Vim & Vitality Blog

Although the Bible doesn’t say it directly, the prevention and cure(s) for cancer have been available to mankind from the very beginning. Most people’s minds turn to the perfect, untainted, mineral-rich garden of Eden which was free of illness and disease. We automatically think about the foods and herbs that grew abundantly there: “To every animal of the earth, and to every bird of the sky, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food.”…. --Breishit (Gensesis 1:30) In my last several blogs, I have discussed extracts of herbs and fo...

I absolutely LOVE herbs! They are so versatile and offer a variety of benefits that are unparalleled, especially when contrasted against pharmaceuticals the produce a plethora of side effects that must be managed by more pharmaceuticals creating a very vicious cycle from which it is very difficult to break free. For thousands of years, people have been using seaweed in cosmetics, medicines, fertilizers, and food. In Japan, over 400 billion pounds of seaweed are consumed annually!! (1) To enjoy seaweed, you must first acquire a taste for it, but once you do, it is quite addictive! One of my fav...

Life is uncertain! I am constantly amazed at how our bodies are fearfully and wonderfully made-- able to endure untold abuse from: Highly-processed, chemical-laden foodsEnvironmental toxins from pesticides, cleaning chemicals, and even purposeful exposure to poisons such as recreational and prescription drugsNeglect in the form of lack of exercise, inadequate sleep, stress-relieving activities such as prayer and meditation (being still and quiet), etc.Excessive stress in the form of extreme exercise, work and daily life in America Ironically, life is also SO fragile! Freaky things happen that ...

If you do very much reading and research on wholistic nutrition, you will quickly discover that phytic acid and its mineral-bound form called phytates are vilified to such an extent that many people stop eating entire food groups that contain these compounds. I wrote about the problems with this approach in my five-part blog series entitled The Paleo Problem. These negative aspects are the “Mr. Hyde” of phytates. My training as a natural healthcare practitioner emphasized the use of ancient food preparation practices such as soaking, souring, sprouting and fermentation of grains and legumes in...

Everyone enjoys a good mystery, but very few people enjoy unanswered questions when it comes to their health or that of a loved one. As a practitioner, I have encountered a mystery that I think I have solved. After conducting hundreds of Hair Tissue Mineral Analyses (HTMA) for my clients, I have observed several trends, one of which is high cobalt. First I eliminated other factors which can result in cobalt toxicity such as certain hair products, paints and glazes, certain metal products including prosthetics, etc. Then I asked a few colleagues about this trend, and I received mixed answers de...

During World War II, three women with PhDs trained in chemical biochemistry and dietetics were commissioned by the United States National Academy of Sciences to investigate the effects of nutrition on “the national defense.” Most of the testing they did was in a laboratory with animals (not humans) to determine the minimalistic amounts of vitamins and minerals necessary for survival. In 1941, this committee was renamed the Food & Nutrition Board, and a standard daily allowance was established for “energy and eight nutrients.” Referred to as Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs), these guidel...

Most of the time, I have a burning topic or issue in my heart that I am just itching to blog about, but life has been, well… a little crazy here at my house these last few weeks. If you are a parent, I’m sure you can relate to the end-of-the-school-year insanity! And if you have teenagers, you know that things can get even more hectic, running them here and there! We currently have THREE teenagers in the house, soon to be FOUR….and none of them are driving on their own yet, so that means that I have a side job as the “mom taxi,” which can be incredibly demanding and difficult to manage at time...

Ladies, if you have trouble reaching climax, you are not alone. While the drive may be there, the ability to finish may be sorely lacking, which can be SO frustrating! While sex can still be pleasurable, some women have never once experienced an orgasm! And perhaps equally tragic are women who once possessed the ability to climax but have lost it due to hormonal changes after childbirth and throughout the course of aging. I covered the multi-faceted complexity of the female libido in a previous blog entitled Sex Drive for Women vs. Men, including specific herbs and supplements that can enhance...

While few things are more precious than a newborn baby, almost nothing is more heartbreaking than a baby born with a defect, especially one that could have been prevented.  Of course, we love this baby as much as one who is without physical defect, but our heart aches for the struggles this child will face in life. Perhaps it is the inability to speak or move properly due to cerebral palsy. Or maybe it is a facial defect such as a cleft lip or palate, which also interferes with speech and even the ability to nurse properly.  What about Down’s Syndrome? These lovely children are ...

Imagine eating an apple and feeling satisfied and energetic for hours afterward. Imagine not remembering the last time one of your friends and family was sick or died from anything besides old age. While death and disease are a natural consequence of the Fall, we can certainly minimize their impact. It used to be that  people would die of old age, and now people die after prolonged convalescence or as a result of disease. The maximum lifespan for mankind is estimated to be 120-140 years (which hasn’t changed since the Creator’s injunction prior to the Great Flood), yet the average life ex...

TRUE: "You are what you eat." MORE TRUE: "You are what you absorb." MOST TRUE: "It's not just WHAT you eat that kills you, it's what you DON’T eat. The key to health is giving your body all the 90 essential nutrients.” ~Dr. Joel Wallach   Food is important! After all, we were created to eat food, and one of the first commands given by G-d was to do just that: “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” ~Breishit (Genesis) 2:16-17 Just ...

 “You are what you eat” is a familiar phrase to all of us, and while this statement is certainly true, “You are what you absorb” is even more accurate! Think about it, not only do we absorb sunlight through our skin which promotes the conversion of 7-dehydrocholesterol to Vitamin D, but we soak up toxins that are applied to our skin in the form of cosmetics, lotions, soaps, perfumes, and even cleaning supplies that can poison our bodies. On the positive side, our small intestines are naturally equipped to absorb important nutrients from the foods we eat. But absorption and assimilation of...

I am a skeptic! I read about weight loss products that burn fat, and I immediately have all of these contentions: I bet it’s only psychosomatic!It’s probably expensive!I’m sure it’s only temporary or water weight!It can’t be healthy!Are those real people in unaltered photos?   I have written about the concept of HEALTH GAIN vs. WEIGHT LOSS before with the focus being on:  Quality of Calories â€œThe Calorie Game” vs. Macronutrient Balance, including frequent variation (keep the body guessing!) Portion Control Carb Management & Metabolic Typing Inter...

Once upon a time, people raised and slaughtered their own meats, or they hunted and killed wild animals. And these same people utilized EVERY part of the animal they killed, including bones and organs. Native Americans knew that the adrenal glands of the animals they killed contained the highest Vitamin C content of any food known to man, so they would share a small portion with every person in the tribe. Today we buy our meats from the store, neatly wrapped in cellophane. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts and ground beef are much more common than a whole chicken or a side of beef, and the or...

  I love to read, and it is not uncommon for me to have four or five books going at one time. At the moment, I am reading an excellent book that unveils the vast mysteries of the Hebrew alefbet and how it reveals the character of G-d. I am also reading a book about female hormones, another about the twenty-one greatest people in their industry, one  about the created purpose and essence of woman, and lastly Nutrition & Physical Degeneration by Weston A. Price.  While I love to read for my own enrichment and for the benefit of my clients, ever increasing my knowledge and expe...

If you are anything like me, I love the feeling of clean, slick teeth after visiting my awesome holistic dental hygienist, Shelby Kahl…. But I must admit that having my lower incisors cleaned is nerve wracking and makes me cringe! I have always had super sensitive teeth, and it is sometimes painful to simply touch a metal instrument to them-- yikes!! As my hormones have fluctuated throughout childbearing, the sensitivity of my teeth and gums as well as the amount of tartar on my teeth have both varied. As women, we are fearfully and wonderfully made, with hormones changing over our lifetimes, ...

Cold hands and feet are not the only sign that your thyroid or metabolism may be functioning below optimum levels. Can you relate to any of the following? Unwanted weightThyroid disordersThinning hair, dry hairDry skinThinning eyebrows (missing outer 1/3 or eyebrows)Slow growing or fragile fingernails that split, crack or peelChronic fatigue, lack of energy, sluggishness, weaknessInadequate or disordered sleep or insomniaHigh cholesterolFrequent dieting  (low-fat, low-carb, low-calorie)Overexercise, especially excessive cardio trainingOverhydrationConstipationFrequent illness or infection...

"While an average of 10 diseases are linked to any single mineral deficiency, 'there are over 275 diseases caused by calcium deficiency.' " -- Dr. Peter Glidden Most often we think of calcium as being the essential mineral for healthy bones and teeth, and while that is true, did you know that a calcium deficiency can lead any number of other serious health issues. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body. Three factors related to calcium are necessary for optimal health: 1. Location-- blood or tissues Ninety-nine percent of calcium is found in the bones, and the rest is in the blo...

“Which part of a watch keeps time?” Dr. Royal Lee used this question to emphasize the nutritional concept that the sum of the parts can never be equal to the whole. He explained that just as individual components that make up a watch cannot perform the function of the whole, neither can an extract from a food in the form of a vitamin or mineral isolate perform the same function as the entire complex. Furthermore, remove one part from the watch, and it will not function. It would be like expecting a few pieces of brass to tell time simply because they are slapped on to the wrist. Nutrients are ...

We have an aversion to aging in America. Most people, especially women, resist aging and do whatever they can to slow down, avoid, or reverse the process. If you disagree, consider these facts: “…in the past few decades, the market for anti-aging products and services has grown into a global industry valued at an estimated $261.9 billion in 2013, up from $162 billion just five years ago, according to BCC Research, a publisher of technology market research reports based in Wellesley, Mass.”(1) AND “This is expected to increase to nearly $345.8 billion in 2018, a compound annual growth rate (CAG...