Category Archives: health

health

What are we eating?

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Recently at a fair, a family was talking with me about goats and the use of goat milk in our house.  I started in on my discussion with them about the health benefits of goat milk and how it differs from cow milk.  Then we talked about the milk benefits for kids who show some sensory disorder tendencies or are on the autistic  spectrum.  Afterwards, I thought about everything I had just said to them about all the reasons we got into goats in the first place.  We didn’t get goats to win ribbons or make a lot of money (and I haven’t met a non-commercial goat dairy that has figured out how to turn a profit in goats).  We got goats to have a health milk supply for our family.  And we raise our own meats to have a healthy meat supply.  And Anna grows a big garden for an organic, pesticide free vegetable source.  So why, when I look in the cabinets of the kitchen, do we have so many boxes of processed cereals, snack crackers, chips, boxed side dishes, and store-bought bread?

It’s simple – we allowed our priorities and focus as a family to get distracted.  As my trimming business has increased, it put a strain on the amount of time I have to contribute to the farm.  Anna has developed a steady flow of kids taking riding lessons.  And there is a farm to deal with.

I spend approximately 16 hours a week driving between my commuting to Newport every day and trimming horses in the evenings and Saturdays.  I spend most of my time in the car listening to audio books.  I go through lots of different subjects filling the time, but sometimes I seek out specific topics.  Recently, I listened to two audio books that had a significant impact on my thinking.

Wheat Belly and Pandora’s Lunchbox

Wheat Belly was enlightening about how hybrids and GMOs have affected what we consume.  The author presents a lot of compelling reasons to give up wheat entirely, and if even a fraction of the information is true (which I believe a significant percentage is accurate) then it is amazing how many of the weight and health problems in today’s society are caused by wheat.  I highly recommend this book for everyone.  In particular, those who are over weight and are concerned about diabetes.  I guarantee you will think differently about your food afterwards.

Pandora’s Lunchbox caught me off guard.  I expected a book that was similar to Wheat Belly in it’s hard over, all or nothing approach.  Instead, it was a much more balanced documentary of the processed food industry and how it has affected diets in the modern life.  Again, definitely worth the time to read (or listen to).

So, what are we eating?  Well, I didn’t go home and empty the cupboards of all processed food and anything containing wheat.  However, we are making a commitment to do a little “reset” at our house and refocus some of our efforts.  More attention to menu planning and cooking food, instead of reconstituting powders and boxes.  Planning outings to minimize the temptation of going through a drive through.

And by the way, if you don’t have time to listen to audio books in the car like I do (or like Anna, can’t focus on an audio book while driving) consider giving up that evening time watching junk tv.  We gave up cable long ago.  Instead, we get a few shows every season through Amazon just to get our fix.  Evening are better spent reading or listening to an audio book, while enjoying a glass of wine and some goat cheese!

Now I’m listening to Fit2Fat2Fit.
 

fitness, health

Biking in the house

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We finally got motivated to bring the CycleOps bike trainer out of the basement and into the den.  A little Pandora for music and we are all set to ride the bikes inside.  Last night I took mine for a test ride.  Vicki was begging to bring hers up too, so a quick adjustment was made and she got to ride.  Given the tire doesn’t reach the resistance flywheel, so she is just spinning with the resistance of the gears on her bike.  That said, she rode on the trainer for 40 minutes while listening to Kids Bop.

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Then we adjusted the setup for Anna’s bike.  She plans to get comfortable enough on the trainer with proper riding attire and the clip in shoes so we can ride outside in the spring.

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health

Why is the butter in the fridge?

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As you know, we like to get back to the past and look at how things used to be done in the time of our grandparents and great grandparents.  Part of that, is reading (listening to audiobooks) of biographies from the 1900 era.  I like to pick up on how things were done and figure out why we are doing it differently.

For example, eggs.  Why are the eggs in the fridge?  There was a significant study done by Mother Earth News about the methods of storing eggs.

But what about butter?  Before everyone had refrigerators, they still had butter and managed to keep it fresh?  That is because, butter doesn’t need to be refrigerated.  Butter has salt in it that keeps it fresh. It’s true, if you want to buy some butter and use it 2 or 3 months from now, the fridge is a better choice.  However, if you use a couple of sticks a week, then it is fine on the counter.  As with many items, refrigeration simply extends the time that an item can be stored prior to going rancid.  For the manufacturers, this is important.  But for our family, the butter sits in a dish on the counter.  And because the butter stays soft, we don’t need to buy “soft butter” at the store with olive oil or other things added to keep it soft at 40F.

And in our house, you will only find butter, not margarine, because we have looked beyond the label in the store and made an educated decision.  That doesn’t mean anyone using margarine isn’t educated, simply, it’s not what we choose after learning more about the subject.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/how-to-store-fresh-eggs-zmaz77ndzgoe.aspx

health

Ginger for the sweet tooth

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I have a confession.  I have a sweet tooth.  In fact, if I have a bag of spice drops sitting on my desk at work, I might eat the whole bag in a couple of days.  I like to keep snacks in my desk drawer so I can munch on things through the day instead of just eating a big meal for lunch.  I really want to have healthy snacks, with as little processing as possible, but I also like some variety.

When I was at the store the other day, I decided to pick up some crystallized ginger, after all, it looks a piece of candy.  I know, crystallized means sugar-coated, but it’s still better than “high fructose balls with artificial flavor, artificial color and a sugar-coating” also known as spice drops.

Did you know ginger is really good for a lot of things?  Check out this website: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=72

It has a little kick that helps wake you up when sitting at a computer, and the health benefits definitely outweigh the added sugar (that’s my story and I’m sticking to it).  So, next time you want a sweet snack, grab some crystallized ginger.

health

Why we need to control our own health care

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As I have been dealing with my concussion, it has made me understand more about why I need to understand my own health issues and not rely on the doctors and medical establishment to teach me.  Doctors are certainly important, in particular for dealing with emergency and trauma situations, but doctors are fallible (like the rest of us).  Since I have at least 2 hours a day commuting, I listen to podcasts some of the time.  I have long been a fan of the Horse Radio Network and listen to some of their shows.  Today, I listened to a Stable Scoop episode about Lyme in People.

I would encourage everyone to take an hour and listen to the episode.  You can play it directly from the website or download and play it later.  While it is specifically about Lyme, it is also about taking control of your situation.  As I listened to the episode, I realized that it is very possible some of the things I have been battling from my concussion may actually be related to Lyme.  This is definitely possible since we already know Anna and Amanda have Lyme.  It might even be possible that Amanda was born with it.  I didn’t realize that only a small percentage of people with Lyme actually get the traditional bulls-eye.

My plan is to research some of the homeopathic/holistic/alternative treatment options for Lyme.  In doing so, I am sure I will continue to learn about managing our health better.

aromatherapy, health

Aromatherapy is working

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If you have been following along, you know I have been experimenting with Aromatherapy to control and hopefully prevent, my migraines.  You can review my “Concussion Blend #1” which has been updated with a minor change I made doubled the Frankincense oil content.

My time at work was slightly irregular, so I waited a while to validate the results.  I am completely convinced that the blend is working to help with the healing.  By using some of the oil in the morning and again after lunch, I have been avoiding the migraines completely.  I have also been experiencing much less in the way of dull  headaches towards the end of the work day.  I am still feeling more fatigued, but I am pleased with the results so far.

I want to also give credit to the cranial sacral massage that I had.  While I never had any “Ah-ha” moments, I do feel like it helped restore some balance.  I have another massage tomorrow, so we will see how it continues.

Now if only aromatherapy could make it cooler outside…

aromatherapy, health

Aromatherapy Conconcussion blend #1

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As I previously discussed, the aromatherapy has been having a definite positive impact on my migraines.  Initially, I started with pure Frankincense oil to conduct a causal determination that the Frankincense oil was the specific ingredient resulting in the improvement.  I didn’t take any meds at all during the week of testing.  I was so pleased with the result, I decided to start testing various blends of essential oils to create my own aromatherapy solution for healing my concussion as a whole and not just blocking the migraine symptoms.  Note, my concussion was sustained 5.5 months ago, so this isn’t just going away on it’s own.

The major symptoms I have been having were migraines (when reading computer screens at work all day under florescent lighting), low grade headaches (in particular when using Frankincense to block the migraines), and excessive fatigue (again more noticeable following extended computer use/florescent lighting at work).

I have not yet found any aromatherapy blends specifically targeting concussions, which is surprising.  Therefore, I researched oils used for combating migraines, headaches, and fatigue and chose my ingredients.  Frankincense is rarely used for any of these purposes based on my research so far.  I discovered the link to healing concussions and migraines through other blogs like mine.

Rob’s Concussion Blend #1

15ml almond oil (carrier oil)

20 drops Frankincense oil (NOTE – I initially started with 10 drops but after a few days, I could tell there was not enough Frankincense having been using it pure previously)

8 drops Eucalyptus oil

8 drops Lemongrass oil

4 drops Peppermint oil

If anyone else local is also combating a concussion or just migraines and wants to join in the aromatherapy testing, you are welcome to email me.  Some of the oils are quite expensive and it doesn’t take much to test or create blends like this.

I will post next week after I have given this blend a chance to work.  My initial thought is I may have to add more Frankincense based on the fact that I was using it pure previously.

health

Aromatherapy follow up

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In case you missed it, read my first post about trying aromatherapy for my migraines here.  I have been trying out the Frankincense oil for about a week.  My general routine has been to go to work and within the first 30 minutes of using my computer, put a drop or two of oil on my finger and rub it on the top of my chest, temples, across forehead, and base of neck.  I reapply after lunch and maybe one more time per day as needed.  I have a small bottle of the oil in my desk drawer and another at home, so there is no issue with not having it when needed.

The result is I end up with more of a low-grade headache, but not a full-blown migraine.  On the few occasions when I haven’t used the oil and a migraine starts to set in, the aromatherapy has been very effective at creating immediate pain relief.  I still feel more fatigued that normal after spending a day at the computer screen, however, I would rather be tired instead of tired and incapacitated.

Here is where it gets interesting.  Since sharing this, I know of 2 other cases where people suffering from migraines went and bought frankincense oil to try this for themselves.  Both reported results very similar to mine, including immediate relief from the migraine!

I am going to do some more research to build a small blend of essential oils to see if there is something I can add that will relieve the dull headache as well and possible aid with the fatigue.  So far, I haven’t found a pre-made blend that has want I want.  I love that there is really no risk in trying this on my own.

Read the next post about my concussion blend I created.

aromatherapy, health

Trying out aromatherapy

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Last week I started my new job on staff at the Naval War College in Newport RI. I spend an hour commuting each way and then my day is spent in a room of florescent lights in front of a computer screen. I went from have 1 or 2 low grade migraines a week (still from the concussion in January) to a debilitating migraine every day by the time I left work. Clearly something needed to change.
Since I have been learning about complementary therapies for horses, I decided to look into some for my concussion healing. While medications may help some with the migraine once it starts, there was nothing to promote the healing of the concussion.
So this evening, after taking a short nap when I got home to deal with the migraine, I headed to Herbwise Naturals in Westerly (thanks Holly). I specifically wanted to get frankincense oil based on some reading I had do e that I indicated it helped others heal from concussions.
There was a sample bottle of the frankincense oil. I placed the sample under my nose and breathed for a short time. Within 30 seconds, I could feel the migraines sweeping back away from my forehead. The pressure receded to the back of my skull. It was amazing how fast the impact was. I bought 2 small bottles (2 different brands) and put a small amount of the oil across my forehead and on the back of my neck. Over the next 40 minutes, the pain moved deeper into my skull, then shifted to right where a ball cap would sit on my forehead and was gone from deep inside.
Then the pain settled down onto the bridge of my nose like someone pushing down on glasses. Finally, the pressure lifted completely and the migraine was gone. This is significant because the migraines rarely dissipate without a full night of rest.
I am hopeful that the aromatherapy will help with healing from the concussion instead of treating symptoms related to the concussion. I will post an update to see if the aromatherapy helps avoid the onset of the migraines.

Read Aromatherapy Follow up