Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Back from Foraging!

... And look what we found!

What a weekend it was! We drove the Eco-Van (see last post) from the Twin Cities to the place where we went foraging-- just outside Menomenee, WI. We started out by meeting our fellow foragers who drove separately... up in a tree house! We went on several "Herb Walks" through the course of the weekend, and learned about wild greens, flowers, fruits, and berries that we could nibble on throughout our stay. We even learned to identify wild catnip, which could be used to keep mosquitoes away! Some of the fruits we found are pictured above: wild plums, wild grapes, even wild apples which were fairly sweet. We also found and ate chokecherries, elderberries, red clover, mallow, lamb's quarter, stinging nettles, and a number of other greens and flowers. Getting some sun was part of our experience, and "therapy," as vitamin D is going to be more and more difficult to get as the next few weeks pass. Each day ended with a campfire and some time in the infrared sauna. It was a very educational and rejeuvenating weekend. :) Would you like to see some more pictures??

Friday, September 11, 2009

Foraging Adventure


This afternoon, I will be headed out on a whirlwind Eco-Foraging weekend in River Falls, Wisconsin!

It's been quite a while since I've been out camping in the woods, so this is a welcome opportunity. Spending time out in nature is truly therapeutic-- fresh air, music of the song birds, and wild, truly organic, edible greens and berries... and who knows what else? I'm really excited to learn more about what there is to eat in the great outdoors~ really, in God's great garden!

This adventure is one of the events offered through the Ecopolitan Restaurant, in Minneapolis, MN. They are a 100% organic, vegan, raw food, gourmet restaurant. The Ecopolitan building also offers services such as health consultations and treatment (nutritional, functional, and environmental medicine), lectures on health and nutrition, infrared sauna, oxygen therapy, et cetera. You can check out their website here: http://www.ecopolitan.com/

So, I will be traveling via an "Eco-Van" with a group of fellow foragers to hike, camp, forage for wild edibles, learn about herbs from an herbalist, and maybe even go tubing down a river!

I'll let you know how it goes!



Picture courtesy of www.ecopolitan.com/blog

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Most Common Cause of Fatigue that is Missed or Misdiagnosed by Doctors


Dr. Mercola, of www.mercola.com recently had an article about adrenal fatigue, highlighting concepts from Dr. Wilson's book. You can read it here:

Most Common Cause of Fatigue that is Missed or Misdiagnosed by Doctors

Shared via AddThis

"Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome"

A very good resource for those who think they may be suffering from adrenal fatigue is Dr. James L. Wilson's book Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome.


Dr. Wilson explains the causes behind adrenal fatigue, a list of signs and symptoms, how it can lead to other diseases and health conditions, and even a questionnaire to help you determine whether you are indeed a candidate for adrenal fatigue. Most importantly, he includes a complete program to help you recover from adrenal fatigue through lifestyle, diet, and supplementation.

He has an excellent website: http://www.adrenalfatigue.org/, where he presents a lot of the information from his book. This even includes the "Burn out" questionnaire: http://www.adrenalfatigue.org/adrenal-fatigue-questionnaires/burnout-questionnaire.html

Monday, September 7, 2009

50 Contributors to Adrenal Fatigue

  1. Caffeine
  2. Sugar
  3. Alcohol
  4. Eating “on the run”
  5. Food allergies
  6. High-carb diet (lots of grains & sugars)
  7. Nutrient deficiencies
  8. Overeating, even healthy food
  9. Pesticides and herbicides on produce
  10. Processed foods/junk food
  11. Skipping meals
  12. Change in living situation
  13. White flour
  14. Born with weak adrenals due to adrenal fatigue of mother
  15. Malalignment of the spine
  16. Chemical toxicity
  17. Over-the-counter and prescribed medications
  18. Heavy metal toxicity
  19. Electromagnetic pollution
  20. Parasite infestation
  21. Chronic pain
  22. Physical trauma/injury
  23. Type A personality
  24. Anger
  25. Depression
  26. Resentment
  27. Worry/Anxiety
  28. Emotional trauma
  29. Fear
  30. Guilt
  31. Low self-esteem
  32. Negative thoughts
  33. Unresolved conflict
  34. Relationship issues
  35. Wrestling with major issues: moral, theological, spiritual
  36. Mental strain/overwork
  37. Major life events, positive or negative
  38. Serious illness
  39. Illness of loved ones
  40. Death of a loved one
  41. Financial difficulties
  42. Job change/loss
  43. High conflict situations
  44. Late nights
  45. Lack of sleep
  46. Overexertion in exercise
  47. Smoking/secondhand smoke
  48. Loud, pounding music
  49. Media: News, Violent movies
  50. COLLEGE
The things that contribute to adrenal fatigue are all elements that put stress on a person physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually. You can probably think of even more. A certain amount of stress is normal and in many ways beneficial. However, when one has stress coming from all different sources, assailing at the same time, it is more than the body can be expected to handle. At that point, the body is thrown out of equilibrium, and must do everything it possibly can to regain balance. That requires a lot of energy, and leads to high levels of inflammation, toxicity, fatigue, and ultimately, disease. The good news? Adrenal fatigue is highly preventable and treatable. Watch for an upcoming post on behaviors that prevent or reverse adrenal fatigue!

Saturday, September 5, 2009

A Delicious Pumpkin Smoothie


So, I really wasn't ready to think about fall just yet... But since I'm on this 4-day rotation diet, and therefore limited to what I am allowed to eat each day, I resorted to using some canned pumpkin yesterday evening to make a rather filling smoothie for dinner. It turned out quite delicious, so I thought I'd share the recipe. I adjusted ingredients "to taste," but here's the general recipe:

Creamy Pumpkin Smoothie

1/2 cup canned organic pumpkin
1/4 cup full fat coconut milk
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup ice cubes
1 Tbsp of honey or maple syrup (I used 1 packet of Sweet Leaf stevia)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp maca powder, optional (used to build the adrenal glands)

Combine ingredients in a blender and BLEND. Add additional water to thin as necessary, and adjust the other ingredients "to taste." Try cinnamon, cloves, ginger, or pumpkin pie spice, if you like. (Serves one)

Enjoy!

Friday, September 4, 2009

"Burn Out": Signs & Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue, A through Z

This list is by no means comprehensive, but it gives a good idea of what signs and symptoms may indicate weak adrenal glands. This health condition in its milder state is also commonly referred to as "Burn out." I have listed sources/resources at the end.

Allergies (food or environmental)
Anxiety attacks
Apathy
Apprehensiveness
Arthritic-like pains
Auto-Immune disease
Back/neck pain
Best sleep from 7-9 in the morning
Brain fog
Chronic Fatigue diagnosis
Cognitive difficulties
Concentration difficulties
Craving salty, fatty, and high protein food such as meat and cheese
Crying spells
Depression
Digestive problems
Dry skin and hair
Eyes are dry
Fatigue, worsened by physical exertion or stress
Fibromyalgia diagnosis
Hair loss
Headaches
Hormonal problems
Hypersensitivity to noise
Hypoglycemia
Immune system is weak
Inability to handle stress
Insomnia
Irritability
Lightheaded when rising from lying down
Memory problems
Need for caffeine to get going
PMS
Salt cravings
Sensitivities to odors (cleaning products, perfumes, hairsprays)
Sighing frequently
Tired for no reason
Un-refreshing sleep
Varicose Veins
Vision problems
Weight gain (especially around the waist)
Zeal is lacking

Sources/Recommended Reading:
BOOKS:
Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome by James L. Wilson
How to Overcome Tired, Irritable, and Depressed Feelings, by Dr. Thomas A. Owen

WEBSITES:
http://www.adrenalfatigue.org/
http://www.drlam.com/articles/adrenal_fatigue.asp
http://www.naturalnews.com/024985_cortisol_blood_adrenal_fatigue.html
This Chronic Fatigue/Fibromyalgia Symptom Checklist is also helpful: http://www.anapsid.org/cnd/diagnosis/berne.html