A Message from Bernadette Wulf

I wonder if there is a special reason that Valentine's Day falls in mid-February. This, the ultimate Hallmark holiday, ought to have a lot more meaning than cute little hearts, flowers, and the obligatory bon bons. By February, most of us are plain tired of winter and ready to rejoice at the first sign of spring. Where I live there are already yellow acacias brightening the roadsides, and flowering quince blossoms popping open in January, but I know that spring still feels far away to most people in the Northern hemisphere.

The world outside looks bleak and gray right now. It is a time of year when the warmth of love and compassion may be most needed. So this Valentine's Day, maybe we could all focus on a deeper meaning, and bring a little more love into our hearts and the world around us, whether we have a special someone to share it with or not.

I think it's great when science proves things that mystics have always known. In the first article we will see how scientists are now proving that our physical brains actually change permanently when we practice meditating on love and compassion. It is a habit that can become a physical part of the brain! What a great Valentine's Day message!

Next we'll look at the latest information about the best sources and uses of protein, plus pH balance for health and vitality. And finally, all the reasons I can think of to buy organic. You can't afford NOT to! Wouldn't it be nice if everybody did?

To Your Health!
Bernadette Wulf

Mind Over Gray Matter

From The Wall Street Journal, January 19, 2007; Page B1

Excerpt from: How Thinking Can Change The Brain
Dalai Lama helps scientists show the power of the mind to sculpt our gray matter - by Sharon Begley

Since the 1990s, the Dalai Lama had been lending monks and lamas to neuroscientists for studies of how meditation alters activity in the brain. The idea was not to document brain changes during meditation but to see whether such mental training produces enduring changes in the brain.

All the Buddhist "adepts" -- experienced meditators -- who lent their brains to science had practiced meditation for at least 10,000 hours. One by one, they made their way to the basement lab of Richard Davidson at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He and his colleagues wired them up like latter-day Medusas, a tangle of wires snaking from their scalps to the electroencephalogra ph that would record their brain waves.

Eight Buddhist adepts and 10 volunteers who had had a crash course in meditation engaged in the form of meditation called nonreferential compassion. In this state, the meditator focuses on unlimited compassion and loving kindness toward all living beings.

As the volunteers began meditating, one kind of brain wave grew exceptionally strong: gamma waves. These, scientists believe, are a signature of neuronal activity that knits together far-flung circuits -- consciousness, in a sense. Gamma waves appear when the brain brings together different features of an object, such as look, feel, sound and other attributes that lead the brain to its aha moment of, yup, that's an armadillo.

Some of the novices "showed a slight but significant increase in the gamma signal," Prof. Davidson explained to the Dalai Lama. But at the moment the monks switched on compassion meditation, the gamma signal began rising and kept rising. On its own, that is hardly astounding: Everything the mind does has a physical correlate, so the gamma waves (much more intense than in the novice meditators) might just have been the mark of compassion meditation.

Except for one thing. In between meditations, the gamma signal in the monks never died down. Even when they were not meditating, their brains were different from the novices' brains, marked by waves associated with perception, problem solving and consciousness. Moreover, the more hours of meditation training a monk had had, the stronger and more enduring the gamma signal.

It was something Prof. Davidson had been seeking since he trekked into the hills above Dharamsala to study lamas and monks: evidence that mental training can create an enduring brain trait.

Prof. Davidson then used MRI imaging to detect which regions of the monks' and novices' brains became active during compassion meditation. The brains of all the subjects showed activity in regions that monitor one's emotions, plan movements, and generate positive feelings such as happiness. Regions that keep track of what is self and what is other became quieter, as if during compassion meditation the subjects opened their minds and hearts to others.

More interesting were the differences between the monks and the novices. The monks had much greater activation in brain regions called the right insula and caudate, a network that underlies empathy and maternal love. They also had stronger connections from the frontal regions to the emotion regions, which is the pathway by which higher thought can control emotions.

In each case, monks with the most hours of meditation showed the most dramatic brain changes. That was a strong hint that mental training makes it easier for the brain to turn on circuits that underlie compassion and empathy.

"This positive state is a skill that can be trained," Prof. Davidson says. "Our findings clearly indicate that meditation can change the function of the brain in an enduring way."

If you have difficulty maintaining focus on love and compassion, EFT is helpful in clearing away distracting thoughts and habitual negativity.

Bernadette Wulf is specializes in the use of EFT for enhancing a positive outlook on life. Sessions are available world-wide via phone or email.

Solving the Protein Controversy

For vegetarians and meat eaters alike, the question of protein is vital to good health. How much is ideal? What are the best sources? When is the best time of day to consume protein? Answering these questions could be the key to the vibrant health you have been looking for.

If you read about nutrition or dieting at all, you are bound to notice that there is a raging controversy about protein. Some writers recommend huge amounts of protein, even up to 200 grams/day!!! - a sure way to overload yourself with toxins and eventually destroy your kidneys. At the other extreme are fruitarians claiming that you can get all the protein you need from raw fruit. I think the truth is somewhere in between.

While it is true that raw fruit does have enough protein to sustain life, it does not supply enough to maintain cellular protein reserves for building and repair, or emergency energy supplies. Fruits supply mainly carbohydrates, providing quick energy, but as a total diet they create weak tissue integrity and cannot build vibrant health.

Of all the information I have studied (and it has been quite a bit) I would say that the Pro-Vita! Plan, recommending 22-30 grams/100lbs of body weight, offers the most sensible and well-documented approach to using protein in your diet. Based on the work of master herbalist and biochemist, Dr. Stuart Wheelwright, it is explained in great detail by Jack Dr. Jack Tipps in his book "The Pro-Vita! Plan for Optimal Nutrition." This is a must-read for vegans or vegetarians, and highly recommended for everyone else! It covers a wealth of information that I can't even begin to cover here.

While I like Ann Louise Gittleman's Fat Flush & Detox systems for their clarity of presentation, balance of nutrients, and focus on liver support, I think her protein recommendations are about twice as high as they should be. Eating her recommended eight ounces of protein a day will leave most people feeling bloated, constipated, and over-acidic, even if you follow her fiber recommendations.

Gitttleman also does not address the issue of the natural pH cycles of the body, which govern protein metabolism. Nor does she take the bio-availability of proteins into consideration. And for vegetarians and vegans, the only option she offers is blue green algae, which does not offer enough variety, plus it gets very boring after awhile! So, for the protein portion of her diets, I would recommend following the Pro-Vita! Plan.

The Pro-Vita! Plan is based on protein metabolism. The basic idea behind the plan is that protein is most easily digested in the morning, or before 2 p. m., because this is when the body pH is at the optimum level to handle it:

"The point about timing the major meal is quite simple. Protein foods are best introduced to the body early in the day, so they become available when we want to be active and productive. Carbohydrates and alkaline foods are best eaten in the meal preceding sleep, because they are more sedative in their effect. These foods also support the cleansing of the acidic metabolic wastes during sleep." ~ Jack Tips, The Pro Vita Plan, p.174

Eating carbohydrates for breakfast works against the body's natural pH cycle, making more work for the digestive system and eventually wearing down the body. Combining protein with carbohydrates is even worse, because it interferes with digestion, causing mucus and cholesterol build up, as well as artery clogging and heart disease.

The Pro-Vita! Plan is designed to build strong protein metabolism and strong adrenals, while avoiding blood sugar fluctuations, and providing higher energy, more productivity, and positive emotions. The basic idea is to eat low-stress, or easily-digested proteins early in the day. Save carbohydrates (starches and sugars) for after 2 p. m., and never combine proteins with carbohydrates.

Here's a list of easily-digested (low-stress) proteins you can choose from:
* Vegan - Sesame tahini, tempe, tofu, soybean miso, wild rice (cooked without boiling), sprouted beans (cooked without boiling), sprouts (especially sunflower), soaked seeds, dulse, young green coconut, chlorella, blue green algae, beet leaf (a little goes a long way, according to the book), soaked nuts in moderation (best if made into nut milk), raw red potato juice
NOTE: Crock pots are great for recommended low-temperature cooking. Mini-crock pots are ideal for one or two portions.

* Vegetarian - raw cheese and milk, yogurt (don't combine dairy with meats), free range eggs (cooked below 200 degrees)

* Seafood - Scallops, shrimp (cooked in garlic or beer to remove puricines), conch, octopus, squid, some ocean fish (Pacific salmon, Red snapper, Marlin, Mahi Mahi, and a few others from less-polluted areas - see book pg. 141)

* Meat - Gelatin (Sorry meat lovers, but meat isn't a low-stress protein. You can eat it once in awhile on this plan, combined with raw vegetables (i.e. a salad), but it's not the optimal protein source.)

Here's a simple breakfast idea - pick one cooked protein (i.e. tofu, tempe, poached egg, shrimp...) and one cooked non-starchy vegetable (i.e. carrot, broccoli, artichoke, asparagus...), add a salad of mixed greens and sprouts, with a dash of flax oil, or extra virgin olive oil and lemon, or vinegar and toss. Easy!

Keep a supply of options available and you won't have any trouble coming up with a delicious breakfast in about five minutes. The basics I like to keep on hand are:

* Organic seeds (sesame, shelled sunflower, pumpkin, flax, chia, pine nuts...) These are always soaked overnight. I keep a jar of mixed seeds in my refrigerator and scoop out three or four tablespoons each night to soak in filtered water for the next morning's breakfast. (Flax and chia will get gelatinous, so if you don't like the texture, leave them out... but they are great for making dehydrated crackers!)

* A variety of sprouts (alfalfa, broccoli, sunflower, buckwheat...) Available at natural food stores, or Trader Joes, or grow your own. Count as vegetables and as proteins!

* A variety of organic vegetables for cooking, or eating raw. Salad mixes often contain several vegetables.

* Organic soy miso - for flavoring. Counts as protein and aids in preventing radiation poisoning. (The salt helps create hydrochloric acid for digesting protein.)

* Sesame tahini (excellent source of calcium and protein)

* Fresh young Tahi coconuts (source of electrolytes, protein, and pure water)

* Dulse flakes (salty flavor, high in minerals)

* Spirulina/blue green algae (concentrated source of protein and chlorophyll)

Once you take care of your protein requirements in the first meal or two of the day, you can have vegetarian pasta dishes, starchy vegetables, and breads in the late afternoon and evening. Or just have a fruit salad for dinner.

Just be sure to:
* avoid combining protein with carbohydrates (starches or sweets) - interferes with digestion, causing mucus, cholesterol build up, artery clogging, and heart disease.
* always include raw vegetables (for enzymes and minerals) with protein or carb meals
* eat fruit by itself
* relax, have fun with it, and don't be afraid to cheat now and then

Once you get past the habit of eating carbs in the morning, I bet you'll find that this can be a very satisfying and delicious way to start your day!

If you want to really enhance your protein metabolism for optimal results, follow the 5 + 5 Meal Plan. Combine five easily-digested proteins (one cooked and four raw) with one cooked and four raw vegetables in at least one meal early in the day. This way you are sure to get a complete balance of amino acids (the building blocks of protein), vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. It may sound like it would take a lot of preparation, but it can really be quite simple. You just have to stock up on a few basic items, and meal preparation will be a snap. Start with simple salads or soups and expand from there. Recipes are included in the book.

The reason for combining one cooked with four raw foods in each group is that some nutrients are released by cooking, while others are destroyed by cooking. Because certain amino acids are damaged at high heat, raw protein sources will provide about twice the amount of necessary amino acids (building blocks of protein) as cooked sources, so you can eat half as much protein by volume and still satisfy the needs of the body. This in turn relieves the burden on the liver and kidneys of processing an overabundance of protein. Combining raw with cooked organic foods supplies all the necessary nutrients for good health in the most easily assimilated way. You'll never have to take supplements again if you make a habit of eating this way!

Note to vegans and vegetarians:
Unless you have what is known as the intrinsic factor, you cannot support long-term good health on a totally vegetarian diet. The intrinsic factor is most often found in Asians, East Indians, and people who did not eat meat for the first eight years of their lives.

You can test yourself to see if you have the intrinsic factor by taking between 100 - 200 mg. of niacin (not niacin-amide) on an empty stomach. If you don't have the intrinsic factor you will experience a flushing of the skin. This means you need to eat a small amount of fish once a week (as little as two cubic inches - i.e. one large shrimp) to supply the intrinsic factor.

There are also homeopathic remedies that can assist digestion in favor of a vegetarian diet. See a qualified homeopathic doctor for more information.

Taking a sub-lingual vitamin B12 supplement is also mandatory if you are a vegan.  

(You may also be interested in reading Jack Tips' other book -
Your Liver, Your Lifeline.

Finding Your pH Balance

What's all the fuss about pH balance? Several books have come out about it recently. More and more people are testing their urine and saliva for acid-alkaline balance. Is this really necessary? It depends on how healthy you are, and how healthy you want to be. Your pH balance governs many health and metabolism factors.

According to Natural Health School (http://www.naturalhealthschool.com/acid-alkaline.html),
mild acidosis can cause such problems as:

* Cardiovascular damage, including the constriction of blood vessels and the reduction of oxygen.
* Weight gain, obesity and diabetes.
* Bladder and kidney conditions, including kidney stones.
* Immune deficiency.
* Acceleration of free radical damage, possibly contributing to cancerous mutations.
* Hormone concerns.
* Premature aging.
* Osteoporosis; weak, brittle bones, hip fractures and bone spurs.
* Joint pain, aching muscles and lactic acid buildup.
* Low energy and chronic fatigue.
* Slow digestion and elimination.
* Yeast/fungal overgrowth.

FeelGoodFood.com (see link below) offers the following information:
"If you identify with the following short list of symptoms of alkalosis, a few simple, natural steps may help to relieve symptoms and balance pH levels. Symptoms of alkalosis may include, but are not limited to: Muscle soreness and cramps, stiff or creaking joints, bursitis, bone spurs, edema (especially swollen hands), allergies, menstrual problems, hyperventilation, restlessness, excitability, numbness, prickling sensations, increased respiration, circulatory problems, discomfort after eating (due to lack of HCl in stomach) and lowered resistance, (bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites and other microorganisms tend to thrive in an alkaline environment).

"Symptoms of Acidosis are frequent sighing, increased heartbeat, restlessness, cold sweat, dry skin and mouth, hard stools, diminished urination, perspiration, sticky, sour taste in the mouth, halitosis (bad breath), adrenal fatigue.

"If any of these symptoms sound all too familiar, don't despair. There is action you can take. Simple changes in lifestyle can make a meaningful difference. The solution is the same for both acidosis (5.0) and alkalosis (8.0), consume more alkaline forming foods, take steps to reduce stress, and to reduce acid forming foods such as protein and starch. Cut back on sugary and processed foods as well, including white potatoes, white rice, white breads, bananas and grapes."

My own story:
As I entered middle-age and began dealing with the hormonal swings we women are blessed with at this time of life, I noticed that my bones were not as strong as they once were. I cracked a rib just leaning over the back of my pick-up truck! That didn't seem right. This inspired me to research osteoporosis, which led me right here, face to face with the pH issue.

From the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
"pH and Bone Loss:
A recent seven-year study conducted at the University of California, San Francisco, on 9,000 women showed that those who have chronic acidosis are at greater risk for bone loss than those who have normal pH levels. The scientists who carried out this experiment believe that many of the hip fractures prevalent among middle-aged women are connected to high acidity caused by a diet rich in animal foods and low in vegetables. This is because the body borrows calcium from the bones in order to balance pH."

Sure enough, when I tested my pH, I found that I was consistently slightly acidic. Yikes! My body was leaching minerals from my bones and teeth to maintain pH balance in my blood. Not a good situation.

Even though my diet had been very low in animal products for decades, I obviously hadn't been eating enough of the vegetables I needed to maintain healthy mineral levels. Apparently, even vegetarians can become over-acidic! I suspect this has something to do with blood types, activity level, sleep, and other lifestyle and environmental factors.

I decided to remedy the situation the way nature intended, by eating more vegetables, especially leafy greens. I also started using a natural wild yam progesterone cream (Progest), and taking a colloidal mineral supplement. And isn't it nice that the Pro-Vita! Plan, mentioned in the above article, supplies an abundance of mineral-rich vegetables, and supports natural pH balance! (The book goes into great detail about supporting pH balance.)

Test Yourself:
The way to test your pH is to buy pH test strips (available at Whole Foods, or on-line at FeelGoodFood.com (see link below). Put a drop of saliva on the strip first thing in the morning and compare the color to the chart provided. It should be green - about 6.4 to 7.2. You can also test the second or third urination of the day. Urine generally tests a bit lower on the scale. If every morning the test strip consistently turns yellow, yellow-green, or blue, you've got problems. It should be green-green!

Over-acidity (yellow test strip) can be relieved by adding lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, or any juice except cranberry to your diet. Also exercise, or cool baths or showers will help.

Over-alkaline results (blue) can be balanced with 100% cranberry juice (not the kind with sugar or fruit juice added), or a hot bath or shower.

If you are having trouble balancing your system with these options, there are homeopathic remedies that will help get your body back in balance. See a qualified homeopathic doctor for more information.

You Can't Afford NOT to Shop Organic

I have heard several excuses for why people won't shop organic, from the often higher price, to the question about whether it is really organic (i.e. Wal-Mart's phony "organic" produce), to the idea that it doesn't really make any difference. I'll address these issues one by one.

PRICE - It is true that at first glance organic products usually cost a bit more than agribusiness products, but the price at the grocery store does not reflect the long-term health-care costs of treating a toxic and mineral-deficient population. Nor does it factor in the billions of dollars of tax money needed to restore ecosystems destroyed by agricultural and factory pollution. If we take all these factors into account, we end up paying much more for conventionally farmed produce and other non-organic items.

Furthermore, fresh, organic produce is much less expensive than most packaged and prepared foods, at least those that have any food value left in them. Sure, you can buy cheap sodas, burgers, and French fries and manage to survive for awhile, but eventually, if you live long enough, you will pay big for the medical problems caused by such a depleted diet.

The optimum human diet should consist of mostly vegetables, and fortunately, organic vegetables are relatively inexpensive compared to other food items. You can save even more money by growing your own organic sprouts, which are chock full of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and protein. Or, if that seems like too much trouble, buy your sprouts from the local natural food store, or Trader Joes, where they have a great selection of these highly nutritious little gems. If you are concerned about molds or bacteria on spouts, just give them a soak in pure water with GSE (grapefruit seed extract). This will kill any critters. It's a good idea to give all your foods a similar treatment, even meats and eggs.

Directions: Vegetable/Fruit or Meat/Poultry Wash.
Sink washing - Add 30 drops of GSE to a sink full of cold water. Briefly soak any vegetables, fruit, meat or poultry.

Spray washing - Add 20 or more drops of GSE to a 30 oz. pump sprayer filled with water. Spray on any vegetables, fruit, meat or poultry. (For more info. on GSE go to http://www.mdidea.com/products/new/new010.html#08)

Another price factor is that you get lots more vitamins and minerals from organic produce grown in naturally conditioned soils, so you don't have to spend money on costly vitamin and mineral supplements! Over time, you'll actually save a lot of money on supplements, doctor visits, and taxes simply by spending a few more dollars on organic products.

IS IT REALLY ORGANIC? - Sure, there are some unscrupulous marketers out there, like Wal-Mart, that care more about their bottom line than they do about your health and the health of our planet, but on the other side of the equation, there are millions of people who care passionately about preserving organic standards. Certainly there may be an occasional slip up, intentional or not, where a product is mislabeled as organic, but the vast majority of products so labeled are the real thing, especially in the area of foods.

In body care and household products, you will have to be more careful and read the small print. Lots of companies want to take advantage of the demand for organic products and they intentionally use the words "organic" and "natural" to mislead consumers. Do your homework and support the truly natural and organic companies!

Thanks to watchdogs like Cornucopia and the Organic Consumers Association, we can rest assured that most of our organically-labeled produce is actually organically grown.

IT DOESN'T REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE - This, to me, is the most ridiculous excuse of all. It has been scientifically proven that organic produce contains more vitamins and minerals, so it is much better for your health, plus it usually tastes better. In addition, it doesn't have the toxic residues of pesticides which are so freely sprayed over agribusiness crops. Your liver has to work really hard to clear out all that stuff!

Furthermore, organic standards prohibit GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms), radiation of foods, sewer sludge as fertilizer, and the inhumane treatment of farm animals, as well as the feeding of hormones and antibiotics, all of which can be hazardous to your health, or the health of the animals on which you may depend for food.

Because organic farming is non-toxic and sustainable, it safeguards birds, bees, butterflies, frogs, babies, pregnant women, farm-workers, topsoil, earthworms, water, the balance of nature, air quality, ocean life, rivers, future generations, and all the rest of life on planet Earth. My question is, "How can we afford NOT to buy organic?"

We have to start thinking bigger than our own backyard. Just because you don't see the dead birds and butterflies doesn't mean they aren't there. And if you don't care about birds and butterflies, start thinking smaller... just because you can't see the damage pesticides do to your liver and cells, doesn't mean it isn't happening!

By purchasing organic products we support the growing organic farming movement as well as our own health and the health of our planetary environment. Sounds like a no-brainer to me!