Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Camp Blue Spruce

    I am happy to let you know that Camp Blue Spruce, a worry-free camp for
kids with food allergies, is now accepting campers for its 2013 session –
August 18 – 23. Loads of fun activities and Oregon’s great outdoors will
make Camp Blue Spruce the highlight of the summer for children with and
without food allergies.

        We are excited about holding our first session this summer. Camp Blue
Spruce will be like any other summer camp EXCEPT the food will be
prepared without any of the top 8 food allergens, gluten or sesame. Up to
56 kids will be able to sit down at the table and eat all the foods that
are being served -- a simple gift for these children, who are rarely able
to eat what everyone else is eating.  Kids attending Camp Blue Spruce will
have a true camp experience without the worry and anxiety they experience
daily with their food allergies. Camp Blue Spruce parents can be
worry-free, too!

        There are a few things you can do to help make this summer a success:

1.        Register your child for camp. Visit www.campbluespruce.org for the
application. Registrations are arriving already, so sign up today!

2.        Encourage your friends with and without food allergies and
sensitivities to register. We have reduced the cost for 2013 to make the
camp available to more kids.

3.        Let us know if you can leave postcards at your doctor’s office,
naturopath, favorite food store, bakery, library or school. If you have
other ways to spread the word, please let us know.

4.        Make a charitable contribution to Camp Blue Spruce. We cannot launch
this camp solely with camp fee revenue. Your tax-deductible contribution
will do three important things – promote the camp, provide scholarships to
campers who are unable to pay the entire camp fee, and help cover
essential camp costs. Donations can be mailed to: Camp Blue Spruce, 3519
NE 15th, #225, Portland, OR 97212.

        Thank you for your interest and support of Camp Blue Spruce! Please call
or email if you have any questions. We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Louise Tippens
Camp Blue Spruce Board President
503-726-8886
info@campbluespruce.org


Monday, January 28, 2013

Seasonal Eating

Check out what's in season in February!
Broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, clementines,
kiwi fruit, leeks, lemons, shallots, and sweet potatoes.
Caesar and his court loved broccoli, so much that it
was served up to three times during a meal. Broccoli
is a member of the cabbage family.
-Natural Choices Magazine, February 2013

February GIG Meeting

Please save the date for our next support meeting
on Saturday, February 16, 2013, 10am - 12pm.
Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital, rooms C-D
2211 NE 139th St., Vancouver, WA
Guest speakers to be announced.
Hope to see you there!

Did You Know?

Eating fish can reduce the risk of stroke. After reviewing
38 studies involving nearly 800,000 people, researchers
concluded that eating two to four servings of oily fish per
week led to small but significant reductions in strokes or
so-called mini-strokes (ischemic attacks). Five or more
weekly servings provided additional protection.
-Natural Choices Magazine, February 2013

Ginger

Ginger has proven its efficacy in easing many kinds
of nausea, from indigestion to morning sickness and
motion sickness, and even nausea caused by anesthesia
or chemotherapy.
-Natural Choices Magazine, February 2013

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Whole Foods

Gluten Free Vendor Fair
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
4pm-7pm

Whole Foods Market Mill Plain
815 SE 160th Ave.
Vancouver, WA 98683
T (360) 253-4082
F (360) 253-8270
W http://wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/millplain

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Samplefest 2013

Please save the date for our upcoming
Samplefest Gluten Free Food & Health Fair
Saturday, April 20, 2013, 9am-3pm
St. John Lutheran Church
11005 NE Hwy 99
Vancouver, WA 98686
If you would like to help us with this food fair,
are a vendor and would like to showcase
your products, or are a healthcare professional
that would like to share your expertise, contact
Kristi: #360-518-0464 or justus323@yahoo.com
Thank you

Food Sensitivities

A new study finds a link to the rise in food allergies.
It seems like food sensitivities are everywhere these days – a young mother told me recently that she wasn’t sure what she would make for her daughter’s holiday party at preschool – in the class of eight, there was a child with a peanut allergy, a child with an egg allergy, another with a gluten allergy and one more with a milk allergy.
And this isn’t a unique experience. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of people allergic to milk, eggs, wheat, nuts and shellfish has soared – increasing over 18% from 1997 to 2007. It’s something I’ve also witnessed firsthand in my own practice, but what’s to blame?
As I wrote here on my blog earlier this year in No Grain, No Pain, I’ve long wondered about the positive correlation between the rise in food sensitivity issues and the use of pesticides and chemicals on our crops and water supply. And, it looks like I’m on to something.
A December 2012 study published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology researched this connection, focusing specifically on a group of pesticides commonly used to purify water, dichlorophenols. Of the 2,211 participants (all found to have the pesticide in their urine sample), those with higher levels of dichlorophenols in the body were 80% more likely to have food sensitivities than those with lower levels. The study authors “believe the exposure to the chemicals may be contributing to a hyper-sensitive system that recognizes even common food proteins as foreign.”
How sensitive are you?
As a health professional, I’m fully aware of my own food sensitivities (for me personally, dairy is a no-no) – but so many of these allergies are overlooked or undetected for years.  Even if you don’t think you have a food sensitivity, take a quick moment to answer this easy questionnaire—you may be surprised.
Answering “yes” can indicate the strong probability that you suffer from a food intolerance:
  • Do you have itchy skin, chronic skin rashes, or eczema?
  • Do you have puffy eyes, dark circles, or swelling beneath your eyes?
  • Do you suffer from unexplained headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, joint pain, muscle aches, arthritis, or extreme tiredness after eating?
  • Do you eat the same foods every day?
  • Are you frequently the victim of food cravings?
  • Are you a compulsive eater?
  • Has your metabolism slowed down?
  • Do you suffer from a lot of water retention?
  • Do you engage in binge eating?
  • Do you often feel bloated?
  • Does your weight yo-yo up and down every day by as much as five pounds?
Ninety percent of food allergies and sensitivities stem from the most common reaction-producing foods: wheat, milk, corn, unfermented soy, and peanuts. In some cases (like peanuts for example), a true allergy can lead to anaphylactic shock, a deadly allergic response in which the body releases histamines, causing tissues to swell, which inhibits breathing, interferes with blood flow, and sometimes leads to heart failure.
Delayed food sensitivities can sometimes manifest two days after the toxic food was ingested. So, who would ever know that symptoms were tied to food? Therefore, some detective work is in order to find the guilty suspects.
These same delayed food responses are strongly linked with complications like food cravings, food addictions, bingeing, increased appetite, and a decreased metabolism that are not obviously the result of just an allergy.
For most of us, sensitivities seem to cluster around a few ordinary foods and ingredients—mostly wheat, milk, corn, yeast, sugar and MSG (often referred to as hydrolyzed soy protein, autolyzed plant protein, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, or “natural flavorings”). By the way, black pepper is also a frequent culprit, according to food sensitivity testing, as are many herbs and spices that you enjoy on a daily basis.
To help tip the balance of health in your favor, take these simple steps:
1) Practice an elimination diet. Choose a food that you routinely eat and eliminate it first. Cut out all dishes made with this item from your meals at home. When shopping, read labels to see if any undesirable ingredient is listed. In restaurants always consult with your server about the preparation of your food. You can’t always tell from the menu exactly what is in a dish. Continue to avoid the suspected food or item for three weeks. Keep a simple log to help you notice if your symptoms ease. If the symptoms disappear, briefly reintroduce the food and see if they return. If they do reappear, you know you need to permanently drop that food from your diet. For extra verification, consider an at-home Gluten Intolerance Test or an Expanded GI Panel which tests allergies to gluten, cow’s milk, eggs, and soy.
2) Engage antioxidant power. Antioxidants help the body cope with any aftereffects of reactions and fight oxidative stress. I would recommend a formula like Oxi-Key which contains well-researched immune boosters and enzymes like catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione, N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) and vitamins B, C, and E.
-Edge On Health, Dr. Ann Louise Gittleman
Sources:
http://healthland.time.com/2012/12/03/study-links-food-allergies-to-pesticides-in-tap-water/
http://www.annlouise.com/blog/2012/05/31/no-grain-no-pain/

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Incredible Nutrients from a Most Unique Source

Throughout my career, I’ve always considered myself somewhat of a pioneer. In fact, it’s how I got started writing books—going against the grain of the fat-free diet craze of the 1980s in my first book, Beyond Pritikin. Since then, I’ve dedicated myself to the pursuit of the most beneficial, natural remedies, supplements, and formulas that Mother Nature has to offer.
About seven years ago, I discovered a clean and pure nucleotides-rich food from a very unique source—a form of blue-green algae officially known as Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (AFA) harvested from Upper Klamath Lake in southern Oregon, the only place in the world where large quantities of algae are available in the wild. Mindful of reports that algae often harbors lethal doses of mercury, I reviewed product assays and made sure that no mercury was detected.
I am happy to recommend it as a safe, organic food with no additives or pesticides, but with more than 64 vitamins and naturally chelated minerals that are 97% bioavailable to the body.
To tell you more about this amazing natural resource, I’ve asked E3Live’s Founder and Tamera Campbell to join me here on my blog to share more about this incredible natural resource:
Ann Louise and I have known each other in the Health Industry for many years, and have developed a mutual respect for one another. We hold the same values, which I know she continuously educates her audience about, one being the importance of pure high-quality natural foods for your health and wellbeing.
E3Live falls into this category – it is a pure high-quality natural food.  In fact, E3Live is the world’s only fresh-frozen AFA.
Not only is AFA considered by renowned health authorities to be nature’s most beneficial superfood, but these algae are also an exceptional source of omega-3 fatty acids, carotenoids (antioxidants), and purifying chlorophyll. They contain phenylethylamine (PEA), an ingredient known as the “molecule of love,” a potent mood-enhancer that combats depression, improves mental focus, and boosts energy.
The nutrients in E3Live may help promote:
  • Increased energy, vitality and endurance
  • Improved brain function and ability to manage stress
  • Increased mental focus and concentration
  • Improved intestinal health and digestion
  • Faster recovery time
  • Normal blood sugar levels
  • Strengthened immune system
  • Healthier skin, nails and hair
Harvesting and Safety
Delivering this precious nutrient dense AFA superfood to you with the highest quality and purity standards is a first priority.  Selectively gathered by our expert harvesters – and collected from only the deepest, mineral rich waters of Upper Klamath Lake, we harvest only at peak times of optimal growth, when the AFA is the heartiest, healthiest and most vibrant.
Independent USDA-certified lab testing has confirmed that not only does our wild-crafted AFA meet the quality standards set forth by the FDA and USDA, but we also monitor and test the lake water throughout the year for heavy metal and pesticide residue including arsenic, mercury, lead and cadmium. After the Fukishima nuclear disaster in Japan, we sent composite samples of AFA to an independent laboratory for detection of radionuclides that might have reached the Klamath Basin by air. The test results show that all three radionuclides tested were below detectable limits.
Myself, my children, my family, my friends, my clients, and many people around the world eat E3Live as part of their daily diet.  And when consumed, virtually every human being or animal may experience life changing results.  Our health is our wealth and we have to protect it!
If you have never tried E3Live before you are in for a real treat. It’s amazing how much better you’ll feel!
Order E3Live or BrainON (BrainON is E3Live with an added super concentrated Organic AFA extract of Phycocyanin and Phenylethylamine – PEA) and I will include an additional FREE $25 gift with your order.  Please mention Ann Louise and we’ll include your FREE gift with your E3Live or BrainON order at no charge!
-Edge On Health, Dr. Ann Louise Gittleman

Sunday, January 13, 2013

January Tip of the Month

A nutritional All-Star- one of the best vegetables you can
eat. Sweet potatoes are loaded with carotenoids, and are
a decent source of vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. Cook
and then mash in one or more of your favorite spices- sweet
(cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice) or savory (cumin,
coriander, paprika, chili).
-Center for Science in the Public Interest

Thursday, January 10, 2013

High Fructose Corn Syrup is Making you Fat

Yale Scientists confirm HFCS’ role in the obesity epidemic.
I came across an interesting new study published January 1 in the Journal of the American Medical Association that confirms something I’ve been writing about for years:  high-fructose corn syrup’s major contribution to the obesity epidemic.
As I wrote in my book Get the Sugar Out, when high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) became commonplace in the late 1970s, obesity levels began to soar and have only skyrocketed since –over 73% of Americans are overweight today.  A cheap, manmade supersweet alternative to table sugar, HFCS is in almost everything at the supermarket– start reading labels and you’ll even find it in ketchup, salad dressing, and canned soup.
While sucrose (table sugar) contains both fructose and glucose, HFCS is formed by adding specific enzymes to corn syrup in order to turn the high-glucose corn syrup into a 90% fructose product. Then glucose is blended back in to get the desired glucose-fructose blend – usually 55% fructose and 45% glucose. Many filtration, ion exchange, and evaporation steps, plus carbon absorption (for removing impurities) are part of the process. The end result is a refined product that our bodies were not designed to consume – especially at high levels!
So how does HFCS affect our bodies differently than table sugar?
Fructose and glucose look similar molecularly, but fructose is metabolized differently by the body. While every cell in your body can metabolize glucose, the liver must metabolize fructose, so important appetite controls are bypassed. Unlike glucose, the fructose in HFCS is quickly absorbed into your cells without the help of insulin, and without the subsequent increase in leptin, a hormone that regulates appetite by signaling to your brain that you are full. In addition, the insulin produced during glucose metabolism suppresses a hormone called ghrelin produced by the stomach to regulate food uptake; this action is missing with fructose metabolism, so you stay hungry and keep eating.
And, the Yale Study confirms this theory. Researchers tested 20 healthy adults to better understand the affects of fructose on the brain. While the test subjects consumed both fructose and glucose sweetened drinks, the scientists used fMRIs (functional magnetic resonance imaging) to measure hypothalamic activity which helps regulate many of the brain’s hunger-related signals. While glucose lowered the activity of the hypothalamus to reduce hunger, fructose prompted a spike to the area which only increases the sensation.
While I’ve been blowing the whistle on America’s sugar addiction for years, I’m relieved that high-fructose corn syrup is finally being recognized as the villain it really is. As more research is conducted, the dangers of excessive sugar consumption will continue to be at the forefront of nutrition. As Jonathan Purnell and Damien Fair from the Department of Behavioral Neuroscience at Oregon Health & Sciences University recently noted, sugar and high-fructose corn syrup are “indeed extending the supersizing concept to the population’s collective waistlines.”
To learn more about how to get the sugar out of your diet, check out my book, the aptly named, Get the Sugar Out: 501 Simple Ways to Cut the Sugar Out of Any Diet.
-Edge on Health, Dr. Ann Louise Gittleman

Whole Foods

Gluten Free Vendor Fair
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
4pm-7pm

Whole Foods Market Mill Plain
815 SE 160th Ave.
Vancouver, WA 98683
T (360) 253-4082
F (360) 253-8270
W http://wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/millplain

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Gluten-Free Store Tour

Join us as we walk through the enormous variety of
gluten-free products available on our shelves. We'll
also provide recipes, resources and our comprehensive
gluten-free shopping list.
All Wellness Classes and Store Tours are free but
registration is required. Sign up by calling 503.280.5177,
or email class@newseasonsmarket.com.
New Seasons Market Fisher's Landing
SE 164th & McGillivray Blvd.
Vancouver, WA

One Danger of Electropollution

Electropollution saps energy—and packs on pounds.
January marks Thyroid Awareness Month, and according to my colleague, thyroid expert and patient advocate Mary Shomon, it’s estimated that as many as 40 million Americans may be suffering from undiagnosed or misdiagnosed thyroid conditions.
While there are many factors that can affect thyroid function, I find one risk to be specifically concerning—electropollution!
Mobile phones and wireless devices are everywhere these days. Even if you aren’t using your phone or WiFi at the moment, you’re probably within range of someone else’s. At least 84% of Americans have cell phones.
Due to the proliferation of these phones, Blackberries and other digital devices, broadcast and cell phone antennas, power lines, satellite TV, and WiFi zapping us everywhere from our favorite coffee shop to the public library, we’re now exposed 100 million times more to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) than our grandparents were.
What’s all this electropollution doing to us? One recent survey of cell phone users in Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, the U.K., and this country shows repeated complaints of fatigue as well as headaches, ill health, and muscle pains.
Even low-level EMFs can slow thyroid function. In addition to depression, intolerance to cold, joint pain, and muscle cramps, low thyroid function leads to fatigue and weight gain.
A recent study in the Journal of Experimental Biology shows that EMF exposure impacts both the structure and function of the thyroid. For example, animals exposed to cell phone radiation produce lower levels of thyroid hormone, a marker of hypothyroidism.
Every cell in your body is a target for thyroid hormones. Since thyroid hormones stimulate diverse metabolic activity throughout the body—including basal metabolic rate—it’s no wonder that hypothyroidism can make you tired—and contribute to weight gain.
Given our unprecedented exposure to invisible—but insidious—electropollution, I’m not surprised that Americans now weigh more than people in 33 other countries.
For years, clients kept coming to me with a wide assortment of symptoms from dizziness and anxiety, memory loss and ringing in the ears to unrelenting fatigue and weight gain—but nothing seemed to work. It was only when I realized that they, as well as I, were all exposed to high levels of EMFs that the light, literally, went on in my head!
After reviewing the published research and interviewing others who are electrosensitive, I’ve discovered that EMFs cause the cells in the body to go into “lock down mode,” trapping this new, invisible form of pollution inside while largely impairing the body’s natural detoxification processes.
What You Can Do
It’s shocking how electropollution has exploded in recent years, and there’s no evidence that it’s slowing down any time soon. While I use my cell phone only when it’s absolutely necessary, I’m not giving it up—and seriously doubt that the rest of you are either.
That’s why I’ve written Zapped with over 1,000 ways to protect you and your family against the damaging effects of EMFs. While (like me) you’ll want to detect and eliminate as much of this radiation as possible in your own home, it’s also critical to support your body nutritionally from all the electropollution that’s beyond your control.
Start by boosting your body’s production of the potent detoxifier gluatathione to counter EMF’s harmful effects. Among the Zap-Proof Supplements I recommend, Fat Flush Whey Protein Powder is one of the richest sources of amino acids from which super antioxidant glutathione is derived. Whey protein also contains naturally occurring lactoferrin, which has anti-radiation effects.
New research in the British Journal of Nutrition finds that whey protein reduces appetite and caloric intake better than other protein sources (including eggs, tuna, and turkey), making whey very effective for weight loss. A recent study in Obesity shows that whey protein even improves vascular function in overweight and obese individuals.
This is important since both hypothyroidism and EMFs can raise bad cholesterol (LDL) levels, elevating the risk for heart disease. New Australian research reports that supplementing the diet with whey protein significantly lowers both LDL and total cholesterol levels in people who are overweight and obese, while improving their insulin levels.
For more on All-Star Supplements and other ways to protect against electropollution, order your copy of Zapped.
Thyroid Testing
If you think your thyroid might not be functioning properly, I highly recommend a blood test. In honor of Thyroid Awareness Month, mymedlab.com is offering $25 Thyroid Testing through January 31, 2013. Visit their website to order your TSH test!
-Edge On Health, Dr. Ann Louise Gittleman

Friday, January 4, 2013

Samplefest 2013

Please save the date for our upcoming
Samplefest Gluten Free Food & Health Fair
Saturday, April 20, 2013, 9am-3pm
St. John Lutheran Church
11005 NE Hwy 99
Vancouver, WA 98686
If you would like to help us with this food fair,
or you are a vendor and would like to showcase
your products, please contact Kristi: #360-518-0464
or justus323@yahoo.com
Thank you

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Simple Food Strategies to Renew You in the New Year

For me, the beginning of January always signifies a time of transition: out with the old, in with the new. A time to make way for new lifestyle habits that will make 2013 a healthier, slimmer year. No matter where you fall on the Fat Flush spectrum of detox, ongoing weight loss and/or maintenance, these thirteen easy tips and recipes are sure to tease and please:
1.) Flax seeds are a hormonal treasure-house of nutrients like lignans that are breast and prostate protective. Try adding one tablespoon of ground flax seeds (kept cool in pantry, fridge, or freezer) to grains and veggie sides before serving. Or slice up apples, pears, and nectarines and roll in ground flax seeds with cinnamon. Flax is fabulous for speeding up elimination and helps to balance hormones.
2.) Use reduced-sodium, wheat-free Tamari to replace soy sauce. Reduced-sodium Tamari contains 700 mg of sodium per tablespoon as compared to 900-1000 mg of sodium per tablespoon in most regular Tamari soy sauces. Add 1 teaspoon (233 mg of sodium) for great flavor in sauces, meatloaf and even on fresh veggies – minus the added wheat and salt that can create allergic responses and water retention in many individuals.
3.) To replace whole milk in soups and sauces, substitute unsweetened coconut milk or diluted cream (½ water with ½ real cream). Even those with lactose or casein intolerance, seem to tolerate real cream well because it is metabolized as a fat.
4.) Going grain free? Puree winter squash, broccoli, carrots, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and peas as a side dish drizzled with a drop of virgin olive oil or macadamia nut oil for a nutty flavor.
5.) For hardcore burger lovers, try 1 teaspoon of Angostura Bitters to 1 pound of lean ground beef (I adore the beef from Ranch Foods Direct) to substitute for bacon, cheese, and mayo. Ground turkey can always replace ground beef in loaves and makes a great “turkey burger” with a dash of cumin, garlic and onion powder.
6.) For additional fat-fighting fiber, mix 1 – 2 tablespoons of chia seeds in the kids’ cereal. Just one ounce (or tablespoonful) yields about 10 grams of soluble fiber. That’s more than ½ of the USDA recommended daily amount, and nearly 5 grams of protein. What a seed!
7.) Cranberry sauce is a low sodium, high antioxidant and virtually fat-free replacement for heavy gravies on meat, fish, or poultry this time a year. Blend ½ cup cranberries (fresh or frozen thawed) with ½ cup raspberries, ½ teaspoon orange zest and ½ teaspoon Flora-Key or stevia. Heat in a saucepan for about two minutes until smooth.
8.) Grated orange peel or lemon rind (make sure these are organic) can be mixed into some ground nutmeg for a zesty cooking pickup. Add to fish or chicken before broiling and sprinkle on squash before baking.
9.) Horseradish (the herb of the year) and plain yogurt come together as a quick and easy dip, or a sauce for fish and veggies. Simply add 1 tablespoon of prepared horseradish to 1 cup of yogurt, and mix.
10.) Arrowroot is a fantastic thickening agent substitute for corn starch or flour – it’s a gluten-free enhancer that adds extra calcium to foods and is easily digested.
11.) Zucchini ribbons work wonders as a pasta substitute. Cut the zucchini into thin strips and sauté for a few minutes until soft. Then top with chicken, mushrooms, onions…whatever floats your boat!
12.) One of my Fat Flush secrets is this: if you crave something sweet, satisfy that craving with something sour. A simple, healthy pickle is just the ticket! Cut 8 cucumbers into spears and drop in a medium bowl with 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 minced garlic clove, 2 teaspoons fresh dill and a dash of tumeric. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours. Enjoy as a snack or slice on salads and burgers.
13.) A high-protein smoothie from my Smoothie Shakedown is the perfect snack on-the-go that can satisfy an encroaching snack-attack. They’re so easy to make and take! You’ll need 8 oz of water (or cran-water), 1 scoop of Fat Flush Body Protein, 1 serving of fresh or frozen fruit and 1 tablespoon of flaxseed oil. Combine in a blender until smooth. Experiment with different fruits and combinations, and try adding cinnamon or ginger for an extra kick!
It has been a wonderful privilege connecting with you on so many fronts this year. Your comments and feedback on Facebook, the Forum, and my blog  and videos keep me in touch with what really matters to you about health, diet, detox, and on the energy medicine frontier. You have always been my favorite audience and I look forward to many more years of sharing and caring. Happy 2013!
-Edge On Health, Dr. Ann Louise Gittleman