The health-care “crisis”

Considering that health care is quite a hot-topic these days, I figured I would say a few words about that… is a public option at worst or single-payer at best, going to solve the health-care crisis? I doubt it. We don’t need more “access” to pills to shove down our throats.  Yes, there is a time and place for pills but access to this is not really going to change much. What we really need is access to connecting with ourselves, each other, and nature. Dis-connection in one of these three ways, is probably at the root of many dis-eases.  The dis-ease, depression for example, is just a symptom of this dis-connectedness. It’s spirit saying “Hey! Wake up. Live your purpose, live your gift.”  Depression is the expression that something is not in alignment… it’s the moving attention and energy inwards (a “withdrawal”) as one explores one’s depths to realize, discover, and re-member one’s calling.  And honestly, there’s no pill I can give you to help you magically realize your purpose and gift.  No amount of xanax, paxil or any other drug is going to help you to heal.

Changing the health-care delivery system really requires us- as a culture- to look within and ask what we really need.  I know that even the best-case scenario of single payer, which is not even on the drawing table, wouldn’t really solve the deep underlying issue of need for connection, need for community, and essentially, need to recognize that we are all one.  It’s a process that, as a human race, we are unfolding every day… more and more layers are quickly coming off and we’re realizing our deep underlying issues.  Massive increases in cancer, heart disease, diabetes, etc all point to the fact that we are quickly coming upon the time when we can’t run away from that—we must heal… and healing on the individual level is a great way to heal on the human level, and evolve as a human consciousness.  This is my calling… one at a time, helping people heal so that we can heal as a race. But, I cannot do this alone- I need you… We need each other… as we all come to live our gifts, we will heal ourselves and the world.  In the meantime, perhaps we better make access to emergency rooms and band-aids easier.

Seeding a Gift-Culture

Recently, I had the honor of attending a gift-culture seeding workshop with Charles Eisenstein. I learned and evolved quite a bit in that short time… and am sharing some reflections, experiences and such.

What I learned out of the workshop, being around Charles, and as I am reading the book [The Ascent of Humanity] is that we ARE the gift. Each one of us is the gift, and we are all one.  And so if we are the gift, born in gratitude, all we can do is gift it.  We can live in a space of being the gift so that others too can be the gift.

The gifting creates an obligation– in a very positive sense.  An obligation is a tie- it essentially creates community.  Since, we once lived in Union- with ourselves, each other, and nature– we were the gifts that flowed freely.  When we decided we were separate and independent, we used money as a way to exert our independence, to break obligations: If I give my gift, you give me money for it.  This was the “age of separation” as Charles called it. This is the old story- the story of war, hatred, fear, anger, numbness, grief, greed, etc etc.

And, this too served a purpose– we were to grow through to learn our lessons and evolve. The age of separation is not to blame, judge, repent, punish, etc. It all was necessary and ‘right.’

Money was used as a token of gratitude- it was a way to show thanks for something I gave, and I could use that token in the future to show thanks for something I received.  We are slowly moving to that place again… in the “age of reunion.”  This is the age in which we can tell a new story. We are the gift. In this age, we give our gifts freely, and through this create community in which we are called to live and be our gift. In this story, we co-create, as opposed to being at effect.  In this story, we live in harmony with each other. In this story, we live in harmony with lover earth.  That’s right– earth was once the mother that gave and gave and gave– and we’ve sucked her dry.  In the new story, she is our lover– we love her, and we are equal to her… we care for her as we would a lover, we co-create… and we birth the new world….

That would be the short version of his message. What I can’t transmit though is his presence. His incredible living in the knowing of the truth of the new story.  His belief is that the new story is alive… and stories have and will be what create our realities. So, its a matter of “personal” choice- which story do you want to believe? The story you believe is the one you will create….

For example, I had a story… a story that I’ve told myself again and again, probably since about 17 years of age (at least that I can remember… it may be older than that, running into past lifetimes, but who knows).  It ran so deep. One of the exercises that we did over the weekend was writing down a story that we believed to be true.  So this is the story I wrote down… it was a story that held a lot of pain, and brought up sadness, and a bunch of other emotions. So, I wrote it down. Then… he says okay, now write down the opposite of this story.  For literally 5 minutes, I sat there— unable to think of the opposite story!!! I couldn’t believe it. All weekend, I’d been like yeah yeah, stories, co-creation, watever. I know we have choice and we create our realities. And then this simple exercise completely shattered all the ego. I was like WOAH!?!?! Is this for real? I can’t think of a simple opposite for this story that I don’t even want to be true? And then… once all that passed, the ego fell to the ground, and a new story emerged. I didn’t create it– it just emerged for the depths of knowing-ness and truth.  So I wrote it down… and I said, YES, this is the true story, this is the story that feels alive, this is the story I CHOOSE. And it’s the story I now believe…

I realize this may seem like a pretty simple exercise– but I recommend everyone to try it, at least once. Write down something you believe to be true. Then pause, take a deep breath, and write down the opposite. Once you have them both written, take a step back and each of them. See which one feels most aligned and true for you. Then, choose which story you want to embody.

Another exercise that was really earth-shattering for me was eye-gazing. I have pretty much been the type that doesn’t look directly into people’s eyes for more than a few seconds. It used scare the crap out of me– not so much knowing other people’s truth… but more seeing myself reflected in others. So we did this eye-gazing thing with three different times.  And that was pretty intense. The 4th time, we were to have a conversation with our partner just by looking into each other’s eyes.  My partner was Charles. We ended up in a 20 minute conversation (other folks had switched partners a few more times).  At the end, we exchanged reflections on what we thought we’d talked about.  To my dis-belief, we had had the same conversation!! And… we’d actually talked about so much more than we could have in a 20-minute word-full conversation.

After coming back from this incredible journey into knowing-ness and being-ness, I realized I already knew him! I was reading one of my blog entries from last year– turns out I quoted him last October! Pretty incredible eh?

Hmmmm it’s interesting… I’m sharing some pretty intense things on a blog… I have no idea who’s going to read this.  I do trust that the people that come upon this blog are ones that are meant to… and I trust that there has been something of value in what I’ve shared with you.

What I’m strongly feeling to share right now is that I really cannot transmit his presence through written word… I couldn’t even do it in person! So really, you all just have to meet him yourself. He’s touring all over… he’s in the Bay Area Thurs, Oct 22nd.  You can check out the event details here (please RSVP if you want to come).  (If you can’t open this link because you’re not on Facebook but would like to come to the event, just email me and I’ll email you the details)

He’s also in LA from 25-27th, details here.  I know there’s near-future plans of workshops and seminars in Philly, DC, NYC, and Vermont…. so if you’re in any of those areas, you can find out details here.

Also, you can read some of his thoughts (in his own words, instead of mine!!) that he writes for Reality Sandwich here.

Oh yes, one more link… here’s the youtube channel which has a few videos up.  I know he’s working on getting some more up, so stay tuned.

In truth, light, and love,

Aumatma (and yes, I’ve changed my name… it’s more in alignment with my true self)

With so many types of supplements, how do you choose the best?

Whole foods, food based, and synthetic: whats the difference?

Synthetic (generally not labeled as such)—usually high dose concentrates of either extracts from natural substances or completely synthetic (man-made).  These compounds, although in high concentrations, is not absorbed very well.  These compounds are not easily recognizable by our body so we essentially have to give in high amounts, to even get a little bit out. Most of the time, you’re just making expensive urine!

Food based: synthetic nutrients in a base of foods such as green foods (spirulina, chlorella, and such) and herbs.  These are a little better absorbed because of the co-factors that are available in whole foods, however, these are still synthetic-based.

Whole foods: these supplements are considered to be foods. Some brands (eg. New Chapter) use vitamins and minerals added to soy and bacteria to ferment the foods, which releases some of the nutrients.  This makes the vitamins and minerals more absorbable.  Other brands (eg MegaFoods) use bacteria to help magnify the amounts of vitamins and minerals naturally occurring in foods—for example, beta carotene in carrots, and vitamin C in orange juice.  This brand is non-soy based, and make good quality products that not only increase absorption—they even increase delivery to and utilization by cells. There are many other brands that claim “whole foods” but it’s important to know how the supplements are processed to really understand how the product is made.

Ideally, you can find a supplement within your price range that’s free of additives and has at least some whole foods in it.  I would say however, that quality is important– it’s better to take only one supplement of good quality and get the most out of it, rather than take many supplements which may or may not be doing anything to support your health.

Memory troubling you?

Memory loss is thought of as an illness of age. However, it can happen at any age and there are many other underlying factors, besides age, that should be considered.

1)      Stress: how often do you ‘forget to do something’ on your rushed way out the door?  Just imagine- if this kind of stress if consistent, how would your brain be focused on remembering anything? It requires energy to create synapses b/t neurons in the brain.  If there’s no energy, or if the energy is being used for something else in the body (like pumping your heart really fast and hard –stress mode) then the brain doesn’t get the energy it needs.

2)      Imbalanced Vata — ungroundedness

3)      Chinese perspective: yin or blood deficiency indicating a heart-mind imbalance.

4)      Improper digestion, absorption, and assimilation of nutrients.

5)      Sugar—people that had high blood glucose levels, in studies, repeatedly were noticed to have lowered blood flow to and metabolic activity in parts of the brain

Of course, working on the underlying cause is of importance. There are several effective supplements that help to enhance brain function and improve memory.  They also prevent memory loss and deterioration of mental function due to age.  Each individual should find one that will help them, there’s usually no need to take all of them.

1)      EXERCISE- this is the single most-natural way to increase oxygen flow to the brain and control/ stabilize blood sugar levels.

2)      Decrease sugar in your diet

3)      Omega 3s, especially DHA is the building block of the neuronal structure of the brain.  This can be gotten from fish oil.  There’s also a new DHA on the market that’s a algae-sourced DHA– which means its vegan!

4)      D-ribose: building block of DNA and enhances mitochondrial function- ATP production. Creates energy for the heart and increases blood flow to the brain

5)      Choline- building block of acetylcholine which is a neurotransmitter between the central and peripheral NS.  Its functions include memory and cognition

a. Pantothenic acid- important for choline to acetylcholine conversion

6)      Huperzine- blocks acetylcholine break-down, essentially increasing amounts of Ach in the system leading to enhance brain function.  Huperzine is contraindication with acetycholine blockers, as it acts on the same

7)      Vinpocetine- improve the brain’s utilization of oxygen and increase the resistance of neurons to the damage that would otherwise be caused by low oxygen levels

8)      Herbs: gingko, gotu kola, brahmi, ashwagandha/ eleuthrococcus, rosemary, sage. Herbs are usually best used in combination- ask your natural healthcare provider for the best combination for you.

9)      Goji berries, black/ kidney beans, Wheat germ, wheat berries, and mung beans à inc yin in the body- and some of those also build blood (as considered in Chinese Medicine) and also helps to balance vata in the body

10)   dang gui and rehmannia are herbs that can be used in cooking to build blood (according to Chinese Medicine)

11)   Oxidation in the body will lead to impaired brain function. Tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, coffee, pesticides, refined flour/sugar/salt, and excess protein are all oxidants.

12)   Meditate- help ground the vata energy to improve and enhance brain fxn.

13)   Essential oils: a blend of rosemary, mint, and lavender can be a great addition to the air to help the mind become clear and focus.  Excellent for students trying to memorize information…

What to look for in finding the right supplements? Read the label!

It’s so vital that we read each and every label—not just for supplements but also for food.  What should one look for? Well, first thing to do is scan all the way to the bottom and look at the list of “other ingredients.”  This is the list of additives that are required to be listed by the FDA but do not have a “pharmacological effect.”  In general, if this list is longer than your list of supplement ingredients, then ignore.  If it’s 5-6 other ingredients and you can’t make out their names- they’re probably not meant to be consumed.  Even then, if you want to know how to know… keep reading below!

Common additives which may or may not be harmful: cellulose, magnesium stearate, stearic acid, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, glycerin, titanium and silicon dioxide (used to make products white- or non-colored), carnauba wax, beeswax, and ethylcellulose.  These are actually on the GRAS list from the FDA—which means theyre generally “safe”.  FYI, magnesium stearate and sodium benzoate are also on this safe list.  However, please note that FD&C and other very toxic ingredients do not make it to this list! Also, its not necessary, nor acceptable for there to be added fructose/sucrose and such to supplements.  The immuno-suppressive affect of these is more harmful than beneficial, not to mention the affect on your teeth!

The two that are potentially harmful and very common are:
* Magnesium stearate or stearic acid: Used in supplements to add a coating on powders to quicken the process in machines and capsuling. They’re hydrogenated oils that we try to avoid! 8 caps a day will provide about 6 oz of this oil into the body! Causes t-cell membrane function collapse and cell death à suppress immune function. Also may decrease absorption.

* Sodium benzoate & potassium sorbate: preservatives, mostly in liquid vitamins. It kills all live bacteria in your supplement to increase shelf life.  It also means it kills everything in your intestinal tract.

Karma Clinic News

A few weeks ago, Brandt called- so excited that he had just learned of the Karma Clinic model. When we first spoke, he was just so excited and said, “I’m going to do this! It just makes sense.”  I knew he was serious but had no idea how quickly indeed he intended to take this project off the ground. Turns out, Brandt was in the process of opening his clinic in Portland– after practicing as an Acupuncturist for many years in Florida, he was invited to teach at NCNM and moved across the country, to serve in the capacity of a teacher.   He decided that he wanted to do the clinic gift-economy style, and indeed 2 weeks later, he had his first patient!  So, Brandt jumped head first into a gift-economy clinic and he loves it.  As if this were not enough, he’s invited his colleagues at their clinic to jump in with him— and so, even they’re going to be practicing completely gift-economy style well-care on the days that Brandt is at the clinic.

He’s so inspired to serve, he just told me today that he wants to teach a gift-economy style seminar too!  He was just invited to speak at a seminar in Hawaii, and was made a generous offer to speak there… in turn, he responded by saying I want to gift it and allow the participants to pay-it-forward in any way that they want.  Truly incredible.  What inspires me most about him is the energy with which he serves– for him, its truly about giving. Sharing his gifts and living in line with his spirit.

And indeed, the gift-economy model truly speaks to the spirit of healers… because somewhere in the collective history, we have the gene of service— give without any expectation of something in return.  In most cultures, healers have shared freely their gifts and have been sustained by the community in which they serve.  We– the ‘modern’ gift-economy community healers– attempt to do the same.  Testing, experimenting- is this model viable in the present day? Can a society that so enmeshed in consumerism and me-centeredness, actually create a community that sustains the servers/ healers of that community? So far, the answer is a loud and clear YES. YES. YES. The community, and universal energy, does indeed sustain those that are gifting in alignment with their spirit. And that’s a beautiful thing. Over the past few months, we’ve received so many gifts, monetary and otherwise, that have really given us the clear signal that the work we are doing and the service we are providing is something that is very much needed.

I could share many moving stories but I have two that sit really close to my heart. One is that of a woman… several weeks ago, this woman sat in front of me- having explained on the phone that she can’t afford much but really needs the help on her healing journey– and after 2 hours of sitting with her, I decided I really need more time to get to the root of what ailed her. At that point, I asked her, would she be open to spending more time talking even though we were at the end of our time.  She says well, I don’t really want to impinge on your time and outside life. And I said no no, I’m here– in this moment, I’m only here to serve you. And she said ok, let’s do it then. Turns out, it was an hour and half later that we finally finished. After which she said wow, this is more of a gift than I have ever imagined- I really don’t have much money to give you. And I said no way, you don’t owe us anything- this is a gift with no strings attached.  At this point, something opened in her and tears started flowing down her face. She said thank you… that was more of a gift than I could have ever imagined!

The other is a bit shorter… of a brother that came to the clinic.  At the time, he didn’t have a job.  At the end of the visit, he received the “receipt” and he quietly accepted the envelope and left. A few weeks later, we received a beautiful heartfelt note that read “I would like to offer 4 hours of my time to any cause that you feel would be beneficial to all beings…”  WOW! 4 hours? Now thats generosity! I had gifted 2 hours of my time, for him to double it and send it back- not only to us but ‘all beings’ is quite powerful and moving. And to top it off, he emailed recently asking whats the address he can mail a check to because now that he has some income flowing in, he would like to contribute in that way too!

Being able to experience such beautiful things is quite a blessing. Another blessing has been an addition to our Berkeley Karma Clinic crew, Darius Sohei.  This brother just walked in, totally aligned with the gift-economy spirit.  He’s an incredible healer and it is an honor to have him as part of the community.  Today he captured it so simply: “I do gift-economy because this (his art and skill in healing) was gifted to me.”  And that rings so true for me… I truly believe that our gifts are to be shared with and gifted to others… so we are in gratitude to all those that are recipients of these gifts, directly or indirectly.

What’s the ideal diet?

There is always a debate about what’s the best diet for large populations? Or what’s the ideal? What would be healthiest for everyone? I say that it varies from person to person. There are several general guidelines which I think are beneficial for most:

1) Eat LOTS of vegetables (about 6-8 servings) and small amounts of fruits (1-2 servings).
This may come as a surprise to some, but grouping the fruits and vegetables together in one category has done quite a dis-service. Vegetables and fruits are NOT equal in the value that they offer to our bodies. Both have antioxidants, but living on 6-8 servings of fruit a day would pose quite a detriment because of the amount of sugar intake (even though it’s ‘natural’ sugar!).

2) Stay away from processed foods.
If it comes in a bag, a box, or a can, its probably not meant for consumption! I always ask myself the question, did it come out of the earth this way? If not, how much did it have to go through before it appeared on this shelf?

3) Eat small amounts of animal products- that means meat and dairy.
Of course, not all animal products are created equal. Red meat poses a higher cost than benefit. Fish on the other hand may be beneficial (with reservation about the origin of the fish). Research has repeatedly shown that animal products have oxidants which make the body age quicker. The costs of eating these foods in general are higher than the benefit. However, there are people out there that benefit from the consumption of these foods. Each individual has to figure out what works for his/her body- and may benefit from the guidance of a nutritional specialist.

4) Eat a variety of foods.
Don’t you get bored eating the same thing day after day? Of course! That’s your body telling you it’s time to switch it up. If your body is not giving you that signal, just know that we weren’t meant to eat the same thing everyday– for example, bread, cheese and pasta. Rotate your grains, beans, vegetables, and meats if you choose to eat them. This will ensure that you intake a broad range of nutrients and prevent your body from becoming sensitive to any one food.

5) Eat less.
We really consume a lot more food than we really need. If you eat 6 times a day, eat 5. If you eat 5 times per day, eat 4. Simplify! Most other citizens of the world do not have the opportunity to eat as much as we do, and yet they are doing quite well. Again, eating alone speeds up the aging process. Because your body has to expend energy to digest, it takes a little bit of the vital force. This is why rishis back in the day, ate but once a day- if that! And, they lived way beyond 100 yrs.

6) Drink lots of water.
I need not say much about this… everyone knows. The general guidelines are 1/2 your body weight in ounces. So if you weigh 100 lbs, you need at least 50 oz of water daily.

7) Eat consciously and slowly.
Ideally, we want to in a quite space. We chew our food 60-75 times, take an hour to eat, and don’t do it in front of the TV or engaged in conversations on the phone or internet!

I think there are so many diets that promote themselves as the best “new” diet, getting very detailed about exact portions, how many times to eat, etc etc. In general, I would say that most diets have the above guidelines underlying the exactness. So, my view is that the ‘exactness’ varies from person to person but these underlying principles are applicable to all. And here they are… enjoy your way to healthy eating!

Intuitional Vegan Cooking Classes

For a while I have been requested to teach a cooking class, as a practical application of healthy eating and living.

It’s finally happening! These cooking classes will have two components: 1) for people to attune to the intuition and vibration of food and cook from that space (rather than follow ‘recipes’). And 2) incorporate and re-iterate some of the basic nutritional values.

The first class is full before I even got to posting here so if there are enough people interested, I may do a repeat session…  Anyway, I’m pretty excited to be merging my passion for nutrition, cooking, and tasty eating with teaching!  In gratitude to my spiritual teacher who has very much supported this effort…

Milk, does a body…??

The common belief (or myth) is that milk is the body’s reliable source of calcium.  Sure, technically, cow’s milk does have calcium.  What remains in question is whether or not it is the best source of calcium and is it a source of absorbable calcium.  Many researchers have proven that no, milk is not a source of absorbable calcium. Matter of fact, it’s not even the richest source of calcium.

What makes calcium from milk less absorbable than other sources? The many overlooked ‘co-factors’ of calcium absorption are magnesium, Vitamin D, and phosphorus—a key factor in delivering calcium to bones.

To be fair, milk does have small amounts of these necessary co-factors. However, not nearly as much as some other foods naturally high in calcium.  Not surprisingly, some of the best vegetable kingdom sources of calcium are also the best sources of magnesium!

Source per 100 mg edible portion	Amount of calcium in mg
Seaweeds (Hijiki being the highest)	800-1400
Brick cheese	682
Wheat/barley grass	514
Tahini*	680
Sardines	443
Agar-agar	400
Nori	260
Dried figs	250
Almonds	233
Amaranth grain	222
Hazelnuts	209
Parsley	203
Turnip greens	191
Brazil nuts	186
Sunflower seeds	174
Watercress	151
Garbanzo beans	150
Quinoa	141
Black beans	135
Pistachios	135
Pinto beans	135
Kale	134
Spirulina	131
Yogurt	121
Milk	119
Collard greens	117
Sesame seeds	110
Chinese cabbage	106
Tofu	100
Walnuts	99
Okra	98
Salmon	79
Cottage cheese	60
Eggs	56
Brown rice	33
Blue fish	23
Halibut	13
Chicken	11
Ground beef	10
Mackerel	5

*Please note: 100g of tahini is almost 20 teaspoons– an awful lot to consume in one sitting.

What are things that block calcium absorption?

1. Coffee, soft drinks, and diuretics
2. Excess protein (high amounts of meat will actually induce loss calcium from the bones)
3. Refined sugars
4. Alcohol, marijuana, cigarettes, and other intoxicants
5. Too much or too little exercise

There’s another common myth regarding milk. I often hear milk is a good source of protein. This is not really based in any concrete evidence. Milk is more fat than protein. 1 cup of whole milk is 66 calories, 3.9 g fat and ONLY 3.2 g protein! So, this may be reason for some to argue in favor of ‘skim milk’.  I could probably write at least two pages on why skim milk is a bad idea… but in general, just think of it this way- if skim milk was better for you, don’t you think the cows would have adopted that by now?

There have been questions about raw milk and goat’s milk. They’re both okay if you feel like you have to drink milk.  I would caution in that case – know where your milk comes from, go visit the farm, make sure the animals are free range and hormone free (don’t believe the labels because some of the biggest organic milk companies in the U.S. claims this and the reality is quite different from their label).  All in all, milk is really unnecessary.  As you can see above, there are at least 15 common foods that have way more calcium than milk. And, its more absorbable! However, if you must, be wise about your pick.

Non-dairy alternatives:

Almond milk, rice milk, hazelnut milk, oat milk, hemp milk, coconut milk, soy milk (soy is a topic for further debate; at this time I will just state that this is not a highly recommended replacement of dairy milk). Also, you may want to try coconut oil as a spread, instead of butter.

I would like to end with some food for thought: How many grown animals drink ANOTHER animal’s milk?

A small challenge: completely abstain from milk, cheese, yogurt, kefir, and any other dairy products/ingredients for 3 weeks. On day 22, have all the dairy your heart desires. Then, abstain for another three days and observe changes in your body.  This is a food challenge (you can test your body in this way with any food you are curious about) to allow your body to tell you how it feels when you eat certain things.  I would love to hear some of the results!

Resources:

Pitchford, Paul.  “Healing with whole foods.”  North Atlantic Books. Berkeley, CA. 2002

“Milk not best for strong bones, reports find.”  MSNBC. 2005

Health without milk.

Calcium: why is it not absorbable in the human body?

Fairweather-Tait, Susan, et al. Studies on calcium absorption from milk using a double-label

stable isotope technique.  British Journal of Nutrition. 1989

Swine Flu: to panic or not to panic?

Swine Flu has gotten quite a lot of media attention… is it necessary? Is it really a major incidence of health danger?

Swine flu symptoms: fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.  In Mexico, evidence suggests, the symptoms were pretty severe and some people also had diarrhea and vomiting.  These are pretty classic flu symptoms and hence diagnosis is confirmed by RT-PCR testing. The major concern with the latest outbreak is that it has the potential of human to human transmission, whereas in the past it was limited to swine-human interaction.  This suggests a mutation of the virus which makes it more virulent.  The recommended treatment for swine flu is a drug zanamavir or oseltamavir.  Many people have been running to the local drug store to stock up on Tamiflu and Relenza– they both seem to be effective against the virus, yet increase viral resistance and mutation when used unnecessarily!  {As a side note: Tamiflu sales were reported to be really low last year and have sky rocketed in the past two weeks}  Tamiflu, as of May 1st, is available over the counter for those with flu symptoms.  That is a huge service and disservice at the same time– more people having easier access, almost assuredly means increased unnecessary use, and hence faster resistance development.

All this said, there are many theories that suggest this outbreak was bio-engineered (as many other viral outbreaks).  Whether this is true or not, I am not sure.  What I do know however is that there is a lot of hype around the alleged pandemic, which makes me very suspicious.  My take is this: If you take care of yourself, get enough rest, and keep your immune system healthy, you will be able to fight off whatever virus it is– of swine origin or not is irrelevant.

Some things that will help your immune system:

a) Vitamin C- oranges/ juice, sweet red peppers, brussel sprouts, kiwi, and broccoli are some food sources

b) Elderberry- this one is my absolute favorites for ‘virus’ prevention.  Not only is it high in Vit C which helps boost the immune system, but it acts specifically to coat the cells so that the viruses can’t enter to complete their life cycle and create mutations

c) Echinacea- this is a classic, you can read my past post on that if you would like

d) Vitamin D- sunshine! Get outdoors, breathe fresh air, feel the sun (when its not raining)

e) stay hydrated– this one seems simple but is very important.

f) don’t act out of fear

g) avoid unnecessary vaccines

According to Time/CNN, the 5 don’ts of swine flu and my comments/additions:

1) Don’t rush to the ER– the cold/flu virus is relatively common and your body can usually fight it off. Yes, its not fun but you’ll survive. There have yet to be any deaths in the US reported to be caused by swine flu

2) Don’t be afraid to eat pork– this one is questionable. I think one should always be afraid to eat pork! The amount of pesticides and antibiotics are not easy for your body to handle. Not to mention the non-pork that they pass for pork these days (I don’t know first hand but that’s what I hear from the experts)

3) Don’t hoard antivirals– yep. I would add to that, be discerning about whether to use them at all

4) Don’t leave home if you feel sick– get some rest!

5) Don’t panic– panic never solved anything.  There have been swine flu “outbreaks” before, a major one being in 1976.  It was determined that it was not dangerous enough to be a pandemic.  What raises concerns this time is its ability to spread quickly– however eventhough it has ability to spread, its not any more severe. the symptoms are still the same old flu symptoms that people have gotten for many centuries.  People have survived…

Washington Times’ Wesley Pruden states:
There are no firm estimates or even hopeful guesses of how many Americans are likely to contract flu this spring, but fortunately the ratio of panic to reality is not governed by facts. In the early hours of counting, barely 50 cases had been reported in the United States, and only two in Britain – that’s 2, not 2,000 or even 200. About 300,000 to 500,000 cases of flu are reported every year in the United States, where 10 percent to 20 percent of the population comes down with the sore throat, coughing and achy bones of flu. Of those, 30,000 to 40,000 die. What we have so far in the United States is a 50-case panic, caused by a remarkably mild variant of the flu.

If symptoms do occur, its important to go see a health care provider.

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1) Pruden, Wesley.  The Washington Times. A pandemic of panic- are we dead yet?

2) The CDC

3) Walsh, Bryan. Time. The top 5 Swine flu don’ts

4) Adaljia, Amesh, MD. Emergency Physician’s Monthly. Swine Flu update.

5) Swine flu treatments, Emergency Natural Allopathic Treatments

6) Understanding Swine flu’s world Spread. Bloomerg.com

7) Dr.Mercola. The swine flu pandemic: fact or fiction?