The Health Guru – Springtime

Spring is a time for renewal and rebirth and we are often letting go of the heaviness of winter as well as the stodge, where exercising and cutting back, seems easier in the lighter months.   So, I am watching ‘The Gooplab’ on Netflix, (an older person I know says that Netflix has revolutionised her life), where in Episode Two, a man is sitting in shorts in some snow, meditating in seven degree cold, where he maintains that cold water is a way to deal with stress.   If you adapt to the cold water, one becomes the alchemist of life itself, he maintains.  Known as the ice-man, he demonstrates how the autonomic nervous system can be controlled by the mind.  I really need this right now.

The medical belief categorically states that we cannot control our autonomic nervous system however, ice-man had e-coli bacteria injected into him by Doctors and illustrated that he could defy the bacteria.  Within four days he had taught others to do what the medical profession deem impossible.  In 2014, twenty-four healthy people were injected with an endotoxin known to cause fevers, chills and headaches.

The twelve he had trained did not get sick, but all of the others did.  He says he uses breathing techniques, cold exposure and mindset – known as ‘the Wim hoff’ method.  One needs the biochemistry of alkaline in the system for the biochemistry to be right and his breathing technique allows, the body to become temporarily more alkaline, where pain receptors become less active.   He says, ‘the soul knows no fear’, by deliberately, putting the body into a state of temporary stress through controlled hyperventilated breathing and cold exposure.  Hence, we can build physiological and psychological resistance to stress stimuli in our environment.  It helps us feel calmer in our thoughts, feelings and actions.   Worth a watch but please do not try it at home!

March brings Mother Day and this, makes me feel emotional.   As, I write this my mother has lost her life in Spain, where my parents have lived for the past eight years.  It amazes me that in this day and age drugs they use to control one thing affect another, in my mother’s case after an operation, drugs that were used to control her lungs then, affected and weakened her heart.   If your mother is still with you, value her and make sure you call or visit as you never know what is around the corner.    Mum was only seventy-three and all but one of her contemporaries are still around.

So, in March we feel the throws of Spring, the daffodils of St.David’s Day and Welsh leeks, definitely, the time for leek and potato soup, celeriac, asparagus, rhubarb, apricots, new potatoes, rocket and spring greens and I was reminded that my now, nine year old son that earth and heart contain the same letters.

Grief can consume us and lower our immune system, so it is important to boost it with the right nutrients.   We need immune-boosting foods like elderberries although, these are relatively hard to find as I do not come across many elderberry bushes in Carmarthenshire, nor, in supermarkets but can be taken as an elixir, like throat/cough tinctures.   My husband reminisces that when, he was a young boy, climbing Caerphilly mountain to pick wild elderberries and ate them raw.  Although, contraindications can interfere with some medications, for example, diabetes medications, although not a problem for myself as it is supposed to lower blood sugars.

Other foods to include are mushrooms, not everyone’s favourite but I love them and they are high in selenium and B vitamins like riboflavin and niacin as well as polysaccharides, sugar-like molecules that boost immune function.

I was particularly interested in acai berry after picking up a powder in Aldi, that is a potent antioxidant and stimulator of the immune system, researchers are studying it as a potential treatment for all kinds of conditions. Areas of study include acai use in people with

• increasing prostate specific antigen (PSA);
• cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome;
• lower rectum cancer, and
• constipation.

At my Mother’s wake I got very hot sitting in the restaurant, even though I was by the window and had thought I was a bit warm, the sun was not directly on my side and around twenty degrees.    However, that night I woke up parched, with a fast heart beat and dry, hot skin that meant I was dehydrated.  You can imagine what I would be like if I actually sat in the sun.  Although I know many with my condition, I know no one who has it to this extent, even though diabetics are more prone, as the kidneys unload glucose and ketones, causing higher blood sugars and further dehydration.

Many a time, I have been rushed to hospital with heat stroke or dehydration but I sipped one and half litres of electrolyte solution and felt much better.  A similar occurrence happened when stepping off the ferry, not due to any heat but due to twenty-four hours travelling.   We had met some lovely people and my son wore a Welsh rugby t-shirt and sang the national anthem at breakfast that led to all sorts of people from Wales not only, complimenting him on his t-shirt but also, his wonderful singing voice.  We met a lovely couple from Swansea and spent a while chatting about our love for Wales and Spain.

Spain is fantastic for gluten free products, fresh oranges, that cannot be beaten and other produce that is organic or tastes amazing like beef tomatoes that, I find bland over here but sing on your taste buds over there, with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, avocados and so on, where my blood sugars are naturally lower.  I think the lifestyle really helps, even if I cannot go out in the sun.

As mine and my family’s nerves are all frayed and it has been a very stressful time, Spain was a place to recharge, before weathering the storms literally back in Wales.  The pool was a warm one, Swedish style unlike the cold, closed off outdoor pools throughout the winter.

I listened to Sandy Newbigging  free meditations www.sandynewbigging.com like emotional wellness and calm world, which definitely helped through these dark times and wrote about my grief, that was very hard to process and understand.  It really is true what they say about the different stages we pass through.

As the tea flowed, so did the biscuits and as we had another cup of tea another biscuit and so forth however, Spain does it well with the Gullon range that are without gluten or sugar and do not raise blood sugar like a normal biscuit.  I wish they did them here and went through a phase of ordering them online.   You can get gluten free but there are not many ranges without sugar. All, of the so-called healthy options like the Deliciously Ella range are full of sugar, even if it professes to be natural and I really do not like the taste of cocoa and dates in all of her protein balls.

I bought a book before going to Spain named ‘Eat Yourself healthy’, by Dr. Megan Rossi that contains star dishes like quinoa sushi rolls with smoked salmon, lemon curd in chia and cashew tartlets, walnut raw carrot balls, satay tofu and cheesy vegan crackers.  I have tried this way of eating before and thought I would try again but this, is where it gets difficult as, Dr. Rossi writes about the gut and links to mood disorders.   Which means cutting out all gluten products, and where she uses grains, beans and yes, you guessed it dates and cocoa mixtures.  Also, buying all the ingredients, is not that easy plus, spending lots of time in the kitchen.  The recipes are not crowd-pleasing either and so you end up with a cold, tasteless dinner whilst, everyone else is tucking into a pasta bake.  I like hearty soups and try to make them as often as possible and will post more ideas on the website and forum, www.olivetraining180.com. (Olive Forum on Facebook).

Meanwhile, someone has posted on a Facebook group that they are going to try the celery juice protocol, where it is supposed to have several health benefits and a man who calls himself ‘The Medical Medium,’ says it is the greatest healer of autoimmune disorders, psoriasis, acne, chronic fatigue, acid reflux and a host of other ailments, however, there is no scientific evidence to support these claims, although there is nothing wrong with it either, as it is like a ‘tall, drink of water’, so more hydration with the added benefits of potassium and vitamin K, and antioxidants that maybe anti-inflammatory.

Due to Anthony Williams’ (Medical Medium’s) claims, sales in celery have increased exponentially.  For me it is like juicing in general, and cucumber that contains potassium, vitamin K, and vitamin C is also hydrating, carrots contain vitamin A and beta carotene with excellent health benefits as, does eating your vegetables in general.  Just having celery gave me a stomach upset, but that is just me and I have not read about anyone being cured from any disease with it.  It also contains about 30mg of salt per stalk and we need to be mindful about how much salt we consume per day, although, it differs from table salt, it can increase blood pressure and its vitamin K content can also, interfere with warfarin medications.

I have bought other books on clean eating and it is quite a hard lifestyle choice to make beans, quinoa and grains in general are not good for my gut at all and upon reading many books on the immune system, contribute to auto-immune conditions.  The reason I like Slimming World recipes are that you can eat how you would normally but it encourages you to cut the fat and sugar to make better choices.  I quite like Dr. Megan’s breakfast choices though like oats, fruit and yoghurt.  These days I prefer dairy free, Alpro yoghurts that taste really great in a range of flavours.

I was just getting used to queuing up for a till in Carrefour (Spanish hypermarket) and being shouted at for pushing through, as my husband was already at one, as well as having fruit snatched away as we had not weighed it, with no chance of going back.  I had a carrot, apple and ginger juice and an upset stomach, that was only cured by cheesecake at our birthday meal and taking a dose of grapefruit seed extract (Citricidal), notoriously hard to get in health shops but a cure all for stomach issues and acts as a wound healer.  Works every time although, do not take if you cannot have grapefruit, as some medical conditions or medications can be dangerous, (www.olivetraining180.com). It reminded me of my health kick in Spain, a few years ago, where I brought my smoothie maker and made spinach smoothies, ending up in hospital with dehydration and a severe stomach upset.   Best to stick to the cheese cake!  I have to be even more vigilant when away.

The Head of the NHS has attacked Gwynyth Paltrow, like he has nothing better to do.  People have a choice whether, to follow Gooplab and buy anything and yes, some are trying to sue but most of it is, an alternative way of thinking.  The NHS has saved me and let me down over the last four years so, much so that a Consultant had to apologise for my treatment.  I still have a long wait.

I continue to speak out but would never deliberately, attack anyone and only respond to those who show a lack of compassion or are badly behaved, or a bully and so forth.  This, I have realised can make enemies as people seem to stand up for them but my gran always taught me to stand up for myself and others, and what is right and that is all I can do.

Finally, in tribute to my mother I wrote to the Council in order to register the ‘Hilary Rose Kingsley’, Holocaust Memorial Day next year, in Kidwelly.  My mum was supposed to be coming over to speak at the one we held in Kidwelly, this year before she suddenly fell ill.  Here’s to our mothers wherever, they may be.  Have a happy time, marching into Spring!  Why not join The Olive Forum on Facebook to discuss health issues, natural remedies, equality advice, recipes and so on?  See you there!