I'm Still Hot!!!...A Pause for Menopause

This post is for the hundreds upon hundreds of women who suffer from the symptoms of menopause and are at a loss for finding relief.

Let's start by defining Menopause.
Dictionary definition:
1. The natural cessation of menstruation that usually occurs between 45 and 55.
2. Cessation of menstruation from other than natural causes.

Medical Definition:
The point in time when menstrual cycles permanently cease due to natural depletion of ovarian oocytes from aging, marking the permanent end of fertility.

Ladies and gentlemen.

This is not a disease or illness.
Menopause is simply a natural result of the bodies reduction of estrogen and the increase of progesterone production .

The most common symptoms make women and those around them uncomfortable to say the least.
Symptoms of menopause for some women may begin in the mid to late 20's on through the 30's.
This is called perimenopause and unfortunately seems to have become more and more common.
This is possibly due to the growing rates of hormonal imbalances which can be attributed to the excessive intake of processed foods and sugars in todays average daily diet as well as, increased environmental stressors.

There are many symptoms associated with menopause however, those most common are:
Hot flashes, irregular periods, mood swings, itching, night sweats, bloating, irritability, insomnia, anxiety, low libido, joint stiffness, food cravings, vaginal dryness, food cravings, thinning hair, digestive issues, fatigue and forgetfulness.

Traditional medicine provides many relievers for these symptoms in the form of hormonal replacement medications however, as with all chemically derived medications there are a myriad of side affects associated with their use.

Luckily, there are many natural ways to find relief from these symptoms.

1. One of the best things that can be done is to adapt to a lifestyle of Whole Living to help with the relief of the environmental stressors we face daily.
2. Black Cohosh, Dong Quai, Evening Primrose, Wild Yam, St. Johns Wart and Ginseng are herbs that contain plant estrogens which help regulate hormones that have been said to relieve symptoms such as vaginal dryness, depression, hot flashes, moodiness, itching, irritability and insomnia.
3. Sesame, flax seed oil, red clover tea, natto, alfalfa sprouts, apples, barley, carrots, cherries, garbanzo beans, miso, black eyed peas, beets, garlic, tempeh, oats and sunflower seeds all contain phytoestrogens or isoflavones which have been known to provide natural relief for symptoms of menopause.  Be sure you are consuming products which are Non-GMO and pesticide free.
4. Homeopathic remedies such as Sepia,Cimicifuga and Lachesis.
5. Essential oils not only smell good but are great stress relievers as well as there ability to eliminate environmental toxins.
6. Aerobic and Isometric exercise help with insomnia, stress and joint pain.
7. Minimize or eliminate caffeine, alcohol and processed sugar which increase the severity of hot flashes. 
8. Laughter helps to relieve stress and improve your attitude which will help relieve depression.
9. At the end of the day just remember to love who you are because this is just a part of our natural life cycle.

These are just a few things that can be done.

Everything does not work for everyone so,Thank God we have options.

At the end of the day Ladies, we are still Super Women!

We are just Hotter...LOL.

Here is a simple tea recipe which helps relieve the symptoms of hot flashes and night sweats.

Paus-i-Teav

1 Tbsp lemon grass

1 Tsp sage

1 Tsp ginger

1 Tbsp holy basil (Tulsi)

1 Tsp anise seed

1/2 Tsp vanilla

Place all ingredients in 1 quart boiling water and let steep about 20 min.

You can drink the tea hot or cold.

Sweeten with natural sweetener like stevia or coconut sugar.

Thanks for coming along on my journey.

Until next time.

Blessings, Love and Light,

Carla "Veggie Chef" Figaro

 

 

CANCER...What is this Fiend and how do we fight it?

This post has been a long time in coming.
I chose this topic because once again this disease has invaded someone dear to me. 

My first thought is always to apologize when I don't keep a commitment (i.e. my commitment to a weekly post) however, this particular subject warranted care.
I wanted to post information that I truly stood behind since there is so much confusion and fear surrounding this disease.

I must make it clear that I am not a doctor and anything I post is simply based on my research and beliefs.
Please be diligent in doing your own research so that you can make educated decisions for your own well being.

The National Cancer Institute
http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/all.html 
estimates that in 2013 approximately 1,660,290 men and women will be diagnosed with and 580,350 will die of various types of cancer.  

The dictionary definition of cancer is:
1. The disease caused by an uncontrolled division of abnormal cells in a part of the body.
2. A malignant growth or tumor resulting from such a division of cells.
The medical definition of cancer is:
A malignant tumor of potentially unlimited growth that expands locally by invasion and systematically by metastasis.

The reason I highlighted the words above is to point out my own personal belief and understanding about these definitions.
In my opinion, anything that divides and spreads uncontrolled is a spore.
The following are images of cancer cells that I found on the Internet.
Form your own opinion, but all of these images look like spores to me.
Look for the images yourself.
Every image I saw resembled a spore.
If you open a spore, it inevitably will spread.

This leads to my confusion as to why the medical profession INSISTS ON PERFORMING BIOPSIES.
Why would you cut open something that will spread uncontrollably?
Would it not be more effective to initially remove the suspected tumor therefore avoiding not only the possibility that it may be malignant but the necessity for additional surgery?
Hmmm....Food for thought.

Cancer research has been done for years, yet the disease seems to elude a cure.

In 1966 Dr. Otto Warburg presented a lecture entitled "The Prime Cause and Prevention of Cancer" at the meeting of the Noble Laureates at Lindau Lake Constance Germany stating that cancer is caused by a lack of oxygen respiration in cells.
You can read the revised translation of this speech at the following link. http://www.healingcancernaturally.com/warburgcancer-cause-prevention.html

Warburg's research states that oxygen respiration in normal cells is replaced by a fermentation of sugar.
Normal body cells meet their energy levels by respiration of oxygen while cancer cells meet their energy levels by fermentation of sugars or lactic acid.

Many different contributors can cause lactic acid build up in the body including, stress, carcinogens, muscle fatigue, environmental toxins...

Lactic Acid causes blood PH to become overly acidic.
This acidity is like fertilizer to cancer cells because it reduces the amount of oxygen the cells intake.
Alkalizing the cells increases the flow of oxygen and would cause the cancer cells to die.

Our bodies are meant to have a blood PH level between 7.35 and 7.45.

Cancer may remain dormant at these levels.
Any PH below 7.35 is Acidic and can potentially contribute to cancer cell growth.
However, by creating a slightly alkaline PH between 7.85 and 8.4 cancer cells will die off from excess oxygen.
Again, our bodies are meant to have a balanced PH so excess alkalinity for an over extended period of time can be harmful.  

So, what can we do to help prevent cancer?
1. Reduce stress - Stress is one of the biggest producers of lactic acid in the body.


2. Exercise regularly - Regular exercise increase oxygen flow to the cells.

3. Eat more live food - Your body doesn't have to work as hard to break down live foods which again increases oxygen.


4. Laugh more - Laughing reduces stress and helps the body to relax.


5. Stop worrying - Worry increases stress levels.


6. Avoid Carcinogens - These are products which are known to cause   cancer.


7. Eat alkaline rich foods - greens, garlic, berries, melons.

8. Drink Plenty of Water - I believe this is understood.


9. Consume enough Omega 3 fatty Acids - Natural cancer aggressor.


10. Drink Lemon and Limeade - Use organic sugar minimally of coarse.


11. Eat organic - Non organic foods usually
contain high counts of pesticides.

None of this is a guarantee to perfect health but anything that is better than what we have done or are doing is simply better and can only help.
There are countless things that I can list for you to do.

My best suggestion is to make better choices and Live a Whole Life.

Until next time, Thank You for joining my journey.
Blessings, Love and Light,
Carla "Veggie Chef" Figaro