September Update

I apologize for neglecting this blog. Like so many bloggers, I got busy with other things including spending too much time on Facebook. But let me give you an update on my health status, which is not bad compared to what a lot of people suffer.

1. Heartburn/ Reflux. This is my most annoying health challenge and it continues in spite of various treatments. The prescription drugs did not work for me so my functional doctor suggested dietary changes. They've been hard to follow; the hardest being giving up coffee, even decaf. But I did it and I still have heartburn. One thing that helped for a long time was melatonin, 6 mg. nightly. However, this eventually stopped working. Other treatments that didn't work for me are enzymes (the ones I tried, anyway), probiotics, and lemon juice. 
2. Overweight. I have struggled with my weight for years. The only diet that worked for me was Atkins but I got so constipated on it that I had to stop. Last year I went on a low-glycemic diet for other health reasons but I quickly gained five pounds and decided to stop. Weight is too hard to lose, so I just don't want to gain any.
3. Back pain, leg pain and core strength. I'm working with a physical therapist to build core strength. My hope is that this will cut down on back pain, leg pain, and frequent weakness. I do a set of exercises every day and I believe it is helping.
4. Food allergies and sensitivities. I have more than ever before, and so far there is no cure that works. I have to avoid a long list of foods, which is sometimes impossible when eating in restaurants because even the staff doesn't know what's in everything. Combine this with trying to avoid heartburn and eating is not fun anymore.
5. Fatigue. It's not as bad as it was a year ago but it's still an issue. 
6. Depression. Not too bad in the summer because I get plenty of sunshine, but I have to really fight it in the winter. Vitamin D, SAM-e, St. John's Wort, and bright lighting are my wintertime friends.
7. Sore feet. I get these thick spots on my soles that one doctor calls seed corns. They are painful and have to be removed regularly.

Most Folks Don't Eat Enough Veggies

In a recent poll, 61% of respondents said they eat one or two servings of fruits and vegetables daily, 33% said they eat three or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily, while 6% said they they don't eat fruits and vegetables on a daily basis!

So a majority of Americans are getting much less than the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables. Or maybe they don't know what a vegetable is!

When the State Delays Abortion

State governments sometimes try to interfere with abortion by passing regulations that delay it. Examples are Virginia's proposed ultrasound requirement and various requirements for notifying third parties.

Whenever the government requires a procedure that delays abortion, it is risking an INCREASE in the chance of an embryo feeling pain. Many abortions are performed before the embryo is capable of feeling pain, which is at around 6 weeks after fertilization. Since a woman typically suspects pregnancy between 2 and 3 weeks after fertilization, she has a window of opportunity of only about 3 weeks before the nervous system starts working and the embryo's heart starts beating.

If the state delays abortions by requiring extra processes or tests, it increases the chance that the abortion will cause pain to the embryo or "stop a beating heart." Thus the politicians become party to what they supposedly want to prevent!

If people are serious about not hurting an embryo that is capable of feeling, they should encourage early abortions, not cause them to become later ones!

Of course, this is not what politicians are really concerned about. I realize some of them want to stop abortion altogether. If that's what they want, let them make it easier for women to raise children by guaranteeing that children will not go hungry or otherwise uncared for.

Is Your Fleece Polluting the Ocean?

One more thing to worry about: fibers from polyester and acrylic are polluting the oceans. See
Laundry Lint Pollutes the World's Oceans - ScienceNOW.

I'm not a big fan of polyester or acrylic fabrics because they attract static unless you treat them with fabric softener, which to me has an unpleasant odor. But I didn't know that their fibers are showing up in sand all over the world!

I guess if you have these fabrics, you should wash them rarely, which means wearing them less, until we find out how much of a threat this is to marine animals and those who eat them. (That includes ourselves.)

Queen Anne's Lace ... What?

I was browsing a wildflower book and came across this: the seeds of the dainty Queen Anne's Lace were used as a morning-after contraceptive! Wow, how did settlers know stuff like that?

I looked it up in Wikipedia and sure enough: The crushed seeds were once thought to be a form of birth control ... first described by Hippocrates over 2,000 years ago. Research conducted on mice has offered a degree of confirmation for this use—wild carrot was found to disrupt the ovum implantation process, which reinforces its reputation as a contraceptive. Chinese studies have also indicated the seeds block progesterone synthesis, which could explain this effect.

Don't try this at home though! Queen Anne's Lace (aka wild carrot) resembles the deadly poison hemlock!

X is for Xanthan

I've seen xanthan gum listed as an ingredient but didn't think to look it up until recently. It is created by a fermentation process. This raises a red flag for me because many fermented foods don't agree with me due to my allergy to yeasts and molds.

I haven't experimented with xanthan gum and I don't think it was included in any of the allergy tests I had. However, I see on the Wisegeek website that a lot of folks are volunteering their stories of allergy or sensitivity to xanthan gum.

It is used as a thickener in a lot of foods including many gluten-free foods, ice creams, and even some herbal extracts. I'm going to go back and read some labels of foods that I've suspected of causing me indigestion and see if it's listed as an ingredient. If it is, keeping track of whether I react to those foods should let me know if this is a missing piece to the puzzle of "why hasn't my digestion gotten better even though I'm eating healthier."

Actually, keeping a food diary with notes on symptoms is a valuable tool to diagnosing food sensitivities, but doing it for more than a few days is difficult. I've tried it and it just takes too much time. Plus who wants to obsess over every bite and every little ingredient?

More Sources of Yeast Allergy Reactions

I discovered another yeast-related cause of itching: kimchee (also spelled kimchi). It contains yeast, so I'm allergic to it. Too bad, it's supposed to be good for you.

In researching yeast allergies further, I found the following:

• Olives can contain yeasts of several varieties. (This explains my occasional coughing spells when trying to consume olive oil on salads.)
• Berries, grapes and citrus fruits often have mold or yeast on their skins.
• Molds and yeasts have been detected on ready-to-eat salads, whole fresh vegetables and sprouts.

Three Health Articles to Consider

1. CoQ10 seems to improve Gulf War Syndrome as well as Parkinson's.
2. Teflon component linked to arthritis
3. Broken CFL bulbs release mercury for up to 10 weeks.