Vim & Vitality Blog

It almost seems unpatriotic or sacreligious to say that I don't support “Pinktober,” but I think we all are pretty much AWARE of breast cancer; however, we are still clueless about how to PREVENT and CURE this devastating disease. I’m 44 years old, and well within the recommended age for a mammogram according to these recommendations by the National Cancer Society. My grandmother died of metastatic breast cancer 16 years ago. Several close relatives have had malignant growths removed from their breasts, and like me they are estrogen dominant. None of these women nor have I been tested for the ...

Acne seems to go hand-in-hand with being a teenager, although some are afflicted more than others. Traditional treatments focus on using topical creams and drying agents such as Isotretinoin (Accutane) and corticosteroids or powerful antibiotics such as tetracycline. These pharmaceuticals may clear the skin, but at what cost? Accutane is not safe for use while pregnant and is linked to birth defects, depression, suicidal tendancies and IBS. (1) The majority of side effects are related to gut health. And while antibiotics may destroy harmful bacteria, they also destroy beneficial bacteria which...

Let out your belt a notch to prepare for National Junk Food Day! Yes-- you read it correctly: NATIONAL JUNK FOOD DAY!  What is the world coming to? As if every day is not enough for Americans, we need an entire day dedicated specifically to junk food?   So, on July 21st, go on out and throw caution to the wind! Begin the day by enjoying a Snickers bar for breakfast; after all, a Snickers bar contains as many carbs as a bagel, and if carbs are all that count, then why not opt for a candy bar over a bagel? Next, you will need something to drink with that Snickers bar, so head on over t...

In my last two blogs we covered several strategies to address the factors that contribute to TOTAL HEALTH, which can be summed up as FIT + TRIM + BALANCE, with special emphasis on sex hormone balance in women. Today, we are going to cover another aspect of balance: STABLE BLOOD SUGAR. This very important element of balance will enable you to GAIN HEALTH, first and foremost, and to LOSE WEIGHT secondarily-- weight loss is the fringe benefit of TOTAL HEALTH. Stable blood sugar is in fact so important that TOTAL HEALTH cannot be achieved without it! Without balanced blood sugar, sex hormones may ...

 Are You More Like…. A Cruise Ship vs. a Speedboat -OR- A Crockpot vs. a Microwave?  In Rev Your “Engine" & Make It Purr we discussed the factors that contribute to a healthy metabolism which translates into TOTAL HEALTH.  Remember that FIT + TRIM + BALANCE = TOTAL HEALTH.  A person who is only fit or trim is not necessarily healthy.  We covered several variables within each of these factors for TOTAL HEALTH:       Quality of Calories      Macronutrients         Portion Control     &nbs...

It is so easy to become myopically focused on one aspect of TOTAL HEALTH. As Americans, especially as women, we are easily tempted to focus on simply being FIT or TRIM, which doesn’t always translate to being HEALTHY. A thin, wispy woman who subsists on cigarettes and Diet Coke is not FIT, nor HEALTHY. What about that hard body of a woman who eats a great diet that includes a variety of fruits, vegetables and quality proteins yet over-taxes her body through excessive exercise and lack of sleep? She may look FIT & TRIM, but TOTAL HEALTH is evading her too. While neither woman is overweigh...

Every now and then, you stumble upon a life-changer. It may be the discovery of a product like the Magic Eraser that will remove marks from walls without removing the paint. Or maybe it is a Bluetooth device that allows you to drive and talk hands free. What about discovering that remaining calm in the heat of a conflict, then initiating resolution at a later time is much more effective than trying to resolve the issue on-the-spot when emotions are flared? Well, today I have another life-changer to share with you: FAT-SOLUBLE CHLOROPHYLL. You have probably heard of chlorophyll before, and you ...

Allergy season is here in full force with pollens and dust blowing every which way, which can make life simply miserable for many people in Colorado, and this spring seems to be quite intense for many people! But if you do suffer from seasonal allergies, or even food allergies, you will benefit from what I am about to share with you. Have you ever heard of Yakriton? It is a Japanese word since this compound was discovered in Japan nearly 100 years ago during the 1920s. What is Yakriton? Well, in simple terms, it is an extract derived from cow liver fat. Sounds gross, huh? But you must remember...

  7 Uses for Raw Apple Cider Vinegar For less than $20, you can purchase one gallon of a true “cure-all” for your own pantry. Organic, Raw Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is a health tonic that cannot be ignored. You are probably already familiar with using this delicious condiment as a hair rinse to combat dandruff and leave hair squeaky clean. Or you may be familiar with using it in recipes for salad dressings or homemade cleaning products. I’m excited to share with you 7 uses for this powerful food product that you may not have heard of before: 1) DIGESTIVE AID: Raw Apple Cider Vinegar...

Why You Need Sodium Salt has a bad rap in modern thought. I’m sure you have heard it said that “Salt causes high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, water retention, etc.” (1) But what are the facts, and what is this compound called “Salt” today? Salt consists of two molecules of minerals joined together to form a new compound: Sodium (Na) + Chloride (Cl)= Sodium Chloride (NaCl). Sodium and Chloride both occur naturally in foods and are essential elements to health.  Dr. Bernard Jensen even classified people according to the mineral dominance in their bodies: High Sodium peop...

Recently while on vacation with my husband, I had some time for leisure reading. Being the health geek that I am, I picked up my copy of Choose Life or Death by Dr. Carey A. Reams. This man has been one of my heroes since the time I learned about him and his Biological Terrain Analysis (RBTI) equation during my training as a Master Herbalist. After reading his book, I have an even greater respect for this brilliant mathematician and man of G-d! Through this book, I learned some fascinating facts that explain the science behind biblical truths and how we were created. Did you know that: The ele...

What do you think of when you hear the word "light?" Do you think of the difference between night and day? Do you feel warm and fuzzy, like when you can and soak in the warmth from the sun? A variety of thoughts and emotions may be conjured up by the thought of light, and all of them are likely to point to a truth about the principles and properties of light which were established from the beginning. It is interesting that light was brought into our physical realm on the first day of the biblical creation story, however, does that mean that light did not exist before that time? Consider t...

If G-d wanted His people to drink milk, why are so many people allergic to milk these days? Maybe I am the only person who thinks this way, but when I hear “a land flowing with milk and honey,” I think milk from cows and honey from bees.  While reading Dr. Bernard Jensen’s book, The Chemistry of Man, I learned all of the nutritional benefits of goat milk… raw goat milk in particular.  It got me to thinking about how everyone and their brother seem to be lactose intolerant these days.  And how does that fit in with G-d’s promise to bless His people by taking them to a l...

Everyone seems to have the answer to the question about how to be healthy and how to get there with the  least amount of effort.... drink this drink.... eat that food... do this exercise... take that supplement... buy this device... say that prayer.  It can be so confusing, frustrating, and overwhelming!  My suggestion is to start somewhere; it doesn't matter.  The way I look at it, if we make little changes on a consistent basis, then eventually we will get to where we want to be.  For instance, we teach our children to read in stages: first WE read TO them, poin...