One of Dr. Connie's Favorite Places to Muse is at the Pacific Naturopathic Retreat Center in Hawaii

When a Sprout is

More Than a Sprout

We tend to think of food in a very narrow sense. Swami Yogananda, in his Divine Magnetic Diet uses the word food in a very broad sense, defining food not just in terms of material nourishment, but in terms of breath, and mental and cosmic energy. Sunshine and oxygen are direct energy sources for the body. Most other foods must be converted to energy. That energy is more or less abundant and accessible according to the nature and preparation of the food or drink.

Pure water crystal

Several images come to mind. Masaru Emoto is a Japanese man who has photographed the effects of thought, word, sound and more on frozen water crystals. His photographs compare the complex and beautiful crystalline structure of pure spring water to the simple and unimpressive structure of microwaved water. Other photographs from Emoto Sensei's work contrast the structure of polluted water before and after having been blessed.

Microwaved water

Through these images, we begin to understand that unseen energies in our food and in our drink are integral and powerful components of our daily diets. The consciousness with which food is prepared, received, blessed and eaten proves more important than the biochemical attributes of the food.

Other images come from Kirlian photography, which enables us to see the energetic structure underlying physical form. Kirlian photographs comparing an organic to a conventionally grown sprout show the live and bright energy of the organic sprout, in comparison to the dim and lifeless energy of the conventional sprout. Fresh fruits and vegetables are enzymatically active live foods, providing readily available energy. Cooked meats are difficult to digest and to break down into utilizable energy.

Organic versus non-organic sprout

Foods emit and lodge vibrations in mind and brain. Long before the development of the devices that measure human energy systems, ancient traditions outlined the energetic effects of various foods on the body, defining foods that develop moral and spiritual qualities, foods that develop active and worldly qualities, and foods that increase or create evil qualities. Modern day clinics that measure the energetic effect of foods on the body find that pork is more disruptive to the human energy system than is any other food.

The take home message is that energetic aspects of food and drink are an integral consideration as we design and prepare diets that promote physical, mental and spiritual well being.

What To Eat?

Connie Hernandez, N.D.

These days, there's a great deal of confusion about proper diet. We live in a contaminated world in which we have tampered with the natural environment. People worry about mercury toxicity in fish, pesticides in vegetables, hormones in poultry, antibiotics in dairy, genetically modified organisms and more. Beyond that, internet and other media sources promote a multitude of radically contradictory dietary regimes. Patients are often severely stressed as to what it is that is ok for them to eat.

 

I've many times been asked to provide dietary guidelines that everyone can follow. There's probably not a single food that's ok for everybody, but there are simple guidelines that hold true.

1. Realize that you do not now and never will have total control over your diet. In our times, we simply can not know the whole truth about the foods we consume.
2. Know that an occasional dietary deviation is not a problem. The exceptions are for people suffering from autoimmune conditions such as Celiac's disease in which gluten can never be consumed; or from life threatening allergic reactivity; or from genetic enzyme deficiencies which cause certain foods to be deadly.
3. Grow or buy organic whenever possible. When not possible, stay away from the foods most likely to be toxic with pesticides. When even that is not possible, bless your food, and know that the act of blessing the food is a positive action.
4. Shop the farmer's markets and the periphery of the supermarket. Concentrate on foods that are in as close to their natural state as possible. Eat as much fresh food as possible.
5. Stay away from artificial ingredients, whether colorings, flavorings, sweeteners, preservatives, or other food additives.
6. If you consume poultry, meat, dairy, or eggs, look for suppliers that provide their animals with natural food sources and free range conditions.
7. If you eat fish, educate yourself as to which fish are most likely to be mercury free, and choose wild as opposed to farmed fish to avoid consumption of antibiotics.
8. Limit sugar sources of all kinds, simple carbohydrates, and highly processed foods.
9. Avoid hydrogenated fats, trans fats, rancid fats, and deep fried foods.
10. For the most part, take your liquids away from your meal in order to optimize digestion.
11. Take your time to chew and enjoy your food. It takes 20 minutes to reach satiety, and most of us have overconsumed and finished our meal before that.
12. Increase the variety of the foods you eat in order to benefit from the nutrients and phytochemicals present in varied food sources, and to prevent the development of food sensitivities.

 

Relax.  Have a cookie.

A final guideline would be to relax a little with regards to food. 

 

It is only in very privileged societies that food choices are actually available. In my early years of practice, I served a large community with quite rigid food beliefs. I would routinely tell them that the rigidity with which they held those beliefs was far more damaging to their overall health than the chocolate chip cookies they abhorred.

 

 

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Food Allergies and Food Intolerances:  Not the Same

Food allergies and food intolerances - although the terms are often used interchangeably, their mechanisms of action in the body are quite different. A third common term food sensitivities, can refer to either intolerances or to allergies.

Food intolerances are food reactions, often in the form of either maldigestion or inflammatory reactions in the digestive tract. In food intolerances, the body simply cannot properly digest or process certain foods. Intolerances are often caused by enzyme deficiencies, as in lactose intolerance, which disrupts the digestion of milk and milk products. Food intolerance reactions can also occur to naturally occurring chemicals in foods, like salicylates. Salicylates are found in dozens of common foods, including apples, cherries, grapes, tomatoes and olives.  Food additives -- colors, flavorings and preservatives -- may also cause reactions.

Many body systems and processes are affected by food intolerances, including gastro-intestinal (bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, colitis and more), respiratory (chronic cough, asthma, bronchitis, sinusitis, etc.), dermatological (eczema, psoriasis and other skin rashes), neurological (chronic headaches, migraines), psychological (behavior problems, poor memory, depression, moodiness), musculoskeletal (arthritis, gout, joint stiffness), immune system (frequent infections), reproductive (low sperm count and hormone imbalances) and malabsorption (nutrient deficiencies). Unlike food allergies, food intolerances are not associated with anaphylaxis (allergic closing of airways).

Food intolerances are not mediated by immunoglobulins or by the release of histamine, and thus cannot be identified on blood tests which test for IgG or IgE immune system responses. They can be identified with a metabolic cleanse, followed by implementation of an elimination-challenge program. Once offending foods are identified, they can either be avoided or their reactivity in the body lessened by specific enzyme supplements. The doctors at Pacific Naturopathic can help you develop a comprehensive program to help you discover any food intolerances you may have.

Food allergies provoke the immune system's reaction to a food item, usually a protein, that it believes is harmful to the body. The immune system responds to the perceived invader by creating antibodies (proteins found in the bloodstream), in an effort to neutralize the offending food. Here's how it works:

The body's immune system mistakenly identifies a food protein as harmful and "tags" the protein with an antibody, creating what is called an antigen/antibody complex. The tagged proteins are usually difficult to digest proteins, like those found in cow's milk and wheat. The immune system, thinking the body is under attack, triggers an allergic reaction, including a histamine release. The allergic reaction can range from mild to severe. Allergic responses affect many of the same body systems and processes as those mentioned above, but also may include life-threatening anaphylactic responses. People diagnosed with a severe food allergy should always carry an injectable form of epinephrine, such as an Epi-Pen or wear some form of medical alert jewelry.

Although an individual could potentially be allergic to any food, the majority of food allergies are caused by a small number of foods. These foods include all cow's milk products, wheat (including rye and oats), peanuts, soybeans, eggs, fish, shellfish, nuts, and citrus.

Skin testing has long been the "gold standard" for food allergy testing, but we have found it to be unreliable. Foods have a different reaction in the enzyme-rich, mucous-lined digestive system than they do when injected into the skin. We prefer IgG/IgE food sensitivity/food allergy blood tests, which measure a person's specific antibody reaction to more than 120 different foods. IgG tests for delayed hypersensitivity reactions, whereas IgE tests for immediate hypersensitivity reactions. At Pacific Naturopathic, we order these tests from one of the specialty labs with whom we have a professional relationship. We help you interpret the results, address underlying causes, and design a workable diet.

If you suspect that you have food allergies or intolerances and would like to address issues and develop an action plan, phone the clinic at 650-917-1121. Dr. Connie, Dr. Marcel and Dr. Corrine will be happy to assist you develop your strategy.

Find out more about Dr. Marcel's work with men at:

Rapid Pain Relief 

With Elijah Free

Elijah Free, MH, CMI, CMT  

To contact Elijah, please either call the clinic at 650-917-1121 or e-mail at [email protected].

Normal Thermographic Pattern

I've previously stated in this newsletter that, in as few as three months, we can often see beginning resolution of vascular and temperature differences between the breasts in response to various treatment protocols. Questions come in as to what those protocols might be. Depending on the need of the patient, protocols may involve anything from lymphatic breast massage to changes in HRT to optimization of hormonal metabolism to use of anti inflammatory botanicals and/or botanicals which prevent the formation of new blood vessels.

A particularly effective approach taken by several of my patients has been detoxification through radical dietary change. These patients have either self directed their own cleanses, or participated in residential treatment facilities with an emphasis on green juices, raw foods, and liver and colon cleanses. In choosing juices and raw foods, most inflammatory dietary components are eliminated. In reducing inflammation, the breast tissue changes. And we see those positive changes on the breast thermograms. 

The cost to you of breast thermography is $225.

Thermography at Pacific Naturopathic

Looking for a conscious, meaningful, caring gift for a birthday or special occasion? A gift certificate to a Pacific Naturopathic practitioner lets a special person know you really care about their well-being. 

Gift certificates for all practitioners and modalities offered at Pacific Naturopathic are available by phoning our front desk at 650-917-1121, or just stopping by.