Saturday, October 30, 2010

October 2010 Newsletter

Happy Autumn. Hard to believe that the Fall is here already as the seasons continue to turn. I have a few articles of interest for you this month. We’ll take a look at the Fall season and how we can best nurture our body’s natural rhythms through our selection of food. I’d also like to introduce you to a reliable site for drug safety information – www.drugwatch.com. And, an interesting position being taken by Organic Valley – they are against the sale of raw milk. What’s interesting to me is that both the conventional dairies and even Organic Valley don’t get it. The people who are buying raw milk are not going to switch and buy from them. So, that only makes me less likely to purchase other products from Organic Valley.


And, another reminder of the many workshops I am offering this month in Thiensville and Hartford, Wisconsin and Cedar Falls, Iowa. Workshops include: Nutrition Boot Camp, The Five Tibetans, Stress Management, and others. For full information and registration please go to the respective web sites:

HeartSpace, Thiensville, WI http://www.blogger.com/goog_1926746502
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Copper Tree Wellness, Hartford, WI http://www.coppertreewellnessstudio.com/Workshops-temp.asp

Field of Yoga, Cedar Falls, IA https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/asp/home.asp?studioid=8947

One last item – stay tuned for an exciting announcement of the latest and greatest book from Ann Louise Gittleman. You’ll be hearing about that next Tuesday. Also look for an article in the Wall Street Journal on that day as well.

Foods for Fall

The Fall season is here. The ancient wisdom of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) and Ayurveda (Traditional Indian Medicine) tells us that each season has its own rhythm and character related to the temperature and weather changes along with the variations in daylight they bring. All of these factors impact our health and vitality as the body responds to the changing of the seasons.

Each season has specific organs to be detoxified, rebuilt, and nurtured during that season. In the fall it is the lungs and the large intestine, in the winter the adrenals and kidneys, in the spring the liver and gallbladder, and in summer the heart and small intestines. In addition each season has specific foods, teas and herbs to support the body during that time. As we move from season to season over the next year I’ll devote one article to each season.

To learn how to support your body during the Fall click here: http://brwellness.blogspot.com/2010/09/foods-for-autumn-nutrition-ideas-for.html

Reliable Drug Safety Information

DrugWatch.com is a comprehensive Web site database featuring extensive information about thousands of different medications and drugs currently on the market or previously available worldwide. DrugWatch.com includes up-to-date information about prescription and over-the-counter medications and includes details about associated drug side effects to aid in the protection of patients and consumers.

The resources available on DrugWatch.com are provided to offer visitors free and accurate information to aid in the understanding of various medications and conditions. The content on the site may help consumers formulate questions for medical professionals and alert the public about important information regarding potentially dangerous side effects associated with certain medications. By providing FDA alerts, drug interactions, and potential side effects on the site, patients have access to valuable knowledge that could enhance their ability to voice concerns with their doctor and improve their quality of care.

Go to http://www.drugwatch.com/

Organic Valley Opposes Raw Milk Sales

This is an e-mail that I received from the Weston Price Foundation about this issue. Please go to my blog to read it. http://brwellness.blogspot.com/2010/09/weston-price-foundation-info-organic.html

Protein: Are You Eating Enough or How to Cows Get So Big and Not Eat Meat?

The inspiration for this article comes from two absolute truths: One – you learn something new every day; and two – if you don’t know the answer it is best to say so rather than make something up! Recently I was asked a great question during a Nutrition Boot Camp workshop. I was discussing the importance of eating animal protein. I was asked if it is so important how do cows and other animals that don’t eat meat grow so large. I had never really thought about it, so it provided an excellent learning opportunity.


First, a little background. What is protein? It is one of the six core nutrients that we humans require for life (the others being fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and water). Protein is the structural basis of our body. It builds and repairs tissues and cells. It makes our hormones, enzymes, neurotransmitters, and antibodies. As you can see, protein is pretty important stuff! And remember, our body is essentially one big chemical factory and these processes go on continuously. Therefore, we need a constant supply of protein which is why I recommend to my clients that they consume protein with each meal and that it is approximately 30-35% of their diet. One of the factors I believe behind all the chronic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease is that most people do not consume enough healthy protein. In fact, if you do the math of the government recommended 2000 calorie diet, it comes out to approximately 60% carbohydrate, 30% fat, and 10% protein. If you’d like to read more about the connection between high carbohydrate diets and disease I strongly recommend Gary Taubes book Good Calories, Bad Calories.

How do we get protein? It comes from both animal and plant sources. Animal sources include meat, fish, poultry, milk, cheese, and eggs. Plant sources include whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. When we consume a “protein” it is broken down in our body to amino acids. Believe it or not, depending on what book you read you will get a different number for how many amino acids there actually are! But, for discussion purposes here we’ll use the number 23 with nine of them being classified as “essential”. Anytime you hear the word “essential” in nutrition means you have to eat it (your body does not make it). Animal proteins are considered complete proteins meaning they contain all the essential amino acids. Plant proteins are not, which is why you hear the famous “rice and beans” combination to provide a complete protein. People and animals that do not eat meat are therefore dependent upon getting the right mix of incomplete proteins from plant sources and mixing them together properly to build essential amino acids.

Now comes the big question – how do cows or other animals get complete proteins? Particularly since unlike humans they don’t have access to the Internet and all other kinds of sources to tell them exactly what foods to eat in what combinations so they can get the exact nutrients they need!

I did some research and found out some interesting facts. First, I came across a very succinct answer at www.everything2.com. Here’s a summary:

“Grass it mostly cellulose. And cows, like us, can't digest cellulose. So where do cows get all their nutrients? Cows have four separate stomach compartments. The rumen (one of the compartments) serves as a fermentation vat where microorganisms, such as bacteria and protozoa, break down the feed (hay, water, saliva, etc.) These microbes break down the cellulose into energy sources that the cow can digest (volatile fatty acids), and build protein, which again, the cow can digest. The rumen is quite huge (about 160 liters), and in an average cow, there are about 100 times as many bacteria as there are humans on earth.”

Then I found another interesting fact. In nature grasses are not cleaned and purified. What do I mean by that? They contain small bugs, grubs, larvae, etc. that the animals consume along with the grass! These small bugs are complete proteins! So, many of these so called “herbivores” (plant only eating animals) may in fact be eating small animals on the plants!

Bernard Rosen, PhD is a Nutrition Consultant and Educator. He works with individuals, groups, and at corporations to create individualized nutrition and wellness programs. His office is in Thiensville. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, e-mail at bernie@brwellness.com, call (262) 389-9907 or go to www.brwellness.com.

Friday, October 29, 2010

Positive Results from Earthing in One Night!

Earthing? What’s that? I’m guessing that is what you are saying to yourself. Let me explain what I believe may be the latest and greatest breakthrough in natural health!


Yesterday I received my much anticipated copy of best selling nutrition author Ann Louise Gittleman’s latest book Zapped: Why Your Cell Phone Shouldn't Be Your Alarm Clock and 1,268 Ways to Outsmart the Hazards of Electronic Pollution. The title pretty much tells it all. The short of it is that we are being exposed to increasing amounts of electromagnetic fields which disturb our body’s natural energy. The results for some people have become toxicity, fatigue, irritability, weakness, and diseases that no doctor can explain.

One of the solutions is a new concept called “Earthing” developed by Dr. Stephen Sinatra, Clinton Ober, and Martin Zucker. Along with my copy of Zapped I received one of the Earthing devices – the Earthing Universal Mat. This mat has several different ways to use it. I chose to sleep on it. Prior to going to bad my lower back was quite sore and I must admit the first part of my sleep was not very sound. I awoke around 2:00, but then something happened. I had a very interesting dream featuring a spiritual leader massaging my lower back with special healing energy and when I awoke in the morning my back felt great! Coincidence? I don’t think so. I look forward to continue to explore this device and getting some additional ones!

To learn more about the book and the Earthing devices, follow this link: http://www.unikeyhealth.com/?a=1003.



Here’s the longer description from amazon.com:

How many electronic innovations have you dialed, watched, surfed, charged, listed to, booted up, commuted on, cooked with, and plugged in today?

Consider your typical day: If you’re like most people, it probably starts in front of your coffee maker and toaster, ends as you set the alarm on your cell phone, and involves no end of computers and gadgets, televisions and microwaves in between.

We’re being zapped: Today 84 percent of Americans own a cell phone, 89 million of us watch TV beamed in by satellite, and we can’t sip a cup of coffee at our local cafe without being exposed to Wi-Fi. The very electronic innovations that have changed our lives are also exposing us, in ways big and small, to an unprecedented number of electromagnetic fields. Invisible pollution surrounds us twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, interrupting our bodies’ natural flow of energy. And for some, that pollution has reached the point of toxicity, causing fatigue, irritability, weakness, and even illness.

But we don’t have to simply surrender. Ann Louise Gittleman brings forth the latest research into electromagnetic fields to create this groundbreaking guide for every citizen of the wireless age. With the proactive, levelheaded approach that has made her one of our most respected health experts, she not only clarifies the risks but also offers specific, step-by-step information for how anyone can minimize them. From where you place your sofa to when you use your cell phone to what you eat for dinner, Zapped is packed with strategies for avoiding and mitigating the damaging effects of electropollution.

As she examines modern life room by room, device by device, Gittleman reveals a master plan for detoxifying your surroundings and protecting yourself and your family. We don’t need to abandon our homes—or even give up our PDAs—to be healthier and happier. Based on the latest scientific data, case studies, and Gittleman’s years of clinical practice, Zapped is an empowering guide to living safely with the gadgets we can’t live without.

Bernard Rosen, PhD is a Nutrition Consultant and Educator. He works with individuals, groups, and at corporations to create individualized nutrition and wellness programs. His office is in Thiensville. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, e-mail at bernie@brwellness.com, call (262) 389-9907 or go to www.brwellness.com.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

The Dirty Baker's Dozen - Fruits and Vegetables to Buy Organic

The Shopper's Guide to Pesticides ranks pesticide contamination for 50 popular fruits and vegetables based on an analysis of 89,000 tests for pesticides on these foods, conducted from 2000 to 2008 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the federal Food and Drug Administration. The 49 fruits and vegetables analyzed in the guide are the top 49 most consumed fruits and vegetables, as reported by the USDA, with a minimum of 100 pesticide tests between 2000 and 2009. Nearly all the studies on which the guide is based tested produce after it had been rinsed or peeled.

The most recent results had a surprising shift in one particular food moving from the "good" to the "bad" - domestically produced blueberries!  This caught me by surprise as I've been distributing the old list for the past several years and always speaking highly of blueberries.  For some reason, they are now finding high levels of pesticide contamination on them.  Now, here's where it gets more confusing.  The testing agencies do not test wild blueberries!  These have been what I've been advising my clients to eat.  Now, I'm not so sure.  From what I read elsewhere, they do use some pesticides on them.  A brand I recommend, Wyman's from Maine, does use them.  The question is, what stays on the fruit?

Here's the latest information:
I recommend you buy the following organic - there are 13 listed here (the Baker's Dozen):
Vegetables highest in pesticides: celery, bell peppers, spinach, kale, potatoes, lettuce.
Fruits highest in pesticides: peaches, strawberries, apples, blueberries (domestic), nectarines, cherries, imported grapes.

These are up to you:
Vegetables lowest in pesticides: onions, corn (frozen), peas (frozen), asparagus, eggplant, cabbage, sweet potatoes, winter squash, broccoli, cauliflower.
Fruits lowest in pesticides: avocado, pineapple, mango, kiwi, cantaloupe, watermelon, grapefruit, honeydew, plums, cranberries, bananas, tomatoes.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Are You Zapped

The following is courtesy of HSI-Alert!  It is a promotion for the latest and greatest book from Ann Louise Gittleman called Zapped.  It explores the effects of electromagnetic fields on your health and vitality.  How do I know it is a great book? I was part of the review process, so trust me, it is fascinating reading.

Since there is no use in recreating the wheel, here's what HSI-Alert had to say:
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Whether you know it or not, you've been zapped.


Recluses who live in remote outposts with no electricity or wireless devices, they're not zapped. But the rest of us--we're all getting thoroughly zapped with electromagnetic fields (EMFs) generated by the numerous electrical and wireless devices in our homes, offices, schoolrooms, cars, restaurants, stores--just about everywhere.

And according to HSI Panelist Ann Louise Gittleman, Ph.D., this constant EMF immersion is nothing less than electropollution. As Ann Louise puts it, "Your body responds to it as though it were a cloud of toxic chemicals."

But there's good news here too.
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Through ceilings and walls
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I just got off the phone with Ann Louise. We talked about her newest book, "Zapped," which she describes as a handbook for recognizing EMF sources. More importantly, "Zapped" offers hundreds of invaluable tips on how to significantly reduce your electropollution exposure.

For instance: If you live in a two-story house and you have a ceiling fan downstairs, the fan's EMF filters up into the room above. So be sure you don't run that fan at night if the room above is a bedroom.

Your refrigerator also generates a very powerful EMF. So if there's a couch or an easy chair on the other side of the wall behind your refrigerator, anyone sitting there is cocooned in a powerful electromagnetic aura.

With just these two insights, you can immediately imagine the many ways your appliances fill your home with EMFs.
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Wild & wireless
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Of course, "Zapped" also closely examines the effects of our wireless world--multifunction cell phones, laptops, iPads, and all the other wonderful gadgets that bring new layers of electropollution to our daily rituals.

Especially the cell phone.

As I mentioned earlier this year, a series of international studies called Interphone, coordinated by the World Health Organization, revealed a very troubling link between heavy cell use and giloma, the type of brain tumor that ended Senator Kennedy's life.

Other studies have shown that extended cell use among young people sharply increases their risk of developing malignant brain tumors.

So what can you do to protect yourself?

Here are three essential steps Ann Louise offers in "Zapped"...

1) After dialing a number, hold the phone away from your head while the call connects--this is when the signal (and the EMF) is strongest

2) Don't sleep near your cordless phone charger--it emits radio frequency power even when it's not in use

3) Keep the calls you make from cars, elevators, trains, etc. to a minimum--enclosed spaces increase EMF power

If you've been an HSI member for a while, you know Ann Louise is a renowned nutrition specialist and the author of many books on health and healing, including "The Fat Flush Plan," a New York Times bestseller. No surprise, then, that she caps off her many excellent EMF avoidance tips with suggestions for foods and supplements that can help "zap-proof" your world.

For more info go to http://www.areyouzapped.com/