, breathing, blood circulation and maintaining body temperature (homeostasis)
  • Sexual function and reproduction
  • Mood swings and body energy levels
  • Activation or inhibition of the immune system

Endocrine glands and endocrine-related organs are like factories. When the body needs these substances, the bloodstream carries the proper types of hormones to specific targets. These targets may be organs, tissues, or cells.

Most hormones initiate a cellular response by initially combining with either a specific intracellular or cell membrane associated receptor protein. Complicated I know, but I mention this so you see the importance of protein here.

Protein means “of first importance”.  All the cells in the body need amino acids from protein. Hormones included. Amino acids are the building blocks for all life. Protein is one of the biggest components of our bodies. Our bodies use amino acids to form the proteins which build everything from muscles and bones, skin and hair, to internal organs and fluids. Besides building cells and repairing tissue, they form antibodies to combat invading bacteria & viruses; they are part of the enzyme & hormonal system; they build RNA & DNA; they carry oxygen throughout the body and participate in muscle activity.

Hormones need lots of nutrients besides protein including vitamin B, vitamin E, GLA (gamma-linolenic acid), and zinc. These nutrients are all depleted by stress, sugar, alcohol, caffeine, junk foods, and medications (including birth control).

For example if you are deficient in Vitamin B, that affects the brain and nervous system (you can’t think, feel up tight, etc.) and the lack also affects the hormones thus creating PMS symptoms, menopausal and menstrual problems, and even birth defects. The lack of B can also affect the immune system, the health of your skin, and cause junk food cravings.

GLA (gamma-linolenic acid) is essential for hormones as that essential fat is a necessary raw ingredient for prostaglandins to be produced within the body. Prostaglandins are hormone-like substances that play a part in many of the biochemical and metabolic processes of the body. A good fatty acid metabolism benefits some very important aspects of our health such as maintaining a good blood pressure, low cholesterol levels, preventing inflammatory and immune system conditions such as arthritis, allergies and some skin diseases such as eczema and psoriasis, and also improving the strength of the keratin-dependent tissues such as our nails and hair.

A deficiency in essential fatty acids also seems to stimulate the overproduction of a hormone in women called prolactin that can lead to the severe mood changes commonly referred to as pre-menstrual syndrome, or PMS. GLA appears to have a beneficial effect in the treatment of PMS, and some other conditions such as breast discomfort and preventing osteoporosis.

Vitamin E acts like an estrogen antagonist and has progesterone-like properties. Vitamin E regulates prostaglandin production and can alleviate menstrual cramps.  Vitamin E is reported to alleviate many of the symptoms of menopause, from vaginal dryness and hot flashes, to breast tenderness and nervousness. Vitamin E is a hormone normalizer. It appears to have a stabilizing effect on estrogen levels, increasing the hormone output in women who are deficient and lowering it in those who are prone to excess.  Vitamin E protects cells, including the cells of the immune system and boosts immune activity. Vitamin E lowers blood glucose, is an energy promoter, and acts as an anti-inflammatory.

Zinc, an essential trace mineral, is required for the metabolic activity of 300 of the body’s enzymes, and is considered essential for cell division and the synthesis of DNA and protein. These enzymes are involved with the metabolism of protein, carbohydrate, fat and alcohol. Zinc is also critical to tissue growth, wound healing, taste acuity, connective tissue growth and maintenance, immune system function, prostaglandin production, bone mineralization, proper thyroid function, blood clotting, cognitive functions, fetal growth and sperm production. Adequate zinc can help pre-menstrual syndrome, pregnancy and lactation and post-menopausal health.

Hope all you mothers out there have a wonderful, healthy Mother’s Day.

Do you have a story to share? I’d love to get your feedback.  Here on my blog, you’ll get commentluv.  That’s great for all bloggers out there. If you leave a comment, you can provide a link back to your own blog.  But you don’t have to be a blogger to leave a comment; I’m looking forward to hearing from all of you!

Next week I will cover some more feminine issues.

Stay tuned.

Charlene

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Awakening the Dreamer

Apr 27th, 2010 by

Changing the Dream

Healthy Soul-utions is all about being healthy in all areas. This month there was a great focus on planet earth with Earth Day celebrations drawing to a close.

Everything is interconnected. Our environment is really an extension of us. What we do the planet, we do to ourselves. This week we are going to look at some ideas out of a program I do called Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream.

I’m also very excited to include a picture of Van Jones and myself at the Green Living Show in Toronto just after Earth Day. Van Jones is an American environmental advocate, civil rights activist and attorney. Jones is a co-founder of three non-profit organizations and a contributor to Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream.

Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream is a program of The Pachamama Alliance that serves as a galvanizing space for individuals to deeply explore the extraordinary possibilities inherent in a communion of technology with spirit. Through participation in this program, people are offered a new place to stand in looking at their world and their lives, and are empowered to formulate their own personal daily practices that contribute to the creation of a new dream for themselves as well as for our world.

The Pachamama Alliance is committed to finding ways to support a growing effort to help us awaken from the seductive trance of unlimited progress, unrestrained private interest and material accumulation. We are clear that there is now an unprecedented opportunity to live from a new vision, one made possible by the merging of two ways of seeing the world that until now have seemed to be totally distinct— a marriage of the technological skill of the modern world, with the earth-honoring wisdom of indigenous cultures.

Each of us has the opportunity to make new choices in our daily lives, to create new practices that we take on each and every day. Our invitation is for you to design practices for yourself that have you be ‘in action’ consistent with creating an environmentally sustainable, spiritually fulfilling and socially just human presence on this planet as the guiding principle of our time. The name of the game is: engage. Small steps are good. Big steps are good. Have it be a practice that delights, satisfies and inspires you. You might like to include some of the aspects listed below:

My Relationship with Earth/Environmental Sustainability

  • Identify habits in the way I live that are unsustainable for me or the earth, that I intend to do something about
  • Eat less  _______ and more _______
  • Carpool, bicycle, take public transportation or walk ___ times each week in lieu of driving my own internal combustion vehicle
  • Begin to investigate “one-earth” methods of transportation, heating, and refrigeration at home & work
  • Purchase only items whose packaging, ingredients and methods of production are sustainable and support life. (Note: Check my recent Earth Day blogs for ideas)
  • Spend some aware moments outdoors, in nature every single day
  • Plant a tree, a garden
  • Clean up a beach, trail, field, path, roadway
  • Pay attention to and track the natural cycles of the moon, sun(light), stars, plants and animals
  • Make Your Money Make a Difference – there has never been a more powerful time to divert our financial energy from institutions and corporations that perpetuate the old dream, check out ethicalconsumer.org, kiva.org or The Better World Shopping Guide.

My Relationship with Others/Community/Social Justice

  • Regularly initiate conversations about a sustainable and socially just human presence on the planet with friends and family
  • Go online and investigate 10 “civil society” groups and/or initiatives that intrigue me, and join at least one
  • Investigate the current topics in my local community with regard to politics and environmental/social issues
  • Write/email letters to your representatives
  • Buy only what I need for a specific time period; invite others to participate
  • Notice the times when society/the culture relates to me primarily as a consumer
  • Make a micro loan to a third world entrepreneur and establish an e-mail relationship with him/her on kiva.org
  • Set aside a percentage of my monthly income to support organizations working for social justice
  • Open myself; educate myself about privilege/oppression
  • Stand Up Speak Out – there are organizations which mobilize citizens’ voices helping us to let legislators and businesses know what we think.  Examples places citizens can mobilize and speak out on the web are avaaz.org, Care2.com, and 350.org .

My Relationship with Self/Spiritual Fulfillment

  • Designate a regular daily spiritual practice Meditation/ Yoga/ Prayer/ other.
  • Investigate and watch for examples of interconnectedness everywhere
  • Consider and pay attention to dreams, daydreams & visions. Seek the wisdom in them.
  • Manage my conversation (internal and external) to be one of possibility and inspiration to myself and others
  • Be compassionate and forgiving with myself, even when I don’t do everything I think I should
  • As a radical act: want less, buy less, use less
  • Consciously read, listen to, watch, and engage with things and individuals that empower and uplift
  • Read one page of something that inspires me each morning or evening
  • Explore what is “enough” for me
  • Be of Service – there are lots of ways to give our time and skills to help, we can find opportunities our own doorsteps or on the other side of the world, check out WiserEarth.org, volunteermatch.org or worldvolunteerweb.org to find the organizations through which you can serve.

These are just a few examples, to get you thinking. Keep in mind these practices are meant to create an opening in our habitual way of going through life. When you notice you have gone to sleep, let go of the self-judgment, awaken, and renew your practice. Find partner(s) to support you in your practice. Have a great time with this!

I offer Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream symposiums on a regular basis in the Toronto area. Please feel free to contact me to find out the date of the next one.

Do you have a story to share? I’d love to get your feedback.  Here on my blog, you’ll get commentluv.  That’s great for all bloggers out there. If you leave a comment, you can provide a link back to your own blog.  But you don’t have to be a blogger to leave a comment; I’m looking forward to hearing from all of you!

Next week I will cover some ideas for women’s health as we approach Mother’s Day.

Stay tuned.

Charlene

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3 Common Household Chemicals Killing The Great Lakes

Apr 20th, 2010 by

Earth Day This Thursday!


Healthy Soul-utions is all about being healthy in all areas.  This month there is a great focus on planet earth with Earth Day this week.

Everything is interconnected. Our environment is really an extension of us. What we do the planet, we do to ourselves. This week we are going to look at what we are doing to our water resources. Taking our interconnection to another level, we can think of a human body being the smaller scale microcosm and the planet being the larger scale macrocosm.  About 70 percent of the planet is covered in waterways and oceans and the human body contains an average of 70 percent water or fluids. So we can see the mirroring of the microcosm and macrocosm.

Groundwater and fresh water are what humans use for drinking water. The Great Lakes are a vast shared resource containing a significant portion of the world’s freshwater. These lakes are a direct source of drinking water for millions of people as well as sustaining a rich variety of plants and wildlife.

The sustainability of the Great Lakes ecosystem is threatened. The lakes need immediate attention according to government officials.

What we do to our waterways, we do to ourselves, and to our children. How have our waterways become such a chemical soup?

When I was younger and not as educated, I used to blame industry, and it is true, they must plead guilty, and accept the responsibility for cleaning up their act. But then I realized that the combined households had a greater impact on the waterways than the industries. In a typical city of 100,000 people, approximately 14 tons of household cleaners go down the drain each month. Researchers are now saying that 70% of soil and groundwater contamination in North America comes from household cleaners. So it is time to look our home environment and see how we can improve it both for our personal heath and the planet’s health.

How do household cleaners affect our environment? What chemicals are we talking about? I will touch on only a few, There are many more.

1. Sodium Hydroxide found in dishwashing liquids, laundry products, oven cleaners, scouring cleansers and tub and tile cleaners, when inhaled is immediately irritating to the respiratory tract. Contact can cause severe damage to the eyes, skin, mouth, and throat and it can cause liver and kidney damage.

2. Butyl Cellosolve found in all-purpose cleaners, cleaning wipes, degreasers, floor polish, rug shampoos, toilet bowl cleaners, tub and tile cleaners, and window cleaners, contains neurotoxins and cause irritation and tissue damage from inhalation. A person who spends 15 minutes cleaning scale off shower walls could inhale three times the acute exposure limit.

3. Chlorine found in bleach and other cleaning products is a very hazardous substance. It causes neurological damage, memory impairment, behavioral disorders, spontaneous abortions, low birth rate, reduced testicular size, infertility, low sperm count, immune effects, immune cell abnormalities, and respiratory infections. Chlorine exposure causes a 44% greater risk of gastrointestinal cancer or urinary tract cancer, according to the National Health Federation.

Mitchell Gayor, M.D., Cornell University, states: “Chlorine bleach is potentially carcinogenic  … among its by-products are chlorinated hydrocarbons, chloroform, and trihalo-methanes, all of which act like estrogens and cause breast cells to divide more rapidly.  These by-products have been shown to cause breast tumours in animals.”

We could go on and on, there are many chemicals and these are all going down the drain and into our waterways and groundwater.

How these chemicals are affecting the wildlife? Chemical toxicity is very evident in fish. There is a large increase of fish with tumours and deformities. The World Wildlife Fund reports that not a single salmon in the Great Lakes over the age of two years has been found without an enlarged thyroid gland. Every year the provincial government publishes a fish advisory called “Guide to Eating Ontario Sport Fish” because of serious health concerns.

It is time that we realize that toxic household cleaners can damage the environment and return to us through water and food. What goes down the drain can come back to haunt us. So chose your cleaning products with care. The ones I choose are Get Clean as they are completely safe for the wildlife and the lakes. In fact those products already regenerated one small lake in upper New York State.

My goal now is to regenerate the Great Lakes starting with Lake Ontario. I need one million households using Get Clean products in order to get the tipping point we need to start the regeneration of the ecological balance for Lake Ontario. I need your help.

For more information on these healthy safe products, check out the healthy home section at www.healthyday.net. In honour of Earth Day, I will give out free samples to anyone who contacts me this month.

Together we can choose to become conscious stewards of our planet earth. Our individual actions can and do make a difference to water quality and the environment as a whole. Caring for the environment really does begin at home.

Do you have a story to share? I’d love to get your feedback.  Here on my blog, you’ll get commentluv.  That’s great for all bloggers out there. If you leave a comment, you can provide a link back to your own blog.  But you don’t have to be a blogger to leave a comment; I’m looking forward to hearing from all of you!

Next week I will cover some more ways we can protect the planet as we wrap up our Earth Day month.

Stay tuned.

Charlene

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Making Intelligent Environmental Choices Inside Our Homes

Apr 13th, 2010 by

The Environment – Borrowing it From Our Children

Healthy Soul-utions is all about being healthy in all areas. This month there is a great focus on planet earth with Earth Day in a few weeks.

Everything is interconnected.  So our environment is really an extension of us. What we do the planet, we do to ourselves. We see the environment is in trouble. As the Native Americans say, “We have not inherited the earth from our fathers. We are BORROWING it from our children.”

As a health care professional, I am appalled at the number of children I have seen in my practice over the years. Upon investigation, I realized a major factor for this, is the environment these children have to cope with.

Now environment means both interior and exterior. We are all willing to point the finger and blame our external environment, but how many of us have really cleaned up our interior environments? I believe we need to look at our personal environments first and educate ourselves.

Most of the moms I met did not know that their choices of cleaning agents were harming their childrens’ health. Ammonia, ammonium hydroxide, ethanol, phenol and naphthalene are examples of some the chemicals in laundry detergents. Residues of these chemicals remain in the clothing and bedding and come in direct contact with the skin and respiratory system. By changing the laundry soap to a safe biodegradable one, I have helped many children eliminate asthma and allergic symptoms.

A note here about biodegradable. According to government standards, it means that it breaks down but there are no standards as to whether these chemicals have to be harmless. Also it has to break down within a hundred years. (Not acceptable in my books)

It can be very easy to make a few changes in our own homes and this gives us a sense of control. I know it certainly helps me to know I am not contributing to any further polluting of our planet.  Now we can make a difference to our internal environment and health. If each of us makes a difference, then we will create a hopeful picture for our future generations.

After many years of careful research, I recommend Dr. Shaklee‘s biodegradable products called Get Clean. Dr. Shaklee coined the word “biodegradable” back in the 50s. He saw what we were doing to our planet back then. NASA, the Biosphere 2 (World Renowned Environmental Project) in Arizona and the Cousteau Society use only the Get Clean products because they break down into harmless chemicals in a very short period of time.

Get Clean has something for every cleaning need. A good place to start is with the general cleaner. The Basic H2 concentrate has over 1,000 different cleaning uses. I used to bathe my grandchildren in it because it is pH balanced. I also use it for my entire general cleaning, windows to floors and everything in between.

Get Clean outperformed 11 National Brands in Independent Laboratory Testing. It also offsets its carbon footprint and was the first climate neutral company. Since 2007 through sales of one product alone (Basic H2), Shaklee Corporation eliminated 4.1 billion bottles of conventional 26-oz window cleaner from landfill sites. If placed end-to-end, these bottles would wrap around the earth more than 28 times! The neat thing is that is less expensive than all the other cleaners on the market. So not only do you save the planet, you also save money.

For more information on healthy safe products, check out the healthy home section at www.healthyday.net. In honour of Earth Day, I will give out free samples to anyone who contacts me this month.

Together we can choose to become conscious stewards of our planet earth.

Do you have a story to share? I’d love to get your feedback.  Here on my blog, you’ll get commentluv.  That’s great for all bloggers out there. If you leave a comment, you can provide a link back to your own blog.  But you don’t have to be a blogger to leave a comment; I’m looking forward to hearing from all of you!

Next week I will cover the project I have started to clean up the lakes.

Stay tuned.

Charlene Day

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7 Questions to Ask To Help Protect our Planet

Apr 6th, 2010 by

Environment is an Extension of Us

Healthy Soul-utions is all about being healthy in all areas. This month there is a great focus on planet earth with Earth Day in a few weeks.

Throughout my experience in the health field, I have seen it over and over again, that when we try to heal in just one area, it is not a total healing.

Everything is interconnected. So our environment is really an extension of us. What we do to the planet, we do to ourselves.

The next few blogs will be a few reminders of becoming conscious with our buying habits. Here are 7 questions to ask when considering purchasing a product or material for your home or business.

1.  Apply life-cycle thinking
(think in a way that includes our future generations).

This includes:

  • Does the product contain toxic materials?
  • Where do the raw materials come from and where is the product manufactured?
  • How much energy is used to extract and ship components or parts of a product?
  • How much energy, water and resources are used to create and package the product?
  • How can it be disposed of or recycled at the end of its useful life?
  • Are there any environmental or health impacts of its use?

2.  Do you even need to purchase the product new?

Sometimes a used item is just as good.

3.  Exactly how much of it do you need?

Don’t buy more than you need; this wastes money and resources. Are you paying to have water shipped to you, meaning is the product concentrated?

4.  What type of packaging does it come in?

Environmentally-conscious companies are doing all sorts of creative things to green their packaging. This addresses the materials that packaging is made from, as well as the amount of it.

5.  Is the product well-designed for its intended purpose?

Often, cheaply made goods fall apart and are thrown away within 3 months of purchase. Think about our already full land fill sites.

6.  Does the use of this product require special ventilation?

If so, don’t buy it! There are plenty of alternatives for no-VOC cleaning products, paints, and adhesives. Check out the Get Clean products for instance. Not only are they safe for you, your home or workplace and the planet, they also save you thousands of dollars. Visit www.healthyday.net and click on ‘Healthy Home’.

7.  Labor Practices.

Depending on how far you want to take it, ask about labor practices. Does the manufacturer pay a living wage?  Do they give their employees benefits, and do they have a diverse workforce? Do they contribute to their community? Does the company offset the carbon emissions? Are they climate neutral? The social aspects of sustainability/green are sometimes overlooked, but have huge potential payoffs.

Do you have a story to share? I’d love to get your feedback.  Here on my blog, you’ll get commentluv.  That’s great for all bloggers out there. If you leave a comment, you can provide a link back to your own blog.  But you don’t have to be a blogger to leave a comment; I’m looking forward to hearing from all of you!

Next week I will cover some more ways we can protect the planet.

Stay tuned.

Charlene

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