Swinging moods...anger...frustration and related...

Someone I love has mood swings. Anger. Frustration. Lashing out at times. She gets upset at herself after an outburst and gets down about it. Most of the time she's a joy. This is not a situation where therapy would help although she is seeing someone. She's young, and this may be a stage, could be related to hormones to some degree. 

I decided to do some research for some possible herbal and supplemental solutions or assistance. May find some foods that also help but I'm not going down the yoga, exercise, meditation route as that's not an option for our girl and most of us already know they are good for our overall mental and physical health.

I'm going to just pop things I find on here and will circle back to this blog with updates on what helped or more things to consider. 

You'll find that many, if not all, of these help with sleep also. Stands to reason that if you're calm you're going to sleep better and vice versa! (Note: for more on sleep check out the blog I have on the sidebar and do a search on here for sleep...it is one of my ongoing research areas and I'm always adding things about improving deep and REM sleep.)

Magnesium - we know it's good for sleep, for our brain, but it's also listed as one that helps with stabilizing moods. It is an anti-stressor and studies have shown that it reduces stress levels and anxiety. Magnesium citrate powder is easily absorbed and the magnesium version I keep seeing as being the best for this particular issue.

Vitamin D - thinking getting outside in the sun for our minimum 20 minutes a day is usually the best way to get our D. Especially if combined with some movement like walking or riding a bike. Might not be the best way if you live in an area with heavy pollution.

5-HTP - mood swings, depression, and sleep issues.

Ashwagandha - great for your brain, memory also. (ha --- spellcheck tried to turn ashwagandha into "handwashing".)

Ginseng - mood, anger, focus, energy and more.

Rhodiola Rosea - I bought some and it's a sticky kind of herb, hard to cut up and use. I need to see if there are other versions I can buy, just haven't gotten around to it yet. I wanted to add it to my anti-anxiety tea blend that I make up for a friend but the type I bought turned out to be too hard to incorporate in a tea mix.

Passion Flower - helps with sleep and calms moods.

St. John's Wort - one that is mentioned over and over for mood swings, anxiety, similar issues. One said it is "the top herb" in this area.

Kava Kava - sleep, calmness, relaxation of nerves, anxiety, mood swings.

Chamomile - sleep, anger, skin swelling, stomach cramps.

Valerian Root - mood swings, sleep, restlessness, depression.

Sam-E - also good for your joints

Omega 3 - eat a lot of wild caught salmon! 

B Vitamins - B5, 6 & 12 in particular.  

These are some I came across that I'll update as I find out more. Listing so you can look into them before I do if you'd like:

• Catuaba
• Eleuthero or Siberian ginseng
  
• Ginkgo biloba (I use the herb in some of my teas for reasons other than mood)
  
• Maca root or Peruvian ginseng
• Mulberry bark tea (I eat dried white mulberries...will have to look up to see if they also have a positive mood impact)
  
• Schizandra (Wu Wei Zi)
  
• Shilajit
• Tribulus terrestris
  
• Yohimbine
  

Some additional comments, my own thoughts after years of working to improve my mind and body naturally:

I believe there are many things in our foods and diet that contribute and/or cause a lot, if not most, of our health and mind issues. Allergies to additives like red dye (disputed but there are many children who have had complete mood changes for the good when foods with red dye were removed from their diets). Gluten sensitivity. All those additives we can't pronounce in our processed foods. The list is long...pesticides, fast foods, preservatives, etc. 

Sugar in our foods is a big contributor to mood swings. They use it as a cheap filler...plus it is addictive so we keep going back for more and often don't like things that don't have sugar included. [Who puts sugar in mayonnaise? blue cheese dressing? Mass producers of those products. You won't find sugar in the recipe books. Check out my blog on sugar: https://ramblingjan.blogspot.com/2021/01/cutting-out-sugar-good-luck.html] 

Doubt me on how addictive sugar is? Try going sugar-free for a couple of weeks. I'm not talking about just ditching sodas and cake, I'm talking about looking at labels and taking anything out of your diet that lists any of the hundreds of names they give to sugar to hide it from you. 

I've done a number of blogs on sugar and mention it often in my health posts. I also have a Facebook group, private, called Little Life Hacks (https://www.facebook.com/groups/littlelifehacks) where I post things of interest so maybe I posted on there. You're welcome to join the group, just let me know you heard about it on here.

Our sedentary lifestyle also has a negative impact. The fact that we hang out more inside than outside. The wacky light exposure we now get throwing off our circadian rhythm. So many things we consider "normal" that truly aren't good for our bodies.

I eat organic as much as possible and definitely stay away from the "Dirty Dozen". 

Some suggested reading:

https://whatsgood.vitaminshoppe.com/supplements-mood-support/

https://ehowremedies.com/health/natural-herbal-supplements-to-control-anger-and-mood-swings/

https://globalhealing.com/natural-health/top-5-herbs-for-controlling-mood-swings/

https://urbol.com/natural-mood-stabilizers/

Vitamin C is just vitamin C, right? Updated 1/2/2020

We've all heard about needing vitamin C, how it is in fruits and veggies, how it is good to take when you're ill, and many other great things about its value. I'm betting that most of us take it either alone or in a multi-vitamin. 

As always, foods are the best way to get any vitamin or mineral but most of us don't eat enough, or eat right, to get everything we need. And sometimes we're battling issues where an extra bump is needed either temporarily or ongoing. There are tons of ways to add some extras to your foods (that'll be another blog, of course :-)).

When buying Vitamin C in supplement form, if you're like me, you opted for a well-known label and thought nothing more about it. Knowing it's water soluble and that your body uses what it needs and flushes the rest you may have opted for time release or small dosages to take throughout the day. 

A while back I picked up some powder form by NOW at Sprouts and have been adding it to my smoothies (doing whatever I can to decrease the number of pills I take!). I have never given it a second thought. I just finished off the large bottle and, coincidentally, came across a short blurb about vitamin C that spurred me to look into it a bit more.

Can NOTHING be simple? :-) 

It turns out that there are a variety of types, some absorb better than others and...and...and... In looking into Vitamin C I also found that it does much more than I thought! Who knew it was good for your memory? 

First the types, then the benefits.

Types

Ascorbic Acid - 

Synthetically made but identical to natural C. It's also the cheapest. Acidic and causes some to have stomach issues due to the acidity. From what I've read it is derived from fermented GMO corn...thus I would not be an advocate of using this one.

There are a number of mineral ascorbates that SOME say are less troublesome to those with gastrointestinal issues. They are considered "buffered". However, you need to look at the max daily (or cumulative) dosage for the mineral, especially if you are taking multi vitamins or take the minerals individually.

- Calcium Ascorbate (may be good for bone health but there's some debate about calcium so do some research),
- Magnesium Ascorbate (good for leg cramps, pooping regularly and other things),
- Sodium Ascorbate (be careful with this one if you have salt issues, high blood pressure - 1,000 mg of sodium ascorbate contains roughly 111 mg of sodium).
- Potassium Ascorbate
- Zinc Ascorbate
- Manganese Ascorbate
- Molybdenum Ascorbate
- Chromium Ascorbate

I probably missed a few...the list is long.

Studies have shown that there doesn't seem to be any clinical difference between the synthetic and natural and both are equally bioavailable. Yours truly thinks natural, "real" is always better.

Ascorbate and Vitamin C Metabolites -  

Ester-C is patented calcium-ascorbate with a bit of calcium threonate, xylonate, lyxonate, and dehydroascorbic acid. The maker claims it had higher absorption rates into the blood but a 2008 study showed equal amounts with regular Vitamin C. However, there was a higher concentration in the white blood cells.

Vitamin C with Bioflavonoids (antioxidants; polyphenolic compounds found in plants)

One study showed it had a 35% higher absorption rate than regular ascorbic acid. However there are numerous studies that show no difference. Purportedly easier on the digestion system also. Again, there are those who disagree with that statement. I suppose it is up to you to discover whether it's true or not for your particular stomach!

Liposomal Vitamin C

It has a fat-soluble coating that increases absorption. Saw a number of studies showing increases in absorption.

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Typically this one is used in skin creams, lotions, etc. as it is absorbed better. The formulation makes it fat soluble rather than water soluble. I've read quite a bit about Vitamin C being great for our skin and use a cream that includes it. I'll be checking to see which Vitamin C is used after I finish this post! This type is also used to preserve food.

Vitamin C with Rose Hips (the fruit of the rose plant)

Rose hips are high in Vitamin C and numerous other antioxidants and is easily absorbed. Typically they combine synthetic ascorbic acid with rose hips.

D-Isoascorbic acid (Erythorbic acid)

Used as a food antioxidant in the United States.

Ascorbyl palmitate

Used to increase the shelf-life of things with vegetable oils like chips, etc.

The benefits of Vitamin C

• Increases iron absorption
• Helps improve memory
• Supports the immune system
• Helps with periodontal health
• Helps to prevent colds & respiratory problems
• Good for heart health
• Helps to prevent seizures
• Helps to prevent blood infections
• Great for skin
• Supports the formation of collagen and L-carnitine
• Has been shown to slightly lower blood pressure
• Helps reduce the chances of getting gout
  

Who should take Vitamin C?

Well, I'm definitely not a doctor or trained practitioner but unless you're eating a good supply of veggies and fruits I'd posit that most of us need extra. Especially if you smoke, are stressed, bruise easily, have toxin issues like exposure to mercury (fillings in teeth?) and lead, live in areas with higher pollution, have joint pain or bleeding gums.

The type I'm going to look for (and will update this blog as I find)

- ones made from natural foods like camu-camu, acerola berry, orange peel, and/or rosehips

Things to watch out for when choosing a Vitamin C supplement

They love to put cheap fillers in vitamins, especially the chewable, that, in my opinion, negate the benefits. Sugar, sucralose, stearic acid, natural flavors, artificial flavors and colors, carageenan, vegetable magnesium stearate, rice powder (if you're on a low-carb diet) are ingredients that would have me putting it back on the shelf. You may pay more for quality but it's not really paying more if you're getting something that works AND doesn't have crap in it that will hurt you. 

There are other things I watch out for when buying vitamin supplements that may not be an issue with Vitamin C supplements. I'll let you know if I find them as I wander around on-line looking for a good Vitamin C. Right now I'm leaning toward buying either camu-camu or acerola powder. It looks pricey at first glance but when I cost it out it seems to be very reasonable.

What dosage?

Generally, from what I've read, it's safe up to around 3,000 mg a day. After that you'll probably be sitting on the toilet regretting those high doses. However, if you break it up throughout the day even higher doses can be tolerated without diarrhea. 

2,000 mg per day is what seems to be the general consensus on dosage that I ran across for prevention of gout, decreasing blood pressure, fighting infections. However, if you consistently take high doses it may increase your chances of getting cataracts and some say cause kidney stones. Conversely, studies have shown that Vitamin C helps to prevent cataracts. Balance. It's always about balance.

The "official" recommended minimum daily range is between 65 and 90 mg with smokers needing an addition 35 mg. Per ConsumerLab.com (where I do a lot of research; paid site) the dosage between 50 and 100 mg is "sufficient for most adults". 

The recommended dosages are set for the minimum requirements to live. You know how you eat, what you eat...if you're eating a lot of fresh organic veggies you're probably good to go without supplementation unless you've been exposed to some nasty virus or illness, or you feel yourself fighting something, or you're stressed, or you don't exercise, or you live with any kind of pollution, or if you are exposed to toxins, mold...or...or... OK, OK, take a supplement when in those situations! :-)

I'm an advocate of breaking it up through the day no matter what dose you take. That's one of the reasons I switched to adding a powdered Vitamin C to my smoothie or daily drink. I mix a large bottle in the morning with my C and other powders and drink it all day, adding water or herbal tea or ice to keep it fresh and filled. 

Little tidbits of interest

One study found that only 50% of time released Vitamin C was absorbed, another found that the slow release was equal to taking small doses. Could be some formulas are better than others?  

Vitamin C increases your bodies ability to absorb iron. (Personal note: I learned last year that I have a condition where I have high iron in my blood. Supposedly, from the research I did, the only way to get rid of the excess iron is to donate blood. I need to do a bit more research on it and, given the increased absorption rate with Vitamin C, may need to back away from taking it as a supplement. I do know that excess iron in your system can cause some not-so-good health issues.)

Your body can't manufacture Vitamin C so you have to get it in your foods or as a supplement

Vitamin C helps your body produce collagen

More info (and where I got some of my info):

https://www.iherb.com/blog/vitamin-c-forms/994

https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-C/supplemental-forms

https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-C/supplemental-forms

https://modernalternativemama.com/2015/10/19/how-to-choose-the-best-type-of-vitamin-c/

https://www.swansonvitamins.com/blog/lindsey/benefits-of-vitamin-c-and-vitamin-c-types

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/

Shankhapushpi (Dwarf Morning Glory, aloe weed, Convolvulus pluricaulis, Clitoria ternatea, Evolvulus alstinoides, Codonopsis pilosula, Canscora decussate)

Well, dingbat here, was digging through my refrigerator bin with powders and herbs and found my bag of powdered Shankapushpi (or Shankhapushpi). I have a tendency to get interested in something, buy it and USE it...but this is one I remember getting during a really stressful time, I tried it for a bit, and I put it in the fridge for "later". It slid to the bottom of the bin and my mind. 

The plus side to coming across it this morning is that I get to be excited about trying it again so it's a two-fer??? Not exactly excited but I'm off doing some re-research to re-learn why I bought it. If I remember correctly it didn't do much for my sleep but it could be that it needs to build.

It sounds really good but I've gotten a bit jaded when it comes to all the things out there that are said to do wonderful things, especially when they have such a long list of benefits. Not doubting they work but none of them are miracle workers and what works for one person may not for another. It could be that this will help me personally in one area but not another. Getting ready to start again and find out!

It has many reported benefits for the brain AND to a lesser degree for sleep, two big areas of interest for me. In reading about it the memory enhancement and cognitive benefits top the list as to reasons people use it. The list of what it purportedly does/helps with includes:

• Memory enhancement (long-term), improved concentration & mental fatigue, & focus
• Alzhiemer's disease & other dementias (here's an interesting bit about two of the different types of Shankhapushpi: https://www.jpionline.org/index.php/ijpi/article/view/827)
  
• Epilepsy
  
• Depression
• Ulcers
  
• 
  Stress & anxiety
• Sleep
• Headache prevention
• Skin health
• Digestion 
• Cardio health
  
• Learning disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism
  
• Liver disease
• Nausea & vomiting
• Bronchitis & asthma
• Graying hair, hair loss
• Diabetes
  

A few tidbits:

• There are four (4) plants known as Shankhapushpi: Convolvulus pluricaulis, Clitoria ternatea, Evolvulus alstinoides (found it called Vishnukarandhi, Vishnukrantha, Vishnu-kranta, Vishukarandi, and Sankaholi), and Codonopsis pilosula. Update: just came across a site that says the four are Convolvulus pluricaulis, Evolvulus alsinoides, Clitoria ternatea, and Canscora decussate with the first being the "true" Dwarf Morning Glory. Yikes, now we're up to five plants and who knows how many names... Sigh. Ya'll are on your own...I'd need a doctorate to figure out which one is true at this point. I have Evolvulus alstinoides...which a number of sites said was "the best". Who knows? They generally all said they did the same thing in reading.
  
• You can use the oil, capsules, syrup, powder, juice or make a decoction.
• It's a perennial Indian plant (also found in Burma)
  
• 
  Check with your doctor if you're taking medications to lower your blood pressure or have any other health issues. I didn't see any big warning signs about taking it but it's always advisable to go slow with anything new you're adding.
  
• At extremely high doses it can slow down your respiratory system so make sure you stick to the recommended doses. I always cycle things like this just to be on the safe side. I also cycle things to make sure my body doesn't adjust to whatever I'm taking --- sometimes your body adjusts and quits making its own cancer fighters, sugar regulators, etc. All we're trying to do with supplementation is enhance, not kill or suppress, what our body can do for us if treated well.
  
• There is some debate as to whether the shankpushpi from Clitoria ternatea or Convolvulus pluricaulis is the best...seems that the Clitoria ternatea wins out for purists but it seems the Convolvulus is more common. I plan to do a bit more reading on this one...came across it late in my research. Not sure which one I have either so going to grab my bag to see. Update: I have Banyan Botanicals, Evolvulus alstinoides (saw it called Vishnukranthi on one site) also known as Dwarf Morning Glory herb per the label on the bag --- which means yours truly has more research to do! I am going to look it up using the common title, see if I can find out what the difference is between the three I have now come across. Traveling an interesting investigative trail. :-)
  
• The blooms closely resemble those of the Morning Glory so you'll see that mentioned frequently if you're out reading. It's not morning glory so don't go getting high on those morning glory seeds :-).
  
• Throughout history it has been a major part of Ayurvedic medicine practice
• It has a bitter taste so you may want to mix it with something sweet if you're not taking capsules

Dosage

The dosage suggestions vary widely and depend sometimes on what you're trying to achieve. I'm going to start with a half teaspoon twice a day, once in the morning and another at night. For brain and memory I saw doses as high as two teaspoons three times a day with the last being taken before bed to enhance sleep (which definitely helps the brain). I plan to start slow. I'm more into prevention of memory issues at this point so doubt I'll go to the higher doses.

More reading if you're interested. Much more depth than I provided above:

Effect of Evolvulus alsinoides Linn. on learning behavior and memory enhancement activity in rodents: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19610035/

https://supplementsinreview.com/nootropic/convolvulus-pluricalis-nootropic/ 

https://learn.1balance.com/post/benefits-of-shankhpushpi/

Comparative nootropic effect of evolvulus alsinoides and convolvulus pluricaulis: https://ijpbs.net/abstract.php?article=NTk2 

https://www.netmeds.com/health-library/post/shankhpushpi-benefits-uses-dosage-formulations-and-side-effects

https://lifeseasons.com/shankhpushpi

https://rootbabes.com/shankhpushpi-benefits/

https://harmonyveda.com/2020/01/09/know-shankhpushpi-benefits/

https://www.gyanunlimited.com/health/top-10-wonder-benefits-of-shankhpushpi-convolvulus-pluricaulis/11551/

Toxic Mold

The studio about 3 years ago, prior to
enclosing the porch.

Finding out first-hand about mold. A short time ago I noticed a bit of mold on the ceiling of my studio. I've had the studio for 17 years and never had an issue. At first I thought it might be coming from the exterior as I hadn't cleaned the gutters on that side of the building. So...I sprayed the ceiling mold with some bleach containing cleaner that said it would kill mold and cleared off the gutters.

The next day, more mold in another area. The third day I started finding it everywhere. Behind pictures on the wall. On the wood shelving. I kind of internally panicked. I'm not one to get overly, openly panicky. But in two weeks, weekend after next, I have a studio tour. Advertised for six months. First show since the pandemic. Two other artists planning to be with me, also advertised. Yikes.

Studio "cleaned up" for the Studio Tour a
few years ago.

I didn't quite realize what I was getting into when I decided to do a whirlwind "fix". I immediately ordered a dehumidifier. Then I called some mold mitigation companies. One of them very nicely walked me through everything. 

He queried me about the environment. Nope, hadn't been running the air conditioner and no, didn't have a dehumidifier but had ordered one. He told me the type I needed and said if that wasn't what I ordered to not even bother opening the box. I cancelled delivery and ordered the one he recommended.

He said I could probably handle everything myself IF it was pretty much surface due to dampness in the studio. No known leaks so maybe it is simply due to COVID, not using the studio and air conditioner as I didn't have any shows, spent more time in my garage "studio" painting.

Sooooo clean!

I ordered a storage pod (just under $300 for a month...the transport of it being the biggest chunk of that). My friend heard about my situation and brought over an industrial dehumidifier for me to use until mine arrived. 

I turned on the air conditioner. It ran for a few hours then quit. Oh joy. Another expense. At least it's winter and I can postpone that one until next year. Although, they're probably cheaper right now. Adding that to the list to check into ASAP. 

A few days into
cleaning the mold.

I started taking art off the walls. It's weird. One piece will have mold on it, the next won't. Same materials. The mitigation guy said just toss everything in the Pod, not to worry about cleaning it off until time to put things back. I totally disagree with him on that one...putting mold into that closed in, dark container means it will grow and ruin even more things. 

I told him it was a studio --- I'm sure he pictured some cute little painters studio like one might see in a photo. Ha. I paint, I do ceramics, I do mosaics, I do mixed media, I have done and have all the stuff to do stained glass...and I never say no to anything that I think I might be able to use in any of those endeavors. 

Hadn't done much aside
from take down art from
the wall when I took
this pic.

Picture wall-to-wall shelves filled with glass, tile, paints, broken jewelry, ceramic art in the works, bowls...oh, never mind. There is NO way you can picture it as I didn't even realize what I had accumulated until I decided I could empty the studio and clean everything as I took it out... I had the idea that I would devote three days to cleaning and moving everything, then have my son come decontaminate it and then leisurely move things back within another 3-day time-frame. I planned to leave a chunk of things in the Pod, move just enough to be able to have visitors to the studio. 

Where's the laugh sound track when I need it???

I'm six days in and still haven't emptied the studio. I have, however, filled up two truck loads and taken them to the dump. I have teared up numerous times as I tossed something into the truck that had memories and meaning. I have tossed some of my own art that I will never replicate. I have thrown out well over a thousand dollars in tools (wood), art books & magazines and I haven't gotten to the shelving that is going to need to be thrown away and replaced.

Every day I take things out into the sun,
spray, then cart them back inside ---
I don't want to put them in
the storage pod if I can see mold.

When my son comes out it may be that he finds mold in the attic. I had the roof replaced. He thinks it's possible the old roof had a leak and that the new roof sealed in the moisture. If he is correct, and I hope he isn't, then I'll need to pull out the ceiling and quite possibly tear out the walls and replace everything. Luckily he can do a lot of the work --- but he has a family that needs him around so I don't want him exposed to mold and I don't want him to spend too much time away from them. They bought a house and he's completely re-doing the interior. The last thing he needs is another project! Especially given he's busting butt trying to keep his business viable during COVID. ]

My health is another issue. I'm healthy but mold can change that quickly. I've upped a few of my supplements, am drinking more fluids and I'm wearing a mask. But I can see the mold spores flying sometimes when I pull out a piece of material or open a drawer. Which is another weird thing about mold --- I have a lot of those plastic drawer sets. I will open one with broken tiles or glass for mosaics and will see mold. I'll open the one above or below and zip, nada, no visible mold. I'm spraying everything with mold killer no matter whether I see it or not. AND I have a couple of containers with bleach and mold killer where I'm tossing smaller things to soak.

What a crazy mess. I keep thinking "if only I'd run the air conditioner", "if only I'd gotten a dehumidifier", "if only I'd run the kiln like I normally do"... Ah well, my time machine is broken and I'm stuck in this time-line. I'm generally not one to dwell on what I coulda-shoulda except to make sure it's seared into my brain not to repeat a negative...but it's kinda hard NOT to think those thoughts when spending hours and hours sorting, cleaning, tossing, and lamenting losses. 

Oh, almost forgot --- had the studio professionally pressure washed and the gutters cleaned a couple of days ago. No mold on the outside. I'll be doing that regularly now. Lesson learned. Many lessons from this fiasco!

I'll keep you posted. Right now I'm heading out to walk with a friend --- going to fill my lungs with clean air and my brain with clear, positive thoughts!

Great article on Creatine...

She sometimes talks (and writes) way over my head as I'm an artist, not a scientist or doctor, but I always understand enough without having to go get a medical degree... So, here's one of Dr. Rhonda Patrick's breakdowns of the latest and greatest on creatine.

https://www.foundmyfitness.com/topics/creatine
Creatine is a naturally occurring compound that plays major roles in the storage and release of cellular energy. It also participates in a wide range of biological processes involved in improving pregnancy outcomes, maintaining bone mineral density and muscle mass in the elderly, improving neurological function, and aiding the immune system to fight cancer. Creatine is perhaps best known for its widespread use as a dietary supplement to enhance physical performance...

• Contents [Hide]
1Creatine uptake, synthesis, storage, and supplementation
1.1Creatine uptake
1.2Creatine synthesis
1.3Creatine storage
1.4Creatine supplementation
2Creatine and methyl metabolism
3Creatine and cellular energy production
4Creatine and physical performance
5Creatine and age-related muscle loss
6Creatine and metabolic regulation
7Creatine and pregnancy
8Creatine and neuroprotection
8.1Creatine and cognitive performance
8.2Creatine and depression
8.3Creatine and neurodegenerative disease
8.4Creatine as a therapy for traumatic brain injury
9Creatine safety profile
10Conclusion
---
•Creatine episodes
•Creatine news

Alzheimer's drugs...more failures and a few promising trials starting...

I've posted about the failure of mainstream Alzheimer's treatments before...I think the focus on amyloid plaques is mistaken. Yes, there seems to be some good reason to address the tangles and build up in the brain at some point. However, if you're not fixing the cause of the plaque attack then it's going to happen again and be potentially worse, possibly a rebound effect?

Thus far the ONLY treatments that are working for the long-term are those that test for health issues, change diets, lifestyles, add targeted high-quality supplements to stop the root causes. Take a look at my page with recommended reading (link above) and you'll see a number of books focused on functional healing and reversal of Alzheimer's Disease and other related brain issues.

Here's a few of the latest on drugs in testing and some getting ready to start:

EXCELLENT article...
As another Alzheimer's treatment fails, experts are divided on where to next
Before I have a chance to ask dementia researcher Amy Brodtmann about the failure of yet another Alzheimer's treatment, she wants to make one thing clear.
"Whenever these drugs fail, you can't underestimate how devastating it is."
After three decades of research and billions of dollars of investment, news that another Alzheimer's drug treatment has failed means an effective treatment for the common degenerative disease is still out of reach...
https://www.abc.net.au/news/health/2020-02-26/alzheimers-drug-failure-raises-questions-about-research/11996258

My comments: At first, I thought, wow, great...although I much prefer to figure out the root causes, address those and keep it from happening...but for those looking for a magic pill the first part of the article seemed positive, as does the end...but the one sentence I pulled below shows the problems with treatments that don't address WHY...
A new treatment for Alzheimer’s
Their research has shown that, in small doses, the metal lithium is capable of reducing Alzheimer’s symptoms and could prevent the emergence of Alzheimer’s in people with a genetic predisposition to the disease. ...
...Yet the treatment cannot remedy the symptoms of Alzheimer’s once severe cognitive decline has set in; it is only effective in low doses over sustained periods before dementia symptoms appear...
http://www.mcgilltribune.com/sci-tech/a-new-treatment-for-alzheimers-250220/

ProMIS Neurosciences Initiates Natural History Study of Blood-Based Biomarkers in Alzheimer’s Disease 
TORONTO and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Feb. 26, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ProMIS Neurosciences, Inc. (TSX: PMN) (OTCQB: ARFXF), with Toronto Memory Program, Canada’s largest and most experienced memory clinic and site for drug treatment trials in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has initiated a pilot longitudinal study to assess the level of blood-based biomarkers in early AD with the support of Parexel, one of the world’s leading global clinical research organizations (CROs). ProMIS will leverage Parexel’s significant data management and central nervous system (CNS) expertise for the study, which it will use as the historical control arm for its anticipated Phase 1 study of PMN310, a novel antibody that selectively targets the toxic oligomeric species of amyloid beta, a root cause of AD. The dataset will help ProMIS detect a treatment signal as early as Phase 1, potentially allowing for rapid proof-of-concept at a fraction of the expense associated with traditional clinical trials. The dataset will be made available as a communal resource for Alzheimer’s researchers...
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/02/26/1990787/0/en/ProMIS-Neurosciences-Initiates-Natural-History-Study-of-Blood-Based-Biomarkers-in-Alzheimer-s-Disease.html

UPDATE 1-Roche drug fails in early-onset Alzheimer's disease study
* Study fails in inherited form of Alzheimer’s
* Roche says 2 additional trials to continue
* 100s of Alzheimer’s drug trials have flopped (Adds details throughout, comment from Roche)
https://www.reuters.com/article/roche-alzheimers/update-1-roche-drug-fails-in-early-onset-alzheimers-disease-study-idUSL8N2AA0QG

Drugs fail to slow decline in inherited Alzheimer's disease
Two experimental drugs have failed to prevent or slow mental decline in a study of people who are virtually destined to develop Alzheimer's disease at a relatively young age because of rare gene flaws
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/drugs-fail-slow-decline-inherited-alzheimers-disease-68881708
...The study tested solanezumab by Eli Lilly & Co., and gantenerumab by Swiss drugmaker Roche and its U.S. subsidiary, Genentech. Both drugs gave disappointing results in some earlier studies, but the doses in this one ranged up to four to five times higher and researchers had hoped that would prove more effective...

Israeli startup hopes to battle Alzheimer’s with enzyme-busting drug
After testing in lab, ProteKt Therapeutics says compound that inhibits the PKR enzyme can lead to cognitive improvements and slow the disease’s progress; road ahead is long
...Nisemblat is aware that the way ahead is long and precarious and because there is no clear, single cause of Alzheimer’s disease there is also “no single target” to aim at in trying to beat the illness.
“The traditional treatments are not beneficial,” he said. The industry has been seeking new ways to slow down the illness’s progression and halt patents’ deterioration...
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-startup-hopes-to-battle-alzheimers-with-enzyme-busting-drug/ 

Adding Michael Pollan to my reading, listening list...

I have Google Alerts set up on a number of topics, some fun, most serious and related to health (mine or someone in my family). I remember seeing Michael Pollan's name in some of the articles I've read but have not taken the time to listen or find out more. He has been around for quite some time.

Based on some quick reading this morning, Pollan speaks common sense. I love his 7 Rules for Eating. I agree with so much that was attributed to him in the article.

We are obsessed with health in the United States. Yet we have some of the worst eating habits and the worst rates of diseases. It seems everyone is on a diet. I prefer not to think of what I do as a diet --- that is a brain thing as to me a "diet" is negative in my mind, it is something temporary with a specific goal of losing weight for the majority. Sometimes it's a change in reaction to a health scare (heart attack, etc.).

I also think everyone has to find their own way, find a way of eating 

I eat a certain way, I tweak it as I learn more, as I pay attention to my body...but what I'm trying to do is follow Pollan's #1 rule --- I don't eat anything that my grandmother (in my case, my great-grandmother) wouldn't recognize as food. As part of that, I basically try to eat like most did before manufacturers started messing up our food by processing it, spraying our foods with tons of chemicals and pesticides, modifying our foods so they wouldn't die when sprayed with pesticides, filling our cattle with hormones and antibiotics, feeding fish, chickens, and cattle with "foods" they were not intended to eat...I could go on.

We wonder why we are so ill? Why younger people are in the midst of a diabetic epidemic? Why ADD is happening with more and more frequency? Why Alzheimer's Disease and dementias are rising...and to younger and younger ages? Why our population is so obese? It's more than one thing, it's not just food. But food plays a huge part in it!

OK, stepping down from that soapbox! 

I like his 2nd "rule" --- don't eat anything with more than 5 ingredients or ingredients you can't pronounce. And his 3rd --- stay out of the middle of the grocery store, shop the perimeter... and definitely his 4th --- don't eat anything that won't eventually rot!

On the 4th I do bend it a bit. Only because in a tiny, tiny way I am a mini-prepper. I want to have enough food to eat if we lose electricity for a few weeks (which happened to us a few years back during a winter snowstorm). I like frozen foods much, much better than canned or freeze-dried, but if you don't have a freezer ya gotta have somethin' to eat.

The rest of his rules are good also. 5 - don't eat so much, leave the table a little hungry, 6 - eat around the table with family, not the TV and 7 - don't buy food where you buy gas (or I gather if you read the rest, at fast food joints).

Of course, I paraphrased his rules. I would add a few others --- eat organic whenever possible (but especially the Dirty Dozen) and go Non-GMO to avoid all the extra pesticides if you can't find organic.

He is correct when he notes that our food "rules" have changed over the years. One day something is bad, the next it is good. Villains change to heroes overnight. We find that studies promoting certain lifestyles were done by the food industries that would benefit. We find that studies done that changed our way of eating were flawed. New science decides that salt isn't all bad, that cholesterol isn't the bad-guy they thought it was, that it's good to eat fats...and so on.

I'm going to check a few of his books out of the library. I'll let you know what I think. I may just go see if he is on YouTube first. I'll add some links below if I find anything interesting or new.

Ha --- just took a look at the videos and it seems that in addition to talking diet and food Pollan talks a lot about psychedelics. (Here's a first-pass search result: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=michael+pollan&qpvt=Michael+Pollan&FORM=VDRE)

https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/20090323/7-rules-for-eating#1

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Pollan

Updated 3/1/20 - What is working when it comes to fighting Alzheimer's Disease and other dementias?

Pretty much the only things currently having any kind of an impact long-term on the fight against Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and other forms of dementia all come from the functional side of the medical world.

That's not to say that when caught early the traditional treatments don't always fail. Sometimes, when combined with increased physical exercise, dietary changes and maybe some supplements, early intervention works and continues to work.

Sadly, most people don't talk to their doctors about failing memory until they are past the point of current traditional, mainstream medical treatments working to keep AD at bay. I have personal experience with that silence. Those close to this individual kept everyone in the dark, although to be honest we kind of noticed some signs, just didn't pick up on them as we don't see them except in short doses for holidays. The Bredesen Protocol (see other posts, plus some of my pages linked below the header) could have worked for her but they are no longer following. Long story on that one. Sad, makes me so sad, wakes me up at night thinking about what they are facing.

Anywaze...onto brighter thoughts. Oh, wait, no...the next part deals with the current status of treatments for dementias. Not good news.

Quotes from a variety of articles on the current status of "traditional" treatments (click the quote to read the entire article):

• Previous Alzheimer’s medications have targeted specific toxins that are abundantly present in diseased brains, such as the aforementioned beta amyloid. However, these drugs all failed once going into clinical trials, perhaps because they were only targeting one part of the problem.
• As drug trials fail to find an effective treatment for the most common form of dementia, could it be time to go back to the drawing board?
• Current drugs only temporarily ease symptoms and do not alter the course of the disease.
• Because there are no effective disease-modifying treatments currently available for Alzheimer’s, drugs and other approaches — such as nutritional supplements, or nutraceuticals — designed to stop or slow disease progression have become a focus of ongoing research
• On the treatment front, we still do not know what causes Alzheimer’s disease, and we do not have a cure. The drugs that have been approved slow the progression of symptoms for a period of time, but then the disease takes over again. Someone with Alzheimer’s will die of it or with it.

Great article highlighting the general things we can do to help PREVENT dementia:

https://bewell.stanford.edu/boosting-brain-health/ 

I could have posted a thousand similar quotes. Almost every article has statements of hope about future treatments...but it's almost like they're tossing a tiny bone at the readers or maybe trying to give themselves hope. If you read my blogs, the comments I post on the pages (links above), you know I think they are barking up the wrong tree by focusing on amyloid plaques.

Now for some positive news!

However, we DO have current treatments that are working and have been working. They don't involve drugs and are multi-pronged so there's no money for grants, aside from some small ones for small groups. Also, most doctors have a tendency to look down their noses at what falls under the "functional medicine" heading. Even if their patients ignore their traditional advice and drugs and opt to change their diets, lose weight, exercise, take supplements --- and improve, get better.

I'm a prime example. I had high cholesterol. I balked at taking drugs. My doctor "allowed" me 2 months, which she "graciously" extended to three for me to try and decrease it with exercise and diet. I'll admit, I didn't do much research at the time, upped my exercise routine...and failed. She scared me sufficiently into starting to take the meds. She told me it was hereditary and I just had the gene, was stuck.

A bit later I made some serious changes to my diet. I went gluten-free (before it was a "thing"), took sugar out of my diet and then eventually moved to a plant-based diet. I was vegetarian initially. My cholesterol numbers dropped, I got off the meds...and got off my acid reflux medicine (which another doc said I'd be on for the rest of my life or risk esophageal cancer...they do like to scare one!).

If you're interested in HOPE as opposed to depressing news, a feeling of doom because you have a family history of dementia or Parkinson's, have been diagnosed with MCI (mild cognitive impairment), have found you have one or two APOE4 genes or have a family member dealing with Alzheimer's Disease take a look at the APOE4.info forum --- over 3,500 people who are focused on keeping dementia at bay. There are great success stories. There are many who are discovering the site and taking control of their health daily. You can also find some excellent Facebook groups.

NOTE: Many or most of the following docs see a role for traditional drugs and treatment, they just know that it's a much bigger picture. I agree. I think there is a place for drugs and applaud our great physicians who do a great job. I just think we have a personal responsibility to do our own research, do more than just pop a pill...

Pick up or check out one or all of the following books:
Dr. Dale Bredesen - An End to Alzheimer's
David Perlmutter - Grain Brain
Steven Gundry - The Plant Paradox
Amy Myers - The Thyroid Connection
Terry Wahls - The Wahls Protocol

Or check into Zack Bush, Mark Hyman, Stephen Phinney, Jeff Volek, Valter Longo, Jason Fung, Dave Asprey, Ivor Cummings, Sachi Panda, Rhonda Patrick, Peter Attia. (No particular order of preference and you'll like some, not like others!).

Explaining Functional Medicine...

This guest column says everything I might have said if I'd tried to write about the topic...  The only thing I might quibble over is the title of the article as it's really not a totally new kind of medicine!

A new kind of medicine

The first time I heard the term Functional Medicine (FM) was soon after my mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease.

After her diagnosis, she was prescribed medication and we were told the disease would continue to progress until her death. Since then, I have often wondered how different it might have been if years ago we would have had more detailed information about her health. Maybe FM could have made a difference.

http://www.northstarmonthly.com/opinion/a-new-kind-of-medicine/article_231dbc16-5803-11ea-8539-5bfc9aec428f.html

On the hunt... (Little Life Hacks post)

My mother is in the early stages of some sort of dementia, cognitive decline, or maybe Alzheimer's Disease. She hasn't been officially diagnosed although we've been to a neurologist. I'll save my thoughts on that visit for another blog on another day!

We have been following the Bredesen Protocol with some success. Given the fact that we didn't start until a few years after her memory issues began I'd say we've seen noticeable improvements, but not jump up and down results. Yet.

Part of the problem is that mom doesn't like taking pills...and there are a LOT of supplements that are suggested with the Protocol. If you're interested, here's a link to a post by Jacob on his website that gives a fairly simple overview and list: https://mybiohack.com/blog/dale-bredesen-protocol-recode-alzheimers-mend

Because Mom doesn't like taking the pills she sometimes skips taking them at all and always complains. So, I've been on the hunt for powder, liquid, chewable forms of as many as possible.

Trying to find a reasonably priced, quality supplement with those restrictions is hard enough. Toss in no sugars or bad oils and other things not on the "good for you" list and the number decreases to zero for most.

I was able to find a few. I found a chewable magnesium to replace the CALM she takes at night. The CALM is great, but it has to be mixed with water. Water means getting up in the middle of the night.

I found a liquid PQQ but it is four to five times the price of the pills she is taking. Not able to do that one right now.

I also ordered a chewable 5 HTP. by NOW. I ordered via Walmart, third party as they don't sell it. It's not on Amazon either. It will be 10 days before we get it. (Update --- it's OK, doesn't taste great but it is palatable)

She is already taking a chewable methyl B12 and multivitamin. I don't care for the multivitamin so will be working on replacing it with a better chewable.

Finding some form of easy-to-take choline, citicoline, Alpha GPC seems to be an impossible task.

I make her a brain tea with most of the herbs Bredesen recommends, plus some others not on his list that I've found help with cognition. I also make her a tea designed to address some of her other issues.

We're working on things, but truthfully we're probably only able to do maybe 50-75% of the Bredesen Protocol list. Finding organic and gluten-free foods when you live an hour from a half-decent grocery store is a challenge. Finding grass-fed meats, pastured eggs, and chicken? They exist but we're not really sure they're legit. Forget finding wild-caught Alaskan salmon! But, wild-caught salmon can be found at Walmart.

I always carry a large cooler of things with me when I go see them. I'm lucky to have Sprouts, Publix, Walmart, Aldi, Whole Foods and other stores super close. I try to go up once a week but there are a few other challenges in my life right now that are keeping me close to home. Soon I'll be back on track to get up there!

All of the supplements and food choices come at a high price. They took zero supplements and had one medication before all of this started. And...going from a dollar or so for a loaf of bread to $4-$6, for example, can really add up (although carbs are low on the "to eat" list so that's not necessarily the best example). My dad has always been frugal and they've lived a simple life. Now it's complicated. It's a complete change in every way possible for my parents. And it's hard. Everything is alien to their past way of life. Reading labels, avoiding all things sugar and gluten, learning to cook foods they've never heard of before...the list is long.

I'm lucky to have such a strong, resilient, loving Dad. He is getting it done despite all the crazy things being thrown in his direction these days! His Bible is getting a good workout though.

I love my parents dearly and will do everything I can to help my Mom beat this...and to help my Dad as he copes with cooking all the meals, helping her, and many things that he couldn't have envisioned when he said "for better or worse" many years ago.

Well...there I go rambling again. I was writing about hunting for supplements and ended up writing about my awesome parents.

I didn't say much about Mom. She is giving it her all. With her cognitive issues she gets sidetracked and comes up with some interesting takes on things at times but overall she is determined to fight. I also didn't mention the rest of my family...my sisters and brothers. They are all part of this journey and doing what they are able to make it work. I'm dang lucky to have my great family.

Fibromyalgia and Food "Fix"

Years back, when I worked a desk job, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia.

I had been running regularly, working out, taking aerobic classes, and was very active (but not overly so). Slowly I got to the point where getting out of bed in the morning was painful. I hurt. I was miserable. Sleep was sporadic and I was slugging through the day.

Luckily, being in a management position which gave me fantastic health benefits, I was able to work with my doctor to try and figure out the cause. We did every test imaginable over a long period of time. Finally I ended up with a rheumatoid specialist who came up with Fibromyalgia.

She gave me a whole slew of prescriptions and toldl me to get on the treadmill and walk for ten minutes a day. I laughed, thinking of the races I used to run & thought she was really underestimating my abilities. I couldn't walk for five minutes.

I filled the prescriptions and took them for a few days. I really, really 1) hated the idea of taking all those pills and 2) hated the side-affects. I stopped and went back to being miserable.

However, I didn't give up. I started a search for another answer. I did NOT like the idea of being weak, spiraling into medicine dependence, or being labeled.

I ultimately went to see a nutritionist. Not your typical hospital nutritionist (here's your food pyramid, eat like it says). I went to a private doctor who believed in using food, vitamins, minerals and all that's natural to combat illnesses.

She put me on what she called a shock diet. Nothing white in my diet at all for two weeks. If it was processed with anything white I couldn't eat it. It truly was a shock. I went through withdrawals I suppose. For about three days I walked from refrigerator to pantry to almost banging into walls as I detoxed from all the junk I had been eating (I thought I was a healthy-eater!). By the time the 2 weeks were over I was comfortable with eating whole foods and rather liked the diet.

Long story, but after the shock diet, dumping all the vitamins I thought I needed and narrowing them down to a few select choices, changing my diet, etc. I have never had any of the symptoms of Fibromyalgia... It wasn't an overnight process but it was a fairly quick turnaround. (Note: when I go back to bad eating habits, don't allow myself to get sufficient sleep, I can tell when my body is heading back in the yikes direction. I adjust and get back on track.)

That was my very first real experience with looking at diet and nutrition as a "cure" rather than going with the drugs most doctors automatically prescribe. Since then I've looked for doctors who say diet, exercise, lifestyle before pulling out the prescription pad. They are hard to find.

When my cholesterol started going up my doctor (at the time) told me I just had bad genes, luck of the draw. She "allowed" me two months to try and decrease it before starting me on Lipitor. It went up. I was half-ass about working on it at the time, bought into "gene" thing.

Later I did some research, read how I could lower it naturally with diet and proper exercise. I ditched the Lipitor. My cholesterol is well below the top range and has stayed there for years. My doctor still insists on testing it more often than usual to monitor :-)

I could tell more tales...I have politely argued with many doctors, done it my way and been successful in every instance. Good research and culling through all the hype of the current fads is crucial.

I'm not saying that diet can cure everything, but we really should give it a shot first. Even if it's not "the" cure eating healthy sure will help with fighting whatever you are facing.

I now have an OK doctor. She's not "into" the same things I am but when I walk in and tell her I'm doing this or that she says OK, try it, go for it, we'll do blood tests and see how it works. She has even given me some natural alternatives when I asked. She's still a prescription pad grabber first type, but she's agreeable to trying other things.

I am getting ready to tell her I've gone totally plant based. That's going to be an interesting conversation!

Shopping at Sams Club (Healthy Eating Post)

I was pleasantly surprised to see more organic offerings in the aisles as I wandered. There is very little I will buy at Sams aside from paper products as they only stock the most popular selling items. Sadly that means some of the most unhealthy stuff that exists usually.

They've always had a sampling of organic fresh veggies such as spinach, kale and lettuce. This time I noted they had carrots --- non-GMO labeled, too. I found a number of things that were labeled non-GMO.

I didn't find any organic fresh fruit. Maybe they had some frozen organic but I already have enough so didn't check it out.

The organics things they had on the dry / non-refrigerator/freezer aisles included some soups, some chips and a few other items. All but one of them had sugar of some sort. I don't do sugar. It was nice though to see a better selection.

I found some non-GMO/organic rice with kale and chia seeds that I grabbed to try. Very good, had it for dinner when I got home. It's microwavable stuff, too. I hate to spend the time cooking any more, just too much to do in this world. Dislike cleaning up even more than cooking...

re: Healthy Eating Post - I thought I'd start labeling them with that title just so those who could care less will know to skip them. That is assuming anyone at all is reading along...

People think I'm crazy...

Yep, they do. Well, I probably am in many ways that seem normal to me...but the one that most of my "normal" friends and family think I'm over the top about is what I eat.

I'm usually the lone one who asks for a veggie plate at a banquet. I'm the one my Mom calls before I go visit to find out if I'll eat this or that...and no matter how many times I tell her I'll find something to eat she still wants to try. I love her all the more because she does try, even though she thinks I'm crazy! I'm the one who gets the call asking if I'll bring my own food at Board meetings or other day-long events because they can't figure out what to order for me.

Now I'm kind of inching toward going vegan. I'm already a self-titled vegetarian. I will drink milk, eat some cheeses and eggs and haven't cared if my gluten-free, sugar-free waffles were made with dairy (I just discovered they aren't!). Going vegan means I'd give up all by-products with dairy, cheese, eggs and other food items made with animal products.

I'll tell you up-front that I think animals are on this earth so we can eat them and / or wear them. I've been a vegetarian since my teen years. I've probably bought and cooked meat three times in the past 20 years --- to feed someone else. Grass fed, hormone and antibiotic meat raised the way they used to be raised, of course.

I've known that it was kind of hypocritical to not eat meat because of the way they're processed, fed, treated, but give a pass to the milk, eggs, and other products produced from those same animals. I buy organic, cage free, but haven't been as stringent when it comes to the mixes, frozen waffles, etc. that I buy for convenience.

As I wrote in a previous blog I have been watching all kinds of food and health related documentaries while I'm walking on the treadmill. They have finally convinced me to give it a shot.

I'm going to move slowly, not go hog wild (pun intended).

I am going to majorly increase my veggie and legume consumption. I am going to only buy vegan processed foods (like my waffles). I pulled the cheese out of the fridge and tossed it in the freezer so I can give it to someone in the family who eats cheese. I left some things in the fridge because my husband is not on the same page and so we'll have dual eating habits.

I'm doing this for two main reasons that have a lot of subsets.

1- the health benefits. I watched, and then read, enough to see clearly that meat, dairy, etc. eaters had much higher incidents of a wide, wide assortment of illnesses. I won't bore you with all the details but it was enough to make me dig further and ultimately decide that our food and diets have changed over the past 50 or more years and it just ain't healthy to eat them pigs...

2 - the way we raise and process our meats is disgusting, criminal, horrific. Castrating animals without any anesthesia? cramming them into pens? cutting off beaks? grinding up live chicks? Not to mention the deplorable working conditions for those who work in the meat processing plants.

This isn't a "new years resolution", it's something I've been moving toward for a while and yesterday watching one of the movies again things crystallized in my mind.

Here's my plan:

• No cheese.
• No eggs.
• No butter.

Just doing those three is going to be a major adjustment but I'm not stopping there...
I will:

• Use organic, non-GMO, farm raised cow milk in my morning tea for a while until I've cleansed my palette and adjust to the other changes. That's the only time I use milk and I that tea is a vice I enjoy too much to ditch. Gosh, I am already doing enough crazy without depriving myself of my early-morning enjoyment!
• Substitute vegan foods (waffles, mayo, butter, etc.) for some of my current choices.
• Include a daily veggie smoothy with some fruit (decided the juicing was for the devout)
• Eat more legumes, seeds and nuts.
• Make my plate 70+% veggies.
• Take a B12 supplement off and on. 

Those are some major changes for yours truly. I'll keep you posted. I had a vegan waffle with half a banana, natural peanut butter and organic raisins for breakfast. Wonder what I'll do for lunch?

My friends and family thought I was crazy before. Now they are going to think I'm certifiable.

Juicing or not?

I've been watching a ton of health related movies since getting a Roku which gave me access to Netflix, Amazon and a bunch of other channels. I usually watch them as I'm walking on the treadmill. It makes me feel virtuous to do double-duty, plus it motivates me to keep on moving.

It's been very interesting and educational. I've watched "Food, Inc.", "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead", "Vegucated", and other similar movies.

After watching Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead I decided to experiment a bit with juicing.

I don't really need to lose a ton of weight although I wouldn't mind dropping some. My main reason for wanting to try juicing is to get a few more veggies in my system. I'm also a bit concerned about my joints as I've had issues off and on for years since I pushed myself too hard and fast when training for a marathon. Long story but the end result has been an inability to run marathons...or for any length of time.

Tale after tale of people getting of medications, reversing diseases or chronic conditions sparked a strong interest. I'd like to prevent going down the path of doctor visits, prescription medications lined up on the counter, poor health, lack of energy, obesity, brain-fog, and all those other negatives that are so prevalent these days.

I'm a vegetarian, been one since my teens. I don't eat sugar of any sort except, horrible I know, Splenda in my hot tea in the morning (more on that sinful choice at some other time). I stopped with the gluten long before it became a fad. Despite all of those so-called "healthy" food choices I know I am addicted to carbs. Give me a choice between a piece of toast and a stalk of broccoli and guess which one I'll grab?

I have a Nutribullet and had been using it for smoothies but I thought juicing might be a better option. I get plenty of fiber so ditching the natural fibers isn't that big a deal for my intestines, but I am not thrilled with tossing all the good stuff out.

My daughter-in-law loaned me a juicer. She had tried it, said it was messy, a hassle, she'd done it a few times and given up.

I just tried my first juicing. It's messy, it's kind of a hassle and something I may or may not do again! I made a kale, strawberry, apple concoction. It was good. If someone else made it and handed it to me I'd love it.

Right now I have a bunch of glob-filled things in my sink waiting to be cleaned. And the residue on my little glass is not appetizing. My teeth may be green also. 

I'm kind of thinking that maybe I'll just stick with the Nutribullet. I can toss all the same stuff in it, whir it a bit and have a filling, fiber-rich, vitamin-rich drink.

I did learn a few things during the process though. I have been making my smoothies completely backwards. I've been fruit heavy.

I just watched a video on YouTube by Elizabeth Rider (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45XdMtaig1E) about some common juicing mistakes. I watched it thinking she was going to tell me how to do things so I didn't have such a mess (ha ha). I need to make sure my smoothies are green. More kale, fewer bananas, mangoes and strawberries.

If you're interested in more on juicing here are a few YouTube videos that caught my attention:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjt3bxyKcCI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDeTKomY4P8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKzng1_byMY

Here a trailer for a movie/documentary I'm going to watch if it's on Netflix/Amazon, etc. :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQNNX2Oo7Kk&list=PLDB08EB984B46CB4D

On a side-note: I saw a number of videos lamenting major weight gain after going off a juice-fast. I think if someone slowly goes back to eating HEALTHY foods, makes veggies a platform of a normal diet rather than the little exclamation point on the platter, and has done their juicing correctly that shouldn't be an issue. I didn't watch any of the videos as I wasn't going to do a juice fast like Joe Cross or others who tout the benefits.

Quick note on earaches...

I've been plagued since I was a child with intermittent earaches. No health issues, just have to make sure I take care when swimming, etc.

Monday started with an earache, much worse than usual. It got more painful as the evening progressed, none of my usual remedies made a dent. Even aspirin didn't ease the pain.

I did what most of us do these days when we can't get to a doctor, I hit the Internet and went on a search for natural remedies. I found a ton of suggestions, unfortunately I didn't have any of the items listed in the house... except alcohol and white vinegar.

I gave it a shot. Everyone had different mixtures -- 3 portions of white vinegar to one of alcohol, etc. I went with half and half. I put it on a cotton ball, grabbed a heating pad & went to bed to read. 15 minutes later I realized the pain was completely gone. It's been three days and it hasn't returned.

Next time I go to the doc I'll let her take a look just to make sure nothing's going on in there, but I imagine it was just the old swimmers ear. If it comes back, I'll head to the doctor.

Figured I'd take a minute & share just in case anyone ever ran into the same problem. I didn't see any horror tales or comments from doctors saying not to do it but whenever you / we go the route of home "repair" you / we need to be cautious... That's my official disclaimer . Be careful with your ears, eyes, and all the rest of your bod.