Most women can agree that there was little information regarding women’s hormonal changes when our mothers transitioned through menopause. Hot flashes were commonly the only thing addressed, which gave most of us the impression that menopause is a brief hot mess and then the menstrual cycle stops for good. Though this is the case for a small percentage of women, perimenopause—the period of time before the cessation of menstruation—is a challenging reality that can last 3-15 years before actual menopause.

Today, we have access to knowledge about our bodies that our mothers, aunts, and grandmothers were without. Now we know that gastro-intestinal distress, mild to severe anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia, itchy skin, depression, loss of libido, muscle pain, cold and hot flashes, fibroids, heavy monthly bleeding, tension and migraine headaches, heart palpitations, mood swings, irritable bladder and a host of other sometimes-frightening physical challenges are common symptoms of hormonal changes at midlife. Women who are unaware of the hormonal havoc their bodies are experiencing often rush to the doctor for cardiac tests when their hearts won’t stop racing or get extensive gastrointestinal tests when heartburn, indigestion, or constipation become chronic. These tests show nothing abnormal most of the time, which only adds to the frustration factor.

Perimenopausal hormonal shifts can put the female body and psyche on a roller coaster, pumping too much estrogen one moment and too little the next. Progesterone can also drop dramatically or surge, and testosterone is often low enough to give many women a profound disinterest in sex despite healthy, passionate relationships. The adrenals—the body’s stress glands—work harder during perimenopause and take over for aging ovaries. This means that even individuals with healthy adrenal function will most likely be affected, and those with genetic or acquired adrenal fatigue will feel the changes of midlife even more strongly.

Hormone tests for perimenopause are often unreliable because of erratic hormonal surges; the results usually reflect hormonal status of the time they are taken and cannot accurately portray what is happening inside the body on a daily basis. Only during the later stages of perimenopause are these tests reliable, so many conventional doctors choose not to test hormones or fail to take their female patients seriously. Perimenopause can be the most challenging time of a woman’s life, and the last thing she needs is a doctor who will not take hormonal changes into account.

Many women opt for hormonal replacement therapy (H.R.T.), but much relief can come from diet, herbal, and vitamin supplementation, and clinical aromatherapy. The latter can have profound effects on the nervous system, which in turn affects the endocrine system. Essential oils can be a great solace both physically and emotionally. Let’s look at a few essential oils that could make the difference between barely functioning and feeling a whole lot better:

Geranium: Geranium is a gentle but effective essential oil that can be a woman’s best friend during any time of life, especially perimenopause. It helps to tame wild surges of estrogen or progesterone and promotes harmony between not only these hormones but other hormones such as testosterone and stress hormones like cortisol and adrenalin. It fortifies the adrenals, reproductive organs, and nervous system in a way that can be felt almost immediately. It can be used for most symptoms including perimenopausal digestive distress, erratic mood swings, sore breasts, and weepiness. Geranium can be applied to the soles of the feet using 2 drops per sole 1-2 times a day. It can be mixed with evaporated sea salt or Epsom salts and added to a bath using up to 10 drops per bath. It is the essential oil to use daily, through ovulation right up to the onset of menstruation. Most women see less severity of symptoms, easier periods, and more stable emotions. Geranium’s pleasant green, floral scent is usually enjoyed singularly or mixed with other oils such as lavender or ylang ylang. Lavender is a good choice, for its balancing effects work synergistically with geranium.

Vetiver: Vetiver is a deep, earth-scented essential oil that promotes balance between estrogen and progesterone. It is best used 2-7 days before the menstrual period begins and can have calming, harmonizing effects on the body and psyche. It soothes the nervous system, calms panic, eases worry, and encourages feelings of safety. It is best applied daily to the soles of the feet using 2 drops per sole. A drop on the hand can be inhaled to calm the nerves or prepare the body for sleep.

Clary Sage: Clary sage is a grassy, pleasant essential oil most valuable for hot flashes and other symptoms of waning estrogen. It also lifts depressive states, melancholy, and instills confidence when the spirits are low. Clary sage can boost libido in some women. It is best applied daily to the soles of the feet using 2 drops per sole. This essential oil is a lovely addition to a hot bath and can be combined with geranium or black spruce for added adrenal support. It can also be inhaled to bring harmony and positivity to the nervous system. *Caution: women with estrogen dominance, breast cancer, or history of estrogen-dependent cancers should avoid dermal use (through the skin). Inhalation is okay.

Black Spruce: Black spruce is a wonderful evergreen oil that supports adrenal and kidney function. It is excellent to lower excessive cortisol and other stress hormones as well as restore a frazzled nervous system. It is best applied daily to the soles of the feet using 2-3 drops per sole, preferably in the morning or at bedtime. It can be mixed with evaporated sea salt or Epsom salts and added to a bath using up to 10 drops per bath.

Rose Absolute: Rose absolute, even in diluted form, is a lovely oil that brings harmony and stability to the female body. It lifts the libido, balances hormones, and soothes the emotions. It can be added to unscented lotion and applied all over the body for a balancing moisturizer. Rose may also be helpful for premenstrual food cravings.

Neroli: Neroli, even in diluted form, is a powerful but gentle oil with sedative qualities. It is invaluable for heart palpitations, trembling, panic attacks, general anxiety, excessive worry, and insomnia related to hormonal shifts. A few drops on the palm of the hand help the body to find equilibrium almost immediately. Neroli works incredibly well with ylang ylang, especially for women who are awakened by adrenalin rushes in the middle of the night.

Ylang Ylang: A heady, floral essential oil, ylang ylang helps the body to balance its output of adrenalin. It is most valuable for heart flutters, intense outbursts and changes of mood, and the effects of stress. A few drops applied to the soles of the feet will help the body through stressful times and hormonal fluctuation. It can be mixed with evaporated sea salt or Epsom salts and added to a bath using up to 5 drops per bath. 1 drop of ylang ylang and 1 drop of neroli applied to the palm of the hand can bring immediate calm when inhaled.

Spearmint: Bright and sweet, spearmint is a wonderful essential oil for overall hormonal balance for women. It can be used for PMS to ease headaches, indigestion, discomfort from water gain, low energy and achy muscles. It can be applied daily to the soles of the feet using 2-3 drops per sole once, preferably in the morning. It can also be inhaled for a quick pick-me-up.

Perimenopause is a time of transition, and like all transitions, temporary. It is easy to forget this when we are in its grip, but essential oils can help ease the passage and bring many unexpected gifts of healing. Essential oils work with our physiological processes as well as the emotional and spiritual selves. They can be our greatest allies, reminding us to be gentle with ourselves and that the best years of our lives are truly ahead of us.

Sources:

• The Power of Our Hormones and How To Balance Them
• Natural Remedies for PMS, Mood Swings, Bloating, Cramps, Etc.
• Multidimensional Aromatherapy by Marlaina Donato, CA, CMT (Ekstasis Multimedia, 2015)
• Perimenopause – Women to Women 

General Mills’ decision to produce certified gluten-free Cheerios delighted the nearly 30% of consumers who avoid gluten until a recall of 1.8 million boxes of Cheerios and Honey Nut Cheerios was announced earlier this week.

According to the company, their Lodi, California facility lost rail service for four days in July. To continue production, gluten-free oat flour was delivered by trucks. Somehow, this change in procedure resulted in a mix-up and wheat flour was mistakenly used.

The recall includes Cheerios cereal with the following “better if used by” dated codes:

HONEY NUT CHEERIOS

• 12JUL2016LD
• 13JUL2016LD
• 14JUL2016LD
• 15JUL2016LD
• 16JUL2016LD
• 17JUL2016LD
• 18JUL2016LD
• 19JUL2016LD
• 20JUL2016LD
• 21JUL2016LD
• 22JUL2016LD
• 23JUL2016LD
• 24JUL2016LD
• 25JUL2016LD

YELLOW BOX CHEERIOS

• 14JUL2016LD
• 15JUL2016LD
• 16JUL2016LD
• 17JUL2016LD

If you purchased one of these boxes, you can contact General Mills at 1-800-775-8370.

It is important to note that the cereal is perfectly safe to eat if you do not have celiac disease, a gluten intolerance, or a gluten sensitivity.

General Mills has a reputation as a family-friendly, trustworthy brand, and loss of faith in their products could have major implications for their recent organic acquisitions like Annie’s Homegrown.

The Implications

After the hype surrounding the gluten-free certification of Cheerios, General Mills is dealing with this major snafu in the only way they can – abject apologies. Calling this an isolated incident, the company acknowledges the reports of illnesses from the contaminated boxes and are encouraging customers to call in and register their ire. It remains to be seen what other tactics will be taken.

The company cites the process of switching to gluten-free materials as a factor in the mistake, but with such big changes affecting the brand, the lack of, or inefficiency of early testing, is concerning. This was an expensive mistake for General Mills that causes one to wonder if the public’s trust in their 74-year-old cereal is worth stricter attention to product sourcing.

Currently, companies submit their own gluten-free certification testing to the FDA to qualify for the label. Individuals are responsible for reporting illness and labeling concerns, meaning that despite having an entire government agency responsible for regulating food quality, the public is left largely responsible for policing their own food safety.

Being Careful Is More Important Than Ever

FDA regulations state that any product labeled gluten-free can contain up to 20 parts gluten per million. Whole grain oats by themselves are gluten free, although cross contamination in transport with other grains like wheat and barley has often prevented oats and other gluten-free grains from being labeled gluten free. These two facts taken together can be discouraging. When foods that are verified gluten-free are still able to contain gluten and foods that are naturally gluten-free cannot be isolated from gluten grains, where does that leave the consumer?

Looking Forward

Gluten intolerance and celiac disease are on the rise due to the way we process wheat, the amount of sugar in our diet, and the imbalance in our guts. It can be difficult to transition to a gluten-free diet after eating the standard American diet. Many people find themselves desperately trying to replace their favorite foods with gluten free alternatives – replacing one processed food with another. Choosing whole foods like veggies and fruits in place of conventional treats can actually begin to heal the damage that gluten has done to the gut, and it has the added benefit of reducing the likelihood the failed corporate testing will leave you sick and disillusioned.

Recommended Reading:

• Gluten Candida Leaky Gut Syndrome and Autoimmune Diseases
• Foods To Avoid With Gluten Intolerance or Celiac Disease
• Easy Gluten Free Pancake Recipe

Sources:

• Gluten Free Cheerios Recall Information – Cheerios
• General Mills Just Recalled Millions of Boxes of Cheerios – Grub Street
• Persistence Gives U.S Gluten Free Cheerios – General Mills
• The Reasons Gluten Intolerance And Celiac Disease Are On The Rise – Organic Lifestyle Magazine

Dr. Mitchell L. Gaynor, a 59-year-old oncologist and author, was discovered dead at his property in Hillsdale, NY on Tuesday, September 15th. Investigators for the county sheriff ruled his death a suicide, although further information has yet to be released.

Dr. Gaynor lived a life rich in accomplishments. He was the founder and president of Gaynor Integrative Oncology and the director of medical oncology at Weill Cornell Medical College’s Center for Integrative Medicine. He is most known for his work exploring and integrating alternative health modalities into his cancer treatment protocols. His interests led him to author six books and record three albums (with jazz-pop pianist Jon Regen) that topped the Billboard magazine New Age charts after an appearance on the influential Dr. Oz show.

His Work

Dr. Gaynor’s interest in alternative medicine was sparked during his postdoctoral work at Rockefeller University when he came across research looking into nutrient-gene interactions and the immune system. He was inspired by the idea that what we eat and our environment play a role, if not the most significant role, in our health, an idea that many conventional doctors still have difficulty embracing. This research manifested in his practice through his focus on the immune system, nutritional supplementation, and a desire to find the root cause of diseases instead of merely treating the symptoms. Inspiration struck again in the early 1990s, when Dr. Gaynor treated a Tibetan monk who gifted him with a traditional Tibetan singing bowl. Dr. Gaynor viewed the inclusion of behavioral therapies like music, meditation, chanting, and breathing exercises to be an essential part of overall health and wellness, as they lower stress hormones and blood pressure and increase the function of the immune system. His first books, published in 1999, helped him build a successful practice and presence in the alternative and conventional medical fields.

The Alternative Health Field Grows More Intriguing Every Day

While it’s easy to dismiss the growing number of deaths in the alternative medical community as coincidence and those concerned as conspiracy theorists who need to put away their aluminum foil hat (if only for something more eco-friendly!), the fact remains that that death rate has either been unusually high since June or more people are actually paying attention to alternative health.

The death of autism research specialist Dr. Jeff Bradstreet was ruled a suicide after authorities found him floating in a North Carolina river with a gunshot wound to the chest. This in itself isn’t necessarily worthy of commentary, but over the next few weeks case reports of health practitioner suicides and murders rolled in, resulting in a total of 8 dead and 5 missing in the Southeastern United States over the course of late June and July. That strange micro trend left an uneasy feeling rippling through the alternative health community, but it was largely pushed aside until September when 29 people identified as naturopaths attending a seminar in Germany were hospitalized for symptoms such as hallucinations and breathing difficulties.

Is The Trend Continuing?

Dr. Mitchell Gaynor was not located in the Southeastern U.S. or Germany. He was, however, firmly entrenched in the alternative medical community, practicing what some detractors have labeled as pseudoscience. With the limited information currently available, it’s impossible to determine whether these incidents and deaths are coincidences or a disturbing pattern. Even without a sinister organization pulling the strings for these results, the trend of suicide in a community with potentially more than average resources to deal with it should be cause for alarm. Dr. Gaynor chose health through diet, meditation, and alternative therapies, and left a legacy for others seeking their own health.

Sources:

• Mitchell L. Gaynor, 59, Manhattan Oncologist and Advocate for Alternative Treatments, Dies – NY Times
• Controversial Autism Research Doctor Found Dead, Deputies Say Suicide by Gunshot to Chest – Organic Lifestyle Magazine
• Psychedelic drug emergency at seminar near Hamburg – Deutsche Welle
• Another Florida Doctor Murdered, Bringing Total to 8 Dead & 5 Missing in Just the Last Month – The Free Thought Project

Supermarkets that donate their excess food to people in need, roofs covered in greenery, the private sale of glyphosate banned… Should we expect anything less from a country as committed to strikes and protests as France?

Recently, France has been riding a streak of increasingly environmentally and health conscious decisions by their government that have the potential to change the way the world looks at these issues. When a developed nation with worldwide leader status like France enacts a new policy, other countries look at them as an example of what could happen if they, too, were to try something new. Whether or not you know much about or agree with France’s politics, many of their recent steps towards greener and healthier living deserve a closer look.

Reducing Food Waste

Around a third of all food produced for human consumption is wasted or lost every year. The richer the country is, the higher their rate of food waste. Developed countries are more likely to experience higher levels of waste at later stages in the supply chain. Due to a law unanimously approved by French parliament in May of this year, large supermarkets in France are now required to give unsold food to charity or donate it for animal feed. Prior to this new law, pouring bleach over unsold food to discourage dumpster diving was a common practice. While businesses opposed to the law claim they should be allowed to make their own decisions regarding food waste, the law (if not repealed by the French Constitutional Council) has at the very least inspired a closer look at reducing or recycling food waste options.

Green as Far as the Eye Can See

New roofs have an amazing potential. In March of 2015, France followed Germany, Australia, and prominent cities like Toronto, Canada in promoting green roofs, requiring all new roofs in commercial districts to be partially covered in plants or solar panels. The law lets the business choose which option they would prefer, although either option results in significant environmental, practical, and potentially financial benefits. While environmentalists say the law is too limited because it applies only to commercial buildings, it is an important step forward into incorporating green energy and thinking into everyday life.

People are already familiar with the environmental benefits of the sun. Solar panels can save money on energy bills, provide energy security, independence, and reliability, and reduce the use of fossil fuels with their renewable, consistent energy source. Roofs with plants on top of them are more open to creative interpretation, as there’s a choice to be made between growing food or choosing a more ornamental option. Even the ornamental greenery option provides a range of environmental advantages. Plant life filters pollutants in the air and alleviates stress on the sewer system with its natural ability to manage rainwater. Both options also increase the value of properties through aesthetic improvements and by prolonging HVAC, heating, and ventilation systems.

The Ban of Glyphosate

Glyphosate, the main ingredient in Round-up and an all around health hazard, is treated somewhat differently in Europe than it is in the United States. While the interests of the corporations manufacturing the pesticides still triumph in the U.S., several European countries have taken a World Health Organization report of glyphosate’s role in causing cancer seriously. In June 2015, France banned the sale of glyphosate over the counter, joining countries like the Netherlands. Banning glyphosate three months after the announcement of the WHO cancer study shows how quickly a government willing to put its foot down could make a difference in minimizing the amount of hazardous herbicides and pesticides all around us. At the very least, the French government is displaying a heartening distrust of Monsanto.

Our Oh So Chic Canary in the Coalmine

That’s great for France, but what about people who live in the U.S.? While the U.S. is a much larger country than France, keeping an eye on how other developed nations around the world are responding to the need for greener energy, less wasteful policies, and a reduction in the harmful, cancer-causing substances can give us needed ammunition. Seeing a country enact at least three major green policies in less than a year can be an incredibly convincing to those struggling to hold us to the crumbling status quo.

Maybe we can also find inspiration in our own lives. We can add a solar panel, reevaluate our food waste, go organic in our own gardening, or take the next step in our environmental journey. After all, the French can’t beat us in everything.

Recommended Reading:

• 5 Cost-Effective Ways To Home Container Gardening – DIY
• Urban Gardening
• How Vertical Gardening Could Help Save the World
• How to Start a Vegetable Garden – How to Grow Vegetables
• Can Progressive, Cutting-edge Organic Agriculture Feed Everyone?

Hampton Creek, a tiny food company that specializes in plant-based products, has received word from the FDA that their Just Mayo line of vegan spreads does not meet the standards set for mayonnaise and needs to change its misleading labels. Normally this wouldn’t be news at all, but there are a few factors here making this more important than the average case of the FDA enforcing labeling laws.

Just Mayo is available virtually everywhere that food is sold in the United States, from Walmart, to Whole Foods, to 7-Eleven convenience stores. And since the product doesn’t include eggs, it is perfectly positioned to take advantage of the recent egg shortage caused by avian influenza, a shortage The American Egg Board predicts could last for more than a year.

The New Kid on the Block

Just Mayo is obviously not the first vegan mayonnaise available for purchase at grocery stores. It is, however, the first one to seriously threaten conventional mayonnaise’s spot in the marketplace.

Before a lawsuit was filed by Unilever in late 2014, Hampton Creek was enjoying its status as a startup darling, supported by tech and food luminaries like Bill Gates and Andrew Zimmern. It was perfectly positioned to take advantage of the cultural shift towards healthier, more eco-friendly food options.

Their promotional materials include the amount of water saved, square feet of land preserved, grams of carbon emissions prevented, and the amounts of sodium, cholesterol, and saturated fats avoided with the use of Just Mayo. All of those allures sit on an even more appealing bottom line – CEO Josh Tetrick claims he’s able to provide all those benefits 30% cheaper than traditional manufacturing.

Within less than a year of its launch date, Just Mayo became the leading mayonnaise brand on shelves at Whole Foods and appeared on Walmart and Target shelves. When a new product takes off that quickly, the established leaders in the market sit up and take notice. In the case of Just Mayo, that notice was delivered on October 31, 2014 in the form of a lawsuit from Unilever, the corporate giant that manufactures and sells Hellmann’s Mayonnaise.

It Begins to Get Ugly

The lawsuit filed by Unilever alleges that Just Mayo does not fit the FDA standards for mayonnaise and that it is ruining the “entire product category” since it does not contain egg yolks in its ingredients. More importantly, they claim it is causing “serious irreparable harm to Unilever.” As a punishment for Hampton Creek’s deceptive packaging and false advertising, Unilever has a simple fix in mind: all Just Mayo products should be removed from store shelves, and Just Mayo should pay Unilever damages for irreparable harm.

David vs. Goliath

If we take Unilever at their word, this is serious, but the history and current industry labeling realities don’t really back Hellmann’s histrionic claims. For example, popular vegan companies like Earth Balance already have the word mayo prominently displayed on their vegan mayonnaise packaging.

Unilever, itself, is not as rigid in their own labeling as they are trying to force Just Mayo to be. When Hampton Creek’s CEO conducted a publicized search through Hellmann’s website, Unilever scrambled to edit and take down pages that could prove their products and labels to be as non-compliant as those they were targeting.

Not every company that makes vegan mayo has aroused Unilever’s ire. Just Mayo seems to be their only target, one that wasn’t on their radar until they successfully expanded into mainstream stores and became a viable competitor. It’s easy to see that the irreparable harm Unilever is claiming has more to do with their loss profits than concern over misleading labels.

The Actual Label

The label that’s causing all the controversy is a fairly simple one. It is a natural brown color with text saying Just Mayo and the picture of a plant seedling surrounded by the outline of an egg. While the label does list the product as egg free, it isn’t immediately clear that Just Mayo is a vegan product. Is this deceptive marketing? It could be seen as such, but it clearly wasn’t an issue for the FDA until Unilever became upset.

Circumstances Favor the Bold

With a major lawsuit pending that is funded by the deep pockets of one of the world’s largest corporations, most new companies would be probably be forced to bow out gracefully. Companies facing major lawsuits frequently see investors and markets draw back support. Hampton Creek, however, got a big break in May when avian influenza devastated farms in the Midwest, leading to the death of roughly 38 million chickens, 85% of which were laying hens. With egg production projected to be down more than 5% in 2015, Just Mayo is considered a hot commodity.

FDA Finally Gets Involved

After more than a year and a half of having no issues with Hampton Creek and their Just Mayo product, the FDA has made it clear that they will support the interests of big business on the issue of the Just Mayo label. Ironically, this action comes on the heels of former Hampton Creek employees revealing a blatant FDA violation – lemon juice concentrate was incorrectly labeled as lemon juice.

The FDA sent Hampton Creek a letter citing the misleading Just Mayo label as problematic and adding the fact that several of the ingredients in Just Mayo (pea protein, beta-carotene, and modified food starch) are not allowed in mayonnaise. The company was given three weeks to address these concerns.

Health Ridiculousness

The FDA also claims that the fat content in Just Mayo is too high for the product to claim it’s heart-healthy. The fact that the agency responsible for regulating our food supply makes such outdated claims is as upsetting as the fact that they are holding companies operating in today’s food culture to standards virtually unchanged since 1957 (when the mayonnaise definition was set). Fats have been portrayed as equal opportunity villains for years, but anyone paying attention to modern nutrition and health knows that when it comes to fat, quality makes a bigger impact than quantity.

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats from whole food sources provide the body with energy, protect cell membranes, help you absorb essential vitamins and minerals, help blood clotting, and give protection against heart disease. These two types of fats are essential to life functions, and institutes of medicine the world over urge people to incorporate these fats into their diets as much as possible. But rather than listen to the research and focus on growing in their field, the FDA is content to conduct business as usual.

It’s All Business

It’s easy to see this clash like a modern day food fairytale version of David and Goliath. Ideally, Hellmann’s is picking on the saintly, vegan small company because they’re making progress in the conventional marketplace. But like anything Big Business touches, there are more layers beneath the surface.

Unilever is undeniably a bully in this situation, but there are legitimate concerns with Hampton Creek’s labeling practices. In the past, they have been caught mislabeling the lemon juice concentrate in their product. The actual design of the label gives no indication that this is anything other than conventional mayonnaise. The inclusion of the egg and the extremely simple name actually reinforces the idea that this is mayonnaise in its purest form…leaving the discovery of its lack of eggs to the discerning customer who reads the fine print.

There’s also the issue of the oil chosen by Hampton Creek. Canola oil, the very basis of Just Mayo, is flawed from both a health and an environmental perspective. Even when the canola oil is non-GMO and expeller pressed, it’s still highly processed. Canola oil studies with animals have shown that canola has adverse effects on a cellular level, and no studies on the long-term safety of canola oil in humans have been conducted.

That being said, we are talking about a vegan mayonnaise that is not only available to anyone and everyone regardless of their food location, but one that also competes with and possibly surpasses conventional mayonnaises. A large part of that may be due to the label, as there is nothing in the packaging that would suggest that this is anything but traditional mayonnaise. But the timing and specific complaints from Unilever more than suggest that this is a lawsuit about business.

Even when it seems that there’s a product on the market that can impact the country’s health in a positive way, there are always issues. Big corporations are unwilling to allow serious competition, and serious threats are not only met with legal action, they are also met with the flexing of government muscle. Once again we see that Big Business exerts undue influence upon our government. And the FDA, the government authority in this conflict, has once again shown itself to be an unreliable bully for hire rather than the protector of our food and health.

Since they chose to use canola oil, lied about the lemon juice concentrate (and were outed by their own employees), and used deceptive packaging, it also feels like Hampton Creek is just another Big Business wannabe, more concerned with marketing and positioning than true health. Even their eco-friendly claims were contrived for marketing. Their greener footprint isn’t due to their manufacturing practices, it’s due to the fact that they do not use eggs. One cannot help but wonder if Hampton Creek and its products were conceived, marketed, and positioned so that it, too, can someday become just another big business that will in turn discourage small competitors with its own lawsuits.

Sources:

• Just Mayo Spread Violates Mayonnaise and Label Rules, F.D.A Says – nytimes.com
• Unilever Foods Sues Hampton Creek Foods for False Advertising: Just Mayo is Masquerading as a Mayonnaise and Stealing Market Share From Hellmann’s – foodnavigator-usa.com
• 7-Eleven Quietly Switched to Vegan Mayo – fortune.com
• Eggless Eggs exist, and This Is What They Taste Like – time.com
• Egg Shortage: Restaurants Raise Prices, Drop Items – nbcnews.com
• The Truth About Fats: The Good, The Bad, and The In-Between – health.harvard.edu

Consumer Reports tested 300 samples (458 pounds) of hamburger from 103 stores from 26 cities for bacterial contamination, comparing “sustainable” meat to conventional meat. (Sustainable, in this study, referred to beef from cattle that was not given antibiotics). What they found was both enlightening and truly disturbing.

Beef samples were tested for 5 types of bacteria:

• Salmonella
• Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
• Coli (7 strains)
• Clostridium perfringens (CDC estimates 1 million cases of food poisoning due to this bacteria each year.)
• Enterococcus

Consumer Reports published the following results:

All 458 pounds of beef we examined contained bacteria that signified fecal contamination (enterococcus and/or nontoxin-producing E. coli), which can cause blood or urinary tract infections. Almost 20 percent contained C. perfringens, a bacteria that causes almost 1 million cases of food poisoning annually. Ten percent of the samples had a strain of S. aureus bacteria that can produce a toxin that can make you sick. That toxin can’t be destroyed—even with proper cooking.

Just 1 percent of our samples contained salmonella. … salmonella causes an estimated 1.2 million illnesses and 450 deaths in the U.S. each year.

Consumer Reports then tested the bacteria they found and discovered that 18 percent of conventional beef samples were contaminated with superbugs—dangerous bacteria that are resistant to three or more classes of antibiotics. While testing out to contain half that amount, 9%, sustainably produced beef also contained superbugs.

A full 97% of the beef sold is obtained from conventionally raised cattle that are crowded into feedlots and left to stand in their own manure. They are fed corn and soy (both of which are usually GMO), candy, slaughtered parts of pigs and chickens and dried chicken manure and litter rather than the grasses and other plants they were meant to eat. They are also fed plastic pellets for roughage and routine antibiotics.

Although sustainable beef is clearly better and cleaner, all of the samples, even organic beef samples, were contaminated. Consumer Reports strongly recommends cooking hamburger to an internal temperature of 160 degrees – medium, rather than rare or medium rare. Rare hamburger, it seems, is much more likely to cause disease than other cuts of beef due to the fact that it is ground up and the bacteria is inside as well as outside. With other cuts of beef, the bacteria would only be found on the surface, where it is more likely to be killed by the heat source. If you’ve been eating conventionally grown meat, consider a GMO detox.

Further Reading:

• The Way We Used To Eat – The Real Paleo Diet
• Food For Naught: 5 Reasons To Kick Factory Farmed Meats Off Your Plate 
• Candida, Gut Flora, Allergies, and Disease
• Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included
• Holistic Guide to Healing the Endocrine System and Balancing Our Hormones

Sources:

• How Safe Is Your Ground Beef? – Consumer Reports

Fibromyalgia was once an obscure condition, the very word itself capable of prompting looks of confusion or dismissal. At one time called fibrositis, the condition is now almost a household term with many people diagnosed daily. This condition of widespread soft tissue pain and accompanying, overlapping symptoms is now taken more seriously, but it is still misunderstood by many mainstream doctors who do not have a cause or a solution.

The source of fibromyalgia has many theories, everything from insufficient nutrition to neurotransmitter imbalance, myofascial constriction to adrenal fatigue, mental illness to hypochondria, the latter most unlikely and ludicrous. Many people in the medical field suspect the condition to stem from a disturbance in the nervous system and the communication of pain signals. This might explain why the syndrome can wreak havoc on almost all organ systems. Those living with this condition know too well how one can look perfectly healthy yet be suffering from unexplainable, severe pain in muscles, tendons, ligaments, and sometimes joints.

The pain can be worsened with exertion, emotional stress, too little sleep, an overly acidic diet, and cold or hot weather. Soft tissue pain, burning, aching, and weakness can concur with irritable bowel and bladder, crushing fatigue, chronic indigestion, severe light sensitivity, anxiety disorders, hormonal imbalance, and intolerance to food and temperature changes. The severity of symptoms can vary season to season, day to day, hour to hour, and sometimes, minute to minute.

Fibromyalgia can develop gradually or come on suddenly after a car accident, fall, or injury. Prolonged emotional stress can also trigger a healthy individual into a lifelong struggle with the syndrome. Some symptoms persist for years while others are transient; some are debilitating while others are constant but in the peripheral.

It may be misdiagnosed as multiple sclerosis, Lupus, or depression. Sometimes fibromyalgia comes with a co-diagnosis of Sjögren’s Syndrome, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFIDS/ME), rheumatoid arthritis, and Myofascial Pain Syndrome. Some medications and treatments may work only for a little while. Sadly, it is no wonder why fibromyalgia encourages health care professionals, bosses, family members, and friends of the patient to chalk it all up to, “It must be all in your head!”

For the person living the Hell that can be fibromyalgia, such a summation can be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Depression is common and can develop along with the plethora of other agonizing symptoms. A fibromyalgia diagnosis twenty years ago made a patient even more vulnerable to such beliefs and criticism than today, but those living with it wish it could merely be chalked up to self-obsessive imaginings. It is not surprising that many allopathic doctors take the “logical”, easy way out and prescribe antidepressants to fibro patients. Because of this, it is often assumed that the condition is psychological in origin.

Fibromyalgia pain is linked to neurotransmitter imbalances, especially serotonin and acetylcholine, which in turn can have an effect on mood, but antidepressant drugs can fail to solve deficiencies and glitches within the nervous system and impose undesired side effects to an already burdened body. Often, antidepressants and similar medications prescribed for fibromyalgia compound the problem and make things worse.

There has been widespread assumption among alternative health practitioners that fibromyalgia syndrome stems from a toxic diet and lifestyle that includes an excess of processed foods and alcohol; however, there are countless people living with fibromyalgia who have a history of adhering to healthier diets and ways of living.

Fibromyalgia does not discriminate, affects people of all ages, and affects both genders. A higher percentage of women are diagnosed, thus some speculation surrounds possible hormonal factors. With so many conflicting theories and findings, only one thing is certain and agreed upon: every person is individual and in need of a tailored treatment program. The fibromyalgia sufferer needs a village to maintain balance, and that village can be comprise of medical doctors and holistic practitioners, among them, massage therapists, acupuncturists, chiropractors, herbalists, and counselors. Unfortunately, most care is not covered by insurance and can also be a hit or miss.

Fortunately, there is much a fibromyalgia sufferer can do to lessen pain and find longer periods of equilibrium, even the one who has literally tried everything under thesun and the one with limited financial resources. There are also newer alternative treatments and combinations of such that are dramatically changing lives.

Graston Technique

Graston Technique® has been around for nineteen years but is only now making its way into therapeutic dialogue. Used by more than twenty-two thousand professionals including therapists, athletic trainers, and respected chiropractors, Graston is a cutting-edge, non-invasive approach to injury recovery and connective tissue disorder.

The Graston practitioner uses six types of stainless steel instruments to rub soft tissue. These tools reach deeply into layers of muscle to permanently reduce scar tissue and trigger points that prevent blood circulation within the fibers. Trigger points are painful areas that hold the most tension within a muscle. They develop from injury or poor habits such as posture and repetitive movement. Trigger points can also form from physiological stress patterns within the nervous system, creating stubborn and dysfunctional loops of miscommunication between the brain and muscles.

Each muscle is comprised of numerous layers of fibrous tissue that is wrapped in natural cellophane called fascia. Fascia not only holds together muscles, tendons, and ligaments but also organs. Trigger points within a muscle can multiply over time, eventually spreading to larger areas of the body and constricting the deepest levels of the fascia. If these critical points are not addressed after an injury, accident, or years of bad habits and stress, the digestive, respiratory, reproductive, and endocrine systems can be adversely affected. What began as a small area in need of help becomes a larger problem compounded by other, more serious conditions.

Many seasoned chiropractors believe that fibromyalgia is actually a syndrome brought on when multiple, unaddressed trigger points go haywire. Over time, the body learns ways of coping and moving to prevent further injury, which can include glitches in the autonomic nervous system. Year upon year of dysfunctional nerve communication, constricted fascia, and blood-deprived muscles can result in serious reduction of mobility and quality of life. Other conditions, seemingly unrelated to the muscular-skeletal system, can develop and become debilitating.

Graston Technique® goes where massage therapy leaves off. Massage therapy is highly effective for fibromyalgia but does not get to the root trigger points. A massage therapist’s hands can only reach a few layers of muscle tissue, whereas Graston tools can reach  five layers down, where the deepest trigger points fester. Treatments, combined with knowledgeable chiropractic care and tailored exercises, can yield results quite rapidly. While other modalities might provide temporary relief, Graston combined with other therapies can get to the source of pain and unravel decades of problems within the soft tissue and have a permanent effect.

Essential Oil Therapy

Clinical aromatherapy uses essential oils to increase oxygen to the tissues, reduce acidity, improve circulation, and lessen inflammation. Essential oils—steam-distilled essences from plants, leaves, bark, roots, flowers, and fruit peels—are powerful substances that can gently nudge the body back into balance. Some are also amazingly effective analgesics that work better than over-the-counter ointments as well as prescribed pain medications. When used properly, essential oils do not cause side effects and contribute to overall health of the body’s nervous and immune systems.

Application of essential oils can be approached four different ways, all offering great benefits for the fibromyalgia sufferer:

1. Undiluted to the soles of the feet where the pores of the body are the largest, thus providing quick absorption of essential oil particles into the bloodstream where the oils do their work to reduce pain and inflammation. This method is best to calm over-excited nerves and works systemically to bring the body into a more harmonious state. For convenience, applying essential oils to the soles of the feet is best employed at bedtime.

2. Diluted in a little vegetable oil (also called a carrier or base oil) and applied on site to reduce pain, swelling, inflammation, and discomfort in soft tissues and joints. This method can be applied up to four times a day. This method can also be highly effective for acute pain and when used with massage modalities.

3. Blended with Epsom salts or evaporated sea salt and distributed into a hot bath or foot bath. Aromatherapeutic baths can greatly reduce fibromyalgia pain and promote better sleep. This method is best used in the evening.

4. Inhaled to stimulate the neurotransmitter serotonin which can be alarmingly inadequate in people with fibromyalgia. Essential oils can be applied to a tissue or a specific aroma locket for this purpose and inhaled throughout the day to maintain healthier levels of serotonin and other neurotransmitters.

Note: Pregnant women, epileptics, and people taking medications such as blood thinners should consult a qualified health professional before using essential oils.

Natural Pain-Reducing Essential Oils & Formulas

Fibromyalgia/Myofascial Pain Blend #1

• 2 drops spearmint
• 2 drops balsam fir
• 1-2 drops ginger*
• 1 drop juniper berry

Dilute in 1-2 teaspoons of carrier oil or unscented lotion and apply to affected areas or all over the body 2x a day with a few hours between applications. Especially effective when used in massage modalities.

*Ginger is contraindicated for anyone on blood thinners. Omit or substitute with lavender.

Fibromyalgia/Myofascial Pain Blend #2:

• 3 drops eucalyptus
• 3 drops black spruce

Dilute in 1-2 teaspoons of carrier oil or lotion and apply to affected areas or all over the body 2x a day with a few hours between applications. Especially effective when used in massage modalities.

Single Essential Oils for Topical Diluted Application

• Eucalyptus: 3 drops per teaspoon of carrier oil or unscented lotion. Mix well and apply to pain sites. Can also be added to bath water by mixing up to 10 drops of essential oil to ¼ cup of Epsom salts or evaporated sea salt.
• Ginger: 1-2 drops per teaspoon of carrier oil or unscented lotion. Mix well and apply to pain sites. *Contraindicated for people taking blood thinners.
• Helichrysum: 2 drops per teaspoon of carrier oil or unscented lotion. Mix well and apply to pain sites.
• Juniper Berry: drops per teaspoon of carrier oil or unscented lotion. Mix well and apply to pain sites. *Contraindicated for people taking blood thinners. Can also be added to bath water by mixing up to 5 drops of essential oil to ¼ cup of Epsom salts or evaporated sea salt.
• Lavender: 4 drops per teaspoon of carrier oil or unscented lotion. Mix well and apply to pain sites. Can also be added to bath water by mixing up to 10 drops of essential oil to ¼ cup of Epsom salts or evaporated sea salt.
• Lemongrass: 1 drop per teaspoon of carrier oil or unscented lotion. Mix well and apply to pain sites.
• Pepper, Black: 1-2 drops per teaspoon of carrier oil or unscented lotion. Mix well and apply to pain sites.
• Peppermint: 1-2 drops per teaspoon of carrier oil or unscented lotion. Mix well and apply to pain sites. Can also be added to bath water by mixing up to 8 drops of essential oil to ¼ cup of Epsom salts or evaporated sea salt.
• Pine needle: 3-4 drops per teaspoon of carrier oil or unscented lotion. Mix well and apply to pain sites. Can also be added to bath water by mixing up to 15 drops of essential oil to ¼ cup of Epsom salts or evaporated sea salt.
• Spearmint: 1-2 drops per teaspoon of carrier oil or unscented lotion. Mix well and apply to pain sites. Can also be added to bath water by mixing up to 5 drops of essential oil to ¼ cup of Epsom salts or evaporated sea salt.
• Spruce, Black: 3-4 drops per teaspoon of carrier oil or unscented lotion. Mix well and apply to pain sites. Can also be added to bath water by mixing up to 12 drops of essential oil to ¼ cup of Epsom salts or evaporated sea salt.

*Note: If rash develops, use only 1 drop of essential oil per teaspoon of carrier oil or unscented lotion, or discontinue use.

Single Essential Oils for Inhalation

• Cacao: 1-2 drops on a tissue or in an aroma locket. Stimulates and encourages utilization of serotonin and dopamine in the body. Inhale for 5 minute intervals up to 4x a day.
• Lavender: 1 drop on a tissue or in an aroma locket. Stimulates and encourages utilization of serotonin in the body. Inhale for 5 minute intervals up to 4x a day.
• Neroli: 1-2 drops on a tissue or in an aroma locket. Stimulates and encourages utilization of serotonin in the body. Also calms adrenalin and other stress hormones. Inhale for 5 minute intervals up to 4x a day.
• Rose: 2-3 drops on a tissue or in an aroma locket. Stimulates and encourages utilization of serotonin and dopamine in the body. Inhale for 5 minute intervals up to 4x a day.
• Sweet Orange: 1-3 drops on a tissue or in an aroma locket. Stimulates and encourages utilization of serotonin, dopamine, and other neurotransmitters in the body. Inhale for 5 minute intervals up to 4x a day.
• Tangerine: 1-3 drops on a tissue or in an aroma locket. Stimulates and encourages utilization of serotonin, dopamine, and other neurotransmitters in the body. Inhale for 5 minute intervals up to 4x a day.
• Ylang Ylang: 1-2 drops on a tissue or in an aroma locket. Stimulates and encourages utilization of serotonin in the body. Also calms adrenalin and other stress hormones. Inhale for 3 minute intervals up to 3x a day.

Those of us who are living with fibromyalgia in all of its variations of severity and complexity can find hope, new methods, and great reduction of symptoms. I have been fortunate to be on both sides of the healing fence and can attest to the fact that the body itself constantly strives for balance, and finding our own individual pathways to wellness is possible only if we don’t give up. I am grateful for my husband’s insistence to “try one more thing.”

Recommended Reading:

• Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases
• Fibromyalgia – Natural Remedies
• How To Detoxify and Heal From Vaccinations – For Adults and Children
• Cherries – The Superfood You Should Know About
• Reduce Muscle Soreness

Sources:

• Fibromyalgia & Chronic Myofascial Pain: A Survival Manual by Devin Starlanyl & Mary Ellen Copeland (new Harbinger Publications, 2001, 2^nd Edition)
• Multidimensional Aromatherapy: Clinical, Practical, and Vibrational Applications by Marlaina Donato, CA, CMT (Ekstasis Multimedia, 2015)
• Graston Technique – GrastonTechnique.com