I just had a wonderful conversation with a colleague who is very deeply into Yoga. I was telling her several funny stories of odd things that had happened in the last 24 hours and she said we never take seriously enough the full moon and stars aligning - given that our bodies consist of such a high water content and the moon controls the water and the tides, it should be no surprise when the full moon has such an influence in our lives.
I must say I had not really considered this line of thinking before and it lifted my day tremendously! It reminded me there is so much that happens in our lives that is really so very beyond our control and occurs on such a cosmic and natural level.
Not my usual post, but one that delighted me and I wanted to share.
Stay well!
Deidre
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Monday, November 15, 2010
Every woman should read this - now!
I was talking to a friend of a friend today about my experience with infertility, which is always distressing because I don't want to go back there (emotionally), but it was also lovely to have the two boys playing on the carpet in front of us.
I recommended that she read an article from The Dr Within called Every Woman Needs to Read This Chapter Now, which for me draws together the threads on Chronic Fatigue, Fibroids and Infertility - what I had always seen as three mostly separate health incidents in my life. Yet this article explains the links so wonderfully well.
There are so many things all women should know. Information is gold. We are the only ones who can make the right decisions about our health.
So I hope this helps some of you understand the bigger picture, and if facing decisions about the Pill, HRT, or infertility, perhaps this will give you some food for thought.
I hope this finds you as well as it leaves me.
Be well,
Deidre
I recommended that she read an article from The Dr Within called Every Woman Needs to Read This Chapter Now, which for me draws together the threads on Chronic Fatigue, Fibroids and Infertility - what I had always seen as three mostly separate health incidents in my life. Yet this article explains the links so wonderfully well.
There are so many things all women should know. Information is gold. We are the only ones who can make the right decisions about our health.
So I hope this helps some of you understand the bigger picture, and if facing decisions about the Pill, HRT, or infertility, perhaps this will give you some food for thought.
I hope this finds you as well as it leaves me.
Be well,
Deidre
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Information can improve your life
Sometimes when it comes to health problems, we think of the biggies - major illness, weight problems, diabetes. I know that before starting my business and the fabulous years I've spent expanding my knowledge and understanding of health, I really never gave my long term health much passing thought.
Yet every day we have small health issues, small decisions, basic steps and its the ultimate culmination of all of those things that give us quality of life.
I'm constantly amazed at how simple some solutions can be.
In the early afternoon yesterday my 4 year old slipped on some wet steps and hit his knee and elbow. a few minutes later he started complaining of a severe headache and thought he might have banged his head too. There was no sign of redness or a scratch, but I felt his head and he was burning up with fever. We quickly went home and about an hour later he started vomiting.
Rather than a bump on the head, I suspected a virus was to blame, especially when the vomiting started.
After the first bout of vomiting I immediately started dosing him, myself and our toddler with a charcoal slurry about every half hour. In all, he had 4 bouts of vomiting about three-quarters of an hour apart, but after each one, and each dose of charcoal slurry, his temperature dropped a degree. By 6pm he was starting to brighten up and went to bed as usual at 7pm and slept soundly through the night.
My toddler and I have both been fine today.
The slurry was easy to administer by syringe, even though he was struggling to keep other fluids down. Its pretty much tasteless anyway, and if nothing else was taking away the bitterness in his mouth.
I was thrilled with the results and because I knew what to do I could quickly and confidently handle the situation at home. As a mother, there's nothing worse than dragging sick kids off to a long wait in a Medical Centre where the healthy child could just as well catch something from another patient. And how bad would I feel having a vomiting child near other patients and knowing they could well catch it from him? Let alone cuddling a sick 4 year old and keeping a willful and active 20 month old in check - makes me shudder to think about it. A wonderful relief, then, to have the tools at hand to solve the problem quickly and efficiently.
I have a wonderful book on Charcoal remedies and will have to remember to post some more when I get time.
Be well!
Deidre.
Yet every day we have small health issues, small decisions, basic steps and its the ultimate culmination of all of those things that give us quality of life.
I'm constantly amazed at how simple some solutions can be.
In the early afternoon yesterday my 4 year old slipped on some wet steps and hit his knee and elbow. a few minutes later he started complaining of a severe headache and thought he might have banged his head too. There was no sign of redness or a scratch, but I felt his head and he was burning up with fever. We quickly went home and about an hour later he started vomiting.
Rather than a bump on the head, I suspected a virus was to blame, especially when the vomiting started.
After the first bout of vomiting I immediately started dosing him, myself and our toddler with a charcoal slurry about every half hour. In all, he had 4 bouts of vomiting about three-quarters of an hour apart, but after each one, and each dose of charcoal slurry, his temperature dropped a degree. By 6pm he was starting to brighten up and went to bed as usual at 7pm and slept soundly through the night.
My toddler and I have both been fine today.
The slurry was easy to administer by syringe, even though he was struggling to keep other fluids down. Its pretty much tasteless anyway, and if nothing else was taking away the bitterness in his mouth.
I was thrilled with the results and because I knew what to do I could quickly and confidently handle the situation at home. As a mother, there's nothing worse than dragging sick kids off to a long wait in a Medical Centre where the healthy child could just as well catch something from another patient. And how bad would I feel having a vomiting child near other patients and knowing they could well catch it from him? Let alone cuddling a sick 4 year old and keeping a willful and active 20 month old in check - makes me shudder to think about it. A wonderful relief, then, to have the tools at hand to solve the problem quickly and efficiently.
I have a wonderful book on Charcoal remedies and will have to remember to post some more when I get time.
Be well!
Deidre.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Vale Alan
Loss. There's such an empty, disbelieving gap. Every few minutes after 1.30 pm today I'd look out the window at work and be conscious of the sun shining, a breeze wafting through the window, a distant bird. And I'd think: he's gone.
I called him two weeks ago, as he lay in hospital. He could barely draw the breath to talk to me - but I just wanted him to listen. To say I was here if there was anything I could do. To say he meant so much to me. That he'd been part of an amazing journey we'd been on together. A mentor, a friend, a valued and respected colleague, a wonderful boss. Next to my husband and parents he was the first person I told I was pregnant. (I can still remember the exact look on his face, the silence and then the word "s--t" which was the only thing he could think of to say. Several times!). We joked about it for years.
He was totally supportive, had high ideals on the value of women's careers, was passionate about his football club (the tie, the mug, the paraphernalia that cluttered his office) and his son's sport. He spoke so fondly of his kids, was enormously proud of them, never held back from telling funny stories about them, made it obvious that they continued to surprise and delight him. When I was a new parent, he talked of how he'd held his baby daughter while he studied for his PhD. He could always relate.
And now he's gone.
I was privileged to work with him. Privileged to know him. He was always good company, always down to earth. He shared my TV debut and I remember being amazed at how media savvy, cool, calm and collected he was. We had a good laugh about how nervous I was in comparison - even muttering nonsense good humouredly under his breath during the filming, helping me to relax. He shared my dream for that project and he carried it as Project Director through thick and thin.
I will miss you Alan. Thankyou for being the special person you were.
Deidre.
I called him two weeks ago, as he lay in hospital. He could barely draw the breath to talk to me - but I just wanted him to listen. To say I was here if there was anything I could do. To say he meant so much to me. That he'd been part of an amazing journey we'd been on together. A mentor, a friend, a valued and respected colleague, a wonderful boss. Next to my husband and parents he was the first person I told I was pregnant. (I can still remember the exact look on his face, the silence and then the word "s--t" which was the only thing he could think of to say. Several times!). We joked about it for years.
He was totally supportive, had high ideals on the value of women's careers, was passionate about his football club (the tie, the mug, the paraphernalia that cluttered his office) and his son's sport. He spoke so fondly of his kids, was enormously proud of them, never held back from telling funny stories about them, made it obvious that they continued to surprise and delight him. When I was a new parent, he talked of how he'd held his baby daughter while he studied for his PhD. He could always relate.
And now he's gone.
I was privileged to work with him. Privileged to know him. He was always good company, always down to earth. He shared my TV debut and I remember being amazed at how media savvy, cool, calm and collected he was. We had a good laugh about how nervous I was in comparison - even muttering nonsense good humouredly under his breath during the filming, helping me to relax. He shared my dream for that project and he carried it as Project Director through thick and thin.
I will miss you Alan. Thankyou for being the special person you were.
Deidre.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Masters of self delusion
I have found if I "observe" rather than "absorb" the things around me (thanks, Lisa), I see things from a different perspective. A couple of times in the last week, I have observed my own ability to be a master of self delusion. Let me explain.
I go to a local gym. I love going to the gym, and I think I go quite often. I am convinced in my mind that its "only a couple of days" since I last went to the gym. But we each have a record card that needs to be filled out for a circuit and I am surprised each time to find it has been 5 days or 6 days since my last visit. Obviously if I only go once a week (as evidenced by my card), that is not going to have the impact on my health and fitness that I desire, and yet I was totally convinced in my mind that I was doing more.
The second example was the fluid intake I mentioned in my last post. I always thought I was good at keeping up my water intake. But when I start to write it down as per Dr Batmangelidj's suggestion, I find nearly every time that I am only having half or less of what he recommends.
Not wanting to point the finger, but my husband "swears" he takes his vitamins regularly, but I only order one pot of his vitamins for every 2 or 3 of mine.
About 10 years ago, I tried a popular weight loss program and there were two things I was asked to do: keep a food diary and record my water consumption. Interesting. Why was I asked to do that? I wasn't offered an explanation at the time, but I believe it is because we are all masters of self delusion. We think we eat healthily, but the food diary might give us different evidence. We think we drink enough water, but the water record might tell another story.
It is always an interesting exercise to write things down, just to check if you really are on track to achieving your goals. What is it that you want to do? If it is achieve your ideal weight, your ideal health, your ideal business, your ideal investment portfolio - what is your strategy? Write it down, then write down the activities you are taking towards those goals. This isn't meant to show you if you are right or wrong, but it is a great feedback mechanism if what you are striving for does not seem to be getting any closer.
Be Well!
Deidre.
I go to a local gym. I love going to the gym, and I think I go quite often. I am convinced in my mind that its "only a couple of days" since I last went to the gym. But we each have a record card that needs to be filled out for a circuit and I am surprised each time to find it has been 5 days or 6 days since my last visit. Obviously if I only go once a week (as evidenced by my card), that is not going to have the impact on my health and fitness that I desire, and yet I was totally convinced in my mind that I was doing more.
The second example was the fluid intake I mentioned in my last post. I always thought I was good at keeping up my water intake. But when I start to write it down as per Dr Batmangelidj's suggestion, I find nearly every time that I am only having half or less of what he recommends.
Not wanting to point the finger, but my husband "swears" he takes his vitamins regularly, but I only order one pot of his vitamins for every 2 or 3 of mine.
About 10 years ago, I tried a popular weight loss program and there were two things I was asked to do: keep a food diary and record my water consumption. Interesting. Why was I asked to do that? I wasn't offered an explanation at the time, but I believe it is because we are all masters of self delusion. We think we eat healthily, but the food diary might give us different evidence. We think we drink enough water, but the water record might tell another story.
It is always an interesting exercise to write things down, just to check if you really are on track to achieving your goals. What is it that you want to do? If it is achieve your ideal weight, your ideal health, your ideal business, your ideal investment portfolio - what is your strategy? Write it down, then write down the activities you are taking towards those goals. This isn't meant to show you if you are right or wrong, but it is a great feedback mechanism if what you are striving for does not seem to be getting any closer.
Be Well!
Deidre.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Observation
Have you ever noticed that once you know something, your awareness of it is more acute? An example almost everyone can relate to is when you buy a new car. You suddenly notice more of those cars as you travel around the city - they "stand out" from the crowd.
Since starting the Health Highway, I have found this aspect of observation is also true when you learn something new about health. You notice things, or see things differently.
A few years ago I did a course in Iridology. Whether you believe this science or not (I've struck some sceptics), I find I notice things now when I look into people's eyes. I notice "sludgy" areas, dark spots, nerve rings and signs of brain fogginess and acidity in the body. Once you know a little bit about different signs and signals in the iris, they really stand out when you're talking to someone. I've even noticed these things in the eyes of people whose photos are in magazines. Sometimes its quite disturbing.
A few months ago I blogged about Dr Batmanghelidj's book and website on Water and Salt. It led me to change my own habits and I have felt significant benefit from following his guidelines. Since then, I've observed how much (or mostly, how little) colleagues around me drink water. Particularly in meetings. I started a new part time job last week and on my first day we had a "site visit" to another organization which involved an hour and a half of meetings followed by a walk and talk tour for another hour and a half. Of the 9 people in our party, 5 of them did not have a sip of water or anything else in that whole time. I've been in meetings time and time again for hours where colleagues have not had a drink - although some have drunk coffee, which as a diuretic puts their fluid levels into an even worse state!
I highly recommend going through the information on the Water Cure website and following his guidelines. I have found it to be wonderful. It is something almost everyone could do to improve their health immediately, or to get their body into better balance.
If you are in a workplace and find yourself in meetings, start to raise your level of awareness on this issue. Is water made available? Do people use it? Do you? How often are you working in airconditioning, or travelling in a car or plane? Do you drink more water to compensate for the drying effect?
I don't suggest that you become the thought police on how much people drink, but be aware for your own sake that our brains and bodies run on hydroelectric energy - they need the right amount of water. Without getting the balance right, you are robbing your body of energy and your brain of ability. This will impact your health over the long term. Ever tried cutting a tomato open and putting it on your desk in an airconditioned office? Try it.
Water. Be aware and be better!
Deidre.
Since starting the Health Highway, I have found this aspect of observation is also true when you learn something new about health. You notice things, or see things differently.
A few years ago I did a course in Iridology. Whether you believe this science or not (I've struck some sceptics), I find I notice things now when I look into people's eyes. I notice "sludgy" areas, dark spots, nerve rings and signs of brain fogginess and acidity in the body. Once you know a little bit about different signs and signals in the iris, they really stand out when you're talking to someone. I've even noticed these things in the eyes of people whose photos are in magazines. Sometimes its quite disturbing.
A few months ago I blogged about Dr Batmanghelidj's book and website on Water and Salt. It led me to change my own habits and I have felt significant benefit from following his guidelines. Since then, I've observed how much (or mostly, how little) colleagues around me drink water. Particularly in meetings. I started a new part time job last week and on my first day we had a "site visit" to another organization which involved an hour and a half of meetings followed by a walk and talk tour for another hour and a half. Of the 9 people in our party, 5 of them did not have a sip of water or anything else in that whole time. I've been in meetings time and time again for hours where colleagues have not had a drink - although some have drunk coffee, which as a diuretic puts their fluid levels into an even worse state!
I highly recommend going through the information on the Water Cure website and following his guidelines. I have found it to be wonderful. It is something almost everyone could do to improve their health immediately, or to get their body into better balance.
If you are in a workplace and find yourself in meetings, start to raise your level of awareness on this issue. Is water made available? Do people use it? Do you? How often are you working in airconditioning, or travelling in a car or plane? Do you drink more water to compensate for the drying effect?
I don't suggest that you become the thought police on how much people drink, but be aware for your own sake that our brains and bodies run on hydroelectric energy - they need the right amount of water. Without getting the balance right, you are robbing your body of energy and your brain of ability. This will impact your health over the long term. Ever tried cutting a tomato open and putting it on your desk in an airconditioned office? Try it.
Water. Be aware and be better!
Deidre.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
A recent testimony to safe products
I didn't blog about this at the time but it is probably one to add as a personal testimony to the value of using safe products in the home.
When we found out about the toxic issues of the majority of retail products used around the home we took quite dramatic action. As a couple, new parents of our first child, we decided to clear our home completely of all products which might contain potentially harmful ingredients. We threw out two garbage bags worth of products from our laundry, kitchen, bathroom and personal care (makeup, perfumes etc). We went from one end of the house to the other and pretty much threw everything out, the weekend we were shown that there was an alternative.
We changed brands to a safe product line (with strong scientific backing, clinical trials and large body of supporting evidence). With several decades of experience in Universities, I was convinced of the value of this information and product line, given its backing by a company representing several prominent US Universities.
I can give you countless testimonies of how this decision changed our life for the better, but I recently shared one with a colleague and thought it was worth adding here.
When our second son was 11 months old, crawling and getting into everything he could, I had a product encounter that could have been extremely serious if we had not been using safe products.
I was in the kitchen unstacking the dishwasher and he crawled in and started playing at my feet while I worked. This wasn't unusual, but I didn't even think of the danger until I saw him reach out and swipe a chubby fistful of dishwasher powder residue off the powder dispenser and shove it in his mouth.
Knowing how caustic dishwasher powder is, I grabbed him and wiped his mouth out as best I could with a wet cloth while my husband called the poison information line. We didn't know how much he might have swallowed. The person who responded to our call said that dishwasher powder was likely to cause bad burns to the mouth and throat and that we needed to watch him very carefully over the next quarter of an hour.
Although I knew we were using products that are publicly acclaimed as the "safest on the planet", dishwasher powder is dishwasher powder. It was an anxious time.
I am pleased to say that there were no burns, no adverse affects from him putting the undissolved powder into his mouth.
Is Dishwasher detergent really that harmful? Should we have been as concerned as the Poisons Information line thought? Decide for yourself. Here is an extract from the book "Let's stop destroying our children" by Shirley Camper Soman:
If this happened to your child, would you rather be using safe products, as we were?
Be well! And have peace of mind.
Deidre.
When we found out about the toxic issues of the majority of retail products used around the home we took quite dramatic action. As a couple, new parents of our first child, we decided to clear our home completely of all products which might contain potentially harmful ingredients. We threw out two garbage bags worth of products from our laundry, kitchen, bathroom and personal care (makeup, perfumes etc). We went from one end of the house to the other and pretty much threw everything out, the weekend we were shown that there was an alternative.
We changed brands to a safe product line (with strong scientific backing, clinical trials and large body of supporting evidence). With several decades of experience in Universities, I was convinced of the value of this information and product line, given its backing by a company representing several prominent US Universities.
I can give you countless testimonies of how this decision changed our life for the better, but I recently shared one with a colleague and thought it was worth adding here.
When our second son was 11 months old, crawling and getting into everything he could, I had a product encounter that could have been extremely serious if we had not been using safe products.
I was in the kitchen unstacking the dishwasher and he crawled in and started playing at my feet while I worked. This wasn't unusual, but I didn't even think of the danger until I saw him reach out and swipe a chubby fistful of dishwasher powder residue off the powder dispenser and shove it in his mouth.
Knowing how caustic dishwasher powder is, I grabbed him and wiped his mouth out as best I could with a wet cloth while my husband called the poison information line. We didn't know how much he might have swallowed. The person who responded to our call said that dishwasher powder was likely to cause bad burns to the mouth and throat and that we needed to watch him very carefully over the next quarter of an hour.
Although I knew we were using products that are publicly acclaimed as the "safest on the planet", dishwasher powder is dishwasher powder. It was an anxious time.
I am pleased to say that there were no burns, no adverse affects from him putting the undissolved powder into his mouth.
Is Dishwasher detergent really that harmful? Should we have been as concerned as the Poisons Information line thought? Decide for yourself. Here is an extract from the book "Let's stop destroying our children" by Shirley Camper Soman:
When Peter Schwab of Seattle, Wash., was one year old he crawled over to the dishwasher to watch his mother unloading it. Suddenly, he put his finger into the detergent dispensing cup and ate a fingerful of wet, but undissolved, Electrosol. In minutes his face was red and blistered, and the inside of his mouth and his tongue were burned white. Because of a series of lucky circumstances Peter was in a hospital within minutes and recovered in a few days. Not so the little girl across the hall in the hospital who (according to Peter's mother) ate some Finish dishwashing compound and required 7 operations to reopen her scarred esophagus. Or the 18-month-old boy who had to eat and breathe through tubes for five months and endured 30 operations. Finish is what destroyed his throat too"
If this happened to your child, would you rather be using safe products, as we were?
Be well! And have peace of mind.
Deidre.
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