Many people today are confused by the contradictory approaches of nutritional and holistic practitioners and nutritional books. To sift through these differing methodologies, it may help to understand the evolution of these modern authors and practitioners. All healing is an art; like all arts, the practice of naturopathy, holistic and drugless practices, require creative freedom. Today, traditional healing modalities are being mixed with modern nutritional science resulting in new modalities being created almost daily. This mixture of old and new has been applied in creative ways with results that are beneficial and often miraculous.

A major part of this modern mix comprises of traditional healing tools like herbs, folk remedies, energy work and essential oils. Many of these tools have only recently been revived through the study of ancient cultures and adapted from current indigenous peoples. Newer components are vitamins and minerals whose discovery and regular use as medicine by medical doctors, became prevalent in the 1940's. More than half of the “drugs” listed in the Physician's Desk Reference (PDR) of 1948 are natural remedies and vitamins. Today's PDR lists few vitamins but thousands of synthetic drug descriptions.

Recently, new nutrients such as enzymes, amino acids and co-factors have been created by nutritional science and added to the therapeutic clinical mix of today's holistic healers and other drugless practitioners. In these practices, food is also used as a powerful natural healing tool especially when grown organically, locally and served fresh. However, most food sold today is depleted nutritionally due to being produced on mega corporate farms, shipped long distances, genetically altered, processed and pumped full of pesticides and additives. Nutrient depletion has lead to a nation of people trying to function with chronic low-grade illnesses often made worse by pharmaceutical drugs taken in the effort to seek relief from these conditions.

From the middle of the 1960's, the pharmaceutical industry rushed toward patenting chemical drugs and influencing medical education to the extent that it is common today for a medical doctor to actually “warn” patients not to take therapeutic supplements in favor of pharmaceutical drugs. Modern drug therapy is a relatively new phenomenon and has made headway in the control of some infectious diseases, but other diseases have resisted medical control. Cancer, heart disease, diabetes, mental and neurological diseases are among those that have not been cured or even controlled by medical therapies. In response to medical inadequacies and pharmaceutical damage, naturopathy (drugless healing) has had a growing following in the U.S. with the advent of clinical nutrition, holistic practices, herbalism, therapeutic body work and vibrational energetic therapies.

American clinical nutrition evolved directly from Dr. Abraham Hoffer's discoveries in the 1950's of controlling schizophrenia and lowering LDL cholesterol with large doses of the B vitamin, niacin. Hoffer is the father of orthomolecular nutrition, now called clinical nutrition in the U.S. His discoveries led to the vitamin-as-treatment paradigm that has been used by clinical nutritionists since the 1960's. Often misnamed `mega dosing', orthomolecular nutrition is actually `opti-dosing', meaning individual nutritional deficiencies are unique to an individual's genetics, diet and lifestyle and when optimally balanced, that person's health will improve.

Since Hoffer's discoveries, nutritionists have been trained to distinguish an individual's nutritional deficiencies through their symptoms. People have known that seeing a nutritionist meant one would be evaluated and placed on a personalized and optimized diet and supplement program. Today, it is still the case when one consults with a trained nutritional counselor. However, it is becoming difficult for a person to know if they are seeing a qualified natural nutritionist or the newly named medical 'nutritionist', a dietitian.

Sadly, registered dietitians now refer to themselves as “nutritionists” and are attempting, with the aid of their food industry and pharmaceutically financed union, the ADA, to make it illegal for real nutritionists to practice or speak about nutrition, diet, food, weight loss or supplementation. Dietitian's licensing bills are pending in several states, including New Jersey, and have already passed in 18 states where the free flow of natural healing information is restricted and censored by law.

Dieticians, who call themselves "medical nutritionists," have no clinical nutrition, naturopathic or holistic training and are, like medical doctors, taught that most supplements are ineffective and unsafe. They only recommend those few supplements that are often mis-used by the medical establishment and are taught to be afraid of drugless remedies beyond those used in medicine. This adds to the confusion as to what a nutritionist is and does...which may be the intent.

People often complain that they have visited “nutritionists” who have had no answer as to how to build the immune system, which supplements to take to address a certain condition or what they advise one to be taking for a basic core supplement program. Too late, it is found that they did not see a nutritionist at all, rather a dietician instead.

Other nutritional confusions abound due to differing approaches taken by drugless practitioners as to how to combine and use the plethora of nutrients available today. Be wary of practitioners who say their way “is the only way” or a certain dosage of a nutrient is “the only dosage needed.” Dosage should depend on a persons needs and a person's ability to absorb. Unlike dosages in modern medicine, there is no one-size-fits-all dosage model in nutrition. Today's nutritional healing incorporates a creative mix of all drugless healing options used in a unique way for each individual and are beat determined by using dowsing, muscle testing and symptomology techniques. All practitioners who use natural and drug-less options therapeutically to bring about the optimal health of their clients qualify as naturopaths.

Naturopaths often have different views of the best healing diet. Some people thrive on a diet based on vegetables or raw while others physically and mentally wilt when attempting these diets. Some thrive on meat and animal fats while others become bloated and dysfunctional with such choices. The best nutritional practitioners recognize that diet is not “one-size-fits-all” and they help clients find balance through each person's unique food needs as well as supplement needs. This is not so according to dietitians who choose the menus of hospitals, nursing homes and public schools from the government's food pyramid. This pyramid rules their practices where, no matter the condition of the client, sugar, starches, processed food, additives, GMO produce and low-fat chemicalized foods are the choices recommended to all people. Because of this. naturopathic diets are becoming more and more restricted by state licensing and certifications which, inevitably assigns those from medicine or dietetics as the supervisor of all health related practices. Natural healing is being phased out by medicine through the licensing of dieticians as nutritionists as being the only group allowed by law to talk about nutrition, supplementation and diet while criminalizing the real nutritionists.

In healing, as in all art forms, inflexible regulation stifles and restricts creativity. When tradition becomes subject to rule and rule becomes law, creativity withers. Creative thought flourishes in an atmosphere of openness and individual freedom. As does creative healing.

Throughout history in restrictive societies, innovators are feared, banished and killed. Currently, such restrictions hide behind the title “licensed.” Licensing, under the guise of protecting the people, destroys the creative impulse. In New Jersey such restrictions are not yet on the books as of July 2010 though legislation is pending on the subject. Thus, in New Jersey and all but 18 unfortunate states, nutritional science can still create new healthful supplements, people can still seek out creative healing, health stores can still market their wares and drugless healers can still put together a creative nutritional mix for each unique need.

Dian Freeman has a private nutritional consultation practice in Morristown, NJ and is currently working on her doctorate at Drew University. A health freedom advocate, Dian teaches a nutritional certification course, practices Ondamed biofeedback, holds seminars, lectures widely and may be reached at Dian2@WellnessSimplified.com

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" YOU WILL HAVE NO EPIDEMIC TO FEAR

FROM WHAT YOU WILL LEARN HERE..."

By Dian Freeman

I begin the six-month nutritional certification course that I have taught for over fifteen years with this statement. It is sad for me to see so many people ignorant of the way viruses work and how to handle viruses. It is a simple fix. People only manifest symptoms of sickness when they catch a viruses because all viruses deplete the body of vitamin C. How much vitamin C is needed is dependent on how virulent a virus is.

The only people who succumb to colds, flu, pneumonia and other communicable viruses are the weak, already sick, those with immune deficiencies and the undernourished. The rest of us can fight them, or simply out last them. All viruses act the same way. They run their course, then are gone. The virulence of a virus depends on the body's vitamin C status. Viruses work by depleting vitamin C in the body.

For an example, to stay ahead of the depletion of vitamin C by the Ebola virus it can only be successfully accomplished by constant non-stop Vitamin C given through an IV. Even then, the severe and fast loss of vitamin C caused by this virus can lead to a patient bleeding to death because even an IV often cannot replace vitamin C as fast as it is being depleted. Of the many valuable functions of Vitamin C, it is responsible for vessel integrity, the strength of blood vessel walls. The total depletion of Vitamin C by the Ebola virus causes the vessel walls to disintegrate and bleeding to death will follow.

Viral pneumonia will also deplete Vitamin C as will the flu, cold viruses and all viruses. It is their nature.

Varying symptoms will occur from vitamin C depletion like aches and pains in ligaments and connective tissue whose integrity depends upon vitamin C, weakness of organ function dependent upon Vitamin C, and varying degrees of scurvy symptoms that will be accompanied by opportunistic bacterial infections due to a weakened immune system trying to fight the viral infection. All because viruses are depleting vitamin C.

All viruses will cause vitamin C deficiencies to a lesser degree than Ebola and at varying degrees from one another. This is what all viruses have in common, vitamin C depletion.

Another commonality is that all viruses 'time-out' Meaning, they have a "life-span", though there is a debate as to whether they are truly 'alive' in any sense as measured by science.

All viral epidemics stop. Even the so called Spanish "Flu" timed out and has not returned except a few cases here and there. No vaccines available then. vitamin C had not been discovered yet. So many people died. But, in spite of all that, it stopped. No more epidemic.

Polio timed out world wide at approximately the same time in countries with and in those without the polio vaccine. And, it has never reached epidemic proportions again. The virus is too weakened to be virulent again.

Viruses have a "life span" and once they have run their course, they never can reach epidemic proportions again as their full effectiveness seems to have 'timed out'. That is why new ones must be discovered if an epidemic is going to take hold.

We have been given the swine flu, the bird flu, Ebola, H1N1 and several others we may not have even been told about. Americans tend to take vitamin C and have stronger immune systems than is expected by those who hasten to fear monger and cause a panic. None of these 'epidemics' have taken hold, much to the chagrin of the vaccine manufacturers who conveniently have just the perfect vaccine waiting for that specific virus.

I suspect this new virus out of country-regionChina (from which many of them have come) may be as much of a disappointment as the others and will not manifest into an epidemic in placecountry-regionAmerica. As long as we make use of the attributes of vitamin C.

For a human to live through a viral attack, one must outlast it. To outlast viral attacks, one must stay ahead of the vitamin C depletion they cause. Medicine has no true viral killers. They have a few puny fighters that mostly fail miserably while causing more harm than the virus would have done in the first place.

Nature has been dealing with viruses since before humans have been around. Viruses have been found that are estimated to be hundreds of thousands of years old in frozen icecaps. They did not wipe out the animal kingdom then, and they will not now. Unless, of course the dinosaurs succumbed to a viral attack world wide. A possibility for sure. But, all animals (except humans and guinea pigs) have the ability to make their own vitamin C, thus unlikely they would succumb to a mere virus.

Many things in nature have been traditionally used by healers through the ages to literally get rid of viruses before they time out. Making a flu, viral pneumonia or even a cold last much less long as they would have without these aids from nature.

Among these in the order of their effectiveness are Colloidal Silver (remember alchemy and the use of metals to heal? It was very successful for hundreds of years - except for the over use of mercury, lead and iron, of course) then would come Elderberry, Olive Leaf Extract, garlic, oregano, most essential oils (aromatherapy), Monolaurin, and the list goes on...none more important, however, than continual hydration, bed rest and chicken soup. Contact a herbalist or natural holistic health practitioner to determine how to take and how much to use of these natural remedies.

Before going on a virus killing spree, better make sure that the bowels are moving well, and often, to clear out the dead debris killed by these effective remedies. If the bowels are not moving often each day the viral and bacterial bodies, along with the toxins they contain, will be reabsorbed into the system through the bowel wall making one even more sick than before. When bad bugs are killed they must be quickly moved out. This may be the time to become familiar with that good ole fashioned remedy for all illnesses, the enema, considered the common cure-all of my grandmother's day.

However, also keep in mind that killing viruses and the bacteria that will accompany them (all the natural remedies that take care of viruses also kill bad bacteria while not harming our good bacteria) is not enough if the body is depleted and is being farther depleted in vitamin C.

It would be a good idea to start bulking up on Vitamin C, ASAP. In fact if one has built up a tolerance for high doses of vitamin C, one will not even get symptoms of a virus. That is why they say a virus can be spread by someone who does not have it. Of course they have it, or they could not spread it, they just have enough vitamin C in their body to not manifest the symptoms of it.

So, in the face of any viral threat, start bulking up on vitamin C in all its forms. Common ascorbic acid is made from GMO corn, I do not recommend it...however, it is possible to find high dose capsules of vitamin C made from non-GMO tapioca. These usually come in 1000 mg capsules.

One 1000 mg capsule three times a day with meals would be a good start...after a few days go up to two at breakfast and one with the other meals, then after a few days at that dosage, go up to two for breakfast and two for lunch and one for dinner for a few days, then two each meal. And so on, thereby building up a tolerance and a saturation of vitamin C in each cell. Linus Pauling took 50,000 mgs a day and added more if he caught a virus. He was the two time Nobel Prize winning expert on vitamin C.

On the way to bulking up on vitamin C, if diarrhea occurs, that means you went up too fast for your tolerance...back up one dose and stay there for a few more days before going up in dosage again. This can happen several times. We all have our own ability to build up tolerance for vitamin C, and our own rate in which to do so. Respect it.

I take three types of vitamin C as I want to fill and affect every cell in my body, all of which can take in sources of vitamin C differently. To make sure there are sufficient bioflavonoids to enhance the effectiveness of vitamin C's ability to strengthen connective tissue and vessel integrity, I take Rose Hips, two - three times a day with meals and will go up in that dosage if a virus is near. I also want to effect the lipid in my cells by taking a teaspoon of Liposomal C every day. Vitamin C is water soluble, except Liposomal C which is fat soluble. It goes in the body where water-soluble vitamins cannot go.

Understanding the dance between vitamin C and a virus may save your life. A well vitamin C-saturated body is the best defense from catching a virus, or outlasting it if it takes hold....Bulk up, ASAP !

by Dian Freeman

Certified in Clinical Nutrition and Holistic Health

Trademarked article

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To Smoothie or Not to Smoothie

Dian Freeman, Naturopath

Master Holistic Health Counselor and Instructor

to be Published January 2015

The plethora of information available on diet choices is often filled with confusion. There so-called “dietary experts” constantly being touted whose recommendations are in direct conflict with common sense, history and science. Smoothies are often touted as the end all food choice for good health. Our intuition should tell us the opposite as does history and science.

Of course there is nothing wrong with smoothies, if one has no inherent blood sugar problems. They are tasty, as are all things sugar. But, if you are drinking smoothies instead of eating food, there is the error. “Food” is considered that from which a body is made. The human body is made of protein, fat and water. Most smoothies have water, but most do not include enough fat nor sufficient protein to “feed” us.

Sugar, a simple carbohydrate, is fuel, not food. The body will store fuel in fat cells if not used immediately in physical activity. When reading labels on prepared foods, it is important to note the carbohydrate count, which is the true `sugar' count. The “no added sugar” claim on a starchy product does not mean the body will not use the whole product as sugar. Any grain product is used by the body as pure sugar. Carbohydrates are simply sugar and processed carbohydrates are simple sugars. Meaning they are absorbed quickly and easily resulting in blood sugar spikes, the number one cause of inflammation.

Blending and juicing are the processes by which fruits and vegetables, and sometimes yogurt are combined. The key word here is “process.” All processed foods become a higher glycemic food than the original whole product. The more processed, like blending, the higher the glycemic value, meaning it causes a spike in the body's blood sugar. Even healthy complex carbohydrates, once processed, are read by the body as simple sugar. Not a good choice for one with diabetes, hypoglycemia, heart problems, bowel problems, inflammatory conditions or other blood sugar issues.

Plain and simple, smoothies are sugar. Those who love their daily smoothie report feeling great. We all get a spurt of energy from sugar, and sugar promotes the same sense of “high” as daily exercise, because `feel good' endorphins are released in the brain by these activities. But, are we being fed? Not so much.

The claim that blending releases vitamins and minerals from produce is a valid claim, if vitamins and minerals are there in the first place, and if the blending does not rip them apart in the process. Most experts agree that with the advent of chemical fertilizers combined with modern methods of storing and shipping, any vitamin and mineral content of produce cannot be guaranteed. That is why nutritional supplementation is necessary today as never before in history. Even the storing and shipping of organic produce makes these products `iffy' on the nutrition scale.

Produce that does include some vitamins and minerals are also valuable to us for their fiber content. But, blending breaks down that fiber, making it absorbed as sugar. Juicing separates the fiber and it is discarded. The alkaline property of produce is also diminished by processing. The acidic effect that simple sugar has on the body offsets the alkaline properties of the produce. Even protein when over-processed can result in causing blood sugar spikes. That is why I prefer real protein to protein bars or shakes.

The body will breakdown its own self for the protein and fat it requires each day to replace dying cells, to repair damaged cells and to grow new cells. When sufficient protein is not eaten daily, the body will steal protein from our muscles. If not getting enough protein while exercising, which builds our exterior muscles, the body must breakdown our interior muscles to have the protein to make new cells. Such interior tissue may be arterial muscles, the heart, liver, lung, etc. It is easy to understand the source of organ insufficiency, weakened vessels, muscle deficiency and pain in a person not getting enough protein.

Our best storage of dietary fat on the body is not along the waist-line. That is stored sugar. Dietary fat is that which the body uses to build us. It is a nutrient and should never be eliminated from the diet because, in the body, the largest store are in the brain and the myelin sheath protecting the nerves. This is where the body will go first to steal the fat from which we are made if not enough fat is eaten. Natural 'dietary' fat are found in nuts, nut butters, butter, the natural fat on meats and fish, olive oil and other plant oils. Knowing the body will use its own body's fat if not getting it in the diet, it is easy to understand the source of nervous system disorders, depression, dementia and cognitive decline in one not eating enough fat. Low-fat and no-fat products can be looked upon as poison for the body and mind.

Over the decades of my nutrition practice I have seen over 4,000 clients and have graduated over 600 students of my six-month nutrition course and among the most chronically ill of these are the ones who depend upon juicing for their nutrition. For me, and those I counsel and teach, my experience trumps many modern “dietary experts” whose experience is either minimal or taken solely from studies or lab reports. When one understands that the body is made of fat, protein and water, then what and how to eat makes perfect sense. We can look at our bodies and see that we are pure protein, fat and water with various degrees of stored fuel (carbohydrates), often in unwanted places. This bulk has been misnamed as 'fat' when actually it is simply sugar that has been processed by insulin to store in 'fat' cells for access as fuel when needed to run that marathon few will ever do.

History is filled with people living long, healthy lives eating real food and only as much fuel as required for daily activities. Today, we see people being advised to do the opposite. We live in a society of people not listening to their `gut', not learning from history and not exploring the science. Instead, they are keeping the medical, pharmaceutical and processed food industries wealthy and in control of our food, our government and our health.

I recommend eating as did our ancestors. For nutrition, alkalinity and fiber, eat produce whole. For strong organs, muscles and bones, eat nuts, beans and free-range protein with raw dairy products 4-6 times a day, include a fermented food with each meal for proper digestion and eat every meal with plenty of natural fat. It is the body that is the best `processor' of all food and fuel.

Dian Freeman is Naturopath who has a private nutritional consultation practice for over 25 years in Morristown, NJ and is currently working on her doctorate at Drew University. A health freedom advocate, Dian has taught a nutritional certification course for over 10 years and awards graduates with a Holistic Health Counselor, HHC, certification. The next course begins fall 2015. She practices using vibrational energy, Ondamed and NES Health biofeedback and lectures widely. Dian may be reached at 973 267-4816, dian2@wellnesssimplified.com or www.WellnessSimplified.com .

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Q and A

Dr. Oz Recommendation

For Weight-loss

Q. Dian, I have a question for you. In Dr. Oz's October 14th First magazine article he is tooting these 4 oils as being the extreme Rx for belly fat. 1) Safflower Oil 2) Olive Oil 3) Red Rice Oil 4) Coconut Oil. My confusion lies here. 1) Safflower Oil has been suggested to avoid by Johnny Bowden, PHD who is a low carb diet fan who is pro good fats/oils. 3) Red Rice oil sort of strikes a nerve with me because Red Rice extract is a natural statin and from what I remember can have the same drawbacks as chemical statins such as Rhabdomyolysis. I am put off by adding it to my diet even though Oz boasts of anti-oxidants that protects the liver from cellular damage and clogging, aiding digestion and metabolism plus fighting subcutaneous fat of the belly. Also he claims the gamma-oryzanol in rice bran oil triggers cells to burn sugar for fuel. But of course if you are over doing the sugar/simple carbs something has to get stored and you will create an insulin outbreak. So anyway... what is you take on these two oils? I know olive oil rocks but is the new poo poo about Coconut oil all that? Thanks!

my answer:

As you know, I recommend that everyone stick with the correct food choices, including oils, for their blood type. That should help bring the question of what oils to use down to a more personal level.

Although I am glad Oz is bringing supplements and nutrition to light to an inexperienced populous...for those of us trained in the field, we can do better. I think Oz often over-thinks all the studies his staff researches because he wants to sound cutting edge for his audience. Often however, he succeeds in complicating the health process instead of simplifying it. I guess that is because those people who, like him, are scientifically trained have the belief that the design of the body is flawed in some way and it is their duty to redesign it. This is a common medical view.

However, key to my teaching, keep it simple, trust the body's innate design and intelligence. Simply feed it, support it and guide it with intention. It may sometime get undernourished and blocked, but, when nourished again, ultimately and innately it knows what to do.

Supplements help in that guidance process and can be used to replace what is missing in the diet, but supplements should not be depended upon for use 'instead of' common sense and diet, or to 'make' the body behave in a way not natural to its design. The tools I choose to use instead of drugs are chosen to act as 'supplements', not 'instead-ofs' This is where science often goes wrong, and is why I personally choose to use natural supplements (herbs, essential oils , homeopathy, vibrational energy modalities, etc.) over nutraceuticals (man made supplements) as much as possible.

Trust the body. It had a brilliant Creator. The protocol Oz is recommending sounds like it is based on complicated science. Keep it simple, no amount of supplements will compensate for a diet full of carbohydrates...want to lose stored fat, stop eating carbohydrates. Simple. A CLA supplement, an oil found within Omega 3, along with intention, will help direct the body in its natural process to burn stored fat. That is the good fat I would recommend to burn stored fat.

If Bowden says to avoid Safflower oil, then I would avoid it...he is the top weight loss expert and has the most and best experience in how to burn stored fat without the loss of life-enhancing muscle.

As my former student, you have been shown the tools that have worked in practice by one with years of successful experience. I am glad to see you trust your intuition and, I agree with you, I also would stay away from red rice anything (especially red rice yeast).

Oz seems to be speaking from new studies. Studies are rarely based on long term experience. I'll wait for the long term result before taking a product discredited for use in one form, like red rice yeast, when touted in a different form.

Coconut oil is not recommended for blood type 'O' or 'B' so I, being an 'O' type, would go lightly on that one...maybe I will use it for cooking from time to time, or for oil pulling or, as a body and personal lube, but as a food I will only use it on occasion, if at all. It is a great supplement/food for blood type "A' however.

You are smart to deduce the flaws in some of those recommendations but, not surprising given your considerable knowledge, experience and training. Thanks for sharing your thought-provoking dilemma...Dian, 12/9/13

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Darrell Brann and Dian Freeman

HEALING IN ALIGNMENT

WITH THE FUNDAMENTAL CONSTRUCT OF THE UNIVERSE

Health Talk

DIAN FREEMAN

Certified in Clinical Nutrition and Holistic Health

With DARRELL BRANN

Energy practitioner and inventor

Published in Natural Awakenings and Inner Realm 10/13

As a nutritionist I teach my students and clients the necessity of balancing their physical bodies by choosing organic foods that are correct for their blood type and the importance of augmenting that diet with the nutritional supplements needed to address the stresses of modern life. However, since I am also a holistic healer, I stress the importance of addressing not only the physical body, but the mental/emotional body and the spiritual/energetic body as well. Without nourishing and making changes in all three of these areas, healing cannot occur.

There are many devices used for energetic healing. The oldest devices, still successfully employed today, are group and personal prayer and many versions of hands-on healing. Electronic frequency generators also abound. I have several such generators available for a variety of requirements. Among these are the Ondamed, NesHealth, Detox Box, various Zappers and NESHealth. However, such devices are expensive or require their application by another person.

Among my favorite energetic frequency devices are those invented by Darrell Brann both because they are very effective and they are designed for self-application. These devices can be used, at will, by any person who wishes to prevent illness or improve their health. Darrell has invented a series of CDs that use sound to deliver stress-relieving and balancing frequencies. I have many success stories from clients and students who have used them. More recently, he has developed a series of spheres in all sizes that deliver the properties of yin, pulling out energy (cleansing and detoxing); yang, putting in energy (repair and regenerate); and, neutral, a blending of the two bringing a harmonizing energy (balance). A sphere shape can be bought separately to achieve the function of each (yin, yang or neutral). In addition, a sphere is available that is a combination of all three. This is called the Unified Field sphere, which promotes healing in alignment with the fundamental construct of the universe. This sphere can better be explained in Darrell's own words:

To explore the fundamental construct of the universe we can turn to string theory, quantum physics and the rig veda. These three theories of 'all there is' each express the same construct of the universe - in layers. The function and description of the layers are the same. The first 2, string theory and quantum physics, start from physical matter and become finer and finer until they reach the unified field which is the basis and fountainhead or source of all reality.

The third, rig veda, starts with the unified field and moves to physical reality. All three indicate the unified field is the basis for all reality. This is a field of pure consciousness, pure health, pure intelligence and is the scientific name for God.

The unified field is composed of 192 fundamental frequencies of consciousness. This field then splits into 3 fields - different cultures have different names for these fields but once again the description and function is the same.

In Oriental cosmology these fields are called yin, yang and neutral; in Ayurvedic they are called rajasic, tamasic and sattvic (known as the 3 principles); in string theory they are called gravity, lepto-quarks, super-unification. As this implies, we live in a triadic universe not a dualistic universe. That means there are 3 aspects to everything not just black and white (opposites), but also the blending of the two.

Energy creates form, energy comes first and then the form follows. This is a two way street, energy creates form and form creates energy, a function that is so common and prevalent that we do not even recognize the change.

These 3 fields further split into 5 fields which are known as the 5 elements. In Ayurvedic they are called earth, water, fire, air and ether. String theory has its own names for these but I am not going to confuse things more with scientific names and rather, leave it at the 5 elements. Each element is associated with a platonic solid: 5 elements and 5 platonic solids: earth with a cube; water with an icosahedrons; fire with a tetrahedron; air with an octahedron and ether with a dodecahedron. These energies and geometric forms are referred to as the building blocks of physical reality which include our bodies and the frequencies of the chakras.

Since the unified field is a field of pure health, the closer we can get to that field not only the healthier we will become, but more intelligent, conscious and aware as well. All the attributes that are ascribed to the unified field, and there are many, will become ours. Basically, they are the qualities which we value in our society: intelligence, balance, health, abundance, etc.

Expanding on the above concept we can say that each principle is made up of 2 platonic solids: yang: cube and icosahedrons; yin icosahedrons and tetrahedron; neutral: octahedron and dodecahedron. Each of the platonic solids has a very specific shape associated with it and so to create the energies of yin, yang and neutral, we can combine the appropriate platonic solids and create 3 separate spheres. Pictures of each sphere can be seen at Dian's Wellnesssimplified.com website. You will also see that by combining all 3 spheres into one I have recreated the unified field sphere. Dian and I use a large unified field sphere in which to sleep and thus, regenerate nightly, waking up refreshed.

Darrell makes his spheres out of many different materials. The copper ones are the most beautiful, but no matter the material they all function the same...it is the shape that carries and reflects the energy. They are so powerful we recommend that all electrical devices be removed before entering or using a sphere. I, once forgetting this rule, began locating a channel on a portable radio while in the dining room sphere (yes, we have several 'room' spheres) and it literally started smoking and caught fire in my hands. Another time, when transporting several spheres and digital CDs to a conference, we sat the spheres on top of the cases of CDs. On arrival we found the spheres had blown out all the CDs. There is powerful energy captured in these spheres.

Energy is one important component to healing. So don't forget that all things require a trilogy for resolution. When healing, become unified by addressing and balancing all of your three aspects: the physical. mental and the energetic.

Dian Freeman is a Clinical Nutritionist and Holistic Healer who has a private practice in Morristown, NJ, teaches a nutritional certification course, and is currently getting her doctorate in Medical Humanities at Drew University. Darrell Brann has studied energy modalities and vibrational medicine for over 30 years and is currently concentrating on coalescing his experiences through his inventions. Dian and Darrell may be reached at 973 267-4816, dian2@wellnesssimplified.com or visit www.WellnessSimplified.com

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pH Phooey

Dian Freeman, M.A.

Certified in Clinical Nutrition

Published in Natural Awakenings magazine March, 2013

Lately, there's been a lot of talk about pH balance: It's on radio, TV, the Web and wherever people congregate to discuss natural health. This obsession with de-acidifying the body has led to the elimination of foods that heal us. I say phooey to this obsession! We must trust our own body's great design.

When speaking of lowering acid to achieve pH balance, we are not speaking of the acidity of the stomach. Stomach acid is necessary for the breakdown and assimilation of minerals and protein. Acid pH refers to the accumulation of acid residue in body tissue and joints as a byproduct of metabolism. To measure the acidity or alkalinity of urine or saliva, pH strips purchased in drugstores and health shops can be used. A neutral pH measures as 7.0. The lower the number, the higher the body's acid accumulation.

Humans have always had periods of over-acidity. In the book Your Health . . .Your Choice: Your Complete Personal Guide to Wellness, Nutrition & Disease Prevention, Dr. M. Ted Morter, Jr., an early nutritional expert on pH balance, writes that the number-one cause of an over-acid pH reading is negative thoughts, which translates as stress. But humans have always been plagued with negative thoughts; we have managed thus far without artificially interfering with the body's pH balance. Why? Because our body has is own way of managing it, and I don't recommend interfering with that process. Modern medicine makes a practice of interfering with and "managing" natural processes within the body, while natural healing supports natural bodily processes whenever possible, with nourishment from food and supplements when that nourishment is lacking.

So the common idea that we must manage our own pH balance is misguided. The idea that it is ours to manage is wrong except in the most dire conditions or diseases. Even then, overly de-acidifying can be counterproductive. Biomedical gerontologist Dr. Aubrey de Grey explains that even with cancer, alkalizing is not helpful, since a cancer site produces its own high levels of lactic acid for it to thrive. Most cancers partition themselves off from the rest of the body to maintain the acid environment they need to grow. Thus, de-acidifying the rest of the body to a great degree may not reach the cancer and leave the body lacking the nutrients that alkalizing brings about.

Among pH ranges within which nutrients cannot be absorbed, iodine - a naturally occurring mineral that aids thyroid function - has the narrowest range. This may explain why thyroid medications top the list of prescriptions written today. According to the Mineral Chart of Acceptance, iodine can only be absorbed by the body within a pH range of 6.3 to 6.6, which is moderately acidic. So if the body is alkalized even to the 7.0 neutral point, iodine will not be absorbed. In fact this same chart shows that at a pH of 7.1, the body will also not absorb molybdenum, germanium, selenium, copper and zinc. If alkalizing to 7.2 (slightly alkaline), the body will not absorb Vitamins A, B, E, F, and K. It also will not absorb sulfur, chlorine, potassium, calcium, titanium and vanadium. And so on. Therefore, the more alkaline the body, the fewer nutrients will be bioavailable for the body's use.

Those who preach the benefits of alkalizing tell us to avoid animal protein. These same people recommend eating pasta, breads and other grains, which are as acidic a food group as protein. Logic seems to disappear in this debate. The truth of the matter is that to maintain balance, we must eat what we are made of: protein. We could lose the grains, as they add nothing to us except stored fat, but food elimination for pH balancing is rarely necessary.

If the main cause of over-acidity is stress, then we should practice de-stressing. If that is not always possible, trust the body to behave as it should by producing the necessary amount of its own bicarbonate of soda to balance the body, not over-alkalize it. Bicarbonate of soda is produced in the stomach lining when we consume enough salt. I never recommend avoiding salt unless someone has a heart condition. Salt is the number-one alkalizer of the body, and our own stores of salt will be used when needed by our body's innate intelligence. If one is chronically over-acidic, measuring below 5.4 on the pH scale, I would bet that person has avoided salt. Again, unless your diet is being supervised by a qualified natural healthcare provider, I do not recommend "playing" around with body functions by attempting a rewiring of a pretty impressive design. Trust your designer.

Clinical Nutritionist Dian Freeman has a private practice in Morristown, NJ, teaches a nutritional certification course, is certified in and practices Ondamed biofeedback, and lectures widely. She is currently enrolled at Drew University to obtain a doctorate in Medical Humanities. Dian may be reached at Dian2@WellnessSimplified.com or by visiting WellnessSimplified.com.

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Metaphysical Milieu

A Week at the Dowsers Conference

Dian Freeman, M.A.

Certified in Clinical Nutrition

Published in MARCI and Inner Realm Magazine, August 2011

As a nutritionist, intuition and applied kinesiology (muscle testing) play a large part in my practice. I also regularly use and recommend that my clients use energy healing as an equal partner to physical healing. Therefore, I am no stranger to what the mainstream might call strange, i. e., metaphysics. Even so, I was unprepared for the energetic intensity I experienced at the recent American Association of Dowsers (ASD) Conference held on a small college campus in northern Vermont.

The well orchestrated event included offering classes two days before and two days after the three day weekend conference. These included dowsing for beginners through advanced levels. One does not have to be a dowser to attend the conference, but should be open to becoming one. Dowsers use different tools, most use dowsing rods or pendulums. Muscle testing is considered dowsing with the body and device-less dowsing is also known as intuition. Classes by notable guest teachers in the field of dowsing and metaphysics were also offered pre and post conference. Dorm rooms and food passes were available for these extra days as well as throughout the weekend.

My companion, Christina Lynn Whited, of High Bridge, NJ, who is a channel and healer and who teaches at my offices in Morristown, had a booth in the vendors' area held in the school's gym. Her booth was a big hit as was the workshop she taught on “Healing Past Life Trauma.” The gym ended up being “the place to be” in between workshops.

When attending the Dowsers conference, as I recommend all should do, it would be wise to save up your pennies for the vendors. Each purchase was to be my last, but there always was this one more thing. There were fairy houses, Shaman rattles, crystals, jewelry, dowsing tools, pendulums, flutes, all sorts of sacred geometry, books, CDs and DVDs galore. Around the corner was the spa gym where body workers, mediums, card readers and the like had private booths for visits by appointment.

If that weren't enough, during conference there were seven different workshops going on at the same time all day. There was a break for lunch where people met and bonds were made. The difficulty was in choosing which workshop to attend. Fortunately, each evening we all convened after dinner in the auditorium for a summary by the presenters of workshops for the following day. This made it easier to choose which to attend. When workshop times conflicted, there was always a CD or DVD available for the missed class.

I took a Native American flute class, and, bought a flute. When Menraa-Saras (Alien Magician) gave a class covering his previous life's experience in early Egypt, I learned about the ankh, and I bought an ankh. Menraa, who is Aaron Singleton in this life, taught us how to make our own vortex using his geometric charts and crystals, which, of course, I bought.

Space constraints do not permit me to mention all the valuable people from whom I met, shared with and learned from. There was the charismatic medical intuitive and wife of Menraa-Saras, Sue Singleton, who is as fair and petite as he is dark and tall. Sue reminded us that there is a medical intuitive within us all and that the status of our health is our responsibility and within our ability to manage. Then the Hardy family updated us on threats to mother Gaia. Their work for the planet is more valuable than even they realize. Anne Weisen and Rebecca Malter gave a workshop on plant medicine that was a necessary reminder of the importance of addressing bodily needs for those who may be depending a little too much on spirit for maintaining physical health. The body has as much physical needs as its spirit has spiritual needs.

The biggest hits of the convention seemed to be those who have discovered something entirely unique and effective. Ormus water, made by a process I still don't understand, all but sold out. People spoke highly of its healing abilities. I bought some. Flowers that were watered with it grew to a hundred times their normal size. This is not the effect humans are looking for however. We look to its regenerative abilities instead.

Darrell Brann, who has developed a healing system based on specialized harmonics, held one of the most popular classes and was wise enough to bring hundreds of his CDs. And, we bought them. As he explains it, the sounds heard are in-between notes often played in a loop. These sounds are not like music at all. Music is “light” while these are sounds of the “void” where it is said rest and repair can occur so that “light” may return. There is a CD for almost every part and system of the body, for the meridians and five elements, yoga and polarity and a whole set for consciousness expansion. Amazing stories of healing accompany these CDs. I have arranged to sell them at my business. They will be the perfect energetic balance to physical healing.

Adhi Two Owls, an accomplished Shaman and ASD Board member, took me on a journey I'll never forget. As soon as she began shaking her rattles and dancing around me I left this plane, space and time. When the ritual was completed, she shared with me the fact that she had been where I had been and seen what I had seen. She is an amazing Shaman and counselor. I bought a rattle.

I was so impressed with the quality of the presenters and the attendees that I will not want to miss future conferences. The environment was rich and diverse. In fact, I am starting a local chapter of the ASD for New Jersey. You can become a member of ASD by going to www.dowsers.org" www.dowsers.org both nationally and, soon in NJ, locally as well. We will be arranging for several of the speakers from the conference to come to the local chapter to speak.

Consider joining us next year in Vermont where you, too, can, as we did, walk around smiling the smile of comfort being among the like-minded, where no one is strange, or a stranger, where consciousness expands and vibrations soar. Be among the seemingly ordinary people, who for one week, are living outside of the mainstream and loving it.

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For Transitional Wellness

Match Vibrations

Dian Freeman, M.A.

Certified in Clinical Nutrition

Published March 2012 Inner Realm Magazine

We have all heard of an oil, herb or crystal that has brought miraculous emotional or physical healing for one person yet not another. Or, a mantra, mudra or medium that can transcend the very soul of some people yet leave others unaffected. This is one reason ancient healing modalities cannot be used or understood by modern science. The difference is in the vibration. Each plant, rock, sound, color, position and person has an individual vibration. So far these vibrations are not recognized by modern science because they cannot be contained or measured by modern means.

Early dabblers with electricity discovered that somehow electrical currents and vibrational currents are connected. Thus, healing has become possible with modern vibrational technologies including the Rife machine, Ondamed and Hulda Clark's zapper. When the correct electrical current holding the perfect vibration for an individual's physical or emotional needs are matched with the personal vibration of that individual, miracles of healing can occur.

People who have the gift of healing with hands can deliver vibrational energy in much the same way as these new technologies. Humans have been doing so for hundreds of centuries. But, for a vibration to “work” for an individual the vibration must match or be acceptable to that individual. Most of us have also experienced a positive effect resulting from a healing person or remedy only to find that result is temporary. This has puzzled many healers and their clients alike. The answer lies in the need to match vibrational levels.

We competitive humans tend to think in terms of levels by always seeking heights. A person who can deliver healing vibrations to almost all people are considered healers of a higher vibration than most people. This may be so, but it is also possible it is simply a different vibration rather than a higher one.

A healing person of a certain vibration can affect the physical, emotional and spiritual health of persons of the same vibration. It appears that they can also temporarily affect, to some degree, people with a similar vibration. Yet, these same healers will leave those with a totally different vibration completely untouched. If vibrations of two people are different, one cannot even get a correct reading of the other by dowsing, muscle testing or by cards or charts. Without ever realizing it , the reader often is reading to the vibration that they can comprehend which may be a hundred lifetimes back for that client. This may be because the client has become more enlightened and evolved through the years, but the reader has not yet attained that vibration. That may be why so many people say a reading or a healing does not work or ring true for them. However, it just may have been true for them before their current existence. In such a case, the healer or reader is not wrong, just treating or reading the wrong level or the wrong lifetime. They are often very sure of the truth of their findings not understanding why it is ineffective or inadequate for the client.

It is a little different when it comes to items from Mother Nature, but a match is still needed. Each healing tool in nature (and it is hard to find something in nature that is not a healing tool), has a consistent vibration that can affect us all. The talent in healing is matching the vibration to the body's need. A crystal or herb that is claimed to lift the spirits may do so for those whose emotional vibration is lower than that particular herb or crystal's vibration, yet can do another job entirely on one whose vibration is different than that particular function of the crystal or herb. When reading the descriptions of the attributes a plant, a crystal, a color or a sound, we find dozens of healing rewards offered by each of them. However, it is often noted that each of these attributes have not affected each individual in the same manner.

The talent of the natural healer is in matching the various vibrations needed for each individual's healing. The task of those seeking healing is in finding the healer of a similar or higher vibration than their own. For each person requires a different “formula” of natural healing tools plus the correct vibrational healer in order to transcend to wellness on any level.

Dian Freeman has a private nutritional consultation practice in Morristown, NJ and is currently working on her doctorate at Drew University in Madison, NJ. A health freedom advocate, Dian teaches a nutritional certification course, practices Ondamed biofeedback, holds seminars, lectures widely and may be reached at 973 267-4816 or visit www.WellnessSimplified.com .

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One-A-Days Are Two Short

Vitamin Misinformation Abounds

Dian Freeman, M.A.

Certified in Clinical Nutrition

Published in March 2012 Natural Awakenings Magazine

As a nutritionist, I spend a great deal of my teaching and consulting time addressing the overwhelming media misinformation about food and supplements. Even magazines that traditionally printed helpful health information now bow to their pharmaceutical and chemical advertisers who have entered the “health” field by producing vitamins and so-called natural foods. This has led to confusion among the public about taking nutritional supplements and the quality of our food.

As a rule, I distrust any pharmaceutical or chemical manufacturer of supplements or grower of food. In addition, with the advent of recent trade agreements, much of our produce is grown in countries with no control over the pesticides and fertilizers used on the foods shipped to the U. S. The American public is being poisoned by the very chemicals whose use is disallowed to American farmers. The recent recall of U.S. orange juice due to the chemical contamination of oranges grown in Brazil was an eye opener to consumers. American orange juice products were also recalled because, even though advertised as 100% American grown, because many were laced with the cheaper oranges from Brazil. The chemicals used to grow the Brazilian oranges are legal to use in that country, but illegal to use in the U. S. Other foreign grown products are also contaminated. Will our government be able to recall them all?

Even if truly grown in America, produce is suspect as to its safety and quality today. There is an ongoing battle between safe food advocates and grocery store chains, including Whole Foods Markets. These chains are being asked to discontinue carrying products allowed by law to be called “natural,” when in reality they are grown using genetically engineered (GE) seeds or are Genetically Modified (GMO). The FDA has disallowed the labeling of foods as being genetically modified explaining that if people knew a food was genetically engineered they would not purchase it. We no longer know the safety and quality of our food even when grown in this country. The resulting lack of quality has taken its toll on the collective health of the nation's populace.

In 2007 the associated press, using statistics from the US Census Bureau informed us that “For decades, the United States has been slipping in international rankings of life expectancy, as other countries improve health care, nutrition and lifestyles. Countries that surpass the U.S. include Japan and most of Europe, as well as Jordan, Guam and the Cayman Islands.” The article is entitled: U.S. Lags Behind 41 Nations in Life Span.

Not only is the quality of American food questionable as it is grown, add to that the damage to its nutritional quality in the way it is prepared and shipped. Each level of harvesting, packaging and shipping degrades nutrition farther. Buying organic is helpful when bought local, but if the product is shipped from across the country its nutritional value is degraded to varying degrees. Add to that the degradation of nutrients due to the storage, processing, over cooking, and poor selection of nutritional foods by consumers. Organic kale, beets and other highly nutritious foods are not best sellers. It is hard to be nutritionally sound in America through food alone.

Thus, Americans have wisely turned to nutritional supplementation. Pharmaceutical and chemical companies can spend the most money advertising their “nutritionals” because they make the most money on their cheap products. The biggest bit of misinformation advertised by these manufacturers is that all we need to be healthy is a one-a-day multi-vitamin. They also make and advertise other groups of imbalanced concoctions for building bones and warding off colds. These are the supplements generally recommended by most pharmacists and medical doctors because they trust chemical manufacturers and are uneducated in nutrition.

Logically, all the nutrients we need for the day cannot be received in one pill. Our body requires food (nutrients) all day long to function well. A vitamin pill that would contain all the nutrients we need in a day would be too large to swallow. Plus, the body metabolizes what nutrition it needs in a few hours then discards unused nutrients every by way of various cleansing systems. It then requires more nutrients to be sent through the body's systems. This is why we should eat several times a day. We do not store our vital nutrients, we must receive through our diet and supplements throughout the day.

All people do not need supplementation, just those who have signs of malnutrition. This would include those with depression, arthritis, fatigue, weight and hormone imbalance, memory problems, bowel/digestive irregularities, skin, sight/hearing and sleep disorders as well as those with disease of any kind. However, even healthy people benefit from a basic supplemental package. This would include a multivitamin taken 3-4 times a day with meals, plus, a B-complex vitamin, again taken 3 times a day with meals. B vitamins are necessary for nervous system and heart health and are used up in the body by stress. Vitamin C is so vital that whole books are written on it. Included as a virtue is its role in building collagen, a tissue require to halt sagging, bagging and wrinkles.

I think that if a person can take only one supplement, it should be Omega 3 in the form of fish, krill or flax seed oil. This supplement contains nutrients vital for brain, heart and weight management, among its many other functions. I take 3-4 a day. Most people are in dire need of Vitamin D3. If everyone who needed Vitamin B-complex, D3 and Omega 3 were taking sufficient amounts, anti-depressants and other mind altering drugs and most heart problems would become obsolete. One must be sure to purchase all supplements from reputable sources and not at cut-rate suppliers, on "sale" or drug stores. By taking quality nutritional supplements throughout the day we can again become as nourished as our ancestors were through the food found in their day.

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Kids, Go Out And Play!

Health Talk

Dian Freeman, M.A.

Certified in Clinical Nutrition

Published August, 2011

As a child, I remember my mother telling me and my siblings, “kids, go out and play!” Due to the tone of exasperation, her motive may have been to get us out of her hair, but the result was our receiving a very important nutrient, vitamin D, from the sun. In the last few years, I have noticed fewer kids playing outside, thus, many kids today may be direly missing adequate supplies of Vitamin D.

We most often associate Vitamin D with its function in building bones. And it is true that combined with calcium and adequate magnesium, Vitamin D is an important factor in building strong bones and teeth, an effect that alone should encourage its use. But, vitamin D does so much more. It is also a blood sugar regulator, brain protective, heart protective and a cancer preventative.

A 2007 article in the Newark Star Ledger reports that chronic drug use of antidepressant and diabetes prescriptions continues to rise among children and young teens. Depression and diabetes are two conditions that can be caused or made worse by a vitamin D deficiency. Australian researchers found that people with low vitamin D levels had a 57 percent increased risk of developing Type-2 diabetes compared with participants with blood levels in the recommended range.

Dr. Blaylock writes that, “Vitamin D3 … has special effects on brain function. Deficiencies can cause mood disorders such as depression and anxiety. A number of studies have shown that low vitamin D3 levels increase one's risk of major depression.” In addition, The New York times reports that scientists speculate that it may stop skin cancer cells from turning malignant. The Journal of Epidemiology reported that women who spent more time in the sun as a teen had 29 percent less chance of getting breast cancer than those who spent only an hour a day.

These studies are based on sun exposure, not light exposure. Those wearing a chemical sunblock would not be considered getting sun exposure. Personally, I would not eat anything cooked in chemicals, like plastic, by the same token I would not “cook” chemicals on my skin. Natural oils like coconut, almond or even olive oil would be a better choice to keep the skin lubricated.

Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin, thus, it requires skin oils to be produced. Those on a low fat diet are often at risk from not absorbing sufficient quantities of fat soluble vitamins like vitamin A, E and D. Since the coating of our nerves are up to 75 percent fat, a low fat diet with low levels of Vitamin D absorption can lead to or add to nerve damage and neurological problems. NewsMax Health reports that a study, “found that people who spent more time in the sun and had higher vitamin D levels were less likely to get multiple sclerosis.”

More and more evidence is coming to light that questions the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of 600 IU of vitamin D daily. It is possible to have levels checked by having a blood test. On many tests, the levels considered normal, like those of the RDA, are not yet up to date. Dr. Blaylock writes that “for optimum health, D3 blood level should be between 70 ng/ml and 100 ng/ml.”

When taking supplements, know that vitamin D2 is not a good source and often 10 to 15 times the dosage is required than if taking vitamin D3. Health shop supplements will normally carry the best version, vitamin D3, while most medical sources of vitamin D uses the difficult to absorb D2.

The best natural source of vitamin D is the sun. Humans have been playing and working in the sun for thousands of years and, statistically, since avoiding the sun and dietary fat, our collective health has never been worse. Of course direct sunlight should be avoided in the middle of the day when it shines at its strongest. It is important to be sensible and not over expose until the skin is acclimatized. A few days of high quality antioxidant supplements before exposure to the sun should prime the skin to handle the sun without burning. People today, including children, have more chemically damaged, immune deficient and oxidative stressed skin than did our ancestors. Bringing the skin back up to par by taking the proper nutrients will help the whole body shape up as well.

Food sources of vitamin D include tuna, salmon and egg yolks. Many foods in the dairy and grain families are “fortified” with vitamin D, but I would not count on the quality of vitamins artificially added to these processed foods. I drink raw milk with its natural fat and rarely touch today's chemically grown grains. So, the next time you see kids playing outside, their mom, exasperated or not, should be commended for sending them out to play.

Dian Freeman has a private practice in Morristown, teaches a nutritional certification course, is certified in and practices Ondamed biofeedback, and lectures widely. She is currently enrolled at Drew University to obtain a doctorate in Medical Humanities. Dian may be reached at Dian2@WellnessSimplifed.com or by visiting www.WellnessSimplified.com.

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Cancer Quest

Health Talk

Dian Freeman, M.A.

Certified in Clinical Nutrition

Published May, 2011

Rarely does one encounter a person nowadays whose life hasn't been touched by cancer. Recently, I have found that cancer anecdotes are increasingly stories about successes in overcoming cancer using holistic products and procedures. Suzanne Summers, in her book Breakthrough, describes the strategy she used to cure her cancer. It involved mixing modern medicine with a large dose of natural products and procedures. She attributes her positive results to nutritional supplementation and vibrational healing. In her recent book, Knockout, she enlightens us further through interviews with a few American doctors who have achieved amazing results against cancer using various mixes of nutritional supplements, diet, lifestyle changes and energy medicine. While these doctors have achieved public fame for their good works, they are under attack by the U.S. media, government and medical industry. In Europe, such doctors are heralded for their achievements against cancer. In America, many holistic American doctors have been arrested or run out of the country by agents of a jealous pharmaceutical/medical establishment that is supported by politicians whose re-election war chests rely on support by Big Pharma.

There are also many not-so-well-known holistic practitioners who have dealt successfully with cancer who choose to remain “under the radar” in an effort to avoid the risk of personal danger that fame would bring. However, to share their knowledge and experience, many have written how-to books on cancer survival. Patrick Quillin's Beating Cancer With Nutrition would be a great place to start when learning how to nourish a body burdened by cancer. The number one rule is to stop eating sugar and the foods that are metabolized as sugar by the body, such as most grains and processed foods. Even agave, honey, sugar cane and syrups are powerful food to a cancer cell. Sugar is the only food of a cancer cell and it must be avoided completely by anyone seriously wishing to combat cancer.

In addition, since 40% of all cancer deaths are due to malnutrition and muscle wasting, it would make sense to eat healthfully and build muscle. Muscles are made of protein and fat is required for cellular integrity and almost every function of the body. Sadly, many people with cancer are told to avoid fat and protein while others simply cannot absorb them well. There are valuable nutritional supplements and protein choices available to assist in absorbing fats and building muscle mass. This is imperative for a maintaining a strong body and immune system.

As with any disease, there is no “magic bullet” for cancer. The body requires a balance of all nutrients in correct proportion, especially when fighting disease. Although food choices are paramount, and life saving whole-food recipes are included in Quillin's book, one cannot depend on achieving an optimal nutritional balance from food alone. Thus, Quillin provides a comprehensive list of the minimum nutritional supplements required to “turbo charge” the immune system as well as those known to be specific to cancer.

Though there are many books on surviving cancer, it would be best not to depend on one protocol. One theory practiced in some German clinics is based on the fact that each cancer depends upon more than one type of cancer cell for its survival. Although there may be billions of cells within each cellular group, each of these groups can be radically different from one another and different methods and agents kill different cellular groups. For example, if a patient's tumor is tested as having eight different cancer cellular groups, it may take eight different agents to cure that cancer. If one cellular group responds to chemo, two others to an herb, another to heat treatments, two others to energy medicine and the last two are found to be destroyed by nutraceuticals, then these are the treatments the patient will receive for the unique mix of cancer cells in the tumor.

No matter the choice or choices one makes to achieve victory over cancer, the effectiveness of a positive attitude in ensuring the win cannot be overstated. It would serve well to remember that beating cancer happens all the time. Do not underestimate the power of faith. All holistic approaches to treating cancer agree that winning takes, as Quillin puts it, “hope, optimism and a fighting spirit.” “Be enthusiastic,” advises Quillin who adds, “The word enthusiasm comes from the Greek meaning `God within.” Thus `within' can be found the path to victory.

Dian Freeman has a private practice in Morristown, NJ, teaches a nutritional certification course, is certified in and practices Ondamed biofeedback, and lectures widely. She is currently enrolled at Drew University to obtain a doctorate in Medical Humanities. Dian may be reached at Dian2@WellnessSimplified.com or by visiting www.WellnessSimplified.com.

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Growing Your Own Medicine Chest

Health Talk

Dian Freeman, M.A.

Certified in Clinical Nutrition

An edited version was Printed in Natural Awakenings magazine April, 2011

As a practicing clinical nutritionist, I strive to provide my clients with the highest-quality and best-performing nutritional products, including nutraceuticals such as vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. My training and experience with the tools of a holistic healer are with the use of unaltered and naturally produced herbs along with homeopathy, essential oils and other natural products, all of which I use for first aid and disease prevention and treatment. And, I teach their use to others.

However, knowledge of these manufactured products will not be so important if we find ourselves in a state of prolonged emergency (or if the medical/pharmaceutical complex influences the government to shut down supplement manufacturers as has been their goal for decades). In order for us to use nutritional products, we must depend upon a healthy national infrastructure for their manufacture and delivery. What do we do if there is a breakdown in our infrastructure? We have numerous recent examples of people left to their own devices (both short term and long term) due to tsunamis, hurricanes, massive flooding, war and internal revolution. Do most Americans today feel they are prepared if faced with similar situations? I would bet not.

Consider the values of early to middle 20th century Americans. Their survival and mindset did not allow for a dependency upon government handouts, massive corporate farms, the medical or pharmaceutical industry or even manufactured home remedies. Personal success and survival were achieved through self sufficiency. I am a firm believer that if I carry an umbrella, chances are it will not rain…but if it does, I am prepared. Therefore, I am suggesting that it is time we once again practice self sufficiency by learning emergency preparedness in the hope that we will never need to use it. To do so would include the knowledge of what plants we should grow and how to prepare them for medicinal use after they are grown. Nature provides us with all the tools humanity has ever needed to address unexpected injury or illness as many plants have healing properties.

Among the most valuable plants for healing are those that “bite,” thus destroying pathogens like bacteria, fungui and viruses. A list of biting herbs would include those considered “hot” like capsicum, garlic, ginger and oregano. Then there are plants that soothe such as chamomile, calendula, rose, arnica and aloe. Many plants fulfill many functions. Mullein, for instance will stop bleeding almost instantly, yet is a must to relieve earaches. Comfrey is used internally and externally to accelerate wound and broken bone healing.

Actually, the list of medicinal plants is seemingly endless. Using them properly requires the knowledge of how to prepare tinctures, teas, powders and ointment bases utilizing whatever may be on hand - for example, egg whites, bees wax, glycerin, wine or vodka, lemon water, olive and coconut oils and even chicken fat. Also needed is the knowledge of what part of certain plants should be used for what purpose. In some plants, the healing action of a flower is different from that of its own stem, leaf or root. There are plants that are best used externally as ointments, inhalants or poultices while others are best used internally. Some are used both ways. It is very empowering to know the multiple functions of each plant.

As knowledge is gained, plan to practice it, organize it and store the results. If someone comes along and takes your electronics and your money rest assured that few will recognize what is of most value, the roots, powders, tinctures and salves that you made yourself and the knowledge as to how to use them. Not only can plants heal, they also nourish, which magnifies their value.

As much as I know and teach about herbs, remedies and healing, I don't know it all. I urge anyone with such knowledge to take the time to teach what they know. I learn something new in each class I take, and even each class I teach. I urge readers to dig up family lore about great-grandmother's home remedies and share that knowledge. Send it to me so that I may share it. We need the combined knowledge of all the generations in order to grow and prepare our own survival medicine chests. If not needed for emergencies, such knowledge widely shared will insure the survival of the knowledge through time. And, all those who learn it will be rewarded with a meaningful sense of self assurance that they are prepared for most medical emergencies.

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Shouldn't Informed Consent Proceed

Lowering Cholesterol and Fat Levels?

Health Talk

Dian Freeman

Certified in Clinical Nutrition

An edited version was Printed in Natural Awakenings magazine February, 2011

The American Medical Association (AMA) position statement on Informed Consent begins: “The patient's right of self-decision can be effectively exercised only if the patient possesses enough information to enable an informed choice.” Most patients, however, are not given any information about possible negative effects that could result from today's common medical practice of drastically lowering cholesterol and fat levels by diet and drugs.

The average American has come to accept their lack of medical uniqueness. The medical argument is that every person should be kept within a narrow cholesterol range despite obvious differences in physical, nutritional, gender, age, body size and medical status. Americans now believe in the one-size fits all theory of cholesterol.

Low levels of cholesterol have been associated with potentially deadly conditions and diseases, and these should be shared with the patient by the doctor. Several studies associate unnaturally low cholesterol with high rates of cancer, infertility, erectile dysfunction, permanent muscular deterioration, cellular energy depletion, vitamin D deficiency and severe depression: the lower the total cholesterol, the greater the likely incidence of these and other damaging conditions.

In 1987, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) printed a 30-year follow up of the original

study linking cholesterol to heart disease showing no correlation between high cholesterol and mortality. Significantly, it did show a correlation between low cholesterol and mortality. Death rates from coronary heart disease increased 14% for every 1mg/dl drop in total cholesterol per year. (Anderson, KM. Cholesterol and Mortality - 30 Years of Follow-up from the Framingham study. JAMA 1987 Apr. 24;257(16):2176-80)

Before making the decision to lower cholesterol willy-nilly in every human being, supposedly for the heart's sake, should not other health factors and body systems be considered? The body has been designed to produce fluctuating levels of all substances in response to changing needs. One item on a blood test cannot take each fluctuation into account.

Consider skin function. Even cracked skin such as is associated with eczema could be exacerbated by a lack of fat and cholesterol. One of the functions of fat and cholesterol is to prevent skin permeability. Cholesterol is raised temporarily in the blood stream by the innate intelligence of the body to protect the skin from becoming brittle. When brittle, the body loses its ability to keep necessary body moisture in and pathogens out. When skin permeability, for example, has been normalized, high levels of cholesterol are no longer needed and the body can return to producing normal levels.

Since lowering cholesterol has been linked to lowering fat intake, the result is also an abundance of health problems related to fat-deficiency. All fat soluble vitamins and nutrients require sufficient dietary fat for their absorption. Deficiencies of Vitamin A, D, E, Omega EFA's and CoQ10 abound due to diets low in fat. It is true that trans fats and artificially hydrogenated fats can harm our health, but our survival as humans has been due to early peoples wisely prizing natural animal and plant fat above all other nutrients. Deficiencies of dietary fat include cognitive dysfunction, depression, diminished brain development in fetuses, dementia and many other mental and neurological disorders.

Because they share a name many people are confused between the many types of fats and their function in the body. Besides unhealthy trans fats and artificially hydrogenated there are healthy dietary fats like Omega 3 fatty acids, which are essential to brain health, and plant and animal fats which are needed for joint lubrication, skin flexibility and numerous other functions . A fourth type of fat comes from sugar or carbohydrates that have been changed by insulin into a fat that is stored in fat cells on the body for later use. These only become valuable if needed as fuel for heavy exercise or if we lack food such as in a famine. This kind of fat, measured as triglycerides when still in the blood stream, along with damaging trans fats and artificially hydrogenated fats are not the indispensable dietary fats so essential for body and brain function.

Low fat and low cholesterol have been shown to be common denominators in severely depressive patients and are linked in studies to an increased incidence of suicide. Fatty acids are necessary for the brain function that allows us to think and feel. Since two thirds of the brain is comprised of fats, it can be cannibalized by the body when there is a lack of essential dietary fat in the diet. Also, without natural dietary fat, the protective coating on our nerves, the myelin sheath, which is 30% protein and 70% fat, can become brittle and deteriorate. Those told to lower their fat and cholesterol intake risk nerve damage (neuropathy) and can worsen diseases like MS and Parkinson's.

Although there are those in medicine who seem to be awakening to the benefits of essential fatty acids, such enlightenment is not ubiquitous among medical doctors (thus, less so among their patients). Unfortunately, there is no medical support for eating more healthy dietary fats. Other than those with many risk factors for heart disease, lowering all fats does not appear to serve anyone well. Medicine treats us as though we share exactly the same risk factors, which is not the case.

Moreover, lowering LDL without addressing one probable cause of its increase can reduce our natural protection from neurotoxins, mercury and heavy metals. Since a function of LDL, considered the “bad” cholesterol, is to help engulf environmental toxins for elimination from the body keeping it artificially low can expose the body to more toxic inflammation leading to a greater chance of acquiring heart disease. Higher levels of LDL are summoned by the body when it senses a toxic threat in the blood stream. Lowering LDL without addressing the toxic cause reduces our natural protection and increases overall inflammation. Aiding cholesterol in its detoxification effort would make more sense so that the body could naturally return levels back to normal.

There are other negative health ramifications to artificially lowering cholesterol. Common sense dictates that health professionals evaluate people as individuals to determine why, in each incidence, their cholesterol is high before artificially lowering it. By using such a holistic approach, we can aid cholesterol in accomplishing the function that triggered the need for higher levels. Patient's rights demand that informed choices be made clear before medical intervention is instituted, but rarely are the detrimental effects of lowering fat and cholesterol a matter of discussion between the medical doctor and patient.

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Supplement Subversion

Codex, DSSA, DSHEA & the Dieticians Licensing Bill

Dian Freeman

Certified in Clinical Nutrition

An edited version was Printed in Natural Awakenings magazine October, 2010

I have received several questions concerning a Email circulating throughout the holistic health field (in September 2010) that claims President Obama has signed an Executive Order that would immediately implement the dreaded Codex Alimentarius in the United States. Codex is infamous as an international trade agreement that eliminates all free access to dietary supplements within the countries who sign the agreement . A follow up email has now been circulated debunking the validity of the first Email. Which rumor is right?

First, a rumor is a rumor, its true, but many rumors have some basis in fact and many would not be widely circulated unless they ring a warning bell in hearts and minds. It is true that Codex is a globally accepted trade agreement and has been implemented in many countries, which has resulted in a denial of free access to health choices, including dietary supplements. But, has it been signed into practice by Executive Order? We may never know given the current administration's unprecedented lack of transparency, but if so, not to worry, there is a law, the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA), that protects American citizens' access to dietary supplements. In the U. S., a law always trumps a trade agreement. So, because of DSHEA, we are safe from Codex, right? Right…for now.

However, there are currently several challenges to DSHEA that if implemented would wipe DSHEA out leaving Codex waiting in the wings to take over. One such challenge is buried deep within the voluminous and largely unread healthcare bill known as “Obama Care,” which would put all aspects of therapies known as “preventative” under the domain of a restrictive government bureaucracy. The other challenge comes from the opposite end of the political spectrum through a bill submitted in early 2010 by Senator John McCain called the Dietary Supplement and Safety Act (DSSA), which would repeal key sections of DSHEA leaving it vulnerable to a Codex takeover. It is only through political activism that we will save DSHEA. In 2012, we have the opportunity to let our voices be heard and to vote those out who would limit our personal right to health freedom of choice.

I believe both challenges to DSHEA to be ill conceived. When proposing such measures, our “leaders” obviously do not know whom they try to corner. People who seek out drugless healing and holistic measures are not too easily led onto the path of victimhood. Many of us already have rejected big government, big business and big pharma solutions and will not take kindly to having our freedoms and rights taken away. Such was the case when similar measures were attempted In Canada and Ireland.

On June 14th, 2008, the Vancouver Sun reported that the Canadian Health Minister had to agree to the demands of a grassroots campaign against restrictions on natural remedies. Millions of Canadians protested a provision of the Food and Drug Act that would put dietary supplements under the domain of a government bureaucracy. Many Canadian politicians lost their jobs in subsequent elections for supporting this legislation. An amendment to their Food and Drug Act was instituted in answer to the will of the people that allows for traditional knowledge and history to be considered in authorizing the sale of natural products. An inspiring win for the people. Washington would do well to take heed of this lesson. As it is taught in Political Science 101, all great political and cultural changes throughout history have come from the bottom up and not the top down. We, the people at the bottom, are the true power in this nation.

Not so in Europe, where “leaders” in the United Nations and European Union rule as dictators where most are not even elected or accountable to the people. When an act known as the Lisbon Treaty recently was rammed down the throats of Europeans, despite over 400 million letters, emails and faxes from citizens against its passage, only Ireland stood against it and won. Gabriel Donohoe an Irish correspondent for NaturalNews.com, reported it as a resounding victory of ordinary people over an “out-of-touch and arrogant political elite.” When faced with a similar political ploy in the U.S., it is incumbent upon the people to unite and stand up for their right of freedom of choice in healthcare.

However, not all threats to healthcare freedom are limited to national politics. The state of New Jersey is currently facing an imminent challenge to the freedom to seek out nutritional information about the therapeutic benefits of dietary supplements and drugless, holistic healing. The Dieticians Licensing Bill has been exhumed from the grave in which it was buried in 2009 and has been resubmitted to the New Jersey Legislature as a 2010-2011 Bill. Thousands of New Jerseyans signed the petition at www.AmericansRightToBeInformed.org in 2008 and the Bill stayed in committee until it timed out. A major success for the people of New Jersey, but, it's back! Please pass the news that a new petition need be signed at that same website.

The original Bill was written by Herb Conaway, M. D., who should recuse himself from addressing it given the reportedly (his report) more than $65,000 he received as a political donation from “Big Pharma” the year he wrote the Bill. It is also sponsored by additional politicians many of whom, it appears to me, either have their re-election coffers greatly enhanced with pharmaceutical donations or are those who work in the medical/pharmaceutical industry. It is those industries who stand to gain the most if holistic healing is outlawed and registered dieticians are licensed to be the only group allowed to speak or teach about food, nutrition and supplements. Dieticians are not trained in the use of supplements as therapy and are proud to call themselves “medical nutritionists” while recommending fast food, high fructose corn syrup, doctors and drugs.

As Irish correspondent Gabriel Donohoe writes, “ the argument here is not about the efficacy of vitamins and minerals - it is about freedom of choice.” Once again the people of New Jersey and America must defend their right to practice and learn about healthy options by voting out cold and distant political elites in both Trenton and Washington DC. The wishes of the people shall no longer be subservient to political elites and corporate profits.

Alert! New 2010 Legislation is pending that would prohibit any but dieticians

to practice, teach or even or speak about nutrition in the state of New Jersey.

Please contact your state senator and assembly person to protest the passage of the

NJ Dietician/Nutritionist Licensing Bill number A1987 in the Assembly and S809 in the Senate.

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A Stroke Begins in Childhood

Health Talk

Dian Freeman

Certified in Clinical Nutrition

To be Published in Natural Awakenings Magazine August 2010

With a quick look around, anyone can see that childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions. Researchers point out that many parents do not even realize that their children are overweight. Many more do not realize that childhood eating habits can dictate or, at least foretell, a child's future health status as an adult.

Today, besides obesity, there are multiple health problems in children both those who are and are not obese. But an overwhelming cause of obesity and the near epidemic rates of childhood illnesses is processed sugar or fructose. More and more studies are tracing the American obsession with sugar as an underlying reason that there has been no medical progress in the rates of heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes. Whether it comes to us in the guise of processed honey, agave, fructose or high fructose corn syrup, sugar consumption is linked to most adult diseases and the addiction to sugar begins in childhood.

The public has been and is being misled about the safety of processed sugars. The US Department of Agriculture is quoted in Lancet magazine in 2001 as claiming that “each daily soda increases allergies, ADHD, and diabetes risk by 60%.” That is one soda a day! The British Medical Journal, in an article entitled Childhood Nutrition Affects Cancer Risk, blames childhood overeating for an increase risk of adult cancer. Sugar is the sole food of a cancer cell.

Donna Speed, from the Mississippi Department of Health on NewsMax.com, says that, “When we started using high-fructose corn syrup, obesity rates doubled. Soda consumption increased 200 percent.” The article continues by explaining that "glucose from cane sugar when metabolized sends the brain a signal that says, 'I'm satisfied.' However, High-fructose corn syrup doesn't produce a satiety signal so it may cause overeating.”

Despite the recent blitz by the corn industry in favor of high fructose corn syrup, independent studies for years have shown high-fructose corn syrup as the most damaging of all sugars. As recently as March of 2010, Princeton University researchers report that “when rats are fed high-fructose corn syrup at levels well below those in soda pop, they're becoming obese - every single one, across the board.”

In spite of this and other studies, the American Dietetic Association (ADA) backs one of their most ardent sponsors, the corn industry, by regularly touting the safe use of high-fructose corn syrup. In answer to the recent Princeton study, ADA spokesperson Joan Salge Blake, R.D., is quoted in the June 2010 edition of Redbook Magazine as saying, “It's impossible to extrapolate what happened in rats to human” and then she explains that there is no difference between sugars - they all have the same caloric count. Despite multiple studies and the common experience of multitudes of people demonstrating the addictive nature of sugar, the ADA has been and remains staunchly behind eating sugars of all kinds “in moderation.”

In 1998, a Boston Globe article, Measuring Blood Fat Vital to Heart Examination, reported that it is the blood fat measurement (triglycerides) that is a better indicator of heart disease than cholesterol and that “key to this medically published study, the direct causal connection of high levels of triglycerides [is] from refined fructose intake.” In that same year, Reuters reported that the obesity linkage to asthma in 100,000 American nurses resulted in “high triglycerides caused primarily from refined fructose consumption.” Most processed sugars are made from corn and most US corn is genetically altered today. For those who are concerned about genetically altered foods, processed sugars would be one more item to consider.

Fructose is even in many of the most popular natural alternatives. Rami Nagel, author of Healing our Children, writes that agave nectar, found on health food store shelves and in “healthy” items such as ketchup, ice cream, chocolate, processed honey and health food bars touted as 100% natural, organic or raw are, in reality, made from refined fructose. He continues by explaining that fructose is not made from fruit and is not natural, “Falsely labeled agave fructose and high fructose corn syrup are both made of advanced chemistry and extensive food processing technology.”

In 2006, the American Diabetes Association reports that a sugar condition, hyperinsulemia, also known as Syndrome X, insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, pre-diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome, is a highly inflammatory condition that “raises the risk of stroke as much as 15 fold” and that “curing it would reduce heart attacks by 42 percent.” The report continues that “21 million Americans have diabetes but one third of these people do not know it.” Even more people are unknowingly pre-diabetic with a 15-fold chance of having a stroke. These people might be thought to have difficulty consuming sugar “in moderation.”

Hospitals and nursing homes also pass around these highly inflammatory corn syrup concoctions as flavored shakes to patients several times a day. My sister, a recent stroke victim, was fed by feeding tube for six weeks, 22 hours a day with a liquid that combined corn syrup with fructose. The result, she was given 3-4 shots of insulin a day. This to a previously non-diabetic stroke victim. The insulin was required, according to nurses, because of the sugars in the feeding formula. All institutional food must be chosen and “approved” by a registered dietician, (RD), not by a nutritionist. In my experience, the food chosen for institutions - be it hospital, nursing home or school - is full of processed sugar and is not being given, by any stretch of the imagination, “in moderation.”

Of the many solutions to childhood obesity and the health of a child, one would be wise to consider the total elimination of processed sugars in all forms. This would include many bread and cereal products as processed sugar lurks seemingly everywhere. I found it to be the top ingredient in many baby formulas, feeding tube formulas, and medically recommended health drinks and foods that are prescribed for diabetes and heart disease. Label reading is a must.

In an era of parents who literally work themselves to the bone in order to provide their children with the best future they can afford, it is not fair that they be so misled about the food they are choosing. Since the addiction to sugar begins in childhood and can increase the risk of life threatening diseases and premature death, the consideration of what a child is eating will be the real determinant of the future of that child.

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Inspiring Change

Health Talk

Dian Freeman

Certified in Clinical Nutrition

Published in Natural Awakenings Magazine, March, 2010

“Use it or lose it” is an adage that appears to me to be truer with each passing year. When caring for an elderly family member who has become more helpless and senile with each passing day, one quickly can become inspired to make the changes necessary in one's own life to avoid the bleak fate of that family member. I have been caring for such a person whom I have seen decline year by year from lack of interests, involvement and productivity. In fact, once she retired, the last ten years or more of her life have revolved around a weekly lunch and shopping with a friend, a weekly beauty shop visit, a movie, show or a family outing here and there. And days and hours of sitting home alone watching TV. Not a very inspiring life.

Yet, another family member of the same age is still carded before he can purchase a senior ticket at the movies. He looks at least twenty years younger than he is. He is sharp, laughs easily, walks with purpose, jokes often and is passionately interested in multiple things. He has too many irons in the fire to have time to age. He has taken supplements almost his whole adult life, exercises daily, takes no drugs and never visits The Doctor. Now, that's my kind of inspiration.

He is my father, he is eighty six and when we walk, I can't keep up with him to this day. I am lucky to have his example. I am also lucky have worked with many inspirational elderly clients. Most of them live independently and many even drive themselves to see me. Even if they are sometimes a little slow in body, they are quick of mind. And, they will remain so because they manage their own health and challenge their brain. That is my intention, as well.

Like my father, my beautiful clients and friends like Judy, Colleen, Sonja, Sylvia and Virginia continue to inspire me daily. I am thankful that I have met so many older people throughout my life who have inspired me to change my “now” for a better tomorrow. In doing so, I ended up having a better “now,” as well. When one stops learning, one's brain stops growing. Since I am nearing my senior years, I also intend to inspire others to make their own health and life changes, and have even done so already.

One such woman was fifty when we met. She told me that she had always wanted to be a research scientist instead of her current career as a research assistant. She only lacked a Master's degree to fulfill her dream. Yet, she has sat fixed at her desk for over 20 years doing the same thing, unchallenged, unfulfilled and depressed. She said she felt old. She looked old. She said she looked forward to retiring soon - to rest. Rest? She had been resting for over twenty years - resting on her laurels.

When we met, I told her that I was nearly twelve years her senior and that I loved my age and the experience and wisdom it has brought me. She was astounded to hear that I am currently working toward my Doctorate degree and that I had earned a Masters degree at her age. She soon began taking supplements, eating right, exercising, doing energy work and before she knew it, she was looking into making her own major life changes. She had thought life was over at fifty. Imagine that. But, she became healthy, alive and inspired. She is now enrolled in a night Masters program and she looks ten years younger than her age. Others have taken up new hobbies, volunteer work, travel ventures and even have started new careers. It is never too late to “use it.”

I always start each of my lectures with a line that goes something like this: “The reason I take so many supplements, eat right, feed my soul and challenge my brain is to avoid being lifted on and off the potty by a stranger when I grow old.” We were designed to live a full, productive life up until the end. Nursing homes and hospitals are filled with those who have retired, i.e., “lost it.”

After having come across so many older people who have inspired me, it is great to be able to inspire others. If you haven't done so yet, try it, therein lies great personal satisfaction. Or, if you are in need of a change and feeling uninspired just look around and you will see that this magnificent Earth literally abounds with inspiration. Inspiration speaks to the soul and once inspired, one is never the same again. Go for it and enjoy your life to the end.

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Fabulous Fats

Health Talk

Dian Freeman

Certified in Clinical Nutrition

Published in Natural Awakenings Magazine, February, 2010

After laughter, our next best “medicine” is definitely fat. Fats, in their raw natural form, that are found in meats and plants have kept humans healthy for eons. The current practice of avoiding fat in the diet began about twenty-five years ago when the medical establishment deemed fat the cause of heart disease, which was the number one cause of death at the time. This anti-fat proclamation was made without one supporting scientific study and without the use of a modicum of common sense.

Perhaps, it is no accident that the dawn of America's fat phobia was timed to coincide with the birth of the pharmaceutical antidote - statin drugs - to the damages that were claimed to be caused by fats. The sales of statin drugs today are reported to be in the tens of billions of dollars annually. It would seem that totally changing the American diet to one that is purely unfounded, untested and unsupported by trials or fact has really paid off for the medical and pharmaceutical industry. Ironically, heart disease continues to be the number one killer in the U. S. and now, by avoiding fats and replacing them with sugars and starches, we have developed blood sugar diseases like diabetes and obesity in epidemic proportions.

So, why are fats so fabulous? Let us count the ways. But first, let us be clear on just which fats are fabulous and which fats are not. Trans fats, artificially hydrogenated fats, definitely are not fabulous. Manufacturers of processed foods are legally obligated to label foods containing trans or artificially hydrogenated fats. However, many of us do not know that a trans fat, a cause of oxidative stress and free radical damage (which leads to disease and premature aging), can be produced from any fat. High heat changes even a good fat like olive oil into a trans fat. Fried foods are cooked in highly heated oils. Sautéing would be a far healthier choice. And, most people do not know that the main sources of trans fats in our diets are cereals, pastries and other baked goods. The FDA reports that trans fats are in 95% of cookies, 75% of snacks and chips and 70% of cake mixes.

Neither is belly fat a good fat. The main sources of stored body fat are sugar and carbohydrates. The hormone insulin changes sugars and starches to a fat that can be stored in fat cells waiting to provide fuel for some future marathon that most of us probably never will run. Americans were thinner when eating diets of unrestricted natural fats. American today have more stored fat on their bodies than before avoiding fat in their diet. And, Americans have become less healthy in the process of avoiding dietary fat.

It is true that trans fats have earned the bad press awarded to all fats, but life giving and life saving natural fats do not fall into this category. Healthy fats may share a name with bad fats but they do not share their function.

These healthy and fabulous fats are considered essential because they cannot be manufactured by our body and must be consumed in the diet. Among these are fish, plant and animal fats.

Ancient and present day cultures have thrived on animal fat. French cooking could not exist without animal fat and butter. The French today are considered the healthiest of all the western peoples. But, among the best dietary fats are cold pressed olive oil and nut oils which are rich sources of the essential fatty acid (EFA) omega-6. Cultures living around the Mediterranean Sea eat the most of these fats and they have the lowest rates of heart disease, diabetes and pre-mature aging.

The real star of the fat world is the EFA Omega-3 fatty acid, which is found in fish oil, flax seed oil and English walnuts. In April of 2002, both the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that fish oil cuts the risk of sudden cardiac death, thins blood like aspirin (without the side effects of aspirin) and has a specific antiarrhythmic effect on the heart. In July of 2006, the Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that a study found that fish oil works better than the statin drug, Lipitor, at improving HDL cholesterol. Despite these reports and many others like them few cardiologists recommend Omega-3s to their patients. Medicine has a long history of prejudice against natural remedies.

In addition to heart health, the EFA Omega-3 has proven time and again to improve all functions of the brain including memory, cognitive function and the ravages of depression. Children with ADD or ADHD and dementia patients have shown in studies to have low levels of Omega-3. A 2001 Newsweek article reports that “a significant link has been established between Omega-3 deficiency with high rates of mood problems and depression, bi-polar disorder, post natal depression and even suicidal tendencies.”

EFA deficiency is also linked with skin problems including eczema, psoriasis and dry skin. Omega-3 has shown to be a natural anti-inflammatory and is beneficial for conditions such as arthritis and autoimmune disorders. It is one of the most recommended weight loss supplements as it has been proven to increase metabolic rate.

Clinical nutritionists, who specialize in nutritional supplementation for the prevention of disease, recommend 2.4 grams of Omega-3 daily to maintain current health. Dosages of between 4.8 and 9.6 grams daily are recommended to improve cardiovascular function, brain function, reduce inflammation and to treat neurological problems.

Bowel disorders too benefit from the consumption of dietary fats and, in general, natural fats could be considered to provide a “Jiffy Lube” for the whole body. Every organ, gland, system and joint benefits from their consumption. Laughter and fat: who would have thought that this odd couple would turn out to be our very best “medicine.”

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Integrative Medical Control

Health Talk

Dian Freeman

Certified in Clinical Nutrition

published in Natural Awakenings Magazine January, 2010

For many readers of natural health magazines “integrative” medicine sounds like a great idea. It is touted as giving credibility to natural healing practices and remedies while bringing them into the mainstream. Today, there are a few medical doctors and hospitals that market themselves as “integrative” which is being defined as incorporating natural methods with medical methods in order to bring about the best healing results.

So far, this new “integrated” medicine is practiced by those who seem to be left to their own devices regarding the methods they can use and recommend as far as “natural” products and remedies are concerned. But, will this always be the case? Will we always be able to trust the leadership of the actual integration of medicine - the medical, pharmaceutical and government establishments - to allow unrestricted use of natural products in this newly defined “integration?” Is it in the best interest of these newly integrated medical establishments to allow practices that would serve only to undermine their current profitable status quo? In other words, are they just playing us?

Most of us remember occasions when giant retail establishments first opened in a location near us. Prices were low. Choices were abundant. If it was an establishment that marketed hardware, we were offered dozens of knobs or bolt choices. If it was linens we sought, then there were dozens of sheet manufacturers, colors and quality levels to choose from. We supported these establishments and became dependant upon them.

Their competition, usually the locally-owned small businesses that were expert and experienced in their fields, the dependable “tried and true” establishments that had served the community well for decades, were put out of business, unable to compete with the lower prices of the giant establishments. Then, without competition, these “mega marts” could raise prices and limit inventory.

We begin to notice that our choices became limited to make way for those items that would give the giant establishment higher profits. The new sales staffs appeared uninterested in our needs and no one appeared to be experienced or expert in any area in which we sought guidance. There were now fewer knobs and bolt choices and less colors and quality level options. And, prices rose! Too late, we realized we had been played.

Are the doctors and hospitals that are currently being allowed to offer seemingly unlimited natural alternatives to drugs and surgery just playing us? Or, could it be they are being duped by their own giant establishment keepers? And, is the new “integrated” medicine being offered by those who should be considered experts and experienced guides of natural options and practices? These are questions we should be asking ourselves.

People may come to believe that these “integrative” medical practitioners are giving honest healing options that include natural remedies. Once former “medical skeptics” are wooed into believing, for the first time, that they are being given all the facts needed for informed consent for medical procedures, will the dependable, expert and experienced “tried and true” natural practitioners be wiped out of business? And, when this competition is eliminated, will controls be placed on natural medical practices in order to insure the customary high profits of the real integrated medical establishment: “Big Pharma”, government agencies like the FDA and CDC and medical doctors? Perhaps so.

Before celebrating the advent of nutritional medicine, which is being spun as “integrative medicine,” maybe we should think it through. Are doctors, as scientists, generally able to learn that which is often the antithesis of the scientific tools of medicine: drugs and surgery? And, is the idea of medicine integrating with natural practices only part of a larger plan to place controls over the use of natural products, destroy competing natural practitioner businesses and benefit the bottom line of the real integrative medical establishment? It's certainly worth a thought. We should remember the old adages: “if it seems too good to be true, it usually is” ... “buyer beware.”

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Subtle Synergy

The Interdependence of

Vibrational and Biological Energy

Health Talk

Dian Freeman

Certified in Clinical Nutrition

Published in Natural Awakenings Magazine, December, 2009

Like us, early humans were prone to injuries and illness. Unlike us, modern medicine was unavailable to them. Yet, they survived. Numerous mummies and skeletal remains of early humans have been unearthed. Often, their bones show that years of life continued after a break was healed. A resident of the Stone Age was found frozen but “healthy,” perhaps, due to several spiritual and biological remedies contained in his pouch. Stone age skull remains have been found with circular shaped skull bone missing that had been surgically removed and healed over. This was, perhaps, a prehistoric method to relieve the hydrocephalous that is often the result of tick bites or parasites. The point is that long before the invention of the systems and structures of modern medicine humanity managed health problems and thrived.

Archeologists have turned up rocks and crystals in the stomachs of ancient peoples, spiritual feathers and wands attached to clothing, dried medicinal plants and herbs in ancient pouches, and viable distilled plant oils in the tombs of mummies. These are some of the tools modern natural healers use today.

Early societies described in ancient literature (and peoples of today who have retained a primitive lifestyle) have one thing in common, there is always a valued person in charge of the health of the group: a healer. The healers' talents for healing are witnessed by the continued presence of humans on this earth.

It is reported that in addition to giving medicinal herbs, the healer, while waving a feather or stick, would chant and sometimes dance around an ailing person. Today's version of this healer behaves similarly in an effort to activate the subtle vibrational energy running through the body, thereby promoting balance and healing. Reiki, Jin Shin Jyutsu and the many forms of healing touch used today are the modern continuation of these ancient practices. Acupuncture was developed in China for a similar purpose. Energetic activation is all the more effective when the ailing person believes in the power of the energy source and in the power of the healer to call it forth.

There are many kinds of energy healers and even energy machines used today to activate healing. These healers and machines have proved to be powerfully effective when used in conjunction with other natural healing tools such as herbs, crystals, color, oils, etc.

Natural healers have also found healing energy in crystals and stones. Not only are many stones used for energetic healing, modern science has verified the healing value of many stones by isolating minerals in them that have proved to be necessary for biological health. Medicinal plants abound on Earth. Modern science has isolated vitamins and other healing constituents from these plants. Ancient healers intuited their medicinal use early in human history. Modern herbal healers continue this art. Music and color have a place in many ancient and contemporary healing rituals. Distilled plant oils, aromatherapy, have been used since the early Egyptian dynasties. Modern doctors applied them on war wounds for their antiseptic and antibiotic qualities in World War One. The disease prevention properties of these oils and their use for healing and warding off evil (disease) are mentioned over fifty times in the Bible.

Natural healers know from experience that all earthly substances are endowed with and connected by the subtle vibrational energy of the universe. This energy, when paired with the medicinal function of plants and oils; the ritualistic function of meditation or prayer and the use of chants, color and music have resulted in the indisputable balancing and healing power that has insured the survival of the human race over hundreds of thousands of years.

Vibrational energy can bring about the phenomenon of physical relief through mental belief. Modern science calls this the placebo effect. Natural healers depend upon this effect and seek to activate it because they have observed that effecting biology alone is often not enough to inspire a body to heal. By the same token, energy alone can only go so far to bring about balance if the body is missing the basic biological tools needed to heal. Nutritional deficiencies can sabotage even the best energetic efforts. It is the synergy of subtle energy and biology that is required to regain a healthy balance.

Modern medical science from its inception has pooh poohed the placebo effect. Scientists have considered a placebo to be lacking scientific validation and as such can have no actual effect on a physical disorder. They claim that any benefit one receives from using a placebo is all in the patient's head. The head, to natural healers, being the home of the brain, is where all healing and humanity begins and thus, the placebo effect is seen as a valuable ally in all efforts to heal.

The question then is: how do we access this ally, the placebo, this healing energy? The answer: by the belief that we can.

An awakening consciousness of our own energetic abilities is what allows biological healing. Today, people are often told by doctors that their `disease' is incurable. A natural healer will tell you that there are no incurable diseases, just incurable people. They will talk and teach as long as it takes until seeing that `aha' look in the eyes of one who realizes that they are the one in control of their own health. That realization is the beginning of the belief in ones power to heal.

It is important that each of us realizes that we have the power to heal ourselves given the natural tools of this earth and our own energetic abilities. When medicine began to divert from this understanding, people remained ill. Modern medicine says there is `no cure' more than they claim there is a cure. They design drugs and procedures aimed at managing disease, believing that if they do not have a synthetic drug to cure the disease that they are heroes by virtue of “managing” it. They have forgotten the true heroes of healing: you, me, the synergy of subtle energy with natural biology and the awakening of the belief in the healing power of the self.

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Saving Our

Structural Environment

Health Talk

Dian Freeman

Certified in Clinical Nutrition

Published in Natural Awakenings Magazine September, 2009

Osteoporosis is so common today that many people see it as a normal condition of aging. Not so. It is true that it is getting more and more common, but if it were a normal condition of aging we would not have had so many long lived and healthy ancestors. There are many reasons for today's near epidemic of osteoporosis among seniors. The most obvious is a lifetime lacking daily weight-bearing exercise. Until the industrial era, our ancestors labored from dawn to dusk. This labor both built bones and kept bones strong. The benefit of weight-bearing exercise cannot be overstated for bone protection and growth and it is never too late to begin strengthening bones in this way.

Structural strengthening also depends upon diet. Bones are mineralized cartilage. Thus, to build them requires both sufficient amounts of minerals as well as sufficient amounts of what cartilage is made from: protein.

In July of 2005, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study that reported that “Dietary protein intake was positively associated with bone mineral density (BMD).” It was found that women between 72 and 78 who consumed fewer than 66 grams of protein a day “had significantly lower qualitative ultrasound of the heel and hip BMD than those consuming 87 g/d [grams per day] of dietary protein.”

It is now understood that vitamin D plays a more important role in bone health than previously thought and many doctors are now recommending we take 2,000 to 6,000IU per day. As important as this vitamin may be, it is not all that is required. It shares equal importance with bone building minerals, especially magnesium. Recent studies show that there was little if any difference in bone density in subjects given the most commonly used pharmaceutically made calcium plus vitamin D supplements. These studies seem to have resulted in an increase of recommendations by doctors for prescriptions of pharmaceutical bone building drugs.

It is not surprising that studies would show little difference in bone density by using supplements designed by pharmaceutical companies. This brings to mind one of my favorite quotes. It is by a medical doctor, Michael Colgan, in his book The New Nutrition, and it goes like this: “For the truth about vitamins, look to experts whose status and salary does not depend on the continuing of disease.”

Perhaps, the makers of the pharmaceutical supplements made with calcium and vitamin D do not know of the importance of magnesium and other minerals for bone building. But, most students taking Chemistry 101 learn that calcium cannot be used to mineralize cartilage into bone without the aid of other necessary minerals. Better results probably would have been achieved in these studies had the subjects been given supplements with equal amounts of calcium and magnesium. Many of the finest bone building supplements, in addition to magnesium, also contain boron. The mineral strontium plays a major role in bone building but should not be taken in the same meal with calcium. I take strontium with breakfast and a calcium/magnesium supplement plus additional magnesium at dinner. Many women, including me, also depend upon natural progesterone creams for increasing bone density.

Dr. John Lee, author of What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause, What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About PMS, and What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Peri-Menopause, reports that he has seen up to 15% increase in bone density by those using natural progesterone cream. In 1990, the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research reported that, “Progesterone alone may be a valuable agent for the management of postmenopausal osteoporosis.” The same has not been said of progestin, the synthetic version of progesterone.

Many people are not aware that there is a possibility that the drugs they take are contributing to thinning bones. Drugs that diminish stomach acid serve to disallow normal mineral breakdown. Minerals cannot be digested by enzymes rather require stomach acid to be broken down for use by the body. Other drugs commonly prescribed can diminish the body's ability to digest or absorb minerals. I recommend that an investigation be made into the nutrients being blocked by drugs before one considers taking them.

In fact, the very drugs designed for bone building have now been linked to an irreversible and painful rotting jaw disease. The irony is that jaws are made of bone. What does this say about what may be going on in other bones of the body of those taking these “bone building” drugs?

News reports in 2006 tell of class action suits were filed against Merck, the makers of the bone building drug Fosamax. The Daily News Central reports that “Fosamax is Merck's second-best-selling drug, with last year's revenue at $3.2 billion.” The lawyer representing the group suing Merck said his case, “is "more clear cut" than the one against Vioxx because it is easier to establish a direct link between Fosamax and the disease.” He is also working on similar suits that will be aimed at the bone building drug Actonel.

I have not found how these suits were resolved. However, when looking up “bone building” drugs on the medline website, I have noticed that most of them have added a warning about the possible side effect of jaw rotting. If one is taking any of these drugs it would be wise to let your dentist know of it before beginning any work near the jaw bone.

The state of our bones, like our very health, is in our own hands. Our bodies were designed to repair and rebuild all the way to the end of our life. Given the tools, the nutrients, healing miracles are performed everyday by the miraculous human body.

Dian Freeman has a private nutritional consultation practice in Morristown, NJ, teaches a nutritional certification course, practices frequency biofeedback, holds seminars and lectures widely. She is currently in the Medical Humanities doctorate program at Drew University and may be reached at Dian2@WellnessSimplified.com

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Women's Health:

More Than Hormones

Dian Freeman

Certified in Clinical Nutrition

Published Natural Awakenings Magazine May, 2009

From the myriad articles and books written on women's health, one would think women are walking chemistry sets filled with fluctuating hormones each competing for the opportunity to sabotage women's sanity and health. We are led to believe that achieving hormone balance should be every woman's goal. Yes, hormones are important. I think that, generally speaking, most women would benefit from transdermal natural progesterone to help regulate hormone fluctuations. Women in their forties might look into the youthful and healthful benefits associated with Pregnenalone while those in their fifties and older might consider being tested to see if they should add the supplement DHEA.

There are many other dietary supplements available to address more specific hormone needs. Their benefits one could discuss with a natural health practitioner. However, women do not live by hormones alone.

Younger and younger women are describing symptoms and chronic conditions once relegated to those of more advanced age. When I evaluate the many complaints and symptoms I hear from women (including myself) I have concluded that there is one condition that lies at their root and that condition can be best defined with one word: frustration.

Frustration is one of today's major sources of inflammation, stress and disease. It is often due to the inability to perform at optimal levels because of chronic fuzzy thinking, aches and pains, impulsiveness, the inability to sort things or to prioritize and memory problems. Are we taking on too much? Maybe, in some cases. But, maybe we simply are not balanced or nourished enough to mange what we have taken on.

There are several nutrients of which we need enough in order to better manage our existence. Two very important ones are enough sleep and enough water. If a lack of sleep and water are causing actions that are leading to day to day frustrations then addressing that lack will present solutions to many of those frustrations.

By enough sleep I mean enough to awaken feeling physically refreshed and mentally sharp. A sure sign of sleep deprivation is the inability to instantly recall a necessary word or name. This used to be called a `senior moment' but today it can be everybody's moment. Many of us have experienced forgetting the name of a dear friend or family member when introducing them to someone. Or, have acted or spoken without `thinking', or have had mental `blackouts” forgetting what we were doing or where we were going. These are classic signs of sleep deprivation and major causes of frustration, impatience and irritability.

The importance of sleep cannot be stressed too much. When we sleep our brain organizes the previous day's activities and `files' them away. Without enough sleep the activities of the day before can really muddle up the following day. It is during sleep that we produce human growth hormone (HGH) without which our cellular reconstruction cannot occur at youthful levels and we show signs of premature aging. Disturbed or too little sleep disrupts our production of acetylcholine which is the determinate of the speed at which our brain functions. Low acetylcholine equals slow thinking.

How can we address the causes of sleep problems? Turn off the TV, keep the bedroom dark at bedtime. Think, meditate or pray yourself to sleep. Seek the help of a natural practitioner who can guide you to the right dietary supplements that aid in obtaining a natural sleep pattern. For slow thinking consider taking supplemental acetylcholine until adequate sleep patterns can be restored. Resistance exercise is your best bet to produce enough HGH to stave off premature aging.

Another cause of fuzzy thinking is dehydration. If you feel thirsty your body already has been dehydrated for some time. In the case of water we need to be preemptive drinkers. Don't wait until you are thirsty to drink. Studies show that even a 2% drop in hydration can cause fuzzy thinking and short term memory problems. Studies also show that dehydration slows down the metabolism leading to weight gain and it leads to tight, thin skin that wrinkles easily. A lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

Eight to ten glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers. Aches and pains account for chronic problems with prospective memory according to a study at Keele University in the United Kingdom. Perspective memory is defined as the ability to “remember to remember.” The brain focuses on the pain of the moment which, in turn, takes its focus off matters in the future which can lead to trouble arriving at appointments, paying bills and meeting deadlines. Along with adequate water, adequate magnesium can be helpful for aches and pains especially muscle spasms. Recent studies show that those with normal to high blood pressure may require up to two times the amount of magnesium as calcium in their diet, at least 500-750 mg per day. Those with low blood pressure need less magnesium than calcium each day.

Memory loss, inability to meet deadlines, slow thinking, weight gain, wrinkled skin, mental blackouts, impatience, irritability, fatigue, impulsive behavior and aches and pains, no wonder women get frustrated. It is hard to attribute the chronic inability to function to two such simple nutrients. Once gaining adequate sleep and water many women have found that their debilitating symptoms, previously attributed to wayward hormones, simply go away.

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Men's Health:

Prostate, Performance and Parasites

Dian Freeman

Certified in Clinical Nutrition

Published Natural Awakenings Magazine June, 2009

In my experience the most common reasons men seek out a nutritionist is for nutritional information about supplements that help protect the prostate, enhance sexual performance and address digestion and elimination disorders. I have found that the last problem is likely a cause of the first two. Improper digestion and elimination can lead to malabsorption of nutrients and, thus, malnutrition. Malnutrition leads to low performance of all the body's systems including its natural defense systems. When the defense provided by stomach acid is low, pathogens, especially intestinal parasites, can gain the upper hand. The Discovery Channel reports intestinal parasites are prevalent in approximately 85% of Americans today. I would estimate the number is closer to 95% in people I see.

Prostate health is a major concern and every man should make it his duty to understand how Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Test readings reflect prostate health. A good website for gaining familiarity is http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/detection/PSA. There are many herbal and nutraceutical remedies for prostate health. Natural remedies like saw palmetto, pygeum, lycopene and a daily dose of zinc have been credited both with the reversal of frequent urination that is the result of prostate swelling and high PSA test readings. I have witnessed such reversal in my friends and family. However, supplements are just that: “supplemental” helpers and not “instead of” helpers. They rarely can overcome the damage of a malnourished body.

A malnourished body simply cannot perform optimally in any area, including sexually. Men, like women, often eat on the run or skip meals altogether, which is never a good idea (especially breakfast). Skipping breakfast is common among people who have their gallbladder removed. After a night's sleep, the body has been fasting and the digestive tract must get moving again or digestive juices can concentrate and bowels can become compacted.

Malnutrition can occur even when meals are well chosen and eaten with regularity. Many pharmaceutical drugs deplete or block the absorption of the very nutrients necessary for optimal performance. For instance, studies in Japan, Canada and Russia have shown that cholesterol lowering drugs deplete hormone production causing impotence, infertility and medium to severe depression. In addition, stomach acid lowering medications, even if bought over-the-counter, cause myriad nutritional deficiencies and allow external pathogens and parasites a safe environment for entering the gastro intestinal tract.

Stomach acid is our last line of defense against internal infestation. Stomach acid also is required for proper protein digestion and mineral breakdown. Even without adequate stomach acid, our digestive enzymes and bowel bacteria eventually can break down (digest) protein and other organic elements to provide us with nourishment. However, minerals are inorganic and require stomach acid to become bioavailable. Chronic mineral depletion can lead to disease and bone depletion. Thus, I refer to today's antacids as “medically derived osteoporosis.”

If parasites manage to settle in the intestinal tract they can disrupt normal elimination processes and nutritional absorption. Those with bowel problems often require several natural serotonin releasers for the ensuing depression as over one-half of the serotonin in our bodies is produced in the bowel. Dr. Ross Anderson, ND, believes that parasites are the “single most undiagnosed health challenge in the history of the human race.” I agree. Dr. Hulda Clark, author of How to Cure All Cancers, claims her high success rate is due to ridding her patients of parasites. Her clinical findings show that, when dissected, every malignant tumor contains some form of parasite at its core.

Parasites are hard to detect because, as Dr. Anderson points out, “over 1,000 species of parasites can live in the body and tests are available for about 40-50…This brings the clinically found parasites to 1%.” His solution, like most nutritionists, includes extra hydrochloric acid in the stomach, Vitamin B complex, full spectrum probiotics and the traditional herbs that have helped rid people of parasites for thousands of years.

A well moving bowel is required before and while treating parasites. I use a gentle soluble fiber like psyllium hulls, apple pectin or oat bran combined with an herbal bowel mover. A soluble fiber is helpful in soaking them up and pushing them out. Unfortunately, once rid of parasites, one can easily become reinfected. Thus, vigilance is required to keep stomach acid levels up. Fresh vegetables should be treated with a produce wash and all other foods should be well cooked.

Malnutrition is the basis of almost all health problems I see. Astonishingly, medical science ignores its effects and rarely advises replacing nutrients depleted by modern medications and lifestyles. Fortunately, more and more people, including men, are taking their health into their own hands by seeking nutritional information and education. Being aware of the natural processes of the body and its nutritional needs is really paying off for those who seek professional advice about nutrition and dietary supplementation.

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More Venomous Vaccines?

Why I would Not Give My Daughter

The Cervical Cancer Vaccine

Dian Freeman

Certified in Clinical Nutrition

Published July 2007 in the national publication of Natural Awakenings Magazine

and reprinted on Oprah's Discussion board August 2007

When discussing the American obsession with vaccines, I'm reminded of the fall of the ancient Roman Empire, which was influenced in no small part by the mental decline of its citizens. The fall occurred not long after Roman cities abandoned their marvelous aqueducts for metal pipes made of a new untested metal called lead, which promptly poisoned the minds and bodies of Rome's youth. This might account, too, for the bizarre latter day behavior of the late great empire's rulers and its citizens.

Similarly, today the minds and bodies of America's youth are suffering poisonous assault by government-mandated vaccines laden with potentially lethal chemicals.

According to many well-researched documents, including Deadly Immunity by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Mercury, Vaccines and Medicines by Mark A. Sircus and the Evidence of Harm by David Kirby, the dangers of the mercury-based vaccine preservative thimerosal have been well known by its original developer, Eli Lilly and Co., since the 1930s. But to date we've received no official word that the mercury in these vaccines could poison us. This might be interpreted as a direct violation of the Nuremberg Code prohibiting forced medical treatment or participation in medical experiments without fully informed consent.

Nearly a decade ago, in 1998, Gannett News Service reported via information secured under the Freedom of Information Act that the federal government already had awarded $916 million to parents of vaccine-injured and dead children under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP) instituted in 1988. Both Sircus and Kirby write of parents reporting that soon after their children received mercury-laced vaccines they developed a broad range of alarming symptoms. Associated health issues included sudden onset of shyness, speech impediments or inability to speak, palette sensitivities or deformities, gastrointestinal distress, loss of motor function, allergies, tremors, autoimmune disturbances, learning disabilities, behavioral problems, autism, as well sudden `crib' death. Shaken Baby Syndrome is known as a side effect of the DPT vaccine and has been used successfully as a defense by parents accused of causing their baby's death in this manner .

In 1999 many vaccines admittedly still contained thimerosal and joint statements by the American Academy of Pediatricians and the United States Public Health Services were recommending its removal from all vaccines. Kennedy reports that in 2000, probably in response to this recommendation, officials from the Center of Disease Control (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) met in secret with vaccine manufacturers to discuss strategy when a disturbing new study “raised alarming questions about the safety of a host of common childhood vaccines...” It was the first known study since the skewed Eli Lilly study of 1929.

Kennedy then traces the ensuing medical, bureaucratic and pharmaceutical cover-up. Without admitting to any problems, the vaccine industry stated that they had reduced or phased out the use of mercury in many U.S. vaccines.

Meanwhile the WHO continues to allow manufacturers to ship vaccines preserved with thimerosal to developing countries. There, populations struggling with malnutrition and illness are even more susceptible to mercury poisoning. Thus generations of defenseless infants worldwide continue to be injected with vaccines containing mercury, one of the most toxic and lethal chemicals known to man.

More recently, the House Government Reform Committee headed by Rep. Dan Burton of Idaho concluded after a three-year investigation that “Thimerosal used as a preservative in vaccines is directly related to the autism epidemic….This epidemic in all probability may have been prevented or curtailed had the FDA not been asleep at the switch regarding a lack of safety data on injected thimerosal, a known neurotoxin.”

Kennedy writes that this committee also stated that “Our health agencies' failure to act is indicative of institutional malfeasance for self protection and misplaced protectionism of the pharmaceutical industry.”

Sircus reports, for example, that officials at the CDC have authorized new flu vaccines that are “exceeding the FDA's and EPA's safe limit by a factor of 32.” And a 2007 National Autism Association report confirms that “Thimerosal remains in several vaccines, and with the addition of the influenza vaccine now being recommended for infants, children are exposed to more thimerosal today than ever before.”

Earlier Roman engineers can claim ignorance and innocence for poisoning the minds and bodies of its citizens. But the U.S. medical establishment, CDC and FDA, combined with decades of congressmen who have protected them, cannot make any such claim of innocence or ignorance.

Is the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (HPV) for cervical cancer as poisonous as previous vaccines? The CDC and FDA say it is safe. But their track record attests otherwise. Asked if I would I have my daughter line up for yet another “Great American Vaccine Experiment” to receive the HPV vaccine my answer is an unequivocal and resounding, “No!”

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Change Your Health

To Change Your Life

Health Talk

Dian Freeman

Certified in Clinical Nutrition

Published February, 2009

New year after New Year many people remake the same resolutions and set the same goals. We are told the way to achieve those goals is by focusing on them, affirming them daily, dreaming about them, praying or meditating on them, and by believing we can attain them. Easier said than done.

The power of believing is the greatest power we have within us. It is the power of spirituality. Many people have met and even surpassed their goals by believing they can and by practicing the above guidelines. Their example (and successes) are a beacon of hope. But - there is always a “but” - I have noticed that often those who lack balance nutritionally will have a hard time achieving the spiritual balance necessary to be all they can be.

When one is radically depleted in nutrients, not only can bodily disease develop but brain function is also negatively affected. To form and focus on goals takes a well-functioning brain. A sufficient lack of the four “free” nutrients (adequate sleep, pure water, cellular oxygen and regular relaxation) can impair brain function to varying degrees. Studies show that even a 3% drop in hydration causes fuzzy thinking. We should get at least half our body weight in ounces of pure water each day to prevent dehydration. How can one focus on goals with fuzzy thinking?

Sleep studies show how a consistent lack of enough sleep impairs brain function. It is difficult to dream about life changes unless one can reach the deep level of sleep required to dream. This is the same level that allows for physical rejuvenation and repair. I have noticed that most sleep problems are solved when the body is nutritionally balanced and disease free

Oxygenation of brain cells is important to memory and cognitive thinking. We need a well functioning brain to visualize goals and create affirmations. Regular exercise and deep breathing practices will solve most oxygen deficits.

We know that “all work and no play” makes life dull. It also overworks the brain and body to the extent that clients often will tell me that just adding one more “little thing” can be the final straw. Life changing goals are more than a “little thing.” A person must set aside stress-free time for relaxation in order to quiet the mind so creativity can blossom.

One cannot gain homeostasis without an adequate supply of these essential lifestyle nutrients. Sadly, all too often these nutrients are not the only ones lacking. I am a strong proponent of dietary supplements because I see so many people who have not gotten balanced nutrients for years and are ill because of it. Most natural health practitioners do not believe we have adequate nutrients in our foods today.

Dr. Andrew Weil offers many vitamins and mineral supplements and writes that the “main reason I take supplements is for insurance against gaps in my diet. Also, researchers are finding that some important vitamins and minerals are protective against disease in amounts that may be difficult to obtain through diet alone…”

Dr. Gary Null also has a full line of nutrients including a “superfood” called “Green Stuff” as a supplement for those who do not get sufficient green vegetables. All good natural practitioners have nutritional supplements that they find dependable to recommend to their clients. Personally, I have found great success with herbal formulations. I would not be alive today without them.

Sometimes good health is difficult to attain due to toxicity from chemicals or internal pathogens. There are many detoxification herbs and chelation for chemical toxins. Intestinal parasites are one pathogen that can cause nutritional depletion. They are a more common problem than we are led to believe. I remember that when I was in elementary school all we children were given a pill to take each spring and fall to kill the “worms” in our bellies - too bad that practice was discontinued. Fortunately, there are many effective herbal programs that have been used for thousands of years that successfully address intestinal parasites.

Other toxic pathogens that can be a major roadblock to achieving good health and brain power are an overgrowth of fungus and yeast. I once met with a person who had been diagnosed by a nutritional doctor with an overgrowth of the yeast Candida Albicans. Its effect on her mind was characterized by a lack of focus. She said that when she prayed it would go something like this: “Dear Father, Please bless my friend Sa……tomorrow is trash day…that color is not good on….Oh, I mustn't forget that Sherry needs a….” Five minutes later she said she would remember that she is trying to pray and only managed to focus on it long enough to say “Thank you, amen.”

I have had others describe a similar situation when trying to meditate. That is not the brain function of a well-nourished, rested, oxygenated, hydrated person who is toxin and pathogen free. Prayers cannot be answered if the request can't be properly formulated.

Thus, it is difficult to believe in yourself if “yourself” is a physical and mental wreck. The body has the ability to heal itself given the tools, i. e. nutrients. The heart, mind and spirit can soar given a nourished, functioning body and brain. The absence of goal achieving may not lay so much in the inability to believe in yourself but in the inability to focus on yourself. If goal achieving has been elusive then it may be time to get nutritionally sound and start soaring.

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Cholesterol: What is it good for?

Health Talk

Dian Freeman

Certified in Clinical Nutrition

Published in Natural Awakenings, January, 2009

There are few words today that can bring about more discussion and debate than the word “cholesterol”. The discussion generally centers around how high or how low one's personal cholesterol levels are while the debate generally addresses the best way to lower those numbers or even on how to get rid of cholesterol altogether. Such discussions and debates are based both upon misinformation and the lack of information about the value of cholesterol to the body.

Why do we have cholesterol in the first place if it is so bad? Surely the design of the human body, that has thrived for tens of thousands of years, is not as flawed as we are led to believe. The brilliance of that design is being second-guessed by those in medicine who continually attempt a re-design.

Common sense should tell us that if cholesterol were not needed for human survival it would not have been part of the human design in the first place. Modern medicine's concern is to lower cholesterol levels without understanding and treating the cause of why cholesterol might be high. This action often lowers cholesterol to levels below its ability to fulfill its various functions for the health of the body.

The liver produces cholesterol at a rate dictated by the body's need. When toxins are present in the blood stream the liver manufactures Low Density Lipoproteins, LDLs, (often called “bad cholesterol”) and sends them out into the blood stream to attach to the toxins and bind to them so that the toxins will be unable to cause damage to the body. The HDL, High Density Proteins, known as “good cholesterol,” is then sent to sweep up the toxin-loaded LDL so it can be cleared out of the body by way of the bowel. Then, LDL levels can return to normal.

Therefore, a high LDL level can be indicative of a high toxicity level in the body. This is a situation best alleviated by the natural clearing processes of the body, i. e., temporarily elevated LDL levels combined with adequate HDL clearing ability and optimal bowel function.

Other valuable services performed by cholesterol include the patching of cracks in arterial walls. Arteries are lined with muscle that must remain flexible for proper circulatory function. When the body senses an arterial crack, the liver sends cholesterol, a waxy flexible substance, to plug the crack which, in turn, enhances arterial flexibility and circulation.

Since sexual hormones are made in the cholesterol, lowering its levels often leads to impotency and infertility. Russian and Scandinavian studies have shown that men with low cholesterol have higher suicide rates and that severe depression is alleviated when low cholesterol returns to normal levels. Some forms of dementia have reportedly become reversed when low cholesterol levels return to normal at which time brain function also often improves. This may be due to the fact that cholesterol lowering programs include the avoidance of fat, a substance necessary for optimal brain function.

A final result of artificially lowering cholesterol levels is exemplified in studies from Canada, Europe and Japan. These studies show that people with total cholesterol levels below 150 or 160 have triple the chance of getting cancer.

The American medical establishment has consistently disregarded and even shown disrespect for clinical studies that come from other countries. Therefore, the protective properties and functions of cholesterol are rarely, if ever, discussed or debated in the U.S. The statistics on the rate of damage from the side effects of statin drugs are also rarely discussed. Both the side effect rates and the detrimental effects of low cholesterol should be part of a patient's informed choice equation.

For the last twenty to twenty-five years, there has been a highly successful campaign by the medical and pharmaceutical industries to demonize cholesterol as the cause of heart disease and stroke. This campaign coincided with the discovery of and the subsequent mass marketing blitz of cholesterol lowering statin drugs. Today, the profits from statin drug sales are reportedly in the tens of billions of dollars.

All current statistics show that the rate of heart disease, heart attacks and strokes have not improved since the advent of statin use. In fact, the heart-health benefits being claimed for the use of statin drugs stipulate that those benefits are designated only for those at high-risk for heart disease. Drug commercials for statin drugs state as much in voice-over disclaimers. Yet, if asked, almost everyone who admits to taking cholesterol lowering drugs will say they are doing so for their heart health, i. e., to prevent heart disease and stroke.

Years from now, historians will probably look back at the current cholesterol-lowering trend as detrimental to the health of the human body as the once touted medical practice of blood-letting and tonsil, uterus and gall bladder removal. Man has yet to improve upon the designs of nature in any scientific field by interfering and interrupting the natural balance of nature. Replacing and repairing broken parts and the prevention of disease by living a healthy lifestyle, eating healthy food and using effective supplements is where humans can excel. It is in the attempt to redesign natural processes that humans continually fail. The true debate over cholesterol should be whether to lower it at all and the discussion should be on how we can help cholesterol better fulfill its protective functions - naturally.

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Stress the Joy

Health Talk

Dian Freeman

Certified in Clinical Nutrition

Published December 2008, Natural Awakenings Magazine

Few people speak of the coming holidays without also mentioning the amount of stress that they anticipate. In fact, this is the busiest time of the year for stress related consultations in my business. This is such a shame as the holidays should bring the joy they were intended to bring. So how can we have a better chance at not allowing stress to diminish our holiday joy? By practicing stress management which would be a good thing to do all year long. If we can learn to manage stress during the holidays the rest of the year should be a piece of cake, but not literally, as cake is one of the stress producing foods that we should try to avoid.

However, instead of cake, most people blame family interaction or the additional financial and social demands of the seasons as the cause for their stress. These are surely legitimate concerns but we must keep in mind that we were designed to handle stress well, if we are nutritionally sound. Our ancestors were under a great deal of stress in their attempt to survive thousands of years of cave life. And, they not only survived, they thrived. But, they were not laden down by dough and sugar.

The nutritional explanation for having additional stress at holiday time is often due to poor holiday eating habits and a lack of sleep, due to stress, both of which often lead to constipation and nutritional deficiencies. Holiday foods can be very nutritionist when one finally sits down to the holiday feasts, but it's the parties and preparations that can sabotage otherwise balanced eating choices.

Holiday fare usually includes a plethora of doughy foods laden with sugar. This is a perfect recipe for nervous system inflammation due to the body's insulin response to their consumption. Insulin is a very inflammatory hormone and if overly abundant in the system the adrenals are then required to exhaust themselves by trying to address the resulting inflammation by producing cortisol. This results in a vicious cycle that can cause more stress on the body than can be relieved by the body's physical response to it. I have heard it said that our pancreas is required to produce as much insulin in one day while eating the modern American diet as it was designed to produce in a lifetime. If true, this would explain the current diabetes epidemic in the U. S.

The excess consumption of sugars can also lead to the destruction of B vitamins in the body. B-Complex vitamins are most important for modulating the effects stress can have on the body. Sugar and processed grains use up our store of B vitamins at an alarming rate. Add a lack of sleep and B vitamins can become non-existent. Replacing them several times a day at meals could make a difference in our body's ability to handle the stress that comes our way whether nutritional or emotional. And help us relax enough to sleep better.

Doughy foods are usually sticky foods. Nothing is stickier than flour and water. It can be used to glue two pieces of paper together. In fact that is the exact recipe of the paste we made when I was in kindergarten before Elmer's glue was invented. Eating doughy foods requires the balancing addition of eating nutritious and fibrous fresh fruits and vegetables to offset the nutritional deficiencies and the glue effect of all that dough. Not many fruits and vegetables are in sight or in demand at your average holiday party.

So where does the body put all that glue? When digested it is stored on your waist line. That is the storage area of insulin. Consumed in excess, it often does not even get fully digested and some of it ends up gumming up the works in the bowels. Lacking enough fiber, the bowels become clogged, we become irregular, toxins are not eliminated and the body cannot manage normal day to day activities well, much less the additional demands of the holidays. This, more than any other time of the year, is the time to keep the body's natural cleansing systems running at par. By taking fiber supplements and extra probiotics, the good bacteria in the bowel, one can usually avoid this cause of stress.

The emotional causes of stress at holiday time are usually family related. One way to prevent reliving age old conflicts is to visualize each family member as they are today and as they would like to present themselves to you if you were a stranger. To view each family member as they have evolved not as they were during their evolution is often a helpful idea. We all are who we are today anyway, we are not who we were. It works for me - as long as I am nourished. A little too much doughy sugar and I de-evolve rather quickly. Ah, never underestimate the desire and determination of the taste buds.

So for a less stress holiday make sure you are getting enough fiber and nourishment at each meal and snack, that your nervous system is not being stressed by your body's response to sugar and dough and that you reflect back to the ones you love the image that they would like to project. That way during the holidays you will have a good chance to stress the joy of the season instead of it stressing you.

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Creative Healing No More?

Health Talk

Dian Freeman

Certified in Clinical Nutrition

Published September, 2008, Natural Awakenings Magazine

There is so much in each of our lives for which we can be grateful. It is a good `healing' idea to make a brief list of those things and review it each day. Focusing on the positive brings to us more positive.

I am especially grateful for the opportunity to write this article for Natural Awakenings. Magazines that are reliant upon the processed food and medical industries for their advertising are reluctant to print honest-to-goodness health information.

Most health magazines will now only print articles that skirt all around the issue of health. They bombard us with the pseudo health misinformation. For example they report on doctors and their registered dieticians who warn that eating fat is the cause of obesity and illness, that protein must be limited, that supermarket oranges are full of vitamin C, that pasteurized milk will build strong bones and teeth, that when we eat a balanced diet we do not need nutritional supplements and that a healthful day begins with cereal, pop-tarts or bagels. This information is neither benign nor correct in my opinion and experience. I once followed such advice and I almost died as a result.

To find good information and get well I had to get creative. I sought out information from healers of all kinds. Natural healers made the most sense. At least their tools, real food and effective supplements, would not maim or kill. I listened to their advice, sought more information and then came up with a natural program that worked for me.

Now, it is my passion to share the very information that has been known and practiced by humans for thousands of years. The fact that humans have existed this long is due to natural methods and products. I am blessed to be able to share this knowledge with others who are seeking alternatives to drugs and surgery.

When one seeks out natural healing, one finds many creative practitioners. They may perform within different modalities, but all share an innate connection to the very source and subtle energies of life. That is why natural healing works so well.

I wish I had a penny for every person who told me that their doctor told them that food or supplements will not affect their health in any positive way. I suggest they ask those who have used natural methods to beat diabetes, cancer, asthma and other medically `incurable' conditions. Ask the many young women who have delivered broken babies due to nutritional neglect. Ask those who were told by fertility clinics to go home and adopt because they will never conceive, yet did so after sound nutritional counseling. Ask me.

It is a fact that I am walking, breathing and writing today thanks to my right to be informed and my right to seek out health information freely. It was my constitutional and God given right to be informed and to direct my own care. Then.

Now, that basic right is in jeopardy in New Jersey. On June 12th of this year, 2008, a bill for licensing registered dieticians (RDs) was proposed in the Senate (S1941) and another in the Assembly (A2933) that seeks to outlaw my right to be informed freely and engage the care that I choose. Under these bills, only registered dieticians would be allowed, by law, to speak of nutrition, food, health, weight-loss, herbs, vitamins, etc. No information about the existence of alternative treatments will be offered from a RD. They know nothing of these.

If passed, this highly restrictive law would even prevent cooking classes and weight loss businesses from giving diet information unless under the strict control of a registered dietician. These Bills even offer RD's the status of being called “nutritionists”.

Real nutritionists would not consider restricting access to other natural healers. Our modalities compliment and enhance each other. A true nutritionist recognizes no limits on the possibilities for creative healing and they have no organization acting as “Big Brother” directing their every move.

Of course, this effort in Trenton is a direct assault on our civil rights and a slap in the face to any reasonable interpretation of our first amendment right to free speech. Such blatant civil rights abuse is patently unconstitutional.

If you visit the slick new website of the American Dietetic Association (ADA) now called www.Eatright.org, a group that, until recently represented simple food preparers, it is obvious that a recent influx of money has enhanced their image. They now refer to themselves as “medical nutritionists”, an oxymoron if ever there was one, who cannot make a move without their “Big Brother” organization watching and dictating their actions.

I believe their main `nutritional' duties include passing out the American Heart Association and the American Diabetic Association's diets, both of which were proven in double blind studies to be less effective than the Atkin's diet in treating those exact diseases. No creative healers in that bunch.

It is the ADA that decides which menus are to be fed to patients in hospitals and nursing homes. We all have seen how healthy that food is. They decide the foods chosen for public school lunches where pizza is a regular and ketchup is seen as a serving of vegetables. Their convention last year was filled with the fast foods industry giants that they recommend and who sponsor them. More need not be said about their qualifications as purveyors of health.

Their website would rival the American Medical Association for its medical science, medical qualification requirements, affiliates, board members, foundations, etc., to the extent that any claim to their being “natural” or ”alternative” is utterly lacking in credibility . Those who wish medical advice should be able to choose their services but those who do not wish such advice should have natural and alternative choices available.

The Senate's Bill is sponsored by Joseph Vitale (D) and Dr. Robert Singer (R), the Assembly's Bill by Herb Conaway, M.D. (D), and Connie Wagner (D) with four co-sponsors, Anthony Chiappone (D), Jerry Green (D), Joseph Vas (D) and Pamela Lampitt (D). If you wish to join those opposed to these Bills you can go to www.AmericansRightToBeInformed.com or Email me at dian2@wellnesssimplified.com and ask to be put on an Email alert list regarding these bills. In the meantime, call and E these sponsors and your own district legislators to let them know your outrage. I will be doing so daily.

Go to http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bills/bills0001.asp click on Bill Number, enter S1941 and click on PDF version to read this bill in its entirety. You can access New Jersey legislators by selecting Legislative Roster in the left column. You can also Email Dian's Center and we will send you a phone and Email listing of all New Jersey Legislators.

I believe everyone should have the right to diverse information on any subject they choose. How else can one make an informed choice? This is as much about personal freedom as natural healing.

This positive aspect of this gagging action by Trenton is that it gives the natural health industry a rallying point. We are not an organized group like the ADA. We now will unite to fight this blatantly unconstitutional legislation. It is the perfect opportunity for the natural health field to settle the question of their right to speak, to practice and to heal once and for all. It can be seen as a warning for all ambitious legislators to be wary of trying to curtail the rights and freedoms of their constituents. This should be the focus for us all.

All great political and cultural changes throughout history have come from the bottom up, not the top down. Top-down actions are always restrictive in nature and I am hoping that those elite legislators at “the top” in New Jersey recognize that they have made a very big mistake in attempting this censure and disregard for personal freedom.

As much as I have a passion for practicing natural health, I have more passion for retaining my freedom to be informed, to inform others and my right of choice. And for yours.

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The Food Debate:

Is Food Nature or Science?

Health Talk

Dian Freeman

Certified in Clinical Nutrition

Published November 2008, Natural Awakenings Magazine

We hear a lot about the science of food today. We have even been told by our media that food scientists have determined that when tomatoes, broken down to their varying constituents, are compared to the varying constituents in ketchup that there are so many similarities that ketchup now qualifies as a vegetable in many of our public schools.

We also hear that because potatoes are cooked in “safe” oils (those without trans fats) that french-fries also qualify as an acceptable serving of vegetables for public school use. Perhaps, that is how a burger and fries are considered a balanced meal to serve children for lunch in many public school systems. However, if this argument prevails, such a meal might be considered balanced only if served with the necessary second “vegetable”: ketchup. This example may be one that does not favor our dependence upon the science of food if we would wish to have a healthy society.

A meal of burgers, fries and ketchup conveniently ignores the fact, the science, that a thin slab of burger of questionable source, questionable quality and questionable processing is not an adequate balance of protein in a meal. A child, it is estimated by science, requires almost his/her body weight in grams of protein a day for healthy growth. With the addition of a fluffy processed flour bun, oily potatoes and sugary ketchup the starch/sugar factor outweighs any sense of balance in this meal choice. Also ignored is the fact, the science, that any cooking oil, even those considered safe, when heated to a frying temperature becomes a trans fat. Another factor conveniently overlooked is that ketchup is made up of mostly high fructose corn syrup and is not made up of many tomatoes at all not to mention the fact that there is a glaring absence of fresh vegetables and fruits in such a "balanced" meal..

As this example illustrates, perhaps food science is not the culprit one would think but the selective use of food science is what leaves a lot to be desired and that this selectivity is what should be monitored. Leaving the power of monitoring food choices of our school lunch program entirely to one group could lead to abuses of that power, especially if that monitoring group is beholden to large corporate processed food manufacturers for their sponsorship. The group currently proposed to be licensed as the single group to monitor and select food choices in New Jersey is the American Dietetic Association (ADA) who list their partners and sponsors as Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Kellogg's, General Mills, Mars Candies, Abbott Nutrition, etc. The American right to Freedom of Speech and choice are the rights New Jerseyans currently enjoy and this proposed licensure is an infringement on those rights.

Personally, I tend to lean towards and the school of thought that food is nature and not science because of examples like the one above. However, if I held strictly to that point it would not serve me well because such a view would leave out the many examples where science has reinforced the role food plays as medicine for the body. And it would ignore the role of science in proving the negative effects that the processing of food can make on the value of that food. From food science we learn that the negative effect of frying a potato in highly heated oil lessens the value of that potato due to the abundance of trans fat used to process (cook) that potato. Without food science there could be no claims for the benefit of food for the prevention of disease or for the detriment of certain processing methods on the value of a food.

In continuing the example of food science as it pertains to choices made for school lunches, I could not make the point better than Ann Cooper in her video that you can view here: http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/ann_cooper_talks_school_lunches.html .

Ann Cooper is a chef who was given the task to run and revamp the Berkley, California school lunch program.

In California one can still speak up about the benefits of food, make changes in school lunch programs and speak against processed food diets because California and 37 other states have not licensed that monopoly to registered dieticians as is the current attempt by the New Jersey legislature. To oppose that attempt to license registered dieticians as the sole purveyors of nutrition and food information please go to www.AmericanRightToBeInformed.com to sign a petition to that effect. Ann Cooper would not be able to do her good work for the children of her district if such a law as is being proposed in New Jersey was passed in California. Nor would she be free to share such information with you and me.

In her video, Ann stands among the boxes and packages she is sent as the processed food she was directed to feed the children in her district. She points out that there is not a natural or whole food among the bunch. In California, she has the freedom to make changes as she see fit without passing it before the American Dietetic Association and thus, she has initiated a major change to the food selections for her district. She began a program of serving whole foods while teaching the children the benefits of natural foods. She makes a great case against the current school lunch program that is based upon selective food science choices that seem to have been made for budgetary reasons. This selectivity ignores the food science that might show such emphasis on processed foods in an unfavorable and unhealthy light.

I highly recommend everyone view this video as no one could make the case for whole foods more accurately and passionately than Ann Cooper. A true hero of our time. In this case food science supports her change to whole foods and food science also supports her choice against a lunch program made up of nothing but packaged and processed foods.

When food science that is favorable to nature is selected then a choice between science or nature need not be made. I support the free and unfettered access to food information, the freedom to make personal food choices and to leaving the interpretation of food benefits to each and every individual and not to one governing body.

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Growing Strong

Dian Freeman

Certified in Clinical Nutrition

Published in Natural Awakenings Magazine August, 2008

I have mom's telling me that kids with ill health, developmental problems and allergies are so common today that they cannot invite one of their children's friends over for a day without first calling the child's parents to see what special needs must be met, which foods must be avoided or whether drugs must be administered during that child's visit. This fact should be of great concern for all of us. Our youth are our future and they are a reflection of how we as a society are handling our present.

So, why do so many of our children lack good health? Perhaps, we should visit some areas that might shed light on this subject.

For one thing thinking and speaking with resignation will not bring changes. And we all have the power for change within us. Yes, we all are living in a more toxic and chemicalized world. Surely, some may say, we have no control over that. Yes, we do. Maybe we cannot personally scrub the atmosphere free of chemicals but we can stop adding to the toxic load of our children. We can do this by reviewing the items we choose to add to their personal environment and into their bodies. There are safe alternatives to almost every chemical that is surrounding and put into today's children.

In November of last year, the New Jersey Star Ledger reported that children's chronic use of prescription medications is on the rise. A study of 3.5 million insured children showed an increase “across every chronic medication class examined over a four year period of time”. EVERY chronic medication class? Yikes. Drugs simply are chemicals. They are cumulative and unpredictable in an immature and often undernourished body.

In the case of a dire illness we can be thankful for a necessary prescription drug. But the current rise in chronic use of prescription drugs is not due to addressing dire illnesses, rather to address every minor malady or personality quirk. Over-the-counter drug use for children is also on the rise. In a child's mind a drug may be just a drug. Thus, the question of the legality of one drug over another may seem absurd to a child. It often does to me.

No one would argue that street drugs rob one of self-respect, self-awareness and any sense of self-sufficiency. Are the anti-depressants, the antibiotics, the uppers and the downers legally prescribed to children today much different in message or content from street drugs? Simple natural solutions to everyday problems have been used to keep humans and their children alive and thriving for thousands of years. Giving drugs to children may not only be sending the wrong message to children, it may also be adding to their toxic load.

I have noticed that the more toxic a body becomes, the more sensitive it is to everyday items that are otherwise benign. Toxicity of the body may account, in part, for much of the allergies and sensitivities of today's youth. Many of the foods commonly fed to children today were once seen as appalling choices in days gone by. One such `food' is soda.

A US Department of Agriculture study of 500 school children concluded that “for every soft drink or sugar sweetened drink a child drinks every day, their disease risk appears to jump by 60%”. The diseases named were diabetes, allergies and brain function problems including ADD/ADHD. That is a 60% rise in disease risk for each soda. Given soda sales, it would seem improbable that there are any healthy children left in America.

Much of a parent's rights has been usurped by both government and the media. Children are being taught what to eat by TV commercials, and our government is dictating increasingly what drugs our children must take. For example, schools today are forcing parents to give their children psychotropic drugs for behavioral problems and drugs for depression. The state is mandating vaccines.

The good news is that parents are beginning to stand up for their rights as parents. There are those who recently faced jail time in Baltimore rather than allow the state to force their children to take mandatory vaccines. In NJ and NY, parents are fighting for the right to have a philosophical exemption to mandatory vaccines. I support the passage of A260/S1071 in New Jersey which is legislation that will provide a conscientious belief exemption to mandatory vaccination.

Join this battle by calling and writing your legislators to support this bill. Your legislators can be found at: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/legsearch.asp. To sign the petition for a parent's right to choose whether to have chemicals and medications forced upon their children, go to http://www.gopetition.com/online/16754.html .

Many parents are currently using the legal religious exemption that is available in NJ and NY to protect their children from forced medications and vaccines. They are often harassed by their pediatricians, the schools and the state, but they stick to their rights. How nice it would be and how in the spirit and letter of our constitution it would be to not have to justify such a personal parental choice legally.

Good health is about good choices. Good choices hinge upon having adequate information. Fortunately the information is out there. We will not be given such information by our news media whose livelihood depends on commercials like those for sodas. Thus, parents must seek out this information. Before reading this article, parents who knew sodas were bad for their children may not have known how bad they are and what the consequences of drinking soda could be for their children. After reading this article sodas may now be severely limited in many households. Information is power. Seek it out.

Beyond toxic food and drugs, chemical toxicity resides in every household. Learn about green alternatives to cleansing products. Learn about fresh air and fresh water equipment. There is an abundance of health technologies available today as well as an abundance of health information. Take it to heart for your child's health's sake.

Dian Freeman has a private practice in Morristown, NJ, teaches a nutritional certification course, is certified in and practices frequency biofeedback, holds health based seminars, food and cooking classes and lectures widely. She may be reached at Dian2@WellnessSimplified.com or visit www.WellnessSimplified.com.

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Tricking Father Time

Dian Freeman

Certified in Clinical Nutrition

Published in Natural Awakenings Magazine July, 2008

There are many options today to retard the aging process and the choices can be overwhelming. I am often asked to prioritize the best of these choices in the order of their most positive effects. To begin with, I feel that it is important to take in adequate amounts of the four free and most powerful nutrients: pure water, sleep, oxygen and self- nourishment, i. e. attaining joy of life.

Finding pure water can be quiet a task today. I recommend bottled, distilled or filtered. It is recommended that we drink half our body weight in ounces each day. Studies show that even a 2-3% drop in hydration can lead to fuzzy thinking and daytime fatigue. Too little sleep has also been shown to hamper the thinking process (and just about every other biological process) just as will inadequate oxygen.

Humans were originally designed to conserve energy until a burst of action was needed to run down a gazelle or fight off a predator. While in conservation mode, humans are shallow breathers. It is while deep breathing during exercise that we provide the body and especially the brain with the optimum amounts of oxygen needed to enhance the body's functions. It is hard to place exercise in the correct order of importance as it is crucial to both good health and to reversing the signs of aging. For many people it may the first most important choice but for others, building the body may be needed before safely beginning an exercise program.

Loss of short term memory, slow thinking and diminished cognitive function are seen as signs of aging. It is adequate water, sleep and oxygen that will often greatly improve and even sometimes reverse these physical problems.

And last but not least, those who seriously practice natural and spiritual modalities both appear and feel younger with each passing day. These modalities are nutrition for the soul and help one find their inner joy. They work to de-stress, balance subtle energetic passageways and can help to remove old emotional overloads. Many practitioners work in these areas including acupuncturists, natural psychotherapists, massage therapists, meditation therapists, Reiki masters, energy biofeedback and vibrational energy and crystal healers. Religion, prayer and meditation are mainstream versions of these modalities. All are valuable and valid. Practicing one or more of these therapies can bring about as much reversal of premature aging as can addressing the physical needs of the body

After addressing the four free nutrients it is important to choose the most beneficial foods available while rejecting as many damaging foods as possible. Organic and non- genetically modified (non-GMO) foods are our best choices today. Protein intake is crucial to prevent the muscle wasting that can occur with aging. Dr. Andrew Weil recommends 80-120 grams a day. Keep in mind that a chicken breast has only about 20 grams of protein. Keeping that in mind, it is difficult to get enough protein each day in only 3 meals. Healthy eating includes 2 or more high protein snacks in addition to 3 meals each day. To absorb nutrients from food many will need to supplement with digestive enzymes and/or HCL (hydrochloric - stomach - acid).

I feel that nutritional supplementation is necessary to replace the nutrients that may be lacking in processed foods or in foods that are grown in depleted soils. Omega three is my choice as the single most important supplement. This combo of healthy fats can be found in fish and flax seed oil. Omegas improve brain function because they contain DHA which makes up a major part of the human brain; they help with weight loss because they contain CLA which is the good fat that burns stored fat; they lubricate joints that have dried out due to age or the mistaken American obsession with low fat diets; they thin blood, lower cholesterol, support heart health and they improve skin and muscle elasticity. Nothing improves the look and softness of skin faster than adequate amounts of Omega three. I try to take 6-8 gel caps a day or a couple of tablespoon of liquid flax seed oil.

Antioxidants are the next most important anti-aging nutrient. I recommend getting as many quality antioxidants as one can afford. The very oxidation (breathing) that is so important for the optimal function of every cell of the body is also the very nutrient that causes free radical damage. That is why those who do the most exercise need more antioxidants. Antioxidant nutrients literally fulfill the void left by oxidation and an aged or damaged cell can once again become whole and healthy.

We were physically designed to be strong and productive to the end. Like fruit, we ripen and rot. We can hasten the process or we can retard the process. The choice is ours. And fortunately, due the accessibility of organic foods, natural healing modalities and nutritional supplements, we still have the right to make that choice.

When questioned as to why I take the time to do the work to be nutritionally, emotionally and spiritually sound I always answer that I choose to do it because I do not wish to be lifted on and off the potty by a stranger in a nursing home when I become aged and I do not wish to meet my maker in the same spiritual state as when we last met. I believe we are here to improve, to evolve, to learn and to teach. And we must honor the vessel, our body, which we were given to live out this lifetime. Fortunately there are many people of a like mind as this who can teach others both literally and by example. These people may just make a difference for the future of all humankind.

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Helping Men be Men…

For as Long as Possible

Dian Freeman

Certified in Clinical Nutrition

Published in Natural Awakenings Magazine June, 2008

In the animal kingdom, I think of none more noble than the human male. However, many have no idea of their own power. What other being, generally speaking, shows more courage, sense of duty and devotion? The human male regularly will work himself to the bone and even sacrifice his life for his country, for his family and for his mate.

The least that we can be do in return is to appreciate, even celebrate, their manhood. We nutritionists can teach them how to keep it intact and healthy for as long as possible, for their greatest fear is to lose it.

Today, men have a hard time of it, nutritionally speaking, from childhood. The modern diet is weakening men's bodies and inhibiting their natural masculine strength. Boys, statistically, are most frequently diagnosed with ADD or ADHD. It is rare to find one without asthma, allergies and/or bowel problems. These conditions, in my experience, either clear up totally or lessen considerably when all processed foods (especially grains) and sugars are eliminated from their diet.

When asked, the mother of these boys will often admit that they had gestational diabetes or ate large quantities of sugar and grains and little protein while pregnant. The mothers' excesses may have lead to the boys' intolerances. A mother's nutritional status directly affects the future health of her child.

My opinion on vaccines and medications for children is no secret. Give them drugs from the beginning and drugs will probably fill their future. I have noticed that the children given the most antibiotics instead of probiotics have the most chronic ear, sinus and bowel conditions that last well into adulthood. I have also noted that the children raised on medications for every sniffle and sneeze and who were taught that shots and drugs are the solution to every suspected stress or imbalance often become the most likely to seek out recreational drugs later in life. Those given healthy solutions at an early age will seek healthy solutions throughout their life.

A male teen best thrives when raised with a healthy masculine role model who understands how to help the boy to use his natural aggressive instincts to compete and achieve positive goals in life. Teen male hormones are raging, which can inhibit their focus and growth. Historically, the herbal supplement Red Raspberry has been used to help young men ease into manhood. It often brings balance to their bodies and even addresses the acne that can result from the stresses of this period in their life.

A man's sense of self is usually dependant upon his ability to perform - mentally, physically and, especially, sexually. Being chronically undernourished, often overweight and constantly exposed to chemicals, men need help in learning how to avoid and prevent these conditions.

If I am talking to a man about his chronic bowel condition, which seems to be common in people today, the subject always turns to how many hoops he can no longer make, how he is not thinking as sharply lately or how fewer times he has sex now compared to before. Nutritional balance is definitely needed as there is no magic pill to help these issues.

However, there may be pills that can cause or exacerbate these problems. For example, the common side effects of statin (cholesterol lowering) drugs address many of these areas of performance negatively. A British doctor recently told me that he cannot believe American men are so willing to take statin drugs as they can greatly diminish the sex drive. Sexual hormones are made in the cholesterol. The U.S., it appears, is unique in its obsession with cholesterol numbers. For those with heart disease or a family history of heart disease, statins may be required as one solution, but for the rest of the population, cholesterol is an important substance for proper functioning of the body.

A low-fat diet also directly affects a man's performance negatively. The brain does not function well without the “good” fats that it requires. Without fat, joints become stiff, nerves fray and bowels block. Ancient societies valued fat above all else and it was the first to be eaten. It is our lubrication. Of course, I mean natural fats like those from meat, fish, eggs, plants and nuts and not man-made hydrogenated and trans fats. The most valuable fat for brain health is DHA which is in Omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3's are essential to any person's supplement regime. They also work as an anti-inflammatory and are the good fats that burn stored fat. Thus they are very helpful for weight loss. A good source of Omega 3's are fish oil and flax seed oil.

Prostate problems are becoming more and more common in this country. Many think this may be related to the elevated estrogen levels in modern foods, chemicals and plastics. Whatever the cause, a male supplement formula that contains zinc, lycopene and Saw Palmetto is usually recommended to help prevent prostate problems. There are many other supplements and herbs that have been used by men for centuries and even more that recently have been developed in Germany and the UK (where natural products are highly valued) that can target the many concerns of men through their life changes.

I am seeing more men begin to take steps to learn about themselves physically, mentally and spiritually. In doing so, they are finding the way to their true power and nobility. I salute them.

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How Can We Deal with Chemical Contaminates, Let Me Count The Ways...

Health Talk

by Dian Freeman

Published in Natural Awakenings Magazine April 2008

Those of us in the nutritional field look at man-made chemicals differently than those in the scientific field. Where industries and agencies deem them as `safe' we view them with a jaundiced eye. Personally, I think the human body knows the difference between that which is natural and that which is synthetically produced. You just can't fool Mother Nature.

The human body is a wondrous design, but it wasn't designed to handle modern chemicals. That may be why individuals react differently to them. There is just no master plan on how a body must react to them. Few can argue that no matter how seemingly safe, or bio-identical, a lab produced chemical may be it is still not from nature. And the body will use it differently than it uses that which is natural.

The more crafted chemicals we take into our body, the more our chance of becoming contaminated by them. The fact that our modern world is being filled with contaminates is not much cause for debate. But suggest that those contaminates have a negative accumulative affect on the human body, well, then you have a debate. Chemical, pharmaceutical and medical industries base their existence on synthetics. Their survival depends on our `buying' the safety of their products. And buy them we do.

Chemicals are in all our favorite things. Sometimes our favorite things are chemicals. So how can we deal with them? By taking in a few as we can and eliminating as many as we can.

Today, we literally must choose our poisons. I choose foundation makeup and hair color as my poisons while using toxic-free mascara, blush, lipstick, lotions, moisturizers, soaps and shampoos. I choose not to take drugs, over-the-counter or prescription, and I do not to use any household cleansers that are not natural.

Some chemicals are more questionable than others. Triclosan, a chemical used in many antibacterial products, has been banned in the UK since 2003 because they determined its use has led to the mutation of drug resistant `superbugs'. In 2000, the American Medical Association, in a report to the Council on Scientific Affairs, writes that “…it may be prudent to avoid the use of antimicrobial agents in consumer products”. Seeing that Triclosan is designated as a pesticide by the Environmental Protection Agency, I whole heartedly agree.

Anti-bacterial products will not find their way into my shopping cart. I cringe when viewing mother's on TV commercials spraying cribs or wiping babies' bottoms with products labeled as anti-bacterial.

Contrary to popular belief, it is not a good idea to kill all bacteria. Without beneficial bacterial we cannot maintain good health and nature has provided the human body with defenses against harmful bacteria. Exposure to bad bacteria helps the body to build immunity against their possible negative effects. However, if needed, there are many natural anti-bacterial alternatives including essential oils and natural alcohols such as vodka. Vodka and water soaked paper towels kept in sealed baggies make excellent traveling anti-bacterial wipes.

Commercial personal care products and household cleaning products, almost without exception, are nothing but chemical soups. I avoid them when I can. There are many wonderful natural alternatives that have been used by our ancestors for centuries.

Buying organic foods is another way to help prevent chemical contamination of the body. Many commercial foods are grown from synthetically and genetically altered seeds that are then laden with layers of pesticides. We can't avoid all of them if we are to live a modern life, but we can avoid these foods as much as is possible if we make the effort. Those who are ill should avoid them entirely.

To help eliminate contaminants, nutritional practitioners recommend a bowel cleansing at least twice a year for detoxification. There are a number of good herbal bowel cleansing products on the market. However, a cleanse of any kind is not a good idea in a malnourished or otherwise weakened body. I would strongly suggest professional guidance on the right one for your health needs.

One way to reduce our accumulative load of pesticides and heavy metals is by allowing our LDL cholesterol to do one of its most important jobs, to detoxify us. The liver produces extra LDL cholesterol when it is signaled that there is an overload of toxins in the body. By sticking to the toxins, the LDL cholesterol can make them bio-unavailable. The HDL cholesterol then comes along to help naturally move the toxic laden LDL to the bowels and out of the body. An unusually high level of LDL cholesterol is often a sign of high levels of toxicity.

We can also reduce our pesticide and heavy metal load, along with many other synthetic chemicals, by intravenous chelation. There are several medical doctors in New Jersey who are trained in this procedure. Body contaminates are measured before and again after a series of treatments to gauge progress.

Frequency biofeedback, a form of energy medicine, is openly used for the same purpose in the UK. Energy medicine is being used more and more in medical clinics all over Europe and is being touted as the future of all medicine.

Legalizing effective healing methods that do not depend upon chemical drugs is long overdue in this country. Prevention is the key to avoiding a dependency on chemical drugs. The use of such drugs often leads to the need for additional drugs.

Prevention, avoidance and detoxification are our best hope for dealing with this contaminated world.

Published in Natural Awakenings Magazine, Morristown Edition, April, 2008

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Addictions, Allergies and Nutrients

Health Talk

by Dian Freeman

Published March 2008 in Natural Awakenings Magazine

Q : Since becoming sober through the 12-step system, I have

noticed that my friend seems to barely make it through each

day and has lost all sense of the joy of life. At first, anti-

depressants helped but then she became even worse than

without them. Is there anything natural that can be done?

I fear for her well-being as she has even spoken, jokingly,

of ending her life. I think it is no joke.

A. Given the 12-step system's miserable success rate of only 7% remaining sober after four years and one in four of those treated ending up by committing suicide, you are right to be concerned, it is no joke at all. Nutritionists and other natural practitioners with a knowledge of orthomolecular and environmental medicine have shown in study after study that all addictions are a matter of body chemistry not “mind over matter” and they have been treating those addicted to food, alcohol, prescription and street drugs successfully with natural products for years. By doing so, they have achieved success rates of 75%-80% that last decades after treatment with the only side effect being the return to normalcy and the ability, again to enjoy life.

Not only is addressing addictions as a strictly emotional issue ineffective, it is the height of cruelty. One or a combination of several different chemical imbalances can be the cause of addictions. Studies have shown that many people lack the ability to function normally because they lack the ability to receive certain nutrients in the brain or the ability to process normal amounts of nutrients. As a result, they require large doses of nutrients to be what we would consider “normal.” These people attempt to fill this void with the substances available to them that are addictive and artificially mask their deficiencies. They usually become non-addicted when given the missing nutrients in the correct quantities.

Others may have an inability to detoxify damaging substances, like drugs alcohol and even certain foods, through the liver causing that substance to whirl around in the brain resulting in a heightened state of euphoria and energy - joy of life in its extreme. However, when this substance is not present in the body life takes on a pervasive dreariness with an all consuming sense of hopelessness. These people are extremely nutrient deficient, a state that the addictive substance masks until that substance is taken away and the body and mind collapse into despair. This may be why your friend's outlook appears so bleak. Without the substance that makes life appear normal they are left with a life that is often unbearable.

In addition, the human body often craves that to which it is most allergic and the ensuing histamine response to an addictive allergen can leave a person agitated and hyperactive. Many people react to alcohol, street drugs, prescription drugs and certain foods in this way. This is most visible to us by the number of violent actions we see by young people who are over consuming carbs and sugar or are taking antidepressants and other mind-altering prescription drugs. Almost every child who has murdered their family as they slept, killed their classmates in a shooting rampage or has been incarcerated because of uncontrollable rage has been documented to be a sugar addict and on one or more mind-altering prescription drugs. Their reaction to the substance they crave can be akin to an allergic reaction thus, often triggering a histamine release.

The high rate of violence and suicide among adults on similar diets and prescriptions is covered by the media to a lesser degree but may not be occurring to a lesser degree. As those cases would exemplify, if a histamine response is overwhelming the body, extreme anxiety, aggression and suicide can result. Replacing the allergens with the correct nutrients re-trains the brain to require that which is good for it rather than the damaging substances which become addictive. It takes time, but time well spent.

In most cases of addictions, those addicted also suffer from extreme hypoglycemia, which is a state that is mind-altering in itself. When the body is not getting steady nutrients, especially protein, all day long the brain thinks the body is dying of starvation, bizarre, even delirious behavior ensues. A quick fix is demanded by the brain and that fix is the overwhelming craving for sugar in the form of alcohol for the alcoholic, mind numbing drugs for the drug addict and sugary or starchy carbohydrates for the food addict. The addicted person, like most of us, simply needs to be shown what nutrients the body requires to satisfy the brain's needs so it can learn to not crave that to which it is addicted.

The addicted person is doomed to live knowing that the food, alcohol or drugs they crave will take them from a grim and joyless existence to a sense of normalcy that others take for granted. To be deprived of the substances lacking in the brain is a cruelty one should never have to endure.

Successful treatment for such people includes a whole-body detoxification with unusually high doses of essential fatty acids (EFAs), which are considered brain food, and their own unique mix of B vitamins, which are seriously depleted by sugar and many antidepressant drugs and alcohol. Vitamin C, which aids in detoxification and combats oxidative stress and a personalized program of the nutrients necessary to rebuild and satisfy the body are also necessary. With the addition of a high protein diet given in small meals eaten 5-6 times a day, a total elimination of the sugar and processed grains that feed addictions and triggers cravings along with a consistent exercise regime the addicted person will, in time, bring their body to a balance that does not include cravings. Your friend, and many like her, can live normally without addiction and without being sentenced to a life without color or light.

Suggested reading:

Seven weeks to Sobriety and Depression-Free Naturally by J.M. Larson who runs an addiction-free clinic in Colorado based upon higher than normal amounts of Omega Three EFAs, B Vitamins and other nutrients.

Dian Freeman has a private practice in Morristown, NJ, teaches a nutritional certification course, is certified in and practices Ondamed biofeedback, holds health based seminars, food and cooking classes and lectures widely. She is currently working towards her doctorate in Medical Humanities at Drew University and may be reached at Dian2@WellnessSimplified.com or visit www.WellnessSimplified.com. Source materials for this article are available if requested.

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The Ripening Rage for Raw

Health Talk

by Dian Freeman

Published May 2008 in Natural Awakenings Magazine

Q : Raw food seems to be all the rage today as the natural way

to eat. The theory that we evolved from apes seems to be a

justification.

I have also been told that we were designed to eat only raw

fruits and vegetables because these foods were all that were

given to Adam and Eve. Only after they were expelled from

Eden did people begin to eat animal products and cook food.

How healthy do you think a vegetarian raw food diet is and

were we really designed to eat only raw?

A: I would not want to be one to step on another's belief system but, personally, I don't believe we evolved from apes. The missing link has just been missing for too long. But, yes, raw plant food makes up most of an ape's diet. Even if they were our ancestors, to insist that if they have a plant diet then ours should follow suit, well, that's a real stretch in my mind. We are similar in many ways but we are not the same animal.

The earliest non-ape human remains are usually found in and around caves because most had to survive an ice age. Whether our ancestors were thrown out of Eden, or were simply designed for a human existence, there is little doubt that for the first humans, it was cold outside, at least for much of the year. Fruits and vegetables don't grow in the snow.

The best I can suggest is that the human design was meant to be flexible. We have had to eat what is available. For early cave folk, it was probably mastodon or saber tooth tiger. Humans successfully made it through that time period thanks to the food that was available, meat.

There is even more compelling evidence that humans were not designed to eat a purely vegetarian diet. Plants don't meet all of our essential nutrient requirements. Some essential amino acids are missing in a vegetarian diet. Amino acids, if not complete, cannot provide our bodies with its necessary protein to rebuild and repair.

We are, quite simply, made of protein. Even our bones are mineralized cartilage. Fluids and tissue (collagen, muscle, blood, enzymes, hormones, etc.) are all made of protein. Supplementation with amino acids, especially L. Carnitine, is important for those who do not eat meat. This amino acid cannot be found in plant protein. There is also valid debate as to whether it is possible to get Vitamin B12 from plants.

It is true that today humans can thrive as raw vegans, especially if they are Blood Type A. To do so they must learn which supplements to take and how to balance their meals. For many it is worth the effort. However, the supplement choices offered to vegans of today were unavailable to early humans.

Those who choose to be vegan have strong support. The medical, chemical and food establishments are behind them. Nutritionists are taught that humans must have carbohydrates to exist. Even our government's food pyramid directs us to eat primarily a high grain, vegetable and fruit diet. Thus, eating carbohydrates - plants - must be necessary for survival. Or, so it would seem.

However, if humans required carbohydrates to exist then there would be no Iniut tribes (formerly known

as Eskimos). They, like early humans, have managed to thrive without grains, vegetables and fruit. The decline in the health of some Iniut tribes began only after the introduction of the carbohydrate-based modern diet. Diabetes, heart disease and cancer now are among the modern diseases that have made

their way to the Iniut.

Not all in the establishment support a raw vegan diet. Dennis D. Miller, a professor in the department of food science at Cornell University, states that, “There is little, if any, scientific evidence that a raw-food diet is more healthful.” He further states that “there is strong evidence that cooking enhances the nutritional value of many foods, such as beans and carrots, by making their nutrients more accessible to the body.” Cooking is processing. Processing makes food more digestible, much like enzymes do.

Some raw food activists contend that we must eat raw foods to get the enzymes that are in food. All food has the exact amount of enzymes necessary to digest that food. Those enzymes are destroyed by cooking. However, this fact does not make food nutrients unavailable when cooked. We have our own enzymatic system that has provided us with the digestive abilities to survive to today.

Even before the discovery of fire and cooking, people had to store food. All storage methods cause the destruction of enzymes. Freshness is required to keep enzymes intact otherwise, instead of raw, we end up with really, really ripe. Since little of the fruits and vegetables available to us are fresh, the enzyme claim just doesn't hold up.

The arguments for our ancestral and natural requirement for a raw diet are just not supported by the facts. The raw food diet may be just another fad. I hope so. The people I see today are suffering under a the modern American diet which is carbohydrate loaded and protein deficient. Our sad health statistics reflect those overloads and deficiencies. What we do not need is another reason to be deprived of adequate, life-saving protein. Balancing raw and cooked fruit and vegetables with adequate natural fat and protein is what are really needed for a healthy human diet.

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Dian's Forward for

The Idiot's Guide to Detox and Cleansing

by Delia Quigley

Often, when a new client comes to me with stories of their attempt at a detoxification program, I cringe inwardly knowing that I most likely will be asked to help them undo some negative effects that resulted from that effort. Many have learned, the hard way, that cleansing before the body has been properly prepared can lead to a very unsatisfactory outcome.

But help is at hand. Delia Quigley explains why and how one should build-up nutritionally before attempting to detoxify. She directs us to the healthy foods necessary for the build-up while pointing out the toxic foods and chemicals that should be avoided. This is key for the success of a cleanse program. Encouraging the body to release its store of toxins while continuing to add more toxins can sabotage any cleansing effort. By the same token, cleansing a body with a blocked colon or cleansing faster than the body's ability to manage, can impair detoxification efforts and leave one feeling worse than before. These potential pitfalls can be avoided by following the detoxification program outlined by Delia.

She shows us how to intelligently prepare the body for a cleanse by identifying the “correct” foods while pinpointing damaging foods and toxins. Next, Delia leads to the crux of detoxing: a short, controlled fast followed by the gradual resumption of eating the foods that will serve to maintain new-found health.

Eyes will brighten, brains will clear, skin will glow, weight will balance and moods will soar after Delia Quigley's detox program. She offers us a life-altering experience that empowers us with the knowledge to manage health and extend longevity. Thank you Delia.

Dian Freeman

August, 2007

Dian's 'Protein Sidebar' in An Idiot's Guide...:

Most of the clients I see have complaints relating to energy, weight, mood, and pain that are the result of their eating insufficient amounts of protein. Every solid part of our body, even our bones, which are mineralized cartilage, come from the protein that we eat. It stands to reason, then, that the body cannot properly do its job of rebuilding and regenerating without enough of its main ingredient: protein. For optimal health, be sure to eat between 80 and 120 grams of protein throughout each day.

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Oh Boy, Soy

Health Talk

by Dian Freeman

Q : I am getting conflicting reports about the affect of soy products on the health of the prostate? What natural products help to protect the prostate?

A : I am a strong proponent for the use of soy products. My husband and I have eaten non-GMO organic soy products for years. Soy is as high in protein as meat, ounce for ounce, and is the only plant that provides all eight essential amino acids.

Soy has been proven to help build bone mass, it is believed to help lower cholesterol, aid nerve and brain function and help maintain hormone balance. Published articles laud soy for its cancer protecting benefits especially against breast and prostrate cancer. The United States has the highest death rate from both of these cancers than any nation in the world.

As to the recent controversy about the use of soy, I feel that if you use organic sources many objections to soy will be addressed positively. Regarding the claim that soy negatively affects thyroid function, healthy cultures that have been depending on soy as their sole protein source for thousands of years are a testament to the fallacy of this claim.

Along with adding soy in the diet for prostrate health, studies show that men taking 15mgs of lycopene twice daily significantly lowered their PSA levels. Herbalists have used Saw Palmetto for the same purpose for years. B6 and zinc would be the final ingredients needed for maintaining a healthy prostrate. Zinc is known as the mineral of the prostrate. A good natural prostate formula will include all of these nutrients.

Published June 2007 in Morris County's Natural Awakenings Magazine

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Weight Loss and High Protein

Health Talk

by Dian Freeman

Q : No matter how I try I cannot seem to take off weight. What

am I doing wrong?

A : One of the reasons that so many have difficulties with weight control is

that they don't understand how the body burns fat.

It is our muscle mass that burns stored fat for energy. Muscle is made of

protein. Eating protein builds muscle. If we exercise, we will build even

more muscle - to burn even more stored fat. That is how it works. Our

muscle mass is our metabolism. We control our own metabolism by

what we choose to eat.

We have been conditioned to count calories thus, because it often is high

in caloric value, protein is often limited. If the body receives too little

protein, it must break down and use our existing muscle as its protein

source to do its daily repairs. The body cannibalizes itself, leaving us

with less muscle to burn our fat stores.

While we should have been cutting our carbohydrates and raising our

protein, most of us have spent years on and off low calorie diets.

Andrew Weil suggests we get between 80 and 120 grams of protein a

day. This is difficult to do in three meals. I suggest 5-6 small high-

protein meals a day.

Low calorie diets do not work. Eat less carbohydrates and more

protein, more often.

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Systems Breaking Down?

Find A Nutritionist

Health Talk

by Dian Freeman

Q : I eat very little processed foods plus I take a multi

supplement, so why have so many health problem

cropped up? I have seen my doctor so many times

in the last year that I feel like a hypochondriac.

A : I hear this often. It appears that we can no longer depend upon finding enough nutrients in our food to support good health. One day, we just begin a system by system breakdown. I am seeing it happen in the grade school children of today. Each generation is less able to maintain health at an earlier age. That does not bode well for our future.

Today's nutritional needs are far greater than that of earlier generations. Today's foods are more lacking in nutrients. People are rapidly waking

up to this fact. More and more of my students are those taking my

nutritional courses to learn to care for themselves and their families. Knowledge is power. America cannot maintain its strength if our minds

and bodies are failing.

Today, more than ever, a balance diet with a strong basic supplementation program is needed. When I reached a system breakdown, I found I needed guidance and sought a nutritionist and then, I studied and became one.

If you cannot find your nutritional balance, get help in doing so.

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To Statin or not to Statin

by Dian Freeman

Q : Almost everyone I know is taking a statin cholesterol-

lowering drug. Given the risky side effects, are statins

producing the results warranted to take those risks?

A : All current statistics show that the rate of heart disease, heart attacks and strokes have not improved since the advent of statin use. Experts are now conceding that cholesterol may not be as much of a factor in heart disease as was previously thought. In fact, studies from Europe, Japan and Canada support the protective effect of cholesterol on the body.

Cholesterol is used by the body to take out toxins, to coat inflamed passageways thus, promoting their healing, to plug up cracks in tissue that need flexibility to function properly, to keep our muscles flexible, and, our sexual hormones are produced in the cholesterol. Reducing cholesterol may account for the growing need for drugs like Viagra.

Those conceding that lowering cholesterol (and the low-fat diet) has not had any effect on America's number one killer, Heart Disease, are still justifying the use of statin drugs as an anti-inflammatory.

This justification makes more sense as we nutritionists have long known that inflammation is the source of all disease. However, if the anti-inflammatory effects of statins worked, we should have seen an improvement in the rate

of all disease, including Heart Disease. And, we have not.

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Hot Flashes and Rosacea

by Dian Freeman

Q : Since becoming peri-menopausal, I am not only starting

to develop hot flashes but rosacea, as well. Can these

conditions be related?

A : Yes. They can be related. It will help to think of aging as both producing less and tolerating less than we used to. As we age, the negative symptoms resulting from the natural changes in our sexual hormone production can be exacerbated by eating many of the foods that we are increasingly less able to tolerate.

We can eventually become inflamed by the higher levels of insulin required

to handle the sugars and processed flours in our diet. Combine the loss of

a youthful balance of sexual hormones with increased insulin production

and you have a potentially volatile situation. High insulin levels, not only

less sexual hormone production, can be a cause for flashing which, in

some people, can result in rosacea.

Lowering sugars, cereals, bagels, pasta and breads will go far in stopping

hot flashes and the redness of rosacea. I have had great luck with natural products and plant based hormones that can reverse the symptoms of hormonal changes, including flashing, especially when insulin production

is lowered to non-inflammatory levels. Inflammation is not only one of the main causes of all disease, it accelerates the aging process.

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Irritability and Nutritional Deficiencies

Health Talk

by Dian Freeman

Q : My mother is driving us all nuts. In the last few years this

previously pleasant woman is now constantly irritable and

impatient. Are there nutritional deficiencies that can be the

cause?

A : Nervousness and irritability are classics signs of magnesium deficiency. It is possible that she is taking a calcium supplement that does not include sufficient magnesium. Magnesium deficiency also contributes to muscle spasms, charley horses and other cramping, restless leg, insomnia and sleep disorders. Many heart conditions, especially heart attacks, and high blood pressure have been linked to magnesium deficiency. Try switching her calcium supplement to a 1 to 1 ratio of calcium to magnesium. If there is no change, add another magnesium capsules daily, especially on days of high dairy intake as dairy is high in calcium but low in magnesium.

Another nutritional cause of irritability could be a lack of B vitamins, the nervous system vitamins. Taking a B-Complex 3 times a day with meals seems to be imperative in today's high stress world. A multi vitamin and an omega 3 EPA should also be taken 3 times a day with meals. With these four supplements, all taken 3 times a day, plus additional magnesium when needed, your mother should be back to her old pleasant self in short order.

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Colloidal Silver & Andrew Weil's opinion

by Dian Freeman

Q. Dian, Dr. Andrew Weil pans colloidal silver as being

ineffective and potentially dangerous. Go to:

http://www.drweil.com/u/QA/QA363388/ to read what

he says. What is your take as I know you are a big

advocate of colloidal silver.

A. One of the times I do agree with Weil is when he pressures medical schools to add nutrition courses to their curriculum, which they still do not do. I also agree when he recommends that each adult eat between 80 to 120 grams of protein a day. In my experience, as obviously in his, high protein intake is one of the main keys to all healing. But, beyond these cases I have often found his natural health solutions overly influenced by his early medical training (which may account for his mainstream medical view of colloidal silver).

As for colloidal silver, its antibacterial properties are being used by the defense department in soldiers underwear and socks to retard bacterial growth. And, it is being coveted by the pharmaceutical industry. According to the Kiplinger Letter (an economics news report):

"Silver's germ-fighting ability will get a workout in new uses. The metal kills disease-carrying microbes without the harmful side effects of chlorine or other sanitizing chemicals. Silver will be laced into socks, dish towels, toothbrushes. Even home appliances, heating and air systems. Industrial uses too...treating water and cleaning food processing gear."

Kiplinger Letter, May 4, 2001

Kiplinger is forecasting an increase in profits by those industries adding silver to their products. Yet the FDA is being influenced to shut down those in the natural health field if they use silver for these same purposes.

The medical community and the FDA proclaim, as Weil did, that silver has no antiseptic (or antibiotic/antiviral/antifungal) properties and, thus, they are attempting to make it illegal for the natural health industry to use it for any of those purposes.

I assume that once the natural health industry is denied its use, the pharmaceutical (pharm) industry will have exclusive right to use it for exactly all of the same purposes that have been denied to the natural health field. Not really in the spirit of a free market system, is it?

However, some in the pharm industry are not waiting to get exclusive rights. Curad already has incorporated silver pads in its bandages, declaring it as a 'natural antibacterial' dressing.

Quoting from my Curad bandage box: "Laboratory testing showed that silver in the dressing reduced bacterial growth (Staph, aureus, E. coli, E haire, and P. aeruginosa) for 24 hours."

Perhaps Dr. Weil should buy a box of Curads before making such broad statements about the ineffectiveness of silver.

As for the 'disfiguring skin condition called argyria,' as far as I know it has never been reported as occurring in the 20th century from any commercial preparation. Curad would certainly think twice about using it if argyria were a potential or common occurrence.

There were two instances reported, I think in the 60s, of two people who made their own colloidal silver incorrectly and they, I would imagine, drank a lot of it. In those cases the particles were too large and not colloidalized at all so the skin on those folks noses, reportedly, did turn gray.

Silver's historical ant-microbial uses are well documented. It is common knowledge that on the wagons heading to the American west in the 19th century dropped a silver coin barrels of water and milk to prevent bacterial or fungal growth.

During the U. S. Civil War, silver coins were filed down and the shavings were applied to gangrenous wounds to avoid the need for amputation. In those cases argyria (gray discoloration of the skin) did occur on the appendages but, many arms and legs were saved. This, in spite of the lack of sanitation in all mid 19th century operating arenas.

In earlier days, chunks of silver was used...and not pure silver either. Today's colloidal silver is 99.9% pure silver. It is electronically disperse in distilled water to particles that are 0.001 to 0.01 microns in diameter. A size that would be difficult to accumulate to tattoo the skin.

I have not heard of any instances of colloidal silver accumulating in organs and glands as cited by Weil. Anything is possible when people overuse any product. We can injure ourselves and even die of ingesting too much water at once.

In fact, about 50,000 people a year are admitted to hospitals with liver failure from Tylenol use. And around 600 people die each year due to taking too much Tylenol. But in those cases, as might well occur with silver, the cause of the problems was not the product but , the acute overuse of the product.

In the reference book Prescription for Nutritional Healing, by Phylis Balch, the author recommends several natural brands of colloidal silver For many things from fighting colds and flu to disinfecting wounds. She says, “Colloidal silver is a natural broad spectrum antiseptic that fights infection, subdues inflammation, and promotes healing.“

She also writes that:

“it can be used to fight fungal infections…promote healing of burns, wounds, cuts, rashes and sunburn. It can be used for toothaches and mouth sores, as eye drops and as a gargle to fight tooth decay and bad breath.. It can also be used as a sterilizer and can even be sprayed on air conditioning filters and air ducts and vents to prevent germs from growing. Taken internally, colloidal silver can be used to fight infection. It has been shown to be effective against more than 650 disease-causing organisms, including E. Coli and Candida Albicans.”

She gives no warnings against its use. I have not found any warnings posted on labels of, or in books about colloidal silver.

Suzi, at Suzi's Salon and Spa in Morristown uses it, instead of chlorine, to disinfect her foot spa. There have been no reports of gray feet at Suzi's.

I have heard of people using it, instead of chlorine, to keep their swimming pools clean (it is known that chlorine accumulates in our bodies each time we drink it, shower in it or swim in it). Others have used colloidal silver in emergency situations to disinfect pond or river water to purify it for drinking.

But, as with all natural products, the proof is really in the results received, not in the science.

I, and my family, have used it for years for most of the above listed uses. With great results. Our noses are not gray. I make sure all my family members keep a bottle in their medicine chest for emergencies. And it has served us very well.

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Chronic Adult Acne

By Dian Freeman

Q : I have tried everything but I still have more acne now than

in my youth. Help!

A : We often overlook nutritional deficiencies as a cause of acne. One cause I commonly see is the inability to absorb and utilize the nutrients that promote healthy skin. This is often due to the fact that fewer digestive enzymes and less stomach acid are produced as we age. Add to that the fact that stress, medications (especially antacids) and lack of sleep are among the culprits that can further reduce our ability to produce the stomach juices necessary to digest our foods well enough to lead to adequate nutrient absorption.

Without stomach acid we can become mineral deficient. Calcium and magnesium are necessary to address not only our bone health but our sleep and stress levels, as well. Chronic stress is often a trigger to outbreaks of the skin.

Most people know that Vitamin A is beneficial in fighting acne but few know that it requires the mineral zinc for it to be fully effective for skin health. Obtaining Vitamin A from food requires adequate digestive enzymes and obtaining zinc requires adequate stomach acid.

Being low in digestive juices can be a major cause of acne because of the resulting vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Supplementing with these necessary nutrients alone is not enough, however. It is important to avoid the conditions that lead to the accelerated loss of our digestive function and, thus, to yet another cause of accelerated aging.

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Disclaimer:

Any information from Dian's Wellness Simplified is not intended to replace

competent medical advice.

It is offered for educational purposes only.

All information is based solely on our research, opinion and/or experience

and is not meant to be prescriptive.