Nano-Foods

Regulated or Not, Nano-Foods Coming to a Store Near You Written by
Andrew Schneider - Senior Public Health Correspondent AOL News

Must Read Article


http://www.aolnews.com/nanotech/article/regulated-or-not-nano-foods-coming-to-a-store-near-you/19401246?icid=mainmaindl1link3http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolnews.com%2Fnanotech%2Farticle%2Fregulated-or-not-nano-foods-coming-to-a-store-near-you%2F19401246

Second in a Three-Part Series(March 24) -- For centuries, it was the cook and the heat of the fire that cajoled taste, texture, flavor and aroma from the pot. Today, that culinary voodoo is being crafted by white-coated scientists toiling in pristine labs, rearranging atoms into chemical particles never before seen. At last year's Institute of Food Technologists international conference, nanotechnology was the topic that generated the most buzz among the 14,000 food-scientists, chefs and manufacturers crammed into an Anaheim, Calif., hall. Though it's a word that has probably never been printed on any menu, and probably never will, there was so much interest in the potential uses of nanotechnology for food that a separate daylong session focused just on that subject was packed to overflowing. In one corner of the convention center, a chemist, a flavorist and two food-marketing specialists clustered around a large chart of the Periodic Table of Elements (think back to high school science class). The food chemist, from China, ran her hands over the chart, pausing at different chemicals just long enough to say how a nano-ized version of each would improve existing flavors or create new ones

One of the marketing guys questioned what would happen if the consumer found out.The flavorist asked whether the Food and Drug Administration would even allow nanoingredients.Posed a variation of the latter question, Dr. Jesse Goodman, the agency's chief scientist and deputy commissioner for science and public health, gave a revealing answer. He said he wasn't involved enough with how the FDA was handling nanomaterials in food to discuss that issue. And the agency wouldn't provide anyone else to talk about it. This despite the fact that hundreds of peer-reviewed studies have shown that nanoparticles pose potential risks to human health -- and, more specifically, that when ingested can cause DNA damage that can prefigure cancer and heart and brain disease.

Despite Denials, Nano-Food Is Here Officially, the FDA says there aren't any nano-containing food products currently sold in the U.S.Not true, say some of the agency's own safety experts, pointing to scientific studies published in food science journals, reports from foreign safety agencies and discussions in gatherings like the Institute of Food Technologists conference. In fact, the arrival of nanomaterial onto the food scene is already causing some big-chain safety managers to demand greater scrutiny of what they're being offered, especially with imported food and beverages. At a conference in Seattle last year hosted by leading food safety attorney Bill Marler, presenters raised the issue of how hard it is for large supermarket companies to know precisely what they are purchasing, especially with nanomaterials, because of the volume and variety they deal in.


According to a USDA scientist, some Latin American packers spray U.S.-bound produce with a wax-like nanocoating to extend shelf-life. "We found no indication that the nanocoating ... has ever been tested for health effects," the researcher says.Craig Wilson, assistant vice president for safety for Costco, says his chain does not test for nanomaterial in the food products it is offered by manufacturers. But, he adds, Costco is looking "far more carefully at everything we buy. ... We have to rely on the accuracy of the labels and the integrity of our vendors. Our buyers know that if they find nanomaterial or anything else they might consider unsafe, the vendors either remove it, or we don't buy it."

Another government scientist says nanoparticles can be found today in produce sections in some large grocery chains and vegetable wholesalers. This scientist, a researcher with the USDA's Agricultural Research Service, was part of a group that examined Central and South American farms and packers that ship fruits and vegetables into the U.S. and Canada. According to the USDA researcher -- who asked that his name not be used because he's not authorized to speak for the agency -- apples, pears, peppers, cucumbers and other fruit and vegetables are being coated with a thin, wax-like nanocoating to extend shelf-life. The edible nanomaterial skin will also protect the color and flavor of the fruit longer."We found no indication that the nanocoating, which is manufactured in Asia, has ever been tested for health effects," said the researcher.

Some foreign governments, apparently more worried about the influx of nano-related products to their grocery shelves, are gathering their own research. In January, a science committee of the British House of Lords issued a lengthy study on nanotechnology and food. Scores of scientific groups and consumer activists and even several international food manufactures told the committee investigators that engineered particles were already being sold in salad dressings; sauces; diet beverages; and boxed cake, muffin and pancakes mixes, to which they're added to ensure easy pouring. Other researchers responding to the committee's request for information talked about hundreds more items that could be in stores by year's end. For example, a team in Munich has used nano-nonstick coatings to end the worldwide frustration of having to endlessly shake an upturned mustard or ketchup bottle to get at the last bit clinging to the bottom. Another person told the investigators that Nestlé and Unilever have about completed developing a nano-emulsion-based ice cream that has a lower fat content but retains its texture and flavor.

The Ultimate Secret Ingredient Nearly 20 of the world's largest food manufacturers -- among them Nestlé, as well as Hershey, Cargill, Campbell Soup, Sara Lee, and H.J. Heinz -- have their own in-house nano-labs, or have contracted with major universities to do nano-related food product development. But they are not eager to broadcast those efforts
Kraft was the first major food company to hoist the banner of nanotechnology. Spokesman Richard Buino, however, now says that while "we have sponsored nanotech research at various universities and research institutions in the past," Kraft has no labs focusing on it today.The stance is in stark contrast to the one Kraft struck in late 2000, when it loudly and repeatedly proclaimed that it had formed the Nanotek Consortium with engineers, molecular chemists and physicists from 15 universities in the U.S. and abroad. The mission of the team was to show how nanotechnology would completely revolutionize the food manufacturing industry, or so said its then-director, Kraft research chemist Manuel Marquez.
But by the end of 2004, the much-touted operation seemed to vanish. All mentions of Nanotek Consortium disappeared from Kraft's news releases and corporate reports."We have not nor are we currently using nanotechnology in our products or packaging," Buino added in another e-mail. Industry Tactics Thwart Risk AwarenessThe British government investigation into nanofood strongly criticized the U.K.'s food industry for "failing to be transparent about its research into the uses of nanotechnologies and nanomaterials." On this side of the Atlantic, corporate secrecy isn't a problem, as some FDA officials tell it. Investigators on Capitol Hill say the FDA's congressional liaisons have repeatedly assured them -- from George W. Bush's administration through President Barack Obama's first year -- that the big U.S. food companies have been upfront and open about their plans and progress in using nanomaterial in food. But FDA and USDA food safety specialists interviewed over the past three months stressed that based on past performance, industry cannot be relied on to voluntarily advance safety efforts.
These government scientists, who are actively attempting to evaluate the risk of introducing nanotechnology to food, say that only a handful of corporations are candid about what they're doing and collaborating with the FDA and USDA to help develop regulations that will both protect the public and permit their products to reach market. Most companies, the government scientists add, submit little or no information unless forced. Even then, much of the information crucial to evaluating hazards -- such as the chemicals used and results of company health studies -- is withheld, with corporate lawyers claiming it constitutes confidential business information. Both regulators and some industry consultants say the evasiveness from food manufacturers could blow up in their faces. As precedent, they point to what happened in the mid-'90s with genetically modified food, the last major scientific innovation that was, in many cases, force-fed to consumers. "There was a lack of transparency on what companies were doing. So promoting genetically modified foods was perceived by some of the public as being just profit-driven," says Professor Rickey Yada of the Department of Food Science at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada."In retrospect, food manufacturers should have highlighted the benefits that the technology could bring as well as discussing the potential concerns."

Eating Nanomaterials Could Increase Underlying Risks The House of Lords' study identified "severe shortfalls" in research into the dangers of nanotechnology in food. Its authors called for funding studies that address the behavior of nanomaterials within the digestive system. Similar recommendations are being made in the U.S., where the majority of research on nanomaterial focuses on it entering the body via inhalation and absorption. The food industry is very competitive, with thin profit margins. And safety evaluations are very expensive, notes Bernadene Magnuson, senior scientific and regulatory consultant with risk-assessment firm Cantox Health Sciences International. "You need to be pretty sure you've got something that's likely to benefit you and your product in some way before you're going to start launching into safety evaluations," she explains. Magnuson believes that additional studies must be done on chronic exposure to and ingestion of nanomaterials.One of the few ingestion studies recently completed was a two-year-long examination of nano-titanium dioxide at UCLA, which showed that the compound caused DNA and chromosome damage after lab animals drank large quantities of the particles in their water.

It is widely known that nano-titanium dioxide is used as filler in hundreds of medicines and cosmetics and as a blocking agent in sunscreens. But Jaydee Hanson, policy analyst for the Center for Food Safety, worries that the danger is greater "when the nano-titanium dioxide is used in food." Ice cream companies, Hanson says, are using nanomaterials to make their products "look richer and better textured." Bread makers are spraying nanomaterials on their loaves "to make them shinier and help them keep microbe-free longer."

While AOL News was unable to identify a company pursuing the latter practice, it did find Sono-Tek of Milton, N.Y., which uses nanotechnology in its industrial sprayers. "One new application for us is spraying nanomaterial suspensions onto biodegradable plastic food wrapping materials to preserve the freshness of food products," says Christopher Coccio, chairman and CEO. He said the development of this nano-wrap was partially funded by New York State's Energy Research and Development Authority. "This is happening," Hanson says. He calls on the FDA to "immediately seek a ban on any products that contain these nanoparticles, especially those in products that are likely to be ingested by children." "The UCLA study means we need to research the health effects of these products before people get sick, not after," Hanson says. There is nothing to mandate that such safety research take place.

The FDA's Blind Spot The FDA includes titanium dioxide among the food additives it classifies under the designation "generally recognized as safe," or GRAS. New additives with that label can bypass extensive and costly health testing that is otherwise required of items bound for grocery shelves. A report issued last month by the Government Accountability Office denounced the enormous loophole that the FDA has permitted through the GRAS classification. And the GAO investigators also echoed the concerns of consumer and food safety activists who argue that giving nanomaterials the GRAS free pass is perilous.Food safety agencies in Canada and the European Union require all ingredients that incorporate engineered nanomaterials to be submitted to regulators before they can be put on the market, the GAO noted. No so with the FDA. "Because GRAS notification is voluntary and companies are not required to identify nanomaterials in their GRAS substances, FDA has no way of knowing the full extent to which engineered nanomaterials have entered the U.S. food supply," the GAO told Congress. Amid that uncertainty, calls for safety analysis are growing. "Testing must always be done," says food regulatory consultant George Burdock, a toxicologist and the head of the Burdock Group. "Because if it's nanosized, its chemical properties will most assuredly be different and so might the biological impact."

Will Consumers Swallow What Science Serves Up Next? Interviews with more than a dozen food scientists revealed strikingly similar predictions on how the food industry will employ nanoscale technology. They say firms are creating nanostructures to enhance flavor, shelf life and appearance. They even foresee using encapsulated or engineered nanoscale particles to create foods from scratch. Experts agreed that the first widespread use of nanotechnology to hit the U.S. food market would be nanoscale packing materials and nanosensors for food safety, bacteria detection and traceability. While acknowledging that many more nano-related food products are on the way, Magnuson, the industry risk consultant, says the greatest degree of research right now is directed at food safety and quality. "Using nanotechnology to improve the sensitivity and speed of detection of food-borne pathogens in the food itself or in the supply chain or in the processing equipment could be lifesaving," she says. For example, researchers at Clemson University, according to USDA, have used nanoparticles to identify campylobacter, a sometimes-lethal food-borne pathogen, in poultry intestinal tracts prior to processing. At the University of Massachusetts Amherst, food scientist Julian McClements and his colleagues have developed time-release nanolaminated coatings to add bioactive components to food to enhance delivery of ingredients to help prevent diseases such as cancer, osteoporosis, heart disease and hypertension. But if the medical benefits of such an application are something to cheer, the prospect of eating them in the first place isn't viewed as enthusiastically. Advertising and marketing consultants for food and beverage makers are still apprehensive about a study done two years ago by the German Federal Institute of Risk Assessment, which commissioned pollsters to measure public acceptance of nanomaterials in food. The study showed that only 20 percent of respondents would buy nanotechnology-enhanced food products.

What Is It?

What Is It Really?
I was drawn into picking up a container of non-dairy whipped topping the other day while shopping. The big letters, “SUGAR FREE”, were jumping out at me. I wasn’t buying it, but I had to read this label. I laughed out loud, as I scanned the ingredients listed. There it was, #2 ingredient, High Fructose Corn Syrup. I bet they hated putting that on there. Of course, they added the disclaimer that the corn syrup provided a trivial amount of sugar. (#2 ingredient...yeah right!) Can they do that? Apparently so. Note to self; believe nothing on the front of containers. I just pray they don’t go further by fabricating the nutrition facts listings. They wouldn't do that...would they?
You’ve got to check out this PBS Wired Science Video, “What’s Inside”. http://www.pbs.org/kcet/wiredscience/story/16-what_s_inside_your_fridge_.html

I admit, I used to be guilty of buying non-dairy toppings. I thought it was cheap and easy, when in reality it costs more than the heavy cream and air needed to make homemade whipped cream. The added kicker is my fast choice isn’t even food and probably poisoning me slowly with my sweet tooth.

The FDA is stepping up to some degree with new warnings to some food manufacturers, to correct their labels, as not to deceive us. We need to keep the pressure on and demand they be honest in what they are trying to sell us. Bottom line is, we are in control. Society is showing the industry we want better health and we now realize that is only going to happen with the healthy food choices we make on a regular basis.

It’s a conscious awakening, listening to our bodies. Stop the mindless eating and get more in tune with our food. How do we expect to lead healthy lives, if we constantly short change our bodies by choosing to eat chemically modified foods?

The food industry loves the average, stressed out person. When shopping and cooking we want it fast, easy and cheap. We don’t appreciate seasons; there are no seasons at the grocery store. It is big business engineering food that doesn’t go stale or rancid. The food industry is getting rich making us sick, but it’s not all their fault. Our society keeps this money making machine producing.

Change is in the air for a food revolution. This revolution doesn’t involve guns or violence. It involves all of us choosing better food options. Getting as close to the food source as you can. Support your local farms whenever possible. Make the conscious effort, not to over indulge in highly processed foods. We all have our vices in terms of junk foods we like. It’s keeping them to a minimum, the bare minimum if possible.

I am thankful and I appreciate the efforts of so many people reaching out and talking about the connection between our health and the foods we eat. American’s are turning into what they eat and it’s scary. People like Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation, are shaking us awake with knowledge. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GP36Mq3G6I This link is a short interview with him. He writes about inconvenient truths about where and how our food gets to us and the industries controlling it.

We are starting to wake up and listen and so are big corporations like Walmart and some of the major retail food chains. They are bringing in more options for healthy products and organics. They are marketing them hard. Why? Because, that is where the sales are increasing, increasing at a steady profitable rate.

It all comes down to supply and demand. We stop buying so much processed food and they’ll stop stocking so much of it. Organics are “hot” now and they are happy to sell you organic. They don’t care about your health, they just want the sale. We tell them what the demand is. We are the driving force of this food revolution. Stop and think before you buy, read those food labels. I believe, Michael Pollan said on Oprah 1/21/10, Food 101, "If your Grandmother read the label and she didn't know what it was, your probably better off not eating it". http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/The-Truth-About-Food-with-Michael-Pollan

Another Link

http://www.foodincmovie.com/get-involved.php

Keep educating yourself. Change is happening, we must keep the revolution in motion. This is a major step in health care reform for yourself and those you love!

Check out Doctor Oz’s Anti-Cancer shopping list for your next shopping trip. http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/anti-cancer-shopping-list

Together we are changing for the better!

Some Food For Thought

Life & business obligations have been keeping me busy the past few days. I miss writing, but I have been enjoying mornings at the gym, getting things accomplished in the office and reading as often as possible in between.

The Evolution Angel by Todd Michael is a quick read. It is about a former emergency room doctor. He retells stories of conversations he had with angels. After a near death experience, he became a doctor. As a doctor, he was present at many deaths. It was during those times of death, he started hearing these messengers. They conversed with him in a question and answer type forum. The book is thought provoking in terms of spirituality and of life's purpose, here on earth. Like any book or life lesson, you take what you want/need from it.

The Writings of Florence Scovel Shinn (born 1871 - died 1940). I find myself going back to this book when I need faith and courage, to trust in God's/my plan for this life. It is a light read, full of quotes of faith. Her message is "Your Word IS Your Wand". You get what you ask for in life, so watch your tongue. Our minds are constantly thinking negative thoughts and she explains how giving in to them holds us back from receiving all that is ours by divine right. Don't look back and hash over hard times, or you will be drawn back into these conditions. Give thanks for the dawn of a new day. Some days I need her affirmations playing back in my mind. They keep me feeling optimistic and hopeful, instead of depressed and scared when life gets tough.

A Book I would like to check out is; The Nine Rooms of Happiness by Lucy Danziger & Catherine Birndorf, M.D. I saw a quote from this book in Readers Digest. Happiness is a tricky word because it is not a destination you arrive at or a sustainable state of being. It's a feeling that you experience, just like any other and it comes and goes. You can generate it, but you can't keep it; you can make it, but not necessarily hold on to it. The unhappy woman believes she should be happy all the time. The happy woman believes that there will be times when she is unhappy.

Don't take life too seriously. You'll never get out alive.-- Bugs Bunny

Work like you don't need the money.

Love like you've never been hurt.

Dance like nobody is watching.

Mark Twain

Reiki - A must for centering yourself

Developed in 1922 by Mikao Usui, Reiki is an ancient healing art that promotes the body’s natural abilities. It is used in many hospitals, clinics and wellness centers around the world. It is the art of energy healing.

· Reduces pain, stress and anxiety
· Strengthens immune system
· Maintains and enhances health
· Accelerates recovery from surgery or illness
· Aids a peaceful transition at end of life

I accompanied one of my sisters to a Reiki session back in January. She has been studying this ancient art as part of her healing and grieving process after her husband’s battle with cancer ended 6 months ago. I was telling her, I need a class to learn how to meditate. My mind is always racing and being Peri-menopausal, I am feeling out of balance on a regular basis. She is an excitable personality, as I am myself and honestly, each time I see her, she seems more at peace. The stress of standing by and watching her husband, during his painful exit of this world, had transformed her bright beautiful aura to a look of tired sorrow. A heavy invisible weight was on her. A stranger wouldn’t notice, but those close to her could see it.

She has been taking classes with New England Reiki Center, Inc. out of Nashua, NH. Seeing her now, she looks lighter, her eyes are bright again and an aura of peace seems to surround her. Reiki was a big part of that transition.

I joined her for my first appointment with an open mind and open heart at the senior center in Nashua, NH, this past January. Cost is $20 for half hour session and the first appointment is free, can’t beat that. As we waited for our turn to go into the Reiki room, I could hear soothing new age music coming from behind the closed door. When the time came, a woman rang a little bell outside the door, signaling those inside their time was over. Four or five people, both young and old, came out quietly taking the water bottle offered them and said their solemn goodbyes as they headed off.

I entered a dimly lit room with four tables. Each table was softly padded, covered with a sheet and two pillows, one on each end. I removed my shoes and glasses and picked a table with two women patiently standing by. There was a male practitioner in the room, but I felt I would be more comfortable on my first visit with the women. The women seemed pleasant and introduced themselves as I laid my head on a pillow and propped my legs up on the other. They asked if this was my first visit, if I had any questions or concerns, did I have any areas they should concentrate on, etc. None that I could think of, except of course my racing mind.

The room quickly settled into just the soft, calming music. I shut my eyes as one woman lightly placed both her hands over my forehead and eyes. The other woman, in the same fashion placed her hands on my right arm. Here I was surrounded by peace, serenity and warmth from the hands on my body. No one spoke as I settled into the moment, it felt right. My body was calm and my mind quieted quickly, which never happens. They say Reiki is the missing link for the spiritual and emotional connection to your body. There was a gentle, non-evasive energy entering my body and thou not a mark on the Richter scale, I know I felt it. I am sure this must be different on an individual basis. I ask myself, was it just the warmth of two sets of hands? What were they thinking as they channeled this energy through me?

On an average of every 3 to 5 minutes, their hands would change position, arms, shoulders, top of my chest, stomach, thighs, legs and hands wrapped around each foot. Just resting on me, never rubbing or moving in between changing positions. Before I knew it, I heard the bell. At that moment, I came to realize I didn’t like that bell. It signaled my time, my moment of peace was over. The practitioners’ ran their hands above my body from one end to the other 3 times to break the connection before I rose. I thanked the women, put my shoes and glasses back on and wearily headed out the door into the light. I was offered a water bottle, scheduled my next appointment and left in a calm fog.

My next visit was 2 weeks later. I anxiously anticipated the exact same experience, but I soon realized, even though it was just as relaxing and calming, one of the practitioner’s wasn’t as skillful as the other and left me feeling lob-sided. One woman worked my head, shoulders, chest and stomach quite well. The other only touched one arm and stayed at my feet the whole time. Did she feel my feet needed extra attention? I don’t know, I hate to complain and it sounds like I am, but I didn’t feel energy coming from her as I did the other women. So, I guess it is, as would naturally be, some people are better at this practice than others.

My third visit confirmed I am feeling something. The thoughts and images I see during these sessions are mine to keep. Reiki has helped me in quieting my mind. I feel more focused and I feel a silent connection with everything around me. I can see that some people might say that Reiki is a placebo effect. If you are open to a new mind set of healing, self healing on a spiritual level, then the alternative health option of Reiki is for you. It is all about balance, feeling centered in your life. I can see how this type of healing would benefit the elderly, the sick, the dying. Having human contact in such a loving way, with no expectations, just receiving this energy would certainly aide in the feeling of loneliness and suffering during their time of need. Reiki is bonding on a spiritual level, with the energy of life, not the people channeling it as you might think.

I feel centered when I leave my half hour appointment, unfortunately by the time I get home and back to life as usual, the family sucks all that peace out of me by 7pm that night. One night, after an appointment, the kids and my husband started bickering about who knows what. I found myself trying to hide from them, wanting to stay in my peaceful place, not wanting to get pulled into the drama kids pull you into. Of course I was found and mom had to report for duty, yet again, to remedy the situation….next appointment 3/19, can’t wait.

Am I SAD?

Am I SAD?






Seasonal Affective Disorder is characterized by:
Decrease in Energy
Extra Tired, Difficulty Waking
Weight Gain
Craving Carbs, Over Eating

Yes, its winter and most of us are feeling these symptoms at different levels. My husband, god love him, drives me nuts in the winter. He acts like a caged animal. I know he craves being outdoors more and is feeling, “The Winter Blues” as he calls it. We don’t really know if it has something to do with expecting him to finish renovations he told me he would do this winter?? Myself, I just want to go back to sleep when I wake up and daydream about napping. Add in a combination of some bad food choices and a little weight gain and we are both SAD.

People like to label things and I believe the S.A.D. syndrome is a good way to describe and explain the symptoms listed above and the connection to lack of sun exposure. From what I have read, some people are even affected by SAD in the summer months.

If you delve into the causes and effects of SAD, the majority of the symptoms always leads us back to diet & exercise and the lack thereof. Yes, days are shorter and temps are colder forcing us inside more. Add in recovering from a couple of months of living in holiday cheer mode and who isn’t affected?

The first thing I realized is, nobody can help you feel better, until you want to feel better! I know my body is telling me, whoa, you have been sliding into a dangerous habit of laziness and it’s time to pay attention and do something about it. Now, I could go with the label of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and tell myself, family and friends I have a syndrome making me this way and just accept it. I could run out and buy a marketed “quick fix” like Light Box Therapy or Phototherapy for example. These therapies are based on exposing yourself to artificial daylight or specific wave lengths of light using LEDs, florescent lamps or full spectrum light for a prescribed amount of time at a specific time of day. Average cost for lamps and/or light boxes around $200 - $300. They would probably make a good conversation piece on my coffee table and bonus I could use them while I sit on the couch watching TV.

I know some people will opt for the doctor, to get the “quick fix”. Some doctors will happily write a prescription for an antidepressant or other mind altering drug to make you happy. Of course, they would be doing this in the patients’ best interest. It would be decided in your allotted 10 minute appointment, the best way to help you and it would have nothing to do with the pharmaceutical kick back they get for each prescription prescribed....right?

Me and my honey are opting for tweaking the diet and getting our lazy butt’s moving again. I started taking Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin. It is produced by the body in response to sunlight. It also occurs naturally in some foods; fish, fish liver oils, egg yolks and in fortified dairy and grain products. Herbs that contain Vitamin D include alfalfa, horsetail, nettle and parsley. For around $7 you can get 200 soft gels of 400 IU (International Units) of Vitamin D. Although, the form we get from food and/or supplements is not fully active. It does require conversion by the liver and kidneys, before it becomes fully active. Exposing the face and arms to the sun for 15 minutes 3 times a week they say, is an effective way to ensure adequate amounts of Vitamin D in the body. I only plan to supplement with D for a few months until I am able to get my regular sunshine fix. I am used to a lot more than 15 minutes 3 times a week.

The big culprit for SAD symptoms is lack of exercise. You know, deep down inside you need it, but it is so hard to motivate. My friend Sara took me to Focus on Fitness, Member's Appreciation Party the other day. We played racquet ball, which I loved playing. She kicked my butt and it was great fun. I laughed a lot, I got a good cardio workout, they had a free lunch buffet and I won $100 during a promotional game! I signed my husband and I up for a 3 month deal @$99/each. $33 a month each, not too shabby. With my winnings I bought a couple of racquets and a yoga mat and I took the family to the movies. It was a good day!

The next day I woke up feeling a little better and optimistic of what the gym life has to offer. My husband had been debating back & forth about signing back up for the gym since December. Just signing him up made the choice for him and he was thrilled. You hate to spend the money, but in reality, we both know spending the money on "us" was needed in the worst way. He always feels better about everything after a good workout. He had not been to the gym since last winter and with a bounce in his step and smile on his face he ran back to it.

We all need to exert ourselves physically. Release those endorphins our bodies naturally produce. The endorphins make us feel good and they fortify our immune system. It’s work, but exercise will give you a natural high. Sweat soothes the brain and in most cases it's equally effective, compared to anti-depressants, in treating serious depression. Exercise builds a sense of accomplishment which can combat depression by stoking feelings of self control.

Our physical health depends on us. Choose a good diet. Try to get foods as close to the source as possible and exercise. Your body will thank you with more energy and a happier positive outlook on life. Isn’t that what we are looking to fix, the symptoms of SAD? Diet & Exercise, isn’t that the cure? So, why is it so hard getting ourselves to commit to a better lifestyle? I am hopeful writing about all this will keep my motivation strong. I used to have a nasty habit of joining exercise programs and then not going. Not this time! This time I am over 40 and each and every day is slipping by faster and faster. With age comes maturity which has been helping in making better lifestyle choices for myself. There is no cure for aging so I would like to do it gracefully and enjoy those golden years. It doesn't have to suck getting old, it all depends on how you face it.

What a Beautiful Morning

Thank you, Nita for this view from the studio. Your work truly captures a moment in time. My beauty moment today was heading to the kitchen for that 1st cup of coffee at 7am. As I entered the dining room, I was taken back by the scene outside the window. The sun rising, the landscape blanketed in snow and the sky was beautifully clear. I stepped back to look again, taking in how the scene made me feel. A hopeful excitement came over me, like everything was new and fresh with endless possibilities for the day ahead.

We may get sick of the snow at the end of an average winter in Massachusetts, but when we don’t get any we miss it. I am sure my plants and garden are happy to have a little nitrogen blanketed on top, protecting them from the harsh, cold winds while feeding the soil. Studies are conflicting as to how much nitrogen actually is going back into the soil, but the way I look at it, every little bit helps. My perennials are happy to be covered and I would rather look at a white landscape during 30◦ degree weather than bare trees and brown dormant grass.

Good thing I got that energy lift from the beauty out-side, because now comes the shoveling. I actually like to shovel. I try to keep my stomach tight, squat when lifting and breathe deep. Any exercise is better than no exercise. I have been lazy so far this winter only taking occasional walks, much to my dog’s dismay. If I skip a day it turns into 5 or more days before I go again. It is so hard to motivate myself. I give my friend Nita and other neighbors credit. They faithfully head out and exercise on a regular basis. Even in sub zero weather, they bundle up and just go. I wish I had that willpower. I know what I need to do. I just lack the motivation, especially in the winter. I find it easier in the Spring/Summer because I love yard work. I need to be doing something that I can mentally get lost in. Time flies by when I am gardening. I am doing what I love and the bonus is, it burns a lot of calories, helps with the arm flab and works the core.

I am looking forward to tomorrow. I have an opportunity to try something new with my neighbor friend Sara. We have been talking about gym memberships at Focus on Fitness Athletic Club in Nashua. She joined and I made excuses as to why I couldn’t spend the money on myself. She invited me to a Member Appreciation Party. She gets a chance to win stuff and I am hoping to make a savvy deal for myself, even if only for one month. I have a nasty habit of joining gym’s and exercise classes, but then not going. I am not very coordinated and feel I am always 2 steps behind class, looking like a goof. She plays racquetball and promised me a lesson. I am hopeful I will enjoy playing so much, it won’t feel like exercise.

Thank God for Chiropractors

My 1st visit to a chiropractor was roughly 20+ years ago. I had fallen off the back of an ATV. Everything seemed ok and I brushed it off. I started to develop pain rolling over in bed at night and when I turned to look behind me while driving. After a week, it wasn’t getting better, only worse. It was time to do something.

Now I had two choices. Go to the doctor and they would most likely prescribe something for pain and send me on my way, as I had experienced before or go to a chiropractor and “fix” what was wrong. I chose the latter and it was the best health decision I ever made.

A friend had told me a about a chiropractor she liked and I made my appointment. I didn’t know what to expect as I waited for my turn. The atmosphere was so calm and relaxing, except for the distant sound of a weird banging noise. That noise had me a little nervous. What were they planning on doing to me? It definitely sounded painful, but I wasn’t hearing any screaming. I told myself to relax and keep an open mind. Before I could decide otherwise, Victor (my very well dressed, handsome chiropractor) was calling my name. Ok, I'll check it out.

Being a new patient he took x-rays. Funny, I didn’t think of that when I dressed for the appointment. My friend had told me you keep your clothes on during adjustments. As the lovely assistant handed me a Johnny, panic set in as I realized I was wearing a thong. So as Victor and female assistant positioned me in front of x-ray machine, there was no covering my bare bottom. I so wished I had worn briefs instead. The process was all professional and they kindly ignored my red face. After he went over results of x-rays, he showed me a vertebra that had been pushed inward causing my pain. I got dressed and now it was time to get on the table.

As I lay there face down, a fearful thought came to mind. Is he going to break my back? He reassured me as he pushed on areas of my back. He twisted and turned my body in ways I didn’t think possible. Nothing hurt, I just wasn’t used to the hands on approach. The banging noise, much to my relief was the table. As he pushed on my back the table section drops down a little, making the banging noise. Whew!

While on my back, he pointed out one of my legs was shorter than the other. This meant my hips were out of alignment. I always thought that was just one of those weird things about me. He proceeded to put me in a pretzel position and voila, my hips were in place and my feet matched up!

He shook my hand and sent me on my way. Well, that wasn’t so bad, no real pain to speak of. The visit and x-rays didn’t cost too much. My legs are now the same length, but my back wasn’t completely better. That night I was quite uncomfortable and not sure if my visit helped or not. The next morning I woke up feeling great. The pain didn’t come back. No more pain while turning to look back. No pain rolling over in bed. My back pain wasn’t cured or masked by meds, it was fixed!

From that moment on, I was hooked on chiropractic care. Their field of expertise makes sense. Fix the problem, don't mask the problem with pain meds. I believe medical doctors are best at handling emergencies and major health problems. You should schedule your yearly physicals and discuss your game plan for optimal health with your regular health care provider. If your physician doesn’t take the time to listen to you, tells you second opinions are not necessary, tells you alternative health care is wrong, that they are the doctor not you, etc. Find another doctor!

Find a doctor that is willing to be a part of YOUR team. We owe it to ourselves to seek out information, advice and services provided by alternative health care means. Take charge of your own health. Ask around, do as much research as you can and be your own advocate. Ask your physician if there are other options before going on prescription medications. Knowledge is power and a good physician will thank you when you show up for your appointment well informed with notes in hand. You will gain respect and make it easier to get to the point in your allotted 10 minute visit.

Valentines Day - Good Day to Start!

Well, it's Valentine's Day. Make a habit of being kind to those you love by doing nice things when they don't expect it. They will always know how you feel about them.

Be Good + Do Good = Feel Good. Start at home and branch out with that motto and enjoy the karma you get in return. I like to preach the power of positive thinking. Sometimes I find it a challenge with daily obligations, being unemployed and stressed, but it's worth it.

I am writing this blog to find others that feel as I do. A healthy outlook on life. Health conscience people to share their thoughts and information in regards to healthy lifestyle options in the Nashoba Valley Area and other towns close to Pepperell.

This blog is about sharing experiences, idea's and thoughts on the best this area has to offer. The best local farms, health food stores, healthy fare restaurants, massage therapist's, acupuncturists, chiropractor's, gym's, spa's, free things to do, etc.

This weeks plan, write about two "just for me" appointments.
Chiropractor visit & a Reiki session

Kris