The new 42 Health Solutions app reviewed and featured on app video today:
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PREbiotics, a Christmas Sale, and our conference call tomorrow morning.....
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Great article on the magic that manifests during the month of December:

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Bear gall bladders and bile? This trend in natural health is not the healthiest option:
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Some surprising tips to help you maximize your nutrition this Thanksgiving-enjoy!
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Probiotics are one of the most powerful supplements available and can also be used to improve athletic performance:
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The new 42 Health Solutions iPhone App in Apple iTunes stores today!
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Do you know how to change your mood, improve focus, or sleep better? How to Change Your Chemistry today at MaverickMom.com:
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Boogers and Bugs-can you guess which one we have today? Mystery solved at MaverickMom.com.

This majority of those diagnosed with autoimmune disease are women, and this is likely due to estrogen dominance.

Did you know that there are more people who have an autoimmune disease than those with cancer and heart disease COMBINED?

Which type of exercise increases cortisol the most? Learn how to optimize your results here:
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Do you know the secret power of your heart?Learn more here at MaverickMom.com today:
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MaverickMom.com Free Starbucks Giveaway:
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Name that flick, and you could win!
May the best maverick win!

New information on why many of us are Vitamin D deficient and the best solution for this problem:
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On miscarriage-a revised post with some new information. http://ping.fm/4DwuI

Wheaties Hilarity-here are a few Wheaties box covers that should never have hit the shelves. Laugh at MaverickMom.com today...
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Is sugar more addictive than cocaine? It might be-learn more here at MaverickMom.com.
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Nancy Pelosi is running again? She's getting a little goofy these days....http://ping.fm/T69JG

What happened to Matt Hughes? A Farewell to the "storm chaser" and a word on "sleepers."
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Are you having trouble sleeping? Here are the likely reasons for your sleep problems and a specific approach to sleeping better: http://ping.fm/yuADp

A New Approach to Education and Yummy Organic Cookies Delivered to Your Door!
WAY.

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I just reviewed my website page views:

>>November 2, 2010 01:25:49 http://ping.fm/46s36 page viewed<<

Ladies and gentlemen, I have arrived.

Great article on our individual health freedom-Health Freedom Revisited | Organic Medicine Now Blog http://t.co/OGlsV3d

Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Health

Did you know that one of the most common occurrences in women’s lives is miscarriage? It’s estimated that 1 in every 4 pregnancies is thought to end in miscarriage, but some guestimate the ratio to be as high as 1 in 3. If every miscarriage that occurred prior to a positive pregnancy test were reported, then 40-50% of all conceptions result in loss. In other words, it is a real miracle when a baby is actually born. It’s no easy feat to get born. If you are here, you were meant to be here.

Most people aren’t aware of how common miscarriage is because the statistics aren’t well publicized. In fact, miscarriage is kind of a taboo topic in our society. I wonder why? After all, miscarriage isn’t just the loss of an unborn baby. It is the loss of an imagined child, one that you or your family imagines in great detail….how he/she will look, what the child will be like, what their lives will look like…the list goes on and on. The death of that imagined child is as real as any other family death, and each woman whose grief is dismissed by family, society, or culture is likely going to have a tough time.

Statistically, most women move on to have a healthy pregnancy later….but one of the most torturous problems any woman can face is recurrent miscarriage. The losses accumulate, and the grief and self blame often bring fear of future pregnancy. Most women begin to regret past behaviors, questioning each little detail of their lifestyle. ”Did I run too far?” ”Did I eat the wrong thing?” ”Should I have stayed off of my feet more?” These thoughts can truly lead to gratuitous self loathing, guilt, and chronic despair.

It is certainly appropriate to feel grief after a miscarriage, but chronic despair can become debilitating. If this despair interferes with healthy mood, marital relationship, or willingness to become pregnant again, it is crucial to do two things:

1) Obtain medical treatment from a physician who specializes in pregnancy loss to diagnose and treat any biological problem which may contribute to miscarriage(s).

2) Finding the right mind body specialist to teach the mind-body techniques such as behavioral relaxation, restructuring of negative and fearful thoughts, social support, and willingness to cultivate the practice of self nurture. You know, filling your cup before you pour it out on everyone else?

If you have gone through miscarriage or repeated miscarriage, check out Dr. Alice Domar’s book entitled Healing Mind, Healthy Woman. She states, “when women practice mind-body medicine, they appear to have a lower than anticipated rate of repeat miscarriage. Moreover, women undergoing difficult or high-risk pregnancies have a vastly improved ability to cope with their condition.”

We are only beginning to scratch the surface of the power of the mind these days. The power of our mind to effect autonomic balance and positive health changes may be nearly unlimited, even when applied to the problem of miscarriage.

That’s all for today from this sweaty mom, folks. Summer is here, and it is SO hot here. Remember that thing about filling your cup first? It’s so important. The airlines got it right when they instructed us moms to use our oxygen mask first before helping our child….not that any of us would really do that, by the way, but it is a great metaphor for self nurture. More on that this week since I, too, need a refresher course on that topic. Ciao!

The Secret Power of Your Heart

“A dream can be a powerful thing, especially when it comes from the heart.”

-Jiminy Cricket

Jiminy Cricket really knew what he was talking about in his day. In fact, your heart is the most powerful generator of electromagnetic energy in your body, producing the largest electromagnetic field of any of your organs. The interaction between your emotions, heart, and physical health is far more profound than you may know. Thanks to research in quantum physics, energy psychology, and the Institute of Heart Math, we are beginning to understand the interaction between emotions, heart, physical health, and energy fields.

The heart’s electrical field is about 60 times greater than the electrical activity generated by the brain. This energy field can be detected anywhere on the surface of the body with an electrocardiogram (ECG). Even more fascinating is the fact that the magnetic field produced by the heart is more than 5,000 times greater in strength than the field generated by the brain. This electromagnetic field can be detected several feet from the body. Your emotions create changes in that same energy field which may transmit information that can be received by other people.

Feeling the positive emotions of joy, love, or gratitude increase your level of coherence, the state we often refer to when we think of the athlete “zone” or being in the “flow.” Coherence is a measurable state in which your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health are in alignment. Coherence promotes increased mental clarity, improved immune system functioning and sleep, autonomic nervous system balance, emotional balance, cognitive discernment, and better overall health. Organizations such as NASA and Hewlitt Packard have been known to use a device which measures coherence to improve employee performance and satisfaction at work.

Negative emotions decrease our state of coherence. Feeling angry, frustrated, sad, or grief stricken can reverse all of the health benefits mentioned above while decreasing your ability to think clearly.

Your level of coherence generates energy that creates that electromagnetic field surrounding your own body. This is the reason that you may feel more energized, negative, motivated, relaxed, moody, or creative after spending time with other people. You are literally sharing energy, which speaks to the importance of choosing your company wisely.

You can literally change your health by putting yourself in a different emotional state. Pets, children, movies, books, music, and even your thoughts can help you experience gratitude, joy, or love, thus changing your entire energy field and increasing your level of coherence.

Here is my favorite exercise that you can begin practicing today to practice coherence and improve your health. This exercise was created by the Institute of Heart Math, the world renowned leader in research on mind body medicine. The Institute of Heart Math recommends doing this exercise 2-3 times a day, particularly when you wake up and before going to bed.

1) Begin breathing deeply and think of your heart.

2) As you continue to breathe, begin to “breathe through your heart.” Imagine that breath going straight through your heart. Keep going for a minute or so.

2) As you continue, begin to feel gratitude. Think of something that induces a feeling of gratitude (pets, children, family) and continue to imagine that feeling.

I use the EmWave technology, a biofeedback device created by the Institute of Heart Math, to measure my own level of coherence when practicing this exercise and know for certain that this is effective. Interestingly, this technique is incredibly effective in helping decrease depression, anxiety, and chronic stress. It can also help treat addiction and improve insomnia, sleep difficulty, and problems with addictive behaviors and eating disorders. There is much, much more to all of this. The heart-brain relationship is best explained by the Institute of Heart Mathhere, but you can also read a complete list of the research on heart coherence here.

That’s all for now, folks. The weekend is here, and it’s a busy one. I remembered to get a birthday gift for a party this morning but as usual, I forgot the birthday gift bag. Note to self: Purchase 500 gift bags wholesale.

As Jiminy also said, ”Toodle-oo, Stromboli!”

The Best Way to Quit Smoking

Smoking can be one of the most powerful addictions for some people to kick. Every time I see *or smell* a smoker, I want to sit them down and have a chat together. Since I can’t, I’m writing this post.

Nicotine is kind of a weird substance in that it both relaxes and stimulates the user at once. Anxiety, stress, and tension trigger the need to smoke because nicotine works as a relaxant. It helps you kick back after a rough day, a fight with your significant other, or an annoying experience.

Conversely, nicotine is also a stimulant. Smoking increases dopamine and sharpens cognitive focus. This is the reason that smokers in the process of quitting feel mentally dull and unmotivated. In fact, research has shown that the greatest number of accidents in the work place occur on the day of the Great American Smoke Out! Those who have symptoms or full blown ADHD are especially prone to nicotine use for these two reasons.

What helps? First and foremost, motivation to quit. Quit until you finally quit forever. There are more people in the US who have quit smoking than there are smokers, and that is a sign that it’s possible for anyone to quit. It takes a smoker an average of 20 times to finally quit smoking.

The 2nd most important tool for smoking cessation is exercise. Why?

1. Exercise increases dopamine to offer stimulation and sharpened cognition. This helps replace the stimulant effect, especially for those who need help with sharpened focus and motivation.
2. Exercise decreases tension and anxiety, both of which can trigger cravings. This effect can also help smokers feel less homicidal while quitting.
3. Exercise can fend off cigarette cravings for approximately 50 minutes, which doubles or triples the intervals between cigarettes. In other words, this is an excellent way to begin quitting and continue to decrease your number of daily cigarettes.
4. Exercise will help prevent any weight gain associated with smoking cessation, which is one of the primary reasons that women fail to quit smoking.
5. Exercise rebalances mood related neurotransmitters, which can help buffer the mood related triggers to smoke.
6. Exercise gives you a measure of perceived control. You can DO something instead of trying to regain will power to overcome smoking triggers. Increased perception of personal control is the one factor that helps all of us feel better-fast.

The trick to using exercise to help you quit smoking is finding some form of exercise that’s fast, easy, and accessible when needed. The perfect option for many people would be the jumprope. Keep one at home, in your office, and in the car and jump rope for 5-10 minutes when needed. Yes, you may work up a sweat and yes, you may need to take a shower. But hey, shower or chemo? Shower, not so bad. Chemo will suck.

If you happen to be a heavy smoker, you may need nicotine replacement to help decrease physical withdrawal effects and urges to smoke. Chew the gum, use the patch, or use it all at once.

Lastly, medications like Wellbutrin can help alleviate some cravings and give you a little energy kick to boot. I would reserve this option for those of you who have been heavy smokers for a long period of time with many failed attempts.

Again, keep trying. Use intense exercise as many times a day as needed. Each day will bring fewer triggers until one day, you won’t have them. Good luck from the Maverick.

Cognitive Therapy: It Works

Cognitive therapy-do you know what it is? It’s a fancy way of saying that changing your thoughts can help your mood. In fact, thought patterns can often fuel depression. A recent study suggests that cognitive therapy can help even the worst cases of depression.

Changing your thoughts begins with mindfulness. After all, you can’t change what you haven’t identified yet. Moment to moment mindfulness simply means that you’re aware of your own thoughts. Right now, I am thinking about this topic and the word metacognition, which means “thinking about what you’re thinking.”

Positive thinking helps. One of my favorite positive thoughts is, “Things almost always turn out much better than I ever expected.” The *trick* is remembering this thought when it matters! The queen of positive self talk is Louise Hay, who founded her own publishing company and wrote several books on this topic.

There’s more to cognitive therapy than positive thinking, though. Much of it has to do with identifying your core beliefs about yourself, others, and the world. That may sound simple, but your beliefs can be tough to reach-kind of like digging for the biggest root of a 200 yr old oak tree. Byron Katie, best selling author of The Work, writes beautifully on this topic and has an excellent website at thework.com.

You will find that irrational thoughts usually stem from 2-4 underlying beliefs. Here are some of the most common:

1) I am not good enough 2) I am not lovable 3) I am unlovable.

These negative beliefs are like the roots of weed growth in your garden. The beliefs spawn hundreds of negative thoughts, and negative thoughts beget negative self talk (ie, “I’ll never get that far,” or “I’m ugly,” or “I’m fat”). Negative thinking can decrease serotonin levels; conversely, low serotonin levels would support negative thinking patterns.

Conversely, positive thoughts increase serotonin. Modifying a thought isn’t just a mental change-thought changes create new neural pathways in your brain. New thoughts are like alternate highways that bypass the negatives. The more you use them, the deeper those neural pathways get and the better your mood will be.

The neat thing about cognitive therapy? It begins working in the prefrontal cortex of your brain. Antidepressant medication begins working at the stem of your brain, moving forward to the prefrontal cortex. Physical exercise, an excellent behavioral medicine for depression, starts at both points and moves toward the middle of your brain. The UK utilizes exercise far more than the US, which is a real shame. Exercise happens to be one of the most cost effective, excellent treatments for depression (Blumenthal has published many studies on this topic).

That’s all for today, folks. I think I'm done with this post.